Yale University Library I 39002002930312 NSOF^ the Confederate Army A. L. HULL °Y&LE«¥fflYJII&SinrY° ILIlIBIB^ISy Bought with the income of the Ellen Battell Eldridge Fund The Campaigns of The Confederate Aemy BY AUGUSTUS LONGSTREET HULL Secretary of the University of Georgia ATHENS, GA. ATLANTA, GA. FOOTB & DAVIES COMPANY Printers and Binders 1901 COPTBIQHT, 1901, By A. L. HULL. Cf** £?* - 1 In the preparation of the following pages, which were originally intended for lectures, acknowledgment of valuable aid is made to the Century Company's "War Papers," to the "Life of Robert E. Lee" by Rev. Henry A. White, and to General James Longstreet. CONTENTS. chapter page I. — The Vieginia Campaigns 7 II. — Manassas 10 III. — The Peninsular Campaign 13 IV. — The Valley Campaign . . . . 16 V. — The Seven Days Fight 18 VI. — Second Manassas 21 VII. — Shakpsburg 24 VIII. — Fredericksburg . . . .30 IX. — Chanceixorsville .... 33 X. — Gettysburg ... ... 35 XI. — The Retreat and Mine Run . . 39 XII. — The Wilderness and Spottsylvania . . 41 XIII. — North Anna and Cold Harbor .... 45 XIV. — Petersburg .... . . 47 XV. — Appomattox 50 XVI. — The Western Campaigns. Fort Donelson . 55 XVII.— Shiloh 57 XVIII. — New Orleans and the Kentucky Campaign . 60 XIX. — Perryville and Murfreesboro .... 62 XX. — Vicksburg 65 XXI. — Chickamauga .... 67 6 ' CONTENTS. XXII. — Missionary Ridge 70 XXIII. — The Atlanta Campaign 73 XXIV. — Franklin and Nashville 77 XXV.— Sherman's March 79 XXVI. — Surrender of the Western Army. Olustee . 83 XXVIL— The Trans-Mississippi Campaign .... 85 XXVIII. — The Confederate Cavalry .... 89 XXIX. — Cavalry Leaders .... .92 XXX. — The Confederate Navy 96 XXXI.— The Destroyers 100 XXXII. — Incidents of the War 103 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. CHAPTER I. THE VIEGINIA CAMPAIGNS. ' There exists among the young people of the South a wide spread ignorance of the War of Secession. This is a source of much regret to those who lived through those stirring times and helped to make the glorious record of the South ern States. Our children, with all the advantages of their schools, are familiar enough with the English wars, but they are profoundly ignorant of the great struggle which shook the very foundations of their own country. They can .repeat the victories of Napoleon, but they know nothing of the campaigns of Lee and Johnston. They can recount the ex ploits of the soldiers of the Eevolution, but naught can they tell of that heroic army composed of their own fathers and grandsires that was for four years the admiration of the world. Nor are they to be blamed for this. Until a few years since, all the histories to which they had access were written by Northern men, and if in their brief account of the war between the States they spared the South some cen sure, they also withheld any approval of its action or its armies. There was then no source except by tradition from which our young people could learn the history which their fathers made. In this brief history no reference will be made to the causes of the war, save to insist right here that it was no 7 8 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. "rebellion," although the word has found its way into the acts of Congress. Nor is there any attempt to write a his tory of the war, but simply to offer an outline of the brave deeds and brilliant victories of the Confederate army. And while it is the intention of the writer to glorify the Confed erate soldier, he intends no disparagement of his brave antag onist. They were all Americans. If they had not been, that bloody war would never have lasted for four long years. The military operations of the Confederate States were carried on under three separate organizations : the Army of Northern Virginia, the Army of Tennessee, and the Army of the West. The first repelled the invasion of Virginia from the North. The Army of Tennessee defended a frontier of more than five hundred miles, reaching from the Alleghanies to the Mis sissippi. The Army of the West held the line from Memphis to Galveston. Besides these three grand divisions, there were the garri sons of the various forts, with their supporting battalions, which defended the blockaded ports on the southern coasts. In order to avoid any confusion, we will take up their cam paigns separately. The objective point of all the Federal advances in Virginia was Richmond. The seat of the Confederate government had been moved to that city in the spring of 1861, and every attempt on the part of the Army of the Potomac was directed to the capture of the capital of the Confederacy. During the four years of war the opposing armies engaged in nine great campaigns: First Manassas or Bull Run, the Peninsular, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Petersburg. During that time the Army of Northern Virginia had but two commanders — Joseph E. Johnston and Robert E. Lee. THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGNS. 9 The Army of the Potomac was commanded successively by Generals McDowell, McClelland, Halleck, Burnside, Hooker, Meade, and Grant. In the limitations of this little book, we can only sketch out these campaigns, noticing the main conflicts in each, for there were hundreds of skirmishes between small bodies of troops which we can not even name here. CHAPTER II. MANASSAS. On July 16, 1861, the Federal army, under General Mc Dowell, had concentrated at Centreville, Va., about twenty- five miles from Washington City by railroad. Their object was to seize the railroad and march to Rich mond. Their march was opposed by the Confederates un der General Beauregard, stationed about five miles away, behind a creek called Bull Run. General Johnston was sixty miles away in the Shenandoah Valley on the other side of the Blue Ridge. Some skirmishing a day or two in advance brought Johnston from the valley with troops under Generals Bee, Bartow and Jackson. General McDowell ordered the attack to be made early July 21st, and the battle lasted from 6 a. m. till 5 p. m. We can not here describe the battle in detail. A large force of the Federals by a detour of five or six miles at tempted to turn the flank of our army, but the clouds of dust made by that July march betrayed their design. Beauregard's whole plan was changed, and the battle shifted to another quarter. To oppose the advancing enemy Gen erals Bee and Bartow occupied a commanding plateau near the house of Mrs. Henry, and the fiercest of the fight was for the possession of this position. At first fortune favored the Federals. Under Sherman and Burnside they pressed the men of Evans, Bee and Bar tow until they gave way before the hot artillery cross-fire. Then the gallant Bee, pointing to Jackson on the opposite 10 MANA8BAS. 11 knoll, cried, "Look at Jackson ! There he stands like a stone wall. Rally behind him!" Thus christened in blood and fire, the hero is known to the whole world as "Stonewall Jackson." The men responded to their leader's appeal and with a charge and a yell they repelled the enemy. In a sec ond charge the brave Bee fell and a few minutes later the gallant Bartow was mortally wounded. At a critical moment Kirby Smith arrived with reinforce ments from the valley and a general attack wrested the bat teries from the Federals, leaving them shorn of their strength, and then the rout began. The brave troops which had marched out from Washington with banners flying, keeping step to the music of well- trained bands, accompanied by citizens, congressmen and ladies in carriages to cheer them on to Richmond, were now a mass of frightened fugitives, who strewed the road for thirty miles back to Long Bridge with the impedimenta of the camp. The battle of Manassas, although a victory for our arms, was as demoralizing as a defeat. Soldiers left their com mands without leave; some to exhibit the trophies of the bat tle-field; some to attend sick or wounded friends; some be lieving the war was over, left for their homes. Well-informed public men expressed the opinion that Man assas was the decisive battle of the war and there would be no more fighting. Our people became over-confident. They believed the "Yankee" couldn't fight anyhow. The effect upon the North was different. Their defeat aroused them to greater and more determined efforts. Thousands of volun teers poured into Washington, and millions of dollars were appropriated for further equipments. The immediate fruits of our victory was the ample supply of captured arms, cartridges, cannon and equipments, things 12 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. we sorely needed, and for the lack of which hundreds of vol unteers were idly waiting in Richmond. Manassas, because the first, has been regarded as one of the greatest battles of the war. Yet the Federals lost but thirty-five hundred men and the Confederates two thousand, while each side had eighteen thousand engaged in battle. Compare these figures with the eighty-seven thousand Feder als opposed to thirty-seven thousand Confederates at Sharps- burg, where the former lost twelve thousand and the latter thirteen thousand men. From June till November an attempt was made to main tain the Confederate authority in the mountainous region of West Virginia. The native population, as was true of the mountain ranges throughout the South, were intensely Union in sentiment. Not a recruit was made. On the con trary, every aid was given the Union forces under McClel land and Rosecrans by guides through the mountain passes and otherwise. The engagements in this campaign amounted to little more than skirmishes. The roads were almost impassable to troops and the positions inaccessible for artillery. The Confederates sustained a serious loss in the death, in June, of General Robert S. Garnett. General Henry R. Jackson succeeded him in command and General Lee suc ceeded General Jackson. Nothing was accomplished in this campaign, although our troops suffered greatly in that diffi cult region, and when our forces Were withdrawn the Alle- gha,nies became the western limit of the Confederacy. CHAPTER III. THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN. After the battle of Manassas for the remainder of the summer our troops occupied positions within ten miles of Washington, but no actions occurred except the affair of Ball's Bluff, in which the Federals were driven into the Poto mac and were nearly all drowned or captured. A fight oc curred at Dranesville which was almost as disastrous to our men. As winter approached General Johnston withdrew to Centreville and went into winter quarters. In the meantime General Geo. B. McClelland had been placed in command of the Army of the Potomac. When the spring of 1862 opened he had the choice of four routes to Richmond. 1. The original route by Manassas Junction and the Or ange Railroad. 2. By way of Fredericksburg. 3. From the Lower Rappahannock. 