USA > Virginia > Virginia and Virginians; eminent Virginians, executives of the colony of Virginia, Vol. I > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
On the next day a bloody engagement occurred at West Point, on the York river, between the forces of General Franklin and a body of Confederates under General Magruder. After a spirited contest of three hours, victory again declared in favor of the Federals, their loss being 80 killed, 300 wounded, and 500 taken prisoners. The loss on the a ther side was about 900.
McClellan continued his march toward Richmond; at the same time a feet of gunboats entered the Chesapeake Bay for the purpose of co- (perating with the land forces in the attack upon the Confederate capi- tal. On the 15th of May the fleet steamed up the James within eight miles of Richmond, where the guns of Fort Darling opened fire, and the Federals met their first reverse before Richmond. After a splendid artillery fight of five hours the gunboats were compelled to withdraw down the river to their former anchorage. This did not delay for a moment the progress of the land forces, and on the 20th of May, Mc- Clellan occupied a position within eight miles of Richmond.
In the meantime General Banks had again marched into the Shenan- doah Valley, where he was opposed by a force of about 25,000 men un- der Generals Early and Jackson. For weeks the possession of the "Gar- den of Virginia " was disputed by the contending armies; but on the 25th of May, Banks was attacked, defeated at Winchester, and forced
368
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
to abandon the valley. His retreating columns were closely pursued to Williamsport, where they crossed the Potomac and took refuge in Maryland.
TIDEWATER VIRGINIA MADE THE BATTLE-GROUND.
In all historical struggles of the past between nations, it is exhibited that the final contest has been limited to a few localities, in which the resources of the combatants were concentrated and the operations more colossal than any preceding them. This was exemplified in the late civil war, the crisis being reached in 1862, and the period was signalized by contests more sanguinary than had ever before been witnessed on the American continent. The first of these encounters between the opposing armies before Richmond was the
BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES,
On the 31st of May, in which the Federal loss was 6,000 greater than the Confederate, with arms, stores, etc. A demonstration by McClel- lan on the next day which was repulsed by General Pickett, magnified in the Federal reports as the battle of Fair Oaks, was an action of no consequence. Our limits forbid a minute detail of the events of the momentous three years succeeding, and confine us to a general view of the war in Virginia. On the first of June the armies confronting each other on her soil aggregated quite 200,000 men. The struggle around the beleaguered capital of the Confederacy commenced with the
SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES
In the region of the Chickahominy, which were inaugurated on the 26th of June, by the
BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE.
General Johnston had been severely wounded at Seven Pines, and General R. E. Lee was now in chief command of the Confederate forces around Richmond. General Mcclellan had recently assumed the con- mand of the army of the Potomac, then concentrated on the banks of the Chickahominy.
In order that the reader may better understand the movements now to be noticed he should study carefully the geography of the Tidewater district of Virginia. By an inspection of the map it will be seen that
7
1
369
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
the Chickahominy river has its source in the north-western portion of Henrico county, whence it flows in a south-western direction-its course in the neighborhood of Richmond closely resembling the arc of a circle- until it reaches the south-eastern portion of Charles City county, where it suddenly turns to the south and flows into the James, about seventy- five miles below Richmond. Mechanicsville is situated on the northi- east bank of this river, distant five miles from Richmond, and marks the point of MeClellan's nearest approach to that city.
At the time of the engagement a portion of the Federal army had crossed the Chickahominy and held a fortified position on the Williams- burg road, but far the greater portion lay on the north side, the line ex- tending many miles up and down the stream.
It was at 3 P. M. Thursday, June 26th, that Major-General Jackson- flushed with recent victories in the Shenandoah Valley-took up his line of march from Ashland and proceeded south-east through the coun- try lying between the Chickahominy and Pamunkey rivers. Brigadier- General Branch, crossing the former, directed his march so as to form a junction with the corps of General A. P. Hill. Jackson kept well to the Pamunkey until he reached the village of Raleigh, when he turned suddenly to the west and attacked the fortified Federal position at Mechanicsville; at the same time General Hill with a force of fourteen thousand joined in the attack, and, after a short but desperate contest, night settled down upon the scene, both armies holding their position, but under cover of darkness the Federals withdrew and fell back down the river to Powhite swamp.
