(jQ^^^r^ /:2--i-».^vi^ /A-CCr-vo^-^ fh^c^yf^ JL^^^^'^^^ ^^-^'ff-try^ ^ ^-c Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/reportofmilitary01hunt f%p^ /LJSI/^^-O ,^*''^^uV\xO /^-^-^c^y Ct.^'V^ Ht7 Jt-^^ ,i^==0 £^cn^>Ci'Zj fh^(xA^>^ ^^-'piyC^ ji^^^j^i;;-yZ^ ro (pie^^Z^^ /^^J^. .^Z--, — ,-«>- A^-'C^ ^^-^i-\^^^A-/ '.^ J cP<^e-»^S^ /^^3^U^/ ^fl-'t^-^^ ^y^ny ^^^-^5'^L^^^V REPORT THE MILITARY SERVICES Gen. David IItxtrr, U.S.A., The War of the Rebellion, MADK TO THE r. S. \V\R DI'PARTMEXT. i873. Nkw York : D. VAN NOSTRAND, PUBLISHER, Nos. a;, MIRR.W .\Nl) --7 WARRKN STRKKT. 1S73. 4]" \ V ^Q CO O-L ^' '.^'c'.,.; REPORT. War DKi'AKi.MKNr, Ai)Jutant-Gi-:nkrai.'s Office, Wash INC. ION, Ai)ril 25, 1S73. CoLoXFJ, D.w'ii) IIuxti:r, [■. S.Arn/y, 1726 I S/ reef. WasJiiiio^toji, D. C. : Sir: In response to )-()ur verbal recjuest of \esterda\'. I haxe the honor to furnish the followinL;' extract from the coniniunication fnjiii this Office, dated June 14. 1872, calhn^- for a report of yoiw niihtar)- services durin^,^ the war : ''With a view to uniforinil)- in tlic reports, please state date of assuming- and beiny; re- lieved from each command ; how subsecpiendy 4 employed ; date and period of each leave of absence ; if on court-martial or military com- mission, when, where, and for what period ; name of President and Judge- Advocate ; also, name, rank, and period of service of each of your staff-officers, with a brief summary of each batde in which you were engaged, and report on letter paper, leaving one inch margin on left-hand side for bindinof." In .regard to the extent or minuteness of the report, you are at liberty to exercise your own pleasure, and also consult your own time and convenience in its preparation. While an outline sketch mi^ht answer all practical purposes, 3'^et a detailed narrative is preferred. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. P. MARTIN, A ss ist. A dju ta n t- Genera l. In compliance with the above order, I have 5 l1i(j lionor to report that I was hoiai in the State of New Jltsc)', ^^raduatcel iVoin the Mihtary Acadeiii)- at West Point in 1822, serx'ecl eleven )-ears in th(.' inlantr\, and was then selected lor promotion, as Captain, in the new reL;iinent of dragoons, in which I ser\ed lor three )ears. I la\ iiii^', for reasons connect- ed with ni\- pri\ate atlairs, withdrawn h'(jni the army tor a lew \ears, I renewed my con- nection with it in 1S41, in the Pa)' Depart- ment. ser\in^" with th(' Arnu' under Gen. 'r.wi.oR, through the late war with Mexico. HurinL;- the Presidential campaiL;i"i which issued in the election of Mr. Lixeoi.x, I was stationed at P\)rt Lea\en worth, Kansas. Man\- of the officers of the garrison were of Southern orij^in and s\ nipathies, and the)- freel)' discussed the political ([uestions then a^-jtatini^- the ccnmtr)-. B)' one of their numl)er it was distinct!)- stated that the South would not allow the inaugura- tion of an " abolition President " ; that if Mr. LiNXOLX were elected, he would not be per- mitted to go to Washington ; that four years previously, arrangements had been made to prevent the inauguration of Gen. Fremont in case of his election ; that the Governors of Virginia and Maryland were each to furnish ten thousand men, and the other States of the South their quota ; that they were to take possession of Washington, and make Mr. Pierce hold over until they had perfected their arrangements. Believing then, as I do now, the substantial truth of these representa- tions, and feeline assured of Mr. Lincoln's election, I deemed it my duty to communicate this information to him, and to urge upon him to induce his friends to take efficient means to secure his peaceable inauguration, and to render certain the possession of the seat of Government. I have several notes from Mr. Lincoln on this subject. 7 SERVICES IN \VASIlIN(rrON. After the election, I was iiivit(jci 1j\' Mr. Lixcoi.x to accompaii)- him to Washington ; and liis inau^-uration haxin^ \)ccn acconij)Hsh- cd, I was orelcrc'd ])y (icn. Scori' to take charge of the: I're.'sitlL'iuial mansion. I'\)r six weeks I spent evcr\' ni^ht in the P^ast Room, where I could receive the rej)orts ot mv L;iiard without disturbin^^ the members of the fimil\-. This guard consisted of about one hundred gentlemen from all [)arts of the Union, who, on being apprised of the danger, cheerfully enrolled themselves for ser\ice. On the 14th of May, 1861, I was appointed Colonel of the Sixth Ca\alr\-, a new regiment just then added to the regular arm\'. As the volunteers arrived in W^ashington, I was ordered to the command of a brigade called the Brigade of the A(jueduct, stationed on the Virginia hills, inimediatel)' opposite George- town. 8 FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN. I was relieved from the command of die Brig-ade of die Aqueduct by Gen. W. T. Sherman, then Colonel of the Thirteenth Infantry, in June, 1861, and ordered to take command of the Right Division of the army about to advance on the enemy, in the vicinity of Manassas. That division I commanded at the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861. I was wounded in the neck shortly after the com- mencement of the battle, while endeavoring to induce my advanced guard to charge the enemy with the bayonet. Gen. Andrew Porter, who commanded my first brigade, assumed command on beinof informed that I was disabled. The loss of that battle an all- wise Providence overruled to a great success. After the battle of Bull Run I was appointed a Brioradier-General of Volunteers, to date from May 17, 1861 ; and a Major-General of Volunteers, to date from August 13, 1861. rAMI'.