Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia., Part 62

Author: Cartmell, T. K. (Thomas Kemp), 1838-1920
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: [Winchester, Va.] : [Printed by the Eddy Press Corp.]
Number of Pages: 607

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Carl Schurz, as Brig. Genl., joined Fremont at Harrisonburg June -, 1862. Fremont had been ordered from West Virginia to cooperate with Banks and McDowell's troops and effectually "bag Jackson," expecting to cooperate in the vicinity of Strasburg, or Front Royal, as Jackson fell back from his pursuit of Banks to the Po- tomac. Those Generals failed to meet at the given point until after Jackson had safely moved his army, trains, captured supplies, prisoners, etc. ; and when the "Pathfinder" appeared in the Val- ley at Cotton Town near Cedar Creek, he was disappointed. Many thought at the time that when the General surveyed his army of Hun- garians, Germans, etc., and learned of Jackson's achievements, there was a sigh-but it was one of relief.

Blenker had been detached from the army of the Potomac, Ist April, and sent off on a wild march through the mountains to reinforce Fre-

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mont at any point. He wandered from place to place, and finally overtook Fremont at Harrison- burg, in time to be slaughtered at the battle of Cross Keys. The Dutch legions were in bad repute. They had been badly handled; and came to Fremont badly demoralized. Many were captured, and they told pitiful stories of hard marches and starvation. They stripped the coun- try through which they marched. Blenker was a Prussian officer. At this point in the cam- paign, Carl Schurz reported for duty-a young German political friend of Mr. Lincoln, who had commissioned him Brig. Genl. as a reward for services rendered in a Convention of Abolitionists, to ascertain if the bold step could be taken to proclaim freedom to the slaves; and at Harri- sonburg we find him placed in command of a Division, taking rank above old experienced offi- cers, and becoming prominent as a confidential correspondent of the President. As a young diplomat in Spain, he had been a success in creating prejudice against the South-having been sent there for that purpose. Genl. Blenker's Bri- gade was under Schurz. This gave offence. The President about this time, June 26, took the bridle in his hands, consolidated the forces of Fremont, Banks and McDowell, and placed Major Genl. Pope in command. To this Fremont took offence and resigned. This ended his career as a military man. Two years later he appears as the nominee for President of a party that was opposed to the Lincoln administration. His de- feat retired him from the public eye. Genl. Franz Seigel succeeded Genl. Fremont; and his branch of the service was distinguished from the other two, and called the Mountain Department. This army was kept busy until about the Ist of August defending the approach to Washington, under the belief that Jackson was gathering strength to make a final rush and drive the large Federal Army before him, invade Maryland, enter Wash- ington, capture the President and cabinet, and thus end the war. Such fallacy appears ludicrous and absurd to the Confederates who participated in the Valley skirmishes in July, 1862. Prison- ers captured by Confederate cavalry, told the story; and we find it verified by the official re- ports and letters written by officers and since published, including Carl Schurz, Lincoln's con- fidential correspondent, as he styles himself after forty years of mature reflection.

While this well equipped army, composed of men whose war cry "Me fights mit Seigel" kept busy watch over the Valley, Jackson glided through the mountains, landing on Genl. Lee's left, and ready to strike in either direction. The renowned Seigel, who had been so alert in the City of St. Louis in guarding the Union senti- ment, and suppressing the Southern, with his

hordes of Germans, whom he inflamed with wild zeal, and who finally rode the city streets, re- lentlessly driving out or imprisoning the latter, and placing in power the friends of the Union cause,-found on the 8th of August, through orders from Washington, that Jackson was not in the Valley, and his army of the Mountain Department must hasten to the relief of Pope, going via Sperryville to Culpeper. This move- ment resulted in the celebrated battle of Cedar Mountain. It is recorded that this army was utterly demoralized from hard marching, and never took part in this battle. This will be more fully treated in another chapter. The Valley was virtually abandoned for this great campaign.

