USA > Texas > The Confederate capital and Hood's Texas brigade > Part 14
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While the Texas Brigade was recruiting, reorganizing and re- suming the rigid system practiced by General Hood. in their camp near Winchester, the news was received of the capture of Galveston, Texas, by the Federals, October 9th.
This was a shock and surprise to the men who had followed General Lee so persistently through Virginia, which they found to be attributable to the fact that the Confederacy had practically allowed that sea-port to remain in a defenseless state, and it had fallen, after only a feeble resistance, before the superior naval advantages of the Federals. They felt this to be sheer neglect, as there were available forces enough in Texas to have averted this disaster, had they been properly handled. While they grieved at the unfortunate mistake, it did not diminish their de- votion to the Army of Northern Virginia.
On the Sth of October Generals Longstreet and Hood reviewed the troops. Regiment after regiment passed, until there came one bearing a flag filled with holes from the bullets of the foe. The ensign, who bore it, walked with a manly step, proud of his colors. It was a lone star flag belonging to the 5th Texas. and had been pierced forty-seven times. Seven ensigns had fallen beneath its folds.
Another passed made by Miss Loula Wigfall, and presented to . General Hood while in command of the 4th regiment. The motto: "Fear not, for I ami with thee; say to the North give up and to the South, keep not back, " was graven on the spear-head.
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Nine ensigns had fallen beneath it, on the field. "It had gone through eight battles which had occupied eleven days, and brought off the battle scars of sixty-five balls and shot, besides the marks of three shells."
To-day was the last time it appeared on parade. The next day it was sent by Colonel S. F. Darden, Texas member of Con- federate Congress, to the Governor, to be preserved amongst the archives of their State. The ensign who first carried this las, and was wounded so many times, was E. D. Francis, and perhaps a braver man never lived. He had been wounded on the second day at Manassas and was not yet recovered, yet be bore it on review in that last parade, and felt such glory encircled its blood- stained folds as would go down to history with romantic interest. The following letter accompanied the flag:
HEADQUARTERS 4TH TEXAS REGIMENT. ) NEAR WINCHESTER, VA., Oct. 7, 1862. 1
His Excellency F. R. Lubbock, Governor of Texas:
SIR :- I have the honor to present to you, by the hand of Cap- tain S. H. Darden, the battle-flag of the 4th Texas Regiment, borne by them in the battles of Eltham's Landing, Seven Pines, Gaines' Farm, Malvern Hill. Freeman's Ford, Manassas Plains. Boonesboro Gap and Sharpsburg. From its torn and tattered condition, it can no longer be used; and it is returned to you, that it may be preserved amongst the archives of the State as a testimonial of the gallantry of her sons who have fought beneath its folds. I need not dwell upon the services of my regiment. Its deeds in battle will go into the history of the country, and speak for themselves, and this silent witness bears eloquent evi- dence that the men who followed it in action, were where shot fell thick, and death was in the air. You will readily believe, Governor, that we part from the old flag with painful feelings. More than five hundred of our comrades in arms have fallen be- neath its folds, and it is to us an emblem of constancy under mul- tiplied hardships, gallant and dauntless courage in the storm of battle, and devotion unto death to our cause. Let it be preserved sacredly, that the remnant of our little band may, in future days, gaze upon its blood-stained colors, recall to mind the suffering> they have endured in their country's cause, and their children incited to renewed vigilance in the preservation of those liberties for which we are now contending. Our general has presented us with another battle-flag, aud we hope to be able to acquit our- selves as well with that as we have with the old one.
Respectfully, your servant,
B. F. CARTER. Lieut. - Col. Commarting.
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"The ist regiment carried its old flag through every battle until at Sharpsburg. when the ensign was shot down. unob- served in the corn field as the regiment was changing its position to prevent being flanked, and it fell into the hands of the enemy, who we learn from some of our men who were made prisoners, rejoiced over it considerably, mounted it upon a music wagon, and running up the stars and stripes over it, drove through camp to the tune of 'Yankee Doodle,' and then to MeClellan's head- quarters, where they delivered themselves on the subject of cap- turing a Texas flag."
