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GRAND   ARMY   PICTURE  BOOK. 


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BATTLE   OF   BULL   RUN.  JULY   21,   1861. 


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George  I'^outledge  cSc  Sons,  Limited,  new  York,  London.  Glasgow  «i»' Manchester. 


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THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


THE  Civil  War  lu',i,'.-iii  with  tlio  attaol<  of  tlic  Confodoratos  on  Fort 
S\imlor,  a  fortress  in  CMiarlcston  llarlior,  into  wliicli  Major  Ander- 
son liad  witlulrawn  liis  troops.  'I'lio  first  i;;im  pointed  !>)'  tlie  Confederates  on 
tlie  Union  troops  was  lircd  by  Edmund  Rafliii,  of  Virginia,  April  12,  1861. 
This  shot  was  foUowixl  by  a  tempest  of  shells  and  balls  from  thirty  eannons 
and  mortars  ;  the  assault  continued  all  day,  and  a  sluggish  bombardment 
was  kept  >ip  during  the  dark  and  stormy  night.  The  garrison  o£  Fort 
.Sumter,  seventy  in  num- 
ber, were  worn  out  when 
the  morning  of  April  1,5 
dawned  ;  their  provisions 
had  given  out,  the  bar- 
racks was  on  lire,  ami 
the  smoke  and  heat  in- 
tense. At  noon  the  Union 
flag  was  cut  down  by  a 
shell,  but  was  caught  as  it 
fell  and  replaced  by  Ser- 
geant Hart.  The  fall  of 
the  flag  induced  the  Con- 
federate (jencral  lieaure- 
gard  to  scud  a  flag  of  truce 
to  the  besieged  Ihiion 
troops,  and  on  April  14 
the  little  garrison  evacua- 
ted the  fort,  and  was  con- 
\'eyed  to  New  York. 

The  news  of  the  attack 
and  evacuation  of  the  fori 
created  the  wildest  excite- 
ment in  the  North.  On  April  15  President  Lincohi  issued  a  call  for  sev- 
enty-five thousand  troiips,  and  siunmoned  the  Congress  to  meet  on  ]uly  4. 
AVashington  now  became  the  centre  of  the  struggle.  "  On  to  AV'ashiu"- 
ton  I "  was  the  Southern  cry,  whose  spokesman,  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
declared,  "  There  is  one  wild  shout  of  fierce  resolve  to  capture  AVash- 
ington  City  at  all  a'tia  jevery  human  hazard." 

The  first  Northern  troops  ready  were  those  of  Massachusetts  ;  they 
reached  Baltimore  April  19,  where  they  were  attacked  on  the  march,  and 

ConmcHT,  1890,  UY  Hugh  Cbaiu. 


LINCOLN    UIMIWI 


three  men  of  the  Sixth  Massachusetts  were  killed.  This  was  the  first 
blood  shed.  On  May  14  Baltimore  was  occupied  by  Union  troops,  and  in 
obedience  to  a  new  call  by  the  President  for  sixtj'-four  thousand  troops  to 
serve  "  during  the  war,"  men  were  flocking  into  Washington  by  thousands, 
and  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a  garrison  town. 

The  Civil  War  was  one  of  the  most  destructive  on  record.  During 
the  four  years  of  its  continuance,  on  the  Union  side,  two  million  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty-six  thousand 
and  five  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-three men  were  called 
into  service  ;  one  million 
four  hundred  thousand 
were  in  actual  service  ; 
sixty  thousand  men  were 
killed  in  the  field,  thirty 
thousand  mortally  wound- 
ed, one  hundred  and  eigh- 
t}'-four  thousand  died  in 
hospital  or  camp.  The 
Confederates,  it  is  suppos- 
ed, lost  an  equal  number, 
while  on  both  sides  a  large 
number  were  more  or  less 
disabled  for  life.  Nor  was 
the  expenditure  of  money 
less  lavish.  In  August, 
1865,  three  months  after 
the  close  of  the  war,  the 
>K,  iiiN.-. -.nKori-.H  «AMMN,,i.'N.  dcbt    of    thc   Uuiou    was 

over  three  billion  dollars, 
and  if  wc  include  the  whole  nation,  the  actual  cost  of  the  war  must 
have  been  over  six  billion  dollars. 

Some  small  skirmishes  took  place  between  the  Confederates  advancing 
on  Washington  and  the  loyal  troops  in  the  mountain  regions  of  Virginia, 
where  General  George  B.  McClellan  had  dispersed  the  Confederate  force 
luider  Garnett  and  Wise.  But  the  first  pitched  battle,  the  one  that  made 
both  sides  see  how  terrible  would  be  the  struggle,  was  that  fought  in  fiont 
of  Washington,  on  the  soil  of  A'irginia. 


h  i^p 


COatLlLT    AT    liLACK    KIVEi!.    .NKAIt    UMi'll^HHlUtJ,    \UiGlSiA.    JULY    H,    ml. 


THE  BATTLE  OF   BULL  RUN. 


advance  and  attack  tl>c 


In  tlic  summer  months  (i(  1H61, 
troops  from  all  the  loyal  States 
wcn'  j;allnri'(l  lo  ilefciid  Wash- 
ini;lon,  when  news  arrived  that 
.|(),(i()n  ( 'onli'deiaU-  troops  iinilei" 
lieaiu'egard  were  oeeiipying  a 
sironp;  position  at  Manassas  June- 
lion,  about  thirty  miles  (rum  Wash- 
inti'lon.  l\Ianassas  was  connected  by 
railroads  with  the  Confederate  capi- 
tal, Richmond,  and  with  the  fertile 
Shenandoah  Valley,  where,  at  Win- 
chester, Joseph  K.  Johnston  had 
nearly  as  many  nun.  On  July  16  it 
was  announceil  that  the  Union  forces 
under  (icncral  McDowell  were  to 
'I'liey  were  in  l"i\e  divisions,  under 
Generals  Daniel  Tyler  and  'riuodorc  Runyon,  and  Colonels  Daviil 
Hunter,  Samuel  P.  llcintzelman,  and  Dixon  S.  I\liles,  while  Clencral  Pat- 
terson was  stationed  at  Martinsbnrf;-  lo  keep  Joseph  IC.  Johnston  from 
joining  his  forces  with  those  under  Beauregard.  The  latter  had  disposed 
his  troops  along  a  little  stream  named  l?ull  Run,  a  tributar)'  of  the 
Oecoquan,  from  Union  l\Iills,  where  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Rail- 
road crosses  the  stream,  to  the  Stone  Bridge  on  the  Warrenton  t>n-npike, 
a  distance  of  about  eight  miles.  McDowell's  troops  encountered  no 
opposition  at  Fairfax  Court  Mouse  or  Centreville,  from  which  jilaces  the 
Confederates  retired  before  the  Federal  advance.  I\lcDowell  pushed 
on  to  Blackburn's  Ford,  wlwre  the  Confederate  General  Longstrcct 
was  stationed  with  a  strong  force  of  men  and  concealed  batteries. 
Here,  on  July  18,  a  severe  tight  began,  m  which  I\lichigan,  Massachu- 
setts, and  New  York  troops  were  engaged,  but  the  Confederates  were 
too  strong,  and  the  Union  forces  were  forced  back  on  Centreville. 
McDowell  now  resoUed  on  a  grand  attack,  and  the  two  following  days 
were  de\oted  to  preparations.  On  July  Ji,^t  two  in  the  morning,  the 
moon  shining  brightly,  three  colunms  of  Union  soldiers  started  for 
Centreville.  General  Tyler,  with  the  brigades  of.  Sehenck  and  Sher- 
man, were  sent  on  to  the  Stone  Bridge,  where  they  were  to  makp  a 
feigned  attack,  while  two  other  columns  were  to  cross  Bull  Run,  Dur- 
ing the  preceding  day  the  Confederate  army,  under  General  Joseph 
E.  Johnston,  had  succeeded  i[i  chiding  the  Union  General  Pattci-son, 
and  had  arrived  from  the  Shenandoah  valley,  and  joined  the 


^  (jcneral  Tyler  opened  the  battle  by  flinging  a  shell  into  the  Confederate 
troops  under  General  Evans,  at  the  Stone  Bridge  ;  reinforcements  were 
sent  to  him  by  General  Beauregard,  and  a  counter-attack  by  the  Confed- 
erates on  McDowell's  forces  at  Blackburn's  Ford  failed.  General  Hunter 
crossed  Bull  Run  at  Sudley  Chiu-ch  about  ten  in  the  morning,  and  a 
furious  struggle  began.  Hunter  was  wounded,  Colonel  SlocUm,  of  Rhode 
Island,  was  killed,  and  the  National  line  began  to  tremble,  when  General 
Porter,  with  some  regular  troops,  came  up  and  opened  a  heavy  tire  on  the 
Confederate  foi'ces.  A  charge  made  by  a  New  York  regiment  under  Gen- 
eral H.  W.  Sloeum  dro\'e  the  Confederate  line  back  to  a  plateau, 
where  General  Thomas  J.  Jackson  h.id  just  arrived  with  the  reserves. 
"  They  arc  beating  us  back  I  "  exclaimed  the  Confederate  General  Bee. 
"  Well,"  said  Jackson,  "  give  them  the  bayonet."  Bee,  resuming  cour- 
age, ordered  his  men  to  form,  adding,  "There  stands  Jackson  like  a 
s/o/ic  -Villi."  The  flight  was  checked,  and  the  struggle  was  renewed, 
and  up  till  three  o'clock  the  Union  armj'  had  rather  the  better  of  it. 

"  Oh,  for  four  more  regiments  !  "  cried  General  Johnston.  Just  then 
he  s.-iw  a  cloud  of  dust  in  the  direction  of  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad. 
It  was  General  Kirby  Smith's  force,  four  thousand  strong,  and  it  was 
at  once  flung  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight.  The  effect  was  sudden, 
unexpected,  and  ovcrwdielming.  The  Union  troops  were  swept  from 
the  plateau,  and  by  four  o'clock  a  panic  seized  most  of  the  men  ;  it 
was  not  a  retreat,  but  a  rout  ;  the  army  fled  across  Bull  Run  toward 
Centreville,  pouring  in  confusion  over  the  Stone  Bridge,  and  leaving  on 
the  field  three  thousand  of  their  comrades,  killed,  wounded,  or  prisoners. 

Little  was  this  result  expected 
Crowds  had  come  out  from  Wash- 
ington to  see  the  battle,  and  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  battlefield  was  gay  with 
visitoi-s.  The  heights  near  this  town 
were  crowded  with  spectators,  and 
the  terror  of  these  visitors  when 
the  defeat  of  the  Union  army  was 
evident,  added  to  the  dangers  of 
the  flight.  The  roads  were  blocked 
with  overturned  vehicles  or  aban- 
doned cannon,  and  a  mass  of  soldiers, 
ei\ihans,  and  well-dressed  women 
mingled  in  picturesque  confusion. 
The  fugitives  made  no  pause  till  they  ,  ^  s^-^_^-/^      -_   i 

guns  of  the  capital.  g^  t.  beauregarp. 


main  army,     were  under  th- 


BATTLE      t    ■^fXESSI    NVILJ  £,    J43IES  LSI  4ND    b    (      JUNf    If    JW        I  ^^        1- r      f  A  f     >    r 


I    K\      mrsFHi!  s  I  s)  nt  (  J'^ntM  sri-\hNs 


l-ORT    DONKLSON. 


