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FOLLOWING THE FLAG
FROM AUGUST 1861 TO NOVEMBER 1862
WITH THE
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
CHARLES CARLETON COFFIN
AUTHOR OF "MY DAYS AND NIGHTS ON THE BATTLE- FIELD," "BOYS OF '76," "BOYS OF '6l," WINNING HIS WAY," ETC.
NEW YORK HURST & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
HARLES CARLETON COFFIN SERIES
UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME
By CHARLES CARLETON COFFIN
Following- the Flag.
Four Years of Fighting.
My Days and Nights on the
Battlefield. Winning His Way.
Price, postpaid, 50c. each, or any three books for $1.25
HURST & COMPANY Publishers, New York
PREFACE.
It will be many years before a complete his- tory of the operations of the armies of the Union can be written ; but that is not a sufficient rea- son why historical pictures may not now be painted from such materials as have come to hand. This volume, therefore, is a sketch of the operations of the x\rmy of the Potomac from August, 1861, to November, 1862, while com- manded by General McClellan. To avoid detail, the organization of the army is given in an Ap- pendix. It has not been possible, in a book of this size, to give the movements of regiments; but the narrative has been limited to the oper- ations of brigades and divisions. It will be com- paratively easy, however, for the reader to ascer- tain the general position of any regiment in the different battles, by consulting the Appendix in connection with the narrative.
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CONTENTS.
SAPTER PAGE
Introductory 9
I. Organization of the Army of the Potomac 11
II. Ball's Bluff 22
III. Battle of Dranesville, and the Winter of 1862. . 38
IV. Siege of Yorktown 49
V. Battle of Williamsburg 65
VI. On the Chickahominy 82
Affair at Hanover Court-House. ... 84
VII. Fair Oaks 88
VIII. Seven Days of Fighting 108
Battle of Mechanicsville Ill
Battle of Gaines's Mills 115
Movement to James River 121
Battle of Savage Station 123
Battle of Glendale 125
Battle of Malvern 131
IX. Affairs in front of Washington 138
Battle of Cedar Mountain 140
X. Battle of Groveton 147
The Retreat to Washington 157
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6 Contents.
CHAPTER PAGE
XI. Invasion of Maryland 158
Barbara Frietchie 160
Battle of South Mountain 165
Surrender of Harper's Ferry 171
XII. Battle of Antietam 175
Hooker's Attack 187
Sumner's Attack 194
The Attack upon the Center 206
Richardson's Attack 212
General Franklin's Arrival 216
Burnside's Attack 221
XIII. After the Battle 238
XIV. The March from Harper's Ferry toWarrenton. 250
Removal of General McClellan 269
APPENDIX.
The Organization of the Army of the Potomac, April, 1862 278
LIST OF DIAGRAMS.
PAGE
Ball'sBluff 29
Battle of Dranesville 41
Battle of Williamsburg 69
Battle of Fair Oaks 91
Battle of Mechanicsville. 112
Battle of Gaines's Mills 116
Battle of Glendale 128
Battle of Malvern 134
Battle of Groveton 149
Battle-Field of Antietam 180
Sedgwick's Attack 198
French's and Richardson's Attack 208
Burnside's Second Attack 232
INTRODUCTORY.
For more than three years I have followed the flag of our country in the East and in the West and in the South, — on the ocean, on the land, and on the great rivers. A year ago I gave in a vol- ume entitled " My Days and Nights on the Battle- Field " a description of the Battle of Bull Run, and other battles in Kentucky, Tennessee, and on the Mississippi.
It has been my privilege to witness nearly all the great battles fought by the Army of the Poto- mac,— Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, at the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, the North Anna, Coal Harbor and at Petersburg. Letters have been received from those who are strangers to me as well as from friends, expressing a desire that I should give a connected account, not only of the operations of that army, from its organ- ization, but of other armies; also of the glorious achievements of the navy in this great struggle of our country for national existence. The present volume, therefore, will be the second of the con- templated series.
During the late campaign in Virginia, many facts and incidents were obtained which give an insight into the operations of the armies of the South, not before known. Time will undoubtedly
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io Introductory.
reveal other important facts, which will be made use of in the future. It will be my endeavor to sift from the immense amount of material al- ready accumulated a concise and trustworthy account, that we may know7 how our patriot broth- ers have fought to save the country and to se- cure to all who may live after them the blessings of a free government.
FOLLOWING THE FLAG.
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION OP THE ARMY OP THE POTOMAC.
The battle of Bull Run, or of Manassas, as the Rebels call it, which was fought on the 21st of July, 1861, was the first great battle of the war. It was disastrous to the Union army. But the people of the North were not disheartened by it. Their pride was mortified, for they had confi- dently expected a victory, and had not taken into consideration the possibility of a defeat. The victory was all but won, as has been narrated in " My Days and Nights on the Battle-Field," when the arrival of a brigade of Rebels and the great mistake of Captain Barry, who supposed them to be Union troops, turned the scale, and the battle was lost to the Union army.
But the people of the North, who loved the Union, could not think of giving up the contest, — of having the country divided, and the old flag trailed in the dust. They felt that it would be impossible to live peaceably side by side with those who declared themselves superior to the laboring men of the Free States, and were their
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12 Following the Flag.
rightful masters. They were not willing to ac- knowledge that the slaveholders were their mas- ters. They felt that there could not be friend- ship and amity between themselves and a nation which had declared that slavery was its corner- stone. Besides all this, the slaveholders wanted Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri in the South- ern Confederacy, while the majority of the peo- ple of those States wanted to stay in the Union. The Rebels professed that they were willing that each State should choose for itself, but they were insincere and treacherous in their professions. Kentucky would not join the Confederacy; there- fore they invaded the State to compel the people to forsake the old flag.
A gentleman from Ohio accompanied a South- ern lady to Columbus, on the Mississippi, to see her safely among her friends. General Polk was commander of the Rebel forces at that place, and they talked about the war.
" I wish it might be settled," said the General.
"How will you settle?"
" O, all we ask is to have all that belongs to us, and to be let alone."
"What belongs to you?"
" All that has always been acknowledged as ours."
"Do you want Missouri?"
" Yes, that is ours."
" Do you want Kentucky ? "
" Yes, certainly. The Ohio River has always been considered as the boundary line."
" But Kentucky don't want you."
" We must have her."
"You want all of Virginia?"
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" Of course."
"You want Maryland?"
" Most certainly."
"What will you do with Washington?"
" We don't want it. Remove it if you want to ; but Maryland is ours." *
Such was the conversation; and this feeling, that they must have all the Slave States to form a great slaveholding confederacy, was universal in the South.
Besides this, they held the people in the Free States in contempt. Even the children of the South were so influenced by the system of slavery that they thought themselves superior to the people of the Free States who worked for a living.
I heard a girl, who was not more than ten years old, say that the Northern people were all " old scrubs " ! Not to be a scrub was to own slaves, — to work them hard and pay them noth- ing,— to sell them, to raise children for the market, — to separate mothers from their babes, wives from their husbands, — to live solely for their own interests, happiness, and pleasure, without regard to the natural rights of others. This little girl, although her mother kept a board- ing-house, felt that she was too good to play with Northern children, or if she noticed them at all, it was as a superior.
Feeling themselves the superiors of the North- ern people, having been victorious at Manassas, the people of the South became enthusiastic for continuing the war. Thousands of volunteers
* Ohio State Journal.
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joined the Rebels already in arms. Before the summer of 1861 had passed, General Johnston had a large army in front of Washington, which was called the Army of the Potomac.
At the same time thousands rushed to arms in the North. They saw clearly that there was but one course to pursue, — to fight it out, de- feat the Rebels, vindicate their honor, and save the country.
The Union army which gathered at Washing- ton was also styled the Army of the Potomac. Many of the soldiers who fought at Manassas were three months' men. As their terms of serv- ice expired their places were filled by men who enlisted for three years, if not sooner discharged.
General George B. McClellan, who with Gen- eral Rosecrans had been successfully conducting the war in Western Virginia, was called to Washington to organize an army which, it was hoped, would defeat the Rebels, and move on to Richmond.
The people wanted a leader. General Scott, who had fought at Niagara and Lundy's Lane, who had captured the city of Mexico, was too old and infirm to take the field. General Mc- Dowell, although his plan of attack at Bull Run was approved, had failed of victory. General McClellan had been successful in the skirmishes at Philippi and at Rich Mountain. He was known to be a good engineer. He had been a visitor to Russia during the Crimean war, and had written a book upon that war, which was published by Congress. He Avas a native of Penn- sylvania and a resident of Ohio when the war broke out. The governors of both of those States
Following the Flag. 15
sent him a commission as a brigadier-general, because he had had military experience in Mexico, and because he was known as a military man, and because they were in great need of ex- perienced men to command the troops. Having all these things in his favor, he was called to Washington and made commander of the Army of the Potomac on the 27th of July.
He immediately submitted a plan of operations to the President for suppressing the rebellion. He thought that if Kentucky remained loyal, twenty thousand men moving down the Missis- sippi would be sufficient to quell the rebellion in the West. Western Virginia could be held by five or ten thousand more. He would have ten thousand protect the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Potomac River, five thousand at Baltimore, twenty thousand at Washington, and three thousand at Fortress Monroe. One grand army for active operations was needed, to consist of two hundred and twenty-five thou- sand infantry, six hundred pieces of field artil- lery, twenty-five thousand cavalry, and seven thousand five hundred engineers, making a total of two hundred and seventy-three thousand men. In his letter to the President, General McClellan says : " I propose, with the force which I have re- quested, not only to drive the enemy out of Vir- ginia, and occupy Richmond, but to occupy Charleston, Savannah, Montgomery, Pensacola, Mobile, and New Orleans; in other words, to move into the heart of the enemy's country, and crush the rebellion in its very heart," *
* General McClellan's Report, p. 4.
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It was found a very difficult matter to obtain arms for the soldiers; for President Buchanan's Secretary of War, Floyd, had sent most of the arms in Northern arsenals to the South before the war commenced. But, notwithstanding this, so earnest were the people, and so energetic the government, that on the 1st of October, two months from the time that General McClellan took command, there were one hundred and sixty- eight thousand men in the Army of the Potomac, with two hundred and twenty pieces of artillery; besides this, the government had a large army in Kentucky, and another in Missouri. The Rebels had large armies in those States, and were mak- ing great efforts to secure them to the Confed- eracy. It was not possible to send all the troops to Washington, as General McClellan desired.
The Rebel army was commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston. He had about seventy thou- sand men, with his headquarters at Manassas. Some of the spies which were sent out by Gen- eral McClellan reported a much larger force un- der Johnston, and General McClellan believed that he had one hundred and fifty thousand men. Strong fortifications were erected to defend Washington ; General Johnston wished very much to take the city, and the people of the South expected that he would gain possession of it and drive out the hated Yankees. He pushed his troops almost up to General McClellan's lines, taking possession of Munson's Hill, which is only five miles from the Long Bridge at Washington.
The Rebels erected breastworks upon the hill, and threw shot and shells almost to Arlington House. From the hill they could see the spires of
Following the Flag. 17
the city of Washington, the white dome of the eapitol, and its marble pillars. No doubt thev longed to have it in their possession; but there were thousands of men in arms and hundreds of cannon and a wide river between them and the city.
One bright October morning I rode to Bailey's Cross-roads, which is about a mile from Munson's Hill. Looking across a cornfield, I could see the Rebels behind their breastworks. Their battle- flags were waving gayly. Their bayonets gleamed in the sunshine. A group of officers had gath- ered on the summit of the hill. With my field- glass, I could see what they were doing. They examined maps, looked towards Washington, and pointed out the position of the Union fortifica- tions. There were ladies present, who looked earnestly towards the city, and chatted merrily with the officers. A few days after, I saw in a Richmond paper that the officers were Generals Lee, Beauregard, and Johnston, and that one of the ladies was Mrs. Lee.
General Lee was within sight of his old home ; but he had become a traitor to his country, and it was to be his no more. Never again would he sit in the spacious parlors, or walk the verdant lawn, or look upon the beautiful panorama of city and country, forest and field, hill and valley, land and water,— upon the ripened wheat on the hill- side or the waving corn in the meadows, — upon the broad Potomac, gleaming in the sunshine, or upon the white-winged ships sailing upon its bosom, — upon the city, with its magnificent build- ings, upon the marble shaft rising to the mem- ory of Washington, or upon the outline of the
1 8 Following the Flag.
hills of Bladensburg, faint and dim in the dis- tance.
He joined the rebellion because he believed that a state was more than the nation, that Virginia was greater than the Union, that she had a right to leave it, and was justified in seceding from it. He belonged to an old family, which, when Vir- ginia was a colony of Great Britain, had influence and power. He owned many slaves. He believed that the institution of slavery was right. He left the Union to serve Virginia, resigned his com- mand as colonel of cavalry, which he held under the United States. He accepted a commission from Jefferson Davis, forswore his allegiance to his country, turned his back upon the old flag, proved recreant in the hour of trial, and became an enemy to the nation which had trusted and honored him.
The summer passed away and the golden months of autumn came round. The troops were organ- ized into brigades and divisions. They were drilled daily. In the morning at six o'clock the drummers beat the reveille. The soldiers sprang to their feet at the sound, and formed in company lines to answer the roll-call. Then they had breakfast of hard-tack and coffee. After break- fast the guards were sent out. At eight o'clock there were company drills in marching, in hand- ling their muskets, in charging bayonet, and re- sisting an imaginary onset from the enemy. At twelve o'clock they had dinner, — more hard-tack, pork or beef, or rice and molasses. In the after- noon there were regimental, brigade, and some- times division drills, — the men carrying their knapsacks, canteens, haversacks, and blankets, —
Following the Flag. 19
just as if they were on the march. At sunset each regiment had a dress parade. Then each soldier was expected to be in his best trim. In well-disciplined regiments, all wore white gloves when they appeared on dress parade. It was a fine sight, — the long line of men in blue, the ranks straight and even, each soldier doing his best. Marching proudly to the music of the band, the light of the setting sun falling aslant upon their bright bayonets, and the flag they loved waving above them, thrilling them with remembrances of the glorious deeds of their fathers, who bore it aloft at Saratoga, Trenton, and Princeton, at Queenstown and New Orleans, at Buena Vista and Chapultepec, who beneath its endearing folds laid the foundations of the nation and secured the rights of civil and religious liberty. Each soldier felt that he would be an unworthy son, if traitors and rebels were permitted to over- throw a government which had cost so much sacrifice and blood and treasure, and which was the hope of the oppressed throughout all the world.
In the evening there were no military duties to be performed, and the soldiers told stories around the camp-fires, or sang songs, or had a dance; for in each company there was usually one who could play the violin. Many merry times they had. Some sat in their tents and read the newspapers or whatever they could find to interest them, with a bayonet stuck in the ground for a candle- stick. There were some who, at home, had at- tended the Sabbath school. Although in camp, they did not forget what they had left behind. The Bible was precious to them. They read its
20 Following the Flag.
sacred pages and treasured its holy truths. Sometimes they had a prayer-meeting, and asked God to bless them, the friends they had left be- hind, and the country for which they were ready to die, if need be, to save it from destruction.
But at the tap of the drum at nine o'clock the laughter, the songs, the dances, the stories, the readings, and the prayer-meetings, all were brought to a close, the lights were put out, and silence reigned throughout the camp, broken only by the step of the watchful sentinel.
The soldiers soon grew weary of this monotony. They had been accustomed to an active life. It was an army different from any ever before organized. It was composed in a great degree of thinking men. Many of them were leading citi- zens in the towns where they lived. They were well educated and were refined in their manners. They knew there was to be hard fighting and a desperate contest, that many never would return to their homes, but would find their graves upon the field of battle; yet they were ready to meet the enemy, and waited impatiently for orders to march.
There were grand reviews of troops during the fall, by which the officers and soldiers became somewhat accustomed to moving in large bodies. All of the troops which could be spared from the fortifications and advanced positions, were brought together at Bailey's Cross-roads, after the Kebels evacuated Munson's Hill, to be re- viewed by the President and General McClellan. TVere were seventy thousand men. It was a grand sight. Each regiment tried to outdo all others in its appearance and its marching. They
Following the Flag. 21
moved by companies past the President, bands playing national airs, the drums beating, and the flags waving. There were several hundred pieces of artillery, and several thousand cavalrymen. The ground shook beneath the steady marching of the great mass of men, and the tread of thousands of hoofs. It was the finest military display ever seen in America.
It was expected that the army would soon move upon the enemy. General McClellan, in a letter to the President, advised that the advance should not be postponed later than the 25th of November. The time passed rapidly. The roads were smooth and hard. The days were golden with sunshine, and the stars shone from a cloudless sky at night ; but there were no movements during the month, except reconnaissances by brigades and divisions.
The Rebels erected batteries on the south side of the Potomac, below the Occoquan, and block- aded it. They had destroyed the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake Canal, so that the Union army and the city of Washington were dependent on the one line of railroad to Balti- more for all its supplies. It was very desirable that the Potomac should be opened. General Hooker, who commanded a division at Budd's Ferry, wished very much to attack the Rebels, with the aid of the navy, and capture the bat- teries, but General McClellan did not wish one division to move till the whole army was ready. December passed, and the year completed its round. Cold nights and blustering days came, and the army, numbering two hundred thousand men, went into winter quarters.
22 Following the Flag.
CHAPTER II.
ball's bluff.
There were but two events of importance dur- ing the long period of inactivity in the autumn of 1861, — a disaster at Ball's Bluff and a victory at Dranesville.
In October General Stone's division oif the Army of the Potomac was at Poolesville in Mary- land. General Banks's division was at Darnes town, between Poolesville and Washington. General McCall's division was at a little hamlet called Lewinsville, on the turnpike leading from the chain bridge to Leesburg, on the Virginia side. The main body of the Rebels was at Centre- ville, but there was a brigade at Leesburg.
It is a beautiful and fertile country around that pleasant Virginia town. West of the town are high hills, called the Catoctin Mountains. If we were standing on their summits, and look- ing east, we should see the town of Leesburg at our feet. It is a place of three or four thousand inhabitants. There are several churches, a court- house, a market-place, where, before the war, the farmers sold their wheat, and corn, oats, and garden vegetables. Three miles east of the town we behold the Potomac sparkling in the sunlight, its current divided by Harrison's Island. The distance from the Virginia shore to the island is about one hundred and eighty feet; from the island to the Maryland shore it is six or seven
Following the Flag. 23
hundred feet. The bank on the Virginia side is steep, and seventy-five or eighty feet high, and is called Ball's Bluff. A canal runs along the Mary- land shore. Four miles below the island is Ed- ward's Ferry, and three miles east of it is Pooles- ville.
In October, General McClellan desired to make a movement which would compel General Evans, commanding the Rebels at Leesburg, to leave the place. He therefore directed General McCall to move up to Dranesville, on the Leesburg turnpike. Such a movement would threaten to cut General Evans off from Centreville. At the same time he sent word to General Stone, that if he were to make a demonstration towards Leesburg it might drive them away.
On Sunday night, at sundown, October 20th, General Stone ordered Colonel Devens of the Massachusetts Fifteenth to send a squad of men across the river, to see if there were any Rebels in and around Leesburg.
Captain Philbrick, with twenty men of that regiment, crossed in three small boats, hauled them upon the bank, went up the bluff by a winding path, moved cautiously through the woods, also through a cornfield, and went within a mile and a half of Leesburg, seeing no pickets, hearing no alarm. But the men saw what they thought was an encampment. They returned at midnight and reported to General Stone, who ordered Colonel Devens to go over with about half of his regiment and hold the bluff.
The only means which General Stone had for crossing troops was one flat-boat, an old ferry- boat, and three small boats.
24 Following the Flag.
Colonel Devens embarked his men on the boats about three o'clock in the morning. The sol- diers pushed them to the foot of the bluff, then returned for other detachments. The men went up the path and formed in line on the top of the bluff. By daybreak he had five companies on the Virginia shore. He moved through the open field towards the encampment which Captain Philbrick and his men had seen, as they thought, but which proved to be only an opening in the woods. But just as the sun's first rays were light- ing the Catoctin hills he came upon the Rebel pickets in the woods beyond the field. The pick- ets fired a few shots and fled towards Leesburg, giving the alarm.
The town was soon in commotion. The drums beat, the Rebel troops then rushed out of their tents and formed in line, and the people of the town jumped from their breakfast-tables at the startling cry, "The Yankees are coming!"
General Evans, the Rebel commander, the day before had moved to Goose Creek to meet General McCall, if he should push beyond Dranesville. He had the Eighth Virginia, the Thirteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Mississippi Regi- ments, and a squadron of cavalry and four pieces of artillery.