4. From Yorktown up the Peninsula. General McClelland chose the last. Since May, 1861, our forces under General Magruder had occupied Yorktown. The strip of land between the York and James rivers is known as the Peninsula. Fortress Monroe is on the lower end. Yorktown is a little higher up on the York River. Between the two is Bethel Church, where the first skirmish of the war was fought. General Johnston decided to evacuate Yorktown and retire to a position nearer to Richmond. He was a master of retreat and this one was 13 14 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. methodically made, while McClelland cautiously followed. At Williamsburg a stand was made. McClelland attacked on May 5th. The battle continued till dark and the advan tages were with the Confederates. The object of the battle of Williamsburg on the part of Johnston was to gain time to remove his wagon-trains and to engage the enemy until the road was clear. This object was attained and on the next day the march was resumed ih'the direction of Richmond. Retreating by gradual stages, Johnston halted his army within nine miles of Richmond, behind entrenched lines. McClelland advanced to Fair Oaks station on the railroad and also entrenched. On May 31st Johnston attacked and the battle of Seven Pines, called by the Federals "Fair Oaks," was begun. This was ti\e first of a series of battles lasting for a month, during which time McClelland vainly endeavored to reach Rich mond, finally abandoning the attempt and retreating to the protection of his gunboats. The battle of Seven Pines was begun about 2 p. M., and was renewed the next day. The attempt of the first day was but partially successful. The Federals were driven back about a mile and then held their ground. About dark Gen eral Johnston was severely wounded — hit by a rifle-ball and knocked from his horse by a shell. The command devolved upon General Gustavus W. Smith. It was Johnston's inten tion to renew the attack the next morning, but General Smith was not so inclined. The fight was not pushed with vigor and he gave orders to withdraw the troops. About noon Gen eral Robert E. Lee was assigned to the command of the army, and at once took charge, the troops having reoccupied their former positions. The battle of Seven Pines, while a victory for our side, was THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN. 15 without results. The Confederates had fifteen thousand men engaged and lost six thousand. The Federals had nineteen thousand engaged and lost five thousand. We captured four hundred prisoners, six cannon and three thousand new rifles. CHAPTER IV. THE VALLEY CAMPAIGN. Let us go back a little. May 1, 1862, found Stonewall Jackson in the valley, near Staunton, with sixteen thousand men. Opposed to him were eighty thousand, under General Banks, scattered along the valley as far as Winchester. It was the intention of the Federals to send sixty thousand of these troops to reinforce McClelland, who was then planning his advance on Richmond. Suddenly the appalling news was spread among the Virginians that Jackson had aban doned the valley and had fled to the east of the Blue Ridge. The enemy soon heard of it. But while they were congratu lating themselves, Jackson suddenly appeared before Gen eral Milroy, near McDowell, Va., attacked and defeated him, and drove him further west of the mountains. Resting his men a few days and leaving a detachment to watch Milroy, by forced marches he hurried to Front Royal and there sur prised and defeated the enemy, who fled up the valley towards Winchester. The next day at Newton Jackson struck Banks, and whipped him, capturing many prisoners and immense quanti ties of military stores, including nine thousand stand of arms, all new and in perfect order. Banks made a stand at Winchester, but was again defeated and fled across the Po tomac and sent a dispatch congratulating the government that he was safe ! All this time General Fremont was near Franklin, Va., with fourteen thousand men. When he heard of Bank's de feat, he moved to cut off Jackson on his way back to Staun ton. General Shields was sent from the east to join Fre- 16 THE VALLEY CAMPAIGN. 17 mont. Jackson marched to Cross Keys, near Harrisonville, attacked Fremont and after a severe battle was master, of the field. > That night Jackson told General Patton: "Throw out all your men before Fremont so as to make him think the whole army is behind you. I will join you in the morning. I shall attack Shields at sunrise and by the blessing of God I hope to be back by ten o'clock." Did ever before a man calculate the time it would take him to whip an opposing enemy ! Leaving General Ewell to watch Fremont, General Jack son crossed the river that night with the rest of his army and marched to Port Republic to find Shields. Early next morning he attacked the enemy, defeated them and drove them eight miles. In thirty-five days this remarkable soldier had marched three hundred miles, fought four battles, winning them all, and captured military stores enough to arm and equip his en tire army. His losses aggregated eighteen hundred; those of the Federals forty-six hundred. Resting his men a few days, Jackson suddenly took up his line of march and on June 25th, while McDowell was watching the approaches to Washington from the valley with fifty thou sand men, McClelland a hundred miles away on the Chicka- hominy was astounded to find Jackson on his flank. The prime factors in Stonewall Jackson's success were his secrecy and his promptness to act. He confided in no one. None but himself knew where his march would end. His men had unbounded confidence in him, and so rapidly did they move from place to place that they were known as "Jackson's foot cavalry." "Where are you going?" was asked of one as he went by on the march. "I don't know; but old Jack does," said he. CHAPTER V. THE SEVEN DAYS FIGHT. General Lee, having matured his plans for the campaign, after assuming command of the army, directed Stonewall Jackson with as much secrecy as possible to join him at the Nine Mile Road, near Richmond. This was done with such success that the Federals were completely bewildered as to his movements. Their official dispatches show that on June 10th he was believed to have sixty thousand men and was marching from Port Republic after Fremont. June 13th he was reported to be at Charlottesville and moving either against Shields at Luray or against King at Catletts, or against Doubleday at Fredericksburg. On the 16th it was certain that he was near Front Royal. June 18th he had gone to Richmond, but had left Ewell with ten thousand men in the valley. On the 19th Banks was sure he was moving down the valley with thirty thousand troops. On the 20th telegrams were received saying that Jackson was moving on Warren. On June 22d reliable reports said that he wa,s about to attack Banks at Middletown. On the 25th Fremont was expecting an at tack from the direction of Tennessee, and on the 26th of June, while McClelland's pickets were being driven in by Jackson's advance, Secretary Staunton was telegraphing Mc Clelland that the forces in the valley under Major General Pope were preparing to attack and overcome Jackson and Ewell, and threaten Richmond from the direction of Char lottesville ! On June 26th General Lee attacked McClelland at Mechan- 18 THE SEVEN DAYS FIGHT. 19 icsville. It was the beginning of a succession of battles known as the Seven Days Fight, comprising Mechanicsville, Beaverdam Creek, Gaines Mill, Cold Harbor, Savage Station, Frazer's Farm, White Oak Swamp and Malvern Hill. The fight at Mechanicsville was bloody, and the losses to the Confederates were heavy. The Federals were driven back and took refuge behind strong defenses at Beaverdam Creek. The next morning, always taking the offensive, Lee attacked them at Gaines Mill and at Cold Harbor. The Federals were in a strong position still further strengthened by log breast works and rifle-pits, but dashing through dense swamps and over breastworks the impetuous Confederates drove back the enemy and swept the field. In this advance General Jackson with a few staff officers had ridden ahead of his skirmish lines and found himself in front of a squad of fifteen Federal soldiers. Instantly charging upon them he demanded their surrender and car ried them back as prisoners. The prisoners told it themselves, and one of them called out as he passed, "Gentlemen, I had the honor of being captured by General Stonewall Jackson himself." The result of the repeated assaults of Lee's army was the retreat of McClelland across the Chickahominy to Malvern Hill, a position of great strength, near the James River. His retreat was accompanied by the destruction of immense quan tities of quartermaster's stores and ammunition, which he could not remove. The whole country was full of deserted plunder of every description — wagons, provisions, clothing, medicine-chests and arms — all destroyed or as nearly so as was possible during the retreat. General Lee attacked at Malvern Hill on July 1st. Charge after charge was made by the gallant Confederates, but with no results except great slaughter. The battle continued till 20 THE CAMPAIGNS 0F~THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. 9 o'clock at night, when the exhausted Southerners laid down to snatch a few hours' sleep, and then renew the assault. But during the night McClelland skilfully withdrew to the cover of his gunboats at Harrison's landing, on the James River, and subsequently retreated further down the Peninsula, and Richmond was relieved. In every attack the Confederates had found the enemy behind strong defenses, and hence the fearful loss of twenty thousand of our men. But so fierce were their assaults that the Federals themselves lost fifteen thousand. McClelland's fight at Frazer's Farm was made for the same reason as Johnston's at Williamsburg — to gain time for the removal of his trains. After that he was in full retreat. In the Seven Days Fight, Generals McCall and Reynolds, of the Union army, were captured and General Meade was badly wounded. CHAPTER VI. SECOND MANASSAS. General McClelland's failure to take Richmond resulted in his own removal and the appointment of General Henry W. Halleck in his place. While McClelland was retreating down the Peninsula, General John Pope, commanding a corps of forty-seven thou sand strong, was cautiously moving towards Richmond along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad — the old Manassas route. After the battle of Malvern Hill, General Lee sent Stonewall Jackson to confront and watch Pope. On August 9th oc curred the battle of Cedar Mountain, in which our General Winder was killed and in which Jackson was victorious. About a week later, leaving Magruder to defend the Penin sula route, General Lee marched the remainder of his army up to Gordonsville and threatened Washington. Thor oughly alarmed, the authorities ordered up McClelland's forces to reinforce Pope. The two armies manoeuvered for position and the clouds of war gathered thick. In one of his characteristic raids, Stuart rode into the head quarters of General Pope, captured his clothing and personal equipment, his official dispatches and $350,000 of United States currency. On August 26th the Federals were occupying Warrenton and the line of the railroad north of the Rappahannock. General Longstreet was opposite them, at Waterloo Bridge, awaiting developments. General Lee sent Jackson off on one of his erratic marches towards the Blue Ridge with three 21 22 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. days' rations, apparently leaving Longstreet alone to cope with the entire Federal army. No one but Lee and Jackson knew where he was going. Behind the mountain ridge he turned sharply to the right, passed through Thoroughfare Gap in the Bull Run Mountains and arrived at Gainesville, where he was joined by Stuart's cavalry, and then pushed on to Bristow's Station, on the railroad. General Pope now had the Rappahannock on one side of him, Longstreet in front and Jackson in the rear, cutting off his railroad communications. At Manassas Junction there was accumulated a vast quan tity of stores of every kind for the maintenance of the army. The Twenty-first Georgia and the Twenty-first North Caro lina regiments, under General Trimble, with a part of Stuart's cavalry, marched on to capture this vast prize. The defense was slight; three thousand prisoners were captured without the loss of a man on our side. Jackson's men fairly reveled in the abundance of luxuries. They took all they could and destroyed a million dollars' worth of stores. They had cut the enemy's communications, burnt the bridges behind him and destroyed his reserve supplies. Realizing the situation, Pope turned upon Jackson and a sanguinary fight occurred at Groveton, a few miles west of the old battle-field of Manassas. Meanwhile Longstreet had marched behind the ridge and eame through Thoroughfare Gap the next morniDg, joining Jackson upon the victorious field of the day before. The Federals had now retired to a stronger position — the identical position for which the struggle was made at the first battle of Manassas. On the next day the battle was joined upon the memorable field of 1861. The fighting was desperate. The combat lasted until dark and the victory was curs. When night came General Pope was beyond Bull Run on his SECOND MANASSAS. 