In connection with the flags, no unimportant factor in the brigade organization was Daniel Collins' brass band of the 4th regiment. At review the bugle blast woke the soldier to his duty. When weatied and tired the enlivening strains of "Dixie." "Bonnie Blue Flag," "The Southern Marseillese, " inspired him with heroism. At the evening hour when the camp was quiet, the plaintive notes of "Mocking Bird" and "Home. Street Home," drove away the dull reality of his situation, while dreams of loved ones came like angels' visits and rested like a benediction upon his waiting soul.
During the crossing of the Potomac the bands played "Mary- land, My Maryland," and upon their return, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny, " cheering the men and driving the depression of falling back, away.
Being thoroughly organized, they served as guard for knap- sacks and blankets, which the men could not carry into the fight, and also acted as nurses to the wounded as they were brought in from the battles to the field infirmaries. An eye witness says:
"As it was our lot on several occasions to be present at these scenes of suffering, we take pleasure in saying they labored with untiring zeal for days and nights together withoat sleep and with but little food."
General MeClellan, while claiming a victory at Sharpsburg, awoke the severe criticism of the North by allowing General Lee to evacuate Maryland, and was ordered to follow him across the Potomac. This he proceeded to do, crossing east of the Blue Ridge, and taking possession of the mountain games as he pro- gressed. General I,ee determined to evacuate the Shenandoah valley, and return to the valley of the Rappahannock, keeping his eye upon the Federal commander, whom he suspected of trying to concentrate at Fredericksburg.
About the 26th, Longstreet's corps was again on the march, moving with the rest of the army, vastly improved by rest and discipline. The Texas Brigade halted near Culpepper Court House, and while there on November Ist, Colozel J. B. Robert-
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son, of the 5th Texas, by recommendation of General Hood, re- ceived his appointment as brigadier-general, and took command of the brigade.
Here also came the intelligence that Mcclellan. "the Napoleon of the West," had been sacrificed to popular clamor and official envy, and General Ambrose Burnside, of Rhode Island, appointed to the command of the Federal army. He at once proceeded to concentrate lis forces on the north bank of the Rappahannock. McClellan had declared his ability to capture Lee and his rebels before they could get out the valley. General Lee had astonish - ed him by turning up at Culpepper Court House, and while he was making plans, contemplating another change of base, lo! the order for his removal came, and the day of his greatness was ended.
General Lee crossed to the south side of the Rapidan. and by the latter part of November the Federal and Confederate armies again confronted one another at Fredericksburg, where they quietly waited the development of events.
When General Robertson took command of the Texas Brigade he appointed Captain J. H. Littlefield, of the 5th Texas, quarter- master, with the rank of major. He entered into the discharge of his new duties, and found that, through the immense demands upon the quartermaster's department, there was little prospect of procuring sufficient clothing to protect the men from suffering through the winter. They were too far from home to obtain re- lief from that quarter, and the dilemma coming to the knowledge of Mr. Davis, that ever faithful champion of the 4th, be decided to let their wants be known. The following card appeared in the Richmond Whig of November 5th, prefaced by this notice:
"We call attention to the statement below. assured that the citizens of Richmond need no comments from us to induce a prompt response to the simple and touching appeal of the Texans -- bravest of the brave. The 4th Texas, to which Mr. Davis is attached, distinguished itself greatly at the battle of Gaines' Farm, where Lieutenant-Colonel Bradfute Warwick fell. while leading it into action. The 4th Texas has a special claim upon Richmond, which, we doubt not, will be fully recognized."
"RICHMOND, November Ist. "To the Editor of the Whig:
"I have just arrived from Fredericksburg: the prospects are good for a fight, but our men are not well shod. Os yesterday . evening an order was read on dress parade to the effect that being bare-footed would not excuse any man from daty. Those who were without shoes were ordered to make moccasins of rawbide.
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and stand in their places; and we feel that Texans will come as near discharging their duty as any who will meet the next strug- gle; but I ask the good people of Richmond and the surrounding country if they will stand by and see them go into the fight without shoes. We are too far from home to look to our friends there for help. We acknowledge the kindness shown us last winter, and many of the recipients have poured out their life's blood on the soil of Virginia. We are from the far South, and the cold is severe to us. It will require at least one hundred pairs of shoes and five hundred pairs of socks to complete one suit for our men. Those who are disposed to contribute will please forward their mite to the depot of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association, or the depot of the 4th Texas regiment, on Fifteenth street, between Main and Cary, and it will be forwarded immediately.