NiCAK   llu'   lioundaiy 
(){   Kentucky  and   Ten- 
nessee,  tlie    two     ii-reat 
rivers,  the  Cumberland 
and  llie  'l\'nnessee,  ap- 
proaeh     within     tweUe 
miles     ot     each    cither. 
Here,  at  a  bend  in  each 
ri\cr,  the  Confederates 
hail  erected  F<n-t  Henry 
im   llic   'I'ennessee,   and 
l'"url    Donelson    iin    the 
Cumberland,     to     com- 
maiul    the    rivers,     and 
|iri-\i'nl    IJK'  advance  ol 
lite   Federals  into  these 
.States.   These  two  forts, 
(Icnrial      (iiant      saw, 
were    the    1se\      of     the 
siluat  \on.  and  he  resol\  ■ 
ed    III    t.d^c    them.     A 
nax.-d  and    military   ex- 
pedition was  preiiared,  and  on   l'\'brnary  j,  iSdj,  Grant  left   Cairo  with 
17,000  men  in  transports,  and  Flajj-ollicer  h'oote  aeeompanied  him  with 
seven   gunboats.      Fort    Henry    fell   on    Febrnary    7,  and    (Jrant    tele- 
graphed to  Washini;'ton,  "1  shall  taUe  and  destroy  Fort   Donelson  on 
the    Hlh."     Ooncl-on    was    tlie    stronfjest    military    work    in    the    entire 
theatre  ol   wai'.      It   stood   on  a   rnuiied   and  inaccessible  series  of   hills, 
the  country   was  denscl\    wooded,  and   all    around    the   fioni    ot   the   fort 
the    timber    had    been    lelled,   anil    the    limbs    cleaned    and    shaipened    to 
ob.truet  any  .uhancc.     .\   strong  line  of  riHe-pits  had   been   lornied,  and 
detached  batteries  placed  on   eonniiandiuii'  heights.     It  was  a  marvellous 
work,  covering  a   hundred  acres  of  ground,  and  garrisoned  with  21,000 
men.     On  Febru;uy  14,  the  lleet  commenced  the  action,  hut  after  a  tire 
of  an  hour  and  a  half,  the  liagship  S/.  Loids  and  the  iron-clad  /.oiiisvillc 
were  disabled,  and  drifted  out  of  action.      The   lire   ol    the    fort,  which 
was  rapid  and  accurate,  now  was  concentrated  on   the  rest   of  the  tleet, 
the  Caromkhl  and  the  I'ilhhiiro;  and  compelled  them  to  retire.    Never 
were  war  vessels  exposed  to  a  more  tremendous  pounding   than   those 
four  gunboats  while  the  liglit  lasted.     The  night  of  February  14  was  an 
anxious  one  for  both  sides;  the  Confederates  resolved  to  make  a  sortie. 


eOMMllllOKI',    KOOIK. 


and  next  morning  at  5  A.M,  10,000  inen  under  Generals  Pillow  and  Buek- 
ner  sallied  forth,  the  former  attacking  the  Federal  right  under  General 
MeClernand,  the  latter  prepared  to  fall  on  the  centre  under  General 
W.allace.  The  charge  was  quick  and  furious,  the  whole  Federal  right 
gave  way  except  the  extreme  left  under  General  Logan,  whose  Illinois 
regiments  stood  lirm  and  pre\'ented  a  panic.  MeClernand  now  called  on 
Wallace  for  help,  and  so  effectual  was  the  aid  he  gave  that  the  Con- 
federate forces  were  compelled  to  retire  to  their  trenches.  "  I  speak 
advisedly,"  wrote  Grant's  aide-de-camp  to  Wallace,  "  God  bless  j'ou  ! 
You  did  save  the  day  on  the  right." 

The  Confederates  were  now  shut  up  in  the  fort,  and,  at  a  pri\ate 
meeting  at  General  Pillow's  quarters,  it  was  resolved  to  surrender. 
Floyd,  who  had  been  Secretary  of  War  under  President  Buchanan, 
exclaimed,  "  I  cannot  surrender  I  You  know  mj'  position  with  the 
I'^cdcrals.  It  won't  do  !  It  won't  do  !  "  Pillow  then  said  :  "  I  will  not 
surrender  myself  or  m\'  command — I  will  die  first."  Then  said  Buek- 
ner,  "  I  suppose,  gentlemen,  the  surrender  will  devolve  upon  me."  Then 
Moyd  and  Pillow  resigned  their  commands,  and  Buckner,  the  third  in 
rank,  said  :  "  1  will  accept  and  share  the  fate  of  my  command."  Within 
an  hour  Moyd  and  Pillow  had  Bed  from  the  fort,  and  early  next  morn- 
ing, it  was  .Sunday,  Buckner  sent  out  his  flag  of  truce  to  ask  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  commission  to  agree  on  terms  of  surrender.  "  No  terms,"  was 
(irant's  reply,  "other  than  unconditional  and  immediate  surrender  can  be 
accepted.  I  propose  to  mo\'e  immediately  on  your  works."  Buckner, 
after  protesting  against  these  terms  as  "  ungenerous  and  unchivalrous," 
gave  \\\i  the  contest,  and  the  Union  flag  soon  floated  over  the  captured 
lort.  'I  he  h\dcral  loss  was  severe,  about  2000  men;  the  Confederates 
lost  1200  men,  beside  15,000  prisoners,  50  cannon,  3000  horses,  20,000 
stand  of  .irms,  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores. 

The  rcsidts  of  the  \  ictory  were  that  the  whole  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee  at  once 
fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Federals. 
Nashville  fell. 
Bowling  Green 
was  abandoned  ; 
Columbus  was 
evacuated,  and  the 
Mississippi  was 
free  fiom  St.  Louis 
to  Arkansas.  |,„^-,.  ^p^.^,. 


liAZ'LLK    OF    WLNCUKJiTl-li,  V]1(GI.MA.-'HAU';K    Ot     'HOUKH    KKJUTil    COItP'o,  Ti(K    illfJHT.    MAltCH   2f, 


\ 


J 


€^mr^  ^   W  -  -'   / 


FORT  DONELSON  SURRENDERED  FEBRUARY  16,  1862.-THE  BIVOUAC  BEFORE  THE   BATTLE. 


SHILOH.-ENGAGEMENT  BETWEEN  GRANT  AND  BUELL  AND  ALBERT  S.  JOHNSTON  AND  G.  A.  BEAUREGARD,  APRIL  6,  1862. 


y^ 


SHILOH. 


On  Fcbnuiry  15,  1862,  Guiicnil  Grant  was  assigned  to  the  new  military 
district  of  West  Tennessee,  and  nt  once  began  to  concentrate  liis  forces  to 
meet  tlic  new  dispositions  of  tlic  Confederates  after  tlic  fall  of  Fort  Don- 
elson.  At  the  beginning  of  A|iril  the  main  body  of  Grant's  army  was 
encamped  on  the  'l\'nnessee  River,  between  Pittsburg  Landing  on  the 
left  bank,  and  Shiloli  meeting-house.  His  object  was  to  attack  and  seize 
Corinth.  General  Heauregard,  with  a  l.-u'ge  Confederate  force,  hastened 
towards  Corinth, and  joining  the  troops  under  (Jeneral  A.  S.  Johnston,  con- 
centrated a  few  miles  from 
Shiloh.  So  stealthy  had 
been  their  approach  that 
they  were  within  four 
miles  of  the  Union  forces 
before  they  were  discov- 
ered. On  April  5,  at  a 
Confederate  council  of 
war,  Beauregard  exclaim- 
ed, "  Gentlemen,  wc  sleep 
in  the  enemy's  camp  to- 
morrow niglu  !  "  On  the 
Union  side.  General  liuell 
was  marching  up  to  join 
Grant ;  General  Sherman's 
division  was  near  Shiloh, 
and  between  them  and 
Pittsburg  I^anding  were 
the  commands  of  Cicnerals 
Ilurlburt  and  Lew  Wal- 
lace. 

Before  the  dawn  of  da\' 
on  Sunday,  April  6th, 
the  Confederates  attacked 
Sherman's  troops,  and  the 
soldiers  of  General  Hardee  po\ucd  into  the  Union  camp.  Cieneral  Prentiss' 
division,  that  lay  across  the  road  to  Corinth,  was  next  attacked,  his  col- 
umns shattered,  many  prisoners  taken,  and  his  camp  oecuiiicd  by  the 
Confederates.  For  ten  hours  the  b.ittlc  raged  with  various  fortunes,  and 
with  heavy  loss  to  both  armies,  'rhc  ITnion  army  was  pushed  back  to 
the  rixer,  and  was  gathered  in  the  rear  of  the  only  camp  unoccupied, 
that  where  General  AfcArthur  was  in  command.  So  certain  was  the  Con- 
federate chief  of  triumph,  that  he  telegraphed  "  Victory  !  "  to  Richmond. 


THK    VNIONISTS 


The  Union  army  was  in  a  perilous  position,  the  troops  had  been 
driven  from  point  to  point,  and  from  ridge  to  ridge,  and  stood  at  bay  on 
the  bank.  Here  the  gunboats  Lexington  and  Taylor  did  good  service, 
and  under  cover  of  their  fire  the  Union  array  rallied,  made  a  superb 
resistance,  and  again  and  again  drp-\'e  the  enemy  back.  To  aid  the  fire  of 
the  boats,  a  battery  was  hastily  thrown  up  on  the  shore,  and  in  the  night 
Buell's  armj'  came  up  from  Nashxille.  Next  morning  Lew  Wallace  re- 
newed the  fight  by  attacking  the  Confederate  left  under  Beauregard,  and 

the  engagement  soon  be- 
came general.  One  of 
the  most  brilliant  actions 
of  the  day  was  the  recap- 
ture of  our  artillery  by 
the  Ohio  regiment  under 
General  Rousseau.  The 
Confederates  fought  gal- 
lantly, but  were  pushed 
back  by  a  superior  force, 
and  in  a  storm  of  sleet  and 
rain  retired  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Corinth. 

The  battle  of  Shiloli  was 
a  terrible  one ;  the  Confed- 
erates lost  over  10,000 
men,  the  Unionists  over 
15,000.  The  slain  on  the 
battlefield  were  soon  bur- 
ied, and  the  hospital  ships 
sent  down  the  Tennessee 
crowded  with  sick  and 
maimed.  The  Confeder- 
ates fell  back  on  Corinth, 
and  General  Grant  was 
aboiU  to  iiursuc  them,  when  General  Ilalleck  came  up  and  took  the  chief 
conuuand.  The  fierceness  of  this  battle  proved  that  the  struggle  for  the 
Union  was  to  be  a  long  and  desperate  one.  "  The  more  the  Confederates 
were  beaten,  the  harder  they  fought,  and  the  loss  of  Donelson,  the  defeat 
of  Shiloh,  tlie  capture  of  Nashville,  made  no  perceptible  effect  on  their 
resolution."  On  April  22  General  Pope  arrived  at  Pittsburg  Landing 
with  25,000  men,  and  Halleck,  with  his  army  of  ioS,ooo  men,  prepared  to 
advance  on  Beauregard  at  Corinth. 


?r      ^.IILIE       I      \IT1JIL1  T    1  lTTsJ;[  ];<;    L.\:;htSi;,    I;V    TKC    KUtST    OflJO   I'J/WMJ.NT    UNUKH 'JKNJ.IUJ.    UOL'SKKAIT,    .■.I'KIJ,    7.    imii 


MALVERN   HILL. 


Ai'TliK  llu'  biilllc  cil  CiniiK's'  Mill,  111  I'nlil  lliirbor,  Ccnci-nlMcC'lcllnn'.s  positicm  held  by  McClcllnn's  troops,  nnd  they  had  to  recoil.     But  a  new 

army  on  its  relreal  was  allac-Ued  by  Ihr   L'oiilederaU'S  at   Charles  City  line  was  soon  formed,  another  assault  was  made  with  dauntless  courage. 

Cross   Roads,  on   Innc  ,(<).     lleaxy  lifrhtinfi  look  plaie,  and  the  Union  "  Come  on,  come  on,  my  men  !"  cried  the  Confederate  officer.     "  Do  you 

army  lost  ten  jjnns.     The  retreat,  however,  was  continued  till  Malvern  vv'ant  to  live  forever  ?  "     But  in  spite  of  their  determined  energy  they  were 

Mill  was  reached,  where  McCk'Uan  resolved  to  give  batllr.     On  llu' James  again  repulsed,  and  pursued  by  the  brigades  of  Generals  Meagher  and 

River  there  is  a  bend  named  'rnrhey  Bond,  and  near  it  a  blnff  about  sixty  Sickles,  who  had  come  up  in  answer  to  Porter's  summons.     The  gunboats, 

feet  liigh,  with  a  level  .si^acc  o(  about  a  mile  in  breadth  and  a  mile  and  a  too,  had  done  good  service,  sending  such  volleys  of  shot  and  shell  that  the 

half  in  len"'lh  on  its  summit.     All  aninnd   this  high  bit  of  ground  were  Confederates  had  to  take  shelter  some  distance  to  the  rear.     At  9  p.m. 


swamps  and  streams,  so  that  il  conkl  only  be  entered  by  a  narrow  strip 
of  firm  groiuul  cm  the  norlhwesl.  The  formation  of  the  ground  was 
well  adapted  (nr  artillery,  and  he 
had  disinised  his  guns  ;ill  along  his 
front.  There  was  plenty  of  shelli-r 
in  some  inequalities  of  the  surface  to 
protect  the  men,  so  that  no  intrench- 
nients  were  thrown  up.  Under  or- 
dinary circumstances  ordinary  gen 
erals  would  ha\e  hesitated  to  .attack 
•SO strong  a  position,  so  well  defended, 
lint  Lee  and  his  men  h.-id  been  \  ie- 
lorions  in  the  Se\en  Oays'  Haltles, 
and  were  not  to  be  daunleil  by  any 
thing  they  nu-l.  'I'heii  lirsl  attack 
i\ith  yooo  men  and  six  guns  tailed  ; 
Ihe  artillery  of  llie  Union  army 
kLioeked  their  liattery  to  pieces, 
while  shells  from  the  l^i^ion  gun- 
boats in  the  ri\er  drove  back  the 
infantry.  On  July  1,  Lee  attacked 
with  his  whole  army.  The  nuuning 
was  spent  in   an  artiller)'   duel,  in  which  the  Confeder.ite 


all   th'ing  ceased.     The  Union  line, 
once  broken  or  the  guns  in  danger 


A   RAll.UOAU    UATll  KV. 


General  Webb  tells  us,  was  never 
During  the  night  McClellan  with- 
drew   to    Harrison's  Landing,   and 
there  all  that  remained  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  encamped  Jul}-  3. 