Captain Duff, commanding a detachment of the Seventeenth Mississippi, was left at Leesburg. As soon as Colonel Devens's advance was discov- ered, he formed his men in the woods and sent word to General Evans, who hastened with his whole brigade to the spot.
General Stone placed Colonel Baker, command- ing the First California Regiment, in command
Following the Flag. 25
of the forces upon the Virginia side of the river. Colonel Baker was a Senator from Oregon, — a noble man, an eloquent orator, a patriot, and as brave as he was patriotic. During the forenoon a portion of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regi- ment, commanded by Colonel Lee, was sent over.
Just before twelve o'clock General Stone sent word to Colonel Baker that the force of the enemy was supposed to be about four thousand. Col- onel Baker was in doubt whether to remain or whether to send over more troops; but word came to him that the Rebels were advancing, and he ordered over the Tammany Regiment of New York troops, commanded by Colonel Cogswell, and Lieutenant-Colonel Wistar's California Regi- ment. Colonel Baker went over about two o'clock in the afternoon. By constant effort, he suc- ceeded in getting about seventeen hundred men over ^uring the day, and three cannon,— two mountain howitzers and one rifled gun. It was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before Gen- eral Evans began the attack. He had captured a courier the day before, sent by General McCall to General Meade, and from the despatches learned that General McCall was only making a reconnaissance. This information led him to bring all his forces back to Leesburg, and it also delayed his attack until late in the afternoon.
Captain Duff, of the Seventeenth Mississippi, was reinforced first by four companies of the Thirteenth and Eighteenth Mississippi, com- manded by Colonel Jennifer. About two o'clock the Eighth Virginia arrived from Goose Creek, commanded by Colonel Huntoon. Other rein- forcements were near at hand.
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" Drive the Yankees into the river ! " was Gen- eral Evans's order.
He had the advantage of position, being on higher ground than that occupied by Colonel Baker. But he advanced very cautiously.
Colonel Baker formed his men on the eastern border of the field in the edge of the woods. The Fifteenth Massachusetts was on the right, — next there was a portion of the Twentieth Mas- sachusetts, which had been sent over, and then the California and Tammany regiments. The Rebels began to fire at long range. Some of them climbed into the trees, — some secreted them- selves in the shocks of corn which were standing in the field, — some crouched behind the fences and trees. Colonel Baker, to save his men, or- dered them to lie down.
Colonel Jennifer, commanding a Rebel regi- ment, with a party of skirmishers, went round the north side of the field and came upon the Fifteenth Massachusetts, but the men of that regiment fired so steadily that the Rebels were forced to retire.
At the southwest corner of the field was a farm road, down which the Rebels advanced. The howitzers and the cannon were placed in position to rake that road, and the Rebels were compelled to leave it and form in the woods.
It was apparent to Colonel Baker and all of his command at three o'clock that the Rebels out- numbered them, but they prepared to make a brave fight. The fire from both sides began to be more fierce and rapid.
At this time General Gorman had crossed the river at Edward's Ferry, three miles below, with
Following the Flag. 27
fifteen hundred men. General Evans, to prevent a junction of the Union forces, moved his troops into a ravine, and came upon the left flank of Colonel Baker's command.
" I want to find out what the Kebels are doing out there," said Colonel Baker to Colonel Wistar, " and I want you to send out two companies."
Colonel Wistar sent out Captain Marco with one company, and went himself with the other. About fifty yards in front of Colonel Wistar was a hill, and behind this Evans was preparing to make a charge. Suddenly the Eighth Virginia, who had been lying upon the ground, sprang to their feet, and, without firing a shot, advanced upon Captain Marco. His men, without waiting for orders, fired, and for fifteen minutes there was a very hot time of it, — the two companies holding their ground against the superior force. Captain Marco had deployed his men as skirmishers, while the Virginians were in close rank, and so destruc- tive was the fire from Captain Marco's command, that the Rebel lines gave way.
But it was at d fearful cost that the brave men held their ground so long. During this time all their officers, and all their corporals and ser- geants but three, and two-thirds of the men, were killed or wounded ! They fell back at last under command of a sergeant, carrying with them a lieutenant and fourteen men of the Eighth Vir- ginia prisoners.
The Rebels having reformed their line, came down upon the left flank of the California regi- ment. Colonel Wistar saw them in the ravine, faced four of his companies to meet them, and gave them a volley which threw them into con-
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fusion, and, after firing a few scattering shots, they ran up the ravine, and disappeared behind the hill.
For an hour or more the firing was at long range, each party availing themselves of the shel- ter of the woods. The men were ordered by Colonel Baker to shield themselves as much as possible, but himself and the other officers stood boldly out in the hottest fire.
" That is pretty close ! " said Colonel Baker to Colonel Wistar, as a bullet came between them. Soon another ball cut off a twig over Colonel Baker's bead.
" That fellow means us," he said, pointing to a Rebel in a distant tree. "Boys, do you see him? Now some of you try him," he said to company C, of Colonel Wistar's regiment. The soldiers singled out the man, who soon tumbled from the tree. He repeatedly cautioned his men about exposing themselves. He wanted to save them for the final conflict, which he knew must come before long.
" Lie close, don't expose yourself," he said to a brave soldier who was deliberately loading and firing.
" Colonel, you expose yourself, and whv shouldn't I?"
" Ah ! my son, when you get to be a United States senator and a colonel, you will feel that you must not lie down in face of the * enemy.' "
He knew that it would be asked if he was brave in the hour of battle. It was his duty to expose himself, to show his men and all the world that he was not afraid to meet the enemy, and was worthy of the position he held.
Following the Flag.
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One of the Mississippi regiments tried again to outflank Colonel Baker's left. The Rebels came within fifty feet of the California regiment; but the constant and steady fire given by that regi- ment again forced them back. It was an un- broken roll of musketry through the afternoon. The Union soldiers held their ground manfully, but their ammunition was giving out. The men, as fast as their cartridge-boxes became empty,
1 Union Troops.
3 Road by which the Rebels advanced.
2 Rebel Troops,
helped themselves from the boxes of their fallen comrades. They could not obtain reinforcements for want of boats, although there were troops enough upon the Maryland shore to overwhelm the enemy. The boats were old and leaky, and were used to carry the wounded to the island. General Stone had taken no measures to obtain other boats. He was at Edward's Ferry, within sight and sound of the battle. He had fifteen hum-
30 Following the Flag.
dred troops across the river at that point, and he might have ordered their advance towards Leesburg. They could have gained General Evans's rear, for there was no force to oppose them. The troops stood idly upon the bank, won- dering that they were not ordered to march. So the brave men on the bluff, confronted by nearly twice their number, were left to their fate.
" We can cut our way through to Edward's Ferry," said Colonel Devens.
" If I had two more such regiments as the Massachusetts Fifteenth, I would cut my way to Leesburg," said Colonel Baker.
He went along the line encouraging the men to hold out to the last. His cool bearing, and the glance of his eagle eye, inspired the men and they compelled the Rebels again and again to fall back. Lieutenant-Colonel Wistar was wounded, but refused to leave the field. He remained with his men and kept a close watch upon the ravine and the hillock at his left hand. He saw that General Evans was making preparations for a desperate onset. He was gathering his troops in a mass behind the hill.
" Drive the Yankees into the Potomac," said General Evans, again. He had more than two thousand men.
" There is not a moment to lose. A heavy column is behind the hill and they are getting ready to advance," said Colonel Wistar, hastening to Colonel Baker.
Lieutenant Bramhall was ordered to open upon them with his rifled gun. He brought it into position and fired a round or two, but two of his cannoneers were instantly killed and five others
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wounded. Colonel Baker, Colonel Wistar, and Colonel Cogswell used the rammer and sponges, and aided in firing it till other cannoneers ar- rived. Colonel Wistar was wounded again while serving the gun. They could not reach the main body of Rebels behind the hill, but kept the others in check with canister as often as they attempted to advance.
The force behind the hill suddenly came over it, yelling and whooping like savages. Colonel Baker was in front of his men, urging them to resist the impending shock. He was calm and collected, standing with his face to the foe, his left hand in his bosom. A man sprang from the Rebel ranks, ran up behind him, and with a self- cocking revolver fired six bullets into him. Two soldiers in front of him fired at the same time. One bullet tore open his side, another passed through his skull. Without a murmur, a groan, or a sigh, he fell dead.
But as he fell, Captain Beirel of the California regiment leaped from the ranks and blew out the fellow's brains with his pistol.
There was a fierce and terrible fight. The Californians rushed forward to save the body of their beloved commander. They fell upon the enemy with the fury of madmen. They thought not of life or death. They had no fear. Each man was a host in himself. There was a close hand-to-hand contest, bayonet-thrusts, desperate struggles, trials of strength. Men fell, but rose again, bleeding, yet still fighting, driving home the bayonet, pushing back the foe, clearing a space around the body of the fallen hero, and bearing it from the field.
32 Following the Flag.
While this contest was going on, some one said, " Fall back to the river." Some of the soldiers started upon the run.
" Stand your ground ! " shouted Colonel Dev- ens.
Some who had started for the river came back, but others kept on. The line was broken, and it was too late to recover what had been lost. They all ran to the bank of the river. Some halted on the edge of the bluff and formed in line, to make another stand, but hundreds rushed down the banks to the boats. They pushed off into the stream, but the overloaded flat-boat was whirled under by the swift current, and the soldiers were thrown into the water. Some sank instantly, others came up and clutched at sticks, thrust their arms towards the light, and with a wild, de- spairing cry went down. Some clung to floating planks, and floated far down the river, gaining the shore at Edward's Ferry. A few who could swim reached the island. All the while the Reb- els from the bank poured a murderous fire upon the struggling victims in the water and upon the bank.
Lieutenant Bramhall ran his cannon down the bank into the river, to save them from falling into the hands of the enemy. Some of the offi- cers and soldiers secreted themselves in the bushes till darkness came on, then sprung into the river and swam to the island, and thus escaped, — reaching it naked, chilled, exhausted, to shiver through the long hours of a cold October night. Of the seventeen hundred who crossed the Poto- mac, nearly one half were killed, wounded, or captured by the enemy.
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There was great rejoicing at Leesburg that night. The citizens who had been so frightened in the morning when they heard that the Yan- kees were coming, now illuminated their houses, and spread a feast for the Rebel soldiers. When the Union prisoners arrived in the town, the men and women called them hard names, shouted " Bull Run," " Yankee Invaders," but the men who had fought so bravely under such disadvan- tages were too noble to take any notice of the insults. Indians seldom taunt or insult their captives taken in war. Civilized nations every- where respect those whom the fortunes of war have placed in their hands; but slavery unciv- il izes men. It makes them intolerant, imperious, and brutal, and hence the men and women of the South, who accepted secession, who became traitors to their country, manifested a malignity and fiendishness towards Union prisoners which has no parallel in the history of civilized na- tions.
There was great rejoicing throughout the South. It gave the leaders and fomenters of the rebellion arguments which they used to prove that the Yankees were cowards, and would not fight, and that the North would soon be a con- quered nation.
It was a sad sight at Poolesville. Tidings of the disaster reached the place during the evening. The wounded began to arrive. It was heart- rending to hear their accounts of the scene at the river bank, when the line gave way. Hun- dreds of soldiers came into the lines naked, having thrown away everything to enable them to swim the river. The night set in dark and
34 Following the Flag.
stormy. After swimming the river, they had crowded along the Maryland shore, through briers, thorns, and thistles, stumbling over fallen trees and stones in the darkness, while endeavor- ing to reach their encampments. Many were found in the woods in the morning, having fallen through exhaustion.
Thus by the incompetency of those in command, a terrible disaster was brought about. General McClellan and General Stone were both severely censured by the people for this needless, inexcusa- ble sacrifice. Grave doubts were entertained in regard to the loyalty of General Stone, for he permitted the wives of officers in the Rebel serv- ice to pass into Maryland and return to Virginia, with packages and bundles, whenever they pleased, and he ordered his pickets to heed any signals they might see from the Rebels, and to re- ceive any packages they might send, and forward them to his quarters.*
When these facts became known to the War Department, General Stone was arrested and confined in Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, but he was subsequently released, having no charges preferred against him.
Lieutenant Putnam of the Twentieth Massa- chusetts, who was so young that he was called the " boy soldier," was mortally wounded in the battle, was carried to Poolesville, where he died the next day. He came of noble blood. His father was descended from the ancestor of old General Putnam, who fought the French and In- dians on the shores of Lake Champlain, who did not stop to unyoke his oxen in the field, when he * Testimony before Committee of Congress
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heard of the affair at Lexington, and hastened to meet the enemy.
Rev. James Freeman Clarke, at his funeral said :—
" His mother's family has given to us states men, sages, patriots, poets, scholars, orators, economists, philanthropists, and now gives us* also a hero and a martyr. His great grand- father, Judge Lowell, inserted in the Bill of Rights, prefixed to the Constitution of this State, the clause declaring that ' all men are born free and equal,' for the purpose, as he avowed at the time, of abolishing slavery in Massachusetts, and he was appointed by Washington, federal judge of the district.
" His grandfather was minister of this church, [West Church, Boston,] honored and loved as few men have been, for more than half a century.
" Born in Boston in 1840, he was educated in Europe, where he went when eleven years old, and where in France, Germany, and Italy he showed that he possessed the ancestral faculty of mastering easily all languages, and where he faithfully studied classic and Christian antiquity and art. Under the best and most loving guid- ance, he read with joy the vivid descriptions of Virgil, while looking down from the hill of Po- silippo, on the headland of Misenum, and the ruins of Cumse. He studied with diligence the remains of Etruscan art, of which, perhaps, no American scholar, though he was so young, knew more.
" Thus accomplished, he returned to his native land, but, modest and earnest, he made no dis- play of his acquisitions, and very few knew that
36 Following the Flag.
he had acquired anything. When the war broke out, his conscience and heart urged him to go to the service of his country. His strong sense of duty overcame the reluctance of his parents, and they consented. A presentiment that he should not return alive was very strong in his mind and theirs, but he gave himself cheerfully, and said, in entire strength of his purpose, that ' to die would be easy in such a cause.' In the full conviction of immortality he added, * What is death, mother? it is nothing but a step in our life.'
" His fidelity to every duty gained him the re- spect of his superior officers, and his generous, constant interest in his companions and soldiers brought to him an unexampled affection. He realized fully that this war must enlarge the area of freedom, if it was to attain its true end, — and in one of his last letters he expressed the earnest prayer that it might not cease till it opened the way for universal liberty. These earnest opinions were connected with a feeling of the wrong done to the African race and an interest in its improvement. He took with him to the war as a body servant a colored lad named George Brown, who repaid the kindness of Lieu- tenant Lowell by gratitude and faithful service. George Brown followed his master across the Po- tomac into the battle, nursed him in his tent, and tended his remains back to Boston. Nor let the devoted courage of Lieutenant Henry Sturgis be forgotten, who lifted his wounded friend and com- rade from the ground, and carried him on his back a long distance to the boat, and returned again into the fight.
" Farewell, dear child, brave heart, soul of
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sweetness and fire! We shall see no more that fair, candid brow, with its sunny hair, those sin- cere eyes, that cheek flushed with the commin- gling roses of modesty and courage! Go and join the noble group of devoted souls, our heroes and saints! Go with Ellsworth, protomartyr of this great cause of freedom. Go with Win- throp, poet and soldier, our Korner, with sword and lyre. Go with the chivalric Lyon, bravest of the brave, leader of men. Go with Baker, to whose utterance the united murmurs of Atlantic and Pacific Oceans gave eloquent rhythm, and whose words flowed so early into heroic action. Go with our noble Massachusetts boys, in whose veins runs the best blood of the age ! "
I saw Colonel Baker often as I rode through the army. He had a great love for his soldiers. T had a long talk with him a few days before his death. He felt keenly the humiliations which had come upon the nation at Bull Run, but was con- fident that in the next battle the soldiers would redeem their good name.
Colonel Baker was mourned for by the whole nation. Eloquent eulogies were pronounced upon him in the Senate of the United States. It was on the 11th of December, and President Lincoln was present to do honor to the dead.
Senator McDougall spoke of his noble charac- ter, his great gifts, his love of music and poetry. Many years before they were out together upon the plains of the West riding at night, and Col- onel Baker recited the " Battle of Ivry " as if in anticipation of the hour when he was to stand upon the battle-field : —
38 Following the Flag.
' ' The \L3.g fcas come to marshal us, in all his armor drest ; Ana he has bound a snow-white plume upon his gallant
crt£t. He looked upon his people, and a tear was in his eye ; He looked upon the traitors, and his glance was stern and
high. Right graciously he smiled on us, as ran from wing to wing, Down all our line a deafening shout, ' God save our Lord
the King ! ' And if my staadard-bearer fall, as fall full well he may, For never saw I promise yet of such a blood}r fray. Press where yo see my white plume shines amid the ranks
of war, And be your ori§arnme to-day the helmet of Navarre."
Senator Sumner said of him : —
" He died with his face to the foe ; and he died so instantly that he passed without pain from the service of his country to the service of his God, while with him was more than one gallant youth, the hope of family and friends, sent forth by my own honored Commonwealth. It is sweet and becoming to die for one's country. Such a death, sudden, but not unprepared for, is the crown of the patriot soldier's life."
CHAPTER III.
BATTLE OP DRANESVILLE AND THE WINTER OF 1862.
On the old turnpike which leads from the Chain Bridge above Georgetown to Leesburg there is a hamlet of a half-dozen houses, called Dranesville. The great road to Alexandria joins the turnpike there, also a road which leads to Centreville. Near the junction of the roads, on
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the west side of the turnpike, there is a large brick house, a fine old Virginia mansion, owned by Mr. Thornton, surrounded by old trees. Just beyond Mr. Thornton's, as we go toward Lees- burg, is Mr. Coleman's store, and a small church. Doctor Day's house is opposite the store. There are other small, white-washed houses scattered along the roadside, and years ago, before the Alexandria and Leesburg railroad was built, be- fore Virginia gave up the cultivation of corn and wheat for the raising of negroes for the South, it was a great highway. Stage-coaches filled with passengers rumbled over the road, and long lines of canvas-covered wagons, like a moving caravan.
It is a rich and fertile country. The fields of Loudon are ever verdant; there are no hillsides more sunny or valleys more pleasant. Wheat and corn and cattle are raised in great abun- dance.
On the 20th of December, 1861, General McCall, whose division of Union troops was at Lewinsville, sent General Ord with a brigade and a large number of wagons to Dranesville to gather forage. On the same morning the Rebel General Stuart started from Centreville with a brigade bound on the same errand.
General Ord had the Sixth, Ninth, Tenth, and Twelfth Regiments of Pennsylvania Reserves, with four guns of Easton's battery, and a com- pany of cavalry. One of the regiments wore bucktails in their caps instead of plumes. The soldiers of that regiment were excellent marks- men. They were from the Alleghany Mountains, and often had the valleys and forests and hill- sides rung with the crack of their rifles. They
40 Following the Flag.
had hunted the deer, the squirrels, and part- ridges, and could bring down a squirrel from the tallest tree by their unerring aim.
General Stuart had the First Kentucky, Sixth South Carolina, Tenth Alabama, Eleventh Vir- ginia, with the First South Carolina Battery, commanded by Captain Cutts, also a company of cavalry. The two forces were nearly equal.
General Ord started early in the morning. The ground was frozen, the air was clear, there was a beautiful sunshine, and the men marched cheerily along the road, thinking of the chickens and turkeys which might fall into their hands, and would be very acceptable for Christmas din- ners. They reached Difficult Creek at noon where the troops halted, kindled their fires, cooked their coffee, ate their beef and bread, and then pushed on towards Dranesville.
An officer of the cavalry came back in haste from the advance, and reported having seen a rebel cavalryman.
" Keep a sharp lookout," was the order. The column moved on; but General Ord was prudent and threw out companies of flankers, who threaded their way through the woods, keeping a sharp eye for Rebels, for they had heard that the enemy was near at hand.
On reaching Dranesville, General Ord sent a company down the Centreville road to recon- noitre. It was not long before they reported that the woods were full of Rebels. General Ord formed his men on both sides of the Centreville road. He sent the Ninth and Twelfth west of Mr. Thornton's house, into the woods, posted the Bucktails in front of the house, put three of
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41
Easton's guns into position on a hill east of it, put the Tenth Regiment and the cavalry in rear of the battery on the Chain Bridge road, sent one cannon down the Chain Bridge road a short distance to open a flank fire, and directed the Sixth Regiment to take position west of the Cen- treville road, to support the Bucktails, and de- tached one company of the Tenth to move down the Alexandria road to cover the flanking cannon.
Battle op Dranesville.