23 way to Washington and our men slept amid thousands of the dead of both armies. When General Pope took command of the Army of the Potomac he issued an address, saying that he had come from the West, where he had always seen the backs of the enemy; he desired his men to dismiss from their minds such expres sions as "lines of retreat" and "bases of supplies." "Let us," said he, "study the probable lines of retreat of our enemy. Success and glory are in the advance; disaster and shame lurk in the rear." That is just where he found them and from this time we hear no more of General John Pope until he turned up as a military governor of Georgia under the Radical reconstruction administration. With an army of fiftv-five thousand men, Lee had driven eighty thousand into the forti fications of Washington, had captured thirty guns, twenty thousand rifles, and taken seven thousand prisoners. The Confederate losses in this campaign were eleven thou sand, while the Federals lost seventeen thousand. Among the former were Generals Winder, Baylor, Taliaferro, Field and Corse; among the latter, Generals Kearney, Stevens, Bohlen, Taylor, and Fletcher Webster, the son of Daniel Webster. CHAPTER VII. SHARPSBURG. General Lee gave his army but little rest. Richmond for the time being was safe. The Federals were utterly demoralized j and were hugging the defenses of Washington. Virginia was exhausted by the waste of both armies and the desolation of war. The fertile fields of the Cumberland Valley offered abundant supplies, and the promise of recruits from Mary land was alluring. General Lee determined to invade Penn sylvania, and on September 5th, one week after the battle of Manassas, he crossed the Potomac and marched to Frederick City, Maryland. The people of Frederick City showed no sympathy with him. Apparently they were all Unionists. Harper's Ferry was held by the Federal Colonel Miles with twelve thousand men. It was determined to invest it. Gen erals Jackson, McLaws and Walker were sent to attack on three sides. Shut in with artillery threatening him from the surrounding heights, the Federal commander surrendered at discretion. In the meantime Longstreet and D. H. Hill were sent on to Hagerstown. McClelland had been reinstated as com mander of the Federal army and, with his extraordinary pow ers of organization, soon had his army in fine condition and fighting trim. He was a great favorite with his soldiers, and his reappearance at their head was hailed with exclamations of delight. General McClelland was the most accomplished soldier on the Union side that the war produced. General Dick 24 BHARP8BURG. 25 Taylor said, "He impressed a generous, chivalric spirit on the war which soon faded away; and the future historian in recounting some of the later operations will doubt if he is dealing with campaigns of generals or expeditions of brig ands." Moving cautiously to meet and intercept Lee's advance, the Federal commander had no thought of giving offensive battle until one of those accidents of war occurred which changed the whole character of the campaign. General Lee had sent a written order to his generals as signing positions to the different commands. A second copy of this command was sent by Stonewall Jackson to D. H. Hill. The first order was carelessly lost by the courier, picked up by a Federal scout and carried to McClelland. It gave him the key to all of General Lee's plans. Immediately McClelland planned an attack on Hill, while he sent General Franklin with fourteen thousand men to relieve Harper's Ferry. At Crampton's Gap, General Cobb's brigade and Mumford's cavalry, twenty-two hundred strong, held the pass. They were attacked by sixty-five hundred of Franklin's divi sion and after a desperate fight were driven back, losing nearly half their men. General Franklin said this was the only battle up to that time in which the Army of the Poto mac had been victorious. Meanwhile, on the 14th of September, General D. H. Hill at Boonesboro, Md., was attacked by McClelland. The con tention was over the passes of South Mountain. Thirteen thousand Federals were opposed to four thousand Confeder ates. The defense was stubborn and the position was held until the closing day, when the mountain passes were forced and the enemy held the commanding ridges. General Lee's situation was not an enviable one. His army was divided; Longstreet at Hagerstown, Hill retreating from Boonesboro, 26 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. Jackson and McLaws at Harper's Ferry, and the enemy in front with full possession of his plans. If McClelland had pushed his advance with any vigor, the Confederate army must have been annihilated. General Hill retired on the next day and General Lee con centrated his army near Sharpsburg on the Antietam Creek, Jackson and McLaws having come up from the capture of Harper's Ferry and Longstreet marching down from Hagers town. The Confederates took their positions facing Antietam Creek, with the town of Sharpsburg behind them. The Federals were on the other side of the Creek and sought to cross it and attack Lee's flank. Early on September 17th the bloodiest battle of the war was begun. McClelland hurled eighty-seven thousand men against Lee's thirty-nine thousand. All day the battle raged, now around the Dunkard's Church, where Jackson repelled the serried ranks of Hooker's men; now along the "bloody lane," where D. H. Hill met the fierce assaults of French ; now at the bridge, where Toombs with a single brigade of Geor gians kept back Burnside's Ninth Corps from Lee's flank. The slaughter was terrific. The position at Dunkard's Church was taken and retaken; the passage of the bridge was forced and the enemy driven back again; Hill gave back before the continued hammering of his antagonists and ral lied again and again. One-fourth of Lee's army was killed or wounded and so exhausted were they by continuous march ing and fighting and fasting that, although they slept upon the field of battle which they had held against such fearful odds, ten thousand fresh troops could have completely de stroyed them. But the Federal commander did not seize his opportunity. All the next day both armies remained in position. That SHARPSBURG. 27 night General Lee withdrew his whole army across the Po tomac and camped around Winchester. In this battle Generals R. H. Anderson, Lawton, Walker, Gregg, Jones, Ripley, Rodes, Gordon and Pierce Young were wounded; Generals Branch, Starke, Garland and Geo. B. An derson were killed. General D. H. Hill had three horses shot under him. The Federals lost Generals Reno, Richardson, Rodman, and Mansfield, killed, while Hooker, Hatch, Hart- stuff, Gallagher, Sedgwick, Dana, Weber, Crawford, Ruger and Rutherford B. Hayes were wounded. If such were the casualties among the general officers, what must have been the slaughter among the line who bore the brunt of the battle ! So fearful was the carnage that a Fed eral patrol passing into the cornfield where the fighting was fiercest thought they had surprised a Confederate brigade. There in the shadow of the woods lay the skirmishers, their muskets beside them, and there in regular ranks lay the line of battle, sleeping, it seemed, the profound sleep of exhaustion. But the first man they touched was cold and lifeless, and the next, and the next; it was the bivouac of the dead. General Longstreet relates that during a lull in the battle he, General Lee and General D. H. Hill went to a neighboring elevation to reconnoiter the field, the first two dismounting, but General Hill remaining on his horse. A battery across the creek opened fire. on them. "There's a shot for General Hill," said Longstreet. No sooner said than a cannon-ball struck Hill's horse, going through both forelegs and bring ing the poor animal to its knees. Colonel Kingsbury, who was killed while gallantly leading a Connecticut regiment near "Burnside's Bridge," was broth er-in-law to General D. R. Jones, who commanded the Con federates immediately opposing him. General Jones was deeply affected by his death. His health had not been good, 28 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. and he asked for leave of absence shortly afterwards and in a few months died. The First Texas Regiment lost eighty-two per cent, of those who went into battle, and one company of the Twenty- sixth North Carolina lost ninety-six per cent, of those en gaged. Another regiment, once eight hundred strong, went into the battle with forty-six muskets, and one of its com panies, which had mustered one hundred men, had one lieu tenant left to call the roll and one private to answer "Here." Let one of them tell the tale. The fight has begun. The regiment is lying prone upon a ridge, with rifles pointed and every sense alert, awaiting the advance of the enemy. The firing of the cannon is incessant. The boom now in concert, now as if in file, the hurtling shells hissing and screaming as they cut the air, then exploding with a loud report, the moaning of the minie-balls, singing the gamut as they pass and stopping with a thud as they strike, all make a scene of horror. A shell explodes not far above the prostrate line, tearing to pieces a soldier just be neath, shattering his form and bespattering those on either side with his blood. The body quivers a moment, then is still. Two others limp to the rear badly wounded. "Ready, men," speaks the quick tones of the officer. With clenched teeth and quivering nerves, the men await the coming of the foe. Their faces are pale, but not with fear; their hearts throb, but not with apprehension of defeat. "Steady, men; they are coming," say the officers in low tones. The click of the hammers as the guns are cocked is distinctly heard, and the supreme moment is come. Up the hill but out of sight come the advancing enemy; the loud commands of their offi cers, the clank of their equipments, the steady tramp of many feet are easily discerned. "Steady, boys ! Don't fire until they get in full view," says the colonel. First above the crest SHARPSBURG. 