Chapter III: Part 3

Buford opened battle against the advance division of Hill's corps under General Heth. Reynolds soon joined and the first day's battle was now in full progress. General Reynolds, while placing his troops in line of battle early in the day, received a death shot in the head by a Confederate sharpshooter. This was a great loss to the Federals, as he was one of the bravest and most able generals in the Union army. No casualty of the war brought more widespread mourning to the North than the death of General John F. Reynolds. But even this calamity did not stay the fury of the battle.

Early in the afternoon the Federals were heavily reënforced, and A. P. Hill had arrived on the field with the balance of his corps, and the roar of battle was unceasing. About the middle of the afternoon a breeze lifted the smoke from the field and revealed that the Federals were falling back towards Gettysburg. They were hard pressed by the Confederates and were pushed back through the town with the loss of many prisoners. The Federals took a position on Cemetery Hill and the first day's battle was over.

If the Confederates had known the disorganized condition of the Federal troops, they might have pursued and captured a large part of the army.

It is thought by many that if "Stonewall" Jackson had lived to be there that at this particular time is where he would have delivered his crushing blow to the Federals and no doubt would have changed the final result of the battle. Meade was still some miles from the field, but on hearing of the death of Reynolds sent General Hancock to take command until he himself should arrive.

The Union loss on the first day was severe. A great commander had fallen and they had suffered the fearful loss of 10,000 men.

Hancock arrived late in the afternoon, after riding at full speed. His presence brought an air of confidence, and his promise of heavy reënforcements all tended to inspire renewed hope in the ranks of the discouraged army.

Meade reached the scene late at night and chose to make this field the place of a general engagement. Lee had come to the same decision, and both called on their outlying legions to make all possible speed to Gettysburg. The night was spent in the marshaling of troops, getting position, planting artillery, and bands playing at intervals on the arrival of new divisions on the field.

General Gordon says that during the night the sound of axes and the falling of trees in the Federal entrenchments could plainly be heard, and that he became convinced during the night that by morning they would be so well fortified on Cemetery Hill that their position would be almost impregnable, and that he succeeded in getting a council of officers during the night to take under advisement a night attack on the enemy, but was told that General Lee had given orders that no further attack should be made until Longstreet arrived, and he had not yet arrived.

The dawn of July 2d broke into a beautiful summer day. Both armies hesitated to begin the battle and remained inactive until in the afternoon.

The fighting on that day was confined chiefly to the two extremes, leaving the center inactive. Longstreet commanded the Confederate right and the Union left was commanded by General Daniel E. Sickles, whose division lay directly opposite that of Longstreet. The Confederate left was commanded by General Richard Ewell, who succeeded to the command of this division after the death of "Stonewall" Jackson at Chancellorsville. While the Federal right, stationed on Culp's Hill was commanded by General Slocum.

Between these armies was a hollow into which the anxious farmers had driven and penned large numbers of cattle, which they thought would be a place of safety, and could not conceive that any battle could affect this place of refuge, but when the battle began and the stream of shells was directed against Round Top this place of refuge became a raging inferno of bursting shells.

There was a gate at the entrance of the local cemetery at Gettysburg that had written on it this sign: "All persons found using firearms in these grounds will be prosecuted with the utmost rigor of the law." Many a soldier must have smiled at these words, for this gateway became the very center of the crudest use of firearms yet seen on this "terrestrial ball."

The plan of General Meade was to have General Sickles connect his division with that of Hancock and extend southward near the base of the Round Tops. Sickles found this ground, in his opinion, low and disadvantageous and advanced his division to higher ground in front, placing his men along the Emmettsburg road and back toward the Trostle farm and the wheat-field, thus forming an angle at the peach orchard, thus leaving this division alone in its position far in advance of the other Federal lines. This position taken by Sickles was in disobedience of orders from General Meade, and was considered by Meade, as well as President Lincoln, as being a great mistake, but General Sickles always maintained that he did right, and that his position was well taken.

Longstreet was quick to see this apparent mistake and marched his troops along Sickles' front entirely overlapping the left wing of the Union army. Lee gave orders to Longstreet to make a general attack, and the boom of his cannon announced the beginning of the second day's battle. The Union forces answered quickly with their batteries and the fight extended from the peach orchard along the whole line to the base of Little Round Top. The musketry opened all along the line until there was one continuous roar. Longstreet swept forward in a line or battle a mile and a half long. He pressed back the Union forces and for a time it looked as though the Federals would be routed in utter confusion.

At the extreme left, near the Trostle house, was stationed John Biglow, in command of a Massachusetts battery, with orders to hold his position at all hazards. He defended his position well, but was finally routed with great loss by overwhelming numbers. This attack was made by Longstreet again and again, and was one of the bloodiest spots on the field at Gettysburg.

The most desperate struggle of the day was to get possession of Little Round Top, which was the key to the whole battleground west and south of Cemetery Ridge. General Longstreet sent General Hood with his division to occupy it. The Federals, under General Warren, defended this position and were charged on by General Hood's division with fixed bayonets time after time, which finally became a hand-to-hand conflict, but the Confederates were pressed down the hillside at the point of the bayonet, and thus was ended one of the most severe hand-to-hand conflicts yet known.