On  the  following  day,  Julj'  4, 
General  McClellan  issued  an  address 
to  his  soldiers,  in  which  he  said  : 
"  Soldiers  of  the  Armj-  of  the  Poto- 
mac, your  achievements  of  the  last 
ten  days  ha\-e  illustrated  the  valor 
■and  endurance  of  the  American  sol- 
dier. Attacked  by  superior  forces, 
and  without  hope  of  reinforcement, 
you  have  succeeded  in  changing 
your  base  of  operations  b)'  a  flank 
mo\'emcnt,  alwajs  regarded  as  the 
most  hazardous  of  militarj-  expedi- 
ents. You  have  sa\-ed  j'our  material, 
all  your  train  and  all  3-our  gims, 
except  a  few  lost  in  battle,  taking 


in  return  guns  and  colors  from  the 

latteries  came  enemy.     Upon  your  march  you  have  been  assailed  day  after  day  with 

off  second  best ;  in  the  afternoon  the  infantry  attack  was  to  be  made,  but,  desperate  fury   by   men  of  the   same   race  and   nation,  skilfull\-  massed 

owing  to  some  misunderstanding,  or  to  the  fact  that  the  \arious  divisions  and  led.     Under  every  disadvantaye  of  numbers,  and  necessaril}-  of  posi- 

of  the  Confederate  army  were  separated  1\\-  thick  woods,  instead  of  a  tion  also,  you  have  in  every  conflict  beaten  back  your  foes  with  enormous 

general  ad\anee  of  the  whole  line,  there  was  a  series  of  separate  attacks,  slaughter.     Your  conduct  ranks  you  among  the  celebrated  armies  of  his- 

The  Confederate  signal  was  to  be  a  "  yell  "  from  General   Ilnger's  corps,  tory.     No  one  will  now  question  that  each  of  \ou  ma}-  alwa\-s  with  pride 

and  General  D.  II.  Hill,  heariiig  a  loud  shout,  ruslied  \ipon  the  divisions  say,  '  I  belong  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  ! '  "     The  Confederate  loss  at 

ȣ  Couch  and  Porter,  but,  having  no  support,  had  soon  to  retreat.     Then  Malvern  Hill  is  estimated  at  5000  men;  that  of  the  Union  army  only  1600 

the  Confederate  brigades  under  Magruder  and  linger  charged  the  Union  men.     The  retreat  of  the  l^nion  army  from  its  original  position  on  the 

left,  while  ^f.ihone,  Anderson,  and  Wright  assaulted  the  right  and  centre.  Chickahominy   is   usually   known   as  the   Seven   Days',   the   total   losses 

The  dash  of  the  Confederates  was  heroic,  but  powerless  against  the  strong  during  the  week  being.  Unionists,  15,000  ;  Confederates,  19,000  men. 


THE   BATTLE   OF   JULVEBX    HJr.L,    Ji;i,y   j,    I8«?, 


ANTIETAM. 


In  the  summer  of  185.;  tlio  Cim- 
fccU'ialo  (lOvcrniiK'nt  ordcrcil  Guiioxal 
Li'i'  lo  :iltiick  Wiishiiiflton.  On 
Si'iili'mbiT  7  he  WHS  at  Frederick,  in 


the  creek.  The  struggle  had  now 
lasted  tweh-e  to  fourteen  hours,  and 
night  brought  the  battle  to  a  close. 
Both    armies  had  suffered  severel}'  ; 


Maryland,  and  thence  crossed  over  the     the   Nationals   had  lost   12,470  men, 
South    Mountain    into   the   valley  of     and  MeClcUan  estimated  the  Confcd- 


Anlietani  (.'reek  Tlie  National  ad- 
\anee  Ihal  hastened  to  give  them  bat- 
lie  was  led  by  General  Burnside,  who 
fought  a  desperate  engagement  at 
'Turner's  (lap,  September  14,  in  which 
(uMieral  Krno  was  killed.  On  .Sep- 
tendier  1(1  llie  C'lin- 
lederale  array  under 
(Uioii.n:  li.  M.ei.KuvN.  hee  held  the  heights 

near  Sharpsburg,  on 
the  west  side  of  Anlielani  (.'reek  ;  bis  position  was  well 
selected,  and  his  llanks  protected  by  the  P<itomae  \\  hieh 
here  makes  a  bend  ;  in  front  of  Sbarp.sburg  was  (ieneral 
Longstreel  and  1).  11.  Hill,  with  Hood's  brigade  on  the 
left,  and  Jackson  in  reserve.  On  September  17  tieneial 
Hooker  opened  the  bailie  by  allaeking  the  Confederal e 
lelt  with  iH,ooo  men,  Doubleday  was  on  his  right,  MeaiK- 
on  his  left,  and  Rieketls  in  I  he  centre,  while  the  enemy 
was  led  by  Jackson.     ManslieUl  eame  up  lo  1  looker's  aid, 

biU  losl  his  life  on  I  he 
lield  ;  lluee  di\isions 
of    Sumner's    corps  koi;kki   11 

were  engaged,  and 
wilb  ihe  aid  of  arliUery  held  ibcir 
ground,  allbough  Lee's  steady  advance 
arrested  the  National  troops  on  their 
march  to  victory.  Not  till  one  o'clock 
e.M.  was  Riunside  alile  to  carry  out  his 
orders  to  cross  the  creek,  and  not  till 
three  did  he  assault  the  ridge  of  Sharps- 
burg, and  capture  a  Confederate  bat- 
tery. Just  then  Cieu.  A.  V.  Hill's  di- 
vision hurried  up  fronv  Harper's  Kerry 
to  Lee's  assistance,  resumed  the  offen- 
1110.MA;  J,  JACKS  J.N-  \"  .'jtoncwoU").        sivc,  aud   dfovc  BuHisidc  back  over 


crate  loss  at   20,000  ;  it  was  probably 
much  below  that  number. 

Anlietam  may  be  fairly  called  a 
drawn  battle  ;  Lee  awaited  an  attack 
ne.\t  day,  and  McClellan  did  not  de- 
li\'er  one. 


BURNSIDE. 


e  cautiously  said,  "  'Vir- 
ginia is  lost.  Wash 
ington  is  menaced, 
Maryland  invaded, 
the  National  eausecan 
affcn-d  no  risk  of  defeat."  Thus  Lee  retreated  without' 
molestation  or  pursuit  to  his  native  soil  of  'Virginia.  What 
was  felt  most  bitterly  by  the  Confederates  was  the  want 
of  sympathy  for  the  Confederate  cause  in  Marj-land.  They 
had  expected  to  be  hailed  as  deliverers;  they  met  only 
coklncss. 

This  campaign  will  always  be  held  in  memory  as  sup- 
plying a  basis  for  Wbitticr's  poem  of "  Barbara  Frietchie." 
This  tells  how  the  old  woman  kept  her  Union  Hag  flying 
when  Stonewall  Jack- 


son rode  into  Freder- 
u  Nil  i.KE,  ick.     The  staff    was 

shot  away,  when  the 
patriotic  Barbara  picked  up  the  color: 

Fur  out  on  the  window  sill. 

She  shook  it  lorth  with  a  roynl  will. 
••  Sl.oot !  if  you  must,  this  old  sjray  head. 

But  sixirc  your  country's  Hag!  "  she  said  ; 

.\  shade  of  sadness,  il  blush  of  shame. 

Over  the  face  of  the  leader  came  : 

ri>e  nobler  nature  within  him  stirred 

To  life  at  that  woman's  deed  and  word. 
"  Wlio  touches  a  hair  of  yon  gray  he.ad. 

Dies  like  a  dog !    March  on  !  "  he  said. 

\aA  all  day  long  through  Frederick  Street 

Sounded  the  tread  of  marching  feet. 

.Ml  day  long  that  frte  flag  tossed 

Over  the  heads  of  the  rebel  host. 


JOSEPH    HOOKER. 


fOI/JNKJ,  _lIoHHI.SU.V  (■flAJyjl.VfJ    ON    THK  OLTWuKKS  OF  KOitT  l>ONKIJ*fjN.   KKUKtMitV   J.'f,   ;«*K. 


BATTLE    OF   ANTIETAM,   SEPTEMBER  17,    1862. 


Jiiiw^i  0  itfty  >  w^.t. .  .-t  .-y.-.-. 


"'M7:h 


SIEGE  AT  VICKSBURG.-SURRENDEREO  JULY  4,  1863. 


VICKSBURG. 


JOHN    A,    M-Cl.l''UN  \NMi 


In  tlio  spring  of  1862  the  chief 
(ihslniclioiiU)  lhc(i-ce  navij^ation  of 
the  Mississippi  was  llic  Confederate 
work    al    Vielcsbin-i;'.       Tliis    town 
stands  on  a  hi;;h  liluff  on  llie  easlein 
banl<  of  the  river,  wliere  tliere  is  a 
bold  Inrn  in  llie  stream,  and  almost 
impregnable  fortilieations  bad  been 
thrown.     Admiral  Farrajjut  sailed 
npihe  ii\er  Ircun  New  Orleans,  and 
iHi   )iine  ->()  atlaeked  the  Confeder- 
ate forts,  bnt  did  not  elfeel  anything, 
anil  retired,     U\il  in  the  beginning;- 
cif  iSd^  another  attack  was  directed 
ajjainst    the   place,      (icncral  j.   A. 
Mcl-'lcrnand  toiik  the  command  of 
the  National  forces  in  Jannary,  and 
he  and  Admiral  Porter  on  January  11   captured  b'orl  I  lindman,  on  the 
Arkansas   River.     Meanwhile  (icneral   (irant  had  assembled  liis  army, 
and  came  down  the  ri\cr  from  IMcmpbis,  and  arrived  in  person  at  Youns^'s 
Point   )annarv   .'o,   assinnini;  connnand  the  ne\l   day.      tirant,  lo  <piote 
Admiral  Porter's  lansjnane,  soon  saw  that  Vicksbin;;  conld  not  be  taken 
by  lookinj;  at  it  from  the  other  side  of  the  river  ;  no  force  could  land  in 
front  of  this  city,  with  its  Ion;;  lines  of  batteries  on  the  hills  and  the  water 
front  ;  there  was  no  use  attempting  a  llank  attack,  while  the  Confederate 
garrison   under   Cicneral  I'cmbcrlon  numbered    |j,ooo  men,  and    pi.ooo 
more  w-cre  with  (icncral  J.  V..  John- 
ston at  Jackson,  within  easy  distance. 
Vicksbiirg  moniUed  75  licavy  guns 
and  many  hea\y  ritfed  tield-picecs. 
The  naval  forces  under  Porter  had 
a  busy  time,  and  after  tlicy  bad  run 
past    the    batteries    at    Yicksbnrg, 
Grant  i>reparcd  for  vigorous  ojicra- 
tions  ;  and  in  May,  after  two  un- 
successful assaults,  began  a  regular 
siege  with  the  aid  of  the  fleet.     By 
the  middle  of  June  the  place  was 
invested,  Sherman's  corps  was  on 
the  right,  then   came  McPherson's, 
then   Ord's    on   the   left.      Logan's 


iNrnR\n\\   iirxw  ci  n  ci  \nt  and  p^^niLRTON 


division  of  McPherson's  corps 
was  stationed  on  the  Jackson 
road,  and  from  this  position  a 
long  sap  was  constructed  to  the 
large  Confederate  fort  named 
Fort  Hill.  From  the  saji  1 
wire  was  driven  under  the  fc  1 1 
thirty  feet  below  the  surfaiL 
On  June  ->5  the  mine  w.as  firtd 
the  (ml  was  hmled  into  the 
air,  a  desperate  encountci, 
iMidcr  (icncral  Leggctt,  took 
place  in  the  cone-shaped  cavity  i^>^^gZv^^'J^ 
which  the  explosion  had  left  , 
and  the  struggle  continued  all 

night  and  part  of  the  next  day.  Porter,  meanwhile,  had  rendered  active 
aid  on  the  river,  the  gunboats  were  in  turns  throwing  shells  day  and 
night,  and  the  mortars  kept  up  an  incessant  fire.  The  inhabitants  liad 
sought  shelter  in  caves  in  the  clay  hills  on  which  the  city  stands,  and 
lived  there  for  weeks  ;  famine  had  begun  to  afflict  them  ;  nnde-tlesh  was 
eaten,  and  the  trials  and  privations  of  the  besieged  Confederates  can  only 
be  described  by  those  who  took  part  in  them.  With  the  capture  of  Fort 
Hill  the  Confederate  citadel  had  fallen,  and  the  guns  which  General 
IMcl^berson  had  mounted  on  its  ruins  commanded  most  of  the  works. 
'■  \\'hcn  they  opened  Hre  the  requiem  of  Vicksburg  was  rung  by  the  shriek- 
ing shells  as  they  Bcw  through  the  air,  carrying  death  and  destruction." 

Other  mines  directed  against 
- other  parts  of  the  Confederate  forti- 
fications were  made  ready,  but  even 
the  bravest  and  most  skilled  of  the 
Confederate  leaders  saw  that  further 
resistance  was  useless,  and  on  July  4, 
I  «6,:i,  General  Pemberton,  despairing 
of  aid  from  Johnston,  surrendered  the 
great  stronghold  to  General  Grant. 
This  \  ictory,  taking  place  on  the  very 
dav  when  the  birthday  of  the  Nation 
is  celebrated,  was  everywhere  re- 
garded as  an  omen  of  success  for 
the  Union  cause.  The  number  of 
SKu-.K  OF  VICKSBURG.  mcu  suncndcd  was  27,000. 