\I(;\ 1\ MISSUL'kl. When sufficicMUl)' recovered from in\- wound to aclniil of aclivc! tliily. I was ordered to report to (ien. 1mlla, and especially in judicious co-oi)eration with Lane on the Kansas border, it would be so easy to concentrate-, and re[)el any army of tlu! enemy returnin-- on Missouri from the Southwest, that it is not probable any such attempt to return will be made before or during the approaching' cold weather. Before spring, the people of Missouri will be in no fa\orable mood to renew, for the next year, the troubles which have so much afflicted and impoverished them during this. If you adopt this line of policv, and if, as I anticipate, you will see no enemy in great force approaching, \'ou will have a surplus of force, which you can withdraw from these points and direct to others, as may be needed, the railroads furnisliinL-- readv means for rein- 12 forcing these main points if occasion re- quires. Doubtless local uprisings, for a time, will continue to occur ; but these can be met by detachments and local forces of our own, and will, ere long, tire out of themselves. While, as stated in the beginning of this letter, a large discretion must be, and is, left to yourself, I feel sure that an indefinite pur- suit of Price, or an attempt by this long and circuitous route to reach Memphis, will be exhaustive beyond endurance, and will end in the loss of the whole force engaged in it. Your obedient servant, A. LINCOLN. To THE Commander of the Department of the West. I give this letter of Mr. Lincoln in full, to show the soundness of his judgment even in military affairs. The idea of chasing Price 13 into the wilds of WV-strni Arkansas, and thus putting- the arnu' ciUircl)- out ot position, and |)rc'\('ntinL;- op(!rations on the lower Mississippi during' the winter, was so absurd that I should not haw; thoui^ht of it for a moment, even if I had not had the jjood acKice ot Mr. Li.woi.x. I arrivciil at Springfield, on the ni^ht ot the 1st of November, with orders in m\' j)ossessi()n to relieve Cien. b'kKMoxr. I immediatel\' went to the General's (juarters, and found him in the midst of a Council of \\\ar, planning- an attack on the enem)' at da)iio^ht the next morning-, at Wilson's Creek. As soon as an opportunity offered, one of his Generals whispered to me not to concern myself about the Council or the attack at dayli;4ht, as there was no enemy within sixty miles of Wilson's Creek. This statement I found to be literally true. 14 SERVICES IN KANSAS. On the 9th of November, 1861, I was re- lieved of the command of the Western Depart- ment, by the order of Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, and ordered to the command of the Depart- ment of Kansas. Under date of Dec. 11, 1 86 1, Gen. McClellan writes to me: " In re- gard to placing Gen. Halleck in command of the Department of Missouri, that step was taken from the evident necessity of placing some one there who was in no manner con- nected, /or or against, with the unfortunate state of affairs previously existing in that De- partment." The meaning of that sentence I was not able to determine. During my short stay in Kansas, it was my good fortune to render important service, not in the field, for there was not an enemy within my Department, but by furnishing, from my own small force, assistance to neighboring commanders. At this time I was superior in IS rank to Gen. Halleck and also to Gen. Canby, then commanding- in New Mexico. They both appealed to me for assistance, and on my own responsibility I sent them help. In a telegram, Gen. Halleck thus frankly acknow- ledges my assistance : St. Louis, Feb. 19, 1862. Major- General Hunter, Department of Kansas : To you, more than any other man in this Department, are we indebted for our success at Fort Donelson. In my strait for troops to reinforce Gen. Grant, I appealed to you. You nobly and generously placed your forces at my disposition. This enabled us to win the victory. Receive my most heartfelt thanks. H. W. Halleck, Major- General. At the same time, I took the responsibility of sending Gen. John P. Slough's regiment t6 of mounted Colorado Volunteers, by forced marches, to Gen. Canby's assistance in New Mexico. This regiment gained a splendid victory over the enemy at the Canon Glori- etta, which, it is acknowledged, saved New Mexico. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH. Having been ordered to the Department of the South, I assumed command of that department March 31, 1862, relieving Gen. Thomas W. Sherman. I commanded at the bombardment of Fort Pulaski, Georgia, on the loth and nth of April, 1862. As this fort had been pronounced impregnable by the chief engineers of both services, we were quite surprised to see their flag come down after a bombardment of only thirty hours. The ex- pensive mortar batteries, chiefly relied on for the reduction of this fort, were utterly worth- less, not one of the large shells having been thrown into the fort. ^7 The constant and urorent demands for men in every direction rendered it impossible for the War Department to send me the promised reinforcements. I left the Department of the South on the 3d of Sept., 1862, on leave of absence, and came to Washington, hoping to obtain more active employment. On the 23d of the same month, I was detailed as president of a court- martial for the trial of Gen. Fitzjohn Porter ; Gen. Holt, Judge-Advocate General, assisted by the Hon. John A. Bingham, of Ohio, being the Judge-Advocate. On the 21st of January, 1863, I was relieved from that duty, and ordered back to the Department of the South. ARMING THE NEGROES. While in this command I issued an order freeine the slaves in South Carolina, Georo-ia, and Florida, the States composing my De- partment — my theory being that slavery, ex- isting only by municipal enactments, ceased to exist the moment a subject by his rebellion placed himself beyond .the pale of these en- actments. I also enlisted a regiment of these freedmen. Mr. Lincoln repudiated, in the newspapers, my order freeing the slaves, but he never sent me his proclamation or the first word of disapprobation ; on the contrary, I believe he rejoiced in my action, and his great interest in the colored troops is shown by the followincr characteristic letter: [Private.] " Executive Mansion, Washington, " April I, 1863. *' Major- General Hunter : '' My Dear Sir : I am glad to see the ac- counts of your colored force at Jacksonville, Florida. I see the enemy are driving at them fiercely, as is to be expected. It is important to the enemy that such force shall not take shape and grow and thrive in the South; and 19 in precisely the same proportion it is import- ant to us that it shall. Hence the utmost caution and vigilance is necessary on our part. The enemy will make extra efforts to destroy them, and we should do the same to preserve and increase them. " Yours truly, -A. LINCOLN." From the beginning I urged upon the Gov- ernment, in the strongest terms, the enlist- ment of negro troops, the former slaves of the rebels, not only as adding to the number and efficiency of our own forces, but chiefly on account of its depriving the enemy of just so much labor in their fields, and compelling them to send an equal number of white men to do the necessary cultivation. The regiment of negroes which I enlisted in South Carolina on my own responsibility was a great success. The men acquired the drill with great rapidity ; they were subordinate and attentive to all their duties, and particularly successful on picket duty. I made repeated efforts In vain to get this regiment recognized and paid by the Government. It was a delicate subject, and I could get no reply approving or disapproving my conduct In this matter. Fortunately for me, however, the Hon. Mr. Wickliffe, of Ken- tucky, conceiving I had committed a heinous crime, introduced a denunciatory resolution into the House of Representatives. This re- solution was referred to me by the Hon. Sec- retary of War, and my report in reply was Immediately sent to Congress. That report is as follows : " Headquarters, Department of the South, " Hilton Head, S. C, June, 1862. ''To THE Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. : ''Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a communication from the Adjutant- General of the Army, dated June 13, 1862, requesting me to furnish you with the Informa- tion necessary to answer certain resolutions introduced in the House of Representatives, June 9, 1862, on motion of the Hon. Mr. WiCKLiFFE, of Kentucky, their substance being to enquire : " I. Whether I had organized, or was ora-anlzlno- a reelnient of ' fugitive slaves ' in this Department ? " 2. Whether any authority had been given to me from the War Department for such or- ganization ; and, " 3. Whether I had been furnished, by order of the War Department, with clothing, uniforms, arms, equipments, and so forth, for such a force ? ^' Only having received the letter at a late hour this evening, I urge forward my answer in time for the steamer sailing to-morrow 22 morning — this haste preventing me from en- tering as minutely as I could wish upon many points of detail, such as the paramount im- portance of the subject would seem to call for. But, in view of the near termination of the present session of Congress, and the wide- spread interest which must have been awaken- ed by Mr. Wickliffe's resolutions, I prefer sending even this imperfect answer to waiting the period necessary for the collection of fuller and more comprehensive data. "To the first question, therefore, I reply: that no regiment of ' fugitive slaves ' has been or is being organized in this department. There is, however, a fine regiment of loyal persons whose late masters are ' fugitive rebels ' — men who everywhere fly before the appearance of the national flag, leaving their loyal and unhappy servants behind them to shift, as best they can, for themselves. So far, indeed, are the loyal persons composing 23 this regiment from seeking to evade the pres- ence of their late owners, that they are now, one and all, endeavoring with commendable zeal to acquire the drill and discipline requi- site to place them in a position to go in full and effective pursuit of their fugacious and traitorous proprietors. "To the second question, I have the honor to answer that the instructions pfiven to Brie.