Little Round Top was saved to the Union army, but the cost was appalling. The hill was covered with hundreds of the slain. Many of the Confederate sharpshooters had taken position among the crevasses of the rocks in the Devil's Den, where they could overlook the position on Little Round Top, and their unerring aim spread death among the Federal officers. General Weed was mortally wounded, and, as General Hazlett was stooping to receive his last message, a sharpshooter's bullet laid him dead across the body of his chief.

During this attack, and for some time thereafter, the battle continued in the valley below, where many thousands were engaged. Longstreet and Sickles were engaged in a determined conflict, and it was apparent to all engaged that a decisive battle was being fought, and they were making a determined effort. Sickles' line was being pressed back to the base of the hill. His leg was shattered by a bursting shell, while scores of his officers and thousands of his men lay on the field to dream of battlefields no more. The coming of darkness ended the struggle. This valley has been rightly called the "Valley of Death."

While this battle was going on in this part of the field another was being fought at the other extreme end of the lines. General Ewell was making an attack on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, held by Slocum, who had been weakened by the sending of a large portion of his corps to the assistance of General Sickles. Ewell had three divisions, two of which were commanded by Generals Early and Johnston. Early made the attack on Cemetery Hill, but was repulsed after a bloody and desperate hand-to-hand fight. Johnston's attack on Culp's Hill was more successful, but was at length repulsed after the Federals had been heavily reënforced.

Thus closed the second day's battle of Gettysburg. The harvest of death had been great. The Federal loss during the two days was about 20,000 men; the Confederate loss was nearly as great. The Confederates had gained an apparent advantage on Culp's Hill, but the Union lines, except as to this point, were unbroken.

On the night of July 2d Lee held council of war with his generals and decided to make a grand assault on Meade's center the following day. Against this decision Longstreet protested in vain, but Lee was encouraged by the arrival of Pickett's division and Stuart's cavalry, which had not yet been engaged. Meade had held council with his officers, and had come to a like decision to defend.

That night a brilliant July moon shed its luster upon the ghastly field, over which thousands of men lay unable to rise. With many their last battle was over, but there were great numbers of wounded who were calling for the kindly touch of a helping hand. Nor did they call wholly in vain. They were carried to the improvised hospitals where they were given attention. The dead were buried in unknown graves soon to be forgotten except by their loving mothers.

All through the night the Confederates were massing their artillery along Seminary Ridge. The disabled horses were being replaced by others. The ammunition was being replenished, and all was being made ready for their work of destruction on the morrow.

The Federals were diligently laboring in the moonlight arranging their batteries on Cemetery Hill. The coming of morning revealed the two parallel lines of cannon which signified too well the story of what the day would bring forth.

On the first day of July, 1863, Pickett's division was encamped near Chambersburg, Penn., about twenty miles from Gettysburg.

This division was composed of three brigades, commanded by Armistead, Garnett and Kemper. They had no intimation that they would be called on to take part in the battle that was going on at Gettysburg. They had been following up as the rear guard of the Army of Northern Virginia.

The men were quietly sleeping after a most fatiguing march, and many no doubt dreaming of their homes along the Atlantic and Chesapeake, and others of their beautiful mountains and beautiful valleys, and in their dreams, perhaps, felt the warm kiss of their loved ones. All at once the long roll was sounded, and these visions vanished as they awoke and realized that grim war was still rampant. The division was ordered, about 1 A. M. on the morning of July 2d, to pack up and make ready to march, and while doing this it was rumored along the lines that Hood's division of Texans had been repulsed in charging Cemetery Heights at Gettysburg with frightful loss, and that it was the intention of General Lee that their division should charge the strong position as a forlorn hope.

About 3 A. M., on July 2d, the division began to move towards Gettysburg and marched as rapidly as circumstances would permit, as the roads were blocked with wagons, artillery, and the wounded of both armies. At length it arrived at about two o'clock in the evening within two miles of Gettysburg and immediately went into camp. While they were doing so a courier rode up and informed the officers that McLaws' division of Georgians had just made a charge on Cemetery Heights and had been repulsed with great slaughter. This division, together with Hood's and Pickett's, made up Longstreet's corps, and it seemed that each of his divisions was to have the honor of making an assault on Cemetery Heights. General Pickett now informed his men that he had orders to hurl his division against this position on the next day unless the artillery should succeed in dislodging the enemy.

On the following day this division took position in line of battle directly behind the Confederate artillery line on Seminary Ridge, with a line of timber between, and had orders to lie down. General Lee had massed in front of the division about 120 pieces of artillery, and they were to open on Cemetery Heights and endeavor if possible to dislodge the enemy. This cannonading began about noon, and was answered by the enemy with a hundred pieces. A more terrific fire has never been witnessed by man than occurred there on that July afternoon. The earth was shaken by its roar, such as probably the younger Pliny mentioned in his description of the eruption of Vesuvius when Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed. The sky was black with smoke, and livid with the flame belching from the mouth of the cannon.

