Chapter VI: Front Matter (6)

There was still a Union reserve; for a wise purpose of his own, General Rosecrans had not yet permitted Negley’s men to be sent forward; but by the General’s order they were now ordered to come up, which they did, closely followed by General J. C. Davis’s division. With shouts of enthusiasm they pressed forward toward the aid of Beatty’s left; and having reached the banks of Lytle’s creek, they opened a furious and destructive fire upon the rebel force beyond. Two batteries were set to work, and a severe volley of grape and shrapnel poured in on the enemy’s line. The effect was perceived at once—they fell back slowly; and Davis’s division was ordered to cross the stream in pursuit. The Seventy eighth Pennsylvania sprang forward, plunged in, and were the first to cross, led by the gallant Colonel Sirwell. Immediately the Nineteenth Illinois and the rest of the two brigades followed, Davis also crossed, speedily followed by Beatty; and one of the most brilliant and desperate charges of the day was executed. Davis pressed through his ranks, and taking off his hat placed it on his sword, and with a loud hearty shout to his men to _Charge!_ led them himself to the top of the hill. The rebel line broke before the gallant charge, and fled in the greatest confusion. Negley perceiving the advantage gained by the troops across the stream, followed it up without an instant’s loss of time, by ordering his batteries to cross, which, together with a captured rebel battery were put to work, pouring death into the enemy’s retreating line. General Negley now sent word to General Rosecrans that he was driving the rebels before him, and that they were almost compelled to a complete and disgraceful rout. “Drive ’em!” was the enthusiastic response of the Union General; and he immediately ordered the whole of the National line to be advanced; and on the instant after one sheet of flame burst from right to left along the entire front, and the shouts of victory rose high above every other sound.

The rebel resistance was desperate, but useless; and Polk’s entire division fled before Negley, who never slackened in pursuit till the enemy was driven far beyond their outer works, when the coming on of night saved them from utter destruction. General Negley now ordered a halt, and sent a dispatch to General Rosecrans that darkness had overtaken him within three-quarters of a mile of Murfreesboro’, but he would advance no further till he had received orders from the General in command.

The order for advance was not sent; and the tired soldiers bivouacked within sight of Murfreesboro’. It was evident that the battle was over, and the morning would prove the enemy completely defeated.

On Saturday it rained; and General Rosecrans determined to keep his powder dry. Knowing that success was certain, he permitted nothing to be done except shelling the enemy, and this was kept up during the day. About two o’clock, at night, the rebel redoubt in front of Rousseau gave considerable trouble by opening an artillery fire. General Rousseau sent to General Rosecrans for permission to take the works, and having received it, he detailed the Third Ohio and Eighty-eighth Indiana for the duty. In the face of a heavy fire they advanced and took the works at the point of the bayonet. They also captured fifty prisoners.

During the night came reports that the rebels were already evacuating Murfreesboro’; and although the intelligence was scarcely credited at first, morning proved its correctness, for the enemy was gone! It now, only remained to take possession of Murfreesboro’, and at eleven o’clock on Sunday morning, General Rosecrans entered the village, with the main army.

NORTH CAROLINA AT THE CLOSE OF 1862.

Notwithstanding the brilliant victories by the army and navy of the Union in the early part of this year over the Confederate forces in North Carolina, but little, if any impression had been made on the stern spirit of opposition and defiance which was here as everywhere else manifested by the leaders of the rebellion.

The brave and indomitable army led by Burnside, and the no less valiant and victorious naval forces under Commodore Goldsborough, had unitedly subdued and captured all the defensible positions on the coast; and the capture of Roanoke Island and the Confederate navy in those waters, had opened the Albemarle sound and its tributaries to the unmolested passage of the Federal fleet, and placed Newbern, Edenton, Winton, Beaufort, Elizabeth city, and many other towns in possession of the Union forces.

The magnitude of the operations on the Peninsula of Virginia, at a later period of the year, overshadowed these earlier movements, which were only designed as supplementary by the Federal government. The military operations for the remainder of the year were not therefore of a character demanding an extended notice in this history.

Colonel Vance was elected Governor of the State in August by a large majority; and in his message in November, urged a vigorous prosecution of the war. In this he was seconded by the Legislature, who by resolution declared the separation of the State from the Federal Union as final, and pledged all the power and resources of the commonwealth to maintain the Confederate government.

As an important part of the State had now come under Federal control by conquest, the authorities at Washington determined to appoint a Provisional or military Governor, as had previously been done in Tennessee by the appointment of Andrew Johnson.

Edward Stanley, formerly a distinguished citizen of North Carolina, was tendered that office by President Lincoln, and accepted the trust. He arrived at Newbern on the 26th of May, and entered upon his duties. On the 17th of June he made an address to the people of Washington, N. C., which citizens from all parts of the State were permitted to pass through the Federal lines to attend. Men were present from seventeen counties to hear him; but the result showed that so long as the Confederate Government retained its organization and power, the citizens were powerless, and dare not oppose it.

Governor Stanley endeavored by wise and conciliatory measures to win the confidence of the people, and thus restore peace to the State. To that end he proposed a conference with Governor Vance; but that functionary refused to meet him, and referred Stanley to the Confederate Government at Richmond.

Thousands of slaves flocked within the Federal lines, five thousand having collected in Newbern alone within three months after its occupation by the Union army.