>i.U-HXGS    HEIUHIS.-Of.NEKAL  6H.V0LAIJ   WUO.ift  I^lilVlNO   lUE   W^ir.l:t.ltltTllli   J  l.v.l    lUt    HILL.  Jl.LV 


BATTLE   OF  STONE'S  RIVER,  TENN/ 


At  1]k'  iH'.niiiniii},'  of  IIk'  siimmrf  of  iS()2,  New  OrK'ans  ami  llio  mouth 
of  11k'  Mississippi  wnv  in  posscssiiiii  o(  llu'  I'"i'cUt:iI  Irnops,  wlio  also  liclil 
Ihf  ii\iT  from  St.  1 -niiis  lo  Memphis,  iiml  oi-ciipii'il  soiilli- 
cni  'I\miih'ssih'.  'I'lic  "  Army  of  llic  ( "iimliciland,"  as  llic 
National  army  in  llial  Slalr  was  nami'd,  was  rommaiulnl 
by  (JL'noral  Kosi'iaans,  anil  (owanls  llu'  rnil  ol  ihr  yi-ar 
was  iiiDviMij;  sonlhwaril  from  Naslnillr  towarils  Mm-fi-i'cs- 
boroiifjli,  wlu'rc  CuMU'i-al  Mra,u'!;'  anil  llii'  (.'onft'ili'ialc  foivi'S 
were  lyinj;.  On  1  VccnibiM-  ji),  pivpaialions  for  a  baltif 
wort'  maili'  by  bolli  iiarlii's,  and  on  1  X'lvmbi'r  ji,  Ilii'  allai'U 
WHS  begun  by  tlio  (.'ojifi'ilcrati's.  'I'lii'  weaihrr  was  foi;i;y' 
anil  llu'  National  troops  wen- somi-wliat  laUiai  bysnrprisi-. 
The  ontiri'  front  was  assanlti'il  at  oiu'i',  anil  tlio  t-'onfcik'rali' 
columns  foiif^hl  with  sui-li  lau'iny  anil  ilotormination  tlial 
thoy  .speedily  i'a|itmvd  two  batteries  and  foreed  the  l'"eil. 
cral  troops  baik  :  it  wasouh  b\  the  most  hetoie  eflorls 
of  our  soldiers  that  the  onset  was  stayed.  The  ohjeel  ol  this  day's  ti^ht 
was  1:0  turn  Roseerans'  ri};ht  llanU;  the  (."onfederates  lost  .|ooo  n\en  killed 

and  wounded,  and  captured  3000 
h'^leral  troops  and  \i  cannon. 
Roseerans  decided  to  continue  the 
liyht  next  day,  and  in  the  afternoon 
of  January  1,  iSi^j,  when  nioreix'in- 
foivcnients  came  up,  he  sent  scxeral 
brigades  across  Stone  River  to 
occupy  a  strong  position  on  an  em- 
inence i\car  the  upper  ford,  while 
other  forces  were  stationed  east  of 
the  Nashville  Railroad,  with  Gen- 
eral Negley's  force  as  a  reserve  in 
the  rear.  Early  in  the  morning  of 
January  J.the  Confederates  opened 
tire  from  fotu"  batteries  that  they 
had  erected  during  the  night,  but, 
after  a  tierce  artillery  duel,  the  Fed- 
eral guns  silenced  them.  About  3  p.m.  the  great  attack  by  the  Confed- 
erates began  b)-  troops  under  General  Breckenridge,  artillery  inider  Rob- 
ertson, and  cavalry  under  Pegram.  The  attack  was  so  forn\idabte  that  the 
first  Federal  line  ga\-e  wa)',  its  reserve  of  Ohio  and  Kentuck\-  regiments 
look  its  place,  but  after  a  severe  struggle  the  Federals  were  conipelled  to 
withdraw  across  the  ri\er.     On  the  opjiosite  bank  of  Stone  Ri\er  sixt\- 


W.   S,    KOSKCRAXS 


guns  were  jiosted,  and  were  worked  with,  such  deadlj-  vigor  that  in  less 
than  an  hour  Breckinridge  lost  more  than  one-third  of  .his  entire  force. 
Three  fresh  Federal  brigades  were  now  sent  to  the  front, 
and  the  batteries  on  both  sides  being  massed,  the  slaughter 
was  dreadful,  the  dead  and  wounded  lying  scattered  on 
scores  of  acres.  At  one  time,  so  dauntless  were  the  two 
armies',  that  it  seemed  as  if  both  would  be  destroyed.  At 
L-ngth  the  Federal  line  of  se\en  regiments  were  ordered 
lo  charge.  The  78th  Pennsylvania,  Col.  Stillwell,  led  the 
way,  followed  by  the  iSth,  21st,  and  74th  Ohio,  the  nth 
Michigan,  the  19th  Illinois,  and  37th  Indiana  regiments. 
Charge  after  charge  was  made,  and  gallantl}'  repulsed  by 
the  Confederates,  till  General  Negley  brought  up  the 
reserxes,  charging  across  the  river,  and  they,  supported 

KiNKinr.F.  l\v  Stanley's  cavalry,  turned  the  fortune  of  the  day.     On 

they  swept  with  irresistible  force  ;  the  Confederate  right 

wing  was  the  lirst  to  gi\c  way,  ;ind  retreated  on  Lj-tle's  Creek  ;  tlicn 

the  centre  broke,  and  when  night  fell  on  the  deadly  struggle,  the  entire 

Confederate  line  had  been  dri\en 

back    lo    the    front    of    ISIurfrees- 

borough.       The    night    was    dark 

and    a     hea\y    rain-storm    poured 

down,  preventing  Roseerans  from 

following  up  the  retreating  eneni}-. 

Hui  during  the  night,  and  in  spite  of 

the  storm,  which  continued  all  the 

next  day,  January  3,  General  Crit- 

tenilen's    entire     corps    was    sent   ^g^ 

across  Stone  Ri\-er,  new  entrench-  6^^^ 

ments  thrown  up,  and  all  prepaia-  ^" 

tions  made  to  renew  the  struggle.  4 

No  movement  was  made  on  either  ] 

side,  till  on  Sunday,  January  4,  it  : 

was  found  that  the  Confederates 

had  retreated  to  Tullahoma  and 

Shelbyville,  and  Murfreesborough  was  occupied  by  the  Federal  forces  on 

the  following  dav.     This   battle  was   one   of  the   most   determined   and 

eii»ally  sustained  battles  of  the  war.  and  victory  gave  to  the  Federals  a 

\ast  and  important  frontier.     The  total  loss  on  the  Union  side  was  about 

12,000  men  ;  the  Confederate  loss  was  reported  at  10.000,  although  more 

than  2000  wounded  were  left  b\-  them  in  the  hospitals  of  Murfreesborough. 


FORT  DE  RUSSY. 


Aptkr  tlic  fall  of  Vifksbiii-f,'  and  Poi-1  lliulson,  General  Shci-man  sug-  had  been  compelled  to  bridge  many  bayous.     When  he  arrived  within 

o'csted  to  Admiral  F'orler  ihal  an  expodilion  be  sent  up  the  Red  River,  three  miles  of  the  fort,  the  report  came  that  a  strong  force  would  dispute 

and  in  February,   1864,  (ienei'al  Hanks  discussed  with  the  Admiral  the  his  passage.     General  Mower  at  once  formed   his  men  for  an  attack, 

question  of  a  joint  naval  and  military  cxpeililion  up  that  river.     At  the  The  first  line  under  Colonel  W.J.  Shaw,  14th  Iowa  Infantrj',  was  com- 

same  time  an  army  under  (iieneral  Steele  entered  the  State  of  Arkansas,  posed  of  the  13th  and  32d  Iowa  and  the  3d  Indiana  Batterj^     The  space 

reached  Little  Rock  early  in  March,  and  arrived  at  Arkadelphia,  March  between  the  fort  and  the  Union  army  was  obstructed  with  fallen  trees, 

29.     'I'lu'  na\.-il  \cssels  destined  to  ascend  the  river  assembled  on  March  and  a  wood  to  the  left  afforded  cover  to  sharpshooters.     It  was  then 

10,  and  on  the  1  ilh  General  A.  J.  Siuilh  arrived  with  10,000  soldiers  in  4  p.m.,  and  although  the  troops  had  been  marching  all  da)'  they  came  up 


transports.  The  movenunl  up  llie  river  began 
on  the  r  .'th,  the  licet  of  gunboats  leading  the  way, 
and  Ilie  transports  following  them.  News  ol  the 
intended  advance  had,  of  course,  reached  the  Con- 
federates, and  they  set  zealously  to  work  to  ob- 
struct the  progress  of  the  I'Vderal  licet  and  army. 
Near  a  bend  of  the  ri\er,  named  "  The  Rap]iiones," 
they  erected  a  series  of  works  conuuanding  the 
channel  of  the  stream,  and  ]ilnced  formidable  ob- 
structions to  iircNcnt  Ihe  ad\aiu'c  of  the  gunboats. 
These  obslruclions,  consisting  of  deep  lines  of  iiiles 
driven  into  the  nuuUl)  boHuni  of  the  ri\cr,  with 
rafts  of  timlier  and  a  loresl  o(  trees  liacking  them 
up,  seemed  iiupassable.  It  was,  writes  Admiral 
I'orler,  a  Ilerctdean  job,  but  the  energetic  sailors 
had  had  loo  nuich  experience  in  the  strange  epi- 
sodes of  the  Civil  War  to  quail  before  such  oli- 
st.-u-les.  The  piles  near  the  banks  wei'c  first  remo\  eil 
and  the  rush  of  water  carried  away  the  sides  of 
the  bank,  the  iron-clads  flung  themselves  like  rams 
on  other  parts  of  the  boom,  and  in  twelve  horns  a 
passage  was  cleared.  Before  this  attack  on  the 
boom,  General  Smith  had  landed  his  forces  and  had 
adxanced  to  the  vicinity  of  Fort  de  Russy  ;  there  the  Jursfpor/,  Ostroc, 
Fort  Hiiidiiian,  and  Crhh't  joined  him,  and  there  was  qtiite  a  brisk 
firing  of  artillery  and  small  arms,  but  the  gunboats  coidd  not  take  part  in 
the  skirmish  without  endangering  the  co-operating  troops.  A  loo-pmuid 
rifle  shell  was  fired  at  the  water  battery  and  burst  o\er  it.  driving  the  enemy 
out;  but  to  have  continued  the  lire,  the  Admiral  writes,  >qion  the  main  fort, 
would  ha\'e  injured  friends  more  than  foes.  Fort  de  Russy  was  originally 
garrisoned  with  5000  men  under  General  Walker,  but  he  had  marched 
out  to  meet  the  army  under  General  Smith,  leaving  only  300  men  to 
defend  the  fort.     General  Smith's  advance  had  been  toilsome,  and  his  men 


COMMOnOKK    roUTER. 


fresh  to  the  task.  Part  of  the  Iowa  forces  were 
deploj'ed  as  skirmishers  to  within  300  3-ards  of  the 
works,  occupying  some  rifle-pits  which  had  been 
thrown  up  bj'  the  Confederates,  and  did  great 
execution  during  the  fight.  Meanwhile  the  58th 
Illinois,  8th  Wisconsin,  and  29th  Iowa  came  up 
from  the  rear  ;  the  fire  from  the  fort  all  this  time 
was  rapid,  but  did  little  execution,  and  after  a  two 
hours'  e-Kchange  of  shots  all  of  General  Smith's 
forces  got  into  position.  They  advanced  and  carried 
the  works  without  difficulty,  capturing  24  officers, 
275  men,  and  10  pieces  of  artillery. 

"  It  was  pleasant,"  writes  Admiral  Porter  in  his 
account  of  the  operations,  "  to  see  the  United 
States  flag  floating  o\'er  a  work  which  had  been 
built  with  so  much  trouble  and  expense  to  the 
Confederates,  and  the  Navy  regretted  that  it  could 
not  take  a  more  important  part  in  the  affair."  Gen- 
eral Smith  remained  a  few  days  to  destroy  the 
works  of  Fort  de  Russy.  They  were  as  strong 
as  an}-  ever  built  by  the  Confederacy.  After 
3000  pounds  of  powder  had  been  exploded,  there 
remained  three  huge  excavations,  while  the  whole 

vicinity  was  strewn  with  broken  timbers  and  twisted  iron,  presenting  a 

scene  more  easily  imagined  than  described. 


(i 


CAPTURE    OF    FOkT    VE.   HUSSY,    I^jL'I-SIANA,    UY    THK    yiAjKUAL    iOBCfJH    VtiUKIi   GPJNEKAI.   AN/jEEW   J,    a.MITii, 


MAItCII    lii,    18M. 


GETTYSBURG. 


