diff options
Diffstat (limited to '44964-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 44964-8.txt | 4046 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 4046 deletions
diff --git a/44964-8.txt b/44964-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0976ea0..0000000 --- a/44964-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4046 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Battles of the Civil War, by Thomas Elbert Vineyard - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Battles of the Civil War - -Author: Thomas Elbert Vineyard - -Release Date: February 19, 2014 [EBook #44964] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR *** - - - - -Produced by Charlie Howard and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - BATTLES - OF THE - CIVIL WAR - - BY - T. E. VINEYARD - - [Illustration] - - SPENCER, W. VA. - 1914 - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1914 - BY - T. E. VINEYARD - - HAMMOND PRESS - W. B. CONKEY COMPANY - CHICAGO - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN 9 - BATTLE OF SHILOH 14 - BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS AND SEVEN PINES 19 - THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES BEFORE RICHMOND 25 - BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN 36 - SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN 40 - BATTLE OF ANTIETAM 46 - BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO 56 - BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG 62 - BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE 71 - SIEGE OF VICKSBURG 79 - BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG 86 - BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA 104 - BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY RIDGE 109 - BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS 114 - BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE 120 - BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR 125 - SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA 129 - BATTLE OF CLOYD MOUNTAIN 136 - THE SIEGE AND FALL OF PETERSBURG 142 - THE SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX 149 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE 16 - GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT 32 - JOHN BROWN ON HIS WAY TO THE GALLOWS 48 - BATTLEFIELD OF FIRST BULL RUN 64 - BATTLE OF ANTIETAM 96 - BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG 112 - DEDICATING THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AT GETTYSBURG 128 - BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE 144 - - - - -AUTHOR'S PREFACE - - -In all history of this American Republic, or perhaps any other nation, -there was no conflict that was so terrible as our Civil war. Napoleon's -efforts to bring into reality his dream of universal empire would not -compare with it. - -I have endeavored in this book to describe in detail the chief points -that were enacted on the most important battlefields of that War. As -those who participated in that War are now fast passing away, and the -time will soon be here when they will only be remembered by their -deeds of valor on these battlefields, I deem it only fit and proper -that those in all walks of life should know more of these battles in -detail and of those who participated in them. I think you will get this -information from this book, as it is written specially with this view. -It should specially appeal to teachers and students who can use it in -a supplementary way in connection with the study of history of this -period. - -I now commend this book to you, and trust that it may be the means of -giving you more light on this the greatest civil war of all time, and -that it may help to lengthen in the minds of the American people their -remembrance of those who participated in it. - - - - -FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN - - -At the beginning of July, 1861, the Federals had 30,000 men encamped -along the Potomac near the heights of Arlington under the general -command of General Winfield Scott, who was a veteran of the war of -1812, as well as the Mexican war, but who was at this time aged and -infirm, and remained in Washington, and Brigadier-General Irvin -McDowell was in immediate command of the army. Another 20,000 men lay -at Martinsburg under General Patterson who like Scott was a veteran of -the war of 1812 and of the Mexican war. - -At Manassas Junction, about thirty miles from Washington, lay the -Confederate army under Brigadier-General Beauregard. General Joseph E. -Johnston was in command of 9,000 men in the Shenandoah Valley. Johnston -and Beauregard, as well as McDowell, had with Scott and Patterson -battled at the gates of Mexico. - -General Scott gave orders to McDowell to move against Beauregard and -on the 16th day of July the army, with waving banners and lively hopes -of victory, and with "On to Richmond" as their battle cry, moved on -Manassas. General McDowell brought his army to a halt at Centreville -within seven miles of Manassas. Beauregard was apprised of the coming -of the Federals. The stream of Bull Run, from which the first great -battle of the war derived its name, flowed between the two armies. -Patterson failed to detain Johnston in the valley, and General Johnston -reached Manassas with his army on the afternoon of the 20th. General -Longstreet was also there, who some months later played a distinctive -part in the struggle at Gettysburg and in the death grapple of Lee and -Grant in the wilderness. - -McDowell, after resting his troops for two days at Centreville, thought -the time for an engagement was now at hand, so on Sunday, July 21st, -at half-past two in the morning, the men were roused for the coming -conflict. Their dream of easy victory had already received a rude -shock, for on their second day at Centreville a skirmish between two -minor divisions of the opposing armies resulted in the defeat of the -Union forces with some loss. - -Ambrose E. Burnside and William T. Sherman were at this time -subordinate officers under General McDowell. Burnside, who figured -later in the far more disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, and Sherman, -distinguished for his march to the sea. - -The Union plan was that General Tyler should lead his division -westward and cross Bull Run at the Stone Bridge about four miles from -Centreville, and the remainder of the army under Hunter and Heintzelman -was to make a circuit of several miles through a dense wood and cross -Bull Run at Sudley's Ford. The plan was to attack the Confederate left -wing. The march to Sudley's Ford was slower than expected and it was -almost noon before this division of the army reached the field near -Stone Bridge. - -General Tyler early in the day opened fire at Stone Bridge on the -Confederates under General Evans, but merely kept up a desultory fire. -As the morning wore away the Confederates suddenly discovered clouds -of dust rising above the treetops along the Warrenton turnpike, which -told them that the main Federal army was on them. Evans quickly turned -about and made ready for battle and waited calmly for the approach of -the enemy. Presently there was a glimmer of sunlight reflected from -burnished steel among the trees and Colonel Burnside led the Federal -army from the woods and without delay the battle began and raged -furiously. - -Meanwhile Generals Beauregard and Johnston were at Manassas, about four -miles from the scene of battle, with part of the Confederate army, and -had been planning an attack on the Federal left, but on hearing the -roar of the cannon and the rattle of the musketry became convinced that -the Federals were making their main attack on the Confederate left, -and both galloped at full speed to the scene of battle, after leaving -orders to the remainder of the army to be brought up to reënforce the -small force of Confederates who were trying to hold back the Federals. -They arrived on the field at the moment when General Bee's brigade -was being driven back. General Bee, in trying to rally his men, -called their attention to the fact that Thos. J. Jackson's brigade was -standing like a stone wall, and it was here that Jackson won his name -of "Stonewall." - -The battle raged furiously until 3 o'clock. The chief object was to -get possession of Henry's Hill. Beauregard, like McDowell on the other -side, led his men in the thickest of the battle. His horse was killed -by a bursting shell, but he mounted another and continued. At about -2 o'clock the Confederates were driven from the field and McDowell -thought he had won the victory, but General Kirby Smith had arrived -from Manassas with the remainder of the Confederate army and was now -on the field, after a double-quick march for four miles under a hot -July sun. Beauregard determined to make another effort and ordered -his troops forward with fresh courage. When the Union army saw the -Confederates again approaching, supported by fresh troops, their -courage failed and they began to retreat. McDowell tried in vain -to rally his men, the Confederates pressed on, the retreat of the -Federals became a panic. He again tried to rally his men and make a -stand at Centreville but to no avail, the troops refused to listen -to his commands. Some of the troops did not stop until they reached -Washington, and the first great battle of the Civil war was now over. - -The Federal force engaged was about 19,000 men, of which the loss in -killed, wounded and missing was about 3,000. - -The Confederates had about 18,000 men on the field, and their total -loss in killed, wounded and missing was about 2,000. McDowell and -Beauregard, the opposing commanders, were old-time friends, having been -in the same class at West Point. - -It was in this battle that Captain Ricketts was severely wounded and -left on the field, and was carried a prisoner to Richmond by the -Confederates. - -To commemorate the success of the Southern arms at Bull Run the -Confederate congress voted a day of Thanksgiving. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF SHILOH - - -Many battles had been fought in America, but they were all skirmishes -compared with Shiloh. Napoleon fought but few battles on the Continent -of Europe that were more destructive of human life. - -In the beginning of April, 1862, General Albert Sidney Johnston was in -command of 40,000 Confederate soldiers at Corinth, Miss., about twenty -miles from Pittsburgh Landing, on the Tennessee River; the next in -command was General Beauregard, who had fought at Bull Run, and had -come to reënforce Johnston; General Bragg, of Buena Vista fame, was -there, to whom, at Buena Vista, General Taylor had given the famous -command, "A little more grape, Captain Bragg." General Leonidas Polk -was with Johnston also. He was called the "Fighting Bishop," for he had -been a bishop in the church after leaving West Point. - -Meanwhile the Union army was gathering at Pittsburgh Landing, under the -command of General Grant, and by April 5th numbered 40,000 men. Grant's -plan was to attack the Confederates at Corinth, within a few days, and -at this time was little expecting an immediate battle, and had left his -army in command of his subordinate officers, and on the night of the -5th was some miles down the Tennessee from where his army was encamped. - -In the meantime Johnston was moving on the Federals at Pittsburgh -Landing, and on the night of April 5th encamped within a mile of the -Federal lines. - -At the break of day Sunday, April 6th, the Confederate battle-lines -moved from the woods on the surrounding hills, and the greatest battle -yet fought in the Western Hemisphere was at hand. - -General Grant was at breakfast when he heard the roar of the cannon, -and made haste by boat to take charge of his army. - -General Hardee led the first Confederate attack against the outlying -division of the Federals under General Benjamin Prentiss, of West -Virginia. Very soon a Confederate attack was made all along the Federal -line, led by Bragg, Polk and Breckinridge. A determined stand was made -by the Federal division under General W. T. Sherman, but was finally -pushed back after inflicting great slaughter to the Confederates. About -two and a half miles from the Landing, in a grove of trees, stood a log -church, known to the country people as Shiloh, at which they gathered -on Sunday to worship, but on this particular Sunday the demon of war -reigned supreme, and it goes without saying that the regular service on -this fateful Sunday was dispensed with. About this church the battle -raged furiously. Near the same was a dense undergrowth, which was -held by General Prentiss until late in the afternoon of the 6th, when -his entire division was surrounded and compelled to surrender, after -repulsing the Confederate attack time after time with great slaughter. -This spot has since been known as the "Hornet's Nest." - -It was near this place that General Albert Sidney Johnston received his -death wound while leading his troops, and in his death the Confederates -suffered irreparable loss. He was struck in the leg by a minie ball, -and if surgical attention had been given him at once his life would -have been saved. - -It is the belief of many that the death of Johnston changed the result -at Shiloh. Beauregard succeeded to the command and continued the -battle. The utter rout of Grant's army was saved only by the gunboats -in the river. Beauregard gave orders to suspend operations until -morning. - -[Illustration: GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE] - -The Confederates were left in charge of the field on the first day and -were in good hope of victory. But ere long their hopes were mingled -with fear, for Beauregard had been expecting General Van Dorn with -20,000 men to reënforce him, but he had not arrived. On the other hand, -Generals Buell and Wallace arrived during the night with 25,000 fresh -troops to reënforce Grant. Everyone knew the battle would be renewed -at the dawn of day. At the break of day, April 7th, all was astir on -the field of Shiloh, and the dawn was greeted with the roar of the -cannon and the rattle of the musketry. - -The Confederates were at a great disadvantage as Van Dorn had not -arrived, and they were confronted by Grant's overwhelming numbers. -Shiloh church was again the storm center, and was used by Beauregard as -his headquarters. - -During the afternoon Beauregard became convinced that the battle -was lost, and ordered a retreat, which was skillfully made, for he -maintained a front firing-line, and the Federals did not suspect his -retreat for some time. - -The Federals were left in possession of the field, while Beauregard's -troops were wading through mud on their way to Corinth. - -Nothing yet on the American continent had ever been witnessed by any -human being that would equal the agony and woe that was endured on this -retreat; the road was almost impassable, and the Confederate army, -extending along this road for six to eight miles, was struggling along -through a downpour of rain, which, ere long, as night hovered over -them, turned to hail and sleet. There were wagons loaded with wounded, -whose wounds had not yet been attended. The wounded that died on the -way were left by the wayside. - -Some days after the battle Beauregard reported to his government at -Richmond as follows: "This army is more confident of ultimate success -than before its encounter with the enemy." - -In his address to his soldiers he said: "You have done your duty. Your -countrymen are proud of your deeds on the bloody field of Shiloh: -Confident of the ultimate result of your valor." - -The two days at Shiloh were astonishing to the American people. Bull -Run was a skirmish in comparison with Shiloh. The loss on each side was -more than 10,000 men. General Grant said that after the battle there -was an open field so covered with dead that it would have been possible -to walk across it in any direction stepping on dead bodies without the -foot touching the ground. - -This proved a great victory for the Federals, as it left them in full -possession along the Tennessee and in the surrounding country. - - - - -THE BATTLES OF FAIR OAKS AND SEVEN PINES - - -After the battle of Bull Run the Union army was broken up and -unorganized. General George B. McClellan was called to Washington to -take charge of the army, and in the beginning days of 1862 he found -himself in command of 200,000 men. He set about to organize this army -and fit them for service. Presently public opinion grew restless, and -the North became tired of "All's Quiet Along the Potomac." - -About the middle of March McClellan moved a large portion of his army -on transports down the Potomac to Fortress Monroe. On April 5th he -moved up the Peninsula toward Richmond. He met with a Confederate force -under General Magruder near Yorktown, who fell back on Williamsburg as -the Union army advanced. At Williamsburg he met a large Confederate -force under General J. E. B. Stuart, D. H. Hill and Jubal Early. The -Confederates were finally dislodged and forced to retreat by the -advance divisions of McClellan's army under Hooker, Kearny and Hancock, -who occupied Williamsburg. - -The Union army continued their march, and on May 16th reached White -House, the ancestral home of the Lees, which is twenty-four miles from -Richmond. On every side were fields of grain, and were it not for the -presence of 100,000 men, there was the promise of a full harvest. - -Great confusion reigned at the Confederate capital on hearing of the -advance of McClellan's army. The Confederate army, known as the Army -of Northern Virginia, under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston, -was arrayed against McClellan's army, known as the Army of the Potomac. -And thus was arrayed against each other two of the greatest and best -equipped armies that had ever confronted each other on the field of -battle. It was now imminent that this would be the beginning of a -series of battles between the Army of the Potomac and the Army of -Northern Virginia, ending three years thereafter at Appomattox, where -the veterans in gray layed down their arms, in honor, to those in blue. - -Between these two armies lay the Chickahominy River, which at this time -was overflowing its banks on account of recent heavy rains. McClellan -ordered his army forward May 20th, and a large division under General -Naglee succeeded in crossing the river, and took up a position on the -south side of the stream. General McClellan, however, was expecting to -be reënforced by McDowell from Fredericksburg with 40,000 men. - -General Johnston, discovering the divided condition of McClellan's -army, believed that the time had arrived to give battle. At this time -"Stonewall" Jackson, with his army, was in the Valley of Virginia, and -was seriously threatening Washington. The authorities at Washington -deemed it necessary to recall McDowell and thus prevent him from -reënforcing McClellan, which proved to be a very serious disappointment -to him. McClellan ordered two divisions of his army to advance. One, -commanded by General Casey, stationed itself at Fair Oaks farm, and the -other, under General Couch, entrenched itself at the cross-roads near -Seven Pines, which derives its name from a clump of pine trees, from -which the battle fought here derives its name. - -No sooner had these positions been taken than they began to entrench -themselves and throw out their picket lines, for the advance division -of the Confederates could plainly be seen through the timber lines. - -On May 30th Johnston gave orders for his army to be ready to advance -at daybreak, but during the night a very heavy rain fell and delayed -operations until late in the morning of May 31st. About nine o'clock, -however, the forces of Longstreet and Hill were ready to move, and -advanced rapidly through the woods on the outlying division of the -Federals, who made a stubborn defense, driving back the Confederates -time after time at the point of the bayonet, and the last time pressing -them back to the woods. Here they were met by a furious musketry fire -by fresh men from Longstreet's division or infantry. They quickly gave -way, and retreated in confusion back to their entrenchments near Fair -Oaks farm. Here the Federals took a stubborn stand, but were presently -dislodged with great slaughter by an enfilading fire from the brigades -of Rains and Rhodes, who had come up on each side. - -The Federals fell back to Seven Pines, where Couch's division was -stationed. Their situation was growing critical, although they were -making a determined stand and had been reënforced by Heintzelman's -division. In the meantime Hill had been reënforced by a brigade of -Longstreet's division and was making a fierce attack on the Federals. -The Confederates were further reënforced by the division of General -G. W. Smith. The battle raged furiously until late in the evening, -when the Federals fell back a distance of about two miles within their -entrenchments along the river. - -While this battle was being fought, another at Fair Oaks Station, only -a short distance away, was also being fought, in which General Joseph -E. Johnston was seriously wounded by a bursting shell, and was carried -from the field. He was succeeded in command by General Robert E. Lee, -who was afterwards made the commander in chief of all the Southern -forces, although the immediate command fell upon G. W. Smith. - -Early Sunday morning, June 1st, the battle was renewed and the attack -was again made by the Confederates, led by General Smith, supported -by Longstreet, but they were pushed back with great slaughter. The -Union lines were also broken and a brief lull ensued. Both sides were -gathering themselves for another onslaught. Presently the Federals were -reënforced by the division of General Hooker. They marched upon the -field in double quick time, and were met by a withering artillery fire. -Both attacking divisions were ordered forward with fixed bayonets. The -Confederates finally gave way and fell back toward Richmond, and the -Federals again withdrew to their entrenchment along the river. - -It is thought by many that McClellan's failure to follow up the -Confederates proved to be the final failure of his Peninsula campaign, -for it gave the Confederates time to readjust their army under their -new commander. - -The forest paths were strewn with the dead and dying. Many of the -wounded were compelled to lie in the hot sun for hours before help -could reach them. Many of the Federal wounded were placed upon cars and -taken across the Chickahominy. The Confederate wounded were carried to -Richmond, which was only seven miles away. And many of the Confederate -dead at Seven Pines were buried in the Holly Wood cemetery at Richmond, -where there are 16,000 Confederate dead. At Oak Wood cemetery, which is -near by, there is another 16,000, which makes 32,000 buried at Richmond. - -At this time the defense of Washington was giving McClellan, as -well as other Federal authorities, considerable concern, for Jackson -with his army had previously taken possession of Winchester and was -advancing down the valley. The Federals opposed to Jackson were -commanded by Generals Shields and Banks. Jackson made an attack on -Shields' army at Kernstown and drove the Federals back, but presently -fell back to wait reënforcements under Ewell. The Federals were -reënforced by General Fremont. Jackson's activity in the valley -caused the president to fear that his goal was Washington. The two -armies fought a series of battles in the valley, namely: Front -Royal, Strausburg, Newtown and Port Republic, the last-named being -the far more important and destructive to life. These were a series -of victories for Jackson, for he drove the Federals from place to -place, and 3,000 of Banks' men fell into his hands as prisoners. Banks -retreated across the Potomac and Jackson joined Lee before Richmond. - -Jackson's activity and strategy in the movement of his army surprised -both the North and the South. Banks reported to the government at -Washington that "Jackson aimed at nothing less than the capture of our -entire force." - - - - -THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES - - -Early in the summer of 1862, General Lee proceeded to increase his -fighting force so as to make it more nearly equal in number to that of -McClellan, and to that end every man that could be spared from other -sections in the South was called to Richmond. Numerous