Friday morning dawned clear and bright, and the sun arose to shed his rays upon such a scene as had not yet been witnessed on this conti- nent. The way had been cleared at Mechanicsville, and General Long- street's corps d' armie, composed of his veteran division of the Old Guard of the Army of the Potomac and General D. H. Hill's command, emerged from the forest on the south side of the Chickahominy and crossed that river. A general advance on the part of the Confederates now began ; the command of General A. P. Hill in the centre marching in the direc- tion of Cold Harbor; Generals Longstreet and D. H. Hill on the right, proceeding down the Chickahominy, and the veteran Jackson marching far to the left, but converging toward the river.
The position of the Federal army was now a peculiar one: that por- tion lying south of the river was confronted by the command of General Magruder, while that on the north side had fallen back to a new line of defenses, and here MeClellan had decided to make a decisive battle.
Jackson's arrival at Cold Harbor was announced by the roar of his guns, which was the signal of battle, and in compliance with that signal the forces of Generals Lee, Longstreet, A. P. Hill and D. H. Hill were simultaneously engaged. From four o'clock until eight, the bat- tle raged with terrible fury, and a wonderful display of daring and iu- trepidity on the part of the Confederates. At last the Federals gave
370
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
way, and night covered the retreat of their broken and shattered lines to the south bank of the Chickahominy.
A memorable part of the day's fighting was that known as the
BATTLE OF GAINES MILLS,
And the repeated charges made here deserve to rank with the most glo- rious deeds of the war. The corps of General A. P. Hill had made the first charge upon the Federal intrenchments at this place, and a terri- ble struggle had continued throughout the day, neither side seeming to have the advantage-the Federals holding their position, but powerless to keep at bay the Confederates, whose dauntless successive charges were ineffectual to carry the works. An eye-witness says that Hill's division made repeated charges, but were as often driven back by the murderous sheet of fire from the formidable works. Twenty-six pieces of artillery were belching forth their thunders, and a perfect leaden hail-storm fell thick and fast around them. In front stood earth-works stretching for miles away ; and drawn upin line of battle were three full divisions, com- manded by Generals McCall, Porter and Sedgwick. Banners every- where filled the air; artillery vomited forth incessant volleys of grape, canister and shell, and the angel of death hovered over the field amid the sulphurous atmosphere of battle. But at last as the sun was descend- ing behind the western hills Pickett's brigade, from Longstreet's division, came to Hill's support. Then came Whiting's division, consisting of the "Old Third" and the Texan brigades; they advanced at a double quick, charged the batteries, and drove the Federals from the intrenchments which they had defended with such obstinacy throughout the day. Be- longing to the last mentioned brigade was the 4th Texas regiment com- manded by a gallant Virginian, Colonel Bradfute Warwick; this was his last charge; just as the works were carried his breast was pierced by a minie-ball, and he fell to rise no more. Thus ended the second of the terrible Seven Days. Skirmishing was kept up during Saturday, and on Sunday the 29th was fought the
BATTLE OF SAVAGES STATION.
On the morning of this, the fourth day, a considerable body of the Federals were discovered occupying a strong natural position at the place named, on the York River Railroad. The division of General MeLaws, consisting of Kershaw's and Semmes' brigades, supported by General Griffith's brigade, from Magruder's division, made the attack at one o'clock, and were received by a furious caunonade from a park of field pieces. Kemper's battery was ordered to the front, and after a splendid artillery duel which fairly shook the surrounding country, the
ET
BLARO
MAR
CHART.COL.
ANNO REGNI QUARTO
EARLY SEAL OF WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE, VIRGINIA. The first established Institution of Learning in America.
372
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
Federals were once more forced to retreat. Early in the action General Griffith, a brave and meritorious officer from Mississippi, was struck by a fragment of a shell and instantly killed. He was the only general officer lost by the Confederates during that sanguinary week. The gal- lant 10th Georgia led the charge, and its depleted ranks told but too well of the raking fire to which it had been exposed.
THE BATTLE OF FRAYSERS FARM.
