USA > Texas > The Confederate capital and Hood's Texas brigade > Part 6
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
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Miss Sallie Robertson, a maiden lady, threw open and fitted up as a private hospital, from her own purse, a large, two story brick residence on upper Main Street, into which a large number of Texans were moved, of which she took charge herself. This home was a refuge for the sick and wounded, this lady, with her abundant means, bestowing a noble philanthropy, which has ever been appreciated.
In other places, Major Warwick's friends, Judge Reagan's family, and others, were also interesting themselves in the Tex- ans, bestowing such attention as wealth and devotion alone can supply.
Time brings many changes, but these ministrations will never be forgotten.
"Old passions may be purged of blood, Old memories cannot die."
Southern people all vied with one another in demonstrating their generosity, as the published estimate of the voluntary con- tributions for the soldiers from private donations reached the sum of three millions of dollars during the last quarter of the first year. A committee of the Provisional Congress placed on record the thanks of the country "to the women of the South for their works of patriotism and public charity," declaring they owed "a public acknowledgment for their faithfulness to the cause."
President Davis dedicated his work, "Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government." "To the women of the Confederacy, whose pious ministrations to our soldiers soothed the last hours of those who died far away from the objects of their tenderest love; whose domestic labors contributed much to supply the wants of our defenders in the field; whose zealous faith in our cause shone a guiding star undimmed in the darkest clouds of war; whose fortitude sustained them under all the privations to which they were subjected; whose annual tribute expresses their grief, love, and reverence for our sacred dead." This is his tes- timonial of his own knowledge of their devotion to the "Lost Cause," touching and beautiful.
A short notice of Judge Reagan's public life will not be amiss. as he occupied a prominent position at the capital. He came to Texas in 1837, from Tennessee: was a lawyer by profession, making his home at Palestine: was elected to the State legisla- ture in 1847. In 1852 he was elected district judge, which office he held for several years. In 1857 he was sent to Congress from the first district, which position he held until 1861.
When the trouble came up between the North and South he took the Southern side of the question, and upon the organiza-
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tion of the Confederacy was given the place of Postmaster Gen- eral, which he retained until the cessation of hostilities.
When the convalescent soldiers returned to camp with the in- evitable cough following the measles, they lost no opportunity of indulging in a little mischief during dress parade, so many yield- ing to the propensity to cough that it was difficult to hear the orders of the commander.
It was hard to teach them the necessity of remaining about the camp, and many a boy paid for a night's frolicking in the city, after eluding the sentinels without leave of absence, by confine- ment in the guard house. This he considered extreme bad treatment, and frequent were the messages of contrition sent to officers, to which they had firmness enough to refuse to listen. Discipline is one of the most difficult things for volunteer sol- diers to learn, and especially was it trying to Texans, for no- where on earth probably, is the youth of the land allowed so much liberty as on the broad prairies of their native State.
In November orders were received to send away all surplus baggage and prepare for the march. Every eye brightened, every heart was joyful, yet for several days they knew not that they would join General Joseph E. Johnston's Army at Dumfries. Part of the way was made by the cars, part by marching. They understood the enemy was awaiting them, and went forward at a lively rate, until informed there was no demonstration south of the Potomac.
When Dumfries was reached, and a camping place selected, the men proceeded to build themselves winter quarters, as the weather was beginning to get cold and disagreeable. The logs were cut, and rude houses constructed with a tent stretched above for a roof, the sides chinked with mud, and stick and mud chim- neys, the men exercising their individual tastes in . adorning their temporary dwellings with materials at hand.
There they joined the ist Texas. During the reorganization of the army when regiments from the same State were thrown together, to more closely identify their interests, the 4th and 5th Texas were ordered to join the ist at Dumfries in November. 1861.
Colonel Wigfall was appointed brigadier-general and placed in command of the Texas Brigade. At Colonel McLeod's death, which occurred here, Colonel Rainey was placed in command of the ist Regiment, with P. A. Work, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Matt Dale, Major.