Till!  Confederate  army  was 
iHvi-r  nunc  complete  in  mini- 
Ihts,  ciiiiipmciit,  aiul  discipline 
lliiui  in  the  summer  of  1H63. 
The  Confederiio)'  had  500,000 
men  on  its  army  rolls,  and 
300,000  tit  for  duty,  and  elated 
by  success  at  ChanccUorsville, 
it  ordered  T>ee  to  invade  Marj- 


land  a  second  time.  The  Army  of  the 
I^otomac,  which  was  estimated  at  100,000 
strong,  was  now  under  the  command  of 
General  Meade,  and  l.ee  had  nearly  as 
many  under  his  orders.  On  June  8  the 
(.'ontcdeiate  corps  under  l.ongstreet  and 
ICwcU  had  been  at  Culpc\HM',  where  they 
met  ].  K.  U.  Stuart's  cavalry;  onjunc 

10  Ewell  had  crossed  the  Blue  Ridsje  into  hknkr.m.  stuart. 

the  Shenandoah  \'aUey,  and  on  June  13 

was  before  Winchester.     The  Union  forces  had  swept  out  of  the  \aUcy, 

and  a  body  of  cavalry  under  the  Confederate  leader,  Jenkins,  crossed  the 

Potomac  and  entered  the  town  of  Chambersburg  on  June  15.     The  bridges 

of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  were  destroyed,  and  requisitions  made 

on  the  rich  farmers  of  Pennsyh  ania. 

On  June  iS  General  Meade  had  been  placed  in  command  of  the  Union 

forces.     By  this  time  the  troops  of  Generals  Ewell,  Longstrcct,  and  Hill 

were  encamped  near  Chambersburg,  and  their  advance  on  June  26  was     were  repulsed  with  hea\y  loss, 

in  Gettysburg.     Lee  was  preparing  to  cross  the  Susquehanna  when  he         The    Union    loss    in    killed. 


on  hearing  of  his  death,  sent  General  Hancock  to  the  scene  of  action.  The 
report  he  made  of  the  position  induced  Meade  to  give  battle  next  da}- 
under  General  Sickles,  who  fell  severely  wounded. 

At  4  P.M.  Lee  opened  fire  with  a  terrible  cannonade  and  an  attack  on 
the  Union  left.  The  Nationals  met  the  assault  steadily,  but  were  about 
to  be  pushed  back  when  General  Warren  seized  a  height  called  Little 
Round  Top,  and  drove  the  enemy  down  the  hill.  On  the  right  the  Con- 
federates did  not  attack  till  sunset,  when  the)-  took  possession  of  Culp's 
Hill.  Next  day,  June  3,  the  strife  began  again,  and  the  Nationals  under 
Geary,  after  a  four  hours'  contest,  recovered  Culp's  Hill.  Then 
a  pause  ensued,  till  at  i  p.m.  Lee's  1 50  guns  broke  the  silence.  The 
cannonade  was  replied  to  on  the  Union  side,  but  perhaps  this  artillery 
duel  had  not  much  direct  effect  on  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  When 
it  ceased,  the  Confederates,  preceded  by  a  cloud  of  skirmishers, 
swept  over  the  plain  and  assailed  the  Union  line.  The  struggle 
was  a  terrible  one.  Pickett's  di\-ision  of  Longstreet's  corps  dashed 
forward  with  such  impetuosity  as  to  gain  the  crest  of  Cemetery 

Ridge,  the  key  of  Hancock's 
position,  but  there  they  were  re- 
pulsed, cut  down,  and  broken, 
while  Hancock'  was  severely 
wounded,  and  .had  to  turn  his 
command  over  to  Gibbens.  Pet- 
tigrew's  North  Carolina  di\-ision 
fled  in  disorder,  and  Hood  in  vain 
strove  to  turn  the  flank  of  the 
Nationals  at  Little  Round  Top. 


PICKETT. 


Then  a  vigorous  charge  of  the   Federal 
line  was  hurled  at  the  enemv,  and  thcv 


vounded, 


was  at  South  Motuitain,  and  on  Jul)-  i  Buford's  cavalry  came  into  conflict  wounded  on  the  field,  lost  1 3,000  prisoners, 
with  the  Confederate  advance.  General  Rcvnolds,  who  hmried  to  l?u-  and  perhaps  had  killed,  wounded,  and 
ford's  aid,  fell  dead  on  the  field  as  he  was  leading  on  his  men;  anil  Meade,     missing  some  12,000  men. 


WINFIELI)  SCOTT    HANCOCK. 


GAINES'    MILL. 

In  June,  1S62,  tl.e  National  forces,  under  General  (i.  B.  MeClcIlan,  were     LVanklin's  eorps  I, 


on  the  Chiekaho 


ommy  River,  their  numbers  being  92,500  men.     The  posi- 
tion of  the  army  was  not  a  good  one,  and  the  General  del 
his  base.     His  heav 


etcrniined  to  ehango 

vy  guns  were  sent  across  the  ChieUahominy  River  and 

on  the  morning  of  June  27,  General  Fitzjohn  Porter  had  iH,ooo  infantry. 


then  in  Rielniiond,  which 


ps,  lor  lie  was  afraid  ni  In'in;;  aihickcil  |,y 


Magruder's  army, 
iich  heoslinialr,]  iniiinnimi  loOo.ooo  men,  wliile'it 
really  was  only  25,000,  'I'he  I,,mII|c  eonlinncd  l( 
and  retaken  as  the  lide 
spatehed  the  brigades   ol    Meagher  and   Kiehard.son  aero.ss  the  ri^v,  lo 


III  r.agc,  guns  were  taken 
balllc  ebbed,  and  llowed,  and  MeUellan  de- 


2500  artillerymen,  and  a  weak  body  of  cavalry  to  meet  the  Confeder-ite^'     IW."V     ,  ""^'"^;,"'    ""'''K"^'"-  and   Ku'hard.son  aero,Ks  the  ri,v,  I. 


nil)' 

the  Chickahomin)'  to  the 

James  River,  and  to  carry 

the    siege    guns,    and    he 

arranged    his    troops    on 

a     rising     ground     near 

Gaines'     Mills,     between 

Cold     Harbor     and     the 

Chickahominy.      About  2 

P.M.  the  Confederate  Gen- 
erals A.  P.  Hill  and  Long- 
street  began  the  fighting 
by  an  attack  on  Porter's 
centre.  The  struggle  here 
lasted  for  two  hours,  and 
resulted  in  the  defeat  of 
the  Confederates  with 
heavy  loss.  At  this  period 
Stonewall  Jackson's  men 
appeared  on  the  scene  of 
battle.  A  resolute  attempt 
was  then  made  on  all  parts 
of  General  Porter's  line. 
The  Confederates  were 
sheltered  by  thick  woods, 
where  the_\-  could  form  and 

advance,  while  the  Federals  had  only  slight  breastworks  to  protect  tncm.     known   by  the   title  given    it  here,   of  the 
1  h^'-'- ._.... 


le  shatlered  eohimns  fall- 
"i;;  li:i(lv  in  di,s()rder,  when 
ilii'sr    ni'w     Iroops    gave 
llic'iii     i'oiir;if.-c     I,,    ]-i.|ii-e 
ill     Ih'IIci'    liirni.       Purler 
losi     J.!     giin,s    .•iiul    Hooo 
iiii'ii,  Ihr  C'cin(rdrr;ile  loss 
ua;,     :iliiiiil      5"i'".       The 
Nalional  aiiny,  or  its  re- 
in;iiiis,  crossed  the  river  in 
ilii'iiigliland  destroyed  the 
ind  on   the  ne.xt 
il.i V  iiioM'd  (liivvii  lo  Tur- 
I  '  y   Heiul,  on    the  James 
\'er.    (Jeneral  Kej-es  led 
I  lie  way,  followed  by  Por- 
ter's shattered  corps.    ,'\nd 
so  skilfully  was  the  move- 
ment masked  that  General 
i-ee    was    completely    de- 
ceived,  and    not   till   the 
evening  of  June  28  did  he 
know  that  "  'I"he  Army  of 
I  lie  Potomac  "  was  moved 
lo  a  new  position. 

This    battle,    usually 
•attle  ol   Gaines'  Mill,"  is 


ese  were  not  much  use,  for  the  men  at  this  early  period  of  the  war  had  called  by  the  Confederates   the    "  Battle  of  the   Chickahominy."     Two 

not  learned  how  to  intrench  themselves  as  they  did  afterwards.    The  battle  years  later  it  was  the  scene  of  a  battle  between  Grant  and  Lee.     This, 

was  a  very  fierce  one;  the  Confederates  advanced  with  their  famous  yell,  battle  was  followed   on  June  30  by  that  of   Charles  City  Cross  Roads. 

to  which  the  Federals  replied  by  their  Union  cheer.     Porter  was  hard  and  on  July   i  McClellan  made  his  last  stand  at  Malvern  Hill,  and  his 

pressed,  and  sent  a  message  to  McClellan,  who  was  on  the  opposite  side  withdrawal  from  this  next  day  ended  the  Seven  Days'  Retreat,  during 

o    the  river,  to  help  him:  but  >rcClelIan  sent  only  Slocum's  division  of  which  15,000  Nationals  and  10,900  Confederates  had  fallen. 


NASHVILLE. 


V 


Nasiivii.lb,  in  1864,  was  llu-  Union  depot  for  tlic  great  campaigns  in  was  going  on  at  tlie  left  o£  the  line,  the  Union  right  was  advancing,  and, 

Tennessee  and  Georgia,  and  was  lield  by  General  Thomas.     Thither  liad  under  cover  of  the  fog,  General  Smith's  divisions  of  the  Sixth  Corps 

been  gathered  reinforeements  from  St.  Louis,  convalescents  and  furloughed  and  Wilson's  cavalry  fell  on  the  Confederate  left,  and  drove  in  their 

menh-om  Chattanooga,  and  bodies  of  detached  troops  of  all  sizes  and  from  pickets.     The  dismounted  cavalry  under  General   Hatch  came  upon  a 

all  (piarlers,  and  in  early  Deeeniber  tlie  General  had  50,000  men  ready  for  redoubt  with   four   guns  ;  they  took  it,  and  turned  the  guns  upon  the 

a  defensive  or  offensive  "campaign,    ll  may  be  well  to  recall  to  our  readers'  enemy  ;  then,  without  pausing,  they  captured  another  redoubt  with  four 

minds  that  General  Sherman  had  occupied  Atlanta  in  tlie  beginning  of  guns,  and  drove  the  Confederates  back  towards  the  Franklin  pike  road. 

September,  and  dm-ing  lliat  month  iuul  October  had  been  preparing  for  Tlie  Confederate  centre,  with  its  strong  post  at  iS'fontgomery  Hill,  was 

his   "March  to  the  Sea,"  which  began  on  November  15.     Before  this  charged  by  Post's  brigade  of  Beatty's  third  division,  the  position  turned, 

great  march  began  it  was  suggested  to  Sherman  that  Hood's  army  ought  and  many  prisoners  taken.     Then  all  the  Union  forces  were  drawn  up 

to  be  first  destroyed,  but  as  pursuit  of  this  force  b\'  Union  troops  from  in  connected  line,  a  second  line  of  Confederate  works  was  carried  by  the 

Atlanta  would  saeriliee  all  the)'  had  Fourth  Corps  under  General  Wood, 

gained   ill  territory,  it  was  deemed  and  nightfall  only  stopped  the  pur- 


wisest  In  leave  Thomas  to  take  care 
of  1  lodd.  'I'lie  latter  liad  been  try- 
ing to  hire  Sherman  away  from  At- 
lanta, and  when  he  found  tliat  Sher- 
man was  not  the  man  who  could  be 
thus  induced  to  surrender  the  prize 
of  the  long 

crate  General  turned  to  Nasliv  ille, 
hoping  to  crush  Thomas  while  he 
was  still  organizing  his  army.  Late 
in  November  I  lood  encountered  Gen- 
eral SehotieUl  at  Franklin,  and  as 
the  Confederate  force  outnumbered 
his,  the  latter  fell  back  on  Nasli- 
ville.  On  December  2  the  Confed- 
erate General  1  lood  liad  invested  tlie 
city  on  its  southern,  southeastern, 
and  soutluveslein  sides,  and  thrown  up  three  lines  of  breastworks  ;  his  in- 
fantry had  its  right  at  Nolensville  pike,  and  extended  to  Hillsboro'  pike, 
where  the  left  \ny;  he  blockaded  the  Cumberland  River  by  batteries  on  the 
shore,  so  that  the  only  source  of  supply  for  the  Union  army  was  the  Louis- 
ville road.  Hood  was  waiting  till  tlie  ri\er  fell  so  that  his  ea\alrv  could 
cross  ;  Thomas  was  busy  in  reorganizing  and  remounting  his  cavalr\-  ; 
and  so  time  passed  till  December  1 5,  when  the  Union  anii\-  adxanced  from 
its  entrencliments,  hidden  b\'  a  hea\y  fog.  At  daybreak.  General  Steed- 
man,  with  tliree  brigades,  of  which  two  were  colored  troops,  drove  in 
•  the  Confederate  pickets,  and  a  gallant  attempt  was  made  to  take  tlieir 
earthworks,  but  the  ass.-uilt  was  repulsed  with  severe  loss.     While  this 


OF.OR(-.I-'    H.    THOMAS. 


suit.  This  first  day's  captures  were 
1200  prisoners,  16  guns,  40  wagons, 
and  man)'  small  arms.  Tliomas  tele- 
graphed, "  1  shall  attack  the  enemy 
to-morrow  if  lie  stands  to  fight ;  if 
he  retreats  during  the  night  I  will 
campaign,  the  Confed-     pursue  him." 