"N. A. DAVIS, "Chaplain 4th Texas Regiment."
In response to this appeal, Mr. Davis says: "We received from Miss Virginia Dibrell (collected from various contributions) two hundred and sixty-eight dollars, twenty-five cents; Miss Mattie Nicholas and Mrs. Garland Hanes, proceeds from a con- cert at Buckingham Female Institute, one hundred and seventy- five dollars, five cents; from the Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society, New Market, Nelson county, Va., a box filled with clothing: Mrs. Wm. Paine, seventy-eight pairs of socks; Mr. Wm. Bell, Chairman of Purchasing Committee of Citizens of Richmond, one hundred pairs of shoes; Young Men's Christian Association, thirty rugs, one hundred and forty-six pairs of drawers, one hun- dred and nine shirts, twenty-four pairs of gloves, and four hun- dred and ten pairs of socks, besides a number of smaller sums and packages, which have warmed both the feet and hearts of our men, who feel it will be unnecessary to attempt to express their gratitude for these unexpected favors." "In return for the liberality extended our men the brigade, after the battle of Fred- ericksburg, contributed to the sufferers of that unfortunate city."
When General Burnside was placed in supreme command, he commenced to make active preparations towards another attempt to capture the Confederate capital. General Lee had moved tip to the South bank of the Rappahannock, where itis line stretched along the river for some thirty miles, guarding the different crossings.
General Burnside planted upon Stafford Heights, just opposite Fredericksburg, an immense armament of heavy artillery, fully one hundred guns being in position, commanding the river bank opposite, the plain upon which the city rests, and giving shelter
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to his men while they constructed pontoon bridges for the army to cross.
On the morning of December 11th, they opened fire at daylight upon the pickets who were stationed to resist the advance, and raked every street and lane of Fredericksburg with a galling fire.
Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade held the town in the face of the terrible shelling, after leaving the river, when certain destruc- tion was only averted by lying flat upon their faces. After the Federals had effected a crossing, the men were ordered to fall back, and even in the streets this brigade gallantly held its own in a skirmish, when they were ordered to fall back and leave the town in possession of the enemy.
General Lee rapidly concentrated his forces, occupying a posi- tion in a range of hills and heights, a portion of which was a dense oak forest in rear of the town, and plains below, present- ing a bold front of about six miles in length. Here he threw up earth-works and prepared to await the advance of his opponent. During the 12th, they crossed the river in vast numbers, secured from material interruption by a dense fog. Longstreet's corps occupied the extreme left of General Lee's forces, with Hood s division extending to the right. General Jackson's forces joined Hood's right.
On the morning of the 13th, a mist still hung over the two armies, but lifting about 9 o'clock, disclosed the advance upon Jackson's forces on the right. About I o'clock the assault was made with three compact bodies of infantry against General A. P. Hill's front. They were received, near Hamilton's crossing, ami momentarily checked, but recovered. They pressed forward. coming within range of the infantry, where the conflict became fierce and bloody.
General Hill paid a tribute to General Gregg's South Carolina Brigade, when he said: "The advancing columns of the enemy encountered an obstacle at the military road, which they little expected -- Gregg's Brigade of Carolinians stood in the way."
The advance was allowed to come near, when the brigade poured a withering fire into the faces of Meade's men, and the contest was short and decisive. The enemy was routed and, al- though re-enforced, was pressed back and pursued to the railroad embankment. The repulse of the foe on the right was decisive. and the attack was not renewed on that part of the line, excert that their batteries and sharp-shooters were active during the afternoon.
The main assault was upon the left of the line. General Burn- side massed his troops in strong columns to the attack of Marves Heights, while his batteries upon Stafford's Heights, at the same
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time, directed their fire upon our artillery stationed upon those elevated positions. The orders were given to "move rapidly. charge up the hill, and take the batteries at the point of the bayonet."