During all this cannonading Pickett's division was lying awaiting it to cease. Round shot whistled through the trees, shells burst over their heads, dealing destruction within their ranks. The shot and shell from their enemy's guns that passed over the artillery invariably fell in the ranks of Pickett's division, which seemed doomed to destruction without even the opportunity of firing a gun. While this cannonading was going on, General Armistead and the other brigade commanders passed along in front of their respective commands informing their men that unless the artillery succeeded in dislodging the enemy from Cemetery Heights, they were to charge this position. Although this had been tried by the respective divisions of McLaw and Hood, and in each instance had been repulsed with great slaughter, yet they seemed determined to win for Virginia and the Confederate states a name which would be handed down to posterity in honor, and which would be spoken of in pride by not only Virginia but by all America. In this particular they succeeded, for not only have their foes accorded them a crown of laurels, but England spoke words of praise for these men, whose Anglo-Saxon blood nerved them to such a deed.

All at once the terrible cannonading ceased, and the stillness of death prevailed. General Pickett rode along the line informing his men that the artillery had not succeeded in driving the enemy from their strong position. Word was passed down the line from the right that they were to charge. All were on their feet in a moment and ready; not a sound was heard; not a shot was fired from any part of the field. The command, "Forward!" was given, and in five minutes they had passed through the strip of woods that lay between them and the artillery, and as they emerged from the cover and passed through the artillery line the artillerymen raised their hats and cheered them on their way. They also passed through Lane's brigade of Wilcox's division, whose men were waiting for orders to support the charge. General Garnett was leading the center, General Kemper on the right, and General Armistead was leading the left of the division with a swarm of skirmishers in front. The smoke had cleared away and revealed the long line of the Federal position on Cemetery Heights, which was about a mile distant.

When the Federals observed the advance of Pickett's division, which they had anticipated, they opened fire, which at first ranged over the advancing columns, but before they had marched half the distance they began to get range on them. The Confederate lines advanced steadily and in full confidence. A band on the extreme right continued to play "Dixie," "The Girl I Left Behind Me," and other familiar airs of the day. The division was marching directly towards Hancock's position, this objective point having been given Pickett by General Lee, but after passing through Wilcox's division in waiting Pickett caused each of his three brigades to make a half-wheel to the left. This, being well executed, was attended with some loss of time.

The Federal artillery soon began its death work of destruction. Pickett's division had been quite near this grim monster before, but on this occasion he seemed to be pressing on them steadily and closely, which was enough to make the bravest quail under his ghastly appearance. The Federals seem to have exhausted their ammunition in some places in the artillery lines. This being discovered by Pickett, gave him courage, and he caused his division to move up quickly. Crossing several fields inclosed by strong fences, he at length reached the base of the elevation. He once more changed his direction by a half-wheel to the right, halting to rectify his lines. His division pushed on, but great gaps were being cut in his lines by the grape and canister from the Federal artillery, causing such wide openings that the division had to be halted and dressed first to the right and then to the left, obliquing and filling up the lines. They were now in close range of the Federal lines and were being fired upon from behind a stone wall, and their ranks were fast melting away.

"Death was upon every breeze,
And lurked in every flower."

The division pressed on. Round shot, shell, canister and rifle balls were poured into them at close range from the front, and a battery on Round Top raked the line from the right.

Pickett was expecting to be supported by Pettigrew's brigade on the left, and Lane's brigade on the right. Those brigades, however, were coming up, but were being met by such strong opposition that they were entirely outdistanced and fell back finally with Pickett's retreat, thus leaving Pickett with his three brigades alone in front. The Confederate ranks were thinning as far as eye could see. Garnett was killed leading his brigade, his being in the lead. Kemper, coming up next to the distance of sixty yards behind, brought his brigade to a halt to give Armistead time to come up for the last and final charge.

They were fired upon by the enemy, posted along the edge of the woods. This murderous fire almost disorganized them. Armistead, urging his men forward with his hat on his sword, holding it up as a guide, crossed over the Union breastworks, and for a time the Confederates seemed to gain some advantage, but were presently surrounded by overwhelming numbers. General Armistead was mortally wounded, and nearly all the other officers of the division were either killed or wounded.

Pickett, seeing the hopelessness of the charge, ordered a retreat of his shattered lines.

Out of 4,800 men that followed Pickett, scarcely 1,200 to 1,300 got back into the Confederate lines. Out of eighteen field officers and four generals, Pickett and one lieutenant colonel alone remained unharmed.

Pickett's division, together with the supporting brigades under Lane and Pettigrew, numbered about 14,000 men. Where General Armistead fell is considered to be the highest point, figuratively speaking, that was reached by the Southern Confederacy.

Pickett's charge will be remembered by all future Americans as the English remember that of the Light Brigade, and the French that of the old guard under Marshal Ney at Waterloo.

The battle of Gettysburg was now over. The loss was about 50,000 men, which was about equally divided between the two armies.

General Lee decided to lead his army back to Virginia. The Confederates were much discouraged, for on this same day Vicksburg had been surrendered to General Grant.

All through the night of July 3d Lee's army was making ready to march and at the break of day A. P. Hill swung his corps into line of march through a downpour of rain. The next to follow was Longstreet's corps, which followed close upon A. P. Hill, and the last to leave was Ewell's corps, and the retreat was covered by Stuart's cavalry.

General Hood had with him 4,000 prisoners. The wounded were carried with the retreat in wagons and other ways of conveyance, and were under the charge of General Imboden.

BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA

This battle derives its name from Chickamauga Creek, which is but a few miles from Chattanooga, Tenn., and is considered one of the greatest battles of modern times. It was exceeded in our Civil war only by Gettysburg and the Wilderness; compares with Waterloo, and twice bloodier than Wagram or Austerlitz. General D. H. Hill said that he had never seen the Federal dead lie so thickly on the ground save in front of the sunken wall at Fredericksburg. The late General John B. Gordon, whose pen was never weary of writing the praises of the Confederate soldiers, said that in his opinion the battle of Chickamauga was even greater than that of Gettysburg, but it is thought that he was somewhat partial to Chickamauga, having been reared there, and when a boy fished in Chickamauga Creek, and had ridden behind his father over the country which was later made a great battlefield.

General Braxton Bragg was in command of the Confederate army, known as the Army of the Tennessee, which was concentrated around Chattanooga.

General Rosecrans was in command of the Federal army, known as the Army of the Cumberland. It was made up of three corps under Generals Crittenden, Thomas and McCook. They began to advance on Chattanooga and endanger Bragg's line of communication.

On September 8th Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and fell back toward Rome, Ga. The Federals took possession of the city of Chattanooga. Rosecrans, believing that Bragg was in full retreat, ordered Crittenden to pursue. Meanwhile Bragg was concentrating his forces near Lafayette, about twenty-five miles from Chattanooga. He was joined by Generals S. B. Buckner and Breckinridge. General Longstreet was hastening from Virginia with about 12,000 men from Lee's army to join him, the men being fresh from the field of Gettysburg.

Rosecrans' army was somewhat divided, as he was not expecting a general battle. Bragg was quick to grasp this opportunity of making a general assault on the Union forces while they were divided. The attack was made on the 13th of September by General Polk, but from some misapprehension of orders he did not move in time, and thus gave Rosecrans time to unite his forces, thus losing Bragg this opportunity of breaking up the Army of the Cumberland.

The Federal forces under Crittenden now took position at Gordon's Mills, on the left bank of Chickamauga Creek, and the remainder of their troops were within supporting distance, and were under the command of Thomas and McCook, the total Union strength being estimated at about 60,000 men.

The Confederate army lay on the east side of the stream, and was under the immediate command of Generals Polk, D. H. Hill and Buckner.

On the 18th Longstreet arrived with his troops. Thus the two mighty armies were now face to face.

Bragg endeavored to flank the Federal left and thus intervene between it and Chattanooga, and on the morning of September 19th the Confederates, under General Polk, made a grand assault upon the Federal left, under General Thomas. Meanwhile the Federal right was being heavily pressed by General Hood, commanding Longstreet's corps. This was kept up the entire day and when darkness came the Federals had been forced back from the creek, but the result was indecisive.

During the night preparations were made for the renewal of the battle on the next morning, which was Sunday, September 20th.

It is strange to say that some of the greatest battles of the war were fought on Sunday.

General Longstreet now took command of his troops which had arrived, but part of his corps did not arrive in time for the battle, having been delayed on trains that were behind time. This brought their strength up to equal that of the Federals.

General Thomas had taken position on Snodgrass Hill, and was anticipating a Confederate attack, which was made late in the morning by General Polk, who was supported by Generals Breckinridge and Patrick Cleburne, the last-named being an Irishman formerly from the County of Cork.

This assault was made time after time with desperate loss to both sides. At length, by some misunderstanding of orders, one of the Federal divisions under General Wood withdrew from its position. By this movement a large opening was made in the center of their battle line.

This was quickly taken advantage of by three divisions of the Confederates, which rushed in with an impetus that was irresistible.

General Hood, one of the Confederate division commanders, was severely wounded in this movement with a minie ball, and was carried from the field.

The Federals under Wood, Sheridan and Van Cleve were driven from the field. General Longstreet now assumed chief command, and here gave a fine exhibition of his military genius. He succeeded in separating the two wings of the opposing army. The right wing already being in full retreat, he wheeled and compelled the further withdrawal of Federal troops in order to save being surrounded. The retreating Federals fled in confusion toward Chattanooga, after suffering the loss of several thousand prisoners and forty pieces of artillery.

The Confederates now concentrated their attack upon Thomas, who had taken position on a ridge. They were led by the indomitable Longstreet, but were repulsed and hurled back with fearful slaughter. The Confederates were endeavoring to flank Thomas' division by sending Hinzman to the left and Kershaw with his divisions to get in the rear. The fighting grew fiercer and at intervals was hand-to-hand, and continued the entire afternoon.

This attack on Thomas is considered one of the heaviest made on a single point during the war. General Thomas, in his stand at Chickamauga, won for himself the name "The Rock of Chickamauga." He was one of the bravest and most able generals in the Union army, being a Virginian by birth.

Under the cover of darkness Thomas withdrew his army in good order to Rossville, and the following day joined Rosecrans in Chattanooga.

This battle is generally considered a Confederate victory, but left the Federal army in possession of Chattanooga. The personal daring and courage displayed in the ranks of both armies has never been excelled on any battlefield.

The total loss exceeded 30,000 men, which was probably divided about equal.