Simultaneous with the campaign against Richmond undertaken by General Burnside, efforts were made to cut the rebel lines of communication between Richmond and the southwestern states. There are three lines of railroad running south and southwest. One running southwest, passes through southwestern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, northern Alabama, and connects with roads to western Tennessee, and to New Orleans. A southerly line connects Richmond with Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, and parts of Alabama; while another southerly line passes through North and South Carolina. By cutting the former of these roads at Cumberland Gap, reinforcements and supplies could not be brought from the southwest for General Lee; neither could Lee aid General Bragg’s army at Murfreesboro’. By cutting the second the most direct communication between Richmond and the principal cities of the Confederate States was destroyed.

When General Rosecrans was preparing to move from Nashville to attack the Confederate army at Murfreesboro’, an expedition was sent into East Tennessee to destroy the railroad, and so prevent reinforcements from Richmond from reaching General Bragg. General Carter with a force of one thousand cavalry left London in Kentucky, December 21st, and entering Virginia between Cumberland Gap and Pound Gap, advanced within six miles of Bristol, burned the bridges across the Halston and Wataugo rivers, and took up portions of the track, destroying the rails for a distance of one hundred miles, almost to Jonesboro’. They captured five hundred prisoners, seven hundred stand of arms, and a large amount of stores. They reached Manchester, Kentucky, on the 6th of January, having lost only ten men in their hazardous but successful enterprise.

The expedition against the second line of railroads was undertaken in North Carolina, and forms the only subsequent military movement of importance in addition to those hitherto described in the department during the year. It was a march against Goldsborough and the destruction of the railroad at that place, which is the line connecting Charleston and Savannah with Richmond.

General J. G. Foster, who commanded the department after the departure of General Burnside, took charge of the expedition.

The force consisted of four brigades under Colonels Wessels, Amory, Stevenson and Lee; the Third New York and First Rhode Island batteries; also sections of the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth New York Independent batteries, and the Third New York cavalry. It left Newbern on the morning of December 11, and moved on the Kingston road fourteen miles. Some parts of the road were obstructed by felled trees. On the next morning it advanced to the Vine Swamp road, having some sharp skirmishing with a small Confederate force. At this point three companies of cavalry were sent up the Kingston road as a demonstration, and the main force took the Vine Swamp road, thereby avoiding the obstructions and the Confederate forces. It was delayed to build the bridge over Beaver creek, where the Fifty-first Massachusetts and a section of artillery were left to hold it, and support the cavalry on the main road, and halted at a distance of four miles.

The next morning the main column advanced, turning to the left, and leaving the road it was upon to the right. At the intersection the Forty-sixth Massachusetts and a section of a battery were left as a feint and to hold the position.

On reaching Southwest creek a Confederate force was found posted on the opposite bank, about four hundred strong, and with three pieces of artillery. The creek was not fordable, and ran at the foot of a deep ravine. Under the protection of a battery the Ninth New Jersey effected a passage and formed on the opposite bank, where it was afterward supported by the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania. This caused the Confederate force to retire with some skirmishing.

On the next day an advance upon Kinston was made, and the Confederate force found posted in a strong position about one mile from the place. An attack was at once made with the Ninth New Jersey in advance, and the position taken. The Confederate force retired across the Neuse river, with a loss of four hundred prisoners. On crossing, the bridge was set on fire, but soon extinguished by the advance of General Foster. The bridge was immediately repaired, and the column crossed, and occupied the town of Kinston. With constant skirmishing, the force of General Foster continued to advance until the 17th, when it reached Goldsborough. Here it burned two trestle-work culverts, destroyed a train of four railroad cars, water station, depot, etc., and some small arms which it was unable to carry off. After destroying other bridges, and capturing some small positions that had been occupied by a Confederate force, the expedition successfully returned to Newbern.

These expeditions, although successful, secured no important advantages, as the great movement on Richmond had, in the mean time, been suspended. They were useful reconnoissances, and the former may have delayed the arrival of reinforcements from General Lee to General Bragg before the battle of Murfreesbero’.

On the 6th of September a body of Confederate troops surprised the garrison at Washington in the department of North Carolina. A vigorous resistance was made, and the attacking party was repulsed with a loss of thirty-three killed, and nearly one hundred wounded. The Federal loss was eight killed, and thirty-three wounded.

BATTLE OF POCOTALICO BRIDGE, S. C.
OCTOBER 23, 1862.

A severe engagement occurred on this day in the Department of the South, where the military operations of the year, not previously detailed, had been unimportant. General Mitchel, the renowned man of science and brilliant commander, whose untimely death at a short subsequent period, filled the whole country with sorrow, was at that time commander of the department. An expedition was sent out from Port Royal to destroy the trestle work bridges of the Charleston and Savannah railroad across the Pocotalico, Tullifinny, and Coosawhatchie, tributaries of the Broad river, and to make a reconnoissance of these streams. The expedition was under the command of Generals Brannan and Terry. The main body of the troops was landed at Mackey’s Point, about fifteen miles from the railroad, and marched seven miles inland, where the Confederates were met in force. After a sharp fight of an hour they retired to a point two miles distant, and made a second stand. From this point they again fell back to the village of Pocotalico, and having burned the long bridge across the stream, they were inaccessible.

Meanwhile Colonel Barton, with three hundred and fifty men, penetrated to the railroad at Coosawhatchie, and destroyed some of the rails, cut the telegraph wires, and fired upon a train containing troops. The engagement by the main force was severe, and the Federal loss was thirty-two killed, and one hundred and eighty wounded. The Union force retired on the next day, having failed in the object of the expedition, except the reconnoissance.

BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE, LA.
AUGUST 5, 1862.