29 appears the gilt eagle that surmounts the pole, then the flag itself ; then their hats come into view, and faces with curious eyes looking about them ; then a hurrah : "Keep cool, men !" — and as the glistening bayonets appear — "Now fire !" A sheet of fire, a storm of lead pours straight into their breasts not fifty yards away. It staggers them, and as the smoke is blown away great gaps in their ranks are seen and on the ground forms in blue writhing in pain or lying quite still. "Forward ! Charge them !" rings out the command ; and thk.t line of gray with a ringing yell springs up, delivers an other volley, which is answered in return, and rushes with fierce assault upon the ranks of blue, which wavers first, then turns in flight. CHAPTER VIII. FREDERICKSBURG. After the battle of Sharpsburg, both armies rested for a month. Then the Federals took up their march for Rich mond by way of Fredericksburg. The middle of November found them on Stafford Heights, across the Rappahannock River, under the command of General Burnside, who had been appointed to supersede McClelland. General Lee had moved his army along with the other and held Fredericksburg. Be hind the town is a ridge extending for several miles, and here he placed his batteries. On this ridge is Marye's Hill, so called from its owner, whose residence overlooks the city a mile away. The Federal General Sumner demanded the surrender of the city and threatened to bombard it if refused. This caused the exodus of women and children, who, in carriages, in carts and oh foot, tramped to the rear with such valuables as they could carry, leaving their homes with no expectation of ever seeing them again except in ruins. Three weeks were spent in fortifying the positions on both sides, the Confederates with three hundred and six cannon, the Federals with three hundred and seven. On December 11th the Federals fired the signal gun for the advance and attempted to cross the Rappahannock on pontoon bridges. Barksdale's Mississippians were posted on the river- bank, with the Third Georgia Regiment in reserve. The pickets drove off the bridge-builders until the attempt was abandoned. Then after a terrific fire of artillery which crushed the houses like • eggshells, the enemy repeated the attempt, crossed the river, 30 FREDERICKSBURG. 31 gained a foothold, were reinforced and took possession of the town. All the next day they were sending over their troops and taking positions in the town, and at a point about five miles below on the railroad known as Hamilton's Crossing. At the foot of Marye's Hill, running out of Fredericksburg into the country, is a sunken road, washed out below the level of the adjacent ground, with retaining walls of stone on either side about breast high. In this road Cobb's brigade of Georgians with the Twenty-fifth North Carolina Regiment was stationed to meet the Federal advance, with the remainder of Longstreet's Corps in reserve on the slope of the hill and beyond. The heights above were crowned with artillery un der General E. P. Alexander. At Hamilton's Crossing Stonewall Jackson, supported by D. H. Hill, was awaiting the enemy's advance. In this posi tion sixty-nine thousand Confederates were confronted by one hundred and thirty-two thousand Federals. The morning of December 13th broke, but the opposing armies were hid from each other by an impenetrable mist. About ten o'clock the fog lifted and the battle was begun. Meade's men at the crossing marched with steady tread until they were halted by a deadly fire from Jackson's ranks. In alternate advance and retreat the fight continued until two o'clock, when the Federals withdrew a little, leaving the railroad in our lines. In the meantime a fierce but forlorn onslaught was made on Marye's Hill. Coming out from town the assaulting col umn of the enemy formed behind a slight swell in the ground and advanced, only to give way before the galling fire from the stone wall. And thus in succession fourteen brigades un der French, Hancock, Sturges, Getty, Griffin, Humphrey and Sykes, marched gallantly to meet death and destruction be- 32 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. fore the sheets, of flame and lead which poured upon them from the sunken road. About one o'clock General Thomas R. R. Cobb was killed. General Kershaw with his brigade of South Carolinians and Ransom's North Carolinians, reinforced the gallant Georgians and the road was now filled with men, the rear ranks loading and passing the guns to the front so that the firing was in cessant. Only night put an end to the slaughter. The bravery of these charges against the stone wall in the face of death and certain defeat, has never been surpassed, and the morning light revealed a field covered with piles and cross-piles of the dead and wounded. One soldier came with in one hundred feet of the stone wall before he fell, and a few scattering ones close behind him were all killed. Few prisoners were taken there, but eight thousand of the flower of the Federal army lay stretched upon that fatal field of battle. It was General Burnside's intention to renew the aftack the next morning, but his generals urged him not to do so, and on the 15th of December he recrossed the river and sent his troops to their camps at Falmouth, and both armies went into winter quarters. The battle of Fredericksburg restored the esprit of our army and greatly depressed the North. It was believed in the South that peace would be declared in sixty days. CHAPTER IX. CHANCELLORSVILLE. Burnside's failure was followed by his removal, and Gen eral Hooker — "Fighting Joe Hooker," as he was called — was placed in command. Late in April, 1863, he made the fifth advance upon the Confederate capital, this time crossing the Rappahannock above Fredericksburg, with the design of flanking General Lee, who still held that place. The move ment brought about the battle of Chancellorsville. The 30th of April found Hooker at Chancellorsville, ten miles from Fredericksburg, with fifty thousand men. Gen eral Sickles with eighteen thousand men was within reach. Sedgwick with forty thousand was on the other side of Lee, below Fredericksburg. Thirteen thousand Federal cav alry threatened his communications. Lee's forty-nine thou sand ragged veterans were almost surrounded by one hundred and twenty-one thousand of the best equipped army in the world. But General Lee rose to the occasion. He was between the divided wings of the enemy and he prepared to deliver double battle. He moved nearer to Chancellorsville, leaving Early to hold Sedgwick back with eighty-five hundred men. In the dense wilderness of scrub oak, threaded by a few narrow roads, Hooker held a position of great strength. General Lee held the attention of the enemy in front while he sent Stonewall Jackson by a circuitous route around Hooker's rear. About 5 o'clock p. m. the Confederate yell rang out in Howard's rear and sent terror to the heart of the 33 34 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. foe. With Lee in front and Jackson behind them, bewildered by the close undergrowth, knowing not which way to turn, what could they expect but defeat ! Darkness fell upon the field. General Jackson rode out about nine o'clock to reconnoitre. As he came back the pick ets began firing. A North Carolina regiment, mistaking the party for the enemy fired into them. Two were killed 'uid General Jackson was severely wounded. Then A. P. Hill was stricken down. Both were carried off the field and Stuart took command. Sunday morning, May 3d, General Lee attacked Hooker on three sides simultaneously. A cross-fire from well-posted batteries made the Federal position untenable. Three times it was captured and three times retaken by the stubborn foe. At fen o'clock General Hooker was wounded and his army was soon in retreat. General Lee rode with his troops in pur suit. The air was filled with shells ; the woods? were on fire ; but as the beloved leader came into view, his victorious sol diers, the wounded and the dying, cheered him above the din of battle. At the same time what is called the second battle of Freder icksburg was fought. Sedgwick had driven back the one thousand Mississippians under Barksdale. McLaws met him and repulsed him, while Early got in his rear, retook Marye's Hill and forced him across the Rappahannock. Two days later the entire Federal army was in its old camp at Falmouth, across the river. The short campaign of a week had cost the enemy seventeen thousand men, fourteen guns and twenty thousand stand of arms. The Confederate victory was dearly bought. General Stonewall Jackson died on May 10th of the wounds received by the fatal blunder of his own men — a peerless soldier, an humble Christian. CHAPTER X. GETTYSBURG. After his disastrous defeat at Chancellorsville, General Hooker was relieved, as was usual, and General George Meade was appointed in his place. General Lee reorganized his army into three corps urider Longstreet, Ewell and A. P. Hill, respectively. In June General Lee determined to invade Pennsylvania with the hope of drawing troops from the Federal army in the West, where they were getting the better of our men, and also to relieve Virginia for a time of the exhaustion of an army occupation. June 27, 1863, found the Confederate army at Chambers- burg, Pa., northwest of Gettysburg, while consternation reigned at Washington. Meade's whole army was called to the north of the Potomac. Mr. Lincoln prayed, "0 Lord, this is your fight, but we, your humble servants, can't stand another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville." A few days later General Lee moved forward to Gettysburg and towards the enemy. Unfortunately for him, Stuart, with his cavalry, had gone on a raid around the Federal army. The cavalry is the eyes of the army; it discovers the location of the enemy and reports his movements. With the cavalry gone Lee was blind and groped about, not knowing where the enemy was until he ran against him. This fact enabled General Meade to select his own position and brought on the contest at Gettysburg, when it was General Lee's intention to fight farther south. It forced Lee to attack a strong posi tion defended by superior numbers, instead of being attacked as at Fredericksburg in entrenchments of his own choosing. 35 36 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. But, finding the enemy in possession, he must either drive him back or retreat himself. On July 1st the Federals were driven out of Gettysburg to the stronger position on Cemetery Ridge. Cemetery Ridge begins at the cemetery just outside the town of Gettysburg and extends about two miles, terminating in two rocky excres cences called Round Top and Little Round Top. On the 2d of July the other divisions of Lee's army gath ered at Gettysburg. It was scattered from Chambersburg to Harrisburg. General Gordon had laid the City of York un der contribution to purchase her safety. Stuart came in from his long ride, his men wearied and his horses jaded, having accomplished nothing of importance. Longstreet's Corps marched twenty-four miles to the rendezvous. The Federal lines formed along the ridge in the shape of a fish-hook. Culp's Hill was the point of the hook, while Round Top was at the end where the line is tied. General Lee disposed his forces around this fish-hook and planned his attack. It was his intention that Ewell should carry Culp's Hill and Longstreet follow the attack by an advance upon the ridge, thus striking the enemy in front and rear, while a battery on Round Top would hurl its thunderbolts from that commanding height. When his plans miscarried, he exactly reversed the order for the next day. Longstreet was ordered to begin the attack in front, while Ewell should follow with a charge around the other side of the curve. It was General Lee's intention to attack early on the 2d of July. If he had done so, he would have taken the enemy in detail and would undoubtedly have driven him from the ridge. But it was impossible to get his troops up in time. The attack was made at four o'clock in the afternoon. It was too late. The Federals had massed their guns upon the ridge, supported by fifty thousand infantry. But for all that Gen- GETTYSBURG. 