THE BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY RIDGE

After the battle of Chickamauga, Rosecrans' army was cooped up in Chattanooga, and his sources of supplies were entirely cut off by Bragg, except from the north of Chattanooga, by which he received his supplies over mountainous wagon roads, and, on account of heavy rains which fell during October, the roads became almost impassable. These trains were attacked by Confederate cavalry under General Forest, and in one day 300 wagons were destroyed and about 1,800 mules were either killed or captured. One soldier said "the mud was so deep that we could not travel by the road, but we got along pretty well by stepping from mule to mule as they lay dead by the way." Starvation threatened the camp, and the army must be relieved.

Vigorous measures were now taken. General Grant was now made commander of the western armies. He had about 80,000 men in addition to Burnside's force at Knoxville. The Confederates had about 60,000. General Sherman was directed to reënforce Grant at Chattanooga from Vicksburg and transported his forces by boat to Memphis, and from there marched overland.

The authorities at Washington also determined to reënforce Rosecrans from the Army of the Potomac, and 23,000 men, under General Hooker, were transported by rail to Chattanooga. This brought the Army of the Cumberland to numbers far exceeding those of the Confederates. The immediate command of all the Federal forces was given to General Thomas until such time as General Grant should arrive. Grant telegraphed to Thomas to hold Chattanooga at all hazards. Thomas replied, "I will do so till we starve."

The first and great question of the Federals was to relieve their line of supplies. General Hooker was sent with a portion of his troops against a strong position taken by some Confederates in Lookout Valley, and, after a short but decisive battle succeeded in driving the Confederates back, which left him in possession of the immediate country, and thus opened up a route to Brown's Ferry, over which a route for abundant supplies was at once available. This relieved the Army of the Cumberland of its perilous position.

Thomas was being reënforced from all sides; Hooker was already on the ground; Sherman was advancing rapidly from Memphis, while Burnside's forces at Knoxville offered protection for the left flank of the Federal army.

General Bragg had his forces in a line extending a distance of twelve miles across to Missionary Ridge, and was strengthened by entrenchments throughout the lowlands. He determined to attack Burnside at Knoxville, and dispatched Longstreet over his protest with 20,000 men to do this, thus weakening his extended lines. This has been considered a very great mistake of Bragg, as his total force was much less than had opposed Rosecrans at Chickamauga. Grant had now arrived and had assumed command of the entire Federal forces, and had planned to attack Bragg on November 24th, but on receiving information, which proved to be unreliable, that Bragg was preparing to retreat, he decided to make the attack on the 23d, and ordered Thomas to advance upon Bragg's center. This attack took the Confederates by surprise. After some severe fighting, they fell back more than a mile and left the Federals in command of some advantageous positions, thus ending the first day's battle.

Preparations were made during the night for a general engagement the next day.

Sherman was in command of the left wing, while Thomas held the center, and Hooker the right, and they had planned to sever communications between Bragg and Longstreet, and thus keep the Confederate army divided.

Early on the 24th Sherman moved against the Confederate right, and with little opposition occupied the northern end of Missionary Ridge. The Confederates, after discovering this advantageous position taken by Sherman, fought desperately in the afternoon to regain it, but were finally repulsed.

While this was going on, General Hooker, with a division of Sherman's army, was making a desperate struggle for the capture of Lookout Mountain, whose rugged crests towered above the clouds. This mountain was ably defended by the Confederates, but they were finally pushed back by overwhelming numbers and made their final stand within the breastworks about the Craven house, but were finally dislodged from this place and retired within their entrenchments in the valley.

This has been termed "The Battle in the Clouds."

On the morning of the 25th preparations were made for the final battle on Missionary Ridge. The attack was made by General Sherman, and it seemed that the Confederates must recede from the terrific onslaught, but they succeeded, after a stubborn struggle, in repulsing the Federals at this particular time, and they were pushed back by General Hardy, who captured several hundred prisoners. The Federals, quickly re-forming their lines, renewed the assault and, after waiting for Hooker to bring up his division, Grant ordered a general advance, and the battle was now on in earnest. Bragg opened on them from the crest of Missionary Ridge with fifty pieces of artillery and a line of musketry. Even this did not stop the impetuous charge. The first line of entrenchments of the Confederates was carried with little opposition, and, as the Confederates retired through other brigades, the confusion was great, and the retreat became almost a rout.

Had it not been for a division of North Carolinan soldiers under Major Weaver, who succeeded in rallying his troops, and was successful in holding the Federals in check, the retreat would have become a rout of the entire Confederate army.

This gave the Confederates a little time to rally their lines, and they were able to retire from the field in good order.

The battle was now over, and the field was left in possession of the Federals, Bragg retiring with his army into Georgia.

BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS

This was one of the great battles of modern times, being second only to Gettysburg in our Civil war. Napoleon never fought a battle on the Continent of Europe that was equal to the Wilderness. It was three times bloodier than Austerlitz, after which battle it is said Napoleon's triumphant march from Freize to Paris was more grand than Queen Elizabeth's tour of England after the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

The Battle of the Wilderness, together with Spottsylvania, is thought to be more destructive to the Federal forces than both Antietam and Gettysburg combined.

On Lee's sudden departure from Gettysburg there were many stragglers left behind, who were taken prisoners by the Federals. Some of them were not aware that the army had gone; others, on account of slight wounds and sickness, were not able to keep up with the army.

