USA > Texas > The Confederate capital and Hood's Texas brigade > Part 13
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General Mcclellan, in the same report, testified as follows: "The next morning I found that our loss had been so great. and there was so much disorganization in some of the commands. . As an instance of the condition of some of the troops. I happen to recollect the return of the first corps ( General Hooker s), made
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on the morning of the 18th, by which there were 3500 men reported for duty. Four days after that the returns of the same corps showed 13.500."
General Mcclellan's report shows that he had in action at Sharpsburg 87, 164 men. Official Confederate reports show the en- tire forces in all the departments of Northern Virginia was a little over 69,000, and General Lee's whole strength at Sharpsburg was only 35,254. These figures show how utterly impolitic any further proceeding into the enemy's country. The wisest course was to fall back across the Potomac, which General Lee did in a splendid manner.
On the morning of the 20th, General A. P. Hill, who com- manded the rear guard, was pursued by some brigades of the Federals. He gave the order to drive them back, and says in his report: "A simultaneous, daring charge was made, and the enemy driven pell-mell into the river. Then commenced the most ter- rible slaughter that this war has yet witnessed. The broad sur- face of the Potomac was blue with the floating bodies of our foe. But few escaped to tell the tale. By their own account, they lost three thousand killed and drowned, and from one brigade alone some two hundred prisoners were taken."
The New York Tribune indignantly sums up the situation thus: "General Lee leaves us the debris of his late camp, two disabled pieces of artillery, a few hundred of his straggiers, perhaps two thousand of his wounded, and as many of his unburied dead. Not a sound field-piece, caisson, ambulance or wagon, not a tent. box of stores or a particle of ammunition. He takes with him the supplies gathered in Maryland, and the rich spoils of Harper's Ferry." The same paper says that "the failure of Maryland to rise was the only defeat Lee sustained; that his retreat over the Potomac was a masterpiece; and the manner in which be had combined Hill and Jackson for the envelopment of Harper's Ferry, while he checked the Federal column at Hagerstown and Compton Gap, was probably the best achievement of the war."
General Lee, his officers and men, made a record during this campaign that will flash down the ages with all the lustre of true military glory. Leaving the Confederate capital on the banks of the James, he had rapidly transferred his operations to the Potomac, fought his way through the mountain gap to the Po- tomac, crossed that stream, captured stores, arms and ammuni- tion at Harper's Ferry; fought the greatest pitched battle of the war at Sharpsburg, and re-crossed the Potomac into Virginia, after destroying miles of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and its bridges, which cost thousands of dollars.
The men who performed the wonderful exploits of this cam-
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paign had, in little over a month, been able to secure only four days' rest. "One-fifth of these men were barefoot, one-half of them in rags, and the whole of them half famished."
They had marched over many a weary mile, stood the st ck of battle, watched many a comrade fall upon the right hand an i the left, yet their footsteps marked the same martial bearing. and on their faces rested the expression of the same determinatisa as when they first enlisted in the service.
General Hood's division marched to a point north of Winches- ter, in the beautiful valley of the Shenandoah, where they rested after their toilsome labors. The appreciation of the commanding general of the Texas troops is conveyed in the following letter to Senator Wigfall, of the Confederate Congress from Texas:
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA, September 21, 1862. 1
General L. T. Wigfall:
GENERAL :- I have not heard from you with regard to the new Texas regiments which you promised to raise for the army. I need them very much. I rely upon those we have in all our tight places, and fear I have to call upon them too often. They have fought grandly and nobly, and we must have more of them. Please make every possible exertion to get them on for me. You must help us in this matter. With a few more regiments as Hood now has, as an example of daring and bravery, I could feel more confident of the campaign.
Very respectfully yours, R. E. LEE, General.
This appeal never met with any encouragement. Men were added as recruits to the three Texas regiments in Virginia. 1 st no more new commands were ever brought from Texas to Gen- eral Lee's army.
General Hood delivered his address to the division, as follows:
NEAR WINCHESTER, September 28, 1862.
GENERAL, ORDER NO. -.