- Gen. T. W. Sherman by the Hon. Simon Cameron, late Secretary of War, and turned over to me, by succession, for my guidance, do distinctly authorize me to employ ' all loyal persons offering their services in defence of the Union, and for the suppression of this rebellion,' in any manner I may see fit, or that circumstances may call for. There is no restriction as to the character or color of the persons to be employed, or the nature of the employments — whether civil or military — in which their services may be used. I conclude, 24 therefore, that I have been authorized to en- list ' fugitive slaves ' as soldiers, could any such fugitives be found in this Department. " No such characters, however, have yet appeared within view of our most advanced pickets — the loyal negroes everywhere remain- ing on their plantations to welcome us, aid us, and supply us with food, labor, and in- formation. It is the masters who have in every instance been the ' fugitives,' running away from loyal slaves as well as loyal sol- diers ; and these, as yet, we have only par- tially been able to see — chiefly their heads over ramparts, or dodging behind trees, rifle in hand, in the extreme distance. In the absence of any ' Fugitive Master Law,' the deserted slaves would be wholly without remedy, had not the crime of treason given the right to pursue, capture, and bring back those persons of whose benignant protection they have been thus suddenly and cruelly bereft. ''To the third interrogatory, it is my pain- ful duty to reply that I have never received any specific authority for issues of clothing, uniforms, arms, equipments, and so forth, to the troops in question — my general instruc- tions from Mr. Cameron, to employ them in any manner I might find necessary, and the military exigencies of the Department and the countrv, being my only, but I trust sufficient, justification. Neither have I had any specific authority for supplying these persons with shovels, spades, and pickaxes, when employ- ing them as laborers ; nor with boats and oars when using them as lightermen; but these are not points included in Mr. Wickliffe's resolution. To me it seemed that liberty to employ men in any particular capacity im- plied and carried with it liberty, also, to supply them with the necessary tools; and, acting upon this faith, I have clothed, equipped, and armed the only loyal regiment -6 yet raised in South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida. " I must say, in vindication of my own con- duct, that had it not been for the many other diversified and imperative claims upon my time and attention, a much more satisfactory result might have been achieved ; and that in place of only one regiment, as at present, at least five or six well-drilled, brave, and tho- roughly acclimated regiments should by this time have been added to the loyal forces of the Union. '' The experiment of arming the blacks, so far as I have made it, has been a complete and marvellous success. They are sober, docile, attentive, and enthusiastic — displaying great natural capacities in acquiring the duties of the soldier. They are now eager beyond all things to take the field and be led into action ; and it is the unanimous opi- nion of the officers who have had charge of 27 them, that, in the peculiarities of this dimate and country, they will prove invaluable auxi- liaries — fully equal to the similar regiments so long and successfully used by the British authorities in the West India Islands. *' In conclusion, I would say, it is my hope, there appearing no possibility of other rein- forcements — owing to the exigencies of the campaign in the Peninsula — to have organized by the end of next fall, and be able to pre- sent to the Government, from forty-eight to fifty thousand of these hardy and devoted soldiers. ''Trusting that this letter may be made part of your answer to Mr. Wickliffe's reso- lutions, I have the honor to be, very respect- fully, '' Your most obedient servant, (Signed) DAVID HUNTER, ^' Major-Genei^al Cojnmaiidingr 28 This brought the whole subject before the country, and Congress at once authorized the enHsting of fifty thousand negroes, and subsequently of a still larger number. My poor South Carolina regiment, however, was discharged without pay — martyrs in a good cause. How my action in reference to the enlistment of Southern negroes was regarded by the enemy, is sufficiently evident from the following General Order, issued by the Con- federate Government at Richmond : War Department, Adjutant and Ins.