USA > Virginia > Virginia and Virginians; eminent Virginians, executives of the colony of Virginia, Vol. I > Part 38
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
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, OR SHARPSBURG,
Which was fought two days later, on the 17th. Sharpsburg is ten miles north of Harpers Ferry, and eight west of Boonesboro, on the bank of Antietam creek, a sluggish stream emptying into the Potomac eight miles above Harpers Ferry. Here, on the morning of the 17th, General Lee lay with a force of 45,000 men. The Federals were com-
379
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
manded by MeClellan in person, and consisted of the entire command of Burnside, MeDowell's corps, now under the command of Hooker ; Sum- ner's corps, Franklin's corps, Banks' corps, commanded by Williams, and Sykes' division of Fitz John Porter's corps.
Lee looked anxiously for the arrival of the divisions of McLaws, R. H. Anderson, A. P. Ilill and Walker, but they did not come up until late in the day. At dawn the work of carnage began, and continued for twelve hours; 200,000 men struggled for the mastery. Blood flowed in streams, and the field was strewn far and wide with the dead and dying; the deathly grapple was yet indecisive, and at sunset when the worn armies desisted from strife one of the best examples of a drawn battle which history records was presented. Both armies rested upon the field that night, and when on the next morning the Confederates fell back across the Potomac to Shepherdstown, Virginia, MeClellan's army was too much demoralized to follow.
The Federal force actually engaged numbered 87,164, of which 4,320 were cavalry; their loss was 2,010 killed, 9,416 wounded, and 1,043 missing-a total of 12,469. The Confederates had during the day 70,000 men engaged, and left upon the field 3,000 dead, and 2,000 se- verely wounded. Of the killed on both sides many rotted in the sun, and, long after, their bones were bleaching on the mountain sides and in the valley of the little stream.
FROM THE POTOMAC TO FREDERICKSBURG.
For many days after the battle of Antietam the Federal army exhib- ited a "masterly inactivity." The ever-vigilant Lee was being rein- forced, and was rapidly remobilizing his army and getting ready for his adversary, when he should once more invade the soil of Virginia. McClellan's force on the 1st of October numbered 150,000 men, and on the 6th Halleck telegraphed him, saying: "The President directs that you cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy or drive him South. Your army must move while the roads are good." But two weeks passed away, and still no advance was made. Halleck once more tel- egraphed him: "The President does not expect impossibilities, but this good weather must not be wasted in inactivity." " November 1st the entire force once more crossed the Potomac and entered Virginia. It moved leisurely south along the eastern base of the Blue Ridge, while Lee kept up a parallel movement on the west side. On the 7th a heavy snow storm set in. Everything betokened the beginning of winter. "Patience ceased to be a virtue" with the authorities at Washington, and that night at 12 o'clock Lincoln ordered MeClellan to turn over the command of the army to General Burnside. The new commander determined to advance at once to Fredericksburg, masking his intention
3
380
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
by a feint towards Gordonsville. Lee readily interpreted his action, and while Burnside marched along the north bank of the Rappahan- nock to Falmouth, he continued down the south bank and took posi- tion at Fredericksburg. Here he destroyed the bridges, and prevented the crossing of Burnside until he had time to surround himself with forti- fications.
Fredericksburg lay midway between the contending armies, and it was evident that its destruction was sealed whenever either army should enter it.
THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
On the morning of the 10th of December Burnside's pontoon bridges arrived from Washington, and on the next day an effort was made to cross the river in front of the town, but the fire from the Confederate sharpshooters was persistent and directed with such unerring precision that the place was abandoned; but on the 12th the Federals succeeded in crossing three miles further down the river. Lee was awaiting the advance with 80,000 men lying behind the fortifications. "Stonewall" Jackson commanded on the right, and Longstreet on the left. Of the Federal force, Franklin was on the left, Hooker in the center, and Sumner on the right. The battle began at 11 o'clock A. M. : the first attack was made on the position of General Jackson by Meade with a brigade belonging to Franklin's grand division. It went into the charge with 4,500 men, and was instantly hurled back, leaving on the field 1,760 dead and wounded. The battle raged until nightfall, when Burnside having been repulsed at every point of attack was forced to recross the river, and on the next morning to abandon his position and fall back to Falmouth. ITis loss was 13,711, while that of the Confed- erates was only 5,309. The year 1862 closed, and left the two armies lying as at the close of the battle. Here they went into winter-quar- ters, and Burnside having proven himself no more satisfactory to the Washington Government than his predecessor, was soon after super- seded in the command by Major-General Hooker, who gloried in the sobriquet of "Fighting Joe."