The brigadier commanding takes pleasure in tendering his thanks and congratulations to the officers and men under his command for their arduous services and gallant conduct during the recent campaign. After having distinguished yourselves at the battle of Gaines' Farm on June 27; your long-continued and tiresome march since leaving Richmond; dashing courage at the . battle of Manassas Plain, August 30; your truly veteran conduct at the battle of Sharpsburg, Md., September 17, has won for you
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the praise and gratitude of the army and country. In less than three months you have marched several hundred miles, under trying circumstances, participated in several battles, and made yourselves the acknowledged heroes of three of the hardest fought battles that have occurred in the present war. In none of these have you elicited so much praise from our commanding general, or so justly entitled yourselves to the proud distinction of being the best soldiers in the army, as at the battle of Shares- burg. Called upon to retake ground lost by our arms, you not only did so, but promptly drove the enemy, twenty times your number, from his guns, and if supported, would have led on to one of the most signal victories known to the history of any people. Your failure to do so was attributable to others. And it was here, by your conduct in rallying and presenting front to the advancing columns of the enemy, that you earned higher praise than in any of the brilliant charges you have made. No achievement so marks the true soldier as coolness under such circumstances as surrounded you on that memorable day, and it was with peculiar pride the brigadier commanding acknowledges that such of his command as had not fallen in that terrible clash of arms, were in ranks again, ready and willing to meet the foe.
J. B. HOOD, Brigadier-General, Commanding.
General Lee issued the following address to the whole army, which is a complete summary of the campaign:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY >
NORTHERN VIRGINIA, October 2, 1862. )
GENERAL ORDER NO. 116.
In reviewing the achievements of the army during the present campaign, the commanding general can not withhold the ex- pression of his admiration of the indomitable courage it has displayed in battle, and its cheerful endurance of privation and hardship on the march. Since your victories around Richmond you have defeated the enemy at Cedar Mountain, expelled him from the Rappahannock, and after a conflict of three days, utterly repulsed him on the plains of Manassas, and forced him to take shelter within the fortifications around his capital. Without halting for repose, you crossed the Potomac, stormed the heights of Harper's Ferry, made prisoners of more than eleven thousand men, and captured upward of seventy pieces of artillery. all their side arms and other munitions of war. While one corps was thus engaged the other insured its success by arresting at Boonesboro the combined armies of the enemy, advancing under their favorite general to the relief of their beleaguered comrades.
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On the field of Sharpsburg, with less than one-third his num- bers, you resisted from daylight until dark the whole army of the enemy, and repulsed every attack along his entire front of more than four miles in extent. The whole of the following day you stool prepared to resume the conflict on the same ground, and retired next morning without molestation across the Potomac. Two attempts subsequently made by the enemy to follow you across the river has resulted in his complete discomfiture, and being driven back with loss. Achievements such as these de- mand much valor and patriotism. History records few examples of greater fortitude and endurance than this army has exhibited: and I am commissioned by the President to thank you in the name of the Confederate States for the undying fame you have won for their arins. Much as you have done, much more remains to be accomplished. The enemy again threatens us with invasion, and to your tried valor and patriotism the country looks with confidence for deliverance and safety. Your past exploits give assurance that this confidence is not misplaced.
R. E. LEE, General Commanding.
The following letter from General Jackson explains how Gen- eral Hood came to be promoted Major-General soon after:
HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA DISTRICT, September 27, 1862.
GENERAL :- I respectfully recommend that Brigadier-General J. B. Hood be promoted to the rank of Major-General. He was under my command during the engagements along the Chicka- hominy, commencing on the 27th of June last, when he rendered distinguished service. Though not of my command in the re- cently hard-fought battle of Sharpsburg, Maryland, yet, for a portion of the day, I had occasion to give directions respecting his operations, and it gives me pleasure to say that his duties were discharged with such ability and zeal as to command my admiration. I regard him as one of the most promising officers in the army.
I am General, your obedient servant, T. J. JACKSON, Major-General.