Lee succeeded in crossing the Potomac above Harper's Ferry about the middle of July with but little opposition from the Federals, and led his army across the Rapidan, and there entrenched himself to dispute the Federals under General Meade, who had by this time succeeded in crossing the Potomac and was moving upon Culpeper Court House, at which place he concentrated his forces. There was but little fighting done during the remainder of the year, except an unsuccessful cavalry expedition under Kilpatrick, who sought to take Richmond by surprise.

During the early months of 1864 the authorities at Washington became discouraged with General Meade's management of the Army of the Potomac. They thought that he should have destroyed Lee's army on its retreat from Gettysburg; while it is now conceded that Meade's management was good, and that he did all that any general could have done under the circumstances. General Grant had come into great favor in the North on account of his successive victories in the West, and it was decided to give Grant command of all the Federal forces, with the rank of lieutenant-general. This high grade in command had been held only by Generals Washington and Scott, thus bringing together two great generals. One the idol of the North: the other of the South. Cæsar said he would rather be first man in a village in Gaul than second in Rome.

Grant found under his command in the Army of the Potomac 140,000 men.

Lee found under his command scarcely 60,000 men, but that spirit burned in the breast of his soldiers notwithstanding their defeat at Gettysburg and their loss of Vicksburg, that many hard battles would be fought before the heel of the invader should tread upon the streets of their cherished capital, Richmond.

Grant determined to move upon Richmond and by doing so began with the Wilderness a series of battles which are unequaled in history.

Grant's army was divided into three corps, commanded by Hancock, Warren and Sedgwick. Sheridan was in command of the cavalry. Burnside was in command of another division of the army, protecting the Orange and Alexandria railroad.

Lee's army consisted of three corps of infantry, commanded by Longstreet, Ewell and A. P. Hill, and the cavalry by Stuart. A notable fact in the organization of the Confederate army was the few changes made in commanders.

Early on the morning of May 4th Grant's army began crossing the Rapidan below Lee's entrenchments. This being anticipated by Lee, he at once prepared to set his own army in motion and throw himself across the path of his foe. Both armies were now near Chancellorsville, in a wilderness country, where a great battle had been fought the year before. This country was covered by underbrush and ragged foliage, with scrub pine, and dotted here and there with small clearings. This wilderness country was pierced by a few roads leading from the fords of the river. The Federals had advanced up these roads as far as the Wilderness Tavern, in which General Grant established his headquarters.

This wilderness country was entered by two roads from the southwest known as the "Old Orange Turnpike" and the "Orange Plank Road." Along these two roads the Confederates moved their army to meet the advancing hosts of the Federals, General Ewell leading his corps along the turnpike and A. P. Hill along the plank road. General Longstreet was hastening up from Gordonsville, and it was very evident that a great battle was near at hand.

On the morning of May 5th Ewell came in contact with Warren's corps at a cross-road near Parker's store, and this meeting precipitated the beginning of the great battle.

About this time it became known to General Grant that A. P. Hill was advancing by the plank road, and he ordered Sedgwick to entrench and prepare to receive the attack from A. P. Hill. Hill came up very soon, and the battle began in earnest. The musketry fire was continued with great severity until late in the evening without a decided advantage to either side. The loss was great and the Federals had suffered the loss of General Hays, who had been shot through the head. The Confederates had suffered the loss of General John M. Jones.

This ended the first day's struggle, and during the night both armies entrenched themselves directly in each other's front.

Early on the morning of May 6th the Federals were reënforced by Burnside's corps, and A. P. Hill by that of Longstreet.

General Grant issued orders for a general attack all along the line, and soon the battle was raging along the five-mile front, which became a hand-to-hand contest. Artillery played but little force in this battle, on account of the dense growth of timber and underbrush, and it was chiefly a battle of musketry.

The branches were cut from the trees by the leaden missiles, and saplings were mowed down as grass by a scythe.

The Confederates were finally driven back and seemed on the verge of a panic. At this moment General Lee rode through the lines to the front and called on his soldiers to follow him. This instantly gave courage to his army, which rallied and began to push the Federals back. General Lee was called back by his own men: "General Lee to the rear! General Lee to the rear!" This brave act on the part of General Lee, and the arrival of Longstreet, restored order and courage in the ranks, and they soon regained their lost position.

General Longstreet, while riding with Generals Kershaw and Jenkins, at the head of Jenkins' brigade, were mistaken for the enemy by their own men and fired on, and when the smoke lifted Longstreet and Jenkins were down--Longstreet seriously wounded, and Jenkins killed outright. This was a serious loss to the Confederacy, as they had suffered the loss of one general and had incapacitated another from service. A similar thing had occurred a year before at Chancellorsville when General Jackson was mortally wounded.

The fighting continued the rest of the day, the advantage being first with one side and then the other.

Darkness ended the two days' undecisive Battle of the Wilderness, one of the greatest struggles in history.

It was Grant's first measure of arms with General Lee. While Grant had been defeated in his plan to pass around Lee to Richmond, yet he had made a new record for the Army of the Potomac.

The loss of the Federals in killed and wounded was about 17,000, while that of the Confederates was about 12,000.