37 eral Meade ordered his chief of staff to prepare an order for the retreat of his army. Ewell was slow to advance against the rocky sides of Culp's Hill, but once in motion, the wild Confederate yell re-echoed from the height as Edward Johnson's men fought their way to its summit. Longstreet's hardy veterans advanced with steady step to the attack upon the other side. Sickles was driven back from the Peach Orchard. Law's Alabamians passed clear over Round Top. Wright's Georgians pushed up the long slope of Cemetery Ridge, leaped fences and possessed the crest, capturing twenty cannon. But Longstreet was not supported, and could not hold what he had gained. In the face of overwhelming numbers the Confederates slowly re tired and night found them on the field a little in advance of where they had started. General Lee was still confident of success. His men had met superior numbers behind defenses and had defeated them. His artillery was in place in advantageous positions. The Southern army was eager for the fight. On the next day the advance was again delayed far beyond the time the commanding general had set. The sun stood at high noon when Alexander's guns opened the conflict. The crash of that duel in which two hundred guns belched forth fire and shot and shell was of surpassing grandeur. After half an hour the fire slackened. Then Pickett, with Petti- grew and Trimble, ordered their men to charge. Twelve thousand veterans in two lines of battle struck across the open plain a mile wide in the face of the batteries on Ceme tery Ridge. When the column was within one hundred yards of the stone wall, the Federal line broke. The Confederates sent a blazing volley into the fleeing enemy and with far- resounding yells rushed upon the wall, captured many prison ers and silenced the guns. The carnage was fearful. Nearly 38 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. every officer on both sides above the grade of captain lay bleeding among hundreds of fallen soldiers. But their vic tory was of short duration. The Federals rallied with heavy reinforcements. Coming from the flanks they swarmed around the Southern troops, capturing four thousand. The attack had failed, but "Pick ett's Charge" took its place in history alongside of the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava. General Lee recognized that the campaign was ended and prepared to retreat. CHAPTER XL THE RETREAT AND MINE RUN. General Lee never appeared grander than after the loss of Gettysburg. As his men returned from that charge, he cheered them with words of encouragement. He said : "This has been my fault. It is I that have lost this fight, and you must help me out of it.'' A Federal soldier relates that as he lay upon the ground wounded, General Lee passed by on the retreat. "Hurrah for the Union !" he cried, gloating over the defeat. General Lee stopped his horse and turned towards him. Said he: *I expected him to draw his pistol and shoot me dead for in sulting him. But looking on me with infinite tenderness, he said, 'My son, you are badly hurt. . I hope you may soon be well and at home with your own friends.' He almost broke my heart, and I did not wonder that this great man's soldiers would go into the jaws of death at his command." General Lee reformed his shattered brigades and turned his face again towards the South. The enemy did not pursue and without molestation the Army of Northern Virginia, re- crossed the Potomac. The losses at Gettysburg were appalling. Meade lost twenty-three thousand of the ninety-five thousand who fol lowed him to that field. Of fifty-eight thousand, including cavalry, which did not arrive till the last day, General Lee lost twenty thousand. Generals Armistead, Pender, Barks- dale, Garnett and Semmes were killed. Kemper, Pettigrew, Hood, Heth, Trimble, Jenkins, Anderson, Scales, Hampton and Fry were wounded and General Archer was taken prison- 39 40 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. er. Of the Federals, Generals Cross, Zook, Reynolds, Wil- lard, Weed and Farnsworth were killed. Hancock, Gibbon, Barlow, Paul, Stone, Stannard, Brooke, Webb and Sickles were wounded, and General Graham was captured. The Confederate cause reached high water-mark at Gettys burg. With the failure of Pickett's charge began the ebb of the tide and it soon became only a question of time when the end would come. MINE RUN. After the retreat from Gettysburg the Army of Northern Virginia rested behind the Rapidan until the following spring, undisturbed save by a futile advance of General Meade at Mine Run. Early on November 26th Meade attempted the sixth ad vance on Richmond and crossed the Rapidan with two corps at Culpepper Mine, while three other corps were to seek a passage higher up. General Lee was well informed of his designs, and arrayed his men along the rough banks of Mine Run quite ready to receive the attack. When General Meade found one hundred and fifty guns waiting to greet him, he paused to consider further. The assault was planned for daylight on November 30th, but daylight revealed frowning breastworks so well defended that the corps commanders were unwilling to assault, foreseeing nothing but destruction to their troops. So, angry and chagrined, General Meade led back his men to the camps they had left so gaily. CHAPTER XII. THE WILDERNESS AND SPOTTSYLVANIA. The Washington government decided to make still another change, and called General U. S. Grant from the West, where the capture of Vicksburg and the battle of Missionary Ridge had cast quit a lustre over his name, and made him general- in-chief over all the armies of the United States. General Grant came to Virginia and assumed command and in May, 1864, began the system of hammering away continuously un til he should have worn out the Southern army. It may be said here that this was the true policy from his standpoint. The North had plenty of men and plenty of resources. The South had no more men to take the places of those who fell, and no resources to draw upon to sustain those who were left. When Grant took a prisoner he sent him to prison. All proposals to exchange prisoners were rejected. He said an exchanged prisoner made another Southern soldier, which was true. The fatality of such a policy was fearful. The losses in battle and the deaths in prison on both sides were enormous, and the responsibility of this death-rate rests upon General Grant, but it brought an end to the war. The 4th of May found General Grant with one hundred and twenty thousand men in arms moving against sixty-two thousand under General Lee. The Rapidan was crossed not far from Chancellorsville and the columns pushed into the Wilderness. Lee, fully apprised of the movements of the enemy, adjusted his lines to meet the advance. Two roads run through the Wilderness to Fredericksburg. Along these roads Stonewall Jackson just a twelvemonth be- 41 42 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. fore had attacked Hooker's rear at Chancellorsville, only five miles away, and from the same direction Lee, now taking the initiative, attacked Grant. The battle raged from noon till dark. Longstreet, far away at Orange Court House, is urged by courier after courier to hasten. At dawn the next day Hancock charges and breaks our line, but is held at bay. When the sun is well up Longstreet's first corps comes swing ing down the road to the battle. General Lee meets the Texas brigade and calls out "What boys are these?" "Texas boys," is the answer. "Charge, my Texas boys !" as he advances to the fight. But the Texans cry out, "Go back, General Lee!" "General Lee to the rear ! Lee to the rear !" and a tall sol dier from the ranks, catching his bridle, turns Traveler's head to the Tear. The Texans charged wibh yells, but half the brigade fell before that terrific fire. Longstreet took Han cock on the flank and rolled up his regiments "like a wet blanket," as Hancock himself said. About midday the fatal blunder which lost Stonewall Jack son to the Confederacy was repeated. General Longstreet, in moving around the enemy, came ir. front of his own men. Mistaken for Federal officers, in the smoke and thick shrub bery, they were fired upon. General Jenkins was killed and General Longstreet so seriously wounded that he had to be taken from the field. Night fell with all the advantages of the battle with the Confederates. Morning broke upon both armies behind strong entrenchments, neither wishing to at tack the other. General Grant had said that his object was to find Lee and whip him if he would fight. He had found Mm and he had fought, but Lee had done all the whipping. Spottsylvania 'Court House is about fifteen miles from the Wilderness battle-field, in the direction of Richmond. On the morning of May 7th, when he saw that General Grant did THE WILDERNESS AND SPOTTSYLVANIA. 43 not attack, General Lee intuitively knew that Grant would move to Spottsylvania. General Lee ordered a road cut through the forest intersecting the road to Spottsylvania, and at dark made a night march to that place. He made no mistake. Grant at the same time moved forward on the other road, but when the sun rose he found his alert enemy in pos session of the coveted position. Lee had won the race. Oc cupying the ridge he fortified himself and awaited the ad vance of the foe. On the morning of the 10th the Federal army was hurled forward in an attack all along the line. The fighting was furious. Lead fell like hail. A tree a foot and a half through was cut down by the bullets. The woods were on fire, and the wounded who had escaped death by the guns now found it in the flames. A day of partial rest followed. At dawn on May the 12th in the morning mist, Hancock charged a salient, captured General Edward Johnson and his entire division of twenty- eight hundred men and twenty cannon. Disaster threatened the Southern army. Lane's North Carolinians and Gordon's Georgians came to the rescue. General Lee took his place to lead the division. "This is no place for General Lee," said Gordon, and the soldiers took it up, "General Lee to the rear !" until the be loved leader was forced to go back. Then Gordon charged, and planted his colors upon the breastworks. But on the left Harris's Mississippians and the North Carolinians under Ramseur and McGowan's South Carolinians fought desper ately to recover the lost salient. All day the carnage continued. On each side the fortifica tion men grappled and dragged one another across the logs. They climbed up and fired into the very faces of the foe and dropped dead on top the breastworks. There were none to 44 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. relieve these heroes. Every other brigade was busy with its own front. There was no reserve. But they stood their ground, "without food or drink or rest, in the falling rain, in bloody trenches, loading and firing through the watches of the night." So waged the battle at the "Bloody Angle.'' The next morning the troops were withdrawn to a stronger line. For five days the two armies lay watching each other — then Grant sent twelve thousand men to storm the salient again; but the fire of twenty-nine guns from the new line drove them back before they came in range of the riflemen. An other day saw Grant moving off towards Fredericksburg. He had lost thirty-seven thousand men in his two weeks' cam paign, and had gained nothing. The Federal losses in the Wilderness campaign exceeded the combined casualties of all the wars in which the Americans had ever engaged before. CHAPTER XIII. NORTH ANNA AND COLD HARBOR. Attempting to cross the North Anna River, General Grant found his watchful antagonist in his front and was driven back. He had crossed this river at two places, thinking to attack Lee in front and rear, but Lee quietly thrust himself between the two divisions of the Federal army in the shape of a wedge, the point resting upon a loop of the river. A glance at