General Hood's arrest, which General Lee had suspended at Boonesboro Gap, was never reconsidered; in lien thereof, lie soon received the promotion of Major-General. During the re-organi- zation of the division, placing regiments of States together, the Texas Brigade lost the 18th Georgia Regiment, which up to this time, had stood shoulder to shoulder with them in every conflict, and had shared every weary march and all their scanty rations.
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The men regretted the change, but gained in exchange, the 3rd Arkansas Regiment, thus throwing all the regiments from the trans-Mississippi together in the Texas Brigade.
"The loss sustained by the division of two brigades, after leaving Richmond, was two hundred and fifty-three killed on the field, sixteen hundred and twenty-one wounded and one hun- dred missing, making in all one thousand nine hundred and seventy-four.
"There was an outburst of praise amongst the nations of the world at the splendid display of bravery of the Southern troops who had purchased their distinction by the price of blood."
The London Times, the great exponent of "historic precedent and educated opinion in Europe," paid the following tribute to the South:
"The people of the Confederate States have made themselves famous. If the renown of brilliant courage, stern devotion to a cause, and military achievements almost without a parallel, can compensate men for the toil and privation of the hour, then the countrymen of Lee and Jackson may be consoled amid their sufferings. From all parts of Europe, from their enemies . as well as their friends, from those who condemn their acts, as well as those who sympathize with them, comes the tribute of admiration. When the history of this war is written, the ad- miration will doubtless become deeper and stronger, for the veil, which has covered the South, will be drawn away and dis- close a picture of patriotism, of unanimous self-sacrifice, of wise and firm administration, which we can now only see indistinctly. The details of extraordinary national effort which has led to the repulse and almost the destruction of an invading force of more than half a million of men, will then become known to the world, and whatever may be the fate of the new nationality, or its subsequent claims to the respect of mankind, it will as- suredly begin its career with a reputation for genius and valor which the most famous nations may envy."
While this was the expressed opinion of the world, yet the great powers of Europe failed to make any attempt of recogni- tion, and Lincoln's paper blockade was sustained, when the Federal navy at the beginning of the war, according to the navy register, did not comprise more than fifty vessels to protect a coast line of nearly three thousand miles in extent.
The neutrality, which now began to be galling to the South, cannot be attributed to preference for the government of the United States, nor hatred to the Southern institution of slavery, although the abolition movement virtually began in England. The United States had probably never been forgiven for separat-
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ing from the British crown. Monarchies are sublimely indifferent to the fate of republics, lest their own thrones should totter aud fall beneatlı their feet.
The war demanded an immense amount of arms and munitions of deadly strife, and England was interested to have it continue for the benefit of trade, even when her own people were clamor- ing for the cotton which was the product of the South.
France could not afford to interfere. Maximilian was attempt- ing to establish a monarchy in Mexico under French protection, while the United States was engaged in civil war. This kept Louis Napoleon interested in his own project, and while cotamis- sioners were sent to both England and France, they never got even a shadow of recognition of the existence of the Confeder- acy.
The other powers tacitly followed the leadership of those two. Nothing for them could be accomplished by sympathy with revo- lution-the South must defend herself.
A plan was formulated to purchase all the cottou at ten cents per pound and store it in England, as a permanent basis for the Confederate government. Memminger, Secretary of the Treasury, bitterly opposed the scheme, and it was abandoned. This was a fatal mistake. However much a nation may admire pluck, courage and endurance, yet the cool speculator wants something more substantial before risking interference. Who can fathom the result, had the finances been solidly supported?
The capture of the Southern commissioners to England and France upon the high seas was encouraging to the South, but was managed by Mr. Seward with coolness, and the demand for their release was yielded to without remonstance, in spite of the fact that the Northern press declared their seizure more than vic- tories in the field, the compliments of the cabinet were tendered their captor, Captain Wilkes, and a proposition introduced into congress to distinguish his piratical adventure by a public vote of thanks.
The course of the government convinced the South that the North would not only spend large sums of money, recruit their armies from every nation under heaven, but, also, condescend to any concession so the great purpose of crushing out the rebellion was accomplished. They realized there was no hope from out- side help, and went to work to develop more of the resources of their own country.