Another important engagement took place on the above date, which our general plan will not permit us to engross in its historical connection. On the 5th of August an attack was made on Baton Rouge, in the Department of the Gulf, which was under the government of General Butler. The Federal force at this city was under command of Brigadier-General Williams. The Confederate army making the attack was under the command of General John C. Breckinridge. The contest was sharp and bloody, and the attack was successfully repulsed. The Federal loss was ninety killed, and two hundred and fifty wounded. Among the killed was General Williams. Three hundred of the Confederates were reported to have been killed and buried by the force of General Williams. The city was subsequently evacuated on August 16, by command of General Butler.

General Williams was a graduate of West Point, and an officer of great merit and promise. He was a native of Connecticut, but received his appointment in the army from Michigan.

OPERATIONS IN MISSOURI.

Early in April, 1862, General Halleck having departed for Corinth, Miss., General Schofield was left in command of the largest portion of the State of Missouri, General Price having been driven, after his disastrous defeat at Pea Ridge, to a point south of the Boston Mountains, where he remained, no longer pursued by the troops of General Curtis, in the hope of obtaining reinforcements, and recovering from his losses. On the 5th of April a rumor that General Price was moving upon Springfield, Missouri, caused General Curtis to march in that direction. During a march of two days his army accomplished thirty-eight miles, and reached the junction of Flat Rock with the James River. The river could not be crossed at that point; but a crossing was subsequently effected at Galena. In another march of two days, after a heavy rain storm, twenty-nine miles were accomplished; and the rebels, under General Price were found to be encamped on the other side of the river about five miles farther south.

No engagement took place between the two armies. All remained quiet in Missouri for some weeks.

On June 3d the State Convention met: the financial condition of the State was found to be in a very unsettled condition; and the civil condition not much better. Although in many parts of the State courts of justice were open and the laws properly administered, in many other parts every species of disturbance and crime was perpetrated under the name of guerrilla warfare.

From this time till the middle of the month the Convention was variously occupied in receiving and passing bills, in repealing ordinances, &c. On the 16th a Mass Convention of emancipationists assembled at Jefferson City. Immediately after the dissolution of the two Conventions the State was threatened by an unusually terrible guerrilla outbreak. The largest part of the National forces being absent, the guerrillas, consisting in most part of the returned troops of General Price, felt themselves safe in repeating the raids of the previous year.

General Schofield on June 22d issued an order holding rebels and rebel sympathizers responsible in their property, and, if need be, in their persons, for damages thereafter committed by guerrillas or marauding parties. This order produced no lasting effect. About the middle of July the entire northern and western parts of Missouri were constantly disturbed by intelligence of guerrilla raids and outrages. Colonel Porter and Colonel Quantrell had already began to gather followers about them; but the former had been defeated at Cherry Grove in Schuyler County, and his band dispersed. The increasing rumors of raids, and a general fear that the guerrilla uprising would be followed by another invasion from the south made vigorous measures necessary for defence. On the 22d July the Governor of the State, H. R. Gamble, issued an order authorizing Brigadier-General Schofield “to organize the entire militia of the State into companies, regiments, and brigades; and to order into active service such portions of the force thus organized as he might judge necessary for the purpose of putting down all marauders and defending peaceable citizens of the State.” On the same day General Schofield issued the necessary orders; and the militia was organized rapidly and energetically; so that the State was soon prepared at all points for a vigorous opposition to guerrilla attacks. Colonels Porter and Cobb, rebel commanders, attempting a raid, were defeated, July 28th, in Calloway County; but on the 31st Colonel Porter captured Newark in Knox County, and took prisoners two companies of National troops. About the same time, and during the first week in August a new guerrilla leader, Colonel Poindexter, sprang into notice in the central Missouri Counties, and, together with Quantrell in the West, caused the National commanders to take additional precautions to repel the daring marauders.

On the 6th of August, Colonel Porter was defeated with great loss by Colonel McNeill at Kinksville, in Adair county. The warfare was now shifted to the central and western portions of Missouri; and Colonel Coffee and Colonel McBride went to the assistance of Quantrell.

On the 13th, an attack was made by three guerrilla bands; in which the National troops were severely defeated. On the 15th, eight hundred men of the State militia were drawn into an ambush by Colonels Quantrell and Coffee, but were rescued by reinforcements from Kansas, under General Blunt.

No sooner was the southwest cleared of guerrillas, than their raids upon the north were renewed with great activity. The town of Palmyra was plundered by a gang of these marauders on the 12th of August, the Union garrison there being overpowered. It was at this time that the rebels seized the person of Andrew Allsman, a Unionist, and an old and much respected resident of Palmyra. Subsequently, when the Unionists again occupied Palmyra, General McNeill demanded the return of Allsman, within ten days from the 8th of October, on peril of the lives of ten rebel prisoners. The man was not returned, and, on the 18th of October, ten rebel prisoners were publicly shot at Palmyra. Long before this the State had been cleared of guerrillas. Quantrell made some trouble, in the month of September, but he was speedily defeated and chased across the border. An election took place in Missouri, in November, resulting in victory to the emancipation wing of the Union party. The State was thus pledged to the Government. The war-cloud drifted away from it, and from that time to this it has been loyal and free.

NAVAL OPERATIONS IN 1862.

A general review of the naval operations to the close of the year 1862, not heretofore described in the first volume of this work, will now be given, which we will preface by a description, and the names of the commanders of the several squadrons.