1 General Ord's line. •Z General Stuart's line. 3 Road to Georgetown.
4 Road to Alexandria.
5 Road to Centreville.
Standing by Thornton's house, and looking south, we see the Rebels on a hill, about half a mile distant. General Stuart plants his six guns on both sides of the road, to fire toward the Bucktails. The Eleventh Virginia and Tenth Alabama are deployed on the right of the road, and the Sixth South Carolina and the First Ken- tucky are sent to the left. The cavalry is drawn up behind the battery.
42 Following the Flag.
Having defeated the Yankees at Manassas and Ball's Bluff, the rebel soldiers were confident that they would win an easy victory. As soon as Gen- eral Stuart formed his line, Cutt's Battery opened fire, sending shells down the road towards the Bucktails. The guns were not well aimed and did no damage. Easton's battery was hur- ried up from the turnpike. So eager were the artillerymen to get into position, that one gun was upset, and the men were obliged to lift it from the ground. But General Ord told the men where to place the guns. He jumped from his horse and sighted them so accurately, that they threw their shells with great precision into the Rebel ranks. The cannonade went on for a half- hour, Easton's shells tearing the Rebel ranks, while those fired by the Rebels did no damage whatever. One of Easton's shells went through a Rebel caisson, which exploded and killed sev- eral men and horses. So severe was his fire, that, although the Rebels had two more guns than he, they were obliged to retreat.
Meanwhile General Ord's infantry advanced. The Ninth came upon the First Kentucky in the woods. The pines were very dense, shutting out completely the rays of the winter sun, then low down in the western horizon. At the same time the Bucktails were advancing directly south. The men of the Ninth, when they dis- covered the Rebels, thought they were the Buck- tails.
" Don't fire on us, — we are your friends ! " shouted a Rebel.
"Are you the Bucktails?" asked one of the Ninth.
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" Yes ! " was the reply, followed by a terrific volley from the Rebel line.
The Ninth, though deceived, were not thrown into confusion. They gave an answering volley. The Bucktails hearing the firing advanced, while the Twelfth followed, the Ninth supporting them.
Upon the other side of the road a body of Rebels had taken shelter in a house. " Let them i fellows have some shells," was the order to the gunners.
Crash ! crash ! went the shells into and through the house, smashing in the sides, knocking two rooms into one, strewing the floor with laths and plaster, and making the house smoke with dust. The Rebels came out in a hurry, and took shelter behind the fences, trees, and outbuildings.
" Colonel, I wish you to advance and drive back those fellows," said General Ord to the commander of the Sixth Regiment.
Captain Easton ordered his gunners to cease firing, for fear of injuring the advancing troops. The Sixth moved rapidly across the field, firing as they advanced. The Rebels behind the fences fired a volley, but so wild was their aim that nearly all the bullets passed over the heads of the Sixth. In the field and in the woods there was a constant rattle of musketry. The men on both sides sheltered themselves behind trees and fences, or crept like Indians through the almost impenetrable thickets.
The Bucktails were accustomed to creeping through the forests, and taking partridges and pigeons on the wing. Their fire was very de- structive to the enemy. Stuart's lines began to waver before them. The South Carolinians fell
44 Following the Flag.
back a little, and then a little more, as the Buck- tails kept edging on. The fire of the skilled mountaineers was constant and steady. It was too severe for the Rebels to withstand. They gave way suddenly on all sides, and fled in wild confusion down the Centreville road, throwing away their guns, clothing, knapsacks, and c. . tridge-boxes, leaving one caisson and limber of their artillery behind in their haste to get away. Nearly all of their severely wounded were left on the field. The Union loss was seven killed and sixty-one wounded, while so destructive was the fire of the Pennsylvanians that the Rebel loss was two hundred and thirty.*
The affair, though short, was decisive. The effect was thrilling throughout the army. The Union troops, — held in contempt by the Rebels, — defeated at Manassas, Ball's Bluff, and at Bethel, by superior forces, had met an equal number of the enemy, and in a fair fight had won a signal victory. It was a proud day to the brave men who had thus shown their ability to conquer a foe equal in numbers. They returned from Dranesville in high spirits, and were re- ceived with cheers, long and loud, by their com- rades, who had heard the distant firing, and who had been informed of their victory.
Christmas came. The men were in winter quarters, and merry times they had, — dinners of roast turkey, plum-pudding and mince-pies, sent by their friends at home. After dinner they had games, sports, and dances, chasing a greased pig, climbing a greasy pole, running in a meal- bag, playing ball, pitching quoits, playing leap-
* Norfolk Day-Book.
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frog, singing and dancing, around the camp-fires through the long Christmas evening.
The winter passed away without any event to break the monotony of camp-life.
Officers and soldiers alike became disaffected at the long delay of General McClellan. The President and the people also were dissatisfied. President Lincoln, being commander-in-chief, selected the 22d of February, the birthday of Washington, on which all the armies of the Union were to make an advance upon the enemy ; but it was midwinter, the roads were deep with mud, and the order was withdrawn. General Grant all the while was winning victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, and General Sherman and the navy had taken Port Royal, while the great Army of the Potomac, on which the country had lavished its means, and granted all that its commander asked for, was doing nothing.
The President, in March, issued an order to General McClellan to complete the organization of the army into corps, with such promptness and despatch as not to. delay the commencement of the operations which he had already directed to be undertaken by the Army of the Potomac. General McClellan complied with the order.
The First Corps was composed of Franklin's, McCall's, and King's Divisions, and was com- manded by Major-General McDowell.
The Second Corps was composed of Richard- son's, Blenker's, and Sedgwick's Divisions, and was commanded by Major-General Sumner.
The Third Corps was commanded by Major- General Heintzelman, and was composed of Fitz-
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John Porter's, Hooker's, and Hamilton's Divi- sions.
The Fourth Corps was commanded by Major- General Keyes, and was composed of Couch's, Smith's, and Casey's Divisions.
The Fifth Corps was composed of Shields's and Williams's Divisions, and was commanded by Major-General Banks.
It was a long, dull winter to the soldiers. They waited impatiently for action. Camp-life was not all song-singing and dancing. There were days and weeks of stormy weather, when there could be no drills. The mud was deep, and the soldiers had little to do but doze by the camp- fires through the long winter days and nights. Thousands who had led correct lives at home fell into habits of dissipation and vice. Their wives and children haunted their dreams at night. A sorrow settled upon them, — a longing for home, which became a disease, and sent thousands to the hospital, and finally to the grave. The army early in the winter began to suffer for want of something to do.
Some of the colonels and chaplains saw that it was of the utmost importance that something should be done to take up the minds of the men and turn their thoughts from the scenes of home. Lyceums, debating-societies, schools, in which Latin, German, arithmetic, reading, and writing were taught, were established. The chaplains, — those who were true, earnest men, established Sunday schools, and organized churches, and held prayer-meetings. God blessed their efforts, and hundreds of soldiers became sincere Chris- tians, attesting their faith in Jesus Christ as
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the Saviour of men by living correct lives and breaking off their evil habits. Under the influ- ence of the religious teachings there was a great reform in the army. The men became sober. They no longer gambled away their money. They became quiet and orderly, obeyed the commands of their officers in doing unpleasant duties with alacrity. Some who had been drunkards for years signed the temperance pledge. They be- came cheerful. They took new views of their duties and obligations to their country and their God, and looked through the gloom and darkness to the better life beyond the grave. Several of the chaplains organized churches. One noble chaplain says of the church in his regiment : —
" I received into its communion one hundred and seventy members, about sixty of whom for the first time confessed Christ. At the com- mencement of the services I baptized six young soldiers. They kneeled before me, and I con- secrated them to God for life and for death, — the majority of them baptized, as it proved, for death. I then read the form of covenant, the system of faith, to which all gave their assent. I then read the names of those who wished to enter this fold in the Wilderness; those who had made a profession of religion at home, and came to us as members of Christian churches, and those who now came as disciples of the Redeemer.
" Then followed the communion service. This was one of the most affecting and impressive seasons of my life. The powers of the world to come rested on all minds. The shadow of the great events so soon to follow was creeping over us, giving earnestness and impressive solemnity
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to all hearts. It was a day never to be forgotten as a commencement of a new era in the life of many. It was a scene on which angels might look down with unmingled pleasure, for here the weary found rest, the burdened the peace of forgiveness, the broken in heart, beauty for ashes.
Our position increased in a high degree the interest of the occasion. We were far from our churches and homes. Yet we found here the sacred emblems of our religion, and looking into the future, which we knew was full of danger, sickness, and death to many, we have girded our- selves for the conflict. It much resembled the solemn communion of Christians in the time of persecution. Our friends who were present from a distance, of whom there were several, rejoiced greatly that there was such a scene in the army. General Jameson was deeply moved and after- wards said it was the most solemn and interest- ing scene of his life.
" Again, on Sabbath, March 9th, the religious interest continuing, we held another communion. At this time twenty-eight were received into the church. Seven young men were baptized. The interest was greater than at the former commun- ion, and it gives me the greatest satisfaction to know that this season, which gave to many the highest enjoyment ever known on earth, when the cup of thanksgiving was mingled with tears of gratitude, prepared for the sacrifice that was to follow. Many who were there never again par- took of the wine of promise until they drank it new in the kingdom of God, and sat down at the marriage supper of the Lamb." *
* Peninsular Campaign. Rev. Dr. Marks.
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CHAPTER IV.
THE SIEGE OP YORKTOWN.
The Rebel army suddenly evacuated Centre- ville, Manassas, and the line of the Potomac, carrying off everything of value. The Army of the Potomac moved on the 9th of March to Manas- sas, beheld the deserted encampments, returned to Alexandria, and sailed for Fortress Monroe. General McClellan decided to advance upon Richmond by the Peninsula, between the York and James Rivers. General McDowell, with Mc- Call's and King's divisions, was stationed at Fredericksburg, to cover Washington. Blenker's division was detached from Sumner's Corps, and sent to the Shenandoah Valley. All the other divisions sailed down the Chesapeake. The troops landed at Newport News and went into camp.
The Rebel General Magruder occupied York- town. He was fortifying it and the Peninsula, erecting batteries to command York River, and to cover the approaches by land. The iron-clad Merrimack, with the Teazer and Jamestown gun- boats, were in the James River. Admiral Golds- borough, with the Monitor, the Minnesota, and several gunboats, was watching them, and guard- ing the shipping at Fortress Monroe.
General McClellan submitted his plans to the President. He had two methods of operation in view; — one, to attack Magruder's works, between the York and the James, which might require
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siege operations, and a delay of many weeks; the other, to obtain aid from the navy, attack the water-batteries at Yorktown, silence them, and then go up the York River with his army, sailing to West Point, within twenty-five miles of Rich- mond. Admiral Goldsborough could not spare gunboats enough to attack the batteries, and therefore General McClellan adopted the other plan.*
On the evening of April 3d the army received orders to march the next morning.
It was a beautiful night. The sky was cloud- less. A new moon shed its silver light upon the vast encampment. The soldiers had been waiting two weeks. They were one hundred thousand strong, while the Rebel force did not number more than ten or twelve thousand.!
They expected to move to victory. They sang songs, wrote letters to their friends, burnished their guns, heaped the fires with fresh fuel, and rejoiced that after so many months of waiting they were to be active.
There were some who had a true appreciation of the work before them, and realized that they might fall in the hour of battle.
One who had fought at Bull Run, whose heart was in the great cause, prepared his last will and testament. At the close of it he wrote : —
" And now, having arranged for the disposi- tion of my worldly estate, I will say that, possess- ing a full confidence in the Christian religion, and believing in the righteousness of the cause in which I am engaged, I am ready to offer my
* General McClellan's Report, p. 66. f General Heiutzelman's testimony.
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poor life in vindication of that cause, and in sus- taining a government the mildest and most benefi- cent the world has ever known." *
At three o'clock in the morning the soldiers were astir, roused by the drum-beat and the bugle. The fading fires were rekindled. Their coffee was soon bubbling on the coals. Before daylight they had their knapsacks packed, their tents taken down, and all things ready for the march. By sunrise they were on the road, Gen- eral Heintzelman's corps leading the column. The roads were deep with mud, and the march- ing was heavy, but so enthusiastic were the sol- diers that by ten o'clock the head of the column encountered the enemy's pickets in front of York- town.
Both armies were upon historic ground. It was at Yorktown that the British army under Lord Cornwallis laid down its arms in 1781. It was a flourishing village then. There were fine mansions, surrounded with shrubbery, shaded by old oaks and lindens. Virginia in those days had many wealthy families. The Peninsula was the first settled territory in America, and many of the planters had immense estates. One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence re- sided at Yorktown, — Governor Nelson. His house is yet standing, — a large two-story brick build- ing, which General Magruder occupied for his head-quarters. It bears the marks of shot which were fired by the Americans during the siege in 1781. Governor Nelson commanded the Virginia militia then. He was a noble patriot, and aimed
* Maine Adjutant-General's Report, 1862, p. 142. Captain B. M. Smith.
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the cannon himself at his own house to drive out the British who had possession of it.
Cornwallis had a line of earthworks around Yorktown, and those which Magruder erected were on pretty much the same line, only Magru- der's, besides encircling the town, also reached across the Peninsula. The English general had between seven and eight thousand men. General Washington and Count Rochambeau had about fifteen thousand. They were large armies for those days, but very small when compared with that commanded by General McClellan.
It was a long march which the French and American troops made to reach Yorktown. They marched from New York, in July, through Phila- delphia, Baltimore, Annapolis, Mount Vernon, and Williamsburg. They had no transports to take them down the Chesapeake, besides, there was an English fleet in the bay which might have captured the entire army had it moved by water.
In the American army were officers whose names are inseparably connected with the history of our country, — General Knox, Baron Steuben, Lafayette, General Clinton, General Lincoln, Colonel Scamniell, the brave New Hampshire officer who was shot by a Hessian soldier. In the French army were Count Rochambeau, Marquis St. Simon, and Baron Viomeil. In the bay floated the English ships of war, and outside, near Cape Henry, was the Count de Grasse, with his for- midable fleet.
On Sunday morning, the 13th of October, the place was completely invested. The Americans of the allied army moved down the road leading to Hampton, and swung round by Wormley Creek.
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General Lincoln commanded the right wing, and had his head-quarters near the creek. Lafayette, with his light infantry, and Governor Nelson, with the Virginia militia, were on the north side of the Hampton road, while south of it were the New England and New Jersey and New York troops, under General Clinton. They held the center of the American line. The left wing of the Americans, on Warwick River, was composed of Maryland and Pennsylvania troops, under Baron Steuben. On the west side of the Warwick were Washington's and Rochambeau's head-quarters, on the south side of the road. The French troops held the ground from this point to York River west of the town.
Lord Cornwallis capitulated on the 16th of October. On the 17th his fine army marched out from the town along the Hampton road about a mile to a field, where the soldiers laid down their arms. The American army was drawn up on the north side of the road and the French on the south side, — two long lines of troops. The British army marched between them, the drums beating a slow march, and the colors which had waved proudly on so many battle-fields closely encased. It was a sorrowful march to the British soldiers. Some of them cried with vexation, and drew their caps over their faces to hide their tears. Lord Cornwallis felt the humiliation so deeply that he delegated General O'Hara to sur- render up his sword.
It was an imposing scene. Washington and all the generals of the army, with their suits, in rich uniforms and on fine horses, the long lines of soldiers, the colors waving in the breeze, the
54 Following the Flag.
British army in its scarlet uniforms, the crowd of spectators from the country who had heard of the news, and had hastened to see the surrender, made it one of the grandest sights ever seen in America.
On such ground, hallowed by noble deeds, the troops of the Union, as their fathers had done before them, were to carry on the siege of York- town.
The Rebels also undoubtedly felt the influence of those stirring times of the Revolution. They believed that they were fighting for their liberty, and were engaged in a just war. But sincerity is not certain proof of the righteousness of a cause. Chaplain Davis, of the Fourth Texas regi- ment, has this vindication of the rebellion, writ- ten by the camp-fires at Yorktown : —
" How many pleasing recollections crowd upon the mind of each soldier as he walks over these grounds, or sitting thoughtfully by his fagots, recalls the history of the past, and compares it with the scenes of the present. The patriots of the Revolution were struggling for liberty, and so are we. They had been oppressed with bur- densome taxation, — so were we. They remon- strated,— so did we. They submitted till submis- sion ceased to be a virtue, — and so have we. They appealed to Parliament, but were unheard. Our Representatives in Congress pointed to the mael- strom to which they were driving the ship, but they refused to see it. Our fathers asked for equalities of rights and privileges, but it was refused. The South asked that their claim to territory won by the common blood and treasure of the country be recognized, and that our domes-
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tic institutions, as guaranteed by the Constitu- tion, be respected. These petitions were an- swered by professed ministers of the Church of Jesus Christ in raising contributions from the sacred pulpit on the holy Sabbath of Sharpe's Rifles, to shed Southern blood on common terri- tory. Their Representatives declared, upon the floors of Congress, that they were in favor of ' An Antislavery Constitution, an Antislavery Bible, and an Antislavery God! ' What is now left us? Naught but the refuge our fathers had, — the God of Justice and the God of Battles. To him have we appealed, and by his aid and our good right arms we will pass through the ordeal of blood and come out conquerors in the end.'-' *
Many thousands of the Union soldiers were thinking, reflecting men. There were ministers, professors in colleges, school-teachers, and learned and scientific men. Few there were who could not read and write. Thousands of them had been teachers and scholars in the Sunday schools. They had thought the war all over, and discussed the causes which led to it. They were familiar with the history of events, — of the struggle be- tween Slavery and Freedom; for the possession of Kansas, where men and women were driven out, their buildings burned, or themselves thrown into rivers, or deliberately murdered, for pre- ferring freedom to slavery. They recalled the attempt to compel the people of the North to re- turn the slaves who were escaping to Canada, — also the kidnapping of free citizens of the North ; the imprisonment of men and women for teach-
* Campaign from Texas to Maryland, by Rev. Nicholas A. Davis, Chaplain Fourth Texas. Richmond, 1863.
56 Following the Flag.
ing a slave to read the Bible. They remembered that a Northern man could not travel with safety in the South before the war, that Slavery was opposed always to Freedom, that the system crushed the poor laboring men without distinc- tion of color, race, or clime or country; that it was overbearing, imperious, aristocratic, arro- gant, and cruel; that it kept the people from obtaining knowledge; that it was the foe of in- dustry, the enemy of science, art, and religion.
They remembered the words of Mr. Stephens, of Georgia, the Vice-President of the Confederacy, who in the beginning opposed secession ; who said to his associates in the convention which carried his State out of the Union : —
" It is the best and freest government, the most equal in its rights, the most just in its decisions, the most lenient in its measures, and the most inspiring in its principles to elevate the race of man that the sun of heaven ever shone upon. Now for you to attempt to overthrow such a government as this, unassailed, is the height of madness, folly, and wickedness." *
They remembered that Mr. Stephens asked those who were plotting treason these questions : " What reasons can you give to the nations of the earth to justify it? They will be calm and de- liberate judges in the case; and to what law, to what one overt act, can you point on which to rest the plea of justification? What right has the North assailed? What interest of the South has been invaded? WThat justice has been denied, or what claim founded in justice and right has
* Stephens's speech.
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been withheld? Can any of you name one gov- ernmental act of wrong deliberately and pur- posely done by the government at Washington of which the South had a right to complain? I challenge the answer."
They remembered that the Secretary of War under President Buchanan, Mr. Floyd of Vir- ginia, had removed all the arms from the North- ern arsenals to the South, that the slaveholders might be well prepared for war, and ready to seize the city of Washington.
They remembered that Mr. Toucey of Connect- icut, who was President Buchanan's Secretary of the Navy, had sent nearly all the ships of war into foreign seas, that they might not be at hand in the hour of rebellion, when the govern- ment should pass into new hands, and that the Secretary of the Treasury stole millions of dol- lars of public funds intrusted to his care. They reflected that all of these men had forsworn themselves, that they were traitors and robbers, that they had deliberately, through years of power, planned to rebel, to destroy the govern- ment, and bring ruin upon the people if they could not have their way. They believed that without cause the Rebels had fired upon the flag, and inaugurated the war, and that to defend the flag and restore the Union, by crushing out the rebellion, was a duty they owed to their country and to God. They recalled the words of Thomas Jefferson, uttered long ago, in his notes on Vir- ginia, who said, in view of the complicity of the South with slavery : —
" I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that his justice cannot sleep
58 Following the Flag.
forever. The Almighty has no attribute that can take side with us in such a contest." *
Those thinking men remembered the words of the great man who wrote the Declaration of In- dependence, and they also remembered that the oppressed and down-trodden of all lands were looking to America,— to the principles of the government of the United States, — as their hope for the future. They did not forget their homes on the breezy hills of the North and in the sunny valleys, nor the church-bell, nor the school- house, and other things dearer to them than life. They must fight to maintain them. Their liber- ties were assailed. They could not falter in such a contest.