During 1862 the British Minister of Foreign Affairs applied to Mr. Seward for some relaxation of the blockade, so they could command some cotton from the Southern States, as the distress of the manufacturing districts was becoming alarming. The
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growth of cotton in the British colonies, Egypt, Brazil and else- where, which had been stimulated by the American war, had not brought forth the results expected, although there were hopes of freedom from dependence upon the slave-holding South, yet they soon became convinced they must have more cotton or ruin would stare them in the face.
Mr. Seward promised he would soon open all the channels of commerce, and said in his communication:
"We have ascertained that there are three and a half million bales remaining in the region where it was produced. We have instructed the military authorities to favor, as far as they can with public safety, its preparation for and dispatch to the market where it is so much wanted."
Congress passed resolutions providing that the President was authorized to issue his proclamation declaring the inhabitants of a State to be in a state of insurrection, therefore all commer- cial intercourse became unlawful and must cease, and all goods and merchandise, in transit, must be forfeited to the United States.
It became then in the rebellious States, unlawful to trade be- tween themselves, or others, and all goods subject to seizure were confiscated. There was also a provision that some one might be appointed to re-open trade, if conducive to public in- terest. The articles of trade were cotton and tobacco, and the public interest was the seizure of these articles and transport- ing them to European manufacturies.
The Confederate Army was a vast volunteer corps, until April, IS62, when there was passed a conscription act, through the recommendation of President Davis, declaring all persons be- tween the ages of eighteen and thirty-five liable for military duty, exempting only those engaged in work for the government. making the whole male population a vast reserve force to be placed in the field without legislative enactment, Even those engaged in government employ were organized into companies and battalions, and kept ready to move at a moment's warning.
The depletion of the army, during the bloody battles of the campaign, called for re-enforcements, and another conscription act was passed, extending the age to forty-five years. The peo- ple long suffering, as they had been, met the issue promptly, and were still strong enough not to murmur, but to purchase victory, or die in the attempt.
The historian, who looks backward, now wonders at the faith of the people, the faith of the women who had so much of the bitterness to endure, the faith of the soldiers. Those were heroic times. They never realized what they were enduring.
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The necessities of the times were such there was no time for repining over the inevitable, and no patience for the croakers who, unless compelled, would do nothing themselves, nor give a cheering word to others.
The people, at home, devoted themselves less to the growth of cotton and tobacco, and turned their attention in the agri- cultural districts, more to grain, corn and other needed supplies for the army. The unwarrantable act of the Federal congress was looked upon as another species of oppression of a people who had forgotten to be just, in the blind passion of the hour.
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CHAPTER XIV.
Plans for Filling the Confederate Treasury-Depreciation of Currency -- The Means Women Resorted to, to Make Money-The Clothing Bureau-Work 011 Plantations-Faithfulness of Slaves to their Mistresses-Capture of Galveston a Shock to the Texas Brigade-Review of Troops-Flag of 4th Texas-Ist Texas Flag-Bands of Brigade-Corps Again on the March- Colonel Robertson of 5th Texas Appointed Brigadier-General - Burnside Appointed to Command of Federal Army-Supplies of Clothing Sent Tex- ans-Burnside Attempts an "On to Richmond"-Battle of Fredericksburg -- Federals Re-cross the River-General Lee Fights Behind Breastworks First at Fredricksburg-Suffering of the People of that Place-Assistance of the Soldiers-Emancipation Proclamation-Galveston Re-captured --- Delight of Texas Brigade-Hood's Division Detached and Sent to Suf- folk-General Hooker in Command of the Federal Army-Division of Hood Re-called, but.Arrives too Late for Chancellorsville -- General Lee's Regret at Hood's Absence.
By this time the bad financial system of the Confederate gov- ernment began to bear its fruit. After Memminger's steady re- fusal to purchase the cotton, send it to Europe and hold it as a base of operations, other plans were resorted to, borrowing from individuals, taxation and the collection of millions of dollars owing Northern men, which by an act of Congress, approved by the President, was paid into the coffers of the government. All this did not relieve matters.
