Battles of the Civil War

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

In all history of this American Republic, or perhaps any other nation, there was no conflict that was so terrible as our Civil war. Napoleon's efforts to bring into reality his dream of universal empire would not compare with it.

I have endeavored in this book to describe in detail the chief points that were enacted on the most important battlefields of that War. As those who participated in that War are now fast passing away, and the time will soon be here when they will only be remembered by their deeds of valor on these battlefields, I deem it only fit and proper that those in all walks of life should know more of these battles in detail and of those who participated in them. I think you will get this information from this book, as it is written specially with this view. It should specially appeal to teachers and students who can use it in a supplementary way in connection with the study of history of this period.

I now commend this book to you, and trust that it may be the means of giving you more light on this the greatest civil war of all time, and that it may help to lengthen in the minds of the American people their remembrance of those who participated in it.

FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN

At the beginning of July, 1861, the Federals had 30,000 men encamped along the Potomac near the heights of Arlington under the general command of General Winfield Scott, who was a veteran of the war of 1812, as well as the Mexican war, but who was at this time aged and infirm, and remained in Washington, and Brigadier-General Irvin McDowell was in immediate command of the army. Another 20,000 men lay at Martinsburg under General Patterson who like Scott was a veteran of the war of 1812 and of the Mexican war.

At Manassas Junction, about thirty miles from Washington, lay the Confederate army under Brigadier-General Beauregard. General Joseph E. Johnston was in command of 9,000 men in the Shenandoah Valley. Johnston and Beauregard, as well as McDowell, had with Scott and Patterson battled at the gates of Mexico.

General Scott gave orders to McDowell to move against Beauregard and on the 16th day of July the army, with waving banners and lively hopes of victory, and with "On to Richmond" as their battle cry, moved on Manassas. General McDowell brought his army to a halt at Centreville within seven miles of Manassas. Beauregard was apprised of the coming of the Federals. The stream of Bull Run, from which the first great battle of the war derived its name, flowed between the two armies. Patterson failed to detain Johnston in the valley, and General Johnston reached Manassas with his army on the afternoon of the 20th. General Longstreet was also there, who some months later played a distinctive part in the struggle at Gettysburg and in the death grapple of Lee and Grant in the wilderness.

McDowell, after resting his troops for two days at Centreville, thought the time for an engagement was now at hand, so on Sunday, July 21st, at half-past two in the morning, the men were roused for the coming conflict. Their dream of easy victory had already received a rude shock, for on their second day at Centreville a skirmish between two minor divisions of the opposing armies resulted in the defeat of the Union forces with some loss.

Ambrose E. Burnside and William T. Sherman were at this time subordinate officers under General McDowell. Burnside, who figured later in the far more disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, and Sherman, distinguished for his march to the sea.

The Union plan was that General Tyler should lead his division westward and cross Bull Run at the Stone Bridge about four miles from Centreville, and the remainder of the army under Hunter and Heintzelman was to make a circuit of several miles through a dense wood and cross Bull Run at Sudley's Ford. The plan was to attack the Confederate left wing. The march to Sudley's Ford was slower than expected and it was almost noon before this division of the army reached the field near Stone Bridge.

General Tyler early in the day opened fire at Stone Bridge on the Confederates under General Evans, but merely kept up a desultory fire. As the morning wore away the Confederates suddenly discovered clouds of dust rising above the treetops along the Warrenton turnpike, which told them that the main Federal army was on them. Evans quickly turned about and made ready for battle and waited calmly for the approach of the enemy. Presently there was a glimmer of sunlight reflected from burnished steel among the trees and Colonel Burnside led the Federal army from the woods and without delay the battle began and raged furiously.

Meanwhile Generals Beauregard and Johnston were at Manassas, about four miles from the scene of battle, with part of the Confederate army, and had been planning an attack on the Federal left, but on hearing the roar of the cannon and the rattle of the musketry became convinced that the Federals were making their main attack on the Confederate left, and both galloped at full speed to the scene of battle, after leaving orders to the remainder of the army to be brought up to reënforce the small force of Confederates who were trying to hold back the Federals. They arrived on the field at the moment when General Bee's brigade was being driven back. General Bee, in trying to rally his men, called their attention to the fact that Thos. J. Jackson's brigade was standing like a stone wall, and it was here that Jackson won his name of "Stonewall."

