Chapter XLVIII: The 79th Highlanders.--The Army of the Potomac

The Highland Guard, a New York city militia battalion, volunteer
as the 79th Highlanders--Splendid material--Severe losses at
Bull Run--Promised to be sent home to recruit--Disappointed--
Colonel Stevens takes command--Breaks unworthy officers--The
mutiny and its suppression--Colonel Stevens enforces
discipline--Marches through Washington with band playing
the dead march--Removes camp guards and appeals to honor of
the regiment--Crossing the Potomac into Virginia--Colonel
Stevens's brief speech at midnight--Building Fort Ethan
Allen--Digging forts and felling forests--Picket alarms--The
reconnoissance of Lewinsville--General McClellan meets
returning column; his anxiety to avoid a general engagement--
Colonel Stevens deprived of his brigade and given three green
regiments--President Lincoln reminded, directs appointment of
Colonel Stevens as brigadier-general; says delay is owing to
General McClellan's advice--Hazard Stevens appointed adjutant
79th Highlanders--Colonel Stevens appointed brigadier-general--
Moves forward four miles to Camp of the Big Chestnut--The
recusant wagon-master--The unexpected rebuke--McClellan's
passive-defensive--General Stevens ordered to Annapolis--Bids
farewell to the Highlanders--Whole line cries, "Tak' us wi'
ye!"--Secures appointment of his son as captain and assistant
adjutant-general--Condemns McClellan's management--Predicts
disaster--Reaches Annapolis--Applies for Highlanders--McClellan
objects, but President Lincoln overrules him and sends them 321

CHAPTER XLIX

THE PORT ROYAL EXPEDITION

General Thomas W. Sherman--His army--General Stevens's
brigade--The embarkation--Fleet assemble off Fortress
Monroe--Boat's crew of Highlanders--Lively scenes--Sailing
out to sea--Storm scatters the fleet--Opening sealed
orders--Sail for Port Royal--The rebel defenses--Commodore
Dupont's attack--The enemy's flight--Landing of the
troops--Demoralized by sweet-potato field--General Stevens
alone urges advance inland--Constructs a mile of defensive
works--Sickness--Life on Hilton Head 341

CHAPTER L

BEAUFORT.--ACTION OF PORT ROYAL FERRY

General Stevens occupies Beaufort, the Newport of the
South--Abandoned by white population--Sacked by negroes;
their ignorance, habits, condition--Faint attack on the
pickets--General Stevens advances across Port Royal
Island--Pickets outer side, throwing enemy on the
defensive--Enemy close the Coosaw River--General Stevens's
plan to dislodge them authorized--Reinforcement by two
regiments and gunboats--Flatboats assembled in a hidden
creek--Troops embark at midnight, cross Coosaw, and effect
landing--March in echelon toward Port Royal Ferry--The
action--The enemy's hasty retreat--The Ferry occupied--The
forts destroyed--Troops bivouac for the night--Cross the
ferry and march to Beaufort in triumph--Thanked in general
orders for the victory of Port Royal Ferry 353