The  afternoon  of  December  16 
was  well  advanced  when  the  decisive 
instant  came.  The  attacking  col- 
umns of  Union  troops  under  Wood's 
command  were  formed,  and  ad- 
Aanced  under  a  tremendous  fire  of 
grape  up  to  the  Confederate  breast- 
works at  0\erton.  But  there  the 
Confederate    reserves    poured    into 


GENERAL   SCHOFIELD. 


them  a  deadly  volley,  and  the  charg- 
ing line  recoiled  and  fell  back,  "  lea\-ing  its  dead  and  wounded,  white  and 
black  indiscriminately  mingled,"  on  the  slope.  Smith  and  Schofield  mean- 
while had  fallen  on  the  Confederate  centre  and  left,  "  carrying  all  before 
tlieiu  and  breaking  his  line  in  a  dozen  places."  The  Fourth  Corps  had  now 
had  time  to  reform,  and  again  assaulted  the  works  at  Overton.  This  time 
nothing  could  resist  them,  and  in  spite  of  the  dreadful  rain  of  fire  poured  on 
them,  they  won  the  crest  of  0\erton  Hill,  and  drove  the  occupants  out  in 
utter  rout,  along  the  Franklin  road.  The  pursuit  continued  for  miles,  till 
night  fell  on  the  scene  of  carnage.  The  Confederates  lost  4500  prisoners,  53 
guns.^  In  the  whole  series  of  battles  between  September  1S64,  and  January 
301  1865,  Thomas  captured  13,185  prisoners,  72  guns,  and  many  battle-flags. 


\ 


IHE   BATTLE   OF  COLD   HAEEOR.   VIEGINU.    THE  ElfiilTiit.NTil    Cylll-S   KUIVINfJ   LO-N'OSTlitCTd   loilCtS    I  I:  ...1    Illhlj:   iji^f   LLNE   Ul'   KIFLE-I'ITS,  JUNE   1,    1S«. 


BATTLE  OF   ATLANTA. 


/VTLANTA,   the   "Gate   City   of   the 
South,"  the  door  of  Georgia,  had  an  ad- 
mirably protected  situation,  and  was  a 
i^rcat  depot  and  worksliop  for  the  Con- 
fuderale  Government.     Here  were  arse 
nals,  (cnuuhies,  furnaces,  rollin^-mi 
factories,  all  busy  in  supplying  munitions 
of  war  to  the  Southern  armies.     It  was 
necessary  for  the  Union  forces  to  attack 
and  capture  this  stronghold  of  the  encm)'. 
•General  Sherman 
-  was  in  command  of 
the  Division  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  had 
wilhhinithe  "Army 
of  the  Cunibcrlaiul,"  General  Thomas;   the  "Army 
of   the   Tennessee,"   General   Mcl'licrson  ;   and    the 
"  Army  of  the  Ohio,''  (icneral  Scholicld  ;  amounling 
to  about   100,000  men.     They  were  confronted  b)- 
58,000  men  under  General  Joseph  \\.  Johnston,  ar- 
ranged in  three  corps  commanded  by  Generals  liar 
dee,  Hood,  and  Polk.     Slierman  by  a  succession  of 
flank  movements  compelled  ll\cm  to  leave  AUatoona 
Pass,  abandon  Kenesaw,  and  evacuate  Marietta.     At 
this  time  the  eautio\is  Johnston  was  superseded  by 
the  Confederate  (nnernmenl,  and  J.  U.  Hood,  a  dasli- 
ing,  hghling  olVieer,  \ilaced  in  command.     Towards 
the  middle  of  July  the  eventful  day  approached.     On 
Jvdy  2.;,  1S64,  an  attack  was  directed  on  Sherman's 
rear,  but  re\nilsed.     During  this  contest  MePherson 
was  killed,  and  Cleneral  Logan  succeeded  him.    "  Gen- 
eral Logan,"  so  writes  an  eye-witness,  "on  that  famous  black  stallion 


Hood's  brilliant  attack  began.     Six  times  they  advanced,  six  times  tliey 
were  repulsed,  in  a  succession  of  charges  from  noon  to  4  p.m.     At  no 
period  during  this  hard-fought  battle  did  the  temporary  lulls  in  the  fight- 
ing exceed  at  any  time  fifteen  minutes.     The  front  of  the  battle  extended 
for  nearly  seven  miles.     The  Confederate   General  Hardee  broke   the 
Us,  and     Federal   lines,  but  his   charge  was  finally  cheeked,  and  General  Hood 
claimed  that  the  result  was  beneficial,  and  improved  the  courage  and 
feeling  of  his  troops,  and  defeated  the  Federal  attacks  on  his  line  of  com- 
munications.    The  battle  was  a  desperate  one,  and  when  the  Confeder- 
ates withdrew  towards  Atlanta,  the  Federal  loss  was  over  3,000  men, 
and  the  Confederate  loss  was  larger.     The  death  of 
the  Union  leader,   General  McPherson,  took   place 
just  as  the  battle  opened.     General  Sherman  relates 
that  while  they  were  talking  at   head-quarters,  the 
sound  of  artillery  was  heard,  and  that  McPherson, 
having  sent  off  all  his  staff  with  orders  to  support  the 
points  attacked,  set  off  alone  to  cross  a  wooded  val- 
ley which  he  thought  safe.     The  first  news  of  his  fate 
was  the  appearance  of  his  horse,  wounded  and  rider- 
less.    General  Sherman  remained  quiet  a  few  days, 
but  on  July  27  the  battle  of  Ezra  Church  took  place. 
During  .the  conflicts  before  Atlanta  in  the  month  of 
June,  the  Confederate  loss  was  8,841,  the  Federal  loss 
9,719,  not  including  the  cavalry  losses.      On  both 
sides  the  highest  courage  was  displayed,  and  the  sol- 
diers, whether    in 
the  blue  of  the  Union, 
or   the  gra)'   of   the 
Confederacy,  exhib- 
ited maginficent  val- 
or   and    endurance. 
Sherman,  however,  was  the  superior  of 


WILLIAM   T.    SHER>»AN. 


of  his,  became  a  flame  of  fire  and  fury,  yet  keeping'  a  wondrous  method  in  Hood    in    generalship,  and    under    his 

his  inspired  madness.     He  was  everywhere,  his  horse  covered  with  foam,  leadership  the  tide  of  Federal  success 

himself  hatless  and  begrimed  with  dust,  giving  sharp  orders  to  oflicers  steadily  continued.     Hood  drew  off  his 

as  he  met  them,  and  planting  himself  firmly  in  front  of  fleeing  columns,  troops,  and  on  September  2,  i86j.,  the 

revolver  in  hand,  and  threatening  in  tones  not  to  be  misunderstood  to  fire  Union  troops  marched  into  Atlanta,  and 

into  the  advance  if  they  did  not  instantly  halt  and  form  in  order  of  bat-  the  Stars  and  Stripes  flung  out  its  folds 

tie."     Then  the  broken  ranks  reformed,  the  battle  was  renewed  in  order  over  the   coiut-house.       On   November 

and  with  fury— a  tempest  of  thunder  and  fire— a  hailstorm  of  shot  and  14,  Atlanta  was  in  flames,  and  Sherman 

shell.     Hardly   had  Logan's  corps  time  to  throw  up  earthworks  than  started  on  his  march  to  the  sea. 


OE.NURAL   McPHEESON. 


THE  SIEOE   OF   ATLANTA. -CONFEDERATE  ATTACK    OX  CENERAI.   IXICAN'S    Coin's,    JULY   :»,    im. 


BATTLE   OF  ATLANTA,   SEPTEMBER    2,   1864. 


BATTLE    OF    THE    WILDERNE&S,    MAr    5-7,    7864. 


LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN. 


Aftfr  the  battle  of  Chiel<a,uiu>t,'a,  the  clepartments  known  as  those  of  command  crossed  shortly  after,  and  the  action  became  general.    Ram  was 

the  Oliio  ihc  Cnn,berland,  and  the  Tennessee  were  united  to  form  the  falling,  but  his  men  climbed  upwards,  clearing  away,  as  they  went  the 

Division  of  the  Mississippi,  and  on  October  23,  186,,,  its  commander.  Gen-  obstructions  placed  by  the  Confederates,  and  disappeared  m  a  belt  ot  cloud 

eral  Grant,  arrived  at  Chattanooga.     The  city,  though  no  longer  in  a  state  that  hung  around  the  mountain.    Onward  the  Union  troops  pressed  till  they 

of"  siecre  vvas  menaced  by  the  Confederate  'force  under  General  Bragg,  reached  the  summit,  driving  the  enemy  from  his  strongest  positions,  and 

'^  '                             ■  '  ■                     juns  and  prisoners.     This 


His  centre  stretched  across  the  valley  of 
Chattanooga,  while  his    Hank   rested  on 
Lookout  Mountain  and  Missionary  Ridge, 
the  whole  forming  a  line  twelve  miles  long, 
well  entrenched  for  the  most  part  of  this 
distance.    Grant  resolved  to  attack  Bragg, 
for,  as  General  Sherman  had  arri\ed,  he 
had  at  his  disposal  So.ooo  men.    I  le  placed 
Sherman  on  the  left  with  orders  to  attack 
Bragg 's  right  and  capture  the  heights  of 
Missionary   Ridge.     To  divert  allonlion 
from     Sherman's     movements,     (ieneral 
Thomas  had,  on  November  23,  seized  and 
fortified  Orchard  Knob,  in  front  of  Mis- 
sionary Ridge,  and  Hooker  was  onlered 
next  day  to  fall  on  Bragg's  left  at  Look- 
out Mountain,  while  Sherman  crossed  the 
Tennessee  River  above  Chattanooga.    On 
the  day  named  Sherman  passed  his  army 
across  the  ri\er  by  two  bridges  which  he 
had  built  on  the  night  of  November  J,j, 
but  met  with  unexpected  ditViculties  as  he 
advanced.      Hooker,   on   his   part   of  the 
line,  moved  with  vigor  against  the  wooded 
steeps  of  Lookout  Mountain,  a  height  that 
seemed  impregnable.     His  advance  was 
checked  by  the  necessity  of  building  a 
bridge  over  Lookout  Creek,  and,  while 
this  was  being  done,  he  sent  General  Geary 
to  effect  a  landing  at  Wauhatchce.     A 
dense   mist   enabled  Geary  to  reach  the 
creek,  and  fall  on  the  Confederate  pickets,  and  a  lively  skirmish  took  place 
before  the  alarm  was  given  to  the  Confederate  General  Stexenson.     A 
second  bridge  was  soon  built  by  the  Federal  soldiers,  by  which  Generals 
Wood  and  Geose  crossed  to  join  Geary's  force,  while  the  artillery  was 
placed  to  cover  the  preliminary  movements.     The  remainder  of  Hooker's 


taking  many 

action  became  known  as  "  Hooker's  Battle 
above  the  Clouds,"  and  at  night  the  out- 
lines of  his  battalions  were  seen  crossing 
the  disk  of  the  rising  moon.     The  Confed- 
erates fled  down  the  northern  slopes  of  the 
mountain    and  joined  General  Bragg  on 
Missionary  Ridge.     Next  morning,  as  the 
sun  rose,  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were  float- 
ing from  Pulpit  Rock,  the  crest  of  Look- 
out Mountain.     On  November  25,  it  was 
the  plan  of  General  Grant  to  send  Hooker 
and  his  men  across  the  Chattanooga  valley 
and  attack  Bragg  at  Missionary  Ridge. 
"But  the  Confederates  on  their  retreat  had 
broken  down  some  bridges,  which  caused 
a  delaj'  of  several  hours  in  Hooker's  ad- 
vance.    During  this  time  Bragg  was  mass- 
ing troops   to   fall  on  Sherman,  and  this 
his  wing  naturally 
Grant  resohed  to 
send  forward  the  Union  centre  under  Gen- 
eral Thomas  without  waiting  any  longer 
for  Hooker  to  come  up.  General  Thomas  s 
sent  forward  under  the  leader- 
and   Wood. 


troops  to  tall  on 
gathering  of  men  on 
weakened  his  centre. 


VIEW   FROM   LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN. 


men  were 

ship    of    Generals   Sheridan 
They  took  the  f^rst  line  of   Confederate 
works  without  difficulty,  and  followed  the 
■^  -■        whieh 


retreating  enemy  to  a  second  line, 

they  also  took  and  thus  reached  the  sum- 

,     ,  mit,  sweeping  all  before  them. 

I"  these  battles  the  National  loss  was  about  6000  men,  the  Confederates, 

10,000,  of  whom  6000  were  prisoners,  and  42  guns.    In  the  President's  lette. 

to  Grant  he  thanked  him  and  his  men  for  their  skill  and  bravery,  and  Con- 

■  th  suitable  emblems. 


gress  ordered  a 
devices,  and 


_old  medal  to  be  struck  for  him, 
inscriptions." 