The battle raged furiously until 3 o'clock. The chief object was to get possession of Henry's Hill. Beauregard, like McDowell on the other side, led his men in the thickest of the battle. His horse was killed by a bursting shell, but he mounted another and continued. At about 2 o'clock the Confederates were driven from the field and McDowell thought he had won the victory, but General Kirby Smith had arrived from Manassas with the remainder of the Confederate army and was now on the field, after a double-quick march for four miles under a hot July sun. Beauregard determined to make another effort and ordered his troops forward with fresh courage. When the Union army saw the Confederates again approaching, supported by fresh troops, their courage failed and they began to retreat. McDowell tried in vain to rally his men, the Confederates pressed on, the retreat of the Federals became a panic. He again tried to rally his men and make a stand at Centreville but to no avail, the troops refused to listen to his commands. Some of the troops did not stop until they reached Washington, and the first great battle of the Civil war was now over.

The Federal force engaged was about 19,000 men, of which the loss in killed, wounded and missing was about 3,000.

The Confederates had about 18,000 men on the field, and their total loss in killed, wounded and missing was about 2,000. McDowell and Beauregard, the opposing commanders, were old-time friends, having been in the same class at West Point.

It was in this battle that Captain Ricketts was severely wounded and left on the field, and was carried a prisoner to Richmond by the Confederates.

To commemorate the success of the Southern arms at Bull Run the Confederate congress voted a day of Thanksgiving.

THE BATTLE OF SHILOH

Many battles had been fought in America, but they were all skirmishes compared with Shiloh. Napoleon fought but few battles on the Continent of Europe that were more destructive of human life.

In the beginning of April, 1862, General Albert Sidney Johnston was in command of 40,000 Confederate soldiers at Corinth, Miss., about twenty miles from Pittsburgh Landing, on the Tennessee River; the next in command was General Beauregard, who had fought at Bull Run, and had come to reënforce Johnston; General Bragg, of Buena Vista fame, was there, to whom, at Buena Vista, General Taylor had given the famous command, "A little more grape, Captain Bragg." General Leonidas Polk was with Johnston also. He was called the "Fighting Bishop," for he had been a bishop in the church after leaving West Point.

Meanwhile the Union army was gathering at Pittsburgh Landing, under the command of General Grant, and by April 5th numbered 40,000 men. Grant's plan was to attack the Confederates at Corinth, within a few days, and at this time was little expecting an immediate battle, and had left his army in command of his subordinate officers, and on the night of the 5th was some miles down the Tennessee from where his army was encamped.

In the meantime Johnston was moving on the Federals at Pittsburgh Landing, and on the night of April 5th encamped within a mile of the Federal lines.

At the break of day Sunday, April 6th, the Confederate battle-lines moved from the woods on the surrounding hills, and the greatest battle yet fought in the Western Hemisphere was at hand.

General Grant was at breakfast when he heard the roar of the cannon, and made haste by boat to take charge of his army.

General Hardee led the first Confederate attack against the outlying division of the Federals under General Benjamin Prentiss, of West Virginia. Very soon a Confederate attack was made all along the Federal line, led by Bragg, Polk and Breckinridge. A determined stand was made by the Federal division under General W. T. Sherman, but was finally pushed back after inflicting great slaughter to the Confederates. About two and a half miles from the Landing, in a grove of trees, stood a log church, known to the country people as Shiloh, at which they gathered on Sunday to worship, but on this particular Sunday the demon of war reigned supreme, and it goes without saying that the regular service on this fateful Sunday was dispensed with. About this church the battle raged furiously. Near the same was a dense undergrowth, which was held by General Prentiss until late in the afternoon of the 6th, when his entire division was surrounded and compelled to surrender, after repulsing the Confederate attack time after time with great slaughter. This spot has since been known as the "Hornet's Nest."

It was near this place that General Albert Sidney Johnston received his death wound while leading his troops, and in his death the Confederates suffered irreparable loss. He was struck in the leg by a minie ball, and if surgical attention had been given him at once his life would have been saved.