The North Atlantic squadron was under command of Rear-Admiral L. M. Goldsborough until September 5th, at which time he was succeeded by Acting Rear-Admiral S. P. Lee. The Virginia and North Carolina coasts were assigned to this squadron. The South Atlantic squadron, blockading the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and the northeast coast of Florida, was commanded by Rear-Admiral S. F. Dupont. The Eastern Gulf squadron was under Acting Rear-Admirals Lardner and Bailey, and the Western Gulf squadron was commanded by Rear-Admiral Farragut. The western flotilla on the Mississippi, was under command of Rear-Admiral A. H. Foote from May 9th to October 15th, at which date Rear-Admiral D. D. Porter succeeded him. The Potomac flotilla was commanded by Commodore Harwood, and the James river flotilla was under Commodore Wilkes.

BATTLE OF DRURY’S BLUFF.
MAY 15, 1862.

The destruction of the rebel iron-clad Merrimac threw open the James river to the gunboats of Commodore Goldsborough; and on the 15th of May, the iron-clads Galena, Monitor and Naugatuck, ascended to Ward’s, on Drury’s Bluff, about eight miles below Richmond, where they encountered a heavy battery and two separate barriers formed of piles and sunken vessels. The banks of the river were lined with sharpshooters, who effectually prevented any attempt to remove the obstructions. The Galena ran within about six hundred yards of the battery, and opened fire; the Monitor attempted to pass ahead of her, but found her heavy guns ineffective at close range, as they would not admit of sufficient elevation to bear on the position of the enemy. The Aroostook and Port Royal, wooden vessels, were attached to the flotilla, but, of course were not adapted to an attack on fortifications of this nature, though they bravely took part in the distance.

After an engagement of over three hours, the Federal vessels were compelled to relinquish the attack, without having produced any apparent effect upon the battery. The Naugatuck was disabled by the bursting of her 100-pound Parrott gun, and the Monitor was struck several times but received no injury. The Galena was not so fortunate. Thirteen shot penetrated her iron sides, starting the knees, planks, and timbers, and killing or wounding about twenty-five of her crew. Commodore Morris of the Port Royal was wounded in the engagement.

The gunboat Ellis, Lieutenant W. P. Cushing, captured the town of Onslow, on New River Inlet, N. C., on November 23rd, destroying the salt works and securing three schooners and ten whale boats. The Ellis ran aground and was blown up by her commander, who secured his prizes without loss.

NAVAL OPERATIONS ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
MAY TO DECEMBER, 1862.

Commander Palmer of the Iroquois, took possession of Baton Rouge on May 7th, which place was subsequently occupied by the military forces under General Williams.

After the brilliant operations of the United States naval forces under Commodore Farragut which resulted in the capture of New Orleans, immediate steps were taken by that commander to ascend the river, and occupy such positions as would enable him to cooperate with important army movements then in contemplation. Seven vessels were sent up the Mississippi under Captain Craven, while the smaller steamers under Captain Lee were ordered to ascend as high as Vicksburg.

Commander S. P. Lee, with the advance of the squadron, arrived near Vicksburg, May 18, and in reply to his demand for surrender, received a defiant refusal. Flag-Officer Farragut arrived a few days afterwards, accompanied by a column of troops under General Williams. Additional naval forces soon afterwards arrived, including Commodore Porter’s mortar fleet, which had done much effective service in the reduction of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, at the mouths of the river. Porter opened the bombardment on the night of June 26–27, directing fire partly against the town and partly against some formidable batteries on the heights. On the morning of the 27th, the Owasco, Lieutenant Guest, ran up abreast of the town and threw in some incendiary shells, which failed to explode. At three o’clock on the morning of the 28th the squadron made a move to pass the batteries, the mortar fleet supporting them as at the battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. The Hartford and several other vessels succeeded in passing the range of batteries, which extended full three miles, and did this too in the face of a strong current, but as there was not a sufficient land force to cooperate in the attack, no substantial benefit resulted from the movement. The enemy were several times driven from their batteries, but returned to their guns as soon as the ships had passed.

Forming a junction with the western gunboat flotilla of Flag-Officer C. H. Davis, Farragut concerted with that officer and General Williams an expedition up the Yazoo River, consisting of the gunboats Carondelet and Tyler, and the ram Queen of the West, strengthened by sharpshooters from the army. They started on the morning of July 15, and near the mouth of the river encountered the Confederate ram Arkansas. A severe fight ensued, in which both the Carondelet and the Tyler were partially disabled, and the Arkansas then entered the Mississippi and passing boldly through the surprised fleets of Farragut and Davis, took refuge under the guns of Vicksburg.

Farragut now determined to repass the batteries for the double purpose of supporting the rest of his squadron and destroying the Arkansas in passing; to assist in which Flag-Officer Davis added to his force the ram Sumter, Lieutenant Commanding Erben. Toward evening, Davis opened a bombardment, for the purpose of covering the movement, and Captain Farragut succeeded in getting below Vicksburg again with little loss of life, but his designs against the Arkansas were defeated by the darkness of the night.

On the 22d, Commander W. D. Porter, with the iron-clad gunboat Essex, and Lieutenant-Colonel Ellet, with the ram Queen of the West, made another attempt to destroy the Confederate vessel, but the attack though executed with great gallantry under the fire of the batteries, did not succeed. The Essex ran down to Farragut’s fleet, and Farragut having been instructed by the navy department to drop down the river before the water got too low, it was arranged that Commander W. D. Porter should remain below Vicksburg with the Essex and Sumter.