As soon as the brigade was organized, Colonel Hood began his course of discipline for the 4th Regiment, and this "splendid body of men," as he called them, he desired to see become fa -
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mous in deeds of valor when the time of action came. He taught them by the camp-fire, at drill, on dress parade. on picket, any and everywhere an opportunity offered, that the number of colors and guns captured and prisoners taken, constituted the true test of the work done by any command in an engagement, appealing to their pride.
Again, he impressed the lesson of personal responsibility each member must feel; that in their conduct in camp, when around cities and towns, no comrade must be allowed to bring disgrace upon the' regiment, but must be dealt with summarily by the men themselves, thereby instilling a high sense of honor among the soldiers. Then he particularly taught obedience to every order, even to putting out the lights at night, as men, if restless, must disturb others, for to sleep when the chance occurred was an important duty, which must be strictly attended to in order to march and fight on the following day.
Thus by every means in his power he sought to arouse the martial spirit in his men, stimulating them to be first upon the battle- field in bravery, and first also in their deportment, so the world should cast no slur upon their conduct as gentlemen.
The other officers warmly assisted Colonel Hood in all his plans, and good feeling existed between them all during that first winter spent in the snow, sleet and cold of the Dumfries camp, binding officers and men together in ties which have never been forgotten, and those sacred bonds of affection which death itself has not been able to sever.
These impulsive, fresh, buoyant spirits were, as they termed it, spoiling for a fight, and one night a portion of them thought the time had, at last, come to show their mettle. A picket dashed in with the information that the enemy was crossing the river and marching towards camp. Soon every man was in his place, aud through a drenching rain they were tramped about to hunt their prey, one of the officers, it was reported, taking po- sition on the hillside in front of his regiment, with pistol cocked, ready to do some telling work.
Colonel Archer took his men out several miles, being more eager than any of the rest to do something extraordinary, but finding it to be only a false alarm, he very quietly ordered a re- turn. This was a subject of merriment for days, as no attempt had been made to cross the river.
Twenty men were detailed each night to watch the move- ments on the Occoquan, from each Texas regiment, and they soon became a terror to the scouts on the other side. In Janu- ary a party were out in a house when it was surrounded by a colonel from New York and a detachment of minute men. Af-
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AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
ter firing awhile, one of the Texans shouted, "Hurrah, boys! Hampton's coming, I hear him on the bridge!" The enemy took fright and left. It was learned afterwards from some prisoners, that the Texans had killed and wounded twice their own number.
This was the only chance offered to show their pluck, and as the two armies were quiet, details from each regiment were made to return to Texas on recruiting service. The cabinet officers were particularly anxious to get more regiments from Texas, and to fill up those decimated by sickness. Nothing else of im- portance occurred during the winter.
The people of the South were very much deluded with the hope of foreign interference, and believed the blockade would be raised when business began in the fall. The staple products of cotton and tobacco, raised altogether upon Southern soil. they supposed would possess sufficient importance in Europe to con- trol public sentiment.
This was a disadvantage, as it kept before the authorities an ignus fatuus calculated to destroy self-reliance.
Hon. James Mason and Hon. John Slidell, one from Virginia, the other from Louisiana, were appointed by the Confederacy, respectively, to England and France, to treat with those govern- ments. They ran the blockade from Charleston to Havana, and there embarked upon a British mail steamer. The next day a Federal steam-frigate intercepted the vessel and, after threatening an attack, boarded her and demanded the commissioners. They claimed protection under the British flag, but the "Trent" was unarmed and compelled to surrender at discretion.
This was talked about around the fireside, in the hospitals, in the parlors by the ladies, and everywhere it was fondly hoped Great Britain would resent the insult to one of her ships upon the high sea, and become sufficiently aroused to side with the South.
The demand was made for the prisoners, and the Federals had policy enough to return them to the British flag. Mr. Seward declared he cheerfully surrendered the commissioners, and did so in accordance with the long-established doctrine. He knew well enough he had no time, with a civil war on his hands, to seri- ously provoke the British government.