While Jackson was busy inspecting his bat- talions in camp, and keeping up constant corres- pondence with Genl. Lee in reference to complet- ing the great strategy which they had fully planned, and so marvelously executed up to the present stage-for it must be well known to all students of the great campaigns, that Jackson, as Lee's star Lieutenant, was to conduct a cam- paign in the Great Valley on such a scale of warfare as to deceive the enemy; strike frequent and heavy blows on any and every column oper- ating along the northern border West of the Blue Ridge, and to keep those columns busy in their effort to protect Washington from some hurried movement through the Valley and across the Potomac, thus preventing any one of these columns from swinging off to reinforce McDow- ell, which meant Mcclellan. It will be seen that by Jackson's execution of plans created by him alone, he with his army not exceeding at any one time over 15,000 men, held McDowell at Fredericksburg from May to June 24, with an army of 50,000, waiting to either defend Washing- ton from Jackson's direct movement, or to re- inforce Genl. Shields, Banks, and Fremont-three well-known Division commanders, with splendid- ly equipped armies, any one of which exceeded the strength of Jackson's in all his engagements. And it must be borne in mind that these Federal columns had Brigade Commanders who had won fame in other campaigns-Ricketts, Tyler, Car- roll, Bayard, etc., with Shields; Donnelly, Gor- don, Hatch, etc., with Banks; Milroy, Schenk, Blenker, etc. All were kept busy, to prevent Jackson from swooping down upon Washington. Genl. Lee hoped that Jackson could enliven the upper country sufficiently to alarm Washington, and thus prevent reinforcements hurried away to McClellan, while he, Lee, hoped to strike the latter at some weak spot, and whip his great army in detail. But the over-cautious little Mack waited too long. While Jackson was resting his command in the Upper Valley, his fighting spirit prompted him to write Genl. Lee touch-

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ing the propriety of making a dash towards the Potomac. To this Genl. Lee was induced to entertain the thought of sending Jackson such reinforcements as to make an advance formidable, and thus strike terror to the administration at Washington; and as Mcclellan would likely halt to await orders, Lee could rush such weak points along the Chickahominy, that might pro- duce a panic, and send the whole plans of the Federals to the four winds. Either this scheme or-for Jackson, after his first severe blow to the defeated Valley columns, to leave the Valley guarded by detachments of men unfit for the long march; then Jackson to swing away to the Chickahominy without attracting attention, with his whole force, cut all communications, and be prepared for any emergency, while Genl. Lee would attack McClellan. Jackson, in taking an- other view of the situation, suggested that while the Federal columns were waiting for his attack nearer the Potomac, Lincoln would allow nothing to go from Washington defenses to support McClellan; and it was suggested that he, Jack- son, hold himself in readiness in some of the Blue Ridge gaps or hiding places, and await a call from Richmond. The reinforcements, Whit- ing's and Lawton's Brigades, had arrived in Staunton on the 17th. Genl. Jackson ordered them to report to his camp headquarters on Meridian Ridge, 14 miles North of Staunton near Weyer's Cave. This gave glowing color to the rumor of a great movement down the Valley. Pending this, matters had taken a turn. Genl. Lee presented a new plan for Jackson to join him at once. So Lawton and Whiting found on their arrival in the Valley, that Jackson, Ewell, and all the available forces were then on their way through the gaps of the Blue Ridge. They also found orders directing them to retire to Staunton in such way as to leave Fremont im- pressed with the belief that they were in camp and preparing to move on him. At Staunton, these Brigades took rail for Gordonsville. (O. R., Wash., D. C., Vol. III, pp. 913, etc.)

Jackson's Campaign, here just closing, has be- come famous the world over for strategem. With a small but effective force, he had riveted the at- tention of friend and foe. Distinguished mili- tary men have given to the world stories of his brilliant successes, placing him alongside of war heroes of ancient and modern times; comparing his sudden blows, rapid changes, wild marches, to the campaigns of Alexander and Frederick the Great, Napoleon, Von Moltke, etc. The au- thor, in his brief sketch, has only aimed to give the route of marches, locations of engagements, and their dates and general results, with whom engaged, etc .; and has not attempted a complete history of the campaign. At the proper places. notes will appear, giving number of troops en- gaged, names of commanders, etc. The writer at this late day, in summing up the incidents of the Valley campaign, and beholding the won- derful military genius with his splendid little army disappearing through defiles of the Blue Ridge, leaving the Valley to rest under the glow of his immortal fame,-reluctantly gives him up, and can appreciate the wailings of the Valley people when they realized on that memorable day that their loved army had left the Upper Valley and her blue mountains far behind them, per- haps never to reappear amid the rivers and vales. Coming events were casting their shad- ows rapidly. One Shadow that fell across their way, was that of Jackson's next appearance in the Upper Valley-on his bier-with guard of honor composed of details of his old Cadet Class, seeking a place at historic Lexington, where he could rest under the shade of trees that crowned the hilltop, overlooking the river as it unceasingly rolled to the sea.