So they reflected as they sat by their camp- fires in the starry night, or lay upon the ground where their fathers achieved the last great victory which secured their independence.
The corps commanded by General Heintzelman, when it came into position before Yorktown, stood upon the ground which General Lincoln had occupied in the siege of 1781. General Sum- ner's corps had the center, and occupied the ground which Baron Steuben and General Clin- ton held in that siege. General Keyes's corps came to the Warwick River, at Lee's Mills, almost opposite the spot where General Washington had his head-quarters, while General Franklin was held in reserve to move up York River on trans- ports when the enemy was driven from York- town.
General Heintzelman arrived in front of the works, and was greeted with shells from Magru- * Notes on Virginia.
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der's batteries. While the cannon were boom- ing on that afternoon of the 4th, the following brief telegram was sent over the wires from Wash- ington to Fortress Monroe: —
" By direction of the President, General Mc- Dowell's army corps has been detached from the force under your immediate command, and the General is ordered to report to the Secretary of War."
General McClellan received it on the 5th. He remarks : —
" To me the blow was most discouraging. It frustrated all my plans for impending operations. It fell when I was too deeply committed to with- draw. It left me incapable of continuing opera- tions which had been begun. It compelled the adoption of another, a different, and a less effect- ive plan of campaign. It made rapid and bril- liant operations impossible. It was a fatal error. It was now of course out of my power to turn Yorktown by West Point. I had therefore no choice left but to attack it directly in front as I best could with the force at my command." *
This brief despatch will demand the patient consideration of historians in the future, who, when the passions and prejudices of men have passed away, calmly and dispassionately review the causes of the failure of the Peninsular cam- paign. On one hand, it is alleged to have been the fatal error ; that it was an unwarrantable in- terference, which made it impossible for General McClellan to conduct the campaign to a success- ful issue.
On the other hand, it is asked how the presence * McClellan's Report, p. 79.
60 Following the Flag.
of McDowell would have enabled him to go to West Point without the aid of the navy, which he could not have.*
How did it compel the adoption of another plan, inasmuch as the order for the troops to advance and attack the works at Yorktown was issued on the 3d, and they marched on the 4th, and were engaged with the enemy before General McClellan received the orders? It is claimed, therefore, that the issuing of the order was not a fatal error; that it did not compel the adoption of another plan ; that no other plan was adopted ; that it did not leave General McClellan incapable of continuing operations already begun ; that it did not deprive him of the power of taking West Point, inasmuch as he never had had the power; neither did it compel an attack directly in front, for that had already begun ; and that the Presi- dent in making the change was only enforcing the conditions on which he accepted the plan of a movement to the Peninsula, — the retention of a force sufficient to cover Washington, — which Gen- eral McClellan had not complied with.
In the correspondence which passed between the President and General McClellan, the Presi- dent has this explanation and vindication of his course : —
" My explicit directions that Washington should, by the judgment of all commanders of corps, be left entirely secure, had been entirely neglected. It was precisely this that drove me to detain McDowell. I do not forget that I was satisfied with your arrangement to leave Banks at Manassas Junction, but when that arrange-
* See page 50.
Following the Flag. 61
ment was broken up, and nothing was substi- tuted for it, of course I was not satisfied. I was constrained to substitute something for it.
" And now allow me to ask you : Do you really think I should permit the line from Richmond via Manassas Junction to this city to be entirely open, except what resistance could be presented by less than twenty thousand unorganized troops ? This is a question which the country will not allow me to evade." *
It will be interesting to see how the situation was viewed by the commanders of the two armies on the Peninsula. General McClellan's troops in front of the enemy, present and fit for duty, numbered one hundred thousand strong.f He asked for reinforcements. He wrote thus to the Secretary of War : —
" It seems clear that I shall have the whole force of the enemy on my hands, probably not less than one hundred thousand men, and prob- ably more. In consequence of the loss of Blen- ker's division and the First Corps (McDowell's), my force is possibly less than that of the enemy, while they have the advantage of position." %
" I was compelled," says General Magruder, " to place in Gloucester Point, Yorktown, and Mulberry Island, fixed garrisons, amounting to six thousand men, my whole force being eleven thousand ; so that it will be seen that the balance of the line, embracing a length of thirteen miles, was defended by about five thousand men. On the 5th of April the enemy's columns appeared
* President Lincoln's letter, — Testimony, p. 321. f Adjutant-General's Report, — Testimony, p, 315. i McClellan's Report, p. 79.
62 Following the Flag.
along the whole front of my line. I have no accurate data upon which to base an exact state- ment of his force; but, from various sources of information, I was satisfied that I had before me the enemy's Army of the Potomac, with the ex- ception of the two corps cVarmee of Banks and McDowell, forming an aggregate number cer- tainly of not less than one hundred thousand, since ascertained to have been one hundred and twenty thousand Thus with five thou- sand men, exclusive of the garrisons, we stopped and held in check over one hundred thousand of the enemy. Every preparation was made in anticipation of another attack. The men slept in the trenches and under arms, but to my utter surprise he permitted day after day to elapse without an assault." *
Siege operations commenced, — spades, picks, and shovels were given to the troops, and they began to throw up the breastworks. It was a slow, tedious, laborious undertaking. The mud was very deep, the ground soft, and it rained nearly every day. The woods were very dense. There were new roads made. The brooks were bridged. Some of the soldiers made gabions, or baskets of wicker-work, for the batteries. The teams floundered through the mud axle-deep. Thousands of horses gave out from sheer exhaust- ion. When the breastworks were ready, the heavy guns, their carriages, and the ammunition had to be hauled.
It was almost impossible to accomplish the work. The horses could not do it, and regiments
* Confederate Reports, Official, p. 516.
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0>i men were detailed to drag the cannon through the mud.
The soldiers worked faithfully and enthusias- tically day and night, through drenching rains, lying down to sleep in their wet garments, upon the water-soaked ground. Fever made its ap- pearance, and thousands were sent to the hos- pitals, worn down by their hard labor and ex- posure. The bullets of the enemy killed very few of those noble men, but thousands sickened and died.
While the batteries were getting ready, there was a spirited affair at Lee's Mills on the 16th of April. General McClellan decided to make a reconnaissance at that point, and, if everything was favorable, to throw a portion of his force across the Warwick River, and gain a foothold upon the western shore. There was an old field on the east side of the stream, which was over- grown with young pines and oaks. A line of skirmishers, under cover of a heavy artillery fire, crept down through the pines to the edge of the stream. The Rebel battery upon the other side answered the Union artillery with solid shot and shells.
Colonel Hyde of the Third Vermont was or- dered to cover the stream with two companies. The crossing was just below the dam, over which the water poured in a silver sheet. The creek was swollen with rains, but the sons of Vermont were not the men to falter. They plunged in up to their necks. Their ammunition was soaked, but they pushed on up the other bank, with a cheer. They were met by the Fifteenth North Carolina. They did not stop an instant, but
64 Following the Flag.
rushed upon the Carolinians, who fled to the rear in great confusion, and the Vermonters took possession of their rifle-pits. The commander of the Carolinians, Colonel McVining, fell mortally wounded, also many of his men, before the im- petuous charge of the Green Mountaineers. But Rebel reinforcements were at hand. Anderson's brigade advanced, and the handful of men was obliged to recross the stream. The golden mo- ment for throwing a division across and breaking the enemy's line was lost. Later in the day a second attempt was made by the Fourth and Fifth Vermont regiments to cross upon the dam, but the Rebel batteries swept it, and the attempt was not successful. The losses during the day were about one hundred on each side.
The month of April passed before the first siege guns were ready to open fire. Meanwhile Magruder was reinforced. On the first day of May a heavy battery near York River began to throw shells and solid shot into Yorktown. That night negroes came into General McClellan's lines and reported that the Rebels were leaving York- town, but their story was not believed by the General. Preparations were made to open a fire from all the guns and mortars on the 4th of May.
General Magruder kept close watch of the oper- ations, and when General McClellan was ready, quietly retreated towards Williamsburg. He or- dered his artillerymen to keep up a heavy fire through the night, to spike the guns just before daybreak, and leave the place. So through the night there was a grand uproar of artillery along the Rebel lines. The gunners seemed to vie with each other to see which could fire most rapidly
Following the Flag. 65
and throw away the most shot and shells. They took no aim, but fired at random towards the Union lines.
At daybreak it was discovered that there was no sign of life or motion in the Rebel camp. The guns still looked frowningly from the fortifi- cations, tents were standing; but the troops were all gone, and Yorktown was deserted.
They carried off all their light artillery, nearly all their provisions and supplies, but left fifty-two heavy guns in the intrenchments. They planted torpedoes, and connected them with wires and cords. A Union soldier hit his foot against a wire and an explosion followed, which blew off his legs.
General Magruder, by showing a bold front, with eleven thousand men at first, had held an army of a hundred thousand in check, and gained a month of valuable time for preparations for the defense of Richmond.
CHAPTER V.
BATTLE OP WILLIAMSBURG.
The first battle in the Peninsular campaign of the Army of the Potomac was fought at Williams- burg, one of the oldest towns in Virginia. It was settled in 1632, and was capital of the Colony for many years before the Revolution. William and Mary's College is there, which was endowed by the king and queen of England with twenty thou- sand acres of land, and a penny on every pound of tobacco sent out of the Colony, and duties on
66 Following the Flag.
all the furs and skins. The college buildings were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, archi- tect of St. Paul's in London.
The colonial governors resided at Williams- burg. The courts were held there. The govern- ment buildings were the noblest in America. The Governor's residence was a magnificient edifice, with a great estate of three hundred acres at- tached, laid out in lawns, parks, groves, flower- gardens, and peach-orchards. It was intersected by a brook. There were winding graveled walks, shaded by oaks and lindens.
On public occasions, and on birth-nights, there were grand receptions at the palace, as it was called, where all the public officers and gentlemen assembled to pay their respects to the governor. The judges and counselors, in flowing robes and powdered wigs, the gentlemen of the Colony in broidered waistcoats, ruffled shirts, buff breeches, black stockings, and red, yellow, green, blue, or purple coats, with gold and silver shoe-buckles, and ladies in silks and satins, rode up in their carriages, driven by coachmen, and attended by footmen in livery.
During the sessions of the House of Burgesses there were gay times. The town was filled with visitors. The wealth, fashion, and refinement of the Colony gathered there. It was there in the House of Burgesses that Patrick Henry uttered the patriotic sentiment, — " Give me liberty, or give me death." It was from Williamsburg that Sir William Berkeley wrote to the King's commis- sioners, thanking God that there were no common schools or printing-presses in Virginia. Wash- ington, when but twenty-one years of age,
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mounted his horse at the palace-gate, for his long journey to the head-waters of the Ohio, chosen by Governor Dinwiddie, out of all the aristocratic families of the Colony, to bear a message to the French commander in that far-off region; and there, at the same gate, he dismounted from his horse on th? 22d of January, 1754, having faith- fully accomplished what he had undertaken.
East of this old town, a small stream, which rises in the center of the Peninsula, runs south- east and empties into College Creek. Very near the head-waters of this stream another has its rise, which runs north to the York River, and is called Queen's Creek. On both streams there are mills. The main road from Yorktown to Wil- liamsburg runs on the high land between the head-waters of the creeks. About a mile east of the town the road forks. General Magruder had thrown up a strong fortification at that point, which contained thirteen guns, and was called Fort Magruder. There were ten other earth- works which effectually commanded the roads, the ravines, and all the approaches from the east.
In pursuing Magruder, General Stoneman, with the cavalry and Gibson's battery, went up the Yorktown road, and came out of the dense forest in front of Fort Magruder. The guns opened fire, throwing shells, which killed and wounded several of the cavalrymen. Gibson brought his battery into position and replied. The Sixth United States Cavalry moved on to- wards the fort, but were met by infantry and cav- alry, and were compelled to fall back with the loss of thirty men. Gibson was obliged to move his guns, for the batteries in the fort had the
68 Following the Flag.
range of his position. The mud was deep, and one of the guns sunk to the axle. The horses tugged and pulled, but they also sunk. Other horses were added, but the ground was marshy, and gun and horses went still deeper.
The Rebel gunners saw the confusion, and threw their shells upon the spot. Some burst harmlessly in the air, some fell into the mud, others tore up the ground and covered the artil- lerymen and teamsters with earth, others burst among the horses and men. The Rebel infantry came down upon the run, and Captain Gibson was obliged to leave.
The night came on dark and dismal. The rain fell in torrents. The troops who had been march- ing all day were drenched. The roads were nar- row and muddy. There was a want of arrange- ment in the order of marching, and the divisions became confused. Wagons broke down, artillery sunk in the mire; but the troops were eager to get at the enemy, who had eluded their com- mander, first at Manassas, and now at Yorktown. They marched, some of them, till midnight, and then, without kindling a fire, lay down drenched, upon the dead forest leaves, having had no dinner, and without a supper. The rain-drops dripped from the trees through the night, but the sol- diers were in line at daybreak, ready to move again in pursuit of the enemy.
General Hooker being in advance upon the Lee's Mills road, came upon the enemy's pickets posted along a deep ravine above the mill-pond, on the stream which empties into College Creek.
General Smith's division, when the army ad- vanced from Yorktown, was on the Lee's Mills
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69
road, but it moved towards the north and came in front of the enemy on the Yorktown road.
General Hooker's skirmishers, as soon as they saw the enemy, dashed on and drove them across
Battle of Williamsburg.
1 Hooker.
2 Hancock.
3 Sumner.
4 Longstreet.
5 Hill.
6 Fort Magruder.
7 Williamsburg.
the ravine, and approached within musket-shot of the fort. The artillery in the fort opened with a rapid fire of shells, but the skirmishers con- cealed themselves in the underbrush, and gave so
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deadly a fire that they silenced the guns. No gunner could show his head without getting a ball through it.
General Hooker formed his division in line of battle. His first brigade was commanded by General Sickles, and was composed of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Excelsior regi- ments from New York. His second brigade, Gen- eral Grover's, was composed of the First and Eleventh Massachusetts, Second New Hampshire, and Twenty -sixth Pennsylvania. The third bri- gade was composed of the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth New Jersey regiments, and was com- manded by Colonel Starr, — in all, about eight thousand men.
The First Massachusetts had the left of the line, then the Second New Hampshire, Eleventh Massachusetts, with the Twenty -sixth Pennsyl- vania on the right. The other brigades did not arrive till nearly noon. They formed on the left of Grover's brigade, towards the mill-pond.
The Rebel force in position behind the forts is supposed to have been about thirty thousand, commanded by General Longstreet. A Rebel officer states that it numbered not over twenty- five thousand.*
During the forenoon but a small force con- fronted General Grover's brigade, but in the afternoon dark columns appeared south of the fort, and, advancing down the ravines, crossed the stream above the mill-pond.
They attacked General Hooker's left wing in
* Battle-Fields of the South, by an English Officer in the Confederate Army. London.
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great force. The skirmishers were driven in. BranihalPs battery came into position as the enemy advanced. " Shell with short fuses I " shouted the captain to his gunners.
The shells exploded in, around, and above the advancing columns, which still kept coming on. The musketry began, — quick and sharp volleys; yet the lines came on, across the open space, through the woods.
" Canister and spherical case ! " was the order to the gunners. The cannon spouted a deadly fire, filling the air with terrible hail. The Rebel lines were checked. Foiled in the attack upon the center, they advanced once more upon the left flank, and the contest went on with increasing fury, like the rising of a winter tempest.
Grover and Sickles held their ground tena- ciously, but were forced back inch by inch and step by step.
The contest was in the edge of the forest, over fallen trees, where men fell headlong in their endeavors to take new positions. The rain was falling, the ground was miry. The men were worn and weary; but they fought on, minding not hunger or thirst or exhaustion, calling for ammunition. Their cartridge-boxes were empty, but they would not turn their backs upon the enemy, or desert their comrades whose cartridges still held out.
From noon till four o'clock General Hooker fought unaided. He sent to Sumner for rein- forcements, but Sumner felt that he could not spare any men from his front. He sent officers to bring up the brigades in the rear.
General McClellan was at Yorktown, and did
72 Following the Flag.
not know there was a battle going on till late in the day.
The Rebels saw that Hooker received no rein- forcements, and pressed him heavily. His troops supporting some of the batteries gave way. The Rebels came on in a desperate charge, shot the horses, and five cannon fell into their hands.
" Reinforcements ! I want reinforcements ! " was Hooker's cry. The impetuous Kearney, whose division was the last to leave Yorktown, had heard the roar of battle, and rode ahead of his troops. He was an old soldier, had stormed the heights of Chapultepec, and was with Louis Napoleon in the great battle of Solferino. He started back to hasten forward his division, but it was already advancing.
The brave, energetic, resolute Berry, who com- manded one of Kearney's brigades, met an aide of General Sumner's.
"Who is engaged at the front?" he asked.
" Hooker is at it."
" Is he supported by Sumner?"
" No. Sumner is taking position farther to the right."
The road was filled with teams and troops of other brigades belonging to Sumner's corps. Berry looked at the blockade a moment, then said to a captain of one of his batteries, —
" Captain, go ahead and clear the road for my brigade."
" Let the march be upon the double-quick," was the order sent down the line.
" Clear the road ! " was the authoritative order sent up the line. The troops, the wagons, the
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artillery, the ambulances, turned aside, and the brigade went on.
His quick ear caught the sound of musketry, — a constant, steady rattle, like the pattering of the rain-drops on the dead leaves.
" Throw aside your knapsacks, and place a guard over them," was his order. The men, panting for breath, came to a halt, threw their heavy knapsacks into a heap, and went on again, faster than before.
Kearney met them. " You have done well, General," was his salutation to Berry. He stim- ulated the men, and fired their ardor with his own wild enthusiasm. They rushed on through by- paths, across pastures and fields.
Hooker's line was giving way. It had been pushed back a mile, had lost a portion of its guns, and the exultant enemy were advancing for a decisive, a finishing stroke. Many had fired their last round of ammunition, and stood with empty muskets. How earnestly they looked to- wards the rear to see if the promised aid was ever to arrive!
Help at last. A dark column comes through the woods upon the run. A wild, tumultuous cheer rends the air. The men who are ready to drop from sheer exhaustion, who have confronted the enemy through the lagging hours, feel new strength as Berry sweeps past them, deploys his line right and left, and becomes a living barrier between them and the tide already rolling on over the bloody field. The enemy advances, but whole ranks go down before the deadly volleys given point-blank into their faces by that body of men whose brows are wet with the sweat of their
74 Following the Flag.
fast running. The breaker is broken. The wave which was ready to sweep Hooker from the face of the earth, instead of setting onward, begins to recede. It is beaten down before the fiery breath pouring like a furnace blast from the three thou- sand muskets.
The Eebels retreat. Berry advances. His volleys are steady and regular. Nothing can daunt his men. They feel that they are a power. Kearney sees that the time has come to decide the day.
" Give them the bayonet ! " is the thrilling order which rings along the line.
An officer, young in years, fair of countenance, polished in manner, who has traveled at home and abroad, the same who in the silent hours of the last night at Yorktown wrote his last will and testament, the adjutant of General Berry, leads the men from Michigan. His voice rings loud and clear above the wild uproar. The men fol- low where he leads, into the leaden rain. They fall by scores, but on — on — on, — over the bloody field, — over fallen friends and foes, — they press the foe, regaining the ground, the lost cannon, — ■the victory !
" You are the hero of the day," said Kearney to Captain Smith, who had led the charge so gal- lantly, as he returned and reported for further duty, his clothes torn by the bullets of the enemy.
While this was transpiring on the left, there was its counterpart on the right.
General Hancock was detached by General Smith to cross the milldam at Queen's Creek, and attack the Rebels in that direction. He crossed the stream with the Sixth Maine, Fourth
Following the Flag. 75
Wisconsin, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, and Forty- third New York, Wheeler's battery, and a squad- ron of cavalry.
He came upon a small party of Rebels, who rapidly retreated.
" I can go to Fort Magruder if well supported," was the despatch he sent back to General Smith.
He could see the fort across the open plain, smoking and flaming and throwing shells upon Hooker's command. General Smith sent the mes- sage to General Sumner, requesting permission to send supports.
" Stay where you are," was the reply.
Again Hancock sent for permission to go on. Smith sent the request to Sumner.
" Go," was the welcome answer.
The troops were on the march, when an aide from Sumner stopped the movement. The Rebels were threatening an attack on the center.
" I want more force to support us. The enemy is coming in superior force to attack me," was Hancock's third message.
His position was in a field near a farm-house, where the Rebels had thrown up a square redoubt, which they had abandoned.