-Gen.'s Office, Richmond, August 21, 1862. General Orders — No. 60. Whereas, Major-.General Hunter, recently in command of the enemy's forces on the coast of South Carolina, and Brigadier- Gen- eral Phelps, a military commander of the enemy in the State of Louisiana, have organ- 29 ized and armed negro slaves for military service against their masters, citizens of this Confederacy. And whereas, the Govern- ment of the United States has refused to answer an enquiry whether said conduct of its officers meets its sanction, and has thus left this Government no other means of repressing said crimes and outrages than the adoption of such measures of retaliation as shall serve to prevent their repetition : Ordered, that Major- General Hunter and Brigadier- General Phelps be no longer held and treated as public enemies of the Con- federate States, but as outlaws ; and in the event of the capture of either of them, or that of any other officer employed in drilling, oreanizinof, or instructing slaves, with a view to their armed service in this war, he shall not be regarded as a prisoner of war, but held in close confinement for execution as a 3° felon, at such time and place as the Presi- dent shall order. By order, S. COOPER, Adjittant and Inspector-General . This infamous edict was never noticed by our Government, and they went on exchanging prisoners as if no such insult had been offered. I remained under this ban till the end of the war. I, however, took effectual measures to protect my own officers. One of them had been taken prisoner near St. Augustine, Florida, and thrown into the common jail in Charleston. He informed me, by an open letter, sent by a rebel flag of truce, that he was to be sent back to Florida, to be tried by the civil courts on a charge of exciting an insurrec- tion of the negroes. I immediately notified the rebel authorities that I would at once seize and place in close confinement all citizens of any influence within my lines, and would im- 31 mediately execute three of their number for every one of my officers injured. In a few days, I received another open letter from this officer, saying that he had been released from confinement, was treated most kindly by the people of Charleston, and was, on the first opportunity, to be sent North for exchange. While in command of the Department of the South, I was off the harbor of Charleston, in the steamer Ben de Ford, and witnessed the naval attack on Fort Sumter by nine iron-clads, under the command of Admiral Du Pont. In relation to the situation of affairs in the Department, after this attack, I beg leave to refer to my letter to the President of May 2 2, 1863, as follows: Headquarters, Department of the South, Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C, May 22, 1863. Dear Sir: It is more than six weeks since 32 the attack by the Iron-clads upon Charleston — an attack in which, from the nature of the plans of Admiral Du Pont, the army had no active part. On the day of that attack, the troops under my command held Folly Island up to Light House Inlet. On the mornino- after the attack, we were in complete readiness to cross Light House Inlet to Morris Island, where, once established, the fall of Sumter would have been as certain as the demonstration of a pro- blem in mathematics. Aided by a cross-fire from the navy, the enemy would soon have been driven from Cummings' Point ; and with powerful batteries of one and two hun- dred-pounder rifled guns placed there, Fort Sumter would have been rendered untenable in two days' fire. Fort Pulaski was breached and taken from Goat's Point, on Tybee Island, a precisely similar proposition, with 32-pounder Parrott guns, 42-pounder James guns, and a 33 few lo-inch Columbiads ; the 13-inch mortars used in that bombardment having proved utterly valueless. I mention these things to show how certain would have been the fall of Fort Sumter under the fire of the one and two hundred-pounders, rifled, now at my com- mand. On the afternoon of the iron-clad attack on Fort Sumter, the troops on Folly Island were not only ready to cross Light House Inlet, but were almost in the act, the final reconnoissance having been made, the boats ready, and the men under arms for crossing, when they were recalled, as I hoped merely temporarily, by the announcement of Admiral Du Pont that he had resolved to retire, and that consequently we could expect no assist- ance from the navy. Immediately the Admiral was waited upon by an officer of my stafT, who represented the forwardness of our preparations for crossing, 34 the evidently unprepared condition of the enemy to receive us ; while any delay, now that our intentions were unmasked, would give the enemy time to erect upon the southern end of Morris Island, commanding Light House Inlet, those works and batteries which he had heretofore neglected. To these con- siderations, earnestly and elaborately urged, the Admiral's answer was that he '' would not fire another shot." A lodgment on Morris Island was thus made impossible for us, the enemy having powerful works on the island, more especially at the northern end, out of which we could not hope to drive him unless aided by a cross- fire from the navy. I therefore determined to hold what we had got until the Admiral should have had time to repair his vessels ; and to this hour we hold every inch of ground on Folly and Cole's and Seabrook's Islands that we held on the day of the expected crossing. 