Before adyancing, it is said, the commander of the Irish divi- sion of General Meagher, harangued his men, pointing to the heights, where victory should crown their efforts, and others in- spired their men in like manner.
They advanced grandly, sixty thousand strong, but were driven back with great slaughter, as the batteries on the hill waited until they came within range of their guns, to pour forth a deadly fire of grape and canister, which swept them down by hundreds. stopping for awhile to return the fire from Stafford's Heights. Six times did these men rally and advance, when the slaughter became so murderous, that acres of dead bodies strewed the hill- sides, and they could stand it no longer, broke their ranks and fled in confusion into the town, pressed by the Confederate in. fantry.
Night closed upon the scene with a decided and brilliant vic- tory for the Confederates. General Hood says that alter the musketry fire had ceased that evening, General Jackson sent him a message to be in readiness to join in a movement to drive the enemy into the river. Hood replied he was ready. but the order was countermanded.
The next day General Lee decided to await developments and a renewal of the attack, as he had resolved to strengthen his earthworks, and fight on the defensive.
Instead of fighting, a flag of truce was sent in, and permission asked to bury the dead and care for the wounded. This was granted, and still, when the day declined, hundreds were left tin- buried.
The next day, the whole Federal Army was drawn up in the plains below the city, with all " the pomp and circumstance of glory," where they were in full view. Contrary to Genera: Lee's expectations, no advance was made, and that night, under the cover of a terrific thunder storm, General Burnside concluded to "change his base" after consultation with his generals, as the battle was a defeat, and he believed General Lee was meditating getting him into a trap.
Their loss was nine hundred prisoners, nine thousand stand of arms, over a thousand killed, nine thousand one Hundred wounded, over three thousand missing, a total of over thirteen thousand. Our loss was four hundred and forty-eight killed. . three thousand seven hundred and forty-three wounded.
General Burnside testified before the "Committee on Conduct
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of the War," that "he had one hundred thousand men, and they were all under artillery fire, and about half, at different times, in columns of attack. On being asked the cause of their failure to storm the heights successfully, he replied, "It was found impos- sible to get the men up to the works. The enemy's fire was too hot for them." He said also that President Lincoln had told him he did not want the Army of the Potomac destrovei.
Next morning, General Lee found his adversary had re-crossed the river, and no chance for their annihilation at this time, ad- mitting the successful passage over the Rappahannock was equal to his masterly retreat across the Potomac.
The two armies remained on the Rappahannock river. one on the north, the other on the south side, and as the weather was growing severe, went into winter quarters, terminating the cam. paign for that year, after the fourth ineffectual "On to Rich- mond" had been repulsed.
The New York Herald said: "Our army will now go into win- ter quarters, because it has nowhere else to go."
During the battle of Fredricksburg, Hood's Brigade was not actively engaged. They were in line of battle with Longstreet's corps, and repelled with ease, the feeble attempt made upon their front, and stood as interested spectators and reserves, while Mc- Law's division and the Washington artillery repulsed the at- tack upon Maryes Heights. It is estimated that in this Saillant reucounter not more than one-half of General Lee's forces were engaged, and being, for the first time, entrenched behind breast- works, they were able to do very effective work, as ever before they had fought in open field fight.
The bombardment and sacking of Fredricksburg is almost un. paralled in the history of civilized warfare. When the first shell went tearing through the place, the affrighted inhabitants fled in every direction. Houses were demolished. istocent women and children killed, old men turned out to brave the severe cold, heipless infants scantily clad, compelled to encoun- ter weather from which they had ever been sheltered, and the most delicate of all God's creatures were at the mercy of the ribald soldiery to whom no revered relic of their past life was sacred. Elegant homes were stripped of all their beauties and ornaments, and even the wardrobes of the females were invaded to furnish amusement for the invaders who plundered and de- stroyed the habitations of the people who had done them no personal injury. Amid it all, be it said to the honor of the women of Fredricksburg, although the bitter cup of humiliation ยท and loss was drained to the dregs, there was no craven cringing to the foe, and no tears-only words of cheer to their relatives of
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General Lee's Army, many of whom, amid the desolation, met and parted at Hamilton's Crossing for the first time in long months.