intrenchments -were thrown up along the roads and in the fields about Richmond, thus -giving it the appearance of a fortified camp. General Lee, in an -address to his troops, said that the army had made its last retreat. - -Each army at this time numbered in the neighborhood of 100,000 men. - -Meanwhile, McClellan's army was acclimating itself to a Virginia -summer, and now that the sweltering heat of June was coming on, the -swamps about their camps were fountains of disease, which began to tell -on the health of the men. The hospitals were crowded, and the death -rate was appalling. - -McClellan proceeded to transfer all his men to the south side of the -Chickahominy River, excepting the corps of Franklin and Porter, which -were left on the north side of the river to await reënforcements under -General McCall, which arrived about the middle of June. - -General Lee sent a division of his cavalry, under the command of J. -E. B. Stuart, to encircle the army of McClellan. Stuart started in the -direction of Fredericksburg June 12th, as if to reënforce Jackson, and -the first night bivouacked in the pine woods of Hanover county. Then, -turning to the east, he soon came upon a Union force, drawn up in -columns of four, ready to dispute the passage of the road, and which -fell back in confusion as the Confederates advanced. Stuart pushed on -and fell upon a company of Federal infantry at Tunstall's Station, -which surrendered at once. The Confederates quickly turned about, -crossed the Chickahominy River and joined Lee's army before Richmond, -thus giving Lee the desired information of the position of McClellan's -army. - -Meanwhile, General "Stonewall" Jackson with his army was making haste -to join Lee's army, and on June 25th reached Ashland, in striking -distance of the Army of the Potomac. - -McClellan was pushing his men forward to begin the siege of Richmond. -His advance guard was within four miles of the Confederate capital, and -his fond hope was that within a few days at most his artillery would be -belching forth its sheets of fire and lead into the beleaguered city. - -In front of the Union camp was a strip of pine woodland, full of ponds -and marshes. The Union soldiers pressed through this thicket, met the -Confederate pickets among the trees and drove them back. Upon emerging -into the open the Federal troops found it filled with rifle pits, -earth works, and redoubts. At once they were met with a steady and -incessant fire, which continued nearly all day, and at times almost -reached the magnitude of a battle. This is sometimes called the second -battle of Fair Oaks, and was the prelude of the Seven Days' battles. - -The extreme right of the Union line, under command of General Porter, -lay near Mechanicsville, on the Upper Chickahominy. It was strongly -entrenched and was almost impregnable to an attack from the front. -Before sunrise, June 26th, the Confederates were at the Chickahominy -bridge awaiting the arrival of Jackson, but for once Jackson was behind -time. The morning hours came and went. Noon came and Jackson had not -arrived. About the middle of the afternoon, General A. P. Hill, growing -impatient, crossed the river at Meadow bridge, and at Mechanicsville -was joined by the divisions of Longstreet and D. H. Hill. Driving the -Union outpost to cover, the Confederates swept across the low approach -to Beaver Dam Creek through a murderous fire from the batteries on -the cliff, but were finally repulsed with severe loss. Later in the -afternoon relief was sent Hill, who again attempted to force the -Union position at Ellerson's Mill. From across the open fields, and -in full view of the defenders of the cliff, the Confederates moved -down the slope in full range of the Federal batteries, but the fire -was reserved by the Federals. As the approaching columns reached the -stream the shells came screaming through the air from every waiting -field-piece. Volley after volley of musketry was poured into the ranks -of the Southerners. The hillside was soon covered by the victims of -the gallant charge. As darkness hovered over them there were no signs -of the cessation of the combat. It was nine o'clock when Hill finally -drew back his shattered forces to await the coming of the morning. The -Forty-fourth Georgia regiment suffered the loss of all of its officers, -and thereby was unable to re-form its broken ranks. Both armies now -prepared for another day of conflict. - -McClellan became convinced that Jackson was really approaching with a -large force, and decided to change his base to the James River, leaving -Porter with the Fifth corps on the banks of the Chickahominy, to -prevent Jackson from interrupting this gigantic movement. It involved -marching an army of 100,000 men, with a train of 5,000 heavily loaded -wagons, and many siege-guns, together with 3,000 cattle to be driven -across the marshy peninsula. - -On the night of the 26th, McCall's division was directed to fall back -to the bridges across the Chickahominy near Gaines' Mill, and there -make a stand, for the purpose of holding back the Confederates. Just -before daylight the operations of moving the troops began. - -The Confederates were equally alert, and opened a heavy fire upon the -retreating columns. The Union force under McCall, by being skillfully -handled, succeeded in reaching their new position on the Chickahominy -heights, and on the morning of the new day made ready for action. The -selection of this ground had been well made; they occupied a series of -heights fronted on the west by a cycle shaped stream. The land beyond -was an open country, through which a creek meandered sluggishly, and -beyond this a densely tangled undergrowth. Around the Union position -also were many patches of woods, affording cover for the reserves. - -To protect the Federals, trees had been felled along their front, out -of which barriers, protected by rails and knapsacks, were erected. - -Jackson's forces had united with those of Longstreet and the two Hills, -and were advancing with grim determination of victory. - -It was two o'clock, on June 28th, when General A. P. Hill swung his -division into line for the attack. He was unsupported by the other -divisions, which had not yet arrived on the field. His columns moved -rapidly toward the Union front, and was met by a hailstorm of lead from -Porter's artillery, which sent messages of death to the approaching -lines of gray. - -The Confederate front recoiled from the incessant outpour of grape, -canister and shell. The repulse threw the Confederates into great -confusion. Many left the field in disorder. Others threw themselves on -the ground to escape the withering fire, while some held their places. - -The Federals were reënforced by General Slocum's division of Franklin's -corps. - -Lee ordered a general attack upon the entire Union front. -Reënforcements were brought up to take the place of the shattered -regiments. The troops moved forward in the face of a heavy fire and -pressed up the hillside against the Union line at fearful sacrifice. It -was a death grapple for the mastery of the field. - -At this time General Lee observed Hood of Jackson's corps coming down -the road bringing his brigade into the fight. Riding forward to meet -him, Lee directed that he should try to break the Union line. Hood, in -addressing his troops, said that no man should fire until ordered, then -started for the Union breastwork 800 yards away. They moved rapidly -across the open under a shower of shot and shell. At every step the -ranks grew thinner and thinner. They quickened their pace as they -passed down the slope and across the creek. Not a shot had they fired. -With the wing of death hovering over all, they fixed bayonets and, -dashing up the hill into the Federals' line, with a shout they plunged -through the felled timber and over the breastworks. The Union line -had been pierced and was giving way, and the retreat was threatening -to develop into a general rout. But the Federals at this moment were -reënforced by the brigades of French and Meagher of Sumner's corps. -This stopped the pursuit and, as night was at hand, the Southern -soldiers withdrew. The battle of Gaines' Mill was then over. - -General Lee believed that McClellan would retreat down the Peninsula, -but on June 29th, this being the next day after the battle of Gaines' -Mill, he became convinced that the Federals were moving towards the -James River. Longstreet and A. P. Hill were again ordered to take up -the pursuit of the Federals. - -McClellan had left Sumner to guard his retreating columns. Sumner -followed up in the rear of the Federals and brought his men to a halt -at what is known as the "Peach Orchard," near Savage's Station, and -successfully resisted the spirited fire of musketry and artillery -of the Confederates. On this same Sunday evening he was attacked by -General Magruder with a large force, who was following close on the -heels of the Army of the Potomac. Magruder brought his artillery into -action, but failed to dislodge the Federals. He then charged the Union -breastworks and was met with a vigorous fire, and the battle raged -over the entire field. Both sides stood their ground until darkness -closed the contest. The battle of Savage's Station was now over. Before -midnight Sumner had withdrawn his forces and was following after the -wagon trains of McClellan. - -The Confederates were pursuing McClellan in two columns, one led by -Jackson and the other by Longstreet. The division under Longstreet came -upon the Federals at Glendale, where they were guarding the right flank -of the retreat. The Federals were attacked by a part of Longstreet's -division led by General McCall, but was repulsed with great loss. -Longstreet ordered a general attack. One Alabama brigade charged -across the field in the face of the Union batteries. The men had to go -a distance of 600 yards. The batteries let loose grape and canister, -while volley after volley of musketry sent its death-dealing messages -among the Southerners. But nothing except grim death itself could check -their impetuous charge. Pausing for an instant, they delivered a volley -of musketry and attempted to seize the guns. Bayonets were crossed and -men engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle. Darkness closed on the fearful -scene, yet the fighting continued. The Federals finally withdrew from -the field to follow up their retreating columns. - -There fell into the hands of the Confederates a field hospital, filled -with the wounded, gathered from the fields of Gaines' Mill, Savage's -Station and Glendale. These wounded were taken charge of as prisoners, -along with their attending physicians. This proved to be a great burden -to the Confederates, as they were taxed to their utmost caring for -their own wounded. - -By this series of engagements McClellan was enabled to reach Malvern -Hill, on the James River, with his army intact. By noon on July 1st -his last division had reached its position. The Confederates, led by -Longstreet, were close on his trail, and were soon brought up to the -Union outposts. - -[Illustration: GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT] - -Malvern Hill, a plateau a mile and a half long and half a mile wide, -with its top bare of woods, commanded a view of the country over -which the Confederates must approach. Around the summit of this hill -McClellan had placed tier after tier of batteries, arranged like an -amphitheater. On the top were placed several heavy siege guns, his -left flank being protected by the gunboats in the river. The morning -and early afternoon were occupied by several Confederate attacks, -sometimes formidable in their nature, but Lee planned for no general -move until he could bring up a force which he thought sufficient to -attack the strong position of the Federals. The Confederates had orders -to advance, when a signal shout was given by the men of Armistead's -brigade. The attack was made late in the afternoon by General D. H. -Hill, and was gallantly done, but no army could have withstood the -fire from the batteries of McClellan as they were massed upon Malvern -Hill. All during the evening brigade after brigade tried to force the -Union lines. They were forced to breast one of the most devastating -storms of lead and canister to which an assaulting army has ever been -subjected. The round shot and grape cut through the branches of the -trees. Column after column of Southern soldiers rushed upon the death -dealing cannon, only to be mowed down. Their thin lines rallied again -and again to the charge, but to no avail. McClellan's batteries still -hurled their missiles of death. The field below was covered with the -dead, as mute pleaders in the cause of peace. The heavy shells from the -gunboats on the river shrieked through the timber and great limbs were -torn from the trees as they hurtled by. Darkness was falling over the -combatants. It was nine o'clock before the guns ceased firing, and only -an occasional shot rang out over the gory field of Malvern Hill. - -The next day the Confederates, looking up through the drenching rain to -where had stood the grim batteries and lines of blue, saw only deserted -ramparts. The Federal army had retreated during the night to Harrison's -Landing, where it remained until August. - -President Lincoln became convinced that the operations from the James -River as a base were impracticable, and orders were issued for the army -to be withdrawn from the peninsula. - -The net result of the Seven Days' Battles was a disappointment to the -South, as the Southern public believed that McClellan should not have -been allowed to reach the James River with his army intact, although -the siege of Richmond had been raised. - -Generals McClellan, Jackson, A. P. Hill, G. W. Smith, Joseph E. -Johnston and Lee, as well as other commanding officers of this series -of battles about Richmond, had been great friends. Some of them had -attended school together at West Point, and many of them had enjoyed -each other's fellowship while members of the Aztec Club in the City -of Mexico, which was an organization of American officers, while for -a few months they were in the Mexican capital at the close of the -Mexican war. General Franklin Pierce was president of the club, who was -afterwards President of the United States. - -Generals McClellan and Joseph E. Johnston were special friends even -after the war, and in a conversation with McClellan Johnston remarked -"You never know what is in a man until you try to lick him." - - - - -THE BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN - - -After the failure of McClellan's Peninsula campaign General John Pope -was called from the West to Washington to take charge of the Union -forces, and arrived in June, 1862. A new army was made up from the -respective divisions of McDowell, Banks and Fremont, which was to be -known as the Army of Virginia. General Pope at first refused to take -command of this army, for the reason that McDowell, Banks and Fremont -were superior officers in rank to himself, but was prevailed upon -to take the command, which he did, and in an address to his army he -ended with the statement, "My headquarters will be in the saddle." -When this was shown to General Lee, he grimly commented, "Perhaps his -headquarters will be where his hindquarters ought to be." - -Fremont refused to serve under Pope, whom he considered his junior, and -resigned. His corps was assigned to General Sigel. - -Pope's idea was to draw Lee's army away from following that of -McClellan down the peninsula, and advanced from Washington with -Gordonsville as his objective point. This place, being at the junction -of a railroad, was a base of supplies for the Southern army. - -The sagacious Lee had divined his intentions and sent Stonewall Jackson -and Ewell to occupy this town. Ewell arrived in advance of Jackson, and -held the town. Jackson, coming up later, took full command of the army. - -On July 27th, A. P. Hill also joined him with his corps, which brought -their strength up to about 25,000 men. - -The Union army now occupied that portion of the country around Culpeper -Court House. Pope soon found that his brilliant success in the West was -not like measuring swords with the Confederate generals in Virginia. - -On August 6th Pope began his general advance on Gordonsville. Jackson, -being informed of his advance, immediately set his army in motion for -Culpeper Court House, hoping to crush the Army of Virginia before it -reached the neighborhood of Gordonsville, so as to nowise interrupt -their base of supplies. Jackson succeeded in crossing the Rapidan River -and took a strong position two miles beyond on Cedar Mountain, which -is a foothill of the Blue Ridge. From its summit could be seen vast -stretches of quiet farm lands, which had borne their annual harvest -since the days of the Cavaliers. Its slopes were covered with forests, -which merged into waving grain fields and pasture lands, dotted here -and there with rural homes. It was on these slopes that one of the most -severe short battles of the war was fought. - -Jackson placed Ewell's batteries on the slope about 200 feet above the -valley, and General Winder took a strong position on the left. - -General Pope well knew that the whole North was eagerly watching his -movements, and resolved to make an attack, as he must strike somewhere, -and do it soon--and here was his chance. He sent Banks, with 8,000 men, -to make the attack against the Southerners in their strong position on -the mountain side. - -Banks advanced against the enemy on the afternoon of August 9th. He -advanced through open fields in full range of the Confederate cannon, -which presently opened with roar of thunder. The men, heedless of all -danger, pressed on up the slope, but were suddenly met by a brigade -of Ewell's division, and a brief deadly encounter took place. The -Confederate lines began to waver, and no doubt would have been routed -but for the timely aid of two brigades which rallied to their support. -Meanwhile the Union batteries had been wheeled into position and their -roar answered that of the Confederates on the hill. For three hours -the battle continued with utmost fury. The fields were strewn with the -dead and dying, who fell to rise no more. At length, as the shades of -evening were settling over the gory field, Banks began to withdraw -his troops, but left 2,000 of his brave men--one-fourth of his whole -army--dead or dying along the hillside. The Confederate losses were -about 1,300. On account of the peculiar situation of the armies during -the battle, their wounded could not be taken charge of, who suffered -terribly from thirst and lack of attention as the sultry day gave way -to a close, oppressive night. For two days the armies faced each other -across the valley, then quietly withdrew. - -Pope's first battle, as leader of the Army of Virginia, had resulted -in neither victory nor defeat. This battle was a prelude to a far more -disastrous battle to be fought a few days later at Bull Run. - - - - -SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN - - -The three weeks intervening between the battles of Cedar Mountain and -Second Bull Run were spent in heavy skirmishing and getting position -for a decisive battle. General Pope's headquarters was at Culpeper -Court House, but he had left much of his personal baggage and private -papers at Catlett's Station, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, -while his vast store of supplies was at Manassas Junction. - -Pope was expecting to be reënforced by McClellan, but they had not yet -arrived. Meanwhile Lee had sent Longstreet with his corps to reënforce -Jackson, and followed up later himself. Longstreet reached Gordonsville -on the 13th day of August. - -Lee observed that Pope's position was weak at Culpeper and determined -to attack him without delay and gave orders for his army to cross the -Rapidan. Pope knew that his position at Culpeper was weak and fell back -to a stronger position behind the Rappahannock. - -Lee hoped to attack the Army of Virginia before it could be reënforced -by McClellan, but, on account of heavy rains, which raised the streams, -he was somewhat delayed until Pope had been reënforced by a part of -Burnside's corps, under General Reno, and later was also reënforced by -Generals Kearny and Reynolds with their divisions of the Army of the -Potomac. - -Lee sent the dauntless cavalry leader J. E. B. Stuart to make a raid -around the Union army. Stuart crossed the Rappahannock with 1,500 -mounted men, as bold as himself. After riding all day, and on the night -of the 22d, in the midst of a torrential rainstorm, while the darkness -was so intense that every man was guided by the tread of his brother -horseman, Stuart fell upon the Federals at Catlett's Station, capturing -200 prisoners and scattering the remaining troops in the darkness. -He seized Pope's dispatch-book, with his plans and private papers, -took several hundred horses and destroyed a large number of wagons -loaded with supplies. Among his trophies was a fine uniform cloak and -hat, which were the personal belongings of General Pope. These were -exchanged later for General Stuart's plumed hat, which he had left -behind when surprised by a party of Federals. - -Stuart's raid proved a serious misfortune for Pope's army. But Lee had -far greater things in store. He resolved to send Jackson to Pope's rear -with a large force, Jackson led his army westward, which was shielded -by woods and low hills of the Blue Ridge. He passed through a quiet -rural community. The majority of the country folk had never seen an -army before, though it is true that for many days they had heard the -roar of the cannon from the valley of the Rapidan. - -General Lee, in the meantime, had kept Longstreet in front of Pope's -army to make daily demonstrations, to divert Pope's attention from -Jackson's movements and lead him to believe that he was to be attacked -in front. - -Jackson suddenly, on August 26th, emerged from the Bull Run Mountains -and marshaled his clans on the plains of Manassas. - -Pope was astonished to find Jackson in his rear, and hastened with -all speed with his forces toward Manassas Junction, where he had vast -stores of provisions and munitions of war, but he was too late to save -them. They had been taken by General Stuart in advance of Jackson's -army. This was a serious loss to Pope. The spoils of the capture were -great, including 300 prisoners, 125 horses, ten locomotives, seven long -trains of provisions, and vast stores and munitions of war. Pope was -moving against Jackson with a far larger army, and was expecting to -be reënforced from the Army of the Potomac, while on the other hand, -Longstreet was hastening to reënforce Jackson, but had not arrived. - -Pope, hoping to crush Jackson's army before he could be reënforced by -Longstreet, sent a force to interpose Longstreet at Thoughfare Gap. -Jackson was not to be caught in a trap. He moved from Manassas Junction -to the old battlefield of Bull Run. - -Late in the afternoon of the 29th he encountered King's division of -McDowell's corps, near the village of Groveton, and a sharp fight was -opened and kept up until after dark. - -On the following day, August 29th, the first day's battle was fought. -Pope was still hopeful of crushing Jackson's army before the arrival of -Longstreet, and ordered a general advance across Bull Run. - -Ere long a loud shout arose from Jackson's men that told too well -of the arrival of Longstreet. Far away on the hills could be seen -the marching columns of Longstreet, who had passed through the gap -in safety and was now rushing upon the field. Pope had lost the -opportunity of fighting the army of his opponent in sections. - -The field was almost the same that the opposing armies had occupied the -year before, when the first great battle of the war was fought, and -many of them were the same men. - -The two armies faced each other in a line five miles long. Late in -the afternoon, the regiments, under Kearny and Hooker, charged the -Confederate left, which was swept back and rolled upon the center. But -presently General Hood, with his famous Texan brigade, rushed forward -in a wild, irresistible dash, pressed the Federals back and captured -several prisoners. - -Darkness closed over the scene and the two armies rested on their arms -until morning. - -Over the gory field lay multitudes of men who would dream of -battlefields no more. - -Lee and Pope