the map will show that General Lee had checkmated his opponent. Half of Grant's army was above the loop and half below with Lee between them, so that neither could give as sistance to the other without a double crossing of the North Anna. On the morning of the 27th of May not a Federal soldier was to be seen. They had recrossed the river and were head ing for the South. Moving further south, Grant sought to cross the Pamunky and seize Richmond, but he found the entire Confederate army athwart his path. And so foiled at every attempt, the first of June found him at Cold Harbor on the identical ground occupied by McClelland two years be fore. For fifty-six hours, without food or rest, the veterans of Lee's army had marched to outstrip the enemy and occupied the same position at Cold Harbor which they had assaulted in 1862. Their defenses were full of salients. Cannon had been placed so as to cross-fire any advance of the enemy. At early dawn on June 3d Grant made an assault "all along the line." The advancing columns were enfiladed by a hundred guns, 45 46 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. which, without cessation, belched forth grape and shrapnel, while the riflemen behind the breastworks with accurate aim poured a leaden hail into the faces of the foe. The slaughter was simply terrific. No army on. earth could live before that fire. The attack was over in forty minutes, but eleven thou sand Federal soldiers lay stretched upon the ground dead or wounded. At nine o'clock General Grant ordered his gen erals to renew the attack. They refused to obey the order. For two days the Federal wounded lay upon the field in the hot July sun without water or food. Their suffering was unspeakable. After two days General Grant sought to relieve them by sending a flag of truce, but what horrors had he left the poor fellows to endure by that delay ! Desultory fighting was kept up until the night of June the 12th, when General Grant crossed the Chickahominy. His campaign had proved a disastrous failure. He had attempted to reach Richmond from the North, but failed, and now he was seeking to find an entrance from the South. In thirty days he had lost fifty-five thousand men ; more men than Lee's entire army engaged; and if all the men he lost had been laid head to foot in one long line, they would have reached from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor ! CHAPTER XIV. PETERSBURG. Crossing the Chickahominy General Grant moved on Pe tersburg. There he was confronted by Beauregard and after three days' fighting, from June 15th to 18th, losing ten thousand more men, he settled down behind entrenchments to besiege the city. Both armies were protected by fortifications of every description and either was afraid to attack the other. The Federal commander sat for nine months patiently wait ing for his opponent to die from natural causes. In the meantime in July, 1864, General Lee sent General Early to threaten Washington, hoping to draw off a part of General Grant's forces from his front. Early, with the gallant Gordon, crossed the Potomac and took the old route to Pennsylvania. Consternation reigned in Washington again. General Lew Wallace came out to meet Early, but was routed in the battle of Monocaey. On July 11th, Early was in full view of the spires of Washington. Reinforcements were hurried from the field and the defenses of the city manned at every point. Early retired across the Potomac, after sending some cavalrymen to burn Chambers- burg in retaliation for Hunter's outrages in the valley of Virginia. For the protection of Washington General Sheridan organ ized a distinct army, and with forty-eight thousand men as sailed Early's twelve thousand at Winchester, driving him from the field. But a month later the tables were turned in the surprise at Cedar Creek, when General Gordon, with but a fourth of their number fell upon a Federal camp at day- 47 48 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. light. The surprise was complete. The startled Federals left artillery, baggage, arms, clothing, and canteens — every thing — and fled, rushing madly towards Winchester. No such rout had been seen since Bull Run. The camp was full of valuable booty. The hungry, ragged Confederates, instead of following up their victory, stopped to plunder the camp — and who can condemn them for it? Their necessity was their excuse. Sheridan met his fugitives near Newtown, rallied them, and facing them about, returned to the attack. The Confed erates, taken unprepared, retired, but with the loss of the brave Ramseur. To return to Petersburg. A fearful incident of the siege was the explosion of the Crater. From the point on the Con federate lines known as Elliot's Salient, the Federal rifle-pits were only one hundred yards distant. Miners were put to work to dig a tunnel under this salient, excavating on either side and filling it with eight thousand pounds of powder. Grant's plan was immediately after the explosion to send half his army right through, capture Petersburg and strike Lee's army in the rear. The mine was exploded and a crater thirty feet deep, thirty- five feet long and ninety-seven feet wide gaped wide open. A whole brigade of South Carolinians was blown into the air, with muskets, pieces of gun carriages and debris of every kind, and two hundred and fifty-six were buried by the ex plosion. A brigade of negro soldiers from the Federal lines was sent forward, but stopped in the Crater. The Confeder ates rallied and turned their guns upon them. Another brig ade of Federals was sent in. Then cannister and minie-balls carried destruction into the pit of death. Caught like rats in a trap, they "found the humor of the breach too hot.'' The poor wretches could neither get out nor go back, and it was PETERSBURG. 49 death to remain. And so that July day passed with dreadful suffering and the Federal roll was diminished four thousand by the experiment of the Crater. In the month of August General Hancock with two divi sions established himself at Ream's Station on the Weldon Railroad and began to tear up the tracks. A. P. Hill with Hampton's cavalry fell upon him first with artillery then with infantry, followed by a charge. The victory was com plete. Hancock, who had never seen his men driven like that, with deep mortification said, "I do not care to die, but I pray God I may never leave this field." Nine guns, twelve stand of colors and twenty-one hundred and fifty prisoners were the spoils of the Confederates. In this and other at tacks on the Weldon Railroad the Federals confessed to a loss of seven thousand men. CHAPTER XV. APPOMATTOX. The fall and winter dragged their slow length along. The Army of Northern Virginia was getting more ragged and more emaciated every day. Thousands were without socks or shoes and the best clothes they had were those captured from the enemy. But these ragged veterans were inured to hardships. Be fore the battle of Fredericksburg, more than three thousand of them began the winter without a blanket, and but half clothed. In April their daily ration was a little corn and a quarter of a pound of bacon; and General Lee issued orders to them to gather a supply of sassafras buds, wild onions, and poke sprouts to supplement their scanty fare. The campaign of Sharpsburg was fought on rations of apples and green corn. From Hanover Junction to Cold Harbor but two rations were issued ; one contained three hard biscuits and a small slice of pork; two days later each man received one cracker! What wonder that an Irishman, badly wounded on the field, called to his comrades, "Charge them, boys ! They've got chase in their haversacks!" But no word of complaint fell from the bloodless lips of these heroes. Cheerfully they endured all these hardships, and responded with alacrity to every call that was made on them. There were no recruits. Privation and disease and the enemy's sharpshooters depleted their ranks until, as General Lee said, the line had stretched until it was about \o break. About the middle of March, 1865, the forces of Early in 50 APPOMATTOX. 51 the valley having been scattered, and present apprehension of the safety of Washington from that quarter having been removed, General Sheridan marched with ten thousand cav alry to swell the total of Grant's army before Petersburg to one hundred and eleven thousand. On the 27th General Grant started his move around the right of the Confederate army. General Lee, fully aware of his purpose, moved to the right to confront him. At Five Forks, with a boldness that bordered upon rashness, Lee at tacked and drove Sheridan back. Rallying on the morrow with reinforcements, Sheridan as saulted Pickett, but with poor success until he gained his flank and rear. Then, realizing that the battle was lost, it became with the Confederates sauve qui pent. Following the success at Five Forks, on April 1st a general assault upon Petersburg was ordered. The Confederate line was stretched to the utmost and before the pressure of overwhelming num bers it gave way, now here, now there, but not without deliv ering a final blow in return. Petersburg was evacuated and in its last defense Lieutenant General A. P. Hill was killed. He was a gallant soldier. His name was the last upon the lips of the South's greatest generals. Stonewall Jackson, in his delirium, cried, "A. P. Hill, prepare for action!" General Lee, just before he ex pired, exclaimed, "Tell Hill he must come up !" Richmond was evacuated. Lee retired with his famished soldiers towards Lynchburg, expecting supply trains to meet him. Alas ! they had been captured and destroyed. Ewell's Corps, now depleted to three thousand men, was surrounded at Sailors' Creek and made prisoners. Longstreet and Gor don had crossed the Appomattox, but it was apparent that the end was near. 52 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. So, in the interests of humanity, on the 9th day of April, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, with twenty-eight thou sand men of all arms, who for nine long months had held at bay one hundred thousand, Robert E. Lee surrendered the ragged remnants of the finest army the world ever saw. CHAPTER XVI. THE WESTERN CAMPAIGNS. In passing from the operations in Virginia to those in the West, it is appropriate to say a word in behalf of the Western Army. Comparisons between the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee have often been made to the dis paragement of the latter. The soldier in one was as good as in the other. In each there were Alabamians and Carolin ians j troops from all the States were in both armies ; all were Southerners. But it must be remembered there was but one General Lee. The world does not produce two such men in the same generation. The division commanders in one were not superior to those in the other. Virginia had her Stuart, Tennessee her Forrest. Jackson was no braver than Polk, nor Gordon more gallant than Cleburne. If Hill and Hoke and McLaws knew no fear of the enemy, neither did Cheatham nor Hardee nor Van Dorn. In Virginia the Federal army had but two objects, the capture of Richmond and the protection of Washington. In the West an army quite as numerous and as well equipped had no capital in its rear to guard, but sought to overrun the whole country. Nor was it until they had concentrated at Chattanooga that the two opposing armies employed their full strength against each other. Like the Federals in Virginia, the Confederates in Tennes see suffered from too many commanders. The prejudices of the administration retained too long chiefs who were ineffi cient, and hampered those of approved ability. But none 5S 54 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. suffered hardships more uncomplainingly, none fought the enemy more fiercely, and none served his country more cheer fully than the soldier of the Army of Tennessee. The Western campaigns designated by the names of the principal battles in each will be known as Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Atlanta and Frank lin. In September, 1861, General Albert Sidney Johnston was assigned to the command of the Department of the West. He immediately determined to seize Bowling Green, Ky., and, sending General Buckner there with five thousand men, he himself followed and made it his headquarters. At the same time a Confederate force, under General Leonidas Polk, was occupying Columbus, Ky., on the Mississippi River. A part of this force had been sent across the river in command of General Pillow, and was in camp at Belmont, Mo. General U. S. Grant, then unknown to fame, was at Pa- ducah, Ky. He moved down the river and attacked the Con federates, driving in the advance and capturing the camp ; but General Polk sent reinforcements, the Federals were re pulsed and routed, and General Grant scored his first defeat. FORTS HENRY AND DONELSON. The Tennessee River was defended by a garrison at Fort Henry, and the Cumberland River was protected by Fort Donelson. The two were about twelve miles apart across the ridge dividing the rivers. Finding the defenses at Columbus too strong to attack, in February, 1862, a fleet of gunboats moved upon Fort Henry. After a furious bombardment the guns of the fort were dis abled. General Grant was advancing with twenty-five thou sand men. Seeing it was impossible to hold the fort, Gen eral Tilghman sent the garrison across to Fort Donelson, re- THE WESTERN CAMPAIGNS . 