35 Since then I have exercised patience with the Admiral, and have pushed forward my works and batteries on Folly Island with unre- mitting diligence; the enemy, meanwhile, tho- roughly aroused to their danger, throwing up works that completely commanded Light House Inlet, on the southern end of Morris Island; so that the crossing which could have been effect- ed in a couple of hours, and with little sacrifice, six weeks ago, will now involve, whenever attempted, protracted operations and a very serious loss of Hfe. And to what end should this sacrifice be made without the co-operation of the navy ? Even when established on the southern end of Morris Island, the northern end, with its powerful works, and commanded by the fire of Forts Sumter and Johnson, would still remain to be possessed. The sacrifice would be of no avail without the aid of the navy ; and I have been painfully but finally convinced that from the navy no such 36 aid is to be expected. I fear Admiral Du Pont distrusts the iron-clads so much that he has resolved to do nothing with them this summer; and, therefore, I most urgently beg of you to liberate me from those orders to ''cooperate with the navy " which now tie me down to share the Admiral's inactivity. Re- maining in our present situation, we do not even detain one soldier of the enemy from service elsewhere. I am well satisfied that they have already sent away from Charleston and Savannah all the troops not absolutely needed to orarrison the defences, and these will o have to remain in the works whether an enemy be in sight or not. Liberate me from this order to " co-operate with the navy in an attack on Charleston," and I will immediately place a column of ten thousand of the best-drilled soldiers in the country (as unquestionably are the troops of this Department) in the heart of Georgia, our 37 landing and marching being made through counties in which, as shown by the census, the slave population is 75 per cent, of the inhabitants. Nothing is truer, sir, than that this rebellion has left the Southern States a mere hollow shell. If we avoid their few strongholds, where they have pre- pared for and invited us to battle, we shall meet no opposition in a total devastation of their resources ; thus compelling them to break up their large armies and garrisons at a few points into scores of small fractions of armies for the protection of every threatened or assailable point. I will guarantee, with the troops now fruitlessly though laboriously occu- pying Folly and Seabrook Islands, and such other troops as can be spared from the re- maining posts of this department, to penetrate into Georgia, produce a practical dissolution of the slave system there, destroy all railroad communication along the eastern portion of 38 the State, and lay waste all stores which can possibly be used for the sustenance of the rebellion. My troops are in splendid health and dis- cipline, and, in my judgment, are more thoroughly in sympathy with the policy of the Government than any other equal body of men in the service of the United States to-day. With the exception of one brigadier- general and one colonel commanding a brigade, there is not an officer of any con- sequence in the command who is not heart and soul in favor of prosecuting this war by every and any means likely to ensure success. Only once liberate me from enforced waiting on the action of those who, I fear, are not likely to do anything, and I promise you that I will give full employment to twice or thrice my number of the enemy; and that while RosECRANS threatens Bragg in front, I will interrupt his communications, threaten 39 his rear, and spread a panic through the country. In this connection, I would ask, if possible, for a regiment of cavalry, and that the brigade sent by me to the relief of Major- General Foster may be ordered back from North Carolina. If no cavalry can be spared, then that five hundred horses and a thousand saddles and equipments may be sent to me immediately. Also, that the pikes drawn for my chief of ordnance may be supplied im- mediately ; these weapons being the simplest and most effective that can be placed in the hands of the slaves who are liberated in our march into the interior. In conclusion, I would again call attention to my request to be endowed with the same powers entrusted to Adjutant- General Thomas, for raising colored regiments and giving com- missions to their officers. I think this of the utmost importance, as each commission 40 promptly given to a deserving non-commis- sioned officer or private, has the effect of conciHating the sentiment of the regiment from which the appointee is taken ; and it is of the utmost importance that the experi- ment of colored soldiers should have the hearty acquiescence of the troops with whom they serve. I deem this matter of so much import- ance, and am so weary of inactivity, that I send this letter by special steamer to Fortress Monroe, and have instructed the captain of the vessel to wait for your reply. I have the honor to be, sir. Very respectfully. Your obedient servant, (Signed) D. HUNTER, Major- Ge?ieral Commanding. His Excellency A. Lincoln, President of the United States. 