It is the belief of many that the death of Johnston changed the result at Shiloh. Beauregard succeeded to the command and continued the battle. The utter rout of Grant's army was saved only by the gunboats in the river. Beauregard gave orders to suspend operations until morning.

The Confederates were left in charge of the field on the first day and were in good hope of victory. But ere long their hopes were mingled with fear, for Beauregard had been expecting General Van Dorn with 20,000 men to reënforce him, but he had not arrived. On the other hand, Generals Buell and Wallace arrived during the night with 25,000 fresh troops to reënforce Grant. Everyone knew the battle would be renewed at the dawn of day. At the break of day, April 7th, all was astir on the field of Shiloh, and the dawn was greeted with the roar of the cannon and the rattle of the musketry.

The Confederates were at a great disadvantage as Van Dorn had not arrived, and they were confronted by Grant's overwhelming numbers. Shiloh church was again the storm center, and was used by Beauregard as his headquarters.

During the afternoon Beauregard became convinced that the battle was lost, and ordered a retreat, which was skillfully made, for he maintained a front firing-line, and the Federals did not suspect his retreat for some time.

The Federals were left in possession of the field, while Beauregard's troops were wading through mud on their way to Corinth.

Nothing yet on the American continent had ever been witnessed by any human being that would equal the agony and woe that was endured on this retreat; the road was almost impassable, and the Confederate army, extending along this road for six to eight miles, was struggling along through a downpour of rain, which, ere long, as night hovered over them, turned to hail and sleet. There were wagons loaded with wounded, whose wounds had not yet been attended. The wounded that died on the way were left by the wayside.

Some days after the battle Beauregard reported to his government at Richmond as follows: "This army is more confident of ultimate success than before its encounter with the enemy."

In his address to his soldiers he said: "You have done your duty. Your countrymen are proud of your deeds on the bloody field of Shiloh: Confident of the ultimate result of your valor."

The two days at Shiloh were astonishing to the American people. Bull Run was a skirmish in comparison with Shiloh. The loss on each side was more than 10,000 men. General Grant said that after the battle there was an open field so covered with dead that it would have been possible to walk across it in any direction stepping on dead bodies without the foot touching the ground.

This proved a great victory for the Federals, as it left them in full possession along the Tennessee and in the surrounding country.

THE BATTLES OF FAIR OAKS AND SEVEN PINES

After the battle of Bull Run the Union army was broken up and unorganized. General George B. McClellan was called to Washington to take charge of the army, and in the beginning days of 1862 he found himself in command of 200,000 men. He set about to organize this army and fit them for service. Presently public opinion grew restless, and the North became tired of "All's Quiet Along the Potomac."

About the middle of March McClellan moved a large portion of his army on transports down the Potomac to Fortress Monroe. On April 5th he moved up the Peninsula toward Richmond. He met with a Confederate force under General Magruder near Yorktown, who fell back on Williamsburg as the Union army advanced. At Williamsburg he met a large Confederate force under General J. E. B. Stuart, D. H. Hill and Jubal Early. The Confederates were finally dislodged and forced to retreat by the advance divisions of McClellan's army under Hooker, Kearny and Hancock, who occupied Williamsburg.

The Union army continued their march, and on May 16th reached White House, the ancestral home of the Lees, which is twenty-four miles from Richmond. On every side were fields of grain, and were it not for the presence of 100,000 men, there was the promise of a full harvest.

Great confusion reigned at the Confederate capital on hearing of the advance of McClellan's army. The Confederate army, known as the Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston, was arrayed against McClellan's army, known as the Army of the Potomac. And thus was arrayed against each other two of the greatest and best equipped armies that had ever confronted each other on the field of battle. It was now imminent that this would be the beginning of a series of battles between the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia, ending three years thereafter at Appomattox, where the veterans in gray layed down their arms, in honor, to those in blue.

Between these two armies lay the Chickahominy River, which at this time was overflowing its banks on account of recent heavy rains. McClellan ordered his army forward May 20th, and a large division under General Naglee succeeded in crossing the river, and took up a position on the south side of the stream. General McClellan, however, was expecting to be reënforced by McDowell from Fredericksburg with 40,000 men.