The reader must bear in mind that it is not in the scope of this work to follow that army and its intrepid leaders, after they passed through the Blue Ridge, their columns pointing towards Richmond; for this would conflict with the original design-to study incidents of the Val- ley, and briefly and accurately collate them.

CHAPTER LX

Civil War Incidents After Close of Jackson's Valley Campaign

The author feels justified in departing from the scheme of his work, so far as to show where Jackson and his Valley soldiers reappeared East of the mountains, where increased fame awaited their heroic efforts.

June 17, 1862, Ewell at the head of the column, took a direct route for Charlottesville; then fol- lowed Jackson with all the Valley troops avail- able. As already stated, the two brigades were to follow via Staunton and go to Gordonsville. The utmost secrecy was observed by officers and men as to their movements. Generals Lee and Jack- son kept their own secrets. Many conjectures prevailed on that historic march, as to the ob- jective point. At every place where the army camped, the opinion frequently expressed around the camp fires was, that the next morning Old Jack would head North. An old Stonewall Brigade group were asked by some Texans at Gordons- ville, what they thought about the direction the army would take. One of the old vets replied : Can't tell the direction; but I know this, that whenever Old Jack goes nosin' around in the night when a fellow is on picket, and talks kind and gentle like, this is a sign that we see plenty of Yanks in the next day's march; and this is what he done last night." It was from Gordons- ville that Jackson went virtually alone to Rich- mond, to confer with Genl. Lee. Major Dabney has made this incident interesting; showing the difficulties the General and one orderly had in their way, needing a relay of horses, passes, etc., so the trip could be made with expedition as well as secrecy; for it must be borne in mind that the Federals, from Commander-in-Chief down, were to rally ignorant of Jackson's where- abouts; and the plan was, to keep the Confed- erate forces in the vicinity of Richmond, equally ignorant of the proposed flank movement from Jackson.

The author avails himself of the privilege grant- ed, for the benefit of the reader, to quote fully from the admirable history of Stonewall Jack- son and the Civil War, presented in all its fea- tures in most attractive form by Col. Hender- son, of the British Army. This will show when and with whom Genl. Lee held the much talked of council of war, which is supposed to have oc- curred on June 23rd. Some have written it the 24th.

"At three o'clock in the afternoon, after pass- ing rapidly through Richmond, he reached the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief. It is unfortunate that no record of the meeting that took place has been preserved. There were pres- ent, besides Lee and Jackson, the three officers whose divisions were to be employed in the at- tack upon the Federals, Longstreet, A. P. Hill, and D. H. Hill. The names of the two former are associated with almost every Confederate vic- tory won upon the soil of Virginia. They were trusted by their great leader, and they were idol- ized by their men. Like others, they made mis- takes; the one was sometimes slow, the other careless; neither gave the slightest sign that they were capable of independent command, and both were at times impatient of control. But, taking them all in all, they were gallant soldiers, brave to a fault, vigorous in attack, and undaunted by adverse fortune. Longstreet, sturdy and se- date, his 'old war-horse' as Lee affectionately called him, bore on his broad shoulders the weight of twenty years' service in the old army. Hill's slight figure and delicate features, instinct with life and energy, were a marked contrast to the heavier frame and rugged lineaments of his older colleague.

"Already they were distinguished. In the hot- test of the fight they had won the respect that soldiers so readily accord to valor; yet it is not on these stubborn fighters, not on their com- panion, less popular, but hardly less capable, that the eye of imagination rests. Were some great painter, gifted with the sense of historic fitness, to place on his canvas the council in the Virginia homestead, two figures only would oc- cupy the foreground: the one weary with travel, white with the dust of many leagues, and bear- ing on his frayed habiliments the traces of rough bivouacs and mountain roads; the other, tall, straight and stately; still, for all his fifty years, remarkable for his personal beauty, and endowed with all the simple dignity of a noble character and commanding intellect. In that humble cham- ber, where the only refreshment the Comman- der-in-Chief could offer was a glass of milk, Lee and Jackson met for the first time since the war had begun. Lee's hour of triumph had yet to come. The South was aware that he was sage in council; he had yet to prove his mettle in the field. But there was at least one Virginia sol-