41 I send this letter by Captain Arthur M. KiNZiE, one of my aides-de-camp, who will await your answer, and return immediately by the steamer which bears this to Fortress Monroe. (Signed) D. HUNTER, Major- General. This letter was published in the Report of the Hon. Secretary of the Navy on "Armored Vessels," made by order of Congress, in 1864, pages no. III, and 112. I was '' temporarily " relieved from the command of the Department of the South, in order to give another officer an oppor- tunity to try his plans for the reduction of Fort Sumter and the City of Charleston. In reference to this suspension of my command, I addressed to Mr. Lincoln the following note, dated June 25, 1863: 42 Princeton, New Jersey, June 25, 1863. To His Excellency A. Lincoln, President of the United States : Sir : You cannot fail to be aware that my removal from the command of the Depart- ment of the South has been all but universally regarded as a censure on my conduct, while in that command. Satisfied and well knowing that I acted throughout in strict obedience to orders, and that my record when published will prove an ample vindication of my course, I now respectfully request of you liberty to make such publication of official documents and records as may be necessary to set me right in the eyes of my friends, and in the justice of history. The time has now passed when any injurious effect to the public service could possibly arise from such publication. 43 Knowing how greatly your time Is occu- pied, I shall regard your silence In reply to this note as giving me the liberty I ask, and will act accordingly. Should you deem such publications as I propose unadvlsable, will you be kind enough to notify me of your opinion without delay ? I have the honor to be, sir. Very respectfully, Your most obedient servant, DAVID HUNTER, Major -General. To this letter I received a kind but not alto- gether satisfactory reply, which Is as follows : Executive Mansion, Washington, June 30, 1863. My Dear General : I have just received your letter of the 25th of June. I assure you, and you may feel authorized 44 In stating, that the recent change of command- ers in the Department of the South was made for no reasons which convey any imputation upon your known energy, efficiency, and pa- triotism ; but for causes which seemed suffi- cient while they were in no degree incompat- ible with the respect and esteem in which I have always held you as a man and an officer. I cannot, by giving my consent to a pub- lication of whose details I know nothing, as- sume the responsibility of whatever you may write. In this matter, your own sense of mili- tary propriety must be your guide, and the regulations of the service your rule of conduct. I am, very truly, Your friend, A. LINCOLN. Major-Gen. Hunter. The latter paragraph of this letter refers to my earnest request to be relieved from the 45 operation of the Army Regulation forbidding commanding generals making any publications with regard to military affairs. I made this request because I knew that serious misappre- hensions prevailed In reference to my Depart- ment, which no one was able to correct but myself Mr. Lincoln Informed me that the tempo- rary suspension of my command, above alluded to, was due In a great measure to the influence of the Hon. Horace Greeley. The know- ledge of that fact Induced me to address the followino- letter to Mr. Greeley: Port Royal, South Carolina, June 12, 1863. H. Greeley, Esq., New York: Sir : Since you have undertaken the at- tack on Charleston, I sincerely hope you will be more successful than In your first advance on Richmond, in which you wasted much ink, and other men shed some blood. It is clear 46 from your paper that you knew nothing of the orders which bound me to a particular course of action, which orders I strictly followed, and for obeying which I am censured. Worse than any wound our enemies can inflict, are the stabs in the dark of pretended friends. The country must be informed that you have charge of this second attack on Charleston, so that on you may rest the praise or censure. Very respectfully, Your most ob. servant, D. HUNTER. It may not be out of place to state that Fort Sumter remained unreduced until the end of the war, and was then stronger than at the beginning. PROPOSED EXPEDITIONS THROUGH THE GULF STATES. It will be seen by my letter of the 2 2d of May, 1863, to the President, previously given. 47 that I urged him hi the strongest terms to be liberated from the order to '' co-operate with the navy in an attack on Charleston," well know- inof that Admiral Du Pont had declared he would not fire another gun, and to be permit- ted to make an expedition into the heart of Georgia, our landing and marching being made through counties in which, as shown by the census, the slave population is seventy-five per cent, of the inhabitants. And, in my letter to the Hon. Secretary of War of the 31st of August, 1863, I begged to be permitted to land a force at Brunswick, Georgia, and march through Georgia, Ala- bama, and Mississippi, arming all the negroes as I advanced, and striking for New Orleans. And again, in my letter to Mr. Stanton, from Louisville, Ky., I say : " There are now crowded Into the States of Alabama and Georgia near two millions of negroes, furnishing four hundred thousand 48 fighting men, all ready, willing, and anxious to be drafted, and making much better soldiers than most of the men who require six and seven hundred dollars to induce them to ' vo- lunteer! Twenty, fifteen, or even ten thousand men, marched rapidly into these States, with- out baggage, without artillery, subsisting on the country, carrying arms and ammunition for the negroes, and officers enough for one hun- dred thousand men, could go, without serious opposition, directly from Vicksburg to Charles- ton. I think you will find that this small force can now well be spared, and I am confident it could march from the Mississippi to the Atlan- tic without