General Johnston, discovering the divided condition of McClellan's army, believed that the time had arrived to give battle. At this time "Stonewall" Jackson, with his army, was in the Valley of Virginia, and was seriously threatening Washington. The authorities at Washington deemed it necessary to recall McDowell and thus prevent him from reënforcing McClellan, which proved to be a very serious disappointment to him. McClellan ordered two divisions of his army to advance. One, commanded by General Casey, stationed itself at Fair Oaks farm, and the other, under General Couch, entrenched itself at the cross-roads near Seven Pines, which derives its name from a clump of pine trees, from which the battle fought here derives its name.

No sooner had these positions been taken than they began to entrench themselves and throw out their picket lines, for the advance division of the Confederates could plainly be seen through the timber lines.

On May 30th Johnston gave orders for his army to be ready to advance at daybreak, but during the night a very heavy rain fell and delayed operations until late in the morning of May 31st. About nine o'clock, however, the forces of Longstreet and Hill were ready to move, and advanced rapidly through the woods on the outlying division of the Federals, who made a stubborn defense, driving back the Confederates time after time at the point of the bayonet, and the last time pressing them back to the woods. Here they were met by a furious musketry fire by fresh men from Longstreet's division or infantry. They quickly gave way, and retreated in confusion back to their entrenchments near Fair Oaks farm. Here the Federals took a stubborn stand, but were presently dislodged with great slaughter by an enfilading fire from the brigades of Rains and Rhodes, who had come up on each side.

The Federals fell back to Seven Pines, where Couch's division was stationed. Their situation was growing critical, although they were making a determined stand and had been reënforced by Heintzelman's division. In the meantime Hill had been reënforced by a brigade of Longstreet's division and was making a fierce attack on the Federals. The Confederates were further reënforced by the division of General G. W. Smith. The battle raged furiously until late in the evening, when the Federals fell back a distance of about two miles within their entrenchments along the river.

While this battle was being fought, another at Fair Oaks Station, only a short distance away, was also being fought, in which General Joseph E. Johnston was seriously wounded by a bursting shell, and was carried from the field. He was succeeded in command by General Robert E. Lee, who was afterwards made the commander in chief of all the Southern forces, although the immediate command fell upon G. W. Smith.

Early Sunday morning, June 1st, the battle was renewed and the attack was again made by the Confederates, led by General Smith, supported by Longstreet, but they were pushed back with great slaughter. The Union lines were also broken and a brief lull ensued. Both sides were gathering themselves for another onslaught. Presently the Federals were reënforced by the division of General Hooker. They marched upon the field in double quick time, and were met by a withering artillery fire. Both attacking divisions were ordered forward with fixed bayonets. The Confederates finally gave way and fell back toward Richmond, and the Federals again withdrew to their entrenchment along the river.

It is thought by many that McClellan's failure to follow up the Confederates proved to be the final failure of his Peninsula campaign, for it gave the Confederates time to readjust their army under their new commander.

The forest paths were strewn with the dead and dying. Many of the wounded were compelled to lie in the hot sun for hours before help could reach them. Many of the Federal wounded were placed upon cars and taken across the Chickahominy. The Confederate wounded were carried to Richmond, which was only seven miles away. And many of the Confederate dead at Seven Pines were buried in the Holly Wood cemetery at Richmond, where there are 16,000 Confederate dead. At Oak Wood cemetery, which is near by, there is another 16,000, which makes 32,000 buried at Richmond.

At this time the defense of Washington was giving McClellan, as well as other Federal authorities, considerable concern, for Jackson with his army had previously taken possession of Winchester and was advancing down the valley. The Federals opposed to Jackson were commanded by Generals Shields and Banks. Jackson made an attack on Shields' army at Kernstown and drove the Federals back, but presently fell back to wait reënforcements under Ewell. The Federals were reënforced by General Fremont. Jackson's activity in the valley caused the president to fear that his goal was Washington. The two armies fought a series of battles in the valley, namely: Front Royal, Strausburg, Newtown and Port Republic, the last-named being the far more important and destructive to life. These were a series of victories for Jackson, for he drove the Federals from place to place, and 3,000 of Banks' men fell into his hands as prisoners. Banks retreated across the Potomac and Jackson joined Lee before Richmond.