THE ARMY OF NORTII-WESTERN VIRGINIA AT THE CLOSE OF THE SECOND YEAR'S WAR.
As the year closed, it was asserted both in the North and South that General Lee's army was rapidly dwindling away from desertion. This elicited a reply from the Commander-in-Chief, in which he likened the sufferings of that army to those of the French in their retreat from Mos- cow, and closed with the tribute : " This army cut and fought its way to the Potomac, crossed that stream, moved on to Frederick and Hagerstown, had a heavy engagement at Boonesboro, another at Crampton's Gap, fought the
381
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
greatest pitched battle of the war at Antietam, and then recrossed the Potomac into Virginia. During all this time, covering the full space of a month, the troops rested but four days. And let it be always re- membered to their honor that of the men who performed this wonder- ful feat, one-fifth were barefooted, one-half in rags, and the whole half- famished. * * * * Their difficulties were increased by the fact that cooking utensils in many cases had been left behind, as well as every- thing else that would impede their movements. It was not unusual to see a company of starving men have a barrel of flour distributed to them which it was utterly impossible for them to convert into bread with the means and in the time allowed them.
"Do you wonder, then, that there should have been stragglers from the army? That brave and true men should have fallen out from sheer exhaustion, or in their efforts to obtain a mouthful to eat along the road- sides ? Or that many seasoned veterans -- the conquerors in the Valley, at Richmond and at Manassas-should have succumbed to disease, and been forced back to the hospital? * * * * That there has been un- necessary straggling is readily admitted, but in a large majority of cases the men have only to point to their bleeding feet, tattered garments, and gaunt frames for an answer to the unjust charge. No army on this con- tinent has ever accomplished as much or suffered as much as the Army of Northern Virginia within the last three months. At no period during the first Revolutionary war, not even at Valley Forge, did our fore- fathers in arms encounter greater hardships or endure them more un- complainingly."
HOOKER HALTS ON THE BANKS OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
General Hooker took command of the army, but no advance was made; the condition of the army and the long winter were his excuses, but spring opened and but one engagement broke the long silence of the lines along the banks of the Rappahannock.
That was on the 17th of March, when a Federal force of 3,000 crossed the river at Kelley's Ford and advanced to within six miles of Culpeper Court House, when they were engaged by the brigade of General Fitz- hugh Lee. The engagement continued some hours, but at last the Federals were driven from the field after having inflicted a loss of one hundred upon the Confederates, among which number was the gallant Pelham, of Alabama, the "boy Major." He was but twenty-two years of age, and had participated in all the battles of Virginia. His remains were taken to Richmond, where for awhile they lay in state in the Capitol, where they were covered with floral tributes.
382
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
THE BATTLES OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK, CHANCELLORSVILLE AND FRED- ERICKSBURG.
It was now the month of April, and Hooker, the successor of Burn- side, busied himself with the reorganization of his powerful army. Its grand divisions were substituted by seven corps: the 1st (Reynolds), 2d (Couch), 3d (Sickles), 5th (Meade), 6th (Sedgwick), 11th (How- ard), and 12th (Slocum). His forces numbered 120,000 infantry and artillery, 13,000 cavalry, and 400 pieces of artillery. Confronting him on the south side of the river lay the Army of Northern Virginia, 62,000 strong. It consisted of Jackson's corps in four divisions, com- manded respectively by A. P. Hill, Rodes, Colston and Early; two divisions of Longstreet's corps, those of Anderson and MeLaws; Long- street himself, with the remainder of his command, having been sent to the south side of James river. Of Lee's force, the cavalry numbered 3,000 men.
The 27th of April at length arrived, and it seemed that the "grand hesitation " was at an end, for Hooker on that day ordered a general advance. With a view of concealing his real intention he sent Sedg- wick, 30,000 strong, to make a feint of crossing the river at Burnside's Ford, three miles below Fredericksburg, while he was to move secretly and rapidly to the right of his column, and, crossing both the Rappa- hannock and Rapidan above their confluence, take a position near Chancellorsville. This town, consisting of a hotel and several private residences, is situated on the road leading from Orange Court House to Fredericksburg, and is eleven miles north-west of the latter. Here the roads leading from German Mills and Ely's, United States and Banks' Fords, intersect.