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dier who knew his worth. With the prescient sympathy of a kindred spirit, Jackson had di- vined his daring and his genius, and although he held always to his own opinions, he had no will but that of his great commander. With how ab- solute a trust his devotion was repaid, one of the brightest pages in the history of Virginia tells us; a year crowded with victories bears witness to the strength begotten of their mutual confi- dence. So long as Lee and Jackson led her armies, hope shone on the standards of the South. Great was the constancy of her people; wonder- ful the fortitude of her soldiers; but on the shoulders of her twin heroes, rested the burden of the tremendous struggle.

To his four major-generals Lee explained his plan of attack, and then, retiring to his office, left them to arrange the details. It will be suf- ficient for the present to state that Jackson's troops were to encamp on the night of the 25th East of Ashland, fifteen miles North of Rich- mond, between the village and the Virginia Cen- tral Railway. The day following the interview, the 24th, he returned to his command, rejoining the column at Beaver Dam Station."

The author indulges the hope that some of the survivors of the stupendous conflict outlined in this work, may some day chance to see these pages, and, as the scene of that council unfolds, and in the picture, the four distinguished major- generals appear, where their invincible and im- mortal Lee had called them to consider and mature plans to make it possible to strike a blow that would not only stagger Mcclellan, but force him to recoil with the grandest army that had as yet been marshaled on the battlefields of America. Old Veterans! as you contemplate this picture, take pride in the emotions welling up from your soul, for generations that follow you as long as history is read, will strive to prove their descent from the men who once followed such leaders in battles which have become re- nowned the world over. The fame of Lee and his generals, won by the devotion and aid of those dauntless battalions, has been and will be the theme of song and story, so long as the human soul sees beauty and pathos in glorious deeds of brave men. If such feelings should come to the reader, perhaps after the author and a great majority of the old Confederate sol- diers shall have rested under the dust, the hope is that he may be inclined to gather around some camp-fire and take comfort in recounting the movements of his command in the days around Richmond, when Jackson fell upon Mc- Clellan's flank and saved A. P. Hill from anni- hilation, and tell of the thunderous cheers that were heard above the din of battle, when the

Valley Army plunged into the thickest of the fray, "in Stonewall Jackson's way."

The student of this campaign should study the official reports, carefully preserved and acces- sible when fully compiled from the originals, as the author has studied them; and from the copious notes now on his table, he is tempted to place before the reader the situations of the two contending armies, as fully shown, from the mountains to the sea.

The disparity of the numbers engaged was sim- ply appalling; but we must pass this and briefly show how the Washington government had been deceived by Lee and Jackson, and that their strategy balanced several Divisions of their foe. To appreciate the situation, we must remember that Jackson left his Blue Ridge camp June 17-18; and after a march with his whole army, along his enemy's front, until he halted at Ashland 15 miles above Richmond on June 25th, and pre- pared for his attack-and actually fought McClel- lan for two days,-before it was discovered that he was not at some point threatening Washing- ton City. We have dispatches filed with the offi- cial reports, which show the spirit of the times and the stress on several large columns stretch- ing from the Valley to Fredericksburg, watching the phantom Jackson, who never appeared in form until his guns broke the stillness on McClel- lan's flank.

On June 20th, Fremont announced in his dis- patches that Jackson's main army was moving down in two columns upon the points held by his army and Shields'. The latter had just received orders to reinforce McDowell at Fredericksburg. Banks' opinion was that Jackson was making forced marches through the mountain valley West of the Big North, to enter Maryland below Cum- berland, capture great army supplies, destroy the B. & O. and rush on to Washington. It is not strange, then, that the Washington government was alarmed and deceived. But who can excuse those Generals on the border for their imbecility. Same official reports have dispatches showing that on June 24th, McDowell was threatened the same day that Fremont and Banks fell back for safer positions-Jackson then within 35 miles of Richmond. Same official papers contain the official correspondence of the Federal generals, responding to personal letters from the President and his Secretary of War. During these days Jackson was changing his base. The President discloses his dilemma. He evidently suffered anx- iety for his personal safety and that of his capi- tal. The generals are apprised of reports reach- ing Washington, crediting Jackson with depleted ranks and dispirited troops, and again with an army ranging from fifteen to sixty thousand men. One enterprising officer, in very close re-