each believed that the other would withdraw his army -during the night, and each was surprised in the morning to find his -opponent on the field. It was quite certain that on this day, August -30th, there would be a decisive battle, in which one army would be -victor and the other defeated. Both armies were in full force, the -Confederates with over 50,000 men, whose left wing was commanded by -Jackson and the right by Longstreet, and the Union army with about -65,000 men, whose left wing was commanded by Porter and the right by -Keno. - -In the early hours of the morning the hills echoed with the firing -of artillery. Porter made an infantry attack in the forenoon, and -was pressed back in great confusion by superior numbers. One attack -after another followed. In the afternoon a large part of the Union -army made a desperate attack on the Confederate left, under Jackson, -but their lines were swept by an enfilading fire from the batteries -of Longstreet. Ghastly gaps were cut in the Federal ranks, and they -fell back, but rallied again and again to the attack, each time to be -mowed down by Longstreet's artillery. At length Longstreet's whole line -rushed forward and the Union front began to waver. General Lee ordered -a general advance. Pope retreated across Bull Run, leaving several -thousand prisoners in the hands of the Confederates. - -Pope led his army back to the entrenchments at Washington, while -Jackson and Stuart followed close on the heels of his army, and he was -compelled to make several stands in battle on his retreat, in one of -which General Kearny was killed. - - - - -BATTLE OF ANTIETAM - - -After Pope's disastrous defeat at Second Bull Run he begged to be -relieved of the command of the army. He gave as one of the causes of -his defeat that General Fitz John Porter had disobeyed orders. General -Porter's explanation to the Court Marshal failed to convince it and he -was dismissed from the service. - -The Army of Virginia and that of the Potomac being united, the command -was handed to the "Little Napoleon" of Peninsula fame, George B. -McClellan. - -The South was overjoyed with its victory at Bull Run--twice it had -unfurled its banner in triumph on this battlefield--twice its army -had stood on the road that leads to Washington, only by some strange -destiny of war to fail to enter it on the wave of victory. - -This subject, "The Battle of Antietam," is considered one of the -turning points of the war, for it was after this battle that President -Lincoln issued his emancipation proclamation, although it is said that -he had it prepared for some time but on account of the continued defeat -of his armies in Virginia he could not see his way clear to declare it -until after the battle of Antietam. - -Lee's army, 50,000 strong, crossed the Potomac and concentrated around -Frederick, Md., only about forty miles from Washington. When it -became known that Lee was advancing into Maryland and was threatening -Washington, McClellan pushed his forces forward to encounter the -invaders. The people of the vicinity, and even at Harrisburg, -Baltimore and Philadelphia, were filled with consternation. Their -fear was intensified by the memory of Second Bull Run, a few weeks -before, and by the fact that at this time General Bragg was marching -northward across Kentucky with a great army, threatening Louisville and -Cincinnati. - -Lee sent Jackson against the Union forces at Harper's Ferry, which is -at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, at which place -there were stored valuable stores and munitions of war. This place was -made famous by John Brown's raid a few years before. - -Jackson reached the neighborhood of Harper's Ferry on the morning of -the 13th, and captured the town with but little opposition on the -morning of the 15th. There were turned over to him 11,500 prisoners, -seventy-three guns, 13,000 small arms, 200 wagons, and a large store of -supplies. In this enterprise Lee had achieved an important and valuable -success. - -Longstreet, who had advanced to Hagerstown, probably with the intention -of invading Pennsylvania, was hastily recalled and sent to reënforce -D. H. Hill, who was being severely pushed at Boonsborough Gap by -McClellan. The defense of this path had been very necessary to Lee, -but, after a desperate conflict, the Union army succeeded in forcing -its way through, this being the first set-back to Lee's invasion, and -he conceived at once that a great battle was at hand and began to -concentrate his forces. - -Jackson was marching with all haste to Sharpsburg, near by Antietam -Creek, having left A. P. Hill to receive the surrender at Harper's -Ferry, and on the morning of the 16th the whole army, with the -exception of the force of A. P. Hill, left at Harper's Ferry, was -concentrated behind Antietam Creek. - -McClellan's army reached the opposite side of the stream on the same -day. - -The bulk of the Confederate forces, under Longstreet and D. H. Hill, -stood along the range of heights between Sharpsburg and Antietam Creek, -with Longstreet on the right and Hill on the left, and Hood's division -on the Hagerstown road north of Miller's farm, and near that point, in -the rear, Jackson's exhausted troops were in reserve. - -His lines, stretching from the Hagerstown road towards the Potomac, -were protected by Stuart's cavalry. General Lee had his headquarters in -a tent on a hill near Sharpsburg, where the National Cemetery now is, -and from that point he overlooked much of the country that was made a -battlefield the next day. - -[Illustration: JOHN BROWN ON HIS WAY TO THE GALLOWS] - -Antietam Creek was spanned by four stone bridges, which were strongly -guarded. - -McClellan made his headquarters at the fine brick mansion of Philip -Pry, about two miles east of Antietam. His army was posted in front on -each side, one wing under Sumner and the other under Hooker. Farther -down the stream, and not far from bridge No. 3, Burnside's corps was -posted. McClellan's artillery was planted on the hills in front of -Sumner and Hooker. This was the general position of the contending -armies on the 16th. - -This was a day of intense anxiety and unrest in the valley of the -Antietam. The people, who had lived in the farm houses that dotted -the golden autumn landscape in this hitherto quiet community, had -now abandoned their homes and given place to the gathering thousands -who were marching to the stern command of the officers. It was a day -of maneuvering and getting position preparatory to the coming mighty -conflict. - -The two great armies now lay facing each other in a grand double line -three miles in length. At one point they were so near together that the -pickets could hear each other tread. It would require no prophet to -foretell what would happen on the morrow. - -On the night of the 16th few officers found relief from anxiety, and it -goes without saying that many a soldier on this particular night, with -his mind on the battle which was to be fought on the morrow, did not -close his eyes in slumber. - -Beautiful and clear the morning broke over the Maryland hills on the -fateful 17th of September, 1862. The sunlight had not yet touched -the crowned hilltops when artillery fire announced the opening of the -battle. The contest was opened by Hooker with about 8,000 men. He made -a vigorous attack on the Confederate left, commanded by Jackson, and -was supported by Doubleday on the right, and Meade on the left. He had -not gone far before the glint of the rising sun disclosed the bayonet -points of a large Confederate force standing in a cornfield in his -immediate front. This was a part of Jackson's corps, who had arrived -during the morning of the 16th from the capture of Harper's Ferry, and -had been posted in this position to surprise Hooker in his advance. The -outcome was a terrible surprise to the Confederates. Hooker's batteries -hurried into action and opened with canister on the cornfield. Hooker's -object was to push the Confederates back through a line of woods and -seize the Hagerstown road and the woods beyond in the vicinity of the -Dunker church. Around this church on this fateful day the demon of war -reigned supreme, and near this church stood the fine mansion of a Mr. -Mumma, which was fired by a retreating column of Confederate troops and -burned throughout the entire engagement. The Federal batteries on the -east side of the Antietam poured an enfilading fire on Jackson that -galled him very much. The Confederates stood bravely against this fire -and made a determined resistance. Back, and still further back, were -Jackson's men driven across the field, every stalk of corn in which was -cut down by the shot and shell as closely as a knife could have done -it. On the ground the fallen lay in rows, precisely as they had stood -in the ranks. The Confederates were driven from the cornfield into a -patch of woods. Hooker now advanced his center under Meade to seize the -Hagerstown road and the woods beyond. They were met by a murderous fire -from Jackson, who had just been reënforced by Hood's refreshed troops, -who fell heavily upon Meade in the cornfield. Hooker called upon -Doubleday for aid, and a brigade was forwarded at double-quick across -the cornfield in the face of a terrible storm of shot and shell. The -Federals were further reënforced by Mansfield's corps, and while his -divisions were deploying this veteran commander was mortally wounded. -General Williams succeeded to the command of his corps, who pushed on -across the open fields and seized a part of the woods on the Hagerstown -road. At the same time Greene's division took position to the left -of the Dunker church. This was on high ground and was the key to the -Confederate left wing. But Greene's troops were exposed to a galling -fire from the division of D. H. Hill and he called for reënforcements. -General Sumner sent Sedgwick's division across the creek to reënforce -Greene. His troops advanced straight towards the conflict. They found -General Hooker severely wounded in the foot, which became so painful -that he was carried off the field and left his troops in the command of -Sumner. A sharp artillery fire was turned on Sedgwick before he reached -the woods, west of the Hagerstown Pike, but once in the shelter of the -thick trees he passed in safety to the western edge. Here the division -found itself in an ambush. - -The Confederates had been heavily reënforced by several brigades under -Walker and McLaws, having just arrived from Harper's Ferry, and had not -only blocked the front but had worked around to the rear of Sedgwick, -who was wounded in the awful slaughter that followed, but he and Sumner -finally extricated their men after severe loss. The Federals were -now reënforced by Franklin's fresh troops and were able to hold the -cornfield and part of the woods over which the conflict had raged till -the ground was saturated with blood. - -Sedgwick was twice wounded and carried from the field. The command of -his division involved on General Howard. - -It was now about noon and the battle had been raging since early in -the morning. Another deadly conflict was in progress near the center. -Sumner's corps had crossed the stream and made a desperate assault on -the Confederates under D. H. Hill, stationed to the south of where the -battle had previously raged and along a sunken road, since known as -"Bloody Lane." The fighting here was of a most desperate character and -continued nearly four hours. The Federal advance was led by Generals -French and Richardson, who captured a few flags and several prisoners, -but failed to carry the heights along which the Confederates were -posted. Richardson was mortally wounded while leading a charge and was -succeeded by General Hancock, but his men finally captured Bloody Lane -with the 300 living men who remained to defend it. - -The final Federal charge was made at this point by Colonel Barlow, who -displayed the utmost bravery, where he won a brigadier-generalship. -He was later wounded and carried off the field. The Confederates had -fought desperately to hold their position at Bloody Lane, and when -it was captured it was filled with dead bodies. It was now after one -o'clock and the firing ceased for the day on the Union right and center. - -General Burnside was in command of the Federal left wing and had -remained inactive for some hours after the battle had begun at the -other end of the line, having finally received orders from McClellan -to cross the stone bridge, since known as Burnside's Bridge, and drive -the Confederates out of their strong position. The Confederates at -this bridge were commanded by General Toombs, who had orders from -General Lee to hold the bridge at all hazards. They were behind strong -breastworks and rifle pits, which commanded the bridge with both a -direct and enfilading fire. General Robert Toombs had been a former -United States senator and a member of Jefferson Davis' cabinet. Perhaps -the most notable event of his life was the holding of the Burnside -Bridge at Antietam for three hours against the fearful onslaughts of -the Federals. Burnside's chief officer at this time was General Jacob -D. Cox, afterwards governor of Ohio, who succeeded General Reno, killed -at South Mountain or Boonsborough Gap. On General Cox fell the task of -capturing the stone bridge. - -The Confederates had been weakened at this point by the sending of -Walker to the support of Jackson, where, as we have noticed, he took -part in the deadly assault upon Sedgwick's division. - -Toombs, with his small force, had a hard task of defending the bridge, -notwithstanding his advantage of position. McClellan sent several -urgent orders to General Burnside to cross the bridge at all hazards. -Burnside forwarded these to Cox and in the fear that the latter would -not be able to carry the bridge by a direct front attack, he sent -General Rodman with a division to cross the creek at a ford below. This -was accomplished after much difficulty. One assault after another was -made upon the bridge in rapid succession, which was at length carried -at the cost of 500 men. Burnside charged up the hill and drove the -Confederates almost to Sharpsburg. The fighting along the Sharpsburg -road might have resulted in the Confederates' disaster and the capture -of General Lee's headquarters had it not been for the timely arrival -of A. P. Hill's division, which emerged out of a cloud of dust on the -Harper's Ferry road and came upon the field at double quick, and, under -a heavy fire of artillery, charged upon Burnside's columns and after -severe fighting, in which General Rodman was mortally wounded, drove -the Federals back almost to the bridge. The pursuit was checked by the -Federal artillery on the eastern side of the stream. Darkness closed -the conflict. - -Lee had counted on the arrival of A. P. Hill in time to help hold the -Federals in check at the bridge, but he was late and came up just in -time to save the army from disastrous defeat. - -With the gloom of that night ended the conflict known as Antietam. - -For fourteen hours more than 100,000 men, with 500 pieces of artillery, -had engaged in Titanic conflict. As the battle's smoke rose and -cleared away the scene presented was one to make the stoutest heart -shudder. There lay upon the ground, scattered for three miles over the -valleys and hills, and in the improvised hospitals, more than 20,000 -men. - -Horace Greeley was probably right when he said that this was the -bloodiest day in American history. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO - - -The fall months of 1862 had been spent by Generals Bragg and Buell in -racing across Kentucky, each at the head of a large army. Buell had -saved Louisville from the hands of the Confederates, while on the other -hand Bragg had succeeded in carrying away a large amount of plunder and -supplies for his army which he had gathered from the country through -which he passed, and of which his army was in great need. - -The authorities at Washington became impatient with Buell on account -of his permitting the Confederate army to escape intact, and decided -to relieve him of the command of the army, which was handed to General -W. S. Rosecrans, who had won considerable distinction by his victories -at Corinth and other engagements in the West. The Union army was now -designated as the Army of the Cumberland. - -Bragg was concentrating his army at Murfreesboro, in central Tennessee, -which was near Stone's River, a tributary of the Cumberland River. - -On the last days of December General Bragg was advised of the Federals' -advance from Nashville, which is about thirty miles from Murfreesboro, -and he lost no time in taking position and getting his army into -well-drawn battle lines. His left wing under General Hardee, the -center Polk, and his right wing under Breckenridge, his cavalry -division was commanded by Generals Wheeler, Forrest and Morgan. His -lines were three miles in length. On December 30th the Federals came up -from Nashville and took position directly opposite in a parallel line. -The Federal left was commanded by Thos. L. Crittenden, whose brother -was a commander in the Confederate army, and were sons of a famous -United States senator from Kentucky. The Federal center was in command -of General George H. Thomas, and the right wing under General McCook. -Rosecrans had under his command about 43,000 men, while the strength of -the Confederates was about 38,000. - -The two armies bivouacked within musket range of each other, and the -camp-fires of each were clearly seen by the other, as they shown -through the groves of trees. - -It was plain to be seen that a deadly combat would begin with the -coming of the morning. - -Rosecrans had planned to attack the Confederate right under -Breckinridge, while on the other hand Bragg had planned to attack the -Federal left under McCook, and to seize the Nashville turnpike and -thereby cut off Rosecrans' retreat. Neither, of course, knew of the -other's plan. - -At the break of day, on December 31st, the Confederate left moved -forward in a magnificent battle-line, about a mile in length and two -columns deep. At the same time the Confederate artillery opened with -their cannon. The Federals were astonished at so fierce and sudden a -charge and were ill prepared. Before McCook could arrange them several -batteries were overpowered and several heavy guns fell into the hands -of the Confederates. The Union troops fell back in confusion and seemed -to have no power to check the impetuous charge of the onrushing foe. -Only one division, under General Philip H. Sheridan, held its ground. -Sill's brigade of Sheridan's division drove the Confederates in front -of its back to their entrenchments, but in this charge the brave -commander lost his life. - -While the battle raged with tremendous fury on the Union right, -Rosecrans was three miles away, throwing his left across the river. -Hearing the terrific roar of the cannon and rattle of the musketry, -he hastened to attack Breckinridge, hoping to draw a portion of the -Confederate force away from the attack on his right. Ere long the -sound of battle was coming nearer, and he rightly divined that his -right wing was being rapidly driven upon his center by the dashing -soldiers of the South. He ordered McCook to dispute every inch of the -ground; but McCook's command was torn to pieces except the division -of Sheridan, which stood firm against the overwhelming numbers, which -stand attracted the attention of the country and brought military -fame to Sheridan. He checked the onrushing foe at the point of the -bayonet, and re-formed his lines under a heavy fire. Rosecrans ordered -up the reserves to the support of the Union center and right. Here for -two hours longer the battle raged with unabated fury. Three times the -Confederate left and center were thrown against the Union lines, but -failed to break them. At length it was discovered that the ammunition -was exhausted in Sheridan's division and he withdrew in good order to a -plain near the Nashville road. The Confederates' advance was checked by -the division of Thomas. - -It was now in the afternoon, and still the battle raged in the woods -and on the hills about Murfreesboro. - -The Federal right and center had been forced back to Stone's River, -while Bragg's right was on the same stream close to the Federal line. - -In the meantime Rosecrans had massed his artillery on a hill -overlooking the field. He had also re-formed his broken lines, and -had called 12,000 fresh troops from his left into action. The battle -re-opened with utmost fury, and the ranks of both armies were torn with -grape and canister and bursting shells. - -General Breckinridge brought all of his division excepting one brigade -into the action. They had for some time been inactive and were -refreshed by a short rest. The Confederates now began a vigorous attack -upon the Federal columns, but were swept by a raking artillery fire. -They rallied again to the attack, but their ranks were again swept by -Rosecrans' artillery and the assault was abandoned. - -Darkness was now drawing over the scene of battle, and the firing -abated slowly and died away. It had been a bloody day, the dead and -dying lay upon the field and in the hospitals in great numbers, and -with the awful gloom and suffering of that night ended the first day's -battle at Murfreesboro. - -The next day was the first of the new year, and both armies remained -inactive during the entire day, except to quietly prepare to renew the -conflict on the morrow. The renewal of the battle on January 2d was -fully expected, but there was but little fighting until late in the -afternoon. Rosecrans had sent General Van Cleve across the river to -occupy an elevation from which he could shell the town of Murfreesboro. - -Bragg sent Breckinridge to dislodge this division, which he did with -splendid effect. But Breckinridge's men became exposed to the raking -fire of the Federal artillery across the stream and retreated to a -place of safety with a loss of 1,700 men killed and wounded. - -The next day brought no further conflict. On the night of January -3d General Bragg began to move his army away to winter quarters at -Shelbyville. - -Murfreesboro was one of the great battles of the war, and, except at -Antietam, had not thus far been surpassed. The losses were about 13,000 -to the Federals, and about 10,000 to the Confederates. Both sides -claimed the victory--the South because of Bragg's decided success on -the first day; the North because of Breckinridge's fearful repulse -on the last day's battle, and of Bragg's retiring in the night and -refusing to fight again. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG - - -The silent city of military graves at Fredericksburg is a memorial of -one of the bloodiest battles of the war. General McClellan failed to -follow up the retreating Southern army after the battle of Antietam, -and thereby lost favor with the authorities at Washington, and was -relieved of the command of the army, which was handed to General -Ambrose E. Burnside, who took command of the Army of the Potomac on -November 9, 1862, and on the following day McClellan took leave of his -troops. - -Burnside changed the whole plan of the campaign and decided to move -on Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River. His army moved forward -in three divisions, under Sumner, Hooker and Franklin. They were -delayed several days in crossing the river, due to the failure of -the arrival of the pontoon bridges. A council of war was held on the -night of December 10th, in which the officers were opposed to the -plan of battle, but Burnside was determined to carry out his original -plan immediately. After two days of skirmishing with the Confederate -sharpshooters he succeeded in getting his army across the river on the -morning of December 13th. - -General Lee had by this time entrenched his army on the hills -surrounding Fredericksburg. His line stretched for five miles along the -range of hills, surrounding the town on all sides save the east, where -the river flows. The strongest position of the Confederates was on -Marye's Heights, in the rear of the town. Along the foot of this hill -was a stone wall about four feet high, bounding the eastern side of the -Telegraph road, being depressed a few feet below the surface of the -stone wall, and thus it formed a breastwork for the Confederate troops. -Behind this wall a strong Confederate force was concealed, while higher -up the hill in several ranks the main army was posted. The right wing -of the Confederate army, consisting of about 30,000 men, commanded -by "Stonewall" Jackson, was posted on an elevation near Hamilton's -crossing of the Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad. The left wing -was posted on Marye's Heights, and was commanded by the redoubtable -Longstreet. The Southern forces numbered about 75,000 men. - -The town proper and the adjoining valleys had been occupied for two -days by the Federal troops, marching to and fro and making ready for -a decisive conflict, which required no prophet to foretell was near -at hand. Franklin's division of 40,000 men was strengthened by a part -of Hooker's division and was ordered to make the first attack on the -Confederate right, under Jackson. Sumner's division was also reënforced -from Hooker's division and was formed for an assault against the -Confederates, posted on Marye's Heights. - -From the position taken by the Confederate forces their cannons and -field artillery poured shot and shell into the town of Fredericksburg. -Every house became a target, though deserted except by a few -venturesome riflemen. There was scarcely a house that escaped. Ruined, -battered and bloody Fredericksburg three times was a Federal hospital -and its back yards became little cemeteries. - -All this magnificent battle formation had been effected under cover -of a dense fog, and when it lifted on that fateful Saturday there was -revealed a scene of truly military grandeur. Concealed by the curtain -of nature, the Southern army had entrenched itself most advantageously -upon the hills, and the Union force massed in strength below, lay -within cannon shot of their foe. The Union army totaled 113,000 men. - -[Illustration: BATTLEFIELD OF FIRST BULL RUN] - -When the fog lifted in the forenoon of December 13th, Franklin's -division was revealed in full strength marching and counter-marching in -preparation of the coming conflict. Officers in new uniforms, thousands -of bayonets gleaming in the sunshine, champing steeds, rattling -gun-carriages whisking artillery into proper range, formed a scene of -magnificent grandeur, which excited the admiration of all, even the -Confederates. This maneuver has been called the grandest military scene -of the war, yet after all this show, Burnside's subordinate officers -were unanimous in their belief in the rashness of the undertaking. It -is said by historians that the Army of the Potomac never went down -to battle with less alacrity than on this day at Fredericksburg. - -The advance began about the middle of the forenoon on Jackson's right, -which was made by the divisions led by Generals Meade, Doubleday -and Gibbon, who endeavored to seize one of the opposing heights on -Jackson's extreme right. The advance was made in three lines of battle, -which were guarded in front and on each flank by Jackson, whose -artillery swept the field by both a front and an enfilading fire as -the attacking columns advanced. And as the divisions approached within -range Jackson's left poured a deadly fire of musketry upon them, which -mowed down brave men in the Union lines in swaths, leaving broad gaps -where men had stood. - -On the Federal columns came, only to be swept again and again by this -murderous fire, but were at length repulsed. - -The Confederate lines were broken only once by a part of Meade's -division, which captured a few flags and several prisoners. The lost -ground was soon recovered by the Confederates. Some of the charges -made by the Federals in this engagement were heroic in the extreme. -In one advance knapsacks were unslung and bayonets fixed; a brigade -marched across a plowed field and passed through broken lines of other -brigades, which were retiring in confusion from the leaden storm. In -every instance the Federals were driven back in shattered columns. - -The dead and wounded lay in heaps. Soldiers were fleeing and officers -were galloping to and fro, urging their lines forward. - -At length they received orders to retreat, and in retiring from the -field the destruction was almost as great as during the assault. Most -of the wounded were brought from the field after the engagement, but -the dead were left where they fell. - -During this engagement General George D. Bayard was mortally wounded by -a shot that had severed the sword-belt of a subordinate officer who was -standing by. - -While Franklin's division was engaged with the Confederate right, -Sumner's division was engaged in a terrific assault upon the works of -Marye's Heights, which was the stronghold of the Confederate forces. -Their position was almost impregnable, consisting of earthworks, wood -and stone barricades, running along the sunken road near the foot of -the hill. The Federals were not apprised of the sunken road nor of the -Confederate force concealed behind the stone wall, under General Cobb. -When the Federals advanced up the road they were harassed by shot and -shell at every step, but came dashing on in line notwithstanding the -terrific fire which poured upon them. The Irish brigade of Hancock's -division, under General Meagher, made a wonderful charge, the Irish -soldiers moved steadily up the ridge until within a few yards of the -sunken road, from which the unexpected fire mowed them down. When they -returned from the assault but 250 out of 1,200 men reported under arms -from the field, and all these were needed to care for their wounded -comrades. This brigade, as we will notice later, distinguished itself -at Gettysburg and other engagements. It lost more men in killed and -wounded than any regiment that left the State of New York. When -returning to be mustered out in 1865, it had only forty-seven men out -of 950 that enlisted four years before on first leaving for the front. - -Sumner sent column after column against this strong position, but -they were repulsed with great slaughter. The approach was completely -commanded by the Confederate batteries. - -Not only was the Confederate fire disastrous upon the approaching -columns, but it also inflicted great damage upon the masses of the -Federal army, and it is said that in front of Marye's house, which was -in the center where the charge was made, the Federals fell three deep -in one of the bravest and bloodiest charges of the war. - -Six times did the Federals, raked by the deadly fire of Washington's -artillery, advance to within 100 yards of the sunken road, only to be -driven back by the rapid fire of the Confederate infantry concealed -there. The Confederates' effective and successful work in this battle -was not alone due to their strong position, but also to the skill and -generalship of the leaders, and the courage and well-directed aim of -their cannoneers and infantry. - -The whole plain was covered with men, the living men running here and -there, their broken lines closing up and the wounded being carried to -the rear. - -The point and method of attack made by Sumner was anticipated by the -Confederates, and careful preparation had been made to meet it. - -As the Federal columns advanced without hurrah or battle-cry, their -entire lines were swept by a heavy artillery fire, which poured -canister and shell and solid shot into their ranks from the front -and on both sides with frightful results. The ground was so thickly -strewn with dead bodies as seriously to impede the movements of renewed -attack. These repeated assaults in such good order caused some fear on -the part of General Lee that they might eventually break his lines, and -he conveyed his anxiety to General Longstreet, but his fears proved -groundless. - -General Cobb, who had so gallantly defended the Confederate position at -the sunken road, against the onslaughts of the Federals, fell mortally -wounded and was carried from the field. - -His command was handed to Kershaw, who took his place in this desperate -struggle. The onrushing Federals fell almost in battalions; the dead -and wounded lay in heaps. Late in the day the dead bodies, which had -become frozen from the extreme cold, were placed in front of the -soldiers as a protection to shield the living. - -The steadiness of the Union troops and the silent and determined -heroism of the rank and file in these repeated but hopeless assaults -upon the Confederate works were marvelous indeed, and will go down in -history as a monument to the memory of those who were engaged in this -terrible conflict. - -After these disastrous attempts to carry the works of the Confederate -left it was night; the Federals had retired; hope was abandoned, and it -was seen that the day was lost for the Union forces. The shattered Army -of the Potomac sought to gather and care for the wounded. The beautiful -Fredericksburg of a few days before now had put on a different -appearance. Ancestral homes were turned into hospitals. The charming -drives and stately groves, and the pleasure grounds of the colonial -days, were not filled with grand carriages and gay parties, but with -war horses, soldiers and other military equipments, and had put on the -gloom that follows in the wake of a defeated army after a great battle. - -The plan of Burnside had ended in failure. In his report of the battle -to Washington he gave reasons for the issue, and in a manly way took -the responsibility upon himself and most highly commended his officers -and men. - -President Lincoln's verdict of this battle is reverse to the unanimous -opinions of the historians. In his reply to Burnside's report of the -battle he says, "Although you were not successful, the attempt was not -an error, nor the failure other than accident." - -After the battle the wounded lay on the field in their agony, exposed -to the freezing cold for forty-eight hours before they were cared for. -Many were burned by the long dead grass becoming ignited by the cannon -fire. - -The scene witnessed was dreadful and heart-rending. The Union loss was -about 12,000, and the Confederates less than half that number. The -Union army was withdrawn across the river under the cover of darkness, -and the battle of Fredericksburg had passed into history. - -Burnside, at his own request, was relieved of the command of the Army -of the Potomac, which was handed to General Joseph Hooker. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE - - -After the battle of Fredericksburg the Union army went into winter -quarters at Falmouth, only a few miles away, while the Confederates -took up their encampment for the winter at Fredericksburg. - -General Joseph Hooker, who was popularly known as "Fighting Joe -Hooker," had succeeded General Burnside in command of the Army of -the Potomac, which numbered about 130,000 men, while that of the -Confederates numbered about 60,000. - -Hooker conceived the idea to divide his army and leave Sedgwick with -about 40,000 men to make a feint upon the Confederates, stationed about -Fredericksburg, and himself with the remainder of the army to move -around Lee's army and take a position at Chancellorsville, a small -place in a wilderness country only a few miles from Fredericksburg, -and by doing this, take Lee by surprise. These plans of Hooker have -been considered by war historians as being well laid if they had been -carried out. Lee was on the alert, and had heard of Hooker's plans, -and was not to be caught in the trap. Lee, paying little attention to -Sedgwick, east of Fredericksburg, had turned to face Hooker. By rapid -night marches he met Hooker's army before it reached its destination. -His advance columns were pushed back by the Federals, who succeeded -in taking the position which was assigned to them, Meade on the left -and Slocum on the right, with adequate support in the rear. All was in -readiness and had favorable positions when, to the amazement of all the -officers, Hooker ordered the whole army to fall back to the position it -had occupied the day before, thereby leaving the advantage with Lee, -who moved his forces up to the positions which the Federals evacuated -and began feeling the Federal lines with some cannonading during the -evening of May 1st. - -The Confederates were in extreme danger, having one large army in -their front and another almost as large as theirs in their rear near -Fredericksburg. But Lee decided to make one great and decisive blow -at Hooker in front. During the night of May 1st Lee held council with -"Stonewall" Jackson and accepted a plan laid out by him for Jackson to -take part of the army and move around through the dense wood and rough -country and fall upon the right flank of the enemy. - -Early on the morning of May 2d the cannonading began its death-song and -the infantry was brought into action. Before long Jackson began, with a -portion of the army, to move off the field, and Hooker, observing this, -believed that Lee's army was in full retreat on Richmond. This movement -proved to be the undoing of Hooker's army, as Jackson was making -for his right flank. It was about five o'clock in the afternoon when -Jackson broke from the woods in a charge upon the unsuspecting troops -of Hooker's right which was under Howard. - -The approach of Jackson's forces was first intimated to the Federals by -the bending of shrubbery, the stampede of rabbits and squirrels, and -the flocks of birds in wild flight from the woods. First appeared a few -skirmishers, then the rattling of musketry and the incessant roar of -cannon. On the Confederates came in their impetuous charge. The charge -was so unexpected and terrific that they carried everything before -them. The Federal lines were swept as by tidal waves and rolled up like -a scroll. - -This crowning and final stroke of Jackson's military genius was the -result of his own carefully worked-out plan, which had been approved by -Lee. - -General Hooker was spending the evening at his headquarters at the -Chancellor House, rejoicing, as he thought, that Jackson was in full -retreat and everything appeared to be going well. Presently the roar of -battle became louder and louder on his right and an officer came up at -full speed to notify him that his right was being fiercely attacked, -was giving away, and would soon be in utter rout. Hooker made haste to -the scene of battle and passed through brigade after brigade of his -forces in retreat and confusion. - -He was successful in having Berry re-form his division and charge -the Confederates with fixed bayonets, which partly stopped the -Confederates' advance. This gave the Federal artillery a few minutes -to prepare itself for action. They finally succeeded in stopping the -Confederate advance. - -The mighty turmoil was silenced as darkness gathered. The two hostile -forces were concealed in the darkness watching each other. Finally, at -midnight, the order, "Forward!" was given in subdued tones to Sickle's -corps. They stealthily advanced upon the Confederate position and at -heavy loss gained the position sought for. - -Between Hooker's and Sedgwick's divisions of the army stood the -Confederate army flushed with the victory of the day, immediately -in front of Sedgwick was Fredericksburg, beyond which loomed -Marye's Heights, strongly guarded by Washington's artillery of the -Confederates. These Heights were the battleground of a few months -before when Burnside tried in vain to drive the Confederates from their -crest. - -Shortly after midnight Sedgwick began his march against Marye's Heights -that was fraught with peril and death. At the foot of the slope were -the stone wall and the sunken road, which was the battleground of -a few months before in the battle of Fredericksburg. The crest and -slopes bristled with Confederate cannon and musket. Sedgwick made his -attack directly upon the stone wall in the face of a terrible storm of -artillery and musketry. The first assault failed, but the second met -with more success, as they succeeded in driving the Confederates from -their strong position at the point of the bayonet by their overwhelming -numbers. Sedgwick pushed on to attack Lee in the rear, but Lee was -aware of his advance and dispatched General Early with a strong force -to hold him in check and thus prevent his juncture with Hooker's army -at Chancellorsville. Lee's army and that of Hooker's had been engaged -since early morning in deadly combat. - -While this engagement was at its height General Hooker, while leaning -against a pillar on the porch of the Chancellor House, was stunned -and felled to the ground and for some time it was thought that he was -killed. This was done by a cannon ball, which shattered the pillar -against which he was leaning. This injury incapacitated Hooker from -active service the balance of the day and he gave orders for his army -to retire, which was reluctantly done by his subordinate officers. When -his columns began to retire from the field the Confederates increased -their artillery fire, which played upon the retreating columns in blue. -This fire marked the doom of the old Chancellor House, where Hooker -had headquarters. The brick walls were pierced through by cannon balls -and shells exploded in the upper rooms, setting the building on fire. -Fragments of the demolished chimneys rained down upon the wounded in -the lower rooms. - -During the entire day's battle there were nineteen women and children, -including some slaves, in the cellar where they had taken refuge. They -were all removed before the complete destruction of the house by fire. - -The long, deep trenches, full of Federal and Confederate dead, told the -awful story of Chancellorsville. This scene will never be forgotten by -the survivors of the battle. This was one of the greatest battles yet -fought on the American Continent, and has gone down in history as being -one of the greatest of modern times. - -The Union loss was about 17,000, while that of the Confederates was -about 13,000. - -Late in the evening of the first day's battle General "Stonewall" -Jackson was mortally wounded, in which the South suffered incalculable -loss. After his brilliant flank march and the evening attack on -Hooker's army had been driven home, at half-past eight, Jackson had -ridden beyond his lines to reconnoiter for the final advance. By the -sudden fire of musketry in his front, he discovered that he was within -the enemy's lines. His party, suddenly turning back and riding at full -speed, was mistook by his own men for the enemy, and his men, firing -a volley of musketry, killed and wounded several of Jackson's party -and mortally wounded Jackson by two shots in the left arm and one in -his right hand. He was taken from his horse by the officers who were -with him, among whom was A. P. Hill. It was found that there was no -immediate conveyance for him to be carried within his lines. Presently -the enemy discovered the commotion and mistaking it as an advance of -the Confederate lines, began to shell the immediate vicinity with grape -and canister, which necessitated the party with Jackson to lie down to -escape the shower of lead which poured over them. The scene about them -was an awful one. The air was pierced by the shrieks of shells and the -cries of the wounded. Finally a stretcher was secured and Jackson was -carried to the rear. One of the bearers was shot down and his place was -taken by another. During the turmoil General W. D. Pender was met, who -expressed the fear that his lines must fall back. General Jackson, in a -clear voice, "You must hold your ground, General Pender; you must hold -your ground to the last, sir." This was his last order to a subordinate -officer. - -It was first thought that Jackson's wounds would not prove fatal, but -he developed pneumonia and gradually grew worse, and on the morning -of May 10th it was apparent that he had only a few hours to live; at -times he was unconscious and his mind apparently wandered on previous -battlefields. During one of his unconscious moments he suddenly cried -out, "Order A. P. Hill to prepare for action. Pass the infantry to the -front!" - -He then became silent and weak, and his last words were: "Let us cross -over the river and rest in the shade of the trees." - -When Lee heard that Jackson had fallen he said: "Any victory would -be dear at such a price." It is thought by many that the result at -Gettysburg would have been different had "The Great Flanker" lived to -have been there. Henderson, the British war historian, said the fame of -"Stonewall" Jackson is no longer the exclusive property of Virginia and -the South; it has become the birthright of every man privileged to call -himself an American. - - - - -THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG - - -Vicksburg, often called "The Gibraltar of the West," is situated on the -east bank of the Mississippi River, where the river makes a great bend -and the east bank of the same makes up from the river in a bluff about -200 feet. - -Here at Vicksburg about 100,000 men and a powerful fleet of many -gunboats and ironclads for forty days and nights fought to decide -whether the Confederate states should be cut in twain; whether the -great river should flow free to the gulf. - -The Confederate cannon, situated on the high bluff along the river -front at Vicksburg, commanded the waterway for miles in either -direction, while the obstacles in the way of a land approach were -almost equally insurmountable. - -The object of the Federal army was to gain control of the entire course -of the river that it might, in the language of President Lincoln, "Roll -unvexed to the sea," and to separate the Confederate states so as to -hinder them from getting supplies and men for their armies from the -southwest. - -The great problem of the Federals was how to get control of Vicksburg. -This great question was left to General Grant to work out. - -In June, 1862, the Confederates, under General Van Dorn, numbering -15,000 men, occupied and fortified Vicksburg. Van Dorn was a man of -great energy. In a short time he had hundreds of men at work planting -batteries, digging rifle-pits, mounting heavy guns and building -bomb-proof magazines. All through the summer the work progressed and by -the coming of winter the city was a veritable Gibraltar. - -In the last days of June the combined fleet, under Farragut and Porter, -arrived below the Confederate stronghold. They had on board about -3,000 troops and a large supply of implements required in digging -trenches. The engineers conceived the idea of cutting a new channel -for the Mississippi through a neck of land on the Louisiana side -opposite Vicksburg and thereby change the course of the river and leave -Vicksburg high and dry. - -While General Williams was engaged in the task of diverting the mighty -river across the peninsula Farragut stormed the Confederate batteries -with his fleet, but failed to silence Vicksburg's cannon guards. -He then determined to dash past the fortifications with his fleet, -trusting to the speed of his vessels and the stoutness of their armor -to survive the tremendous cannonade that would fall upon them. - -Early on the morning of June 28th his vessels moved forward and after -several hours of terrific bombardment with the loss of three vessels, -passed through the raging inferno to the waters above Vicksburg. - -Williams and his men, including 1,000 negroes, labored hard to complete -the canal, but a sudden rise in the river swept away the barriers with -a terrific roar and many days of labor went for naught. This plan was -at length abandoned and they all returned with the fleet during the -last days of July to Baton Rouge, and Vicksburg was no more molested -until the next spring. - -In October General John C. Pemberton, a Philadelphian by birth, -succeeded Van Dorn in command of the Confederate forces at Vicksburg. -General Grant planned to divide the army of the Tennessee, Sherman -taking part of it from Memphis down the Mississippi on transports -while he would move overland with the rest of the army and coöperate -with Sherman before Vicksburg. But the whole plan proved a failure, -through the energies of Van Dorn and others of the Confederate army in -destroying the Federal lines of communication. - -Sherman, however, with an army of about 32,000 men, left Memphis on -December 20th, and landed a few days later some miles above Vicksburg, -and on the 29th made a daring attack on the Confederate lines at -Chickasaw Bayou, and suffered a decisive repulse with a loss of 2,000 -men. - -Sherman now found the northern pathway to Vicksburg impassable and -withdrew his men to the river, and, to make