The battle-plan of Hooker was not a simple one, but a combined oper- ation consisting of three parts: first, his own movement and flank attack of Lee; second, Sedgwick's attack upon Fredericksburg; and third, Stoneman's cavalry movement to the rear of the Confederate position.
Lee was not slow to divine the designs of his enemy, and at once set about disposing of his little army to the best advantage for repelling the shock of battle which he now knew was at hand. General Barks- dale's brigade and General Early's division were left to face Sedgwick's advance upon Fredericksburg, and Lee with his entire remaining avail- able force began the march to Chancellorsville, where by throwing the bulk of his army in front of Hooker, he expected to cheek his advance.
On Saturday, May 2d, the town was reached, and Jackson in the front began the work assigned him in the mighty contest. For two hours his division passed in review of Sickles' position on the left. The 23d Georgia regiment was guarding the flank of his train, and upon this regiment was poured the first fire. Sickles ordered General Birney to open fire and then charge the passing train; the order was executed
THOMAS J. JACKSON
FOLEY'S STATUE OF "STONEWALL" JACKSON. in the Capitol Grounds, Richmond.
The Inscription reads: " Presented by English gentlemen as a tribute of admiration for the soldier and patriot, THOMAS J. JACKSON, and gratefully accepted by Virginia, in the name of the Southern people. Done A. D. 1875. In the Hundredth Year of the
Commonwealth." " Look! there is JACKSON, standing like a Stone Wall."
1
3S4
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
and the greater part of the Georgia regiment were made prisoners. But Jackson's division was already far to the right and in position; at 5 P. M. the attack was made upon Howard's division, which broke and ran at the first fire. Sickles was preparing to renew Birney's attack with greater force, and for that purpose had just ordered up Pleasanton's cavalry, 1,000 strong, when the movement was changed to check the panic- stricken lines from Howard's right. The action now became general, and the Confederates charged from all points. The 8th Pennsylvania attempted to check the advance of Jackson's column and was entirely overwhelmed. It was the same old story. The Grand Army of the Potomac, in three hours from the first fire, was falling back before the charging columns of that army thrice its victors.
In the meantime Sedgwick with a force of two to one had succeeded in driving Barksdale and Early from their position at Fredericksburg, and they were now slowly falling back to join the main forces at Chan- cellorsville. Sedgwick was in pursuit, and intelligence of his approach reached Lee just as he was making preparations for a final attack upon Hooker. Something must be done to stay the unexpected force in his rear, and he accordingly dispatched four brigades under MeLaws and Anderson to reinforce Barksdale and Early, and check Sedgwick. They encountered his advance near Salem Church, but it was now night and darkness put an end to the conflict, both parties retaining their ground. This movement did not prevent Lee from keeping a furious cannonade on Hocker's front.
On the next morning, Monday, May 4th, Sedgwick sent a messenger to Hooker informing him of his beleaguered condition and asking sup port from the main army. Hooker replied that no aid could be given. Thereupon Sedgwick fell back rapidly to Banks' Ford, and under a heavy fire from his victorious pursuers succeeded in crossing the river, but leaving 5,000 dead behind him-one-third as many as the com- mands of Barksdale and Early numbered.
Lee had not given Hooker a moment's rest, and on Tuesday night, having placed straw and brush upon the bridge to prevent a noise, the whole Federal army escaped under cover of the darkness to the other side, and on Wednesday morning when the Confederates moved forward to the attack, no enemy was to be seen. Thus ended the battles on the Rappahannock, in which Hooker lost 17,197 men, of whom 5,000 were unwounded prisoners. He had also lost thirteen cannon and 20,000 stand of small arms. Lee's loss was 13,000, of whom 1,581 were killed, 8,700 were wounded, and nearly 3,000 prisoners. Among the killed was the lamented "Stonewall" Jackson-a sketch of whose life will be found in Volume I of VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
1
385
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
THE INVASION OF PENNSYLVANIA.