On the 28th of July, Farragut arrived at New Orleans, leaving the Katahdin and Kineo at Baton Rouge. On the 5th of August, the Confederates made a vigorous land attack upon the latter place, which was repulsed after a severe contest. The gunboats were not able to assist until toward the close of the action, when they threw their shells directly into the midst of the enemy with great effect. The Arkansas had dropped down the river to take part in the attack, but was not brought into action, one of her engines having broken down. The next morning, Porter, who was then at Baton Rouge with the Essex, moved up to attack her, but before the fight had fairly begun her other engine gave way, and she was run ashore, abandoned, and set on fire by the crew. About an hour afterward she blew up. On the 11th, Farragut sailed for Ship Island and Pensacola, which latter place, having been evacuated by the Confederates, was now made the depot of the Western Gulf Squadron.

Commander W. D. Porter remained at Baton Rouge until August 23, when, the town having been evacuated by the Federal troops, he proceeded up the river to reconnoitre batteries reported in progress at Port Hudson, and thence ascended to Bayou Sara to obtain coal, where his boat’s crew was fired upon by guerrillas. Some of the buildings were thereupon burned, and a few days afterward, as the firing was repeated, the rest of the place was destroyed. Afterwards a boat’s crew from the Essex, sent ashore at Natchez to procure ice for the sick, was attacked, by some two hundred armed citizens, one of the sailors being killed, and an officer and five men wounded. Commander Porter immediately opened fire on the town, set a number of houses in flames, and continued the bombardment for an hour, after which the mayor surrendered. On her way down to New Orleans, the Essex had a brisk engagement, on September 7th, with the Port Hudson batteries.

In the mean time, several vessels of Captain Farragut’s squadron had been employed on the coast of Texas, where acting volunteer Lieutenant J. W. Kittredge, with the bark Arthur, the little steamer Sachem, and a launch, captured Corpus Christi, after several spirited engagements with the enemy’s batteries, but was unable to hold the town, and was himself made prisoner, September 14, while on shore exploring.

On September 26, Acting Master Crocker, with the steamer Kensington and schooner Rachel Seaman, and Acting Master Pennington, with the mortar schooner Henry Janes, captured Sabine Pass, taking a battery of four guns without loss.

On the 4th of October, Commander W. B. Renshaw, with the steamers Westfield, Harriet Lane, Owasco, and Clifton, and the mortar schooner Henry Janes, captured the defences of the harbor and city of Galveston without the loss of a man. The resistance was feeble: the first shell from the Owasco burst immediately over a heavy 10-inch Columbiad mounted on Fort Point, causing a panic in the fort, and depriving the defenders of their main reliance.

Toward the end of October, Lieutenant Commander T. McKean Buchanan, with the steamers Calhoun, Estrella, Kinsman, and Diana, and the transport St. Mary’s, having on board the Twenty-first Indiana regiment, was sent to the Atchafalaya river, La., to cooperate with a land force under General Weitzel. On Nov. 1, near Brashear City, he captured the Confederate despatch boat A. B. Seger, and the next day had an engagement with an iron-clad gunboat and some land batteries on the Bayou Teche. The batteries were silenced, but the gunboat, being behind a row of obstructions across the channel, escaped up the river. Lieutenant Commander Buchanan then returned to Brashear City to repair damages. On the 6th, the Kinsman discovered and burned two steamers in one of the small bayous in the neighborhood.

Early in August, an expedition was concerted between Flag-Officer Davis and General Curtis, which moved up the Yazoo, and captured a battery of heavy guns, field pieces, munitions of war, &c., besides taking the Confederate transport Fairplay, loaded with one thousand two hundred Enfield rifles, four thousand new muskets, four field guns, mounted howitzers, small arms, a quantity of fixed ammunition, &c.

On the 26th of September, the ram Queen of the West and two transports having been fired into by the Confederates at Prentiss, Miss., the town was shelled and burned.

On December 13th the gunboat Cairo, while ascending the Yazoo, was blown up by a torpedo, and sank in fifteen minutes after the explosion. It is remarkable that none of the crew were killed, or even seriously hurt.

HOOKER’S CAMPAIGN IN VIRGINIA.
JANUARY 26, 1863.

After the disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, General Burnside’s army remained inactive at Falmouth for several weeks. The Army of the Potomac was then as strong in numbers as it had ever been. An important movement on the 26th of January was frustrated by a severe storm, and the army after marching fifteen miles, was compelled to return to its original position. General Burnside then tendered the resignation of his command to the President, which was accepted.

On the 26th of January, 1863, the command of the Army of the Potomac was transferred from General Burnside to General Hooker. On the same day, Generals Sumner and Franklin were removed from the command of the right and left divisions of the army.

At this period the extreme cold rendered it impossible for any movement to be made either by the Army of the Potomac or by its opponent, at Fredericksburg. Occasional rebel raids, and cavalry movements were the only operations taking place on either side. The cavalry of the enemy made a raid, marked with considerable success, as far inside the Union lines as Fairfax Court-House, in Virginia. This occurred about March 12th, and the rebels carried off Brigadier-General Stoughton, whom they surprised in bed, besides capturing a detachment from his brigade, with horses and other property.

Five days later, a sharp fight took place between a body of cavalry, under General Averill, and a force of the enemy’s cavalry, near Kelly’s ford. Nothing more of special interest transpired until April 13th, when an expedition of cavalry, artillery and infantry, from the Federal army proceeded in detachments to Bealton, Warrenton, Rappahannock, and Liberty, with Major-General Stoneman in command. Thence, General Stoneman moved to the Rapidan fords, and took possession of them; these operations being in advance of a grand movement to cross the Rappahannock, and attack General Lee on the opposite side.

GENERAL STONEMAN’S CAVALRY RAID.
MAY 1, 1863.