From the farm-house to the woods west of it there was a rail-fence. Hancock threw out his skirmishers towards Fort Magruder, beyond the farm-house. Wheeler's battery was brought up and placed upon a knoll near the house. The Fifth Wisconsin and Forty-Third New York were stationed west of the house behind the fence. The Forty-ninth Pennsylvania was placed behind the house. Two companies of the Sixth Maine held the abandoned redoubt, while the other com-
76 Following the Flag.
panies of that regiment were placed in support of the battery.
Two brigades of Rebels marched out from the forest into the field. Wheeler's battery opened with shells. The Rebels were half a mile distant, but, notwithstanding the fire, they moved steadily and rapidly over the intervening space. The skirmishers which had been thrown out from Hancock returned to the lines. The Rebels were near enough for canister, and the six pieces of cannon threw it into the advancing line. The Rebel cavalry dashed upon the Fifth Wisconsin, but only to lose a dozen men and horses. The infantry were close upon Wheeler, who covered the hillock with a murky cloud. Suddenly his fire ceased, then with whip and spur and shout the pieces went to the rear and took a new posi- tion and opened again. The regiments by the fence fell back and closed up in closer order. The Rebels again advanced, and the musketry began. The fight was at short range. The battery fired shell, canister, and shrapnel, and made ter- rible havoc.
Hancock saw that the moment for decisive action had come. He waved his cap to his troops. The officers along the line understood the mean- ing of the signal. They spoke but one magical word. The men, as if animated by an electric impulse, moved towards the enemy. Their bay- onets became a gleaming, glittering, bristling, moving hedge. They broke into a run. Each man felt the enthusiasm of the moment. They heeded not the deadly volleys, but went on through the storm, with a cheer louder than the roar of the battle.
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The Rebels did not wait to receive the blow, b**t fled in confusion from the field.
It was a glorious moment. Berry at that in- stant was throwing in a living barrier against the flood which had swept Hooker back. The battle was won. Night came on. It had rained through the day, and the men, victorious at last, lay down to sleep upon the field, while the Rebels fled towards Richmond, leaving several cannon, many wagons, and several hundred of their wounded in Williamsburg.
The total Union loss was two thousand two hundred and eighty-eight. The loss to the Rebels was from two thousand five hundred to three thousand.
" Our loss amounted to about two thousand five hundred," says the chaplain of the Fourth Texas.
When the news of the battle reached Richmond there was great consternation, which was in- creased by the news of the blowing up of the Merrimack on the morning of the 11th of May.
" In the President's mansion about this time all was consternation and dismay," says Pollard, the Southern historian.*
Jefferson Davis's niece wrote a letter to a friend in Vicksburg, but the mail-bag was captured by the Yankee pickets.
" General Johnston," said the young lady, " is falling back from the Peninsula, and Uncle Jeff thinks we had better go to a safer place than Richmond. O mother! Uncle Jeff is miserable. He tries to be cheerful and bear up against such a continuation of troubles, but oh ! I fear he can-
* Southern History of the War, Vol. II. p. 31.
r
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not live long, if he does not get some rest and quiet.
" Our reverses distressed him so much, and he is so weak and feeble, it makes my heart ache to look at him. He knows that he ought to send his wife and children away, and yet he cannot bear to part with them, and we all dread to leave him too. Varina and I had a hard cry about it to-day.
" O, what a blow the fall of New Orleans was ! It like to have set us all crazy here. Everybody looks depressed, and the cause of the Confederacy looks drooping and sinking; but if God is with us, who can be against us? Our troops are not doing
as well as we expected The regiments
most apt to run are from North Carolina and Ten- nessee I am afraid that Richmond will
fall into the hands of the enemy, as there is no way to keep back the gunboats. James River is so high that all obstructions are in danger of being washed away, so that there is no help for the city
" Uncle Jeff was confirmed last Tuesday in St. Paul's Church, by Bishop Johns. He was bap- tized at home, in the morning, before church." *
The Confederate Congress adjourned hastily. They sent off their families. The railroad trains going out were crowded with passengers. The public documents were boxed up and sent away. Mrs. Jefferson Davis took down her window-cur- tains, tore up the carpets, packed her silver plate and pictures, and left the city.f The Treasury Department removed its printing-presses to Geor- * Southern History, Vol. II. p. 31. t Estvan's War Pictures from the South, p. 271.
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gia, and everybody prepared to leave the city, which they feared was doomed to fall into the hands of the Yankees.
When the Merrimack was blown up, the James River was open to the gunboats to Fort Darling, within ten miles of Richmond. The fort mounted four guns. Three of the gunboats bombarded it on the 13th, but were not able to silence the guns.
General McClellan's transports were at York- town and Fortress Monroe, — an immense fleet. His army was within five miles of the James. It will be for the future historian to inquire whether the army ought not to have been sent up the James instead of the Chickahominy.
After the battle of Antietam, a wounded Rebel officer who was left behind when Lee retreated, and who was General Magruder's Adjutant-Gen- eral, conversed freely upon the Peninsular cam- paign.
" We were very much surprised at Yorktown," he said, " when we saw General McClellan make preparations for a siege."
"Indeed!"
" Yes, for we were ready to retreat at any mo- ment. We had only a handful of men compared with his great army."
" How many men had Magruder at that time?"
" Not more than nine thousand and five hun- dred fit for duty, and they were strung out on a line thirteen miles long, from Gloucester to James River. If General McClellan had acted with vigor, and pushed our center as soon as he landed, he could have trampled us all down in the mud."
8o Following the Flag.
u But you had a large number of cannon, which swept the approaches, and could have in- flicted great damage."
" He could have covered his real attack by feints on distant parts of the line, and Magru- der's force was so small that he could not have resisted an earnest attack. The woods were so dense that McClellan could have effectually con- cealed all his movements."
" Some of General McClellan's officers were in favor of advancing at once."
" It was, in my judgment, if you will allow a Rebel to criticise your generals," said the officer with a smile, " his first mistake."
" Then you think it was a mistake on the part of General McClellan."
" Yes, for Lee's army had not reached us. Every day's delay on the part of General Mc- Clellan gave us reinforcements. It gave us time to fortify Richmond. The Confederate army was much reduced at that time. The term of enlist- ments of many regiments had expired, and the Conscription Act had not been enforced. The fortunes of the Confederacy at that time were not very bright, I must confess. Even the Confed- erate Congress closed its session and left Rich- mond, and, had it not been for McClellan's delay and the energy with which troops from all quar- ters were conscripted and rushed into Richmond, it would have gone hard with us. And when we evacuated Yorktown, General McClellan did not do as I should have done, had I commanded you Yankees."
"Ah! how so?"
" The Virginia, or the Merrimack, as you call
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her, wae blown up on the 10th. It was a bitter pill to us, and if I were Jefferson Davis I would hang old Huger, who commanded at Norfolk, for his cowardly conduct in evacuating the place. When the Merrimack was destroyed, General Mc- Clellan, instead of following us up the Peninsula through the mud, ought to have re-embarked his troops and made all haste up the James. Your gunboats went up to Fort Darling and got smashed, but if he had landed below the Fort he could have carried it from the rear with his in- fantry, for we had few troops there. He could have then brought his gunboats to Richmond ahead of us who were paddling in the mud of the Chickahominy."
" I suppose that General McClellan did what he thought was best at the time."
" Probably ; but it happened to be the very best movement he could have made for us," said the officer, with a smile.
There was much suffering in the hospitals on the Peninsula. The medical department was not well organized, but the delegates of the Christian and Sanitary Commissions were present, and saved the lives of many men.
They saw a soldier in a tent one day who was fast passing away. He had fought his last battle with the enemy of his country. He was a noble man, but he was worn out by disease. He had worked in the slimy swamps, on the fortifications, and was covered with filth. He had lost all his strength, and was so weak that he could not raise his hand to his head. They washed him, changed his clothing, lifted him from the damp ground and placed him on a cot, gave him nourishing
82 Following the Flag.
food, talked to him of home, of mother, of Jesus, his best friend, of a better world. The soldier tried to thank them, but was too weak to articu- late the words. He could only take the chap- lain's hand, press it to his cheek, and bathe it with tears of gratitude.
Thus the friends at home, by their Christian sympathy and charity, sustained and comforted the brave defenders of their country, in their last hours.
CHAPTER VI.
ON THE CHICKAHOMINY.
On the 16th of May the whole army, with the exception of Hooker's division, which remained at Williamsburg, was at the White House on the Pamunkey, where a permanent depot was estab- lished. The cavalry under General Stoneman, and the infantry pickets, were on the banks of the Chickahominy.
General McClellan called for reinforcements. In response, the President informed him, on the 18th, that General McDowell had been ordered to march from Fredericksburg to join him by the shortest route, but was also ordered to keep him- self in position to cover Washington, and General McClellan was instructed to open communication with him.
" This order," says General McClellan, " ren- dered it impossible for me to use the James River as a line of operations, and forced me to establish
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our depots on the Painunkey, and to approach Richmond from the north. It frustrated the plan of the campaign."
It will be for the future historian to determine whether the order to General McDowell to move overland compelled General McClellan to take the Chiekahominy route, and frustrated the plan of the campaign, or whether, on the other hand, he had not chosen the route, by moving from Will- iamsburg on the 10th, and establishing his head- quarters and depots at White House, and throw- ing out his cavalry and pickets to Bottom's Bridge on the Chiekahominy on the 16th, two days before the orders were issued.
The Chiekahominy River runs north of Rich- mond, flows southeast, and becomes an affluent of the James above Williamsburg. It is fringed with forests and bordered by marshy lands, which at high water become impassable swamps, but at low water the stream is fordable in many places. The Rebels destroyed all the bridges as they re- treated to Richmond.
The army came to the river at Bottom's Bridge. The Eleventh Maine was in the advance. They were brave, hardy men, from the lumber-swamps of the Pine-Tree State. The Rebel pickets saw them, set the bridge on fire, and fled. The Maine men gave them a volley, rushed forward, used their caps for fire-buckets, and extinguished the flames, and with their axes soon had it repaired for the use of the army.
Heintzelman's and Keyes's corps crossed to the southern bank, while the other corps pushed up the northern bank, towards Coal Harbor and Mechanicsville.
84 Following the Flag.
i
THE AFFAIR AT HANOVER COURT-HOUSE.
Fourteen miles north of Richmond is Hanover Court-House. A Rebel force was stationed there, commanded by General Branch. On the 27th of May, General Fitz-John Porter, with Emory's brigade of cavalry, and Martindale's, Butter- field's, McQuade's, and Warren's brigades of in- fantry, proceeded to drive the Rebels from the place, and make a junction with McDowell. At noon General Emory, with the cavalry, came upon the enemy about two miles east of the Court- House, where the road forks, — the right hand road leading to the Court-House, the left hand to Ashland.
Berdan's sharpshooters and Martindale's brig- ade were near by, and General Porter formed in line of battle. The sharpshooters were thrown forward as skirmishers. Benson's battery came into position in a field on the right-hand side of the road, and commenced throwing shells over the heads of the sharpshooters.
The Rebels were posted on a hill near a farm- house,— their line reaching across both roads. General Martindale went up the Ashland road, driving in the skirmishers. The soldiers heard the whistle of a locomotive, and saw a train of cars upon the Virginia Central road bringing reinforcements to the Rebels. Captain Griffin's batteries were brought up, and a vigorous fire opened upon the railroad. The Twenty-second Massachusetts and Second Maine were thrown forward to the railroad. They tore up the track, and cut the telegraph-wire, under cover of the heavy fire of the artillery.
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While this was transpiring on the Ashland road, there was a sharp contest on the road lead- ing to Hanover. The Rebel infantry, concealed in the woods, opened a rapid fire upon the Twenty-fifth New York, which killed Lieutenant Fisk and wounded Lieutenant-Colonel Savage, and a number of the men. The Rebels sprang from the woods upon the regiment, and captured several prisoners. Colonel Johnson, commanding the regiment, fell back upon the reserve, which was coming into position in the rear, composed of the Seventeenth New York, Eighty-third Penn- sylvania in the front line, and the Twelfth New York and Sixteenth Michigan in the second. They charged over the field, through the hollow, up the slope beyond, and came upon the Rebel batteries by the farm-house so rapidly, and with such force, that they captured a twelve-pound gun, which the enemy had not time to remove. The Rebels retreated towards the Court-House, followed by the cavalry, and all the artillery and infantry except Martindale's brigade. General Martindale sent two of his regiments up the rail- road to join the main force at the Court-House, while he remained with the Second Maine, Twenty-fifth New York, a portion of the Forty- fourth New York, and two guns of Martin's battery.
While waiting and resting with this small force, after the exciting encounter of the after- noon, he was suddenly attacked by the Rebels, who greatly outnumbered him, and who by a surprise hoped to rout and defeat him, and cut off General Porter from the main command. But for more than an hour he held his ground, till
86 Following the Flag.
the column which had gone to the Court-House turned back and rejoined him.
As soon as General Porter heard the firing, he moved the Thirteenth and Fourteenth New York and Griffin's batteries down the road upon the double-quick. The Ninth Massachusetts and Sixty-second Pennsylvania were sent through the woods, across the angle between the Hanover and Ashland roads, while the Eighty-third Pennsylvania and Sixteenth Michigan pushed down the railroad. The troops last named moved with great rapidity. They came suddenly upon the left flank of the enemy. The Rebels evidently were not expecting to be attacked from that quar- ter. They fled through the woods in great con- fusion. The cavalry rode among them, and hun- dreds threw down their arms and gave themselves up as prisoners.
General McClellan, in his Report, thus speaks of this gallant affair: " Some two hundred of the enemy's dead were buried by our troops, seven hundred and thirty prisoners sent to the rear, one twelve-pound howitzer, one caisson, a large number of small arms, and two railroad trains captured." The Union loss â– amounted to fifty- three killed and three hundred and forty-four wounded and missing.
The force encountered was General Branch's division of North Carolina and Georgia troops, numbering about nine thousand. Their camp at Hanover Court-House was taken and de- stroyed.
General Porter fell back to Coal Harbor. The engineers made a survey of the Chickahominy and of the approaches to Richmond, and began to
Following the Flag. 87
build bridges across the stream and throw up earthworks.
The days were hot and sultry. There were heavy thunder-storms, succeeded by intense heat. The soldiers were provided with axes and shovels, and were set to work in the dark, miry swamps, working all day up to their waists in the muddy water. Disease in all its frightful forms of fever and dysentery made its appearance. The air was full of malaria. Hundreds died and thousands were sent to the hospitals.
One day a fine youth, who with ardor and en* thusiasm had enlisted as a soldier, was brought into the hospital. He had been taken violently and suddenly with fever while in the marshes. The nurses laid him on a cot, gave him cold water, bathed his hot brows. He had a likeness of his mother, who had gone into the better land, and of his sister, who was far away in his pleas- ant home, in a gold locket on his neck. He dreamed and talked of home, and said, " I have a sister on my heart, — a sister on my heart, — -a sister, — a sister."
The disease made rapid progress. The fever burned within, — a consuming flame which, be- fore sunrise, had devoured all his young life. He was buried in the afternoon beneath the forest trees.
It was wearing work, the bridge-building, the construction of roads, and throwing up of in- trenchments. Besides, there was the necessity of keeping close watch upon the enemy. If there were sad scenes, there were also amusing inci- dents.
A party of Maine boys, on picket, one day, saw
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a pair of wagon-wheels. Not far off were the Rebel pickets, in an open field. The Down-East Yankees thought they would have some fun. They mounted a log upon the wheels, brought the mock cannon into position. One of them pre- tended to sponge it, another put in the cartridge, a third primed, a fourth sighted it, while a fifth stood ready to fire. The Rebels watched the oper- ation a moment, and then scampered for the woods to get under cover! The Maine boys did not fire, but had a merry chuckle among them- selves, and a hearty laugh with their comrades when they told the story in camp.
CHAPTER VII.
FAIR OAKS.
Seven miles from Richmond, near the York River Railroad, there is a grove of oaks, so green, so beautiful and fair, that the railroad station has received the name of Fair Oaks. A highway from Richmond crosses the railroad near the sta- tion called the Nine-Mile Road. The railroad runs east and the Nine-Mile Road southeast. The highway from Richmond to Williamsburg runs parallel to the railroad about a mile south of it, and is crossed by the Nine-Mile Road, a mile southeast from Fair Oaks. At the junction of the two highways are seven pines, standing in a cluster on the south side of the Williamsburg road.
Following the Flag. 89
The country around is level and covered mainly by a dense forest, but there is cleared land along the Williamsburg road toward Richmond. On the 23d of May, General Keyes was ordered to advance to Fair Oaks and hold the position. General Couch's division was halted at Seven Pines, while Casey's was thrown forward to Fair Oaks, encamped on Baker's farm. General Keyes cut down the trees in front of his line be- yond Fair Oaks to form an abattis. They were also felled in front of Couch.
On Friday night, the 30th of May, there was a terrific thunder-storm. The heavens were sheets of flame, and the clouds poured torrents of water which deluged the country and flooded the Chick- ahominy.
Early in the morning on Saturday, the 31st, it was whispered in the Rebel camp that General Johnston was going to attack the Yankees who were South of the Chickahominy.*
" In such weather?" it was asked.
" The bridges are washed away, and it is impos- sible for McClellan to send over his right and center to the assistance of his left. His army is divided, and we can crush the force on the south side before he can reinforce it," was the an- swer.
General Huger's division moved out from Rich- mond at six o'clock, taking the Charles City road, which is south of the Williamsburg road, and which runs south of White-Oak Swamp. He was to make a long and rapid march east, then turn north, cross the Swamp, gain the rear of General
* Battle Fields of the South.
90 Following the Flag.
Couch, and cut off his retreat to Bottom's Bridge. He was to reach his position and begin the attack at eight o'clock. GeDeral Longstreet's division moved down the Williamsburg road and halted in the woods. General Whiting moved down the Nine-Mile Road and halted in the woods in front of Fair Oaks.
President Davis and his Cabinet went out with Longstreet to see the fight. Eight o'clock— nine o'clock — ten — passed, and there was no sound of Huger's guns. He was toiling in the mud, mov- ing at a snail's pace. Longstreet and Whiting were impatiently waiting, concealed from ob- servation in the woods.
At ten o'clock, General Keyes's pickets cap- tured an aide of General Johnston in the edge of the woods. He was brought before General Keyes. While the General was talking with him, two musket-shots were fired in the woods, which produced an emotion in the young officer so marked that it was noticed by General Keyes, who feared that something might be going on in his front, and who immediately issued orders for his troops to be under arms.
Eleven o'clock came, and General Longstreet, getting out of patience at Huger's delay, ordered his troops to advance and begin the attack. His skirmishers went through the woods quickly, and came upon Casey's skirmishers on the Williams- burg road, and the firing began. But his regi- ments were slow in getting on. His artillery sank in the mud.
The rapid increase of the fire along the picket line alarmed General Keyes, who made quick preparations for whatever might happen.
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Casey's division faced towards Richmond ; Nag- lee's brigade was on the railroad, — two regiments north of it; Wessell's brigade was in the center,
Battle of Fair Oaks.*
Union Troops.
1 Casey's division.
2 Couch's "
3 Heintzelman's corps.
4 Sumner's "
8 Fair Oaks.
Rebel Troops.
5 Whiting.
6 LOngstreet.
7 Anderson.
9 Seven Pines.
near " Fair Oaks," and Palmer's was on the left, south of the Williamsburg road. Spratt's bat- tery was near the Oaks. Regan's battery was in rear of Spratt's. Bates's battery was south of the Williamsburg road, in a redoubt, while Fitch's
* The diagram represents the position of the troops at the beginning of the battle.
92 Following the Flag.
battery was in rear of the redoubt. Couch's di- vision at Seven Pines was lying with Graham's brigade between the Williamsburg road and the railroad, Devens's brigade on the Williamsburg road, and Peck's brigade on the left.
Up to twelve o'clock there was little firing except by the pickets, and the men in Casey's command laid aside their arms and prepared to eat dinner. Soon after noon two shells were thrown into Casey's camp.
Suddenly there was a heavy roll of musketry in the woods. Officers sprang to their feet. They knew that it portended trouble. There was a quick saddling of horses and buckling on of belts. Orders were issued in imperious tones.
The men left their coffee-pots and plates of rice, seized their guns, and formed in line.
Casey's division was composed of undisciplined troops which had joined the army after its ar- rival upon the Peninsula. The men had had no experience, and yet they were placed in advance, nearest the enemy, — an oversight which was dearly paid for.
The force which Johnston had brought out num- bered not far from thirty thousand. Casey's division numbered not far from seven thousand. Like an avalanche was the advance of the Rebels upon this small, undisciplined force. Generals Anderson, D. H. Hill, Jenkins, Pegram, and Wil- cox swept along the Williamsburg road, strik- ing Palmer's brigade on the left flank.