Monday was the fifth in the bloody list, and on that day was fought the battle known as Fraysers Farm. At daybreak the whole Confed- erate army was moving in pursuit of MeClellan's retreating regiments. D. H. Hill, Whiting, and Ewell, under the command of Jackson, passed the Chickahominy at Grapevine Bridge, and marched along the Will- iamsburg road; while Longstreet, A. P. Hill, Huger and Magruder fol- lowed by the way of the Charles City road, with the design of intercept- ing the retreating columns. This disposition of the troops soon brought General Longstreet's division in front of the Federals. He was sup- ported by Hill's division, consisting of six brigades. When he came up with the Federals, he found that they had taken position about five miles north-east of Darbytown, on the New Market road, the immediate vicinity being locally known as Fraysers Farm. The attack was at once brought on by the division of General Hill, and for three dreadful hours it is doubtful if on any one of the bloody fields of Virginia more heroic bravery was ever witnessed than was displayed by both armies. The roar of artillery and the rattle of musketry resounded far and wide. the air was filled with the missiles of death, and every spot presented a sight of ghastly destruction and horror. The dead and wounded were strewn thickly upon the field. But at last, above the roar and din of battle, came the orders along the Federal lines to retreat. No order was ever obeyed with more alacrity upon any field. In three minutes the shattered ranks were once more in full retreat, and the Confederate forces occupied the field and rested for the day. The sixth day, Tues- day, was to become memorable because of the terrible
BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL.
Early Tuesday morning, the sixth day in the awful series, McClel- lan's forces continued their retreat in a south-western direction toward his gunboats in the James. No sooner was the movement discovered than the Confederates began the pursuit. General Magruder was or- dered to march by the Quaker road, and take position on the right of Jackson, but owing to a misunderstanding as to which was this road. the wrong route was taken, and, by the necessary change, his troops were formed on the right wing of Inger instead of that of Jackson, as at first designed.
1
F
373
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
The Federal commander having learned from the rapid march of the Confederates that he must fight again before he could reach the naval force lying in Turkey Island bend of the James, took position on an eminence known as Malvern Hill, upon the summit and declivities of which he placed in position his batteries, supported by strong columns of infantry. General Magruder advanced to the attack, shelling the woods and swamps as he proceeded, and at 5 o'clock P. M., when he had reached a point sufficiently near, he gave the order to charge and drive the Federals from their position. The order was received with a shout, and instantly the entire command were crossing the plain which lay at the base of the hill at a full run. But now, had that hill been torn asunder by some mighty volcanic force, the deep intonations could scarce have been greater. One hundred pieces of artillery opened a simultaneous fire and belched forth a murderous storm of grape and canister which swept the charging columns with the most terrible effect. Officers and men fell by the hundred ; but vet unwavering, that charging column rushed on until two-thirds of the distance across the field had been passed. But wholesale carnage now prevailed on every hand. No body of men could stand before so withering a fire, and the column gave way and took refuge in the woods near by. Twice again those charging squadrons presented a living wall to that deadly fire, and twice again were they forced back. Around that hill was a steady flame, and at sunset it quivered with the terrific concussion of artillery and huge explosions. Shells were flying in every direction and bursting into deadly iron hail. Columns of black smoke shot skyward and dark- ened the air. But the day waned, the battle abated, and both armies rested on their arms and upon the field. That night a sulphurous smoke hung around the summit of Malvern Hill and settled away in dense columns over the valley of the historic James. Soon dark, ominous clouds covered the sky and the rain descended in torrents, which washed the blood-stained slopes of the little hill, carrying the sanguinary tide into the copses and woodlands which surrounded the base below. As twilight began to streak the eastern sky, the Con- federate officers arose ready to renew the attack, but, upon turning their eyes to the hill from which they had been repulsed, they were filled with inexpressible astonishment. No enemy was there: the vol- cano was still, and Mcclellan's army was already far away on its
RETREAT TO HARRISONS LANDING.
In less than two hours after the roar of artillery had died away, the entire Federal army was stealing away from its enemy, and at midnight it presented all the confusion of a fleeing and routed army; and
i
374
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
although the distance to Harrisons Landing was but seven miles, the rear of that broken and dispirited army did not reach its destination until noon of the next day. The mud was in many places more than ankle-deep. This prevented the Confederates from bringing up their artillery, and this fact alone, doubtless, saved McClellan's army from complete destruction.