For a month after the battle of Chancellorsville, the two armies lay confronting each other with only the river between them. During the time, Hooker's force had been somewhat reduced by the discharge of several regiments whose term of service had expired, while that of Lee had been augmented by the arrival of several regiments of North Caro- lina troops. His army too had been thoroughly re-organized, and the question of Jackson's successor settled to the satisfaction of the country. The President, some time in May, commissioned both Major-Generals R. S. Ewell and A. P. Hill as Lieutenant-Generals in the army of Northern Virginia. To the command of each three divisions were as- signed, to complete which Anderson's division was taken from Long- street's corps, and that of A. P. Hill reduced to two brigades, and the command given to Major-General W. D. Pender; to these was added the brigade of Pettigrew and another from North Carolina, forming a corps, the command of which was given to Major-General Heth.
General Lee had for some time entertained a plan for the invasion of the Northern States, being determined that if he could not bring on an- other engagement in Virginia, by an invasion to induce the withdrawal of the Federal forces from her soil.
On the 3d of June, the preparations being complete, McLaws' divis- ion of Longstreet's corps began its march from Fredericksburg toward Culpeper Court House, and the same evening Hood's division, which had been lying near the mouth of the Rapidan, followed on to the same place. By the 8th, the entire army was in motion, with the rear resting at Culpeper. On the 9th, a large force of Federal cavalry and infantry crossed the Rappahannock at Beverly's and Kelley's fords, and attacked General Stuart. The engagement continued throughout the afternoon, and resulted in the retreat of the Federals beyond the river, leaving be- hind them four hundred prisoners and three pieces of artillery. This engagement is known to Northern writers as the battle of Brandy Sta- tion. The principal fighting on the Confederate side was done by the 11th Virginia cavalry, under command of Colonel Lomax.
CAPTURE OF WINCHESTER.
In the meantime, General Jenkins, commanding a brigade of cavalry, was ordered forward toward Winchester, and at the same time General Imboden was directed to make a demonstration toward Romney. for the purpose of covering the movement of General Jenkins against Winches- ter, and further to prevent the Federals at that place from being re- inforced by troops lying along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.
General Milrov, the Federal commander at Winchester, had a force of 7,000 men. He was either unaware of, or misinformed regarding the force moving against him, and therefore held his position too long. On
C
386
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
the 13th, General Rodes drove in a force which was lying at Berryville, and at 5 P. M. on the 14th, General Early was within cannon range of Milroy's position, which it was his purpose to assault ; he at once began preparations for the attack. Twenty pieces of artillery were placed in position and opened fire, and at the same time Hays' Louisiana brigade charged the works, which in a few minutes yielded before the charging columns, and Milroy was defeated and driven from Winchester, with a loss, according to his own account, of 4,000 men, 29 guns, 277 wagons. and 400 horses. Of the fugitives a part escaped to Harpers Ferry, and the remainder into Pennsylvania. General Rodes, having driven the Federals from Berryville, marched to Martinsburg, where he arrived on the 14th, and captured 700 prisoners, 5 pieces of artillery, and a con- siderable quantity of stores.
THE MARCH INTO PENNSYLVANIA CONTINUED.
These operations had cleared the valley of the Federal forces, those at Harpers Ferry having withdrawn to Maryland Heights; and now the great movement of the war, prefaced by this brilliant introduction, was fairly begun.
Ewell's corps was the first to cross the Potomac. On the 24th it was followed by that of General A. P. Hill, which crossed at Shepherdstown. General Longstreet's corps had previously reached the Maryland shore by the Williamsport ford. The latter was composed of the divisions of McLaws, Pickett, and Hood, while the corps of Hill consisted of those of Pender, Heth, and Anderson, and that of Ewell of the divisions of Rodes, Early, and Johnson. The several columns re-united at Hagers- town, from which place the entire army crossed into Pennsylvania, and on the evening of the 27th encamped near Chambersburg.
Throughout the North this movement produced the wildest excite- ment. The public records were removed from Harrisburg, and New York and Philadelphia prepared to receive the daring invaders.
On the 15th of June, President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 120,000 militia, of which Pennsylvania was to furnish 50,000, Ohio 30,000, Maryland 10,000, West Virginia 10,000, and New York 20,000. In addition, Governor Andrews tendered the entire military strength of Massachusetts in the terrible crisis.
But it was not the rapidly forming battalions of raw militia that claimed the attention of the daring invader, General Lee. He was watching with the gravest interest the movements of that mighty army, a third greater than his own, which he had left on the banks of the Rappahannock, and which along the Potomac had for three years been drilled in the science of war.