THE BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE

General John B. Gordon said that Spottsylvania furnished the longest roll of incessant musketry; the most splendid exhibition of heroism and personal daring by large numbers who, standing in the freshly spilled blood of their comrades, faced for so long a period and at so short a range the flaming rifles as they heralded the decrees of death during the entire war. Such examples of heroism, shown by both armies in that hand-to-hand struggle at Spottsylvania Court House, will not be lost to the Republic.

After the undecisive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant again tried to get his army between that of Lee and Richmond, and on the afternoon of May 7th began to move his army in the direction of Spottsylvania Court House. Lee had anticipated this movement on the part of Grant, and began at once to devise plans to throw his army across the path of his adversary. He therefore ordered General Anderson, who was now in command of Longstreet's corps, Longstreet having been wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, to march by a shorter route to Spottsylvania Court House, hoping to reach the same before it was occupied by the troops of Grant. This movement was begun by Anderson on the night of May 7th. General Ewell was ordered to follow up Anderson's corps. This he did by taking a longer and more indirect route. When the Federals, under Warren, reached Todd's Tavern they found their cavalry in terrible conflict with Fitzhugh Lee's division of the Confederate cavalry. Fitzhugh Lee was reënforced by the advance division of Anderson's corps, which by this time had come up. General Warren was finally repulsed and fell back, thus giving the Confederates possession of Spottsylvania Court House which was gained only by the timely arrival of Anderson's corps.

The Federals tried again and again throughout the day to break the Confederate lines, but were repulsed in every attack. Thus Lee had again blocked the path of Grant.

Both armies began to entrench themselves, as it was very evident that a great battle was near at hand. The Confederates formed their entrenchments in the shape of a huge V, forming a salient angle against the center of the Federal line. This particular place has since been known as the "Bloody Angle." The Confederate left was commanded by Anderson, the center by Ewell, the right by Early, who was temporarily in command of A. P. Hill's corps, on account of Hill's sickness. The Federal left was commanded by Burnside, the center by Sedgwick and Warren, and the right by Hancock.

May 9th was spent by both armies in getting position and by some fighting between the outlying divisions of the armies. In one of these skirmishes General Sedgwick was killed by a sharpshooter's ball. He was succeeded in command by H. G. Wright. His death was a great loss to the Federal forces.

On the next day General Grant ordered a general attack on the Confederate line. This attack was led by General Warren, whose progress was very slow owing to the dense thickets of low cedar and the walls of abatis, which were thrown in their way by the Confederates. This advance of General Warren was met by a heavy artillery and musket fire from Longstreet's corps, under command of Anderson. Warren's troops came on notwithstanding the heavy fire from all sides. Some of his soldiers even crossed over the breastworks and were either killed or taken prisoners by the Confederates. The Federals finally retreated with heavy loss.

Grant now thought it best to attack the Confederate lines in front of Wright's corps. This was done late in the evening by several divisions under Upton. He advanced quickly through a terrible fire and gained the entrenchments, where they had a terrible hand-to-hand conflict with bayonets fixed. The Confederates were overpowered by numbers and gave way and fell back to their second line of entrenchments. For this brave act, Upton was made a brigadier-general. The Confederates, however, were reënforced, and Upton retired from the position which he had gained.

The battle was yet indecisive and both armies had suffered great loss. Owing to the heavy rains, the armies lay inactive on the 11th. It was during this battle that Grant sent a message to Washington saying that he would fight it out on this line if it took all summer.

Grant, in the meantime, had sent General Sheridan with his cavalry to threaten Richmond.

He was closely followed by General Stuart, and on May 11th they fought a hard battle at Yellow Tavern, in which General Stuart was killed. His death was a severe loss to the Confederacy. His experience as a cavalry leader, obtained on many battlefields, was such that his place could not be filled. A large statue has been erected to his memory in the Hollywood cemetery at Richmond, on which is recorded his feats of valor on many fields.

Grant decided on another attack on the Confederate lines at Spottsylvania on May 12th, the objective point being the sharp angle in Lee's entrenchments. This had been anticipated by General Lee, and he had been making ready. This attack was made at daybreak by General Hancock's corps. It was the most severe and the most bloody hand-to-hand conflict of the entire battle. The attack was received by General Johnston's brigade of Ewell's corps, which was finally overpowered and captured. This was the "Old Stonewall Brigade." This was a serious loss to Lee's army.

The Federals pushed on to the Confederates' second entrenchments, but were here repulsed by fresh troops under General Gordon. General Lee himself rode up with Gordon, but was forced back again by the cry of his own men: "General Lee to the rear!"

The fighting was kept up all day along the line. The trenches had to be cleared frequently of the dead to give room for the living. The slaughter continued until late in the night and was undecisive. The Confederates finally fell back within their entrenchments.

General Grant was deeply moved by the terrible loss of life at the "Bloody Angle."

The total loss to the Federals exceeded 18,000; the Confederates, about 9,000. Grant found that no ordinary methods of war would overcome the Army of Northern Virginia, and that his only hope was in the long drawn-out campaign with larger numbers. For the next five days short battles were fought at intervals between the outlying divisions of the armies.

Grant's army still moved to the southeast, with Lee following close along in their front, always ready to dispute any move that the Army of the Potomac should make toward Richmond.

THE BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR

With this battle terminated the Wilderness campaign, and was one over which Grant expressed regret, and said that Cold Harbor was the only battle that he ever fought that he would not fight over again, and he always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was made.