Her minister did not consider, however, the cotton trade of sufficient importance to take sides upon the subject. Mr. Mason's mission therefore failed to be of any definite benefit, after all the excitement upon the subject.
Mr. Slidell made no better headway in France, which nation had enjoyed the monopoly of the tobacco trade, and owned thou- sands of pounds of tobacco stored in Richmond at the beginning
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of hostilities. It was more confidently believed France would interfere on this account than England.
The conclusion was forced upon the Confederates by the close of the year that no help was to be had from abroad-nothing left but to develop their own resources at home, and to fight the struggle out to the bitter end.
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AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
CHAPTER VII.
General Jackson's Movement early in 1862-His Record as a Military Man -Exchange of Prisoners Exciting Attention -Confederate Policy Strictly Defensive-General McClellan's Plan of Summer Campaign-Moving His Base of Operations-March of the Texas Brigade -- Appointment of Col- ¥ onel Hood as Brigadier-General-The Men Present their Commander with a Horse-Appreciation of General Hood-Brigade Known Afterwards as "Hood's Texas Brigade."
January Ist, 1862, General T. F. Jackson marched from Win- chester to Romney, where a large Federal force had been en- camped for several weeks, driving them from Romney and the surrounding country, initiating a campaign which is destined to live in history as the most remarkable on record.
This was the beginning of brilliant victories, of unparalleled successes, -of bitter grief, of fierce woes, of horror in every shape that war can assume, as month after month the misery was written in characters of living fire upon the hearts of the people at home, and those who endured the privations, the hardships, the fatigue, and who stood undaunted amid the showers of shot and shell upon the battle-field.
To-day, as the date is written, the soul recoils from the reci- tal of this year's work, and the awful suffering human beings were destined to endure, ere time winged his way down to the ocean of eternity.
General Jackson was not generally known to be a military man, before his genius was developed before the eyes of the world upon the battle-field of Manassas. He stood there with his men undaunted, unwavering, turning the tide in favor of the Confederates, --- gaining the soubriquet "Stonewall," until the men who followed his flag, and the people who watched his course with admiring eyes, forgot he ever had any other name.
During the Mexican war, this man- who was destined to be a leader, to live in the hearts of other men and women as some- thing entirely wonderful and grand in all the manly attributes of human nature -- commanded a battery at the siege of Vera Cruz, attracting attention by the coolness and judgment with which he worked his gun. He was there promoted to lieutenant. For his conduct at Cerro Gordo he was breveted captain. "He was in all General Scott's battles to the City of Mexico, and behaved so well that he was breveted major for his services."
After the war was over he accepted a position as professor
6
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at the Virginia Military Institute, at Lexington. Very few sap- posed in the modest, consistent Christian, who daily regulated his conduct by the highest standard of earthly perfection, -who believed almost with the tenacity of a fatalist, "there's a divin- ity which shapes our ends, rough hew them how we may," that this gentleman was to become the iron man of destiny. Of the habits of his life one who knew him says: "He is as calm in the midst of a hurricane of bullets as he was in the pew of his church at Lexington, when he was professor at the institute. He appeared .to be a man of almost superhuman endurance; neither heat nor cold makes the slightest impression upon him. He cares nothing for good quarters or dainty fare. Wrapped in his blanket he throws himself down upon the ground anywhere, and sleeps as soundly as if he were in a palace. He lives as the soldiers live, and endures all the fatigue and all the suffering they en- dure. His vigilance is something marvelous. He never seems to sleep, and lets nothing pass without his personal scrutiny. He can neither be caught napping, nor whipped when he is wide awake. The rapidity of his marches is something portentous. He is heard by the enemy at one point, and before they can make up their mind to follow him he is off at another. His men have little baggage, and he moves as nearly as he can without encumbrances. He keeps so constantly in motion that he never has a sick list, and no need of hospitals."
The subject of the exchange of prisoners began to be agitated in February, as the people were becoming shocked at the disre- gard of all ideas of justice and right by the treatment of prison- ers taken at the fall of Fort Donaldson.