GENERAL   KILPATniClCS    UKKiADK  ATTACKS    THE    CONFEDERATE   CAVALRY    UNDER    GENERAL  STUART,    AT   ALPIE.    VIRG1XL\.    JVNE    17, 


THE  WILDERNESS. 


In  March,  1864,  General  Grant  assumed  command  of  all  the  armies  of 
the  United  States,  and  at  once  reorganized  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
amounting  to  140,000  men.  On  May  4,  his  headquarters  were  at  Culpep- 
er  ;  on  that  <.h\y  lie  set  his  army  in  motion,  and  hefcno  night  all  his  troops 
had  crossed  llie  Rapidan.  His  line  of  march  led  thrmigh  the  Wilderness, 
a  dreary  region  co\ered  with  scrnlvoalcs  and  thick  underwood,  intersected 
by  numerous  cross-roads,  and  where  it  was  dilTicult  to  use  artillery. 
Lee  resolved  to  stop  the  advance  of  the  Ihiionisls,  and  on  May  5  tlic  bat- 
tle began.     Grant  wriles  :  "  The  battle  raged  furiously  all  day,  the  whole 

army  being  brought  into  the 
fight  as  fast  as  the  corps 
could  be  got  upon  the  field, 
whicli,  considering  the  den- 
sity   of  tlie   forest   and   the 
n.'irrowncss  of  the  roads,  was 
done     with     commendable 
prouipliludc."     The    fight- 
ing continued  till  late  in  the 
cNcning    witho\it    material 
athantagc  for  either  party. 
Next  morning  the  contest 
was  renewed,  over  a  line  of 
seven     miles    from     Sedg- 
wick's right  to  Hancock's 
left.     The    assaidts  of   the 
Confederates  were  furious, 
but  were  gallantly  met,  and 
when  night  again  descended 
the    two    armies   were    in 
nearly    the    same    position 
tliey  liad  occupied  the  even- 
ing before.     The  total  loss  in  the  two  days'  battles  was  on  the  Union 
side  15,000,  on  the  Confederate  about  10,000.     The  chief  part  of  the  fight- 
ing on  the  Union  side  was  done  by  Hancock's  command,  and  on  the  Con- 
federate side  by  Longstreet's  di\ision.    On  the  second  day,  I  lancock,  push- 
ing forward  into  the  dense   tliickel,  met  the  two  dixisions  of  Hill,  and, 
"  after  a  desperate  contest,  in  which  our  troops  conducted  themselves  in 
the  most  intrepid  manner,  the  enemy's  line  was  broken  at  all  points,  and 
he  was  driven  in  confusion  through  the  forest  for  almost  one  and  a  half 
miles,  suffering  sex'cre  losses  in  killed,  wounilcd,  and  prisoners."     But  bv 
this  time  the  Union   line  had  lost  its  formation  in  the  tangled  wilderness. 


GENERAL  LONGSTREET. 


and  a  halt  was  made  in  order  to  reform  the  line.    The  two  hours  thus  spent 
enabled  the  remaining  divisions  of  Hill's  corps  to  come  up,  and  Longstreet's 
column  was  reported  as  approaching.     General  Lee  placed  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  Texans,  and  ordered  a  charge;  but  a  "  grim  and  ragged  "  sol- 
dier of  the  line  raised  his  voice  in  protest  at  their  coinmander  thus  risking 
his  life,  and  Lee  had  to  return  to  his  proper  place  at  the  rear.     The  Con- 
federate line  was  now  inflexible,  and  Hancock's  advance  at  9  a.m.  was  fu- 
tile.    Till  noon  there  was  a  pause,  then  a  burst  of  musketry  announced  the 
Confederate  adx'ancc,  and  Hancock,  unable  to  hold  his  position,  had  to  rally 
and   reform   behind 
his     breastworks. 
General  Wadsworth 
fell,      mortally 
wounded,      as      he 
strove  to  arrest  the 
fugitives.    It  looked 
as  if  victory  would 
favor  the  Confeder- 
ates, but  at  the  criti- 
cal moment  their  at- 
tack ceased.     Long- 
street,      who      had 
planned   the  action, 
had   been   wounded 
by    a    volley    from 
his    own    men.      "  I 
thought,"     Long- 
street     said      after- 
wards, "  that  we  had 

another  Bull  Run  on  ,,,^ 

you."     His  fall  fi-us-  ""  ""''°  "•"""''  "■"»' 

trated  the  execution  of  liis  plan.  Not  till  after  4  p.m.  did  the  Confederates 
renew  their  attack,  and  ad\ance  up  to  the  Union  breastwork.  Then  a 
strange  thing  happened.  The  wooden  breastwork  took  tire,  and  the 
intense  heat  and  dense  smoke  made  the  LTnion  troops  cease  firing,  and 
some  of  the  Confederates  reached  the  breastwork  and  placed  their  colors 
on  It.  Then  Carroll's  brigade  ad\anced  at  the  double-quick,  retook  the 
breastwork,  and  forced  tlie  enemy  to  fall  back  with  heavy  loss. 

Thus  closed  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  "  one  of  the  strangest  battles 
ever  fought,"  writes  William  Swinton  ;  "  a  battle  which  no  man  could  see, 
and  whose  progress  could  only  be  followed  by  the  ear." 


THE    BATTLE    OF    ICKA,  3HSSISSIPri.  BtTlVEES    OESEKAJ,  lUKECKAKS    AXK    Jilt.  fJi.n.UUt.U}-,    L.,U!-I;    ',1...LKAL   I'llICE,    SEl'I'tJlUtli    ID-a).    ItU.'. 


CIIICKAMAUGA. 


Chickamauga  is  the  name  of  a  small  creek  in  'rcnnessce,  and  the 
word  is  said  to  mean  in  the  Indian  ton},'ue,  "  The  River  of  Death."     A 
fitting  name  (or  the  scene  of  the  bloody  struggle  that  took  place  on  its 
banks  on  September   19  and  20,  18(13.     While  Grant  w.-is  before  Vieks- 
bm-g,the  Federal  General  Roscerans  and  the  Confederate  General  Bragg 
were  watching  each  other  near  Mnrfrcesborougb,  Tennessee, both  unwilling 
to  make  any  grand  m<)\-ement.     When  Rosecrans  did  at  length  move,  he 
succeeded  iii  compelling  Bragg  to  fall  back  on  Chattanooga.     A  brilliant 
piece  of  strateg\-,  which  led  the  Confederates  to 
believe  that  Rosecrauswasabout to  invadeCJeor- 
gia,  forced  Bragg  to  .-diandon  Chalnooga  and  to 
fall  back  on  Lafayette,  and  then,  afler  a  week  of 
careful  feeling  about  for  each  other's  presence, 
the  two  armies  stood  face  to  face  on  each  side  of 
the  creek  of  Chickamauga.   Each  line  extended 
towards    the    heights    of   Missionary   Ridge. 
Rosecrans  had  about  55,000  men,  and  Bragg, 
when  he  had  been  joined  by  Longstrect  on  the 
night  of  September   18,  had   70,000  men  at 
his  disposal.     The  Federal  troops  were  facing 
southeast,  the  Confederates  faced  northwest, 
but  during  the  battle  both  lines  became  broken 
and  bent.     General  Thomas  held  the  left   of 
the  Federal  position,  and   MeCook  the  right. 
General  Bragg  began  the  attack  on  the  morn- 
ing of  September  19.     He  had  been  able  to 
see  from  the  mountain  heights  wliat  arrange- 
ments  General   Rosecrans  was  making,  and 
knew  therefore  what  he  had  to  expect. 

The  Confederate  army  achanced  conlidently 
over  Chickamauga  Creek,  which  they  crossed 
without  opposition.  The  fiercest  fighting,  how- 
ever, took  place  on  the  spot  where  General  Thomas  was  posted,  and  against 
him  the  troops  of  General  Leonidas  I'olk  were  directed.  15ut  Thomas, 
though  noted  for  the  stubbornness  with  which  he  could  tight  to  the  most 
desperate  straits,  did  not  wait  quietly  for  the  enemy  ;  he  struck  out  un- 
expectedly whenever  an  opportunity  offered.  The  fight  became  furious. 
Brigades  ad\anced  and  were  driven  back,  reformed,  advanced,  and  again 
repulsed.  Batteries  were  taken  and  retaken,  regiments  sliattered,  and 
many  prisoners  taken  on  both  sides.  But,  in  spite  of  all  his  gallantrv. 
Thomas'  line  was  forced  back,  and  when  night  closed  on  the  struggle  he 


was   in  his  original  position,  and  the  situation  of  the  two  armies  was 
unchanged. 

The  morning  of  September  20  was  foggj-,  and  this  dela3'ed  the  various 
movements,  so  that  the  action  did  not  begin  till  the  forenoon,  instead  of 
at   daybreak,  as  Bragg  had  planned.     The  brunt  of  the  battle  again  fell 
on  Thomas  and  Polk,  but  the  dash  of  the  latter  could  make  no  impression 
on  the  steadiness  of  the  former.     Thomas  had  been  calling  repeatedl}'  for 
reinforcements,  which  sometimes  came  up,  and  sometimes  did  not,  but 
whether  they  came  or  not,  he  obstinately  held 
his   ground.      Victory   might   perhaps  have 
crowned  the  Federal  arms,  if  an  unexpected 
misunderstanding  had  not  taken  place.     An 
order  was  sent  to  General  T.J.  Wood,  bidding 
him   "  to   close  up  on  Re3'nolds  and  support 
hini."     Tliese  words  are  plain  enough  in  mean- 
ing to  civilian  readers,  but  in  military  language 
"  closing  up  "  means  to  bring  the  ends  of  the 
lines  together,  while  "  supporting  "  means  to 
take  a  position  in  the  rear.     General  Wood 
obej-ed  the  order  to  support  literally,  and  thus 
left  a  wide  gap  in  the  Federal  line.    Long.street 
at  once  percei\'ed  the  mistake  of  the  Union 
leader, and  sent  six  divisions  of  his  men  through 
the  gap.     This  advancing  body  cut  off  Mc- 
Cook's  corps  from  the  rest  of  the  arm}',  and, 
in  spite  of  heroic  efforts  bj"  Negley,  Crittenden, 
and  McCook,  it  was  dri\-en  back  in  wild  con- 
fusion.   The  whole  Federal  centre  was  crumb- 
ling  away.     Rosecrans  himself  rode  off   to 
Chattanooga  to  rallj-  his  forces,  but  his  chief  of 
staff,  General  James  A.  Garfield,  afterwards 
President,   remained  on   the  field,  and  found 
Thomas  undauntedly  standing  in  his  old  position,  though  three-fifths  of 
the  army  were  destroyed,  repelling  the  last  Confederate  charges  by  the 
bayonet.     When  darkness  came  down  Thomas  retired  to  Rossville,  leav- 
uig  the  enemy  in  possession  of  the  field,  and  at  that  spot  he  was  met  next 
morning  by  General  Sheridan,  who  had  marched  round  the  mountain 
after  Longstreet  had  broken  the  Federal  line. 

The  National  loss  is  estimated  at  16,336  killed,  wounded,  and  missing, 
while  Bragg's  loss  is  reckoned  to  have  reached  18,000.  Next  to  Gett3S- 
burg  this  was  the  most  deadly  and  destructive  fight  of  the  war. 


JAMFS   .\,    OARKUXD. 


DATTI.E    OF    CHICKAJIAUf;.\,    GEOfWIA.    V0U(;IIT    SKPTEMUKIt    iU-'J),    WHS. 


BAlTLE    OF    LOOKOUT    MOUNTAIN.    NOVEMBER    24.,   IE 


BATTLE  OF  CEDAR  CREEK    SHERIDAN'S  RIDE),  OCTOBER  19,  1864. 


SHERIDAN'S   RIDE. 