General Casey's pickets were but a short dis- tance from camp, and they came streaming back in confusion, followed by the Rebels in masses. General Keyes saw that it was no feint, but an
Following the Flag. 93
attack by an overwhelming force. He despatched a messenger to General Heintzelman, who was behind him towards Bottom's Bridge, for rein- forcements. The firing became quick and heavy. General Sumner, three miles distant across the Chickahominy, heard it, and ordered his com- mand under arms. The aide sent to Heintzelman lost his way in the woods, and was a long while in bearing the important message. Keyes saw that there was danger on Casey's left, south of the Williamsburg road, where the Bebels were appearing in great force, and he ordered Peck's brigade of Couch's division to advance and sup- port Palmer. Spratt's battery, near Fair Oaks, opened upon the Rebels as they came through the woods on the right, supported by the Eleventh Maine, One Hundredth New York, One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania, and Ninety-Second New York.
In the center, the One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania was sent forward to sustain the pickets, but quickly returned in confusion.
The Rebel lines came into the open field, fol- lowing the retreating pickets. All of Casey's guns opened with canister, and the fire was so severe that General Hill ordered his men to lie down, as it was impossible to advance in the face of such a storm.* General Hill dismounted from his horse, and criticised the fire of the different batteries. Longstreet's line was more than a mile in extent, and yet Huger and Whiting had not fired a cartridge. The fire was so terrible from the batteries, and from Palmer's, Wessell'«s?
Battle Fields of the South, VoL Uis.il
94 Following the Flag.
and Naglee's lines, that Longstreet changed his plan of attack, and, instead of advancing directly upon the center, attacked on both flanks. Some of his regiments filed towards the south, and crept through the bushes unseen by Casey. The others moved north, some in front of Naglee, and prepared to charge upon Spratt's battery. General Casey saw the plan. He rode along the line, called upon three of Naglee's regiments to drive the enemy into the woods. There was a rail-fence between the combatants, but the troops sprang over it with a cheer, formed in line, and fought the enemy face to face. The battle raged with great fury around the Oaks.
The enemy was held in check a few minutes by the three regiments, but, being superior, ad- vanced once more, firing as they came on. Nag- lee held his ground till the fighting was at close quarters, — till some of the Eleventh Maine were bayoneted. The order to retreat was given, and the lines fell back, followed closely by the enemy, who made a rush for Spratt's battery, and cap- tured one of the guns.
Elated, the Rebels halted to reform their lines, before pushing on to other successes. But while re-forming, Bates and Fitch opened wide gaps in their ranks at every discharge of grape and can- ister. Once more they came on, shouting and screaming, and delivering their volleys and re- ceiving the steady fire streaming from the rifles of Naglee's line, reinforced now by a regiment from General Peck's brigade of Couch's di: vision.
Their line of march is from southwest to inortheast. They come upon the left of Naglee's
Following the Flag. 95
position, curling round his flank, and pouring a cross fire into the rifle-pits. Colonel Bailey, Major Van Valkenburg, and Adjutant Ramsey of the artillery are killed, other officers are wounded. The advancing host leap over the slight earthworks, seize the guns, and prepare to turn them upon the backs of the men on Naglee's right. It is no use to contend for the ground or the guns against the superior force, and the men fall back once more. Casey's whole line also retreats to that held by General Couch.
Up to this moment, Longstreet's grand divis- ion only has been engaged; but two regiments of General Couch's division, who are moving up the railroad to support Naglee, see across the field beyond the Fair Oaks long lines of men, — some standing in battle line, and others advan- cing in column along the railroad. It is Whit- ing, who is deploying his forces from the Nine- Mile Road.
General Couch is made acquainted with the fact. He sends for the other two regiments of the brigade. Whiting pours his troops into the gap between Naglee and Couch, and cuts off the four regiments from the troops at Seven Pines.
The regiments thus isolated are thrown back towards Grape-Vine Bridge.
While this is transpiring on the right, there is disaster in the center, and on the left. The Rebels there are pushing on. Keyes rallies his troops. He sends forward regiment after regi- ment from his second line, to strengthen that in front, to hold his ground if possible, but it is growing thin. It sways to and fro, and breaks at last. It crumbles, piecemeal, — the troops
96 Following the Flag.
hastening towards the Seven Pines. He has one regiment still in reserve, — the Tenth Massa- chusetts.
He throws it into the broken gap. It requires nerve and muscle to march in where all are flee- ing,— to be a breakwater were the flood sweeps all before it. But the regiment goes in as cheer- fully as to a dress-parade. They deliver their volleys with deliberate aim. They hold their ground.
Three hundred yards in the rear, Heintzelman, Keyes, Casey, Naglee, and other officers are rally- ing the men. Fugitives are stopped, regiments which have been so stubbornly contesting the ground are induced to try it once more.
" Had that regiment been two minutes later," says General Keyes, " they would have been too late to occupy that fine position, and it would have been impossible to have formed the next and last line of battle, which stemmed the tide of defeat and turned it toward a victory." *
Thus far the Rebels have had it all their own way. Casey has been driven a mile. His camp is in the hands of Longstreet. He has lost many guns. Longstreet has made so good a beginning that, although Huger has not made his appear- ance from the South, the prospect is good for overwhelming the Union force on the southern bank.
But other actors arrive upon the ground, — the men who tossed their knapsacks into the woods at Williamsburg, — who became a wall of ada- mant on that memorable field. Berry and Jame-
* Keyes's Report.
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son march up the Williamsburg road and move out upon the left of the line forming behind the Tenth Massachusetts. Berry pushes down into the border of the swamp; Jameson sends one regiment to Peck and one to Birney, and moves straight on towards the abattis of fallen trees in front of Couch's line along the Williamsburg road with his two remaining regiments. His men lie down behind the fallen trees and pour their vol- leys into the advancing foe, moving on in stately grandeur. Jameson, unmindful of the storm around him, rides up and down the line, exposed to the fire of the enemy, not a hundred yards distant. Sheltered by the abattis, his two regi- ments are immovable. Like a hillock in the path of an avalanche, they turn the overwhelming force aside. It flows round them, right and left, but does not advance along the road.
Berry, far down in the woods towards White Oak Swamp, is pouring a terrible fire upon the masses, who still press toward Seven Pines. He holds them in check, repulsing all the as- saults. There, in the thickest of the fight, is that young officer who made his last will and testa- ment at Yorktown, — the " hero of the day " at Williamsburg, — animating the troops by his fear- less daring, and there he gives his life to his country, shot through the brain.
In the rear of Seven Pines is the hospital, full of weak and sickly men, prostrated by fevers. They hear the tide of battle rolling nearer hour by hour. A soldier from the front says that the line is giving way and the Rebels are sweeping all before them. The words fall on the ears of Lieutenant Rice, of the Eleventh Maine. He
98 Following the Flag.
springs to his feet, and grasps a gun. " All of you who can hold up your heads, follow me! " he shouts.* Men who have not been able to stand upon their feet spring up at the word. They are pale, sallow, emaciated, with sunken eyes and hollow cheeks. They form in line, twenty of them, seize their muskets. The fever is consuming them, but there is a warmer flame within their breasts, — the unquenchable desire to save their comrades from defeat and their country from destruction. Lieutenant Eice leads the weak and tottering party to the front. He moves on close to the enemy. He is one of the best marksmen of his regiment, and soldier after soldier falls from the ranks of the enemy by his unerring aim. He fires seven times, and then goes down before the bullets of the foe.
There is Willie Parker of the Eleventh Maine, a mere boy, who beholds the Rebel colors ad- vancing from the woods, borne by a stalwart sol- dier.
" That flag must come down ! " he says, as he raises his gun. There is a flash, a screaming in the air, as the swiftly-whirling bullet passes on. The color-bearer reels, staggers, and falls.
There is Sergeant Katon, the standard-bearer of the Eleventh, holding up, as high as he can reach, the broken flag-staff, while kneeling beside the dead body of Corporal Maddocks, who has fallen while guarding the torn and tattered but precious standard, — all this while the tempest surges around them, over them, through them; the very blast of death !
* Adjutant-General's Report, Maine, 1862.
Following the Flag. 99
An officer with one hundred men, who has been out on picket, comes up the road.
" Where is my regiment?" he asks of the grim and veteran Heintzelman.
" I cannot tell you, sir."
" But I would like to join it."
" Very well, but if it is fighting you want, just go in, Colonel, for there is good fighting all along the line."
The battle rages furiously. Five o'clock — six o'clock — half past six — Berry holds them by the swamp, Jameson holds them with his three hun- dred men on the Williamsburg road ; but between Seven Pines and Fair Oaks the tide is drifting on.
Jameson resolves to advance. The Rebels in front of him fall back along the road to Rich- mond. Thus, while Whiting is pushing east over the Nine-Mile Road, Jameson is marching west towards the Rebel capital, driving all before him.
" Fall back " is the imperative order which he receives. He would a great deal rather go on.
" What would you have done, if you had not been ordered back? " a friend asked.
" I would have been in Richmond or in Heaven before night," was the reply.*
But he obeys orders. Yet he cannot go back the way he advanced ; the enemy is between him and Seven Pines. He faces south, picks his way through White Oak Swamp, comes round to Seven Pines, and again confronts the enemy.
The day is closing. Darkness is coming on. The Yankees are not yet swept into the Chicka- hominy. Longstreet has had success, but it is * Adjutant- General's Report.
ioo Following the Flag.
not a great victory. The Union line has been pushed back a mile and a half. It has been broken, — almost disorganized. Berry's brigade is as firm and solid as ever. Jameson^ has been divided and sent to different parts of the field. Casey's division has crumbled. Couch's has been broken. A great crowd of stragglers is moving towards Bottom's Bridge. Couch with two regiments and a battery have been pushed north towards Grape Vine Bridge. Such is the position at seven o'clock, as Whiting, fresh and vigorous, brings his brigade down the rail- road to finish the work of this day.
But now there is another actor, — General Sumner, who has crossed the Chickahominy at Grape-Vine Bridge, and is pushing on with Sedgwick's gallant division.
General Sumner ordered his corps to be un- der arms at one o'clock. As the firing grew loud, he moved his troops to the Chickahominy and waited for orders to cross. He commenced crossing at three o'clock, but the swamp was flooded, and it was only by great exertion and perseverance that he was able to get Kirby's battery to the south bank.
Gorman's brigade led the column, composed of the First Minnesota, Fifteenth Massachusetts, Second New York Volunteers, and Thirty-Fourth New York, — Gorman joined General Couch. Kirby, with his six Napoleon guns, followed, and Dana's brigade closed the column, composed of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Massachusetts, Sev- enth Michigan, and Forty-Second New York. General Sumner rapidly formed his line, facing south. Whiting, up to this time, had been press-
Following the Flag. 101
ing straight on towards the Seven Pines. He turned to crush this new force which had ap- peared unexpectedly on his flank.
It is a cloudy night and darkness is stealing on, as the Rebels change their front and move towards the north to sweep all before them. They ad- vance across the field and through the woods, de- livering a rapid fire. Suddenly there bursts a sheet of flame from Sumner's ranks.
The Rebels fall back, rally their broken lines, advance again, nearer and with desperation. "Canister! Canister! Give them canister!" is Kirby's order as he moves from gun to gun. The battle-cloud grows thick beneath the heavy vapors rising from the swamp. Quick, incessant flashes momentarily light up the deepening darkness. It is not possible for men to face so terrible a storm. Vain are all the efforts of the Rebel officers to rally their bleeding ranks.
Sumner has stood his ground. The time has come to advance. The Thirty-Fourth and Forty- Second New York, Fifteenth and Twentieth Mas- sachusetts, and Seventh Michigan move forward.
There are two fences in front of them, and be- yond the farthest one is the Rebel line waiting their advance. The soldiers know that it will be the last march of many, but with a cheer heard above the roar of battle, they rush into the dark- ness, dash the fences under foot, and spring upon the enemy's lines. It is the work of a minute. One short struggle, a volley, a holding of the breath, muttered curses, shouts, groans, a clash- ing of bayonets, the trampling of ten thousand feet, and the field is clear of the enemy !
General Johnston has failed in what he intend-
102 Following the Flag.
ed to accomplish. He is borne from the field at this hour, wounded by a shell from Kirby's battery.
" As I rode down through the field/' says a Rebel officer, " I met Franks, one of Longstreet's aides, looking as blue as indigo. What is the matter, Franks? Not satisfied with the day's work?" I inquired.
"Satisfied be hanged! I saw old Jeff, Mallo- ry, Longstreet, and Whiting, and all of them, looking as mad as thunder. Just to think that Huger's slowness has spoiled everything! There he has been on our right all day and has n't fired a shot, although he had positive orders to open the fight at eight o'clock in the morning." *
There are indescribable scenes of horror after a great battle, — the removal of the wounded, bleeding, dying, giving utterances to groans ex- torted by the intense pain, — the work at the hos- pitals, where the disabled, one by one, are laid before the surgeons. Yet, amid their terrible suf- ferings, the men are often cheerful, and hopeful for this life and the life which is to come.
A chaplain says : " Amongst the badly wounded was Joseph Bynon of Alleghany City, Penn- sylvania, a young man of the most generous na- ture, universally popular in his regiment, and the staff of a widowed mother. He was lying on a blanket near the house, wounded in the bowels. I asked him about his sufferings. He replied, that he did not suffer much, that he was faint from the loss of blood as he supposed. I saw from his pulse that he had but a few moments to live, and said to him,
* Battle-Fiekls of the South.
Following the Flag. 103
ut Joseph, are you willing and ready to die? I am afraid you cannot live.'
" ' Well, doctor,' he whispered, ' I should like to live; I love my mother; this will be a great sorrow to her. And I should like to do something for my little nephew and niece. But there is an- other life, and I know I shall find mother there. I feel I have been a great sinner ; in many things I have done wrong; but ever since my conversion I experienced in Camp Johnson, I have tried to follow my Saviour, and now I die trusting. My mind wanders; I find it difficult to think and speak. In praying to God, I may not say the things that are right ; do, doctor, lift up my hands and clasp them together, and pray for me ! '
" I lifted up the hands crimsoned with his own blood, and pressing them in mine, commended him to the Merciful One, who for us all had suffered the bitterness of death. He repeated word for word, prayed for his mother, and then said, ' O Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, take away my sin ; into Thine hand I com- mend my spirit ! '
" The storm of battle raged again. The ene- my's shells burst around the hospital, and the wounded were removed. He was lifted into an ambulance, but died before it reached Savage Station. Thus giving his life to his country, he passed on into the service of his God." *
At daybreak on Sunday morning, an orderly belonging to the Rebel army rode out of the woods into the Union lines.
" Where is General Anderson," he asked.
f Chaplain Marks.
104 Following the Flag.
" Here he is. What do you want of him? " said a colonel.
" I have a despatch for him from General Pryor."
" I will take it. Soldiers, guard this man. You are my prisoner."
The orderly was much astonished to find him- self a prisoner. The despatch gave information of the disposition of the Rebel forces for the bat- tle soon to recommence.
During the night the balance of Sumner's corps crossed the Chickahominy, and at daybreak the troops, thus strengthened, were able to renew the battle. Sedgwick remained where he fought on Saturday. Richardson's division was next on his right. He formed in two lines, — with French's brigade in front on the railroad, and Howard and Meagher in the second line in his rear. Kearney, Couch, and Hooker, with the remnants of Casey's division, were in the vicinity of Seven Pines.
It would require many pages to give in detail the fight of Sunday morning. It must be given as a picture.
It began at five o'clock. At that hour, the Rebels are discovered south of the railroad in the woods in front of Richardson. Pettit opens with shells, and the stillness of the Sabbath is broken by deep reverberations rolling along the Chickahominy. There is a gap between Rich- ardson and Kearney. Richardson moves toward Seven Pines to close it. From the woods where Pettit drops his shells, there is a volley — another — another — and the men drop from Richardson's ranks. The Rebels advance and attack French's brigade at short range. For an hour the men
Following the Flag. 105
stand in their places, and deliver their fire upon the columns which are pushed against them. Reinforcements come up from Longstreet's re- serves. Howard is brought up from the second line to meet them. His horse is shot. He is twice wounded in the right arm, and is forced to leave the field. His arm is shattered, and the surgeon says it must come off. He meets Kearney, who lost his left arm years ago.
" We will buy our gloves together, Kearney," is the salutation of this Christian soldiar and patriot.
But the onset of his brigade is magnificent. The rebel line is shattered by the resistless charge.
Hooker comes up the railroad. He falls like a thunderbolt upon the enemy in front, breaking, dividing, shattering them. They flee in confu- sion. Sickles is advancing along the Williams- burg road, Berry and Jameson are moving over the ground of Saturday between the Seven Pines and White-Oak Swamp. Richardson and Sedg- wick are also in motion. From Fair Oaks to the swamp south of Seven Pines, the Union line ad- vances over the bloody field. It is like the swing- ing of a wide gate, with its hinges near Fair Oaks, and reaching past Seven Pines to the swamp.
It is a triumphant march. The Rebels have failed in what they attempted, and are fleeing with broken, demoralized ranks to Richmond. Hats, caps, blankets, knapsacks, guns, all are thrown aside. The road is filled with the fleeing fugitives. Heintzelman and Sumner press on within four miles of the city. No troops oppose them.
" I have no doubt but we might have gone right
106 Following the Flag.
into Richmond," sajs General Heintzelman.* — " I think that if the army had pressed after the enemy with great vigor, we should have gone to Richmond," is the opinion of General Keyes.f
" They (the Federals) missed an opportunity of striking a decisive blow. These opportunities never returned," writes Prince de Joinville of France.!
General McGlellan recalled the troops from their pursuit, and established his lines as they were on the morning of Saturday.
The loss on the Union side was 5,737. The Rebel loss, as reported in Smith's, Longstreet's, and Hill's divisions, was 6,783. Whiting's divis- ion also suffered severely, so that the entire Rebel loss was about 8,000.
A month passed by. General McClellan was preparing for a siege. There were six bridges built across the Chickahominy, which required labor day and night. The men were obliged to work up to their arms in the water. Miles of corduroy roads were constructed. The ground was so swampy and marshy that nothing could be done by horses. All the timber hauled to con- struct the bridges and the batteries was drawn by the men. The month of June was rainy. There were frequent storms, succeeded by hot sunshine. Sickness, in all its frightful forms, made its appearance. The men became dis- couraged. It was expected, day after day, that the attack would commence; but the commanding officers issued orders that no batteries should open till all were ready. The army, meanwhile,
* Testimony, p. 352. f Testimony, p. 609.
% Army of the Potomac, p. 79.
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began to be depleted of troops. Thousands were sent to the hospitals, and other thousands were carried out to their last resting-place, on the banks of the dark, dismal, sluggish stream, which soon became the river of death.
Reinforcements were called for and received : McCall's division of Pennsylvania Reserves, which reached the army on the 12th and 13th of June.
On the night of the 13th, General Stewart, with 1,800 Rebel cavalry, appeared in rear of the army. He came first upon two squadrons of Regular cavalry, at Hanover Old Church, over- powering and capturing them; then pushed on to Gorlick's Landing, on the Pamunkey, burning two schooners and fourteen wagons; then moved to the railroad at Tunstall's Station.
The train first arriving was one going east with sick and wounded men. The engineer saw the cavalrymen on the track as he rounded a curve. They motioned him to stop, but he put on more steam, and the train rushed past with lightning- speed. Hundreds of bullets were aimed at him, but he escaped unharmed.
General Stewart crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, below Bottom's Bridge, and came upon a Union hospital at Baltimore Cross Roads. He placed a guard over the hospital, and treated the sick men humanely. But the fright was very disastrous to many who found themselves thus suddenty in the hands of the enemy. Several died during the night. In the pockets of one Union soldier, after death, the chaplain found some touching and beautiful letters from a little brother and sister, telling him how much they missed him, how they longed for his return, how
108 Following the Flag.
they counted the days until he might come back, but above all telling how proud they were of their soldier brother. And they never heard a drum beat nor a fife play without thinking of him, and feeling glad that they had one noble brother to fight for their country.*
CHAPTER VIII.
SEVEN DAYS OF FIGHTING.
The chances for taking Richmond became less with each day's delay. While the Army of the Potomac were digging and delving in the swamps, and constructing batteries, their ranks thinning out by disease, the Rebels, also, were hard at work erecting defensive batteries, on firm ground, and mounting guns of large caliber. Their ranks, instead of growing thin, were filling up. Troops were hurried in from all parts of the South. The Conscript law which the Con- federate Congress had passed was in operation, and was carried out with remorseless energy. Men were compelled to enter the service.