General Wool, on the part of the Federal government, and . General Cobb, on the part of the Confederacy, were appointed to arrange and settle upon a permanent plan for the exchange of all prisoners taken in war. The proposition was, to exchange man for mau, according to rank, and a proper equivalent of men for officers, that all surplus prisoners should be released, and that they should, whenever captured, be exchanged in ten days there- after, on the frontier of their own country. This proposition was agreed to by the Confederates. General Wool did not agree to pay the expense of transportation, until he consulted Federal officials upon the subject.
General Cobb subsequently waived this latter proposition, and the cartel was freed from all objections. About the time it was supposed to be satisfactorily settled. General Wool informed General Cobb that his government had changed his instructions, and abruptly broke off his negotiations.
This was the commencement of the want of faith on the part of the Federals. Indignities were heaped upon the captured,
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and all kinds of heartless schemes were inaugurated to humiliate the South, such things allowed to go unpunished, after the fash- ion of no civilized country under the canopy of heaven.
Shut in by the blockade, with so little means of subsistence. and the large influx of prisoners at every fresh engagement, it very soon became a source of the greatest hardship to endure it all patiently. Slaves were taken and armed, flags of truce dis- regarded, hospitals bombarded, and Sonthern generals talked about hoisting the black flag in retaliation, but it was never even a scare-crow to the United States.
Southern people have received so much villification on this one score, that it is right the truth should be exposed occasion- ally. Prisoners suffered pangs untold, miseries unknown, but the people were not to blame, and the Confederate authorities were not culpably neglectful.
On the other hand, thus early in the struggle, the Federals assumed the strange position of failing to enter upon a humane and just cartel, for the benefit alike of their own prisoners and of the Confederates.
The only thing possible was to use the best means for the comfort of the captured, and endure as patiently as possible the added expense involved. It became manifest this was one of the means employed for defeating the South-throwing upon their hands, when provisions were so high-priced, money so valueless and supplies so limited, such an army of non-combatants.
The Confederacy still continued to maintain a strictly defensive policy, which was the subject of much criticism. Southern character is impulsive, bold, defiant, but no match in patient endurance with the stern, unyielding North, willing to expend any amount of means, sacrifice any number of men or resort to any stratagem, so victory at the end might perch upon their banner.
Those who looked below the surface saw this, and saw also that the country would become fearfully devastated by having two armies constantly subsisting upon it, hence there was a · quiet feeling of disapproval felt towards this action on the part of the government.
It has long been a contested point whether a defensive or an offensive warfare is the most effective. Many of the great mil- itary leaders of the world have achieved their most brilliant vie- tories by bold, determined attacks upon an unwary foe.
One of Napoleon's aids, in a work relative to that general's unexampled success, said: "The offensive is the proper character which it is essential to give to every war; it exalts the courage of the soldier, it disconcerts the adversary, strips him of the in- itiative, and diminishes his means. Do not wait for the enemy
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at your own firesides. Go and seek him in his own home, when you will find opportunity to live at his expense, and to strip him of his resources.
"Never adopt the defensive unless it is impossible for you to do otherwise. If you are reduced to this sad extremity, let it be in order to save time, to wait for your re enforcements, drill your soldiers, strengthen your alliances. draw the enemy upon bad ground, lengthen the base of his operations; and let an ulterior design to take the offensive be, without ceasing, the end of all your actions."
Just the reverse of this was the plan of the Confederates, and to this day leaves room for discussion, whether the result would have been different had the offensive been the policy.
Early in March, it became manifest that General Mcclellan intended to move his army from the region of the Potomac, and make an attack upon the Confederate forces in an entirely dif- ferent direction. He was skillful enough in tactics of war to be able to discern the advantage his vessels and transports would give him, if he kept in the vicinity of his supplies by water.
Fortress Monroe, almost impregnable, commanded the James river. With nothing to fear save a few vessels which constituted the Confederate navy, he made all his plans for the removal of his troops to that part of the country, designing to advance upon the rebel capital by way of the Peninsula.