serious opposition. A general re- bellion among these crowded negroes would certainly produce great demoralization through- out the rebel army. The corn crop is very abundant, and if we can get nothing else we can live on the corn. We certainly should be able to do whatever the rebels can. The 49 negroes would know every path, as they make most of their visits in the night, and we should thus be able to march just as well at night as in the day. *' I beg you will telegraph me to this place authority to take charge of an expedition of this kind. *' I have the honor to be, very respectfully, ''DAVID HUNTER, Major- General^ Mr. Stanton informed me that both Mr. Lincoln and himself approved this plan, but that a sufficient number of men could not at that time be spared for the attempt. In the fall of 1863, I was ordered by the Hon. Secretary of War to inspect all the troops in the Valley of the Mississippi, under command of General Grant. I was with Gen. Grant at the battle of Mission Ridge, on the 23d, 24th, and 25th November, 1863. so My inspection duties continued until April, 1864. I was then ordered to visit General Banks, at that time in command at Alex- andria, La., on the Red River. CAMPAIGN IN THE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA. On my return from the Red River, I was ordered to the command of the De- partment of West Virginia, May 19, 1864. For a complete account of my operations in this department, I beg to refer to the report of my Chief of Staff, General D. H. Strother — annexed to this report. The importance of our attack on Lynch- burg was fully appreciated by the enemy. General Strother, a native Virginian, spent the first year after the war in Richmond. His official position, as Secretary of State and Adjutant- General of Virginia, brought him into contact with many of the ex-rebel officers, who all spoke in strong terms of 51 the great Injury our raid inflicted on the Confederacy. Mr. Jefferson Davis also, in his speech to the people of Georgia, at Macon, after the fall of Adanta, said : " An audacious move- ment of the enemy up to the very walls of Lynchburg had rendered It necessary that the Government should send a formidable body of troops to cover that vital point, which had otherwise been intended for the relief of Adanta." The following despatch from General Grant to the Assistant Secretary of War relates to the same subject : Headquarters, Armies of the United States, City Point, Va., July 15, 1864. C. A. Dana, Acting Secretary of War : I am sorry to see such a disposition to con- demn a brave old soldier, as General Hunter is known to be, without a hearing. He is 52 known to have advanced into the enemy's country, towards their main army, inflicted a much greater damage upon them, than they have inflicted upon us, with double his force, and moving directly away from our main army. Hunter acted, too, in a country where he had no friends, whilst the enemy have only operated in territory, where, to say the least, many of the inhabitants are their friends. If General Hunter has made war on the newspapers in West Virginia, probably he has done right. I fail to see yet that General Hunter has not acted with great promptness and great success. Even the enemy give him great credit for courage, and congratulate themselves that he will give them a chance of getting even with him. U. S. GRANT, Lieut.- General, 53 I was, at my own request, relieved from the com.mand of the Department of West Virginia, August 8, 1864. COURTS-MARTIAL AND COMMISSIONS. As already stated, I acted as President of the Court- Martial, convened 23d September, 1862, for the trial of General Fitzjohn Porter. On the ist of February, 1865, I was President of the Court- Martial which met at Paducah, Ky., for the trial of Briga- dier-General E. A. Paine, of Illinois ; Colonel Wm. McK. Dunn being the Judge-Advo- cate of the Court, I was also President of the Court of En- quiry, of which General Edmund Schriver, Inspector- General, was Recorder, which met at Nashville, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky., in the fall of 1863, to enquire into the conduct of Generals McCook, Crittenden, and Neg- 54 LEY, at the battle of Chickamauga, Septem- ber 19 and 20, 1863. In April, 1865, I was detailed as one of the general officers to accompany the remains of President Lincoln to Springfield, Illinois, but was recalled by a telegram from the Hon. Secretary of War, to preside at the Military Commission convened for the trial of the assassins of the President, which met in this city on the 9th of May, 1865. Of that Com- mission, Gen. Joseph Holt, Judge-Advocate General, was the Judge-Advocate, assisted by the Hon. John A. Bingham, of Ohio. I was on duty during the fall of 1866 as President of the Special Claims Commission, and as President of the Board for the examina- tion of officers promoted to the cavalry. BREVET rank. I was brevetted a Brigadier- General in the United States Army on the 13th of March, 55 1865, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Piedmont, and during the campaign in the Valley of Virginia ; and a Major- General in the United States Army, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services during the Rebellion. mn ^o jyu^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 700 338 7