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lation with the President, Carl Schurz, describes Jackson as the most determined and enterprising of all Lee's generals. That while he was only expected to conduct a guerilla warfare along the border, he at times was able to gather a maraud- ing host and strike some vulnerable point. Mr. Lincoln was impressed with his friendly sug- gestions that he immediately recall his order to McDowell, to stay his movements, and be pre- pared to receive an attack from Jackson, who was reported as being at Gordonsville with 60,000 men. It appears strange that Lincoln did not at once order Mcclellan to force an entrance to Richmond over Lee's depleted ranks; for if he believed Jackson had such an army, he must have drawn from Lee his reinforcements, and McClellan with his 85,000 men, could have taken every line around Richmond, and McDowell, Shields, Banks, Fremont and the Washington garrison could unite and overwhelm Jackson.

The same official reports, (in Vols. XI and XII,) will repay the student for an examination; and he will see disclosed much more than the author has space to give here, that will show the great deficiency among the U. S. govern- ment officials. McClellan has been censured for his lack of action-for his months of prepara- tion; but it is a well known fact that Mr. Lincoln retarded his movements, though he fre- quently expressed dissatisfaction at his tardi- ness. The President was never willing up to that time for any of his generals to lose sight of their first duty-"Save Washington at all hazards."

Some military critics excuse Mcclellan this- wise: Ist, that McDowell could withstand any attack Jackson could make, by concentration of the scattered columns of Rickett, Shields, Banks, Fremont, etc., so that an army of such magni- tude could not only protect Washington, but overwhelm Jackson; and thus so cripple Lee, that Mcclellan would have Richmond in his grasp. Little Mack probably figured this out on his chessboard before he had fully learned of the strategy Lee and Jackson had so success- fully wrought out. It is useless to add that the entire Federal line was illy supplied by its bureau of information, for the first two years of the war. The Federal Secret Service was also a failure. Nothing reliable was ever re- ported through such channels. The generals of columns, as well as the authorities in Washing- ton, relied often upon the wild statements given by fugitive slaves, and from whites who lacked judgment in estimating numbers, and in locating them. The celebrated Jesse Scouts, named in honor of General Fremont's wife, amounted to nothing as reliable scouts The information fur- nished was oftener misleading than otherwise.

The very license given them to scout the border without let or hindrance, resulted in disaster to many of the campaigns. False reports given their leaders, confused them as to much of the celebrated Jackson campaigns, so that it was found necessary to curtail their privileges. But the organization was composed of the worst class of men found on the border. Many were de- serters from the Confederates, who never dared venture near enough the Confederate lines to obtain information. Many were of the men found along the Virginia border who were Union men, not for the love they bore the Union, but because it gave them license to plun- der their neighbors and insult and maltreat old men, women and children, as no regular Union soldier did. The Lower Valley had its full share of this despicable class, who as horse- thieves and murderers and other villains, left behind them a most infamous record. Many were killed during their dare-devil escapades by the men of Moseby's and White's battalions. Some survived the war, and with their ill-gotten gains became owners of good property, and posed for years as citizens among the people they had rob- bed and betrayed. The author knew many of this class, and saw them often wince under the scath- ing glances of those they had wronged. One by one they have disappeared, until nearly all are gone; but their infamy can never be effaced from memory. The withered remnant of that band who once rode the country down, arrayed in gray uniforms, is a pitiable wreck. Property gone, life miserably spent, and conscious of the execrations that silently start from those who pass them by,-they drag their way down to graves that must be welcome asylums. The author could give the names of scores of the band; but inasmuch as some have left offspring that may chance become useful citizens, he refrains; and they may never know the bitter sting that at- taches to their parentage by reason of the in- famy mentioned.

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Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia., Part 62

Author: Cartmell, T. K. (Thomas Kemp), 1838-1920 Publication date: 1909 Publisher: [Winchester, Va.] : [Printed by the Eddy Press Corp.] Number of Pages: 607

Author: Cartmell, T. K. (Thomas Kemp), 1838-1920
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: [Winchester, Va.] : [Printed by the Eddy Press Corp.]
Number of Pages: 607