55 taining seventy-eight men to serve the guns until they were safely away, and then surrendered Fort Henry to Admiral Foote. Fort Donelson was then invested on the land side by Gen eral Grant, while the gunboats supported him on the river. Seventeen thousand Confederate troops had been gathered at that point under Generals Floyd, Pillow, and Buckner. Re inforcements brought the Federal army up to twenty-seven thousand men, who attacked on every side. The assault lasted three days, when, finding their condition desperate, General Floyd turned over the command to Pillow, and escaped in the boats with a brigade of Virginians. Pillow in turn passed the command to Buckner and escaped. General Buckner said he would stay by his men and share their fate. Forrest swore he would not surrender, and, assembling his men plunged into the icy water and was next heard of at Nash ville. Then General Buckner entered into negotiations with General Grant and surrendered with nine thousand troops. The commanding general incurred severe censure for the fall of Donelson, and deputations of citizens from Tennes see went to the President to demand his removal. But Mr. Davis said, "If Sidney Johnston is not a general, then I have none.'' The fall of Fort Donelson was a disaster from which the Army of the West never recovered. There is no doubt that the entire garrison might have escaped had General Floyd heeded Forrest's advice. Their capture was due partly to the situation not being defensible from a land side attack, but chiefly to the refusal of General Floyd to fight his way out. The surrender of Fort Donelson left the Cumberland River open to Nashville. The Tennessee River was open to North Alabama. So General Johnston withdrew from Bowling Green, Columbus and Nashville were evacuated and the army 56 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. fell back to Corinth, Miss., with the intention of protecting the Mississippi Valley. Here they were joined by General Bragg with ten thousand men from Pensacola and by Beaure gard with seven thousand from Memphis, bringing the aggre gate of the Army of Tennessee up to forty thousand men. CHAPTER XVII. SHILOH. Early in April, 1862, General Grant assembled his forces at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River and awaited the arrival of Buell, who was marching overland from Nash ville. Sidney Johnston with the divisions of Polk, Bragg, Hardee and Breckenridge, marched from Corinth to attack him, with Beauregard second in command. At daylight on April the 6th the Confederates struck the enemy's outposts and the battle was begun. With thirty-nine thousand men, they attacked forty-nine thousand in a posi tion of their own choosing. The attack was a surprise. Grant gaid, "I did not believe Beauregard was such a fool as to leave his base of operations and attack us in ours." Hindman's Mississippians found Prentiss's men in camp eating their breakfast and captured a whole brigade. The Federal flanks were turned and driven in pell-mell. At one point they massed their troops and the desperate fighting over the position gave it the name of the "Hornef s Nest." Here behind a dense thicket on the crest of a hill, protected by defenses of logs and brush, the flower of Grant's army was gathered. As at Fredericksburg, an open field must be crossed to assail it. For five hours brigade after brigade braved the deadly peril of the assault. Hindman's division was reduced to fragments; A. P. Stewart's regiments were decimated; Gibbon's Louisianians had suffered a bloody re pulse ; and Cheatham and Breckenridge had moved up. Then Sidney Johnston cried, "Men, we must give them the bayonet ! 57 58 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. I will lead you," and the line charged with a mighty yell. A sheet of flame from the Federal guns poured destruction into their midst. The line withered, but there was no pause. The crest was gained, the position taken and the enemy was in flight. At six o'clock the Federals had been driven back to the river. The victorious Confederates had possessed all of his encampments but one, nearly all his field artillery, thirty flags, three thousand prisoners and thousands of small arms and munitions of war. At this juncture nothing was needed to complete the anni hilation of the Federal army but to vigorously follow up the victory. This was the situation: Grant's army had been driven back from their positions into a corner with the Ten nessee River on one side, a creek and a swamp on the other, and the victorious Confederates in front. They could not cross the river, the swamp was impassable, and the Confed erates irresistible. They were indeed "betwixt the devil and the deep sea.'' But alas! General Johnston had been shot by a minie-ball as he sat on his horse. The artery in his leg was cut, and because no one was near to stop the bleed ing he quickly bled to death. The command devolved upon General Beauregard. Beaure gard was sick, lying upon an ambulance cot in the rear. He had not approved of the attack in the morning, thinking too much time had been lost. Without perhaps appreciating the state of the battle he gave orders to withdraw the troops. Fatal blunder! to snatch from his army the fruits of their victory just as they were about to pluck them. The army fell back and Grant was saved from ruin. There can be no doubt that if Sidney Johnston had lived through the day, the entire Federal army would have been captured and destroyed, and General Grant, in all probability, SHILOH. 59 would never have been heard of again. But, as Touchstone says, "There's much virtue in if." That night General Buell crossed the river and reinforced the Federals with twenty-two thousand fresh men, and the next day Beauregard retreated to Corinth. The Federals fol lowed with an army of eighty thousand, so slowly that it was not until a month after the battle of Shiloh that they appeared before the lines at Corinth. Then unwilling to hazard an attack, Beauregard retreated further south, to Tupelo, Miss., and, being too ill to attend to the duties of the position, he transferred the command to General Bragg. CHAPTER XVIII. NEW ORLEANS. In the meantime New Orleans had fallen. Admiral Far- ragut, with a powerful fleet of ironclads, had passed the pro tecting forts below, and demanded the surrender of the city, which the Confederate troops had evacuated to prevent its bombardment. The infamous Benjamin F. Butler was placed in. command of the city and began a terrorized reign of pillage and insult which gained for him the well-deserved soubri quets of "Spoons" and "Beast," and caused President Davis to set a price upon his head as a common outlaw. The Mississippi River was now completely in possession of the enemy, except from Vicksburg to Port Hudson, a dis tance of sixty miles, which formed the connecting link between the East and the West. At Vicksburg strong defenses under the command of General Martin L. Smith, blocked the pass age of the river. THE KENTUCKY CAMPAIGN. In July, 1862, Kirby Smith, with twelve thousand Confed erates, held East Tennessee. General Bragg was at Tupelo, Miss., with forty-five thousand. Buell started off from near Corinth with thirty-thousand men for North Alabama, which was undefended. It was evident that some new move must be made, and it resulted in what was. called the Kentucky campaign. General Forrest, that brilliant cavalryman, who was said to have been the only military genius that the war produced, and the greatest cavalry leader pf history, and John H. Mor- 60 NEW ORLEANS. 61 gan, the daring partisan, were sent into Middle Tennessee and Kentucky, and by their restless activity claimed the attention of the Federals in that section. While General Wheeler in the rear of the enemy at Corinth was keeping them busy with his cavalry, Bragg transferred his army from Tupelo to Chattanooga, leaving Generals Price and Van Dorn to con front Grant at Corinth. Kirby Smith advanced into Kentucky, met the enemy under Nelson at Richmond, defeated him, captured six thousand men, nine guns and all of his wagon-trains, and marched into Lexington. A brigade of cavalry was sent on to Louisville, and Harry Heth's division marched north to Covington just across the river from Cincinnati. Bragg was still at Chatta nooga with twenty-eight thousand men ; Buell with fifty thou sand was at Murfreesboro. After the battle of Richmond, Buell and Bragg both raced for Louisville ; Buell via Nashville and Bowling Green, Bragg by a road to the east. The people of Louisville were wild with excitement, the Southern sympathizers eagerly looking for the Confederates, the Unionists removing their valuables across the river for safety. On September 17th, while Lee was repelling the bloody assaults of McClelland at Sharpsburg, Bragg engaged a part of Buell's army at Munfordsville, Ky. Bragg captured a garrison of four thousand prisoners, but his advance, was ar rested and Buell won the race to Louisville. Like Lee in Maryland, General Bragg was disappointed in gaining recruits in Kentucky. When he saw the comfort that was on every side he said, "These people have too many fat cattle and are too well off to fight." There were many South ern sympathizers in that State, but as many more who sided with the North. CHAPTER XIX. PERRYVTLLE. General Buell moved from Louisville on October 1st with large reinforcements to meet Bragg and attacked him at Per- ryville on the 8th. Enfilading the enemy with his artillery and pouring a blinding fire with his infantry, Bragg dealt such destruction in the Federal ranks that regiment after regiment gave way before his determined onset. During the battle our troops advanced about a mile, holding their ground and capturing prisoners, guns and colors. But the losses were not all with the Federals. While they lost four thousand we lost thirty-four hundred, and in the Forty-first Georgia Regiment alone seven color-bearers were successively shot down. The Confederates were at every point victorious and night fell with the battle-field entirely within our lines. But it would have been folly for Bragg with fifteen thousand ex hausted men with no base of supplies to await a second at tack by fifty thousanG, half of whom were fresh troops; so he wisely withdrew to Harrodsburg. Two uays elapsed and no forward movement was made by the Federals. Bragg prepared to retreat to Murfreesboro. The re+reat was accomplished safely, but with many difficul ties. The Kentucky campaign had not been a failure. The Fed erals had lost in killed, wounded and prisoners twenty-six thousand men. We had taken thirty-five cannon, sixteen 62 PERRYVILLE. 