The storms which ensued prevented active movements by General Stoneman until the 29th of April. On that day he crossed at Kelly’s Ford. The division of General Averill moved to the Orange and Alexandria railroad, and encountered two regiments of the enemy, who retired towards Gordonsville. Thence he proceeded to Culpeper, and dispersed a force of the rebels there, capturing their rear guard, and seizing a large amount of flour, salt, and bacon. The enemy were pursued by way of Cedar Mountain toward the Rapidan. Here he received a dispatch from General Stoneman, desiring him to push the enemy as vigorously as possible, and keep him occupied. On the 1st, scouting parties were sent up and down on both sides of the Rapidan. On the 2d, orders were received by him to join General Hooker at United States Ford, at once.

General Stoneman, after crossing at Kelly’s Ford, moved the main body of his command across Fleshman’s creek, and encamped for the night in an open field. On the next day, the 3d, General Buford crossed the Rapidan, two miles below Racoon Ford, and drove a body of infantry from the ford, where General Gregg crossed later in the day. A lieutenant and thirteen privates of an artillery company were captured here. At night, the whole force bivouacked one mile from the river. On the next day the march was commenced, and at Orange Spring, a force of the enemy, approaching by railroad, barely escaped capture. That night, the command encamped at Greenwood, one mile from Louisa Court House, through which the Virginia Central railroad passes, connecting Gordonsville with Richmond. On the next day, the 2d of May, a squadron of the Tenth New York, under Colonel Irwin, was sent five miles above the town, and another of the same regiment, under Major Avery, was sent the same distance below, to destroy the track of the road, while Colonel Kilpatrick took possession of the town. The track was torn up for some distance, the telegraph cut, and some commissary stores seized. In the afternoon, the command moved to Thompson’s Four Corners. From this place, as headquarters, several expeditions were sent out. On the next morning, Colonel Wyndham proceeded to Columbia, on the James river, where the Lynchburg and Richmond Canal crosses the river. An unsuccessful attempt was made to destroy the aqueduct. Five locks were injured, three canal boats, loaded with commissary stores, and five bridges, were burned, and the canal lock cut in several places. A large quantity of commissary stores and medicines in the town were also destroyed. Another detachment, under Captain Drummond, of the Fifth United States Cavalry, destroyed the bridge over the James river, at Centreville. Other small parties were sent out in different directions, and some skirmishing took place with small parties of the enemy. At the same time, a force, consisting of the Tenth New York and First Maine, with two pieces of artillery, was sent out under General Gregg, to destroy the railroad bridge at Ashland, while Colonel Kilpatrick, with the Harris Light, and Twelfth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, were to go between Ashland and Richmond, destroying the railroad, bridges, &c. General Gregg destroyed the railroad bridge across the South Anna, on the road from Columbia to Spottsylvania; thence he moved east, and destroyed the road to Beaver Dam Station. He then turned north to the Richmond and Gordonsville turnpike, sending out a detachment to burn the Ground Squirrel bridge. That night he bivouacked eight miles from Ashland. A detachment sent out to burn the bridge at Ashland found it too strongly defended. Some portions of the railroad track, however, were destroyed. Leaving Colonel Kilpatrick and Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, General Gregg returned on the next day to General Stoneman. On the night of the 4th, General Gregg moved near Yanceyville, and was followed the next day by General Stoneman and General Buford’s command. On the 5th, the retrograde movement commenced, and crossing Racoon Ford, on the Rapidan, the command arrived at Kelley’s Ford on the North Fork. Meantime, the advance of Colonel Kilpatrick was made, and thus subsequently reported by him:

“By directions from Major-General Stoneman, I left Louisa Court House on the morning of the 3d instant, with one regiment (the Harris Light Cavalry) of my brigade; reached Hungary, on the Fredericksburg railroad, at daylight on the 4th; destroyed the depot and telegraph wires and railroad for several miles; passed over to Brook turnpike, drove in the rebel pickets; down the pike, across the brook, charged a battery, and forced it to retire within two miles of the city of Richmond; captured Lieutenant Brown, aid-de-camp to General Winder, and eleven men within the fortifications; passed down to the left of the Meadow bridge on the Chickahominy, which I burned; ran a train of cars into the river; retired to Hanovertown on the peninsula; crossed and destroyed the ferry boat just in time to check the advance of a pursuing cavalry force; burned a train of thirty wagons loaded with bacon; captured thirteen prisoners, and encamped for the night five miles from the river.

“I resumed my march at 1 P. M. of the 5th; surprised a force of three hundred cavalry at Aylett’s; captured two officers and thirty-three men; burned fifty-six wagons, the depot, containing upwards of twenty thousand bushels of corn and wheat, quantities of clothing and commissary stores, and safely crossed the Mattapony, and destroyed the ferry again just in time to escape the advance of the rebel cavalry pursuit. Late in the evening I destroyed a third wagon train and depot a few miles above and west of the Tappahannock on the Rappahannock, and from that point made a forced march of twenty miles, being closely pursued by a superior force of cavalry, supposed to be a portion of Stuart’s, from the fact that we captured prisoners from the Eighth, First, and Tenth Virginia cavalry. At sundown discovered a force of cavalry drawn up in line of battle about King and Queen Court House. Their strength was unknown, but I at once advanced to the attack, only to discover, however, that they were friends—a portion of the Tenth Illinois cavalry, who had become separated from the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, of the same regiment.

“At ten A. M., on the 7th, I found safety and rest under our own brave old flag within our lines at Gloucester Point. This raid and march around the entire rebel army—a march of nearly two hundred miles—has been made in less than five days, with a loss of one officer and thirty-seven men, having captured and paroled upwards of three hundred men.”