up triple disaster to the -Federals, General Nathan Forest, one of the brilliant Confederate -cavalry leaders, with 2,500 horsemen, dashed through the country west -of Grant's army, tore up many miles of railroad and destroyed all -telegraph lines and thus cut off all communication of the Federals. - -In the meantime General Van Dorn pounced upon Holly Springs, capturing -the guard of 1,500 men and burning Grant's great store of supplies, -estimated to be worth a million and a half dollars, thus leaving Grant -without supplies, and for many days without communication with the -outside world. It was not until about the middle of January that he -heard, through Washington, of the defeat of Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou. - -Grant changed his plan of attack and decided to move his army below -Vicksburg and approach the city from the south. Another plan was to cut -a channel through the peninsula opposite Vicksburg and again try the -project of changing the bed of the Mississippi so as to leave Vicksburg -some miles inland. For six weeks thousands of men worked on this ditch; -early in March the river began to rise and on the morning of the 8th it -broke through the embankments and the men had to run for their lives. -Many horses were drowned and great numbers of implements submerged. The -"Father of waters" had put a decisive veto on the project, and the same -was abandoned. - -On the night of April 16th Porter ran past the batteries of Vicksburg -with his fleet after days of preparation. They left their station -near the mouth of the Yazoo about nine o'clock. Suddenly the flash of -musketry fire pierced the darkness. A storm of shot and shell was -rained upon the passing vessels. The water of the river was lashed -into foam by the shot and shell from the batteries. The gunboats -answered with their cannon. The air was filled with flying missiles. -The transport, Henry Clay, caught fire and burned to the water's edge. -By three in the morning the fleet was below the city and ready to -coöperate with Grant's army. - -Grant's army at that time numbered about 43,000 men, and he decided -to make a campaign into the interior of Mississippi while waiting for -General Banks from Baton Rouge to join him. The Confederate army under -Pemberton numbered about 40,000, and about 15,000 more Confederates -were at Jackson, Miss., under command of General Joseph E. Johnston. -It was against Johnston's army that Grant decided to move. Johnston, -on being attacked by Grant, fell back from Jackson and took a position -on Champion's Hill, where a hard battle was fought in which the -Confederates were greatly outnumbered and gave way in confusion. -Part of Pemberton's army had arrived and was engaged in this battle. -Pemberton retreated towards Vicksburg, closely followed by Grant, and -several short engagements between the two armies took place on the -road to Vicksburg. The Federal army now invested the city, occupying -the surrounding hills. Around the doomed city gleamed the thousands -of bayonets of the Union army. The city was filled with soldiers and -the citizens of the country who had fled there for refuge and were now -penned in. - -On May 22d Grant ordered a grand assault by his whole army. The troops, -flushed with their victories of the last few days, were eager for -the attack. It is said that his columns were made up with his taller -soldiers in front and the second in stature in the next line, and so on -down, so as to save exposure to the fire of the enemy. - -At the appointed time the order was passed down the line to move -forward, and the columns leaped from their hiding places and started -on their disastrous march in the face of a murderous fire from the -defenders of the city, only to be mowed down by the sweeping fire -from the Confederate batteries. Others came, crawling over the bodies -of their fallen comrades, but at every charge they were met by the -missiles of death. Thus it continued hour after hour until the coming -of darkness. The assault had failed and the Union forces retired within -their entrenchments before the city. This is considered as one of the -most brave and disastrous assaults of the war. - -The army now settled down to the wearisome siege, and for six weeks -they encircled the city with trenches, approaching nearer and nearer -to the defending walls. One by one the defending batteries were -silenced. On the afternoon of June 25th a redoubt of the Confederate -works was blown up with a mine. When the same exploded the Federals -began to dash into the opening, only to meet with a withering fire -from an interior parapet which the Confederates had constructed in the -anticipation of this event. - -Grant was constantly receiving reënforcements, and before the end of -the siege his army numbered 70,000. - -Day and night the roar of artillery continued without ceasing. -Shrieking shells from Porter's fleet rose in grand curves, either -bursting in midair or on the streets of the city, spreading havoc in -all directions. - -The people of the city burrowed into the ground for safety, their -walls of clay being shaken by the roaring battles that raged above the -ground. The supply of food became scarcer day by day, and by the end of -June the entire city was in a complete famine. They had been living for -several days upon corn meal, beans and mule meat, and were now facing -their last enemy, death by starvation. - -At ten o'clock on the morning of July 3d the firing ceased and a -strange quietness rested over all. Pemberton had opened negotiations -with Grant for the capitulation of the city. It is strange to say that -on this very day the final chapter at Gettysburg was being written. - -On the following morning Pemberton marched his 30,000 men out of the -city and surrendered them as prisoners of war. They were released on -parole. - -This was the largest army ever surrendered at one time. - - - - -BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG - - -Our colonial fathers from North and South fought together when they -brought this republic into being, defended it together in the war of -1812, and triumphed together when they carried the Stars and Stripes -into the heritage of the Montezumas. The final and crucial test of -the republic's strength and durability was the combat on the field -of battle in the war between the states. The battle of Gettysburg is -conceded to be the turning point in that war. Abraham Lincoln said in -his Gettysburg address, in November, 1863: "This nation, conceived -in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created -equal, is now engaged in a great civil war, testing whether this -nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure." - -The great question of that day was the question of state rights and -relationship between state and federal government. - -It had now come to the point where it could not be determined in the -councils of peace, although the illustrious Henry Clay and other -statesmen of his day had been the means of successfully deferring from -time to time this crisis for almost a half century. - -Gettysburg is a small, quiet town among the hills of Adams county, -in southeastern Pennsylvania, and in 1863 contained about 1,500 -inhabitants. It had been founded by James Gettys in about 1780. He -probably never dreamed that his name, thus given to the village, would -become famous in history for all time. - -The hills around Gettysburg are little more than general swells of -ground, and many of them were covered with timber when the legions of -the North and South fought out the destinies of the republic on those -memorable July days in 1863. - -Lee's army was flushed with the victories of Fredericksburg and -Chancellorsville, and public opinion was demanding an invasion of the -North. - -Lee crossed the Potomac early in June, after leaving General Stuart -with his cavalry and a part of Hill's corps to prevent Hooker from -pursuing. He began to concentrate his army around Hagerstown, Md., -and prepare for a campaign in Pennsylvania. His army was organized -into three corps under the respective commands of Longstreet, Ewell -and A. P. Hill. Lee had driven his army so as to enter Pennsylvania -by different routes, and to assess the towns along the way with large -sums of money. In the latter part of June Lee was startled by the -information that Stuart had failed to detain Hooker, and that the -Federals were in hot pursuit. He soon conceived that the two armies -must soon come together in a mighty death struggle, which meant that a -great battle must be fought, a greater battle than this western world -has heretofore known, which is claimed by historians as being one of -the decisive battles of the world. - -The Army of the Potomac had changed leaders, and George Gordon Meade -was now its commander, having succeeded Hooker on June 28th. Thus -for the third time the Army of the Potomac in ten months had a new -commander. - -The two great armies were scattered over portions of Maryland and -southern Pennsylvania. Both were marching northward along parallel -lines, the Federals endeavoring to stay between Lee's army and -Washington. It was plain that they must soon come together in a -gigantic conflict; but just where the shock of battle was to take place -was yet unknown. - -Meade sent General Buford in advance with 4,000 cavalry to intercept -the Confederate advance guard. - -On the night of June 30th Buford encamped on a hill a mile west from -Gettysburg, and here on the following morning the great battle had its -beginning. - -On the morning of July 1st the two armies were still well scattered, -the extremes forty miles apart. General Reynolds, with two corps of the -Union army was but a few miles away and was hastening to Gettysburg, -while Longstreet and Hill were approaching from the west, with Hill's -corps several miles in advance. - -Buford opened battle against the advance division of Hill's corps -under General Heth. Reynolds soon joined and the first day's battle was -now in full progress. General Reynolds, while placing his troops in -line of battle early in the day, received a death shot in the head by -a Confederate sharpshooter. This was a great loss to the Federals, as -he was one of the bravest and most able generals in the Union army. No -casualty of the war brought more widespread mourning to the North than -the death of General John F. Reynolds. But even this calamity did not -stay the fury of the battle. - -Early in the afternoon the Federals were heavily reënforced, and A. -P. Hill had arrived on the field with the balance of his corps, and -the roar of battle was unceasing. About the middle of the afternoon a -breeze lifted the smoke from the field and revealed that the Federals -were falling back towards Gettysburg. They were hard pressed by the -Confederates and were pushed back through the town with the loss of -many prisoners. The Federals took a position on Cemetery Hill and the -first day's battle was over. - -If the Confederates had known the disorganized condition of the Federal -troops, they might have pursued and captured a large part of the army. - -It is thought by many that if "Stonewall" Jackson had lived to be -there that at this particular time is where he would have delivered -his crushing blow to the Federals and no doubt would have changed the -final result of the battle. Meade was still some miles from the field, -but on hearing of the death of Reynolds sent General Hancock to take -command until he himself should arrive. - -The Union loss on the first day was severe. A great commander had -fallen and they had suffered the fearful loss of 10,000 men. - -Hancock arrived late in the afternoon, after riding at full speed. -His presence brought an air of confidence, and his promise of heavy -reënforcements all tended to inspire renewed hope in the ranks of the -discouraged army. - -Meade reached the scene late at night and chose to make this field the -place of a general engagement. Lee had come to the same decision, and -both called on their outlying legions to make all possible speed to -Gettysburg. The night was spent in the marshaling of troops, getting -position, planting artillery, and bands playing at intervals on the -arrival of new divisions on the field. - -General Gordon says that during the night the sound of axes and the -falling of trees in the Federal entrenchments could plainly be heard, -and that he became convinced during the night that by morning they -would be so well fortified on Cemetery Hill that their position would -be almost impregnable, and that he succeeded in getting a council of -officers during the night to take under advisement a night attack on -the enemy, but was told that General Lee had given orders that no -further attack should be made until Longstreet arrived, and he had not -yet arrived. - -The dawn of July 2d broke into a beautiful summer day. Both armies -hesitated to begin the battle and remained inactive until in the -afternoon. - -The fighting on that day was confined chiefly to the two extremes, -leaving the center inactive. Longstreet commanded the Confederate right -and the Union left was commanded by General Daniel E. Sickles, whose -division lay directly opposite that of Longstreet. The Confederate -left was commanded by General Richard Ewell, who succeeded to the -command of this division after the death of "Stonewall" Jackson at -Chancellorsville. While the Federal right, stationed on Culp's Hill was -commanded by General Slocum. - -Between these armies was a hollow into which the anxious farmers had -driven and penned large numbers of cattle, which they thought would -be a place of safety, and could not conceive that any battle could -affect this place of refuge, but when the battle began and the stream -of shells was directed against Round Top this place of refuge became a -raging inferno of bursting shells. - -There was a gate at the entrance of the local cemetery at Gettysburg -that had written on it this sign: "All persons found using firearms -in these grounds will be prosecuted with the utmost rigor of the -law." Many a soldier must have smiled at these words, for this gateway -became the very center of the crudest use of firearms yet seen on this -"terrestrial ball." - -The plan of General Meade was to have General Sickles connect his -division with that of Hancock and extend southward near the base of -the Round Tops. Sickles found this ground, in his opinion, low and -disadvantageous and advanced his division to higher ground in front, -placing his men along the Emmettsburg road and back toward the Trostle -farm and the wheat-field, thus forming an angle at the peach orchard, -thus leaving this division alone in its position far in advance of the -other Federal lines. This position taken by Sickles was in disobedience -of orders from General Meade, and was considered by Meade, as well as -President Lincoln, as being a great mistake, but General Sickles always -maintained that he did right, and that his position was well taken. - -Longstreet was quick to see this apparent mistake and marched his -troops along Sickles' front entirely overlapping the left wing of the -Union army. Lee gave orders to Longstreet to make a general attack, -and the boom of his cannon announced the beginning of the second day's -battle. The Union forces answered quickly with their batteries and the -fight extended from the peach orchard along the whole line to the base -of Little Round Top. The musketry opened all along the line until there -was one continuous roar. Longstreet swept forward in a line or battle -a mile and a half long. He pressed back the Union forces and for a time -it looked as though the Federals would be routed in utter confusion. - -At the extreme left, near the Trostle house, was stationed John Biglow, -in command of a Massachusetts battery, with orders to hold his position -at all hazards. He defended his position well, but was finally routed -with great loss by overwhelming numbers. This attack was made by -Longstreet again and again, and was one of the bloodiest spots on the -field at Gettysburg. - -The most desperate struggle of the day was to get possession of Little -Round Top, which was the key to the whole battleground west and south -of Cemetery Ridge. General Longstreet sent General Hood with his -division to occupy it. The Federals, under General Warren, defended -this position and were charged on by General Hood's division with fixed -bayonets time after time, which finally became a hand-to-hand conflict, -but the Confederates were pressed down the hillside at the point of -the bayonet, and thus was ended one of the most severe hand-to-hand -conflicts yet known. - -Little Round Top was saved to the Union army, but the cost was -appalling. The hill was covered with hundreds of the slain. Many of the -Confederate sharpshooters had taken position among the crevasses of the -rocks in the Devil's Den, where they could overlook the position on -Little Round Top, and their unerring aim spread death among the Federal -officers. General Weed was mortally wounded, and, as General Hazlett -was stooping to receive his last message, a sharpshooter's bullet laid -him dead across the body of his chief. - -During this attack, and for some time thereafter, the battle continued -in the valley below, where many thousands were engaged. Longstreet and -Sickles were engaged in a determined conflict, and it was apparent to -all engaged that a decisive battle was being fought, and they were -making a determined effort. Sickles' line was being pressed back to -the base of the hill. His leg was shattered by a bursting shell, while -scores of his officers and thousands of his men lay on the field -to dream of battlefields no more. The coming of darkness ended the -struggle. This valley has been rightly called the "Valley of Death." - -While this battle was going on in this part of the field another was -being fought at the other extreme end of the lines. General Ewell was -making an attack on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, held by Slocum, -who had been weakened by the sending of a large portion of his corps -to the assistance of General Sickles. Ewell had three divisions, two -of which were commanded by Generals Early and Johnston. Early made -the attack on Cemetery Hill, but was repulsed after a bloody and -desperate hand-to-hand fight. Johnston's attack on Culp's Hill was -more successful, but was at length repulsed after the Federals had been -heavily reënforced. - -Thus closed the second day's battle of Gettysburg. The harvest of -death had been great. The Federal loss during the two days was about -20,000 men; the Confederate loss was nearly as great. The Confederates -had gained an apparent advantage on Culp's Hill, but the Union lines, -except as to this point, were unbroken. - -On the night of July 2d Lee held council of war with his generals -and decided to make a grand assault on Meade's center the following -day. Against this decision Longstreet protested in vain, but Lee was -encouraged by the arrival of Pickett's division and Stuart's cavalry, -which had not yet been engaged. Meade had held council with his -officers, and had come to a like decision to defend. - -That night a brilliant July moon shed its luster upon the ghastly -field, over which thousands of men lay unable to rise. With many their -last battle was over, but there were great numbers of wounded who were -calling for the kindly touch of a helping hand. Nor did they call -wholly in vain. They were carried to the improvised hospitals where -they were given attention. The dead were buried in unknown graves soon -to be forgotten except by their loving mothers. - -All through the night the Confederates were massing their artillery -along Seminary Ridge. The disabled horses were being replaced by -others. The ammunition was being replenished, and all was being made -ready for their work of destruction on the morrow. - -The Federals were diligently laboring in the moonlight arranging their -batteries on Cemetery Hill. The coming of morning revealed the two -parallel lines of cannon which signified too well the story of what the -day would bring forth. - -On the first day of July, 1863, Pickett's division was encamped near -Chambersburg, Penn., about twenty miles from Gettysburg. - -This division was composed of three brigades, commanded by Armistead, -Garnett and Kemper. They had no intimation that they would be called on -to take part in the battle that was going on at Gettysburg. They had -been following up as the rear guard of the Army of Northern Virginia. - -[Illustration: BATTLE OF ANTIETAM] - -The men were quietly sleeping after a most fatiguing march, and many no -doubt dreaming of their homes along the Atlantic and Chesapeake, and -others of their beautiful mountains and beautiful valleys, and in their -dreams, perhaps, felt the warm kiss of their loved ones. All at once -the long roll was sounded, and these visions vanished as they awoke and -realized that grim war was still rampant. The division was ordered, -about 1 A. M. on the morning of July 2d, to pack up and make ready to -march, and while doing this it was rumored along the lines that Hood's -division of Texans had been repulsed in charging Cemetery Heights at -Gettysburg with frightful loss, and that it was the intention of -General Lee that their division should charge the strong position as a -forlorn hope. - -About 3 A. M., on July 2d, the division began to move towards -Gettysburg and marched as rapidly as circumstances would permit, as -the roads were blocked with wagons, artillery, and the wounded of both -armies. At length it arrived at about two o'clock in the evening within -two miles of Gettysburg and immediately went into camp. While they -were doing so a courier rode up and informed the officers that McLaws' -division of Georgians had just made a charge on Cemetery Heights and -had been repulsed with great slaughter. This division, together with -Hood's and Pickett's, made up Longstreet's corps, and it seemed that -each of his divisions was to have the honor of making an assault on -Cemetery Heights. General Pickett now informed his men that he had -orders to hurl his division against this position on the next day -unless the artillery should succeed in dislodging the enemy. - -On the following day this division took position in line of battle -directly behind the Confederate artillery line on Seminary Ridge, with -a line of timber between, and had orders to lie down. General Lee -had massed in front of the division about 120 pieces of artillery, -and they were to open on Cemetery Heights and endeavor if possible -to dislodge the enemy. This cannonading began about noon, and was -answered by the enemy with a hundred pieces. A more terrific fire has -never been witnessed by man than occurred there on that July afternoon. -The earth was shaken by its roar, such as probably the younger Pliny -mentioned in his description of the eruption of Vesuvius when Pompeii -and Herculaneum were destroyed. The sky was black with smoke, and livid -with the flame belching from the mouth of the cannon. - -During all this cannonading Pickett's division was lying awaiting it to -cease. Round shot whistled through the trees, shells burst over their -heads, dealing destruction within their ranks. The shot and shell from -their enemy's guns that passed over the artillery invariably fell in -the ranks of Pickett's division, which seemed doomed to destruction -without even the opportunity of firing a gun. While this cannonading -was going on, General Armistead and the other brigade commanders -passed along in front of their respective commands informing their -men that unless the artillery succeeded in dislodging the enemy from -Cemetery Heights, they were to charge this position. Although this -had been tried by the respective divisions of McLaw and Hood, and in -each instance had been repulsed with great slaughter, yet they seemed -determined to win for Virginia and the Confederate states a name -which would be handed down to posterity in honor, and which would be -spoken of in pride by not only Virginia but by all America. In this -particular they succeeded, for not only have their foes accorded them -a crown of laurels, but England spoke words of praise for these men, -whose Anglo-Saxon blood nerved them to such a deed. - -All at once the terrible cannonading ceased, and the stillness of -death prevailed. General Pickett rode along the line informing his men -that the artillery had not