63 thousand rifles, thirty-seven thousand mules and horses, and had redeemed Middle Tennessee and North Alabama. Buell was removed for not destroying Bragg, and Bragg was censured for not destroying Buell. In Tennessee Buell was succeeded by General Rosecrans. Bragg's army was weakened by President Davis peremptorily ordering him to send eight thousand men to reinforce Pemberton in Missis sippi. MURFREESRORO. New Year's day found the Confederates at Murfreesboro, Tenn., with Rosecrans in their front a mile and a half away. In this situation the gallant General Wheeler with three thousand cavalry made a complete tour of Rosecrans' army, capturing eleven hundred men and destroying millions of dollars worth of property, leaving in his wake all the debris of a captured wagon-train and returning on the second day with supplies enough to arm a brigade. Bragg resolved to attack the enemy in his position. On December 30th the Confederates moved out of Murfreesboro and crossed Stone's River. The Federals had encamped across the Nashville road with one flank resting on the river's bend. At early dawn General Hardee, with characteristic promptness, advanced to the attack and found the enemy cooking their breakfast. But though surprised they soon rallied and a desperate fight ensued. Sweeping on like a resistless tide the Confederates drove everything before them. A thousand Federals fell in a few minutes. Then Cleburne came rushing over fences and through thickets with the fury of a tornado, and Cheatham followed with his brave Tennes- seeans, pressing back the enemy at every point. Their line was doubled back upon itself by the irresistible fury of the Confederates like the shutting of a knife-blade. 64 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. But the flower of the Western army under one of their moBt skillful leaders did not yield without a stubborn fight. The repulse and the rally followed in regular succession and blood flowed everywhere. The Federal Generals Sill and Kirk were killed, General Van Cleve badly wounded and General Wil- lich was captured. Field officers and privates lay in piles upon the ground. Night fell upon the scene and the battle ended, leaving us masters of the field. The next day the Federals entrenched and both armies rested. Again Bragg attacked, taking the position they had occupied, but as his victorious soldiers continued the charge far beyond their support, they were met by a galling fire from the reserve Federal artillery and two thousand fell upon the field. Another day passed without fighting and the battle of Murfreesboro proved another fruitless victory, for the Con federates fell back to Tullahoma and thence to Chattanooga. The losses at Murfreesboro were fearful. Out of thirty-five thousand men engaged, Bragg lost over ten thousand. Of forty-six thousand Federals, twelve thousand seven hundred were lost, of whom thirty-five hundred were taken prisoners. CHAPTER XX. VICKSBURG. In the meantime, on the 3d and 4th of October, a fierce assault was made upon the Federal lines at Corinth, by Van Dorn with twenty thousand men. General Rosecrans, who had not then relieved Buell, commanded the Union army with signal ability, and testified to the desperate fighting of the Confederates, which excited his warmest admiration. But the attack failed of its object. Corinth remained in the Union lines. But General Van Dorn redeemed the defeat of Corinth by a brilliant move in which, with three thousand cavalry, he destroyed Grant's whole depot of supplies at Holly Springs, to the value of $1,000,000, and captured two thou sand prisoners and six thousand muskets, compelling Grant to fall back to Corinth. The closing of the year 1862 found General Sherman pre paring to assail Chickasaw Bluffs, which was held by General Stephen D. Lee. The position had been made almost impreg nable by that distinguished engineer officer, General Martin L. Smith, but Sherman said when he ordered the attack: "We have got to lose five thousand men before we take Vicks burg, and we may as well lose them here as anywhere." Ten minutes after the assault was made he had lost eighteen hun dred men, when his subordinates assured him there was no possibility of success. General Sherman refused to send a flag of truce asking for the removal of his dead and wounded because, he said, it looked like a confession of defeat. His example was followed for the same reason by General Grant at Cold Harbor. 65 66 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. By the following May, General Grant had by a circuitous route placed his army in the rear of Vicksburg, with gunboats above and below on the river. The city was completely in vested and the siege begun. The Confederate forces, number ing thirty thousand, were commanded by General Pemberton. The bombardment of the city was incessant, and women and children were compelled to take refuge in caves dug in the hillsides. Every morning and afternoon when the regu lar shelling began, they would go to their caves, returning to find perhaps that an intruder had been in the home, and the parlor or it may be the sleeping-room, completely demolished. One night a solid shot entered a room in which two children were sleeping, passed through the bureau, struck the bed, tearing out the footposts, and passed out of the house. The bed dropped to the floor, but the children were unharmed. Desperate assaults upon the works were made by the Fed erals, in which they suffered great loss. Food became scarce. Communication with the outer world was cut off, and no sup plies came to the relief of the beleaguered city. Mule meat became a substitute for beef, and rats were esteemed a choice delicacy. Finally as one of the soldiers said, they had peas for breakfast, water for dinner and swelled up for supper. Forty-seven days the siege lasted until human endurance had Teached its limit. Every soldier was needed to man the de fenses ; no relief could be given any portion for a single hour. Confined within the narrow limits of the trenches night and day, exposed to sun and shot and shell, with limbs cramped and swollen, without food, nothing remained but capitulation; and on July A+^j °? Lpp WiTF retreating from Gettysburg, Vicksburg surrendered to General Grant. CHAPTER XXI. CHICKAMAUGA. Since Bragg's retreat to Chattanooga, both armies in Ten nessee had lain inactive. Some daring cavalry raids had oc curred, and General Forrest had distinguished himself by some important captures. In August, 1863, Rosecrans began to move from Bridge port, Ala., with the intention of crossing the Tennessee River and striking Bragg in the rear. His design was discovered and Bragg fell back to Chickamauga, leaving Chattanooga in the enemy's hands. While Rosecrans was gathering his forces, General Bragg had the opportunity to strike him in detail and utterly defeat him, which General Lee or Stonewall Jackson would have been quick to do. But the opportunity was neglected, and the Federals took position after concentrat ing their brigades. On September the 19th the great battle of Chickamauga was joined. Fierce fighting all day long gave the advantage to the Confederates. That night Longstreet, who, with his hardy veterans, had been detached from Lee's army, arrived with welcome reinforcements. The crisp September morning had hardly broke when the contest was renewed. The fighting was sanguinary and determined. Hillside and mountain re-echoed with the roar of artillery and everv crest was lighted with a sheet of flame. As the sun rose high the heat became intense and thirst added its horrors to those of war. A pool of water in which lay men and horses shot to death was the coveted prize 67 68 THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. over which the living fought. All day the conflict waged over hill and dale till night closed upon the scene. Rosecrans' headquarters were captured and his army was swept from the field. On right and left every position had been abandoned. But one was held. On a bold spur of the ridge George H. Thomas, a native Virginian, had placed one of his brigades. Protected on one side by a precipitous wall and strengthened by heavy log breastworks, these brave defenders of a defeated army held their position hour after hour. Regiments and brigades and divisions of the flower of the Confederate troops dashed against this improvised fortress and were cut to pieces by its well-aimed fire. But the final assault of the day drove the enemy from their stronghold, and as the darkness hid them from view they retreated beyond the ridge. But for the firm stand made by the gallant Thomas, the rout of the Federals would have been complete. He saved Theif~army from destruction, and .gained for that day's work ¦ffiTname of"Rock . of . Qhjpkamauga." ~T3imng"the night and all the next day, Rosecrans' troops, disorganized and defeated, were hurrying to the rear. The roads were filled with artillery mixed with wagon-trains, and all was confusion and disorder. Forrest was quick to perceive it and urged General Bragg to push the pursuit, saying "that every hour was worth a thousand men." But General Bragg seemed not to know that he had gained a victory. Instead of striking the fleeing Fed erals and taking Chattanooga, the objective point of the campaign, which their defeated commander was preparing to evacuate, the day was spent in gathering the spoils of battle. Rosecrans was given time to breathe. He strengthened his defenses, he rallied his men, he reorganized his brigades and held his ground. CHICKAMAUGA. 69 The battle of Chickamauga was another barren victory. Though the Confederates, forty-seven thousand strong, de feated sixty-four thousand Federals, and though they cap tured eight thousand prisoners, fifty-one cannon, fifteen thou sand stand of small arms and vast quantities of stores, the point for which the battle was fought was not gained,- simply becauseThe "commanding- general -did-not -ehoose to take it. CHAPTER XXII. MISSIONARY RIDGE. In October, 1863, General Grant was placed in command of the army at Chattanooga. On November 4th, Longstreet was detached from Bragg to look after Burnside at Knoxville, and proceeded thence to join General Lee in Virginia. Sherman had come to reinforce Grant, bringing the aggregate of his army up to sixty thousand men. Since the battle of Chickamauga Bragg was occupying Missionary Ridge, which rises a few miles back of Chatta nooga, and was confident of starving out Rosecrans and march ing into Chattanooga at his pleasure. Indeed Rosecrans was seriously contemplating retreat; but General Grant pur sued a vigorous policy' which resulted in a fierce attack on our lines. General Hooker crossed Lookout Mountain and struck Bragg's flank" andthe battle i oTlirsaonaTy~Mdga_tflir^ffid. "It proved a disaster to our arms, relieving Chattanooga, and confirmed the Union army in its possession of all the country north of Tunnel Hill. The so-called "Battle of the Clouds" General Grant himself said was a romance of the war. There was no