The country was flooded with confederate money, issued al- most at random by the administration, and counterfeited by Northern people, who supplied their soldiers with it to scatter amongst Southern people wherever the army camped.
The illicit traffic of "running the blockade," carried a great deal of gold and silver out of the country, as this now began to assume the proportions of a regular business across the border, and through every Southern port.
At the capital, Confederate money was now worth only five dollars for one. When it is understood all the able-bodied men, up to forty-five years, were in the field, or subject to military duty, the city filled with refugees, provisions and clothing scarce, and only to be purchased with cash, it will be manifest the sufferings of non-combatants began to tell very plainly. The pay of officers and men was very small. Out of this pit- tance there was little for family use. Numbers of refugees had lost every slave, captured by the enemy, and numbers of soldiers left no slaves behind to earn a subsistence for their families.
Women therefore, were compelled to do something to keep the
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"wolf from the door," and sustain the helpless children while their fathers were absent. Many a woman, who had never earned a dollar, was compelled to seek employment. The government, by this time, had systematized their hospital arrangements and provided a clothing bureau. Nurses and matrons were needed in the hospitals regularly, to perform the service hitherto ren - dered by volunteers, and a large number were thus employed --- efficient help in that department being imperative.
Many who were well educated, were engaged as clerks in the commissary, quartermaster and other government offices. It was found women could do the work as well as men, allowing the latter the privilege of fighting the battles of their country.
Women and girls also were engaged in the laboratories, manu- facturing cartridges and other death-dealing missives, while scores and hundreds thronged the clothing bureau to obtain soldiers clothing, there distributed, to be taken home and made at nominal prices, Perhaps of all the sad scenes enacted around the Confederate capital, none were more heart-rending than those that met the eye around this place, where grim want hunted for the boon of work to supply food for hungry childhood.
At early daylight, women with drawn, pinched faces, took their position in a line at those doors. By the time they were opened and ready for business, a vast throng was on hand, which had to be held back by policemen, so eager were they to get the sewing, as they marched up, procured their bundles, and passed out by another door.
Often the press of the crowd was so great, a delicate female would faint and almost die, before the surging mass of humanity could give her fresh air. The chief of bureau would send her down in an elevator and back to her poverty-stricken home. When this became known, willing hands were stretched forth to relieve her necessities; but, alas! how many suffered in those days the pangs of hunger and despair, who never breathed their want to mortal ears. Only when these occurrences came to the knowledge of the rushing world, interested in news from the seat of war, was the hidden anguish of the times unveiled.
Women in the agricultural districts were in better condition. They assumed the management of the plantations, directed the work of the slaves, dragged out spinning-wheels and looms, kept the females continually knitting, spinning and weaving, and not only kept themselves and dependents well fed and clothed, but sent regular supplies of food and clothing to the soldiers and hos- pitals at Richmond.
Their homes were always open to convalescent soldiers, who recovered from sickness and wounds in the delightful farm-houses of Virginia -- their wants attended to by the daintiest women in
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the land. As soon as one lot of soldiers recovered and returned to the field, it was reported to the hospitals whence they came, and others took their places. Thousands were thus care.i for. and recovered to the army who would otherwise have perished for want of attention, amid the long, weary hours of hospital life.
While the farming country was frequently in the hands of the enemy, and their raiding parties left a track of desolation behind them, yet the faithfulness of many of the negro slaves helped the women to recover from these disasters.
To the eternal honor of the slaves, who refused to yield to the machinations of abolition troops, they gave their mistresses only the most cheerful obedience and assistance in every way possible, and no single case of mutiny or insurrection ever occurred, when there were whole neighborhoods of women, children and old men at their mercy. Some, of course, deserted when they got the chance, and enlisted in the Federal army, but the majority were faithful to the bitter end, and very materially, under the guidance of their mistresses, helped to furnish the means of sub- sistence for the army, as there were districts where the foot of the invader never trod, rich and fertile in their yield, under good management.
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