succeeded in driving the enemy from their -strong position. Word was passed down the line from the right that -they were to charge. All were on their feet in a moment and ready; not -a sound was heard; not a shot was fired from any part of the field. -The command, "Forward!" was given, and in five minutes they had passed -through the strip of woods that lay between them and the artillery, and -as they emerged from the cover and passed through the artillery line -the artillerymen raised their hats and cheered them on their way. They -also passed through Lane's brigade of Wilcox's division, whose men were -waiting for orders to support the charge. General Garnett was leading -the center, General Kemper on the right, and General Armistead was -leading the left of the division with a swarm of skirmishers in front. -The smoke had cleared away and revealed the long line of the Federal -position on Cemetery Heights, which was about a mile distant. - -When the Federals observed the advance of Pickett's division, which -they had anticipated, they opened fire, which at first ranged over the -advancing columns, but before they had marched half the distance they -began to get range on them. The Confederate lines advanced steadily -and in full confidence. A band on the extreme right continued to play -"Dixie," "The Girl I Left Behind Me," and other familiar airs of the -day. The division was marching directly towards Hancock's position, -this objective point having been given Pickett by General Lee, but -after passing through Wilcox's division in waiting Pickett caused each -of his three brigades to make a half-wheel to the left. This, being -well executed, was attended with some loss of time. - -The Federal artillery soon began its death work of destruction. -Pickett's division had been quite near this grim monster before, -but on this occasion he seemed to be pressing on them steadily and -closely, which was enough to make the bravest quail under his ghastly -appearance. The Federals seem to have exhausted their ammunition in -some places in the artillery lines. This being discovered by Pickett, -gave him courage, and he caused his division to move up quickly. -Crossing several fields inclosed by strong fences, he at length reached -the base of the elevation. He once more changed his direction by a -half-wheel to the right, halting to rectify his lines. His division -pushed on, but great gaps were being cut in his lines by the grape and -canister from the Federal artillery, causing such wide openings that -the division had to be halted and dressed first to the right and then -to the left, obliquing and filling up the lines. They were now in close -range of the Federal lines and were being fired upon from behind a -stone wall, and their ranks were fast melting away. - - "Death was upon every breeze, - And lurked in every flower." - -The division pressed on. Round shot, shell, canister and rifle balls -were poured into them at close range from the front, and a battery on -Round Top raked the line from the right. - -Pickett was expecting to be supported by Pettigrew's brigade on the -left, and Lane's brigade on the right. Those brigades, however, were -coming up, but were being met by such strong opposition that they were -entirely outdistanced and fell back finally with Pickett's retreat, -thus leaving Pickett with his three brigades alone in front. The -Confederate ranks were thinning as far as eye could see. Garnett was -killed leading his brigade, his being in the lead. Kemper, coming up -next to the distance of sixty yards behind, brought his brigade to a -halt to give Armistead time to come up for the last and final charge. - -They were fired upon by the enemy, posted along the edge of the woods. -This murderous fire almost disorganized them. Armistead, urging his men -forward with his hat on his sword, holding it up as a guide, crossed -over the Union breastworks, and for a time the Confederates seemed -to gain some advantage, but were presently surrounded by overwhelming -numbers. General Armistead was mortally wounded, and nearly all the -other officers of the division were either killed or wounded. - -Pickett, seeing the hopelessness of the charge, ordered a retreat of -his shattered lines. - -Out of 4,800 men that followed Pickett, scarcely 1,200 to 1,300 got -back into the Confederate lines. Out of eighteen field officers and -four generals, Pickett and one lieutenant colonel alone remained -unharmed. - -Pickett's division, together with the supporting brigades under Lane -and Pettigrew, numbered about 14,000 men. Where General Armistead fell -is considered to be the highest point, figuratively speaking, that was -reached by the Southern Confederacy. - -Pickett's charge will be remembered by all future Americans as the -English remember that of the Light Brigade, and the French that of the -old guard under Marshal Ney at Waterloo. - -The battle of Gettysburg was now over. The loss was about 50,000 men, -which was about equally divided between the two armies. - -General Lee decided to lead his army back to Virginia. The Confederates -were much discouraged, for on this same day Vicksburg had been -surrendered to General Grant. - -All through the night of July 3d Lee's army was making ready to march -and at the break of day A. P. Hill swung his corps into line of march -through a downpour of rain. The next to follow was Longstreet's corps, -which followed close upon A. P. Hill, and the last to leave was Ewell's -corps, and the retreat was covered by Stuart's cavalry. - -General Hood had with him 4,000 prisoners. The wounded were carried -with the retreat in wagons and other ways of conveyance, and were under -the charge of General Imboden. - - - - -BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA - - -This battle derives its name from Chickamauga Creek, which is but -a few miles from Chattanooga, Tenn., and is considered one of the -greatest battles of modern times. It was exceeded in our Civil war only -by Gettysburg and the Wilderness; compares with Waterloo, and twice -bloodier than Wagram or Austerlitz. General D. H. Hill said that he had -never seen the Federal dead lie so thickly on the ground save in front -of the sunken wall at Fredericksburg. The late General John B. Gordon, -whose pen was never weary of writing the praises of the Confederate -soldiers, said that in his opinion the battle of Chickamauga was even -greater than that of Gettysburg, but it is thought that he was somewhat -partial to Chickamauga, having been reared there, and when a boy fished -in Chickamauga Creek, and had ridden behind his father over the country -which was later made a great battlefield. - -General Braxton Bragg was in command of the Confederate army, known as -the Army of the Tennessee, which was concentrated around Chattanooga. - -General Rosecrans was in command of the Federal army, known as the -Army of the Cumberland. It was made up of three corps under Generals -Crittenden, Thomas and McCook. They began to advance on Chattanooga and -endanger Bragg's line of communication. - -On September 8th Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and fell back toward -Rome, Ga. The Federals took possession of the city of Chattanooga. -Rosecrans, believing that Bragg was in full retreat, ordered Crittenden -to pursue. Meanwhile Bragg was concentrating his forces near Lafayette, -about twenty-five miles from Chattanooga. He was joined by Generals -S. B. Buckner and Breckinridge. General Longstreet was hastening from -Virginia with about 12,000 men from Lee's army to join him, the men -being fresh from the field of Gettysburg. - -Rosecrans' army was somewhat divided, as he was not expecting a -general battle. Bragg was quick to grasp this opportunity of making -a general assault on the Union forces while they were divided. The -attack was made on the 13th of September by General Polk, but from -some misapprehension of orders he did not move in time, and thus gave -Rosecrans time to unite his forces, thus losing Bragg this opportunity -of breaking up the Army of the Cumberland. - -The Federal forces under Crittenden now took position at Gordon's -Mills, on the left bank of Chickamauga Creek, and the remainder of -their troops were within supporting distance, and were under the -command of Thomas and McCook, the total Union strength being estimated -at about 60,000 men. - -The Confederate army lay on the east side of the stream, and was under -the immediate command of Generals Polk, D. H. Hill and Buckner. - -On the 18th Longstreet arrived with his troops. Thus the two mighty -armies were now face to face. - -Bragg endeavored to flank the Federal left and thus intervene -between it and Chattanooga, and on the morning of September 19th the -Confederates, under General Polk, made a grand assault upon the Federal -left, under General Thomas. Meanwhile the Federal right was being -heavily pressed by General Hood, commanding Longstreet's corps. This -was kept up the entire day and when darkness came the Federals had been -forced back from the creek, but the result was indecisive. - -During the night preparations were made for the renewal of the battle -on the next morning, which was Sunday, September 20th. - -It is strange to say that some of the greatest battles of the war were -fought on Sunday. - -General Longstreet now took command of his troops which had arrived, -but part of his corps did not arrive in time for the battle, having -been delayed on trains that were behind time. This brought their -strength up to equal that of the Federals. - -General Thomas had taken position on Snodgrass Hill, and was -anticipating a Confederate attack, which was made late in the morning -by General Polk, who was supported by Generals Breckinridge and -Patrick Cleburne, the last-named being an Irishman formerly from the -County of Cork. - -This assault was made time after time with desperate loss to both -sides. At length, by some misunderstanding of orders, one of the -Federal divisions under General Wood withdrew from its position. By -this movement a large opening was made in the center of their battle -line. - -This was quickly taken advantage of by three divisions of the -Confederates, which rushed in with an impetus that was irresistible. - -General Hood, one of the Confederate division commanders, was severely -wounded in this movement with a minie ball, and was carried from the -field. - -The Federals under Wood, Sheridan and Van Cleve were driven from the -field. General Longstreet now assumed chief command, and here gave a -fine exhibition of his military genius. He succeeded in separating the -two wings of the opposing army. The right wing already being in full -retreat, he wheeled and compelled the further withdrawal of Federal -troops in order to save being surrounded. The retreating Federals fled -in confusion toward Chattanooga, after suffering the loss of several -thousand prisoners and forty pieces of artillery. - -The Confederates now concentrated their attack upon Thomas, who had -taken position on a ridge. They were led by the indomitable Longstreet, -but were repulsed and hurled back with fearful slaughter. The -Confederates were endeavoring to flank Thomas' division by sending -Hinzman to the left and Kershaw with his divisions to get in the rear. -The fighting grew fiercer and at intervals was hand-to-hand, and -continued the entire afternoon. - -This attack on Thomas is considered one of the heaviest made on -a single point during the war. General Thomas, in his stand at -Chickamauga, won for himself the name "The Rock of Chickamauga." He was -one of the bravest and most able generals in the Union army, being a -Virginian by birth. - -Under the cover of darkness Thomas withdrew his army in good order to -Rossville, and the following day joined Rosecrans in Chattanooga. - -This battle is generally considered a Confederate victory, but left -the Federal army in possession of Chattanooga. The personal daring and -courage displayed in the ranks of both armies has never been excelled -on any battlefield. - -The total loss exceeded 30,000 men, which was probably divided about -equal. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY RIDGE - - -After the battle of Chickamauga, Rosecrans' army was cooped up in -Chattanooga, and his sources of supplies were entirely cut off by -Bragg, except from the north of Chattanooga, by which he received his -supplies over mountainous wagon roads, and, on account of heavy rains -which fell during October, the roads became almost impassable. These -trains were attacked by Confederate cavalry under General Forest, and -in one day 300 wagons were destroyed and about 1,800 mules were either -killed or captured. One soldier said "the mud was so deep that we could -not travel by the road, but we got along pretty well by stepping from -mule to mule as they lay dead by the way." Starvation threatened the -camp, and the army must be relieved. - -Vigorous measures were now taken. General Grant was now made commander -of the western armies. He had about 80,000 men in addition to -Burnside's force at Knoxville. The Confederates had about 60,000. -General Sherman was directed to reënforce Grant at Chattanooga from -Vicksburg and transported his forces by boat to Memphis, and from there -marched overland. - -The authorities at Washington also determined to reënforce Rosecrans -from the Army of the Potomac, and 23,000 men, under General Hooker, -were transported by rail to Chattanooga. This brought the Army of the -Cumberland to numbers far exceeding those of the Confederates. The -immediate command of all the Federal forces was given to General Thomas -until such time as General Grant should arrive. Grant telegraphed to -Thomas to hold Chattanooga at all hazards. Thomas replied, "I will do -so till we starve." - -The first and great question of the Federals was to relieve their line -of supplies. General Hooker was sent with a portion of his troops -against a strong position taken by some Confederates in Lookout -Valley, and, after a short but decisive battle succeeded in driving -the Confederates back, which left him in possession of the immediate -country, and thus opened up a route to Brown's Ferry, over which a -route for abundant supplies was at once available. This relieved the -Army of the Cumberland of its perilous position. - -Thomas was being reënforced from all sides; Hooker was already on the -ground; Sherman was advancing rapidly from Memphis, while Burnside's -forces at Knoxville offered protection for the left flank of the -Federal army. - -General Bragg had his forces in a line extending a distance of -twelve miles across to Missionary Ridge, and was strengthened by -entrenchments throughout the lowlands. He determined to attack -Burnside at Knoxville, and dispatched Longstreet over his protest with -20,000 men to do this, thus weakening his extended lines. This has -been considered a very great mistake of Bragg, as his total force was -much less than had opposed Rosecrans at Chickamauga. Grant had now -arrived and had assumed command of the entire Federal forces, and had -planned to attack Bragg on November 24th, but on receiving information, -which proved to be unreliable, that Bragg was preparing to retreat, he -decided to make the attack on the 23d, and ordered Thomas to advance -upon Bragg's center. This attack took the Confederates by surprise. -After some severe fighting, they fell back more than a mile and left -the Federals in command of some advantageous positions, thus ending the -first day's battle. - -Preparations were made during the night for a general engagement the -next day. - -Sherman was in command of the left wing, while Thomas held the center, -and Hooker the right, and they had planned to sever communications -between Bragg and Longstreet, and thus keep the Confederate army -divided. - -Early on the 24th Sherman moved against the Confederate right, and -with little opposition occupied the northern end of Missionary Ridge. -The Confederates, after discovering this advantageous position taken -by Sherman, fought desperately in the afternoon to regain it, but were -finally repulsed. - -While this was going on, General Hooker, with a division of Sherman's -army, was making a desperate struggle for the capture of Lookout -Mountain, whose rugged crests towered above the clouds. This mountain -was ably defended by the Confederates, but they were finally pushed -back by overwhelming numbers and made their final stand within the -breastworks about the Craven house, but were finally dislodged from -this place and retired within their entrenchments in the valley. - -This has been termed "The Battle in the Clouds." - -[Illustration: BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG] - -On the morning of the 25th preparations were made for the final battle -on Missionary Ridge. The attack was made by General Sherman, and it -seemed that the Confederates must recede from the terrific onslaught, -but they succeeded, after a stubborn struggle, in repulsing the -Federals at this particular time, and they were pushed back by General -Hardy, who captured several hundred prisoners. The Federals, quickly -re-forming their lines, renewed the assault and, after waiting for -Hooker to bring up his division, Grant ordered a general advance, -and the battle was now on in earnest. Bragg opened on them from the -crest of Missionary Ridge with fifty pieces of artillery and a line -of musketry. Even this did not stop the impetuous charge. The first -line of entrenchments of the Confederates was carried with little -opposition, and, as the Confederates retired through other brigades, -the confusion was great, and the retreat became almost a rout. - -Had it not been for a division of North Carolinan soldiers under Major -Weaver, who succeeded in rallying his troops, and was successful in -holding the Federals in check, the retreat would have become a rout of -the entire Confederate army. - -This gave the Confederates a little time to rally their lines, and they -were able to retire from the field in good order. - -The battle was now over, and the field was left in possession of the -Federals, Bragg retiring with his army into Georgia. - - - - -BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS - - -This was one of the great battles of modern times, being second only -to Gettysburg in our Civil war. Napoleon never fought a battle on -the Continent of Europe that was equal to the Wilderness. It was -three times bloodier than Austerlitz, after which battle it is said -Napoleon's triumphant march from Freize to Paris was more grand than -Queen Elizabeth's tour of England after the defeat of the Spanish -Armada. - -The Battle of the Wilderness, together with Spottsylvania, is thought -to be more destructive to the Federal forces than both Antietam and -Gettysburg combined. - -On Lee's sudden departure from Gettysburg there were many stragglers -left behind, who were taken prisoners by the Federals. Some of them -were not aware that the army had gone; others, on account of slight -wounds and sickness, were not able to keep up with the army. - -Lee succeeded in crossing the Potomac above Harper's Ferry about the -middle of July with but little opposition from the Federals, and led -his army across the Rapidan, and there entrenched himself to dispute -the Federals under General Meade, who had by this time succeeded in -crossing the Potomac and was moving upon Culpeper Court House, at -which place he concentrated his forces. There was but little fighting -done during the remainder of the year, except an unsuccessful cavalry -expedition under Kilpatrick, who sought to take Richmond by surprise. - -During the early months of 1864 the authorities at Washington became -discouraged with General Meade's management of the Army of the Potomac. -They thought that he should have destroyed Lee's army on its retreat -from Gettysburg; while it is now conceded that Meade's management -was good, and that he did all that any general could have done under -the circumstances. General Grant had come into great favor in the -North on account of his successive victories in the West, and it was -decided to give Grant command of all the Federal forces, with the rank -of lieutenant-general. This high grade in command had been held only -by Generals Washington and Scott, thus bringing together two great -generals. One the idol of the North: the other of the South. Cæsar said -he would rather be first man in a village in Gaul than second in Rome. - -Grant found under his command in the Army of the Potomac 140,000 men. - -Lee found under his command scarcely 60,000 men, but that spirit -burned in the breast of his soldiers notwithstanding their defeat at -Gettysburg and their loss of Vicksburg, that many hard battles would be -fought before the heel of the invader should tread upon the streets of -their cherished capital, Richmond. - -Grant determined to move upon Richmond and by doing so began with the -Wilderness a series of battles which are unequaled in history. - -Grant's army was divided into three corps, commanded by Hancock, Warren -and Sedgwick. Sheridan was in command of the cavalry. Burnside was in -command of another division of the army, protecting the Orange and -Alexandria railroad. - -Lee's army consisted of three corps of infantry, commanded by -Longstreet, Ewell and A. P. Hill, and the cavalry by Stuart. A notable -fact in the organization of the Confederate army was the few changes -made in commanders. - -Early on the morning of May 4th Grant's army began crossing the Rapidan -below Lee's entrenchments. This being anticipated by Lee, he at once -prepared to set his own army in motion and throw himself across the -path of his foe. Both armies were now near Chancellorsville, in a -wilderness country, where a great battle had been fought the year -before. This country was covered by underbrush and ragged foliage, -with scrub pine, and dotted here and there with small clearings. This -wilderness country was pierced by a few roads leading from the fords -of the river. The Federals had advanced up these roads as far as the -Wilderness Tavern, in which General Grant established his headquarters. - -This wilderness country was entered by two roads from the southwest -known as the "Old Orange Turnpike" and the "Orange Plank Road." Along -these two roads the Confederates moved their army to meet the advancing -hosts of the Federals, General Ewell leading his corps along the -turnpike and A. P. Hill along the plank road. General Longstreet was -hastening up from Gordonsville, and it was very evident that a great -battle was near at hand. - -On the morning of May 5th Ewell came in contact with Warren's corps at -a cross-road near Parker's store, and this meeting precipitated the -beginning of the great battle. - -About this time it became known to General Grant that A. P. Hill was -advancing by the plank road, and he ordered Sedgwick to entrench and -prepare to receive the attack from A. P. Hill. Hill came up very soon, -and the battle began in earnest. The musketry fire was continued with -great severity until late in the evening without a decided advantage to -either side. The loss was great and the Federals had suffered the loss -of General Hays, who had been shot through the head. The Confederates -had suffered the loss of General John M. Jones. - -This ended the first day's struggle, and during the night both armies -entrenched themselves directly in each other's front. - -Early on the morning of May 6th the Federals were reënforced by -Burnside's corps, and A. P. Hill by that of Longstreet. - -General Grant issued orders for a general attack all along the line, -and soon the battle was raging along the five-mile front, which became -a hand-to-hand contest. Artillery played but little force in this -battle, on account of the dense growth of timber and underbrush, and it -was chiefly a battle of musketry. - -The branches were cut from the trees by the leaden missiles, and -saplings were mowed down as grass by a scythe. - -The Confederates were finally driven back and seemed on the verge of a -panic. At this moment General Lee rode through the lines to the front -and called on his soldiers to follow him. This instantly gave courage -to his army, which rallied and began to push the Federals back. General -Lee was called back by his own men: "General Lee to the rear! General -Lee to the rear!" This brave act on the part of General Lee, and the -arrival of Longstreet, restored order and courage in the ranks, and -they soon regained their lost position. - -General Longstreet, while riding with Generals Kershaw and Jenkins, at -the head of Jenkins' brigade, were mistaken for the enemy by their own -men and fired on, and when the smoke lifted Longstreet and Jenkins were -down--Longstreet seriously wounded, and Jenkins killed outright. This -was a serious loss to the Confederacy, as they had suffered the loss of -one general and had incapacitated another from service. A similar thing -had occurred a year before at Chancellorsville when General Jackson was -mortally wounded. - -The fighting continued the rest of the day, the advantage being first -with one side and then the other. - -Darkness ended the two days' undecisive Battle of the Wilderness, one -of the greatest struggles in history. - -It was Grant's first measure of arms with General Lee. While Grant had -been defeated in his plan to pass around Lee to Richmond, yet he had -made a new record for the Army of the Potomac. - -The loss of the Federals in killed and wounded was about 17,000, while -that of the Confederates was about 12,000. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE - - -General John B. Gordon said that Spottsylvania furnished the longest -roll of incessant musketry; the most splendid exhibition of heroism and -personal daring by large numbers who, standing in the freshly spilled -blood of their comrades, faced for so long a period and at so short a -range the flaming rifles as they heralded the decrees of death during -the entire war. Such examples of heroism, shown by both armies in that -hand-to-hand struggle at Spottsylvania Court House, will not be lost to -the Republic. - -After the undecisive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant again tried to -get his army between that of Lee and Richmond, and on the afternoon -of May 7th began to move his army in the direction of Spottsylvania -Court House. Lee had anticipated this movement on the part of Grant, -and began at once to devise plans to throw his army across the path of -his adversary. He therefore ordered General Anderson, who was now in -command of Longstreet's corps, Longstreet having been wounded in the -Battle of the Wilderness, to march by a shorter route to Spottsylvania -Court House, hoping to reach the same before it was occupied by the -troops of Grant. This movement was begun by Anderson on the night of -May 7th. General Ewell was ordered to follow up Anderson's corps. -This he did by taking a longer and more indirect route. When the -Federals, under Warren, reached Todd's Tavern they found their cavalry -in terrible conflict with Fitzhugh Lee's division of the Confederate -cavalry. Fitzhugh Lee was reënforced by the advance division of -Anderson's corps, which by this time had come up. General Warren was -finally repulsed and fell back, thus giving the Confederates possession -of Spottsylvania Court House which was gained only by the timely -arrival of Anderson's corps. - -The Federals tried again and again throughout the day to break the -Confederate lines, but were repulsed in every attack. Thus Lee had -again blocked the path of Grant. - -Both armies began to entrench themselves, as it was very evident -that a great battle was near at hand. The Confederates formed their -entrenchments in the shape of a huge V, forming a salient angle against -the center of the Federal line. This particular place has since been -known as the "Bloody Angle." The Confederate left was commanded by -Anderson, the center by Ewell, the right by Early, who was temporarily -in command of A. P. Hill's corps, on account of Hill's sickness. The -Federal left was commanded by Burnside, the center by Sedgwick and -Warren, and the right by Hancock. - -May 9th was spent by both armies in getting position and by some -fighting between the outlying divisions of the armies. In one of these -skirmishes General Sedgwick was killed by a sharpshooter's ball. He was -succeeded in command by H. G. Wright. His death was a great loss to the -Federal forces. - -On the next day General Grant ordered a general attack on the -Confederate line. This attack was led by General Warren, whose progress -was very slow owing to the dense thickets of low cedar and the walls -of abatis, which were thrown in their way by the Confederates. This -advance of General Warren was met by a heavy artillery and musket fire -from Longstreet's corps, under command of Anderson. Warren's troops -came on notwithstanding the heavy fire from all sides. Some of his -soldiers even crossed over the breastworks and were either killed or -taken prisoners by the Confederates. The Federals finally retreated -with heavy loss. - -Grant now thought it best to attack the Confederate lines in front of -Wright's corps. This was done late in the evening by several divisions -under Upton. He advanced quickly through a terrible fire and gained the -entrenchments, where they had a terrible hand-to-hand conflict with -bayonets fixed. The Confederates were overpowered by numbers and gave -way and fell back to their second line of entrenchments. For this brave -act, Upton was made a brigadier-general. The Confederates, however, -were reënforced, and Upton retired from the position which he had -gained. - -The battle was yet indecisive and both armies had suffered great loss. -Owing to the heavy rains, the armies lay inactive on the 11th. It was -during this battle that Grant sent a message to Washington saying that -he would fight it out on this line if it took all summer. - -Grant, in the meantime, had sent General Sheridan with his cavalry to -threaten Richmond. - -He was closely followed by General Stuart, and on May 11th they fought -a hard battle at Yellow Tavern, in which General Stuart was killed. His -death was a severe loss to the Confederacy. His experience as a cavalry -leader, obtained on many battlefields, was such that his place could -not be filled. A large statue has been erected to his memory in the -Hollywood cemetery at Richmond, on which is recorded his feats of valor -on many fields. - -Grant decided on another attack on the Confederate lines at -Spottsylvania on May 12th, the objective point being the sharp angle -in Lee's entrenchments. This had been anticipated by General Lee, -and he had been making ready. This attack was made at daybreak by -General Hancock's corps. It was the most severe and the most bloody -hand-to-hand conflict of the entire battle. The attack was received -by General Johnston's brigade of Ewell's corps, which was finally -overpowered and captured. This was the "Old Stonewall Brigade." This -was a serious loss to Lee's army. - -The Federals pushed on to the Confederates' second entrenchments, but -were here repulsed by fresh troops under General Gordon. General Lee -himself rode up with Gordon, but was forced back again by the cry of -his own men: "General Lee to the rear!" - -The fighting was kept up all day along the line. The trenches had to -be cleared frequently of the dead to give room for the living. The -slaughter continued until late in the night and was undecisive. The -Confederates finally fell back within their entrenchments. - -General Grant was deeply moved by the terrible loss of life at the -"Bloody Angle." - -The total loss to the Federals exceeded 18,000; the Confederates, about -9,000. Grant found that no ordinary methods of war would overcome the -Army of Northern Virginia, and that his only hope was in the long -drawn-out campaign with larger numbers. For the next five days short -battles were fought at intervals between the outlying divisions of the -armies. - -Grant's army still moved to the southeast, with Lee following close -along in their front, always ready to dispute any move that the Army of -the Potomac should make toward Richmond. - - - - -THE BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR - - -With this battle terminated the Wilderness campaign, and was one over -which Grant expressed regret, and said that Cold Harbor was the only -battle that he ever fought that he would not fight over again, and he -always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was made. - -The Federal commander had failed in his plan to pass around Lee to -Richmond, and now saw that he must cross the James River and make -Petersburg his objective point. - -Early on the morning of May 26, 1864, Grant set his army in motion -toward Cold Harbor. The next day Lee moved his army by a shorter route -over the telegraph road to the Virginia Central railroad. The two -armies were stretched across this low country parallel to each other -and at times they came in contact. - -On the 31st day of May, General Sheridan reached Cold Harbor. He had -orders from Meade that he should hold this place at all hazards until -the main army should arrive. Both armies had received reënforcements. -The Confederates were reënforced by Breckinridge from western Virginia, -and by Pickett from North Carolina. The Federals were reënforced from -the army of General Butler from down the James River. Thus Grant's -army was brought up to more than 100,000 men, and Lee's to about 75,000. - -On May 31st Sheridan fought a severe battle with Fitzhugh Lee at -Cold Harbor, but it was undecisive. On the next morning the Federal -army arrived on the field and immediately took position. They were -confronted by Longstreet's corps and that of A. P. Hill, and the -divisions of Hoke and Breckinridge. Late in the evening the Federals -made a fierce attack on the Confederate position and the Confederate -lines were broken in many places, but before night they had succeeded -in regaining some of their position. - -It was well known to both armies that this battle would decide -Grant's last chance to get between Lee and Richmond, and preparations -were made the next day for a decisive battle on the morrow. The -Federals were reënforced during the night of June 2d by Hancock's -and Burnside's corps. The Confederates, being on the defensive, had -orders from General Lee to rest on their arms and be ready to receive -a fierce assault which he was anticipating from the Federals. It goes -without saying that the Confederate soldiers under such orders on -this particular night, and on account of the apparent danger of their -position, did not close their eyes in sleep. The Federals were faced by -Ewell's, A. P. Hill's and Longstreet's corps, the latter being under -the command of Anderson, as Longstreet was severely wounded in the -Battle of the Wilderness. - -Both armies lay very close to each other, and Lee's position was -exceptionally strong, as it must be approached through swampy ground, -and his batteries were set in position to give both a front and an -enfilading fire. Yet Grant determined to make a general attack on the -Confederate lines, and passed word to his corps commanders to make -ready to execute the same at about five o'clock on the morning of June -3d. - -This order was carried out, and they had marshaled their soldiers -in large numbers into lines ten columns deep, and at the appointed -hour began with a determined step to move toward the Confederate -entrenchments. The silence of the early morning was broken by the -Confederate batteries and their musketry that raked the open country -over which the Federals were advancing, which made the same appear as -a fiery furnace. The columns of blue were swept by this fierce fire, -which mowed them down in great numbers. They succeeded in crossing -into the Confederate entrenchments in a few places and engaged in -hand-to-hand combat, but the Confederates had orders to hold their -position at all hazards, and the Federal leaders soon found it was -impossible to stand the raking fire from the Confederate batteries -and ordered a retreat, and in doing so they took with them a few -hundred prisoners. Thus the field was left in the possession of the -Confederates. - -This battle is said to have lasted but twenty minutes, and during this -short time Grant lost 10,000 men. This is said to be the greatest loss -in the shortest time during the entire war. - -With this battle ended the series of battles beginning with that of the -Wilderness, all having been fought within a month, and nothing like it -has yet been known to warfare. - -Grant's entire loss in all these engagements in killed, wounded and -missing was about 55,000 men, and that of the Confederates much less. -If Lee's loss had been equal to that of Grant's, his army would have -been almost annihilated. - -[Illustration: DEDICATING THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AT GETTYSBURG] - -The soldiers, either living or dead, who stood in the dense columns of -blue and marched across that shell swept field toward the Confederate -entrenchments, and those who stood in the Confederate ranks and -successfully repulsed that awful onslaught of the Federals on that -bright June morning at Cold Harbor, for these reasons are possessed of -a rich heritage which their posterity should be proud to receive. - - - - -SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA - - -General Sherman was given command of the Western army, which was -to operate against Joseph E. Johnston, who was in command of the -Confederate army in the West. Johnston was reckoned second to Lee in -military genius. Sherman found under his command 120,000 men, while -that of Johnston's army numbered about 75,000. The Federals were -concentrated around Chattanooga, while the Confederates were massed at -Dalton, where they had been in winter quarters. - -Sherman moved his army on May 6, 1864, against Johnston, and thus the -beginning of Sherman's march to the sea and a series of battles fought, -viz.: Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and the Battle of -Atlanta. - -Sherman's army was divided into three divisions commanded by Generals -McPherson, Schofield and Thomas. His army was in good spirits and -seemed anxious for the opportunity to move forward, after a long -wearisome winter in camp, and rejoiced at the journey before them, -though their mission was to be one of strife and bloodshed. - -General Johnston had succeeded General Bragg in command of this -Confederate army, which was now divided into two corps, commanded by -Generals Hood and Hardee. He was later reënforced by General Polk. - -On account of the strong position occupied by Johnston at Dalton -Sherman thought best to refrain from attacking him there and moved -round to the right of the Confederate army to Resaca. - -When Johnston discovered this movement on the part of the Federals he -quickly evacuated Dalton and moved with all speed to Resaca, which -place he succeeded in reaching before it was occupied by the Federals. -On his way to Resaca his cavalry, under General Wheeler, fought a -desperate battle with that of the Federals, under General McCook, in -which Wheeler was successful. - -The Confederates were strongly entrenched at Resaca by the time -Sherman's army came up. - -On May 14th Sherman ordered a general attack on the Confederate -stronghold, which was done by Thomas' division and a part of -Schofield's. This attack was received by Hood's corps. There was -desperate fighting and the advantage first lay with one and then -the other, when at length the Federals were reënforced by General -Hooker, and the Confederates fell back to the second line of their -entrenchments. - -There was terrible fighting on the next day during which the outworks -were captured by General Butterfield, but he was unable to hold his -position gained on account of the raking fire from Hardee's corps, -which galled him very much. - -During the night Johnston withdrew his army from Resaca toward Atlanta, -and was closely followed by Sherman, who sent a part of his army under -General Davis to capture Rome, a small town in Georgia, where there was -quite a number of iron factories. - -This he did, and destroyed the factories, which were a serious loss to -the Confederates, for they were used for the manufacture of cannon and -other munitions of war. - -Johnston brought his army to a halt at Adairsville, at which place he -had fully decided to give battle to Sherman, and had so informed his -officers. After skirmishing with the enemy for some time he suddenly -changed his mind and withdrew his army to Cassville, where he took -a strong position and issued a spirited address to his army, and -had fully decided to give battle to Sherman, but, on account of his -superior numbers, Sherman had been able to turn the right flank of the -Confederate army. - -On the advice of Hood and Polk, Johnston again withdrew his army from -its position and took a much stronger position a few miles south on -Kenesaw Mountain. - -On account of these several retreats, gave rise to a cause of a great -deal of dissent among his soldiers, as well as the inhabitants of the -country through which he passed, which left them in the hands of the -enemy, but it is conceded that Johnston did the best he could, as his -army was inferior to that of Sherman both in numbers and equipment, -and he was waiting for an opportunity to catch Sherman's army divided, -or to get a strong position which would help him in repulsing any -attack made by Sherman. This strong position he found at Kenesaw -Mountain, and here made ready for battle in earnest. - -A few days prior to this, while Johnston's army was retiring from its -former position at Cassville, they became engaged with a division of -the Federal army at Pine Mountain, in which battle General Polk was -killed by a cannon ball. This was a serious loss to the Confederacy. -He was a graduate of West Point; but after being graduated he took -work with the Episcopal church as bishop, but at the outbreak of the -war he entered the Confederate army and served with distinction. Only -a short time before his death it is reported that he administered the -ordinance of baptism to Generals Johnston and Hood. It is said that he -was rebuked by some of his church for taking up arms. He replied that -he felt as a man plowing in a field and was called by his neighbor to -help extinguish the flames from his house which was on fire, and after -the fire would go back to work. He was succeeded in command by General -Loring. - -Sherman decided to attack Johnston at Kenesaw Mountain, this being -anticipated by Johnston and, on account of his strong position, met -with his approval. This desperate battle was fought on the 27th day -of June. Sherman's army advanced against the strong Confederate -works again and again during the day, but every charge was repulsed, -the mountainside being swept by the musketry and artillery of the -Confederates. Sherman's loss in this battle was more than 3,000 men, -while that of the Confederates was less than 1,000. - -Sherman was convinced that his success did not lay in attacking his -antagonist in a strong position, and turned upon Johnston's right and -attempted to pass around him to Atlanta in the same manner in which -Grant was trying to pass around Lee to Richmond. - -Sherman succeeded in drawing Johnston away from Kenesaw Mountain, and -Johnston withdrew his army by shorter roads within the entrenchments -before Atlanta, which was immediately confronted by the Federal -hosts. This was a critical time for Sherman, as the North was in a -presidential campaign in which it appeared that the success of the war -party depended upon his capture of Atlanta; and on the other hand it -was a critical time for the Confederates, for the loss of Atlanta would -mean the loss of their iron foundries, where they manufactured most of -their munitions of war, and besides would divide their country in two -divisions again as Grant's capture of Vicksburg had divided it before. - -General Johnston was removed from command of the army for the reasons -assigned by the Confederate government that he had failed to arrest -the advance of the enemy to the vicinity of Atlanta, and that he had -expressed no confidence that he could defeat or repel Sherman, and for -these reasons he was relieved and the same was handed to General Hood. -It was said that when General Johnston received this information he -informed General Hardee, who was with him, of the information received. -Hardee replied, "I don't believe it." In answer Johnston said, "A thing -may be unbelievable and a fact." - -The removal of Johnston from the command is thought to have been a -great mistake on the part of the Confederate Government, as his tactics -had been in this campaign on the defensive on account of his inferior -numbers and equipment to that of Sherman, while that of Hood was on the -aggressive, and he maintained the idea of attacking Sherman's army, -which proved to be the loss of Atlanta for the Confederacy. - -Hood found himself in command of about 60,000 men, and on July 20th -offered battle which was fierce and a decided loss to the Confederates, -in which they were repulsed on every hand, but not without hard -fighting and much loss to the Federals, for General Hood had the -reputation of being a fearless, aggressive commander. This was known as -the Battle of Peach Tree Creek. - -Two days later, on July 22d, the Battle of Atlanta was fought, this -being the greatest engagement of the entire campaign. - -The Federals had closed in upon Atlanta and had succeeded in capturing -some out entrenchments, but on the 22d was a general engagement of all -the army, the attack being made by Hood to recapture some of his lost -positions. In this engagement General McPherson was killed, which was a -great blow to the Union army. General Logan succeeded to his command. - -The Confederates achieved considerable success, but the Federals were -presently reënforced, and Hood withdrew within the defenses of Atlanta. -Again on the 28th the Federals were attacked by General Hardee and a -fierce battle was fought at Ezra Church, in which the Confederates were -defeated with heavy loss. - -Sherman determined on besieging the city and if possible destroy the -line of supplies for Hood's army. This he succeeded in doing late in -August by destroying the Macon and Western railroad. - -Hood determined to attack the Federals and sent General Hardee to make -an attack near Jonesboro, while he himself should attack Sherman's -right flank. These attacks failed, thus necessitating the evacuation -of Atlanta, which he did on September 2d, after destroying all the -supplies he could not take with him. - -Hood kept his army between that of Sherman's and Andersonville, at -which place there were confined many thousands of Federal prisoners. -With the fall of Atlanta practically ended the points of interest of -Sherman's march to the sea. - -The command of Hood's army was later given back to General Joseph E. -Johnston. - - - - -BATTLE OF CLOYD MOUNTAIN - - -In the early spring of 1864 the command of the Union forces in the -Shenandoah Valley was given to General Hunter, who made ready to march -upon Lynchburg, with the object of taking possession of the city and to -capture large stores of provisions and munitions of war which belonged -to the Confederates and were stored at Lynchburg. He also laid waste -to the country over which his army passed so as to render the same of -little value as a source for supplies to the Confederacy. - -A division of his army under General Crooks fought a desperate battle -on the 9th day of May, 1864, with the Confederates, commanded by -General Jenkins, at Cloyd's farm, near Dublin depot, in southwestern -Virginia. This was one of the most severe short engagements of the -entire war, in which General Jenkins was killed and the total loss to -the Confederates in killed and wounded and missing was about 900, and -that of the Federals somewhat less. During this short engagement the -grim monster Death was on every side, and whose threatening shrieks -howled in the air around them. - -Hunter's main army finally reached the vicinity of Lynchburg on the -17th day of June, after fighting a battle with Imboden and McCausland -a few miles away from Lynchburg, the Confederates falling back within -the breastworks which they had hastily thrown up. The city was defended -by a portion of Breckinridge's division, but their numbers were far -inferior to that of the Federals, who had by this time arrived before -the city. Hunter halted his army and brought up his artillery and did -some cannonading, but went into camp with the expectation of taking -the city without much opposition the next morning. It is thought that -he could have easily taken the city on the evening of his arrival, -but during the night General Gordon arrived with his division and