In  the  early  (all  of  1864,  he  was  repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  Sheridan  in  turn  attacked  the  Con- 
Sheridan,  on  the  federates  in  the  afternoon,  and,  after  some  severe  fighting,  the  whole  line 
of  the  enemy  gave  way,  and  were  driven  in  confusion,  closely  pursued  by 
the  Union  cavalry.  All  the  guns  lost  were  retaken,  and  twenty-four 
othens  captured.  The  road  indeed  was  clogged  with  cannon,  wagons, 
caissons,  and  men  in  utter  confusion.  The  Confederate  loss  in  this 
double  battle  was  3100,  the  Federal  loss,  5700,  of  whom  1700  had  been 
the  morning  and  sent  off  to  Richmond.     This  short 


General     Sheridan,    on 

Union    side,     and    General 

Early,  on  the   Confederate, 

hiid  several  engagements  in 

the  Valley  of  Virginia.     On 

September    19,  the    former 

sent  hi.s  enemy  "whirling  up     taken  prisoners  in 


PHIl.lr   HENkV   SHRRIDAN. 


the  valley,"  and  on  Septem 
ber    23,   defeated    them    at 
Strasburg,  and  burned  their 
wagon    train    at    Port    Re- 
public.  On  October  5,  Sheri- 
dan retired  down  the  valley 
and   put  his  army  in   camp 
at    Cedar    Creek,   north    of 
Stra.sbtu'g,  while  he  himself 
went  on  to  Washington  to  a 
conference   with    the  Secre- 
tary  of   War.     The   valley 
had  been  laid  waste  by  Sheridan  so  that  "  a  crow  could  not  cross  it  with- 
out carrying  his  pro\-isions  ; "   and    Early   therefore   had   to  retire   or 
attack   .Sheridan's  camp,     lie  chose  the  latter  course,  and  on  October 
19,  the  Confederates,  under  the  shelter  of  a  mist,  fell  upon  (icneral  Crook's 
corps  and  routed  it.     When  the  battle  began  Sheridan  was  on  his  way 
back  to  join  his  arm)',  and  had   reached  Winchester  when  the  sound  of 
the   cannon  fell  upon  bis  ear.     He  mcnmted   his  famous  black   charger 
and  rode  on  with   all  speed  to   the  scene  of   the  conllict.     He  met  a 
stream  of  fuu'tiixes,  but  stopped  them  by  barring  the  road  with  his  cav- 
alry.    He  ordered  the  retreating  artiller}'  to  be  packed  on  the  side  of 
the  road,  and  dashed  on  at  a  swinging  gallop.     Thus  he  rode  on  for 
tvvehe    miles,    the    stream    of   fugitives  becoming    thicker    and    thicker 
every   moment.     Onward    he    raced    over   the  excellent  turnpike   road, 
and   wa\ed   his    hat,   crying,   "Face  the   other   way,   boys!     We   are 
going  back  to  our  camps!     We  are  going  to  lick  them  out  of  their 
boots  ! "     The  words,   the-  gesture,  the   maif  himself,  had  a  magnetic 
effect  on  the   soldiers  ;   they  turned   and  followed  him.     As  he  dashed 
into  the  lines  he  called  out  to  the  regiments  as  they   were  reforming, 
"We'll  have  those  cannon  and  camps  back  again."     A  new  line  of  battle 
was  quickly  formed,  and  entrenchments  thrown  up.     General  Wright  had 
succeeded   in  bringing  order  out  of  confusion,  and  when  Early  attacked 


but  brilliant  campaign  of  Shenandoah  nearly  annihilated  Early's  force, 
and  ended  hostilities  in  the  Shenandoah  valley. 

No  incident  of  the  war  has  left  such  an  impression  on  the  minds  of  the 
people  as  "  Sheridan's  Ride."  The  manoeuvering  of  armies  in  the  field,  an 
operation  occupying  days,  the  plans  of  campaigns,  which  required  months 
to  carry  out,  e\-en  the  battlefields  themselves,  with  their  miles  of  ground 
lined  with  fighting  men,  make  no  impression  so  sharp  or  clear,  so  easy  to 
understand  and  realize,  as  the  figure  of  Sheridan  galloping  up  on  his  black 
horse  and  turning  the  tide  of  battle  by  bis  single  arm. 


L 


•-^_     ^ 


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cjmimj4-i^0¥i^^ 


CAVALRY  FIOHT  BETWEEN  THE  FX)RC'ES  OF 


SHERIDAN   ANU  STL-ART.  AT    VFUX-W  TAVKRN.    NEAK    KICHMOND,   VA..  MAY   II,   !«*, 


■\ 


iM'.'ri'RSlUIRC. 


Tiin;  sicRO  of  Pcti-rstwrg  lasli'il  fron\  Jiiiu',  ifif).|,  to  Mardi,  iK()5.  An 
iiUcmpt  to  tiiUc  till-  city  by  surprise  liiul  (iiiU'd,  iind  it  was  seen  wlu-ii  Ia-c 
had  been  able  to  Ibrow  liis  troops  into  the  place,  lliiil  :i  direct  assault  was 
impnictioable.  'flu-  l'"edeial  army  llievelore  Ihnw  up  a  series  ol  earth- 
works, and  thus  pn. I  eel  I'd,  le^nKi'd  In  make  aiinlhei'  assault  when  a  favor 
able  opportunity  oeeurred.  (ieneral  liuinside  oei-upied  a  position  within 
it;o  yards  of  llie  (.'onfederate  lines,  whieli  lliere  formed  an  alible  ici\i'nd 
by  a  fin-t.     I'nder  lliis  Imi  llie  mine  bad  lieen  run,  anil  on  July  30,  iN().|, 

Ibe  explosion  of  the  mine  was 
lo  take  plaee.     Al  halfpasi    | 
A.M.  tlie  mateb  was  applied  lo 
Uu'    Irain,   bnl    uwin^   lo   ll\e 
deleelixe    luse    the    mine    did 
nol  explode.      'Two  men  ol  a 
eoiuajji'  rarer  iban  thai  seen 
m  many  a  slrieken  lielil,  \  ol 
imteered   to   enter   the  dark 
ffalleries  and   sec  what    was 
nniiss.  They  were  Lieutenant 
Jacob    Douty   and    Scrjicant 
1  lenry  Kees,  of  the  .|8lh  I'enn 
sylvania  Kej;imenl.    'rbefuse 
was  lelighted,  and  at  4.:  uiin 
\ites  past  4  the  jjreat   mine 
wont   off.     A   solid  mass  of 
earth,  through  which  the  ex- 
plodinj;'   powder   blazed   like 
lightning  playing  in  a  bank  of 
clouds,  was  slowly  raised  two 
himdred    feet    into    the   air. 
U  hung  there  black  and  om 
incus   for   a    few   seconds,   then   sank   down,   while   a   dense   cloud   of 
smoke  floated  off.     Then  the  artillery  tire  opened  all  along  the  Union 
line  ;  it  was  slow,  deliberate,  careful,  as  if  at  target  practice,  and  very 
effective.     The  enemy's  guns  were  silenced.     Then  the  leading  division 
under  Ledlie  advanced  to  the  charge.     Where  the  fort  had  been  was 
a  crater  150  feet  long,  60  wide,  and  30  feet  deep.     Here  Ledlie's  column 
sought  shelter.     Then  two  divisions  under   Generals  Potter  and  Wil- 
son adxanced,  .and  also  huddled  into  the  crater,  creating  a  scene  of  disorder 
and  confusion  which  continued  nearly  all  day.     The  tirst  to  disentangle 


itrNjAMiN  r.  uuri.KR. 


BUILDING    A   CANAL. 


Then    the   enemy    under    General 


itself  was  Potter's  division, 
tliat  charged  towards  the 
crest  of  the  ridge  behind 
where  the  fort  bad  been, 
but  il  w.is  badly  supported, 
and  had  to  fall  back.  At 
7  A.M.  liurnside  sent  for- 
ward some  colored  trooiis, 
but  the  tire  from  the  enemy, 
who  bad  now  rallied  from 
llu'  confusion  caused  by  the 
explosion,  compelled  them 
lo  retire.  Blacks  and  whites 
tumbled  into  the  basin  of 
the  crater,  where  the  Con 
tederate    shot     and     shell 

rained    down    with    awful    havoc,       ,_.    ^ 

Mahone  made  a  sally  towards  the  crater,  but  were  repulsed  ;  a  second 
rally  followed,  which  shook  the  mass  of  men  in  the  crater,  and  a  gen- 
eral rout  ensued, 

Abo\e   .(ooo  men  were  killed  or  captured    in   what  General    Grant 
called  "  this  miserable  affair." 

Oiiriug  the  rest  of  the  summer  and  the  fall  various  movements  of  botli 
armies  took  plaee.  Ilancock,  in  spite  of  liis  skill  and  bravery,  failed  in 
turning  the  enemy's  leff, 
Warren  succeeded  in  de 
stroying  twenty  miles  of  the 
A\"eldon  Railroail.  a  ver)' 
important  line  of  communi- 
cation ;  Sheridan  had  been 
operating  in  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley,  and  in  Marcli 
1865,  joined  the  army  be- 
fore Petei-sburg,  and  on 
April  I  his  spirited  charges 
drove  the  Confederates 
from  two  temporary  lines, 
and  eontined  them  to  their 
works  at  Five  Forks.  Then 
the  end  was  not  far  off.  p.cket  dutv. 


BATTLE  OF  BKNTOXSVILI.E,  JIARCH  80,  ISdl.-OENERAL  MOWEH  TUKSINH  THE  CONFEDERATE  LEFT. 


FIVE  FORKS. 


PlVR  Forks,  the  last  battle  of  tlic  Confederate  Arm)'  of  Virginia  under 
Lee,  was  the  hist  important  deeisive  battle  of  the  great  Civil  War.  Earl)- 
in  Mareh,  1S65,  (leneral  Lee  rcsol\-ed  to  abandon  Petersburg  and  Rich- 
mond, and  to  join  Johnston  in  North  Carolina.  On  paper  Lee  still  had 
160,000  men  ;  he  really  liad  not  50,000  effective  troops.  The  spot  called 
Five  Forks  is  the  junction  of  the  road  from  Dinwiddle  to  the  Southside 
Railroad,  and  the  Wliite  0,ak  road.  It  was  held  by  15,000  Confederates 
under  Pickett,  Bradley  Johnson,  and  Wise,  and  on  April  i,  General  Sher- 
idan was  ordered  to  nio\  e 

against  it;  he  had  his  own     ""  ' 

cavalr)',  Sooo  strong,  Mi 
Kenzie's  cavalry,  touu 
men,  and  llie  Fifth  Corps 
12,000  strong,  and  earl\ 
on  that  morning  droM 
the  Confederate  fon  1 
from  Dinwiddle  to  Fi\  r 
Forks,  into  their  main 
works.  The  works  a  I 
Five  Forks  consisted  ol 
logs  and  earth,  with  re- 
doubts at  intervals,  and 
an  abaltis  in  front,  wiili 
a  thick  pine  undergrowili 
covering  the  approach. 
About  I  P.M.,  the  Filth 
Corps,  under  Warren, 
was  sent  on  to  Gra\ell\- 
Run  Church,  and  Ihence 
,iushcd  to  the  White  Oak 
road,  wlierc  it  took  Uji  a 
position  dircctl)'  upon  the 
loft  of  the  Confcdciates, 
and  overlapping  it  for  a  long  distance.  The  Union  troops  under  General 
Ayrcs  became  engaged  with  the  Confederate  skirmishers,  and  approached 
their  breastworks;  but  there  he  encountered  a  severe  tire,  and  his  division 
staggered  and  broke.  General  Warren,  however,  sent  forward  Griffin's 
division,  and  then  Ayres  charged  the  entrenchments  with  Gwin's  brigade 
on  the  right,  the  Marxlanders  in  the  centre,  and  Winthrop's  brigade' on 
the  right.  The)-  dashed  on  with  irresistible  force  and  took  thc"^ works 
wliile  General  Griffin  fell   on   the  Confederate    rear  and   left.     General 


THE   SURRF.MU 


Crawford  at  the  same  time  pushed  on  till  he  struck  the  Ford  road,  directly 
north  of  tlie  Confederate  rear  centre.  The  Confederates  were  now  almost 
surrounded,  cavalry  coA'ered  their  whole  front,  while  the  infantry  was 
falling  on  their  rear,  and,  before  they  could  reach  the  White  Oak  road, 
the  Union  troops  had  broken  in,  and  forced  almost  all  of  the  Confederates 
to  surrender.  Two  miles  west  of  Five  Forks  was  another  line  of  earth- 
works thrown  up  by  the  Confederates  to  protect  their  left  flank,  and  these 
brought  the  victorious  forces  to  a  pause  till  General  Warren  rode  up  to 

the  front,  calling  on  his 
^Pl|ft||f|il|  "">£"  to  follow.  The 
officers  at  once  sprang 
out,  the  men  charged  at 
the  double  quick  and  cap- 
tured the  opposing-  force, 
while  the  cavalr)'  com- 
pleted the  rout. 

When  the  news  of 
Sheridan's  triumph  and 
Pickett's  defeat  reached- 
Lee,  he  at  once  carried 
out  his  plan,  and  evacua- 
ted Petersburg  and  Rich- 
mond. He  commenced 
his  mai-ch  with  20,000 
men  all  told.  On  April  4, 
he  reached  Amelia  Court 
House;  on  April  5,  closely 
pursued  b)-  Sheridan,  he 
was  at  High  Bridge, 
where  the  road  crosses 
the  Appomattox  ;  on 
"  '-i^-rKM-  i-EE.  April    6,   the    men   sank 

I  down  from  want  of  rest, 

Sleep,  and  food  ;  horses  dropped  dead  from  hunger  ;  two  di\-isions,  those 
ot  l^ield  and  Mahone,  alone  could  make  any  stand,  the  rest  of  the  proud 
Army  of  Vngmia  was  a  mob.  Lee's  officers  saw'  the  hour  of  surrender 
was  approachmg,  and  communicated  their  opinion  to  the  General.  During 
O  A  "  -f  °l'^'"'''  ^  '"'"'^  ^'  ^'■'''"'  '''"d  'lis  opponent  were  in  correspondence. 
"  Apnl  9,  Lee  summoned  Longstreet  and  Mahone  to  his  tent,  and,  after 
■  conterenee,  Lee  mounted  his  horse  with  the  words,  "  I  am  going  to  hold 
a  conference  with  General  Grant."    He  went  to  surrender  at  Appomattox. 


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