The Union army in front of Richmond, on the 20th of June, numbered, fit for duty, 115,102 men. There were 12,225 sick, and 20,511 absent. Leaves of absence and furloughs had been granted freely. Officers and men, on a slight pretext, found it not very difficult to obtain leave of absence, and thus this army, through no fault of the government, became greatly depleted.
* Chaplain Marks.
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At this time General Jackson was in the Shen- andoah Valley with a large force. By his oper- ations there, it was found necessary to keep Gen eral McDowell in position to cover Washington. On the 18th of June, General McClellan informed the Secretary of War that deserters said troops were on their way from Richmond to reinforce Jackson.
On the same day, a man entered the Union lines at Fredericksburg, who pretended to be a Frenchman. He stated that he met from ten to fifteen thousand men on their way to Gordons- ville, going to join Jackson.
A despatch was also received from General Sigel, who was in the Valley, that a large body of Rebels had arrived at Gordonsville.
All of this went to show that a grand move- ment was to be made in the Valley, or upon Wash- ington. Such, undoubtedly, the Rebel command- ers intended the government at Washington should understand their plan to be. But they had no intention of marching down the Shenan- doah Valley, or of attacking Washington. They wished to prevent any more reinforcements from joining General McClellan, and also to cover their real point of attack.
General McClellan's army was still divided by the Chickahominy. Sumner, Heintzelman, and Keyes were on the south side, and Porter and Franklin, with McCall's newly arrived troops, were on the north bank.
The real object of the Rebels was to crush the force on the north bank by a sudden stroke with their whole army. By the movement to Gordons- ville they allaved suspicion, and transferred a
no Following the Flag.
division to a position from which it could be hurled upon the flank of General McClellan's force on the northern bank.
All of the railroad cars and engines which could be obtained were brought to Richmond over the Lynchburg road. Whiting's and EwelFs divisions were placed on board and taken to Lynchburg, and thence to Gordonsville where they joined Jackson; but not stopping there, were brought with Jackson's army to Frederickshall, on the Virginia Central Railroad. From thence this large force marched to Ashland, arriving there on the 25th.*
General McClellan was informed by a deserter, on the 24th, that Jackson, Whiting, and Ewell were at Frederickshall, and that it was intended to attack his rear on the 28th. f The information was confirmed on the 25th by negroes who arrived at the Union lines, and stated that Jackson was at Hanover Court-House.
General McClellan's lines were more than twenty miles in length. His extreme right was north of the city of Richmond, on the road called the Brooke Turnpike. No change was made in the position of the troops, no breastworks were thrown up to protect the rear and flank. The only change was the removal of the head-quar- ters' camp to the south side of the Chickahominy. General Fitz-John Porter was left in command of the troops on the north side.
On the morning of the 26th, the Rebel forces in Richmond moved out to join Jackson. General Branch's division marched by the Brooke road.
* Campaign from Texas to Maryland.
f McClellan's Despatch. Testimony, p. 338.
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General A. P. Hill moved over the Mechanics- ville Turnpike; while General Longstreet and General D. H. Hill took the Coal-Harbor road still farther east, and came to the Chickahominy at New Bridge. General Magruder, with one division, was left on the south side of the stream.* The Rebel force north of the Chickahominy num- bered about 60,000; south of it, about 20,000. The Union army north numbered about 30,000; south, 70,000.
BATTLE OP MECHANICSVILLB.
If we were to start in a skiff at the bridge on the Brooke road, and float down the slow and winding Chickahominy three miles, we should come first to Meadow Bridge, on the road leading from Richmond to Shady-Grove Church. Two miles farther would bring us to the Mechanics- ville Turnpike. The little village of Mechanics- ville is two miles towards the north. Two miles below the Mechanicsville Bridge is the Upper Trestle Bridge, built by General McClellan. Two miles farther down is New Bridge, on the road leading from Richmond to Coal Harbor. There is a high hill on the south side of the stream, on the plantation of Dr. Lewis, where the Rebels had a battery which commanded the bridge and prevented General McClellan from using it. There was also a battery on the north side, which Geueral McClellan had planted to prevent the Rebels from crossing at that point, and cutting off the force which he had advanced to Mechanics- ville. Still farther down the stream were other
* Pollard's Southern History, p. 329.
112
Following the Flag.
bridges which had been erected b}T General Mc- Clellan's engineers.
At noon the enemy was seen advancing upon Meadow Bridge. The long column descended the
Battle of Mechanicsville.
Uniok Troops.
1 Seymour's Brigade.
2 Reynolds's " 8 Griffin's
4 Martindale's "
C Mechanicsville.
Rebel Troops. A Hill's division. B Branch's Brigade.
D Ellison's Mills.
bank, forded the stream above the bridge, and disappeared in the woods.
The Bucktails, who had driven Stewart at Dranesville, were sent out to support the pickets,
Following the Flag. 113
but were surprised to see a body of cavalry dash- ing into the road behind them. They faced about, drove the cavalry, fell back to Mechanicsville, followed by the pickets.
General McCall, who commanded there, had thrown up a line of breastworks on the east side of the creek. He formed his troops on the slope, with his batteries on the crest of the hill. Genera) Reynolds's brigade had the right, and General Seymour's the left. General Meade's brigade was brought up as a reserve. General Porter sent for- ward Griffin's and Martindale's brigades, which took position on the right of Reynolds. Having thus formed his line, he waited the advance of the enemy.
The force which came in sight first was A. P, Hill's division, followed by General Branch's.
A short distance from the Chickahominy, on the creek, was Ellison's Mills. The road from Mechanicsville to New Bridge crossed the creek at that point. Another road leading from Me- chanicsville to Coal Harbor crossed it farther up. Timber had been felled, rifle-pits dug, and the artillery planted so as to rake the only two feasi- ble approaches.
General Hill formed his line for the attack on Ellison's Mills, while General Branch advanced along the upper road against Reynolds.
The battle began at three o'clock, and raged with fury till nine o'clock. There were no move- ments in the Union lines. The men stood in their places and poured an uninterrupted fire upon the enemy, who were vainly endeavoring to cross the ravine and scale the heights. The artillery, fifty pieces, rained solid shot, shells, grape, canister,
H4 Following the Flag.
shrapnel, all sorts of missiles, producing great slaughter.
General D. H. Hill arrived with his division, and joined in the attack upon Seymour at the Mills, but was received with a " murderous fire." *
The united efforts of the two Hills and General Branch were not sufficient to dislodge the two brigades which held the position. Griffin, Mar- tindale, and Meade were ready to lend assistance, but were not engaged. Griffin only fired a few shots. The Union loss was eighty killed and about two hundred wounded. The Rebel loss is supposed to have been nearly three thousand. The assaults upon the rifle-pits were made with great desperation, but the men could not get through the impassable abattis, and were cut down by the constant and steady fire of musketry and canister at short range.
But the advance of General Jackson by Coal Harbor made it necessary to withdraw the troops from this strong position and concentrate the en- tire force on the north bank, to cover the bridges which had been constructed between the two wings of the army. During the night General McCalPs division was withdrawn, contrary to the remonstrances of the brave men who had held the ground against five times their force; but they did not know that Jackson was on their rear with 40,000 men.
General McClellan ordered the heavy guns and all the baggage to be sent across the Chickahom- iny. He had already meditated a retreat to the James River.
" Run the cars to the last moment, and load
* Confederate Narrative, Rebellion Record, Vol. V. p. 350.
Following the Flag. 115
them with provisions and ammunition. Load every wagon you have with subsistence, and send them to Savage Station," was the order sent to Colonel Ingalls, the Chief Quarter-Master at White-House.
THE BATTLE OP GAINES'S MILLS.
The battle which was fought on the 27th of June is known in the South as the battle of Coal Harbor; in the North, as the battle of Gaines's Mills. General Fitz-John Porter commanded the Union troops, and General Lee the Rebel army.
Starting from the Chickahominy and traveling up the little creek which supplies Dr. Gaines's Mill with water, we come to the battle-field, which lies on our right hand, east of the creek. The ravine is narrow and the banks on both sides are steep. General Porter has cut down the trees which stood on the hillside, and has thrown up rifle-pits and intrenchments. He is to hold the enemy in check, while General McClellan makes preparations for a retreat to James River. He has thirty thousand men against seventy thou- sand. Commencing on the creek near the Chick- ahominy, we see on our right hand General Mor- rell's division, with Butterfield's, Martindale's, and Griffin's brigades. Upon the other side is Longstreet, A. P. Hill, and Whiting.
General Griffin's brigade is south of the road which comes down from Coal Harbor. Across the road is General Sykes's division of regulars, composed of Warren's, Chapman's and Buchan- an's brigades, confronted by Swell's, D. H. Hill's, and Jackson's divisions. General Porter's second
n6
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line at the beginning of the battle is composed of McCall's division, stationed near the center, in rear of Griffin. He has some cavalry on the road leading to Alexander's Bridge.
Late in the day Slocum's division, of Sumner's
Battle of Gaines's Mills.
Union Troops.
1 Butterfield's Brigade.
2 Martindale's " 2 Griffin's "
4 Sykes's Division.
5 McCall's "
6 Slocum's "
Rebel Troops. A Longstreet's Division. B A. P. Hill's C Whiting's D Evvell's E D. H. Hill's F Jackson's G New Coal-Harbor, Lee's Head- Quarters.
corps, crosses Sumner's Bridge and takes position in rear of Sykes's.
It is a hot, sultry day. General Lee is at Ho- gan's plantation, near New Coal-Harbor, sitting
Following the Flag. 117
beneath the portico of the farm-house, absorbed in thought. He is neatly dressed in a gray uniform, buttoned to the throat. Longstreet is sitting in an old chair at the foot of the steps beneath the trees, eating a lunch, with his feet against a tree, his uniform faded and torn, buttons missing, and his boots old and dusty. Gregg, Wilcox, Pryor, Featherstone, and other generals are there wait- ing for Jackson, who has been marching hard all the morning to get into position. A courier comes down the Coal-Harbor road, delivers a message to Lee, who mounts his horse and rides away to New Coal-Harbor.*
It is past two o'clock in the afternoon before Lee is ready to begin the attack. There has been a cannonade all along the line north and south of the Chickahominy. Magruder, on the south side, has instructions to make a grand demonstration, as if he was going to attack McClellan. It is his intention to keep him from sending troops to Porter's aid.
Lee intends to make a grand onset and sweep Porter into the Chickahominy. Under cover of a tremendous fire from the artillery, A. P. Hill begins the attack upon Griffin and Martindale, but under the superior and effective fire of Cap- tain Griffin's United States battery, Weeden's Rhode Island, and Allen's and Martin's Massa- chusetts batteries, the Rebel batteries are " over- powered and driven from the field." f The Rebel infantry advances through the belt of timber, and descends the ravine. From the rifle-pits there
* Battle-Fields of the South, f Campaign from Texas to Maryland, p. 46.
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are sudden flashes and quick spirts of flame, and the battle-cloud becomes thick and heavy.
It would require many pages to make a full record of the terrible combat. How Longstreet urged his men into the woods, — how the battle rolled through the forest and surged back again, — how brigade after brigade marched against Martindale, Griffin, and Butterfieid, only to fall back with broken and shattered ranks, — how the ground became thick with the dead and wounded, — how men fired into each other's faces and fell almost into each others arms, mingling their dfe-blood in one crimson stream, — how Jackson pressed on over the plain, urging his men nearer ind nearer, — how the Pennsylvania Reserves went up to aid the Regulars, — how couriers dashed through the woods, over the bridges to General McClellan, who was on the southern bank, asking for reinforcements, — how Slocum's division went over, reached the field, held in check the dark masses forming upon the flank of the Regulars and Reserves, and held the ground. The hours hung heavily. Three o'clock, — four o'clock, — five o'clock, — and no break in the line. Thirt}7-five thousand against seventy! But the pressure is terrible. French's and Meagher's brigades are or- dered over. But moments are precious. Six o'clock; the onset is greater than ever. Every regiment, every man, is brought to the front, on both sides. The artillery still thunders, but the infantry are out of ammunition. Longstreet has been hurled back as often as he has advanced, and so has A. P. Hill and D. H. Hill, but Jack- son is working toward the Chickahominy on the left. Sykes's men, who have been facing north,
Following the Flag. 119
are obliged to face east to meet the troops moving in a steady stream down the road leading to Old Coal-Harbor. Men begin to leave the ranks and move toward the rear. There is a desperate rush from Jackson's brigades upon the guns. The Union line gives way.
If there was a fresh division or a brigade even at hand, the tide might be stopped. There are sixty thousand men upon the southern bank of the river, but General McClellan is afraid that Magruder with his division will make an at- tack.
Whiting's division, which has been held in re- serve by Lee, is ordered up. All of his desperate charges and onsets have failed. If Whiting fails, the battle is lost.
The Kegulars and the Pennsylvania Reserves are worn out. Their ammunition is nearly gone. Porter orders up his last man. They can have no more support. At this moment, after they have held at bay for four hours the great host, they are called upon to withstand the last grand charge of Jackson.
WThiting advances, he is received with grape and canister. His line halts, wavers, almost breaks; but Jackson, Whiting, Hood, and Law urge the men to push on. They leap across the ravine, halt a moment, sheltered by the bank above them from the fire of the Union batteries, and then leap the breastwork and sieze the guns. There is a short struggle, a falling back, a retreat, and the battle of Gaines's Mills is lost to General Mc- Clellan.
Meagher and French have reached the field, but they are too late to save the day. Twenty guns
120 Following the Flag.
have fallen into Lee's hands, and several hun- dred prisoners. The cavalry in the rear draw their sabers, dash upon the exultant foe, but it is an ineffectual charge. The retreating troops fall in behind French and Meagher, form a new line nearer the Chickahoniiny, as the darkness comes on. They have been driven from their first posi- tion, but Lee has not power enough to drive them into the Chickahominy. He decides to wait till morning before renewing the attack.
The morning dawns, and Porter is beyond his reach across the river, with all his siege guns, ammunition, and supplies.
How near Lee came to losing the battle may be seen by the following extract from the narra- tion of a Rebel correspondent of the Richmond Whig :—
" It was absolutely necessary that we should carry their line, and, to do this, regiment after regiment, and brigade after brigade was succes- sively led forward ; still our repeated charges, gallant and dashing though they were, failed to accomplish the end, and our troops, still fighting, fell steadily back. Thus for more than two mortal hours the momentous issue stood trembling in the balance. The sun was getting far in the west, darkness would soon be upon us, and the point must be carried. At this juncture — it was now five o'clock — the division of the gallant Whiting hove in sight. On reaching the field their troops
rapidly deployed in line The charge was
made under the most galling fire I ever witnessed ; shot, shell, grape, canister, and ball swept through our lines like a storm of leaden hail, and our noble boys fell thick and fast; and yet still, with
Following the Flag. 12 1
the irresistible determination of men who fight for all that men hold dear, our gallant boys rushed on.
" Suddenly a halt was made, — there was a deep pause, and the line wavered from right to left. AVe now saw the character of the enemy's works, A ravine deep and wide yawned before us, while from the other side of the crest of the almost perpendicular bank, a breastwork of logs was erected, from behind which the dastard invaders were pouring murderous volleys upon our troops. The pause made by our troops was but a brief breathing space. The voice of Law was heard, ' Forward, boys ! charge them ! ' and with a wild, mad shout our impetuous soldiery dashed for- ward." *
THE MOVEMENT TO JAMES RIVER.
On the morning of the 28th, General Keyes and General Porter, followed by long trains of wagons and herds of cattle, moved towards the south, through the dark forests of White-Oak Swamp. At White-House landing, sloops, schoon- ers, barges^ and steamers were departing for Yorktown. At Savage Station the torch was ap- plied to all the stores which could not be removed. Barrels of pork, beef, sugar, bags of coffee, boxes of bread, were destroyed. A railroad train loaded with ammunition was standing on the track. The engine was ready for use. Far down the track, there was a pillar of cloud rising from the burnt bridge across the Chickahominy. The cars were set on fire. The engineer stepped upon the en-
* Richmond Whig, June 29, 1868,
122 Following the Flag.
&•
gine for the last time, and pulled tke throttle. The wheels began to turn. He opened the valve to its full width, and jumped upon the ground. The engine sprang down the descending grade, propelled by the pent-up power. It is two miles from the station to the bridge, and over this dis- tance it rushed like an unchained tiger. Sparkling, crackling, roaring with increasing velocity, dash- ing along the fields, over the meadows, through the forests, a trail of fire, a streaming banner of flame and smoke, a linked thunderbolt, rumbling, growling, exploding, leaping from the abutment full forty feet, bursting into a million fragments, jarring the earth with the mighty concussion, and disappearing beneath the waters, a wreck, a ruin forever!
General McClellan was obliged to leave some of his sick and wounded. Many soldiers shed tears as the}' bade a last farewell to their com- rades.
" I would rather die than fall into the hands of the Rebels," said one.
" O my God ! is this the reward I deserve for all the sacrifices I have made, the battles I have fought, and the agony I have endured from my wounds ? " * was the despairing cry of an- other.
" Do not be ashamed of your cause. Defend it boldly, and put your trust in God " ; were the words of one noble chaplain, Rev. Mr. Marks, who would not leave them, but who remained to be a prisoner for their sakes. They prayed together and sang a hymn.
* Peninsular Campaign.
Following the Flag. 123
" Jesus, my God, I know his name, His name is all my trust ; He will not put my soul to shame, Nor let it e'er be lost."
They were comforted, and resolved to meet their fate like men.
The Rebels made no attack on Saturday. They were compelled to repair the bridges which had been destroyed, before they could cross the Chicka- horninj^. General Sumner commanded the rear- guard. He retreated slowly on Saturday to Peach Orchard, and halted to destroy the supplies.
On Sunday morning a portion of Lee's army advanced to attack Sumner, who was at Peach Orchard and Allen's Farm ; but Hazard's and Pettit's batteries, with Sedgwick's division, quickly repulsed them.
BATTLE OF SAVAGE STATION.
Lee's divisions, one after another, filed across the hastily repaired bridges. General Franklin was north of the railroad. He saw them, and sent word to General Sumner, who fell back with Franklin to Savage Station. General Franklin was on the right, Sumner in the center, and Heintzelman nearer Richmond on the left. There was a misunderstanding of orders; and General Heintzelman moved across White-Oak Swamp, which exposed Sumner's left flank to the enemy.
Through the long Sabbath hours, these troops stood upon the wide plain facing northwest, seemingly motionless almost as statues, while the long wagon trains moved into the woods towardb
124 Following the Flag.
the south. They were the rear-guard, and on them depended the salvation of the army.
Following the wagons were thousands of sick and wounded, working their way towards the swamp, urged on by hope of escaping the hands of the Rebels. It was heart-rending to hear the words of those who were too badly wounded to be moved, or who could not be taken away.
The sun went down. Evening was coming on, yet the twenty thousand men remained upon that field awaiting the attack, — three lines of reso- lute, determined men. Brooks's, Hancock's, and Burns's brigades were in front; with Osborn's, Bramhall's, Hazard's, and Pettit's batteries, — twenty-four guns.
It was past five o'clock before the enemy opened the battle. An hour passed of constant artillery firing. Then the Rebels advanced across the wide and level plain with yellings and howlings.
There was a stream of fire from Sumner's line, — a steady outpouring of deadly volleys. It was twenty thousand against forty thousand. There were answering volleys from the Rebel lines. Sumner's batteries left off firing shell and threw canister, and the lines, which had advanced so triumphantly, were sent in confusion across the field. Again they advanced, and were again re- pulsed. Longstreet and Jackson, once more u£ der cover of the gathering darkness, urged on their reluctant troops. Sumner brought up his reserve brigades. It was a short, sharp struggle, — a wild night-tempest, — the roaring of fifty can non, and thirty thousand muskets. The evening was unusually calm. Not a breath of air stirred the leaves of the trees. The staxs shone brightly.
Following the Flag. 125
Strange the scene, — so weird and terrible upon that plain ! A thousand men dropped from the Union ranks, and thrice that number from the ranks of the Rebels.
" Who are you? " asked an officer of the Fifth Vermont, dimly seeing a regiment in the dark- ness.
There was a momentary silence, and then the question, " Who are you ? "
" The Fifth Vermont."
" Let them have it, boys," were the words of command shouted by the Rebel officer. The Vermonters heard it. There was no flinching. Instantly their rifles came to their cheeks.
There were two broad flashes of light, two rows of dead and wounded. But the Vermonters held their ground ; and the Rebels, shattered, re- pulsed, and utterly defeated, disappeared in the gloom of night. It was hard for the brave men to go away from their fallen comrades and leave them upon the field which they had defended with their life's blood, but it was impossible to remove them; and the long lines closed in upon the wagons, marched down the forest road, and at daylight were south of White-Oak Swamp.