The Federal commander had failed in his plan to pass around Lee to Richmond, and now saw that he must cross the James River and make Petersburg his objective point.

Early on the morning of May 26, 1864, Grant set his army in motion toward Cold Harbor. The next day Lee moved his army by a shorter route over the telegraph road to the Virginia Central railroad. The two armies were stretched across this low country parallel to each other and at times they came in contact.

On the 31st day of May, General Sheridan reached Cold Harbor. He had orders from Meade that he should hold this place at all hazards until the main army should arrive. Both armies had received reënforcements. The Confederates were reënforced by Breckinridge from western Virginia, and by Pickett from North Carolina. The Federals were reënforced from the army of General Butler from down the James River. Thus Grant's army was brought up to more than 100,000 men, and Lee's to about 75,000.

On May 31st Sheridan fought a severe battle with Fitzhugh Lee at Cold Harbor, but it was undecisive. On the next morning the Federal army arrived on the field and immediately took position. They were confronted by Longstreet's corps and that of A. P. Hill, and the divisions of Hoke and Breckinridge. Late in the evening the Federals made a fierce attack on the Confederate position and the Confederate lines were broken in many places, but before night they had succeeded in regaining some of their position.

It was well known to both armies that this battle would decide Grant's last chance to get between Lee and Richmond, and preparations were made the next day for a decisive battle on the morrow. The Federals were reënforced during the night of June 2d by Hancock's and Burnside's corps. The Confederates, being on the defensive, had orders from General Lee to rest on their arms and be ready to receive a fierce assault which he was anticipating from the Federals. It goes without saying that the Confederate soldiers under such orders on this particular night, and on account of the apparent danger of their position, did not close their eyes in sleep. The Federals were faced by Ewell's, A. P. Hill's and Longstreet's corps, the latter being under the command of Anderson, as Longstreet was severely wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness.

Both armies lay very close to each other, and Lee's position was exceptionally strong, as it must be approached through swampy ground, and his batteries were set in position to give both a front and an enfilading fire. Yet Grant determined to make a general attack on the Confederate lines, and passed word to his corps commanders to make ready to execute the same at about five o'clock on the morning of June 3d.

This order was carried out, and they had marshaled their soldiers in large numbers into lines ten columns deep, and at the appointed hour began with a determined step to move toward the Confederate entrenchments. The silence of the early morning was broken by the Confederate batteries and their musketry that raked the open country over which the Federals were advancing, which made the same appear as a fiery furnace. The columns of blue were swept by this fierce fire, which mowed them down in great numbers. They succeeded in crossing into the Confederate entrenchments in a few places and engaged in hand-to-hand combat, but the Confederates had orders to hold their position at all hazards, and the Federal leaders soon found it was impossible to stand the raking fire from the Confederate batteries and ordered a retreat, and in doing so they took with them a few hundred prisoners. Thus the field was left in the possession of the Confederates.

This battle is said to have lasted but twenty minutes, and during this short time Grant lost 10,000 men. This is said to be the greatest loss in the shortest time during the entire war.

With this battle ended the series of battles beginning with that of the Wilderness, all having been fought within a month, and nothing like it has yet been known to warfare.

Grant's entire loss in all these engagements in killed, wounded and missing was about 55,000 men, and that of the Confederates much less. If Lee's loss had been equal to that of Grant's, his army would have been almost annihilated.

The soldiers, either living or dead, who stood in the dense columns of blue and marched across that shell swept field toward the Confederate entrenchments, and those who stood in the Confederate ranks and successfully repulsed that awful onslaught of the Federals on that bright June morning at Cold Harbor, for these reasons are possessed of a rich heritage which their posterity should be proud to receive.

SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA

General Sherman was given command of the Western army, which was to operate against Joseph E. Johnston, who was in command of the Confederate army in the West. Johnston was reckoned second to Lee in military genius. Sherman found under his command 120,000 men, while that of Johnston's army numbered about 75,000. The Federals were concentrated around Chattanooga, while the Confederates were massed at Dalton, where they had been in winter quarters.

Sherman moved his army on May 6, 1864, against Johnston, and thus the beginning of Sherman's march to the sea and a series of battles fought, viz.: Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and the Battle of Atlanta.

Sherman's army was divided into three divisions commanded by Generals McPherson, Schofield and Thomas. His army was in good spirits and seemed anxious for the opportunity to move forward, after a long wearisome winter in camp, and rejoiced at the journey before them, though their mission was to be one of strife and bloodshed.

General Johnston had succeeded General Bragg in command of this Confederate army, which was now divided into two corps, commanded by Generals Hood and Hardee. He was later reënforced by General Polk.

On account of the strong position occupied by Johnston at Dalton Sherman thought best to refrain from attacking him there and moved round to the right of the Confederate army to Resaca.

When Johnston discovered this movement on the part of the Federals he quickly evacuated Dalton and moved with all speed to Resaca, which place he succeeded in reaching before it was occupied by the Federals. On his way to Resaca his cavalry, under General Wheeler, fought a desperate battle with that of the Federals, under General McCook, in which Wheeler was successful.

The Confederates were strongly entrenched at Resaca by the time Sherman's army came up.