On the 8th of July the Confederates returned to Richmond, and the Federals lay at Harrisons Landing until the 4th of August, when, as we shall see, it became necessary for them to move again. The terrible seven days were past and the Peninsular Campaign ended; and what were the results? Mcclellan reached the banks of the Chickahominy with 159,500 men, and ten days later, when he reached Harrisons Landing, he telegraphed to the Secretary of War that he presumed he had not "over 50,000 men left with his colors;" but on the 7th of July, when President Lincoln visited the camp, he found 86,000 men on the field, thus showing a loss of 73,500 men in ten days. General Lee, in his report to the Confederate Secretary of War, said:
"The siege of Richmond has been raised, and the object of a cam- paign, which had been prosecuted after months of preparation at an enormous expenditure of men and money, is completely frustrated. More than 10,000 prisoners, including officers of rank, fifty-two pieces of artillery, and more than 35,000 stand of small arms were captured. The stores and supplies of every description which fell into our hands were great in amount and value, but small in comparison with those destroyed by the enemy. His losses in battle exceeded our own, as attested by the thousands of dead and wounded left on every field, while his subsequent inaction shows in what condition the survivors reached the protection to which they fled."
As before mentioned, on the 4th of August MeClellan received orders from Washington to remove his army to Acquia creek to aid in repel- ling the Confederate movement toward the National Capital. The bulk of his army removed to Fortress Monroe, which place it left on the 23d of August, and reached Acquia creek the next day.
BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
No sooner had the Washington Government learned of the reverses on the Peninsula, than General Pope was sent to Virginia to occupy the Shenandoah Valley. His advance consisted of two divisions under command of General Banks. General Lee, ever vigilant, sent a strong force to repel this invasion, and on the evening of the 8th of August a portion of General Jackson's corps, consisting of the 1st, 2d and 3d brigades, commanded by General Charles S. Winder, forded the Rapi- dan river and advanced into Culpeper county. The next morning it was reported that the Federals were advancing to the attack, and Ewell's division moved out three miles on the road leading from Orange
1
men
الهـ
375
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
Court House to Culpeper Court House, where it took position, with the left flank resting on South Mountain.
At 12 M. cannonading began; at 3 P. M. General Early's brigade of Ewell's division made a circuit through the woods and attacked the Federals on the right, the 13th Virginia regiment marching in the advance. At 4 P. M. the action became general, and as General Jack- son's division, under command of General Winder, was advancing to the attack, it was subjected to a galling fire poured forth with great precision from the mountain side. General Winder had his left arm shattered, and a few minutes later received a wound in the side, from which he died in an hour. The battle raged until nightfall and victory seemed to hang in the balance, but just as the full-orbed moon was lighting up the mountain tops, the Federals gave way and retreated, leaving their dead and wounded upon the field.
SECOND BATTLE OF MANASSAS.
After the battle of Cedar Mountain, the Federals returned to the Potomac river, and Jackson took position on the already historic plains of Manassas, where, on the 27th of August, 1862, the soil was a second time bathed in the best blood of the nation. On the morning of that day, General Taylor's brigade of Major-General Slocum's division of the Army of the Potomac, composed of the 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th New Jersey regiments, proceeded by rail from Camp Ellsworth, bear Alex- andria, and reached Manassas about 11 o'clock A. M. Upon arriving, General Taylor marched his men to the summit of the hill above the valley of Bull Run, when he encountered a skirmish line, which fell back before him. He continued onward until near the Junction, where his command was met by a heavy enfilading fire of artillery. Unable to withstand it, he fell back and took shelter behind the crest of a ridge, but from which he was soon driven, and forced to a precipitate flight in the direction of Fairfax. The Confederates followed in hot pursuit, which was kept up until the fugitive army was beyond Centre- ville. General Taylor himself, his son, of his staff, and his nephew, were all severely wounded. Thus ended the second battle of Manassas -not on such a gigantic seale, but in as complete a rout as the first.
GENERAL LORING IN THE KANAWHA VALLEY.