BATTLE OP GLENDALE.
" Glendale " is the euphonious name given by Mr. Nelson to his farm, which is located two miles south of WThitie-Oak Swamp. It is a place where several roads meet; from the north, the Swamp road ; from the east, the Long-Bridge road ; from the south, the road leading to Malvern Hill ; from the southwest, the Newmarket road; from the
126 Following the Flag.
northwest, the Charles City road, leading to Rich- mond. There are farm-houses, groves, ravines, wheat-fields waving with grain. Upon the Mal- vern road, there is a church. West of the church, a half-mile, is the mansion of Mr. Frazier, where the Rebel lines were formed on the 30th of June.
At sunrise on that morning, all the divisions of the Union army were south of the swamp. Richardson and Smith, with Naglee's brigade, of Casey's division, were guarding the passage at the swamp. Slocuni was on the Charles City road, northwest of the church. Kearney was be- tween that road and the Newmarket road. Mc- Call was on the Newmarket road, with Hooker and Sedgwick behind him, nearer the church.
Porter and Keyes were at Malvern with the trains, two miles distant.
Lee divided his army. Jackson, D. H. Hill, and Ewell followed McClellan down the Swamp road ; while A. P. Hill, Longstreet, Huger, Ma- gruder, and Holmes made all haste down the Charles City road from Richmond, to strike Mc- Clellan on the flank and divide his army. The President of the Confederacy went out with A. P. Hill to see the Union army cut to pieces.
Jackson reached the bridge across the sluggish stream in the swamp, but it was torn up; and on the southern bank stood Smith and Richard- son. Hazard's, Ayres's, and Pettit's batteries were in position. Jackson brought up all his guns. There was a fierce artillery fight, lasting through the day. Jackson succeeded in getting a small infantry force across towards evening, but it was not strong enough to make an attack, and nothing came of all his efforts to harass the rear.
Following the Flag. 127
During the afternoon, the pickets on the Charles City road discovered A. P. Hill's troops filing off from the road, west of Frazier's farm, toward the south. They went across the fields, and through the woods to the Newmarket road. While the main body was thus taking position, a small body of infantry and a battery opened fire upon Slocum; but he had cut down the forest in his front, forming an impassable barrier, so that he was secure from attack.
General McCall formed his division of six thou- sand men, with Meade's brigade, north of the road, Seymour's south of it, and Keynolds's, — commanded in this battle by Colonel Simmons, — in reserve. He had five batteries, — Randall's on the right, Kerns's and Cooper's in the center, and Dietrich's and Kanerhun's on the left, — all in front of his infantry, looking down a gentle slope upon an open field ; on the west there was a brook, fringed with a forest growth, with the farm of Mr. Frazier beyond.
It was half past two before Hill was ready to make the attack. He threw out two regiments as skirmishers, which advanced to feel of McCall's lines ; but they were repulsed by the Seventh and Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserves. Hill had twelve brigades, six of his own and six of Longstreet's. Magruder and Huger had not arrived. His plan was to strike with all his force at once.
Brigade after brigade advanced, but recoiled before the direct fire of the batteries, sustained by the infantry.
" The thunder of the cannon, the cracking of the musketry, from thousands of combatants, mingled with screams from the wounded and
128
Following the Flag.
dying, were terrific to the ear and to the imagi nation," says a correspondent of the Cologne Gazette.
" Volleys upon volleys streamed across our
Battle op Olendale.
1 Smith and Richardson. * Slocum. S Kearney.
4 Sumner.
5 Hooker. 6 McCall.
A Jackson. Ewell, and D. H. HiU. B A. P. Hill and Longstreet. C Newmarket road. D Quaker road.
front in such quick succession that it seemed ira- posible for any human being to live under it," * writes a Rebel officer.
* Battle-Fields of the South, p. 170.
Following the Flag. 129
Five o'clock! The battle has raged two hours and a half, sustained wholly by McCall, and Hill has not driven him an inch.
The Rebels desist from their direct attack in front, and throw all their force upon Seymour's left, south of the road. McCall sends over the Fifth and Eighth Regiments from his second line.
" Change front with the infantry and artil- lery," is his order.
Hill is pushing along his left flank to gain his rear.
McCall orders a charge, and it is executed with a promptness and vigor sufficient to check the advancing troops. But his line has become disordered by the charge. Hill improves the op- portunity, and hurries up his reserve brigades, which fire while advancing.
The gunners of the German batteries leave their pieces. McCall rides among them, rallies them a moment, but the drivers are panic-stricken. They dash off to the rear, breaking through the infantry, and trampling down the men. The Rebels rush upon the deserted guns with unparal- leled frenzy. The line of McCall is broken, and portions of his troops follow the fleeing can- noneers.
General McCall tries to rally the fugitives, but they are deaf to all his orders. They stream on through Hooker's and Sumner's line.
Will Hooker's men join the drifting current? Now or never they must be brave. Now or never their country is to be saved. All hearts feel it; all hands are ready. They stand in the gateway of centuries. Unnumbered millions are beckon- ing them to do their duty.
130 Following the Flag.
Hooker has Grover's brigade on the right, Carr's in the center, and Sickles's on the left, — just the order in which they stood at Williams- burg.
The Sixteenth Massachusetts, led by the heroic Colonel Wyman, met the pursuers. The Sixty- Ninth Pennsylvania, of Sedgwick's division, join- ing upon Hooker's right, delivered at the same moment a fire upon the flank of the enemy. Along Sumner's front, from King's, Kirby's, Tompkins's Owen's, and Bartlett's batteries, flashed double- shotted guns. It was as if a voice had said, " Thus far and no farther ! " Hooker's infantry came into close battle-line, delivered a fire, which forced the Rebels over against Sumner's batteries ; which, in turn, threw them against Kearney, and against Meade's brigade, which had not joined in the fight. Grover pushed on with the First and Sixteenth Massachusetts, the Second New Hampshire, and Twenty-Sixth Pennsylvania, with reckless daring. Hill was driven back over all the ground he had won, with great slaughter.
'it was a decided repulse, but costly to the Six- teenth Massachusetts. Its noble colonel fell at the head of his regiment. These were the last words of one of the soldiers of that regiment: " I thank God that I am permitted to die for my country, and I thank him yet more that I am prepared, — or at least I hope I am."
So complete was the repulse that the Rebel troops became a mob, and fled in terror towards Richmond.
" Many old soldiers," says a Rebel officer, " who had served on the plains of Arkansas and Mis- souri wept in the bitterness of their souls like
Following the Flag. 131
children. Of what avail had it been to us that our best blood had flowed for six long days? Of what avail all of our unceasing and exhaustless endurance? Everything seemed lost, and a gen- eral depression came over all our hearts. Bat- teries dashed past in headlong flight. Ammuni- tion, hospital, and supply wagons rushed along, and swept the troops away with them from the battle-field. In vain the most frantic exertions, entreaty, and self-sacrifice of the staff officers! The troops had lost their foothold, and all was over with the Southern Confederacy ! " *
General Magruder's arrival alone saved Hill from an ignominious flight.
Through the night there was the red glare of torches upon the battle-field where the Rebel wounded were being gathered up. Great was the loss. Up to daylight there was no apparent diminution of the heart-rending cries and groans of the wounded. A mournful wail was heard from Glendale during that long, dismal night.f
THE BATTLE OF MALVERN.
The battle-field of July 1st, 1S82, bears the pleasant name of Malvern. It is on the north bank of the James, — an elevated plain near the river, but declining gently towards the north, — divided into corn and wheat fields, bordered on the east and west and south by wooded ravines. The estate is owned by Dr Carter. Although it bears a name so pleasant, there have been sad scenes upon those fertile fields, — not alone the shock, roar, and horror of a great battle, but the low wail of mothers for their infants, torn
* Cologne Gazette account. \ Hooker's Keport.
132 Following the Flag.
from their arms and sold to slave-traders, — the agonies of men under torture of the whip, their flesh torn and mangled by an unfeeling master.
''Was he a good master?" I asked of an old negro at City Point, in July, 1864.
" No, sir. He was very bad, sir. He was de wussest dat eber was, sir. He was so bad dat we call him Hell Carter, sir. 'Cause we tink dat de Lord will send him to de bad place one ob dese days, sir. He go dere sure, sir."
The mansion is a quaint old structure, built of red bricks, surrounded by elms, and commanding a wide panorama of the James, of the valley of the Appomattox, and the distant Richmond hills.
The house was standing in the time of the Rev- olution, and was marked on the map of Corn- wallis.
West of Malvern are the Strawberry Plains. A streamlet, which rises in the vicinity of Glen- dale, courses to the James through a wooded ravine between the Strawberry grounds and Mal- vern. The hill is so sharp and steep and high that General Barnard was able to plant two tiers of guns upon the slope, and crown it with heavy siege guns. The trees in the ravine were felled, and rifle-pits thrown up, extending along the western side and across the open field towards the north, where the slope of the hill shades into the level plain.
Eastward, the trees were felled and their branches lopped by the pioneers. It was a strong position, and these preparations made it impreg- nable. Lee must assail it from the northwest, — over the wide plain, exposed to the fire of sixty cannon.
Following the Flag. 133
Porter's corps occupied the ravine between Mal- vern and the Plains. Couch's, Kearney's, and Hooker's divisions held the front towards the north. Sumner's and Franklin's corps held the lef i ; the Pennsylvania Reserves and the remain- der of Keyes's corps, the center. The line was semicircular, and so well concentrated were the troops, that reinforcements, if needed, might be had with little delay.
In the James River, two miles distant, lay a fleet of five gunboats, carrying heavy guns, — near enough to throw shells upon the Strawberry Plains.
The Rebels advanced cautiously. Jackson, Ewell, Whiting, and D. H. Hill moved down the Quaker road, while Magruder, Longstreet, Huger, and Holmes came down the Richmond road. Jackson, D. H. Hill, and Ewell appeared in front of Couch; Huger and Magruder, in front of Mo- relFs division of Porter's corps; while Holmes filed through the woods towards the James, along the western edge of Strawberry Plains.
Although the distance from Glendale is but two and a half miles, it was past ten o'clock be- fore the head of Magruder's columns appeared in sight. A. P. Hill's division, which had been so terribly shattered at Glendale, was left behind.
Magruder shelled the woods and advanced cau- tiously. There was a pattering skirmish fire through the forenoon, with an artillery duel at long range.
Noon passed, and there was no apparent dispo- sition on the part of the Rebels to make an attack. They dreaded the terrible fire from the numer- ous guns gleaming in me sun upon the hillside.
134
Following the Flag.
1 Warren's Bri
2 Buchanan's ' 8 Chapman's "
4 Griffin's "
5 Martindale's "
6 Butterfield's '
7 Couch's Division.
Battle of Malvern. Sykes's Div. 11 McCall's Division.
10 Abatis.
A Jackson, D.H. Hill, and EwelL Morell's " B Longstreet.
C MaKruder and Huger. D A. P. Hill. E Holmes.
6 Sumner's and Heintzelman's Corps.
Following the Flag. 135
General Magruder brought all of the cannon into position which could be advantageously posted, and at two o'clock opened a rapid fire, which was replied to by the batteries on the hill. He threw forward his skirmishers at an earlier hour.
Jackson moved forward a division upon Couch an hour later, but it was hurled back in confusion by the fire of the batteries, and the deadly volley delivered from the rifle-pits.
Holmes, all the while, had been edging towards the river, to gain the rear of McClellan, but the enormous shells from the gunboats, which tore down the forests, paralyzed his soldiers.
There was a consultation among the Kebel commanders. Lee had intrusted the command in his center to Magruder. His brigadier-generals did not want to advance over the plain.
" I am unwilling to slaughter my brigade," said General Cobb, "but, if you command me, I ^»all make the ciiarge if my last man falls."
" I intend to make the charge, no matter what it costs," said Magruder.
The commanders wTent to their brigades, mur- muring that Magruder was drunk, that it would be madness to make the attack.*
Magruder formed his line in the woods. Armis- tead's brigade moved upon the Union picket line and drove it back. " Advance rapidly, press for- ward your whole line, and follow up Armistead's successes. They are reported to be getting off," was Lee's message to Magruder.
It was past six o'clock before Mahone, Kansom,
* Pollard, Southern Hist.
136 Following the Flag.
Wright, Jones, and Cobb were ready. At the word of command, fifteen thousand men move from the shelter of the woods and appear upon the open plain, moving in solid phalanx, — close, compact, shoulder to shoulder, to capture, by a desperate charge, the batteries upon the hillside. It is madness ! Success has made them reckless.
With shoutings and bowlings they break into a run. Instantly the hill is all aflame, from base to summit. Shells, shrapnel, and canister are poured upon them. There is the bellowing of a hundred cannoa, mingled with the mutitudinous rattling of thousands of small arms.
The Rebel lines melt away, — whole squadrons tumbling headlong. In vain the effort, the men waver, turn, and disappear within the woods.
Magruder is furious at the failure. Again the attempt, — again the same result.
The sun is going down behind the hills when he makes his last effort. Meagher and Sickles go up from the right, and strengthen Porter's center. There is a shifting of batteries, — a move- ment to new positions, — a re-arranging of regi- ments. The artillery on both sides, and the gun- boats, keep up a constant fire.
The Rebels advance, but they are not able to reach the base of the hill. " From sixteen batter- ies," says the chaplain of the Fourth Texas, " and from their gunboats they beclouded the day and lit the night with a lurid glare. Add to this the light and noise of our own artillery, which had been brought forward, and, like an opposing volcano with a hundred craters, it gleamed, and flashed streams and sheets of fire, — while long lines of human forms cast their shadows upon the
Following the Flag. 137
darkness in the background, and each joined with his firelock in hand to contribute to the terrors of the awful scene." *
Officers and men, in this contest, go down in one indiscriminate slaughter. They are whirled into the air, torn, mangled, blown into fragments. They struggle against the merciless storm, break, and disappear in the darkness, panting, ex- hausted, foiled, dispirited, demoralized, refusing to be murdered, and uttering execrations upon the drunken Magruder.f
Although the army was upon James River, and in communication with the gunboats, and although the Rebels had been repulsed mainly by the artil- lery, orders were issued by General McClellan to retreat to Harrison's Landing. At midnight the troops were on the march, stealing noiselessly away, abandoning the wounded.
" Although," says General McClellan, " the re- sult of the battle of Malvern was a complete vic- tory, it was necessary to fall back still farther, in order to reach a point where our supplies could be brought to us with certainty." %
There were some officers who were much amazed at this order. They felt that having reached the river and defeated the enemy with terrible slaugh- ter there should be no more falling back.
" It is one of the strangest things in this week of disaster," says Chaplain Marks, " that General McClellan ordered a retreat to Harrison's Land- ing, six miles down James River, after we had gained so decided a victory. When the order was received by the impatient and eager army,
* Campaign from Texas to Maryland, f Battle-Fields of the South. % Report, p. 140.
138 Following the Flag.
consternation and amazement overwhelmed our patriotic and ardent hosts. Some refused to obey the command. General Martindale shed tears of shame. The brave and chivalrous Kearny said in the presence of many officers, " I, Philip Kearny, an old soldier, enter my solemn protest against this order for retreat; we ought, instead of re- treating, to follow up the enemy and take Rich- mond. And, in full view of all the responsibility of such a declaration, I say to you all, such an order can only be prompted by cowardice or trea- son." *
CHAPTER IX.
AFFAIRS IN FRONT OF WASHINGTON.
The prospects of the Rebels, which were «o gloomy in April, were bright or,ce more. They had driven the. Army sf the Potomac away from Richmond li was August. A month had passed and General McClellan had shown no disposition ^3 advance again upon Richmond. A consulta- t'W was held in that city. President Davis said that the time had come to strike a great blow. General Pope was in front of Washington with forty thousand men. It was determined to crush him, invade Maryland, and capture Baltimore and Washington. The Southern newspapers hinted that Tennessee, Kentucky, and the whole of Vir- ginia were to be recovered, that Maryland was
* Peninsular Campaign, p. 294.
Following the Flag. 139
to be liberated from oppression, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and Cincinnati assailed.
General Lee's army numbered not far from one hundred thousand, having been reinforced by troops from the South. Those troops who had fought Burnside in North Carolina were hurried up; others were sent from South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. Conscription was enforced vigorously. General Lee proposed to leave a force in Richmond large enough to hold it against Mc- Clellan, while he sent the main body of the army to fall like a thunderbolt on General Pope.
These preparations were known in Washington, and on the 3d of August General Haileck, who had been placed in command of all the troops in the field, telegraphed to General McClellan to send his army to Aquia Creek as soon as possible. General Burnside's troops were withdrawn from Fortress Monroe, and united to Pope's army.
General McClellan wished to remain upon the James and attack Richmond from that quarter, but General Haileck felt that it was absolutely necessary to unite the two armies. " You must move with all possible celerity," was the telegram sent on the 9th of August.
But it was not till the 16th that the army broke up its camp and moved down the Peninsula, to Yorktown.
While that despatch of the 9th was on the wires, Jackson, D. H. Hill, Ewell, and Winder were engaged with Pope on the Rapidan.
General Pope had advanced from the Rappa- hannock, to hold the enemy in check till the Army of the Potomac could be brought back from the Peninsula.
140 Following the Flag.
BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
Fertile and fair are the farms of Culpepper, as beautiful as any in the Old Dominion. They are watered by swiftly running streams. Their slopes are verdant and sunny, sheltered by the Blue Kidge from wintry blasts. Beyond the town of Culpepper, towards the south, there is a hillock, called Cedar Mountain, which rises abruptly, and in shape like a sugar-loaf. Near the Moun- tain is the house of Rev. Mr. Slaughter. Robin- son's Creek winds through his farm, south of the Mountain, on its course to the Rapidan. North of the Mountain is the residence of Mrs. Critten- den. The house is shaded by overhanging trees. It stands on the west side of the highway leading from Culpepper to Madison. Standing there and looking towards the Mountain, we see fields of corn and wheat, groves and woods, bordering the field.
General Crawford's brigade of Banks's corps, in the advance from Culpepper to the Rapidan, on the 8th of August, encountered Jackson's pickets at the base of the Mountain, upon the farm of Mr. Slaughter.
On Saturday morning, the 9th instant, General Williams's division joined Crawford. As the troops approached the farm of Mrs. Crittenden, the base and summit of the Mountain seemingly became volcanic. There was an outburst of flame and smoke, a screaming in the air, and the deep reverberation of the cannonade.
Williams's batteries were soon in position, and replied with shot and shells.
General Banks arrived. He formed a line of
Following the Flag, 141
battle, placing Williams's division west of the Madison road, near Mrs. Crittenden's house, and Augur's division east of it, nearer the Mountain. On the right of the line west of the house was Gordon's brigade, next Crawford, Geary, Greene, and Prince.
Jackson, from his lookout on the Mountain, could see all the movements of General Banks. He threw out a line of skirmishers. Banks did the same. They met midway the armies, and began the contest. An hour passed of rapid artil- lery firing. Then the infantry became engaged, Jackson throwing his brigades upon Prince, turn- ing his flank, and pushing him back. At the same time there was a furious attack upon Crawford. His men stood it awhile, then charged the Rebel lines, but were repulsed. Gordon moved in to take his place. The left of the line, Prince and Geary and Greene, was swinging back. Jackson was moving fresh brigades upon the center, but Gordon held them in check. His men dropped rapidly, but so destructive were his volleys that the Rebel line wavered and then retreated. But other brigades were thrown upon Gordon's right flank. They swept him with an enfilading fire, and he, too, was compelled to retreat or be cut off. He retired past Mrs. Crittenden's, across Cedar Creek. There Banks formed again, planted his artillery, and waited the advance of the enemy.
Ricketts's division came up from McDowell's corps, ready to receive Jackson, but the Rebel general was content with what he had already accomplished.
During the night there was an artillery duel, and a skirmish among the pickets.
142 Following the Flag.
In the morning, a white flag was displayed on the field, and the wounded were gathered, and the dead buried. Officers from both armies met and conversed freely of the war. General Hart- suff, and the Rebel General Stuart, who were old acquaintances, shook hands upon the ground where the contest had been so fierce.
General Jackson withdrew his forces after me battle towards Gordonsville, to wait the advance of the main army, under Lee, while General Pope pushed south to the Rapidan.
On the 16th, General Pope's cavalry captured a Rebel courier, who was bearing a letter from Lee to Jackson, from which it was ascertained that the whole of Lee's army was moving north from Richmond, to crush Pope before McClellan could join him. General Pope was prompt to act upon this information. He retreated to the north bank of the Rappahannock, planted his artillery to cover the fords, hoping to