Jackson's activity and strategy in the movement of his army surprised both the North and the South. Banks reported to the government at Washington that "Jackson aimed at nothing less than the capture of our entire force."

THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES

Early in the summer of 1862, General Lee proceeded to increase his fighting force so as to make it more nearly equal in number to that of McClellan, and to that end every man that could be spared from other sections in the South was called to Richmond. Numerous intrenchments were thrown up along the roads and in the fields about Richmond, thus giving it the appearance of a fortified camp. General Lee, in an address to his troops, said that the army had made its last retreat.

Each army at this time numbered in the neighborhood of 100,000 men.

Meanwhile, McClellan's army was acclimating itself to a Virginia summer, and now that the sweltering heat of June was coming on, the swamps about their camps were fountains of disease, which began to tell on the health of the men. The hospitals were crowded, and the death rate was appalling.

McClellan proceeded to transfer all his men to the south side of the Chickahominy River, excepting the corps of Franklin and Porter, which were left on the north side of the river to await reënforcements under General McCall, which arrived about the middle of June.

General Lee sent a division of his cavalry, under the command of J. E. B. Stuart, to encircle the army of McClellan. Stuart started in the direction of Fredericksburg June 12th, as if to reënforce Jackson, and the first night bivouacked in the pine woods of Hanover county. Then, turning to the east, he soon came upon a Union force, drawn up in columns of four, ready to dispute the passage of the road, and which fell back in confusion as the Confederates advanced. Stuart pushed on and fell upon a company of Federal infantry at Tunstall's Station, which surrendered at once. The Confederates quickly turned about, crossed the Chickahominy River and joined Lee's army before Richmond, thus giving Lee the desired information of the position of McClellan's army.

Meanwhile, General "Stonewall" Jackson with his army was making haste to join Lee's army, and on June 25th reached Ashland, in striking distance of the Army of the Potomac.

McClellan was pushing his men forward to begin the siege of Richmond. His advance guard was within four miles of the Confederate capital, and his fond hope was that within a few days at most his artillery would be belching forth its sheets of fire and lead into the beleaguered city.

In front of the Union camp was a strip of pine woodland, full of ponds and marshes. The Union soldiers pressed through this thicket, met the Confederate pickets among the trees and drove them back. Upon emerging into the open the Federal troops found it filled with rifle pits, earth works, and redoubts. At once they were met with a steady and incessant fire, which continued nearly all day, and at times almost reached the magnitude of a battle. This is sometimes called the second battle of Fair Oaks, and was the prelude of the Seven Days' battles.

The extreme right of the Union line, under command of General Porter, lay near Mechanicsville, on the Upper Chickahominy. It was strongly entrenched and was almost impregnable to an attack from the front. Before sunrise, June 26th, the Confederates were at the Chickahominy bridge awaiting the arrival of Jackson, but for once Jackson was behind time. The morning hours came and went. Noon came and Jackson had not arrived. About the middle of the afternoon, General A. P. Hill, growing impatient, crossed the river at Meadow bridge, and at Mechanicsville was joined by the divisions of Longstreet and D. H. Hill. Driving the Union outpost to cover, the Confederates swept across the low approach to Beaver Dam Creek through a murderous fire from the batteries on the cliff, but were finally repulsed with severe loss. Later in the afternoon relief was sent Hill, who again attempted to force the Union position at Ellerson's Mill. From across the open fields, and in full view of the defenders of the cliff, the Confederates moved down the slope in full range of the Federal batteries, but the fire was reserved by the Federals. As the approaching columns reached the stream the shells came screaming through the air from every waiting field-piece. Volley after volley of musketry was poured into the ranks of the Southerners. The hillside was soon covered by the victims of the gallant charge. As darkness hovered over them there were no signs of the cessation of the combat. It was nine o'clock when Hill finally drew back his shattered forces to await the coming of the morning. The Forty-fourth Georgia regiment suffered the loss of all of its officers, and thereby was unable to re-form its broken ranks. Both armies now prepared for another day of conflict.