The Virginia Peninsula, running down between the York and James rivers, had been fortified. Batteries were manned at Gloucester Point, Sewell's Point, Norfolk, and Craney Island, and were occupied by the forces of General Magruder.
This general had been on the alert for months in that neigli- borhood, and by adroit movements at night, marching at night, building camp fires, and then away to another locality, surprising the Federal pickets when least expected, left the impression there was quite an army under his command. Those who served under him relate their experience as exceedingly disagreeable. He never had more than eight thousand men under his com- mnand.
When General Mcclellan moved his base of operations, it ne- cessitated the removal also of the Confederates near the Potomac.
On March 5th, the pleasant relations at Dumfries began to be broken into by a detail being ordered from the Texas Brigade to report to General Wade Hampton, to act as rear guard to his command as it moved back via Manassas to Fredricksburg. The men were anything but pleased at this contemplated movement, as they were eager to advance across the river. The height of every rebel soldier's ambition was to attack the Federal capital.
On the afternoon of March 8th, the Brigade was decamped.
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AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE
After forming for the march, Colonel Hood addressed the stb Texas as follows: "Soldiers! I had hoped that when we les: winter quarters. it would be to move forward; but those who have better opportunities of judging than we have, order other- wise. You must not regard it as a disgrace to retreat when the welfare of your country requires such a movement. Oars is the last brigade to leave the lines of the Potomac. Upon us devolves the duties of the rear guard, and in order to discharge them faithfully, every man must be in his place at all times. You are now leaving your comfortable winter quarters to enter upon a stirring campaign, a campaign which will be filled with blood, and fraught with the destinies of the young Confederacy. It> success or failure rests with the soldiers of the South. They are equal to the emergency. I feel no hesitation in predicting that you, at least, will discharge your duties, and when the strugg'e does come, that proud banner you bear, placed by the hand of beauty in the keeping of the brave, will ever be found in the thickest of the fray. Fellow-soldiers, Texans, let us stand or fall together. I have done."
With three cheers, they took up the line of march; away from the scenes of many pleasant hours: away from the monotonous routine of camp life; entering into the crash of battle, the wild conflict bravely, cheerfully, to write their names forever upon the page of history, equal in heroism with any whose record has ever been written.
Hundreds of miles away were their peaceful, sunny homes. where their loved ones nightly bent the knee imploring blessings and protection for those who had gone forth alone to do batt's for their country. Here they were, marching amid sleet and snow, bearing aloft the flag whereon shone the lone star, sole representatives of the State which held the Alamo.
The whole army, and thousands in their distant State, were looking to them for the honor of Texas. The fair fame of her courageous people was to be vindicated, in the army in Virginia, by the Texas brigade alone.
Think you, reader, they thought of all this; that they knew not the meaning of the pains taken to render them all that con- stitutes the word Soldier; that they did not, just now. realize the responsibility of their position, when even thus early they hat been given the place of rear guard ? Think you, that while the jest arose to their lips, as they tramped along those roads in that wintry weather, that no thought of what they were expected to accomplish, came up in their minds, and no dreams of glory flashed across their fitful slumbers at night when they bivouacke.i beside the camp fire?
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Their friends believe they felt all this; that they were con- scious of the importance of the part they must play, and it gave a manlier bearing to their step, au added dignity to their man- ner, while within their breasts glowed the feeling that this con- fidence, this trust should never be betrayed, they were deter- mined to be equal to every emergency, and Texas should be proud to claim them as her true and valiant sons.
March 11th, Colonel Hood received his appointment as Briga- dier General. While gratified at his promotion, and admiring the men so obedient to all orders, who had awakened in him so much enthusiasm, yet it gave him some cause for annoyance.
General Wigfall had been elected by the Legislature of Texas Confederate Senator, and had left the field. Colonel Archer, commander of the 5th Texas, ranked Colonel Hood by seniority, and it was unusual to promote officers over the heads of their superiors. Colonel Archer acted very nobly upon this occasion, going at once to General Hood and congratulating him upon the honor conferred, expressing his earnest approbation of the ap- pointment, and entire willingness to serve under him.
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