At the same time, Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, of the Twelfth Illinois, was ordered to penetrate to the Fredericksburg railroad, and, if possible, to the Virginia Central, and destroy communications. If he crossed the Virginia Central he was to make for Williamsburg on the peninsula. Leaving the main body on the South Anna, on Sunday, May 3d, he passed down the bank of that river, burning a bridge, and, dispersing a mounted party of the enemy, struck the railroad at Ashland. Here he cut the telegraph, tore up some rails, and burned the trestle-work bridge south of the town. At the same time a train of cars, filled with sick and wounded, arrived, and was captured. The prisoners were paroled, and the locomotives disabled. Twenty wagons, with horses, were destroyed, and several horses taken. Leaving at 6 P. M., a train of eighteen wagons was met and destroyed, and Hanover Station reached at 8 P. M. Here thirty prisoners were captured, and the railroad line broken. The depot, storehouses, and stables, filled with government property were destroyed, also a culvert and trestle-work south of the station. Among the property destroyed were more than one hundred wagons, a thousand sacks of flour and corn, and a large quantity of clothing and horse equipments. The command then moved down within seven miles of Richmond, and thence marched to Williamsburg, and then proceeded to Gloucester Point, having destroyed property of the enemy valued at a million dollars. Colonel Davis’s loss was thirty-five men.

HOOKER’S ADVANCE.

The weather now became very inclement; and storms succeeded each other for several days. It was not till the 27th that the movement to cross the Rappahannock was finally effected.

General Hooker’s army numbered about one hundred and twenty thousand men, who were divided into seven separate corps. The army of General Lee numbered about seventy thousand men; it held a line running from northwest to southeast, with its right wing extending to Port Hudson on the Rappahannock, and its left resting above Fredericksburg.

General Hooker’s plan of attack was as follows: three corps were massed below Fredericksburg, and, crossing the river at West Point, were to make a feint attack upon the enemy; having done this, the two corps were to return instantly, and join the remaining four corps, and with them recross the river at ten or twenty miles above Fredericksburg, thus moving down upon the left of the enemy; and, according to General Hooker’s idea, forcing the rebels to a battle outside their intrenchments, which would compel them to fall back on Richmond. The following description will give a clear idea of the position, at that time, of the Army of the Potomac: Falmouth, the position occupied by General Hooker’s army, is nearly opposite Fredericksburg on the north bank of the Rappahannock. About twelve miles above, the Rapidan, a small river, unites with a stream hitherto called the North Fork, to form the Rappahannock. Lately, however, the North Fork had been called the Rappahannock, and the Rapidan had been spoken of as a tributary.

The United States Ford is about one mile below the mouth of the Rapidan. Banks’s Ford is about midway between the United States Ford and Falmouth. Kelly’s Ford, where the four corps crossed the North Fork, or the Rapidan, as it was now called, is about twenty miles above Falmouth. Germania Ford, where the same force crossed the Rapidan, is about twelve miles south of Kelly’s Ford, at a place called Germania Mills.

On Monday morning, April 27th, three corps under Major-General Howard, Major-General Slocum, and Major-General Meade, marched to Kelly’s Ford, which was reached on the afternoon of the following day, by General Howard, who was in advance. Portions of the Seventy-third Pennsylvania, and One Hundred and Fifty-fourth New York, amounting to two hundred and fifty men, crossed in boats, and took position on the opposite side of the river. No enemy was to be found, except a few pickets, who retired before the skirmishers sent out to reconnoitre. During the evening the remainder of General Howard’s corps crossed the river; General Slocum’s bivouacked on the shore, and General Meade’s crossed the river some miles further down. On Wednesday morning General Slocum’s corps also crossed over; and on Thursday the last day of April, the three corps advanced to Chancellorsville, and were massed at night at the point where the Culpeper road joins the Orange Court-House road. General Hooker arrived there at nightfall, and made the place his headquarters. On the 29th the second corps under command of General Couch, had taken up a position five miles above Fredericksburg, at Banks’s Ford. General Sherman’s cavalry was sent to cut off the railway communication between General Lee’s army and Richmond. Meanwhile, the remaining three corps of the army under Major-Generals Sickles, Sedgwick, and Reynolds, had left camps on Monday night, and taken up a position two miles below Fredericksburg. On Tuesday morning, one division of General Sedgwick’s corps crossed the river at this point; and one division of General Reynolds’ corps crossed about a mile further down. General Sickles’ corps was detached from the remaining two on Wednesday, and ordered to join General Hooker at Chancellorsville.

This was the position of General Hooker’s army on Friday, May 1st.

With the exception of some slight skirmishing, which took place at the seizure of the Fords, there was, up to this time, no fighting. It was impossible to judge at what time, or from what direction, the enemy would first advance; but every possible preparation was made to guard against a surprise. At two o’clock in the afternoon, a large force of the enemy was discovered approaching from an easterly direction, and coming along what had been a turnpike road; and also along a planked road. Both these roads entered Chancellorsville at right angles; and joining, form one direct road from a building called Tabernacle Church. General Hooker, who had himself headed a cavalry party for the purpose of reconnoitring, immediately on learning of the enemy’s approach returned to his headquarters at Chancellorsville, and made ready to meet them. It being uncertain from which of two points, the south and east, the enemy’s attack would be made, both points were intrenched against them. General Meade’s corps was formed on the front, facing the east; the division of regulars occupying a point north of the old turnpike road, and the other two divisions placed to the left of this on the line of Bank’s Ford road. A division of General Sickles’ corps, under General Berry, supported the left wing of this line; and General Couch’s corps supported the right wing. General Howard’s and General Slocum’s corps were placed in front, at the side facing the south, General Slocum’s corps being formed in double column, with its left resting on the plank road; and General Howard formed in line on the right of it. As supports for this line, the two remaining divisions of General Sickles’ corps were ordered up, under General Whipple, and General Birney.

BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE, VA.
MAY 1–4, 1863.

The moment of attack had come. Soon the brisk cracking of rifles and muskets announced the rebel proximity, and the Union skirmishers, in compliance with orders, gradually fell back upon the main line of battle. This manœuvre had the desired effect, and drew forth the enemy in pursuit, yelling and shouting like fiends broken loose. Matters soon began to look serious, for as rebel column followed column, and they advanced directly upon General Meade’s second division, under General Sykes, it seemed as if the small body of Union men would be instantly overwhelmed by the large Confederate force. General Lee was always distinguished for his skill in hurling a large force upon his opponents; and the present manœuvre bade fair to be one of his many successes of the kind.

The rebel force, as it charged out of the woods, was certainly three times as large as that of General Sykes; yet the latter showed no disposition to quail; but, after giving a moment’s glance to satisfy their curiosity, every soldier brought his musket to his shoulder, and five thousand bullets were sent into the rebel line. Such steadiness appalled them. They were unprepared for it. Their front rank quailed before it. The sudden thinning of their numbers amazed and frightened them. They discharged their pieces recklessly and broke in confusion. But there was no flight for them. The heavy bodies behind them, to whom the front ranks had been a bulwark, protecting them from the murderous volley of the Union regulars, were steady and determined. They, absorbed the front rank in the second, and still moved forward—firm, unshaken, confident. Meantime the Union men reloaded their pieces, and simultaneously a volley was fired from both sides; and then, from the brow above, the Union artillery opened with canister and grape, shooting over the heads of the National troops and dealing destruction and confusion to the enemy. And as the loud cannon continued its work with fearful rapidity the order was given to “fire at will”—an order that was copied by the enemy—and the continuous roar of musketry that followed almost deadened the reports of the artillery. It was the first fight of the great battle, and for nearly twenty minutes both parties stood firm, as though nothing could lead them to give the prestige of a first success to the other. But, although outnumbered, General Sykes’ division had an advantage in the support of artillery, which, while his infantry held the rebels in check, made huge gaps in their ranks. Still they yelled and shouted defiance, and attempted charges and continued their firing, rank after rank of them being broken and thrown back in confusion, while their officers shouted, and ordered, and stormed, and cursed, in the vain effort to rally them to a persistent, determined charge. They fought well. They fought as none but Americans can fight. But with musketry alone they could not contend against both artillery and musketry. It was simply murder on the part of their officers to attempt to hold them to it; and their officers began to appreciate the fact when nearly half their column had been placed _hors de combat_; and then the order was given to retire.

Shouts and cheers from the Union column proclaimed the enemy’s retreat; and even the wounded staggered to their feet, leaning against their comrades, and joined in the triumphant cry. But the triumph must be followed up, and pursuit was ordered—an order that was quickly and gladly obeyed. For upwards of a mile the victorious troops followed closely on the heels of the vanquished rebels; till, coming upon a second line of the enemy, in very strong force, General Sykes deemed it imprudent to contend against new and fresh troops, and gave his men orders to retire.

The rebels immediately prepared to give chase; but instead of flying before the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, General Sykes’ men wheeled and sent a heavy volley into their ranks, which determined them not to follow up the chase; and the much shattered division was quietly permitted to retire. Immediately upon the termination of the rebel engagement with Sykes’ division, General Lee massed a large body of his troops in the woods opposite Slocum’s division; and with great suddenness came down like an avalanche upon it; but the troops met it bravely, and with a half dozen volleys sent the rebels back. General Howard’s corps was also engaged on the left with some light skirmishing which did not amount to anything serious, although the rebels unmasked one battery, and discharged a few shells upon the artillery men at work some distance below it. The Union artillery opened in reply; and the enemy immediately withdrew their pieces; and no further demonstrations were made on either side during the remainder of the day.

THE SECOND DAY’S FIGHT. SATURDAY, MAY 2ND.

Many changes were made in the position of the national forces during Friday night. The Second corps was thrown down the Banks’s Ford road, holding the extreme left of the line, and, with a portion of the Fifth, completed the line on the east up to the plank road supported by the Second division of the third corps (General Sickles) which was resting on the direct road to the United States Ford. The Second division, General Geary’s, of the Twelfth (General Slocum) held the left of the Union centre, its left resting on the plank road in front of the general headquarters, and extending along the entire front of the field. General Williams’ division of the same corps was formed on the right of this line, facing to the southwest, its extreme right resting in the edge of the woods facing a little cleared field, situated about two miles southwest from headquarters. The Eleventh corps (General Howard) was originally directed to take position on the right of General Williams, with its right extending as far down towards the Wilderness road as consistent with a proper strengthening of the position. Birney’s division of the third corps was ordered to take position on the plank road as a reserve both to the Eleventh and Twelfth; but General Sickles, discovering an advantageous opening in a cleared field about a quarter of a mile south of the plank road, and a mile and a half west of general headquarters, obtained permission to advance Birney to this place, which brought him between the Eleventh and Twelfth corps. At this point he deployed off to the right around the field, General Williams occupying the other side in the opening. In the general disposition of the forces for Saturday, both Berry’s and Whipple’s divisions of the Third corps were held in reserve, though Bordan’s sharpshooters were detached from the latter’s division, for special duty with Birney.

The First corps (General Sedgwick) had arrived from the left, and were placed on the extreme right, bringing the national lines down in that direction, almost to the Rappahannock river.