Pollard says: "The romance of the story of Fredricksburg is written, uo less in the quiet heroism of her women, than in deeds of arms. The verses of the poet, rather than the cold language of the mere clironicler of events, are more fitting to de- scribe the beautiful courage and noble sacrifice of those brave daughters of Virginia who preferred to see their homes reduced to ashes, rather than polluted by the Yankees, and who in the blasts of winter and in the fiercer storms of blood and fire, went forth undistayed, encouraging our soldiers, and proclaiming the desire to suffer privation, poverty and death, rather than the shame of a surrender, or the misfortune of a defeat."
Their conduct, under such a trying ordeal, had its effect upon the Confederates, who realized that "Strength is strong, but it is not half so powerful as weakness."
After Burnside's withdrawal, when those women returned to their homes and viewed the desolation, the ragged soldiers, to whom they had been an inspiration, contributed thousands of dollars to relieve their necessities, from the humble pittance of their pay, rendering a tribute eloquent and touching, an ini- mortal souvenir of their sympathy for their sufferings and virtues.
The members of the Texas Brigade, in return for the favors extended them by the people of Virginia, were happy to sub- scribe liberally to this worthy object.
The armies made themselves comfortable in winter quarters, glad of a respite from the arduous labors of the past months. Men were detailed to go to different Southern States, and bring in recruits for General Lee's army. A reasonable number of furloughs was granted, but those who remained in camp were put back to the rigid discipline which General Hood had always tried to enforce. It is related that one day General Lee was in conversation with General Hood, and complained of his men for burning fences, killing pigs, and doing other little indiscretions common to soldiers in camp. General Hood spoke up warmly in defence of his division, and asserted his men were not guilty of such misdemeanors, and asked that his chief of staff be seut to inspect the fences in the vicinity of his troops. General Lee paused in his walk up and down before the camp-fire, and laugh- ingly said: "General Hood, when you Texans come about. the chickens have to roost mighty high." The general was consid- erably taken aback. but insisted upon an inspection of the fences.
Nothing occurred to break the monotony of camp life, except
BRIG. - GEN. J. B. ROBERTSON.
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the discussion of Lincoln's emancipation proclamation, issued in September, which was to take effect in January. This freed all the slaves in the States in rebellion, assuring the protection of the United States Army and Navy to all taking advantage of this edict to leave their life of servitude, and promising rein- bursement of values to all slave owners who were loyal citizens who might lose their property by said proclamation. A howl of indignation went up from the army and people of the South, who had always felt that this was the veiled reason for the pretended desire of the Republican party to preserve the Union, one and indivisible, and the vast efforts to bring the South into snb- jection.
This proclamation was soon followed by acts of Congress en- listing the slaves in the Federal army and huddling others, not available for military purposes, into government camps, where they suffered many privations, after the care of their old masters had been forcibly withdrawn.
The Texas Brigade was in high spirits at the news, in Jan- nary, of the recapture of Galveston, Texas, by the Confederates, under General Magruder, who landed his forces and made a night attack upon the troops in the city, and, in conjunction with two Confederate naval vessels, succeeded in capturing the Harriet Lane, a vessel of six hundred tons burden, mounting eight guns of heavy calibre, her bow gun being a fifteen-inch rifle.
General Magruder made his attack so secretly, in the dead hour of the night, that the inhabitants of the sleeping city were only awakened by the booming of cannon and the noise of whiz- zing shells.
The brilliant assault was so well planned as to be a complete surprise to the enemy, with very little loss of life securing for Texas ber most important seaport, which was never again in possession of the Federals until after the close of the war.
The discussion of current events, the rejoicing of victory and amusement at the resignation of General Burnside and appoint- ment of General Hooker to the command of the Army of the Potomac, and resting in camp was not long enjoyed by Hood's and another division of Longstreet's corps. They were de- tached for service on the south side of the James river in Feb- ruary, and took up the line of march for Suffolk. This move- ment has never been satisfactorily understood by either officers or men, why one-fourth of the army was sent off at a time when General Lee had reason to expect General Hooker's advance, unless it was the fear of an advance upon Richmond from that direction. Nothing was ever accomplished by the movement.
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