Y
387
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
Hooker lingered for a short time on the shore of Virginia, unable to determine whether Lee's advance was an invasion of the Northern States or a movement on Washington. Believing it to be the latter, he, on the 13th of June, put his army in motion northward, so as to cover the National Capital, marching along the east side of the Blue Ridge, while the Confederates moved along the west side. He reached the Potomac, and crossing at Edwards' Ferry, moved on to Frederick City. There he yielded to the pressure of public opinion at the North and re- signed the command of the army, which was at once given to General Meade. That officer made only such changes as were imperatively nec- essary. Sykes took the 5th corps, which had been Meade's; Hancock the 2d, in place of Couch, who had been assigned to the department of the Susquehanna; Reynolds retained the 1st, Sickles the 3d, Sedgwick . the 6th, Howard the 11th, and Slocum the 12th. The entire cavalry force was placed under Pleasanton. Thus the two armies were consti- tuted on the 27th of June; the Confederate at Chambersburg and the Federal at Frederick -thirty-five miles apart.
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
General Lee designed an attack upon Harrisburg, but on the 29th, learning of the northward movement of Meade, he ordered General Ewell, then on the road toward the capital, to join the army near Get- tysburg, and at the same time he put the entire army in motion for the same destination. The march was slow, and it was 10 A. M. on the morning of the 1st of July when Heth's division in the advance reached the town destined henceforth to enduring distinction in American his- tory. Meade had taken advantage of Lee's delay at Chambersburg, and by rapid marching reached the place in time for the 11th corps to engage Heth's division on its arrival.
A day pregnant with momentous issue was at hand. The mighty armies which had ceased to confront each other since leaving the Rap- pahannock, found themselves face to face at Gettysburg, on Wednes- day, July 1st.
Buford's cavalry brought on the attack at a point two miles ont on the Chambersburg road, but was soon forced back by the approaching lines of General Heth. General Reynokls then attempted to stay the advance, but he fell mortally wounded in the first fire, and his division in confu- sion fell back to the town. Another gray line was now moving for- ward; it was the corps of Ewell from York and Carlisle. He had heard the artillery calling him, and had hastened to the point of attack. U'n- checked, they moved into the town, the Federals, under the command of Doubleday since the fall of Reynolds, retiring to the hill beyond. This concluded the first day's fighting.
L
δΈ‰
388
VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS.
Let us briefly notice the position of the two armies on the morning of the 2d, which had taken positions during the night of the 1st. Lee's army was arranged along Seminary Ridge and around to the east of Gettysburg in the form of a vast crescent five miles in length, its con- cavity facing its antagonist. Longstreet was on the right, Hill in the center, and Ewell on the left. Meade's forces were all up by daylight except Sedgwick's corps, which did not arrive until 2 P. M. Sloeum was posted on the extreme right; to his left lay the command of Wadsworth; then to his left was Howard, and following in order were Hancock, Sickles and Sykes. The corps of Reynolds was held in reserve.
There lay the forces of General Lee -- the Army of Northern Vir- ginia-which had met and defeated the army now before it on many bloody fields. At Mechanicsville, at Malvern Hill, at South Mountain, at Antietam, at Manassas, at Fredericksburg and at Chancellorsville, it had seen the Army of the Potomac routed and fleeing before it. But now a reverse, the most serious of the war, was to be met, but not from any want of intrepidity or the absence of heroic achievement, for here on the field of Gettysburg, though overpowered, it made the grandest stand in its history.
We have not space to follow all the charges and counter-charges, sue- cesses and reverses, on that historic field. Such carnage had not before been witnessed on this continent. Well may historians class it as one of the fifteen great battles of the world. Some idea of the terrible strug- gle may be formed from its casualties. The Federal loss was 23.210. of whom 2,834 were killed, 13,733 wounded, and 6,643 missing. That of the Confederates was 36,000, of whom 5,000 were killed, 23,000 wounded, and 8,000 missing.
On the 4th, Lee began his march to the Potomac, forty miles distant. which he reached on the 7th, expecting to cross at Williamsport, but finding the stream so swollen that pontoons were impracticable, he moved to Falling Waters, where on the 13th he passed into Virginia. The disabled condition of the Federal army may be inferred from the fact that although Lee lingered on the shores of Maryland nine days after the battle, and within forty miles of his enemy, no second attack was made, nor was any pursuit attempted save that of the cavalry which followed in his rear.
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.