It was now September, and the Federal army had been driven com- pletely out of Virginia. General Loring was sent to the Kanawha Val- ley to take possession of that great salt-producing region. On the 10th he reached Fayette Court House, where he found the Federals posted in
376
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
considerable force. An attack was at onee made, and after an engage- ment lasting six hours, the place was captured, the Federals falling back to Cotton Hill, where they made a stand; but after a few hours fighting the next day, they were driven again, and this time continued their retreat to Charleston, the county-seat of Kanawha. General Loring followed on down the Kanawha river, and two days later occu- pied Charleston, from which the Federals had fled after firing it. At Point Pleasant they were largely reinforeed, and marching back to Charleston, compelled General Loring, whose forces. were greatly inferior, to evacuate the town and fall back to Staunton, in Augusta county.
GENERAL LEE IN MARYLAND.
The progress of events, now, for the first time during the struggle, leads us to a new theater of war within the recognized dominion of the Federal Government.
On the 4th of September General Lee took the offensive, and leaving on his right Arlington Heights, whither the shattered forces of General Pope had been driven from the valley, crossed the Potomac river and entered Maryland. Two objects were in view: the first, the capture of Harpers Ferry ; and the second, to test the spirit of the Marylanders, and thus learn whether their proffered aid in support of the Confederacy could be relied upon. Attention was diverted from this expedition by a demonstration upon Pennsylvania, which so alarmed its governor. Curtin, that he ealled out the entire available force of the State, and made every preparation for defense. During the consequent excitement which prevailed throughout the Northern States, General Lee was in reality directing his movements against Virginia, and for the more effectual accomplishment of his purpose, divided his foree into three corps, commanded respectively by Generals Jackson, Longstreet and Hill. The first reerossed the Potomae at Williamsport, and having oc- cupied Martinsburg, passed rapidly to the south of Harpers Ferry, the object being the capture of the arms and stores there. In the mean- while the commands of Hill and Longstreet were stationed to cover the movements of Jackson, and thus hold at bay the forces of Mcclellan, which were marching to the relief of Harpers Ferry, then held by a force of ten or twelve thousand men under General Miles. General Lee, foreseeing that the design of the Federal officers was to attack and defeat the Confederates in detail before their forees could be reunited, to frustrate this expectation, sent the division of General D. H. Hill to take a position at the mountain post known as Boonesboro Gap. Here, on the 14th of September, was fought the
--
£
0
. NULLA
PALLE
SCERE
CULPA
William Byrd of Wellover inVirginia Sgf.
ARMORIAL BOOK-PLATE
Of Colonel WILLIAM BYRD, of " Westover." James River, who founded Richmond in 1737.
-
378
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
At 8 A. M. of that day, General Cox's division, of Reno's corps, moved up the country road leading toward the summit, which in the meantime had been occupied by General Hill, and the conflict at once began. The brigade of General Garland, of Virginia, received the first fire, and its brave commander fell, fatally pierced by a musket ball, and very nearly at the same moment General Reno, a distinguished Federal officer, was mortally wounded, dying upon the field. The battle contin- ued to rage with unabated fury, and reinforcements to arrive and engage at once in the deadly fray. That morning the corps of General Long- street was lying at Hagerstown, distant fourteen miles from the scene of action. Hurrying forward with all speed, it reached and joined the wearied ranks of Hill at 3 P. M., and an hour later the brigades were in position, and that of General Toombs engaged. Evans occupied the ex- treme left, Drayton the right, and Hood, with the "ragged Texans," the center. At the same hour the Federals received powerful rein- forcements. Hooker's corps of Burnside's column moved to the right, Meade's division to the left, and Rickett's to the center. The first was supported by Patrick, the second by Doubleday, and the third by Phelps. It was a living human wall against which no force could pre- vail, and at dark the Confederates withdrew from the field, but they had accomplished their object-they had held the entire army of McClellan, outnumbering them five to one, back, while General Jackson succeeded in the
CAPTURE OF HARPERS FERRY.
At midnight on the 14th, Jackson massed his batteries on the heights overlooking Harpers Ferry, and at daylight on the morning of the 15th opened a fire which fairly shook the surrounding mountains. Just at sunrise General Miles, the Federal commander, was struck by a shell and his left leg carried away. At twenty minutes past seven the white flag was waving over the Federal position, and a few minutes later Miles surrendered 11,583 men, 73 pieces of artillery, 13,000 small arms, 200 wagons, and an immense quantity of supplies. But Jackson did not wait to receive the surrender; leaving that to Hill, he hurried across the Potomac into Maryland to join Lee, and assist him at the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.