the -Confederates were reënforced by other arrivals next morning from the -army of General Early, then on its way to the Shenandoah Valley. On the -morning of the 18th General Hunter found Lynchburg full of Confederate -soldiers, and more arriving on every train, which on the arrival the -bands playing could plainly be heard by the Federal soldiers as they -came upon the field. Hunter soon found, in his opinion, the capture -of Lynchburg an impossibility, and his raid was to terminate in a -dismal failure. During the 18th there was some cannonading and several -skirmishes between the cavalry of the two contending armies. - -On the night of the 19th he broke camp and marched away to the -westward. Why he retreated without giving battle was not understood. -General Gordon said that in his opinion that conscience was harrowing -General Hunter and causing him to see an avenger wrapped in every gray -jacket before him. The Confederates took up the pursuit of Hunter's -retreating army, but Hunter succeeded in getting back across the -mountains into western Virginia, after hard marches over mountain roads -with little or no supplies for his army, and with a large amount of -straggling. - -General Lee dispatched General Early with an army of 20,000 men to -threaten Washington, in the hope of drawing part of Grant's army away -from before Richmond. Early was to go by the way of Shenandoah Valley. -This route was given him partly in order to help defend Lynchburg and -to get supplies for his army in the valley. He reached Winchester on -the 3d of July, and moved rapidly down the valley and crossed into -Maryland, and was at Hagerstown on the 6th. He turned about and moved -boldly upon Washington. He met and defeated General Wallace on the -Monocacy on July 9th, and on the next day he was within six miles of -the capitol at Washington. An immediate assault might have given him -possession of the city, which was weakly defended, but he delayed for -a day, and in the meantime two divisions under General Wright from -Grant's army from before Petersburg arrived and Early was forced to -retreat, after spending the 12th in threatening the city. This was -considered one of the boldest raids of the entire war. - -This attack on Washington by General Early created considerable -excitement in the city, for no other Confederate army had ever been so -near to the capital before. The government employees of all kinds, the -sailors from the navy yard, and the convalescents from the hospitals, -were all rushed out to the forts around the city. Even President -Lincoln himself went out to the defenses of the city. - -Early recrossed the Potomac at Snickers' Ferry on the 18th. Here he was -overtaken by the pursuing Federals, at which place a battle was fought -in which Early was the victor. He fought another battle at Winchester -with General Averell's cavalry. - -Grant decided to give the command of the army in the Shenandoah to -General Philip H. Sheridan, to whom he gave instructions to drive the -Confederates out of the valley once for all, and to destroy all growing -crops and everything that would be of any advantage to the Confederacy -in the way of supplies for their army or otherwise. This he finally -did, and Sheridan afterwards said that he believed a crow could fly -over the entire valley without getting even a mouthful to eat. - -September found the two armies near Winchester, and on the 19th -a severe battle was fought which was kept up the entire day, the -advantage being first with one side and then the other. Finally the -Confederates, being outnumbered, retreated back through Winchester. -This was a bloody day, in which the loss of the Federals was about -5,000, and that of the Confederates about 4,000. - -The next day the Confederates were overtaken at Fisher's Hill, at -which place Early was making preparations for a great battle, which -engagement did not occur until the 22d. This engagement proved to -be disastrous to Early, his army being flanked by the Federals with -superior numbers. He began a stubborn retreat, which finally became a -rout. He was closely followed up by the Federals, and fought several -small engagements on his retreat. - -On about the middle of October he received reënforcements from -Longstreet, and on the 19th he attacked Sheridan's army at Cedar Creek, -under the immediate command of General Wright, Sheridan having gone -to Washington, but returned in time to take part in the battle. This -took place about twenty miles from Winchester, the attack being made by -General Gordon, who fell upon General Sheridan's men while they were -yet sleeping early in the morning. Gordon was immediately supported -by the army; Early himself came up to the attack. The Federals were -completely surprised and retreated, which became a rout, leaving their -entire camp equipment, together with some prisoners, in the hands of -the Confederates. The Confederates thought they had gained a signal -victory, and gave up the pursuit of the retreating Federals, and turned -their attention to pillaging the Federal camp. - -General Sheridan was on his way from Winchester to his army -headquarters at Cedar Creek when he heard the roar of the cannon which -convinced him that a great battle was being fought. He at once made -haste to take charge of his army, this being Sheridan's famous ride. -He first met stragglers of his army, and then passed through brigade -after brigade of his retreating army, which so blocked the highway -that he was compelled to leave the same and take to the fields. He -at length succeeded in stopping the retreat and turned it into an -attacking column. In this retreat were two divisions commanded by two -future presidents, viz.: President Hayes and McKinley. This attack -on the Confederates completely surprised them, and they were utterly -routed and so badly defeated that Early's army was never completely -reorganized, this being the last principal engagement in the Shenandoah -Valley. - -Previous to these battles in the valley, Early had dispatched General -McCausland with his division of cavalry to go into Pennsylvania to levy -large sums of money on the towns in reprisal for Hunter's depredations -in the Shenandoah Valley. This cavalry party burned the town of -Chambersburg. - - - - -THE SIEGE AND FALL OF PETERSBURG - - -After the battle of Cold Harbor Grant remained a few days trying to -find a weak place in the Confederate lines. This he abandoned and -resolved to move his army across the James and to Petersburg, which -place is about twenty miles from Richmond, and was defended by General -Beauregard with a small division of the Confederate army. - -Petersburg was at the junction of three railroads, and was a place -of great importance to the Confederacy, as all the supplies of Lee's -army, as well as to Richmond, came by the way of Petersburg, and for -these reasons General Grant resolved to destroy the railroads, and if -possible to capture the city, and thus destroy the Confederates' source -of supplies. - -These conditions being well known to Lee, he resolved to defend -Petersburg, and to save it from capture if possible, and thus began the -greatest struggle of its kind known in modern times. - -The advance divisions of Grant's army, under Hancock and W. F. Smith, -appeared before Petersburg June 15, 1864. Beauregard managed to hold -the entrenchments with his small force until Lee's main army arrived, -which came by a shorter route than the one which the Federals had -taken. Both armies were in full force before Petersburg by the evening -of the 18th, and the great struggle had now begun. The Confederate -entrenchments extended for thirty miles, and the whole country was a -network of fortifications. Grant at once began to extend his lines of -entrenchments, and thus the two armies were pitted against each other -for their last great struggle, the army of General Grant numbering more -than 100,000 men, while that of General Lee was about half that number. - -General Grant turned his attention to trying to destroy the railroads, -and made several attempts with much hard fighting to do so. But this, -having been anticipated by General Lee, he had given to A. P. Hill -the defense and the protection of the railroads, which was his source -of supplies. They were ably protected by General Hill, and Grant's -attacking parties in every instance were repulsed, and these plans were -at length abandoned by him for the present. - -The two armies lay facing each other before Petersburg the entire -summer and fall, with several small engagements during the summer and a -few very severe ones. - -A severe cavalry engagement was fought at Trevilian Station, north of -Richmond, on June 11th, between the Confederates, commanded by Generals -Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee, and the Federals, commanded by General -Sheridan. - -During the latter days of July the Federals were engaged in digging -a mammoth tunnel, beginning in the rear of their entrenchments and -to extend under the Confederate fortifications before Petersburg, at -the completion of which they expected to fill the same with large -quantities of gunpowder which was to be exploded and was expected to -blow up the Confederate fortifications. - -Of all the schemes employed by either army this was the greatest, and -one in which Grant had great faith, and the progress of which was -watched with great anxiety. The Confederates were apprised of this -undertaking, and had made ready by placing several batteries within -their lines so that the fire from the same would sweep the opening -which would be made by the blowing up of the "crater." At a few minutes -past five on the morning of July 30th this mine was exploded, which -was a sight to behold. The Federal troops who were in waiting to march -through the opening were somewhat delayed from the shock and horror of -the explosion, but at length marched in the opening in great numbers, -and by this time the Confederate batteries were brought into action, -which so horribly swept their ranks, and they were charged by General -Mahone with several divisions of Georgia troops, and the Federal loss -became so great, and their ranks in so much confusion, that they were -ordered to retire within their entrenchments, thus bringing to a dismal -failure the capture of Petersburg by this plan. - -[Illustration: BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE] - -During the last days of August Grant renewed his plan to destroy the -Weldon railroad. This task was given to General Warren, with a large -force who, after fighting several hard battles with the dashing Mahone, -whose numbers were greatly inferior to that of Warren, and from his -reputation for strategy it is thought that he was very worthy to wear -the mantle of "Stonewall" Jackson, the Federals succeeded in destroying -this railroad in several places. - -Grant continued to extend his lines, and by the end of October he was -very near the Southside railroad, and on the 27th fought a desperate -battle with A. P. Hill at Hatcher's Run, in which the Federals were -defeated and retired within their entrenchments before Petersburg, this -being the last engagement of importance until the coming spring. - -The suffering and privation endured by Lee's army during the winter of -1864 and 1865, while they lay within the defenses of Petersburg and -Richmond with scant clothing and food, can scarcely be imagined by -anyone excepting those who were there. Their numbers were depleted by -sickness and other causes so by the coming of spring Lee had within his -ranks less than 50,000 men. - -Lee's lines had been extended until they were so thin that there was -danger of breaking. A. P. Hill held the right, Gordon and Anderson the -center, and Longstreet the left. Late in February Grant's army was -reënforced by General Sheridan from the valley, and in the last days -of March it was further reënforced from General Butler's army from down -the James River. - -General Lee began to see the position that he was in with his army -against superior numbers and equipment, and felt that he must sooner -or later evacuate Petersburg, and began to plan a junction of his army -with General Johnston's in North Carolina. - -General Grant anticipated this plan of Lee's and began to extend his -lines westward so if possible to cut off Lee's chances of retreat. - -Lee determined to make a bold attack on Grant's right, the objective -point being Fort Stedman. This plan was given to General Gordon to be -carried out, which he gallantly did, and captured the fort, but was -unable to hold the same, and retired within the Confederate lines. -His attack and capture of Fort Stedman was carefully planned and well -supported by the main Confederate army. - -The battle at Fort Stedman did not interfere with Grant's plan in -extending his lines along the front of the Confederate army, under -General Warren. Lee had sent General Anderson to hold the road over -which he would retreat in the event he was compelled to evacuate -Petersburg. - -On the 31st a large Confederate force was at Dinwiddie Court House, and -during that night they took a strong position at Five Forks, and here -on April 1st a hard battle was fought, the Federals being commanded by -Generals Sheridan and Warren. The Confederates were finally defeated -with a loss of 5,000 prisoners. - -The Confederates' defeat at Five Forks was a great blow to Lee, and he -immediately began preparations for the evacuation of Petersburg and -Richmond. - -On the night of April 1st Grant began his attack all along his lines, -which he kept up the entire night. His cannon threw shells into the -doomed city, and at dawn on April 2d the assault began. The Federal -troops went forward in an impetuous charge through a storm of grape and -canister which was poured into their ranks. The Confederates fell back -within their inner breastworks and the Federals pushed on the left as -far as Hatcher's Run, where they had a severe engagement in which the -Confederate General Pegram was killed, and another engagement near the -Southside railroad in which General A. P. Hill was killed. His death -was an irreparable loss to the Confederacy. He was one of their able -corps commanders, and had been in all the principal engagements in the -East. He played a distinctive part in the Seven Days' Battles before -Richmond; his timely arrival on the field saved Lee's army from utter -rout at Antietam Creek and turned defeat into partial victory; he was a -great favorite of "Stonewall" Jackson, and took a distinctive part in -the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, in which last-named -battle he was near by when "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded; -with his corps was first on the field at Gettysburg; his corps received -the first onslaught of the Federals at the Battle of the Wilderness; -was too sick to command his corps at Spottsylvania Court House, which -was temporarily commanded by General Early; played a distinctive part -at Cold Harbor, and here at Petersburg, on Sunday, April 2d, the end. -He was buried in the cemetery at Petersburg on the night of April 2d, -while the whole country was being lit up by bursting shells and the -hurrying and noise of the progress of a great battle. - -On Sunday morning, April 2d, General Lee notified the authorities -at Richmond that he must evacuate Petersburg at once, and to notify -President Davis of the situation. President Davis was at St. Paul's -Church with several of his cabinet listening to a sermon by Dr. -Minnegerode, speaking of a supper before Gethsemane. The sexton walked -up the isle and handed the President the message, which he read, and -quietly retired from the church, this being noticeable on account of it -being somewhat out of the ordinary, although they were accustomed to -the roar of the cannon at Petersburg. However, it was soon known that -Petersburg and Richmond were soon to be evacuated, and the service was -dismissed at the church without further announcement. - -The city of Richmond was in a state of excitement as the officers -of the government departed from the city on their way to Danville, -and during the night the arsenals were set on fire by the evacuating -troops. The flames spread to a large portion of the city, which was -burned. The next day the city was taken charge of by the Federals. - - - - -THE SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX - - -We are now to the closing scenes of the greatest civil war of modern -times. - -Lee evacuated Petersburg early on the third morning of April, 1865, and -retreated toward Amelia Court House. - -With the evacuation of Petersburg also fell the city of Richmond. For -nine months Lee's invincible forces had kept a foe more than twice -their numbers from invading their capital. - -Lee had ordered supplies for his army to Amelia Court House, for which -they were in sore need, as they had been on little or no rations for -several days, but by some mistake of orders the train of supplies had -been sent on to Richmond. This serious mistake was a crushing blow to -Lee's army, for when his troops reached Amelia Court House and found no -supplies, which had been promised them, their hopes sank within them. -Lee, as well as his officers, had come to realize that the end of the -great war could not be far distant. - -Grant's army was hastening in pursuit of that of Lee's, Grant had sent -General Sheridan to flank around Lee's army and get in his front, so if -possible to cut off his chance of escape. - -Lee had intended to concentrate his forces at Amelia Court House, -but his whole army did not come up until the evening of the 5th, and -on the discovery of his inadequate supplies he began the march anew -toward Farmville, dividing his army so as to secure supplies from the -country over which he passed. In the afternoon of April 6th Lee's army -was overtaken by the Federals and a hard battle was fought at Sailor's -Creek, in which General Richard Ewell, who was on the rear of Lee's -army, was captured with his entire corps, numbering about 6,000 men. - -Lee's main army reached Farmville on the night of the 6th of April, -where they received their first rations within two days, and near -which place a hard battle was fought, in which the Confederates, under -General Mahone, gained a temporary victory. - -The retreat was again renewed in the hope of breaking through the -Federal lines, which were rapidly enveloping around them. During these -marches the soldiers were so worn out from hunger, fatigue, and lack of -sufficient clothing in the early spring weather, that there was much -straggling from the army, and many had thrown their arms away until -scarcely one-third of Lee's army was equipped for battle. - -Lee's army reached Appomattox Court House late in the evening of April -8th, and here found the Federals in their front, and were compelled -to stop and prepare for battle. General Lee and his officers held a -council of war that night and decided to make a desperate effort to cut -through the Federal lines the next morning. This task was assigned to -General Gordon. - -On Sunday, the 9th, Gordon made a fierce attack upon the Federals in -his front, but was finally repulsed by overwhelming numbers, and sent -word to General Lee that he could do nothing further unless he was -heavily supported from Longstreet's corps. - -With the repulse of Gordon on that morning sank Lee's last hope of -breaking through the Federal lines, and he said there is nothing to do -but see Grant. - -Grant had proposed to Lee at Farmville, on the evening of the 7th, -terms for the surrender of Lee's army, to which Lee replied that as -much as he desired peace, yet the time certainly had not arrived for -the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. - -After the repulse of Gordon, on April 9th, Lee soon arranged a meeting -with Grant and a truce was ordered pending negotiations for the -surrender of Lee's army. This meeting took place at the house of Wilmer -McLean at Appomattox Court House, at which place the terms were finally -agreed upon by the two world famous commanders and were put in writing -in the form of a letter from General Grant to General Lee, and the -acceptance of the terms were written by Lee to Grant in the same form. - -It is interesting to know that Wilmer McLean had lived on the -battlefield of Bull Run during the progress of the first battle fought -there, and after the battle moved to Appomattox Court House, and at -his house was negotiated the terms of the surrender of Lee's army, thus -around his premises was fought the first and the last great battle of -the war. - -The Confederate officers were allowed to retain their side arms, and -the Confederate soldiers to retain their horses. This was a welcome -concession. - -Lee's army numbered less than 28,000 men, which he surrendered. Of -these less than one-third were bearing arms on the day of surrender. - -The Confederate soldiers for some time did not realize that -negotiations for their surrender was on and were expecting and seemed -to be anxious for another battle with General Sheridan in their front, -and were greatly surprised on learning of the negotiations that had -been completed for their surrender. - -It was at once apparent to all that the great war was practically ended. - -On the next day the surrender of the army was completed, and when -Lee made his farewell address to his soldiers, who had so faithfully -defended their faith in the Confederacy in all the hard battles in -which they had been engaged, and especially since the Wilderness -campaign, and in the defense of Petersburg and Richmond in the closing -days, where their endurance was the greatest, and had now come down to -the closing scenes at Appomattox, they were all deeply moved. General -Lee, in broken accents, admonished them to be as brave citizens as -they had been soldiers. - -Thus practically ended the greatest civil war in history. Soon after -Lee's surrender the other Confederate forces arranged for their -surrender in quick succession. - -It had been a long, bloody and devastating war, and it is said that -there were more Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout alone than the -number with Lee's army at the surrender. - -The war closed on a spectacle of ruin the greatest yet known in -America. While the smoke had cleared away, and the roar of the cannon -had ceased, yet there could be heard the wailing of mothers, widows and -orphans throughout both North and South, which is the greatest costs of -so great and devastating war. - -The Southern states lay prostrate; their resources gone; their fields -desolate; their cities ruined; the fruits of the toil of generations -all swept to destruction. - -The total number of Union soldiers engaged were about a million and a -half. Of this number, 275,000 were either killed in battle, died of -mortal wounds or from disease in camp, and the loss to the Confederates -was approximately the same. In both armies about 400,000 were disabled -for life, thus making a grand total loss of about a million able-bodied -men to the country. - -At the close of the war over 60,000 Confederate prisoners were -released. The records of the war department shows that 220,000 -Confederates were made prisoners in the war. This includes, of course, -the surrender of the armies at the close. Of this number 25,000 died -of wounds and disease during their captivity. The estimated number of -Union captives were about 200,000, of whom 40,000 died in captivity. - - -THE END - - - - -Transcribers' Notes: - - -Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant -preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed. - -Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced -quotation marks retained. - -Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained. - -Page 42: "Thoughfare Gap" should be "Thoroughfare Gap". - -Page 46: "Court Marshal" was printed that way. - -Page 57: "as they shown through the groves" was printed that way. - -Page 58: "in front of its back" probably should be "it". - -Page 93: "John Biglow" may be a misprint for "John Bigelow". - - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Battles of the Civil War, by Thomas Elbert Vineyard - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR *** - -***** This file should be named 44964-8.txt or 44964-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/9/6/44964/ - -Produced by Charlie Howard and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |