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Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1., Chapter 6: Affairs at the National Capital.--War commenced in Charleston harbor. (search)
en, be held between Maryland and Virginia, and, these two States agreeing, let them provide sufficient force to seize the city of Washington, and if coercion is to be. attempted, let it begin with subjugating the States of Maryland and Virginia. Thus practical and efficient fighting in the Union will prevent the powers of the Union from falling into the hands of our enemies. We hope Virginia will depute her commissioners to Maryland first, and, providing for the seizure of Washington and Old Point, Harper's Ferry and Gosport Navy Yard, present these two States in the attitude of rebels inviting coercion. This was the way Patrick Henry brought about the Revolution, and this is the best use that Virginia can make of commissioners of any kind. Governor Wise had already publicly announced that, in the event of an attempt at coercion on the part of the National Government, Fortress Monroe, the Navy Yard at Gosport, and the armory and arsenal at Harper's Ferry would be seized, and hel
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2., Chapter 4: military operations in Western Virginia, and on the sea-coast (search)
t land and naval armament was seen in August, 11361, destined to strike a severe blow at the rebellion farther down the coast. It had been collected there while the smoke of the once pleasant village of Hampton, near, was yet making the air of Old Point Comfort murky with its density. Let us see how that village, whose ruins have already been depicted in this work, See pages 511, 512, and 514, volume I. came to destruction. We have observed that, after the disastrous Battle of Bull's Rupelled to reduce the garrison at Newport-Newce, and to abandon the village of Hampton, the latter movement causing a general exodus of the colored people living there, July 26, 1861. who flocked into the Union lines. The whole country between Old Point Comfort and Yorktown was now left open to Confederate rule; and General Magruder, commanding at the latter post, moved down the peninsula with about five thousand men, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, to menace Newport-Newce, and take position
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2., Chapter 8: the siege and capture of Fort Donelson. (search)
continued until the troops were called to the field in the spring of 1862. Then the mails were brigaded, placed in canvas bags, labeled and addressed to the brigade, and forwarded to their destination by steamer or railway, under military authority. The Post-office Department had no further control of the army mail after it left the post-office at Washington City. During the Peninsula campaign, the mail for the Army of the Potomac was forwarded from Washington by way of Baltimore and Old Point Comfort, the Potomac being blockaded by shore batteries. At the same time, the troops in the Shenandoah Valley were supplied with a mail service by way of Harper's Ferry, the mails being sent under military control to that place, over the Baltimore and Ohio railway, and there furnished to the brigades when called for. Owing to the peculiar condition of affairs in that region, much of the time there was very little regularity in the delivery of the mails, and communication between the army
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2., Chapter 16: the Army of the Potomac before Richmond. (search)
mond on the 26th. When the object of our journey was made known to Major-general Alfred H. Terry, then in command at Richmond, he kindly furnished us with every facility for an exploration of the battle-grounds in that vicinity. He placed his carriage and four horses at our disposal for several days; and we had competent guides as well as most genial companions in Colonels Martin, Graves, and Sullivan, of General Terry's Staff, who had participated in the stirring military events between Old Point Comfort and Richmond. Our first trip was made on a wet day, which gave us a realizing sense of that altogether abnormal state of the season of which the commander of the Army of the Potomac wrote, four years before, when waiting for fairer Mechanicsville. skies and drier earth to permit him to take. Richmond. We rode out to Mechanicsville, passing through the lines of heavy fortifications constructed by the Confederates along the brow of a declivity, on the verge of a plain that over
Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 22: operations in the Potomac.--destruction of Confederate batteries.--losses by shipwreck, in battle, etc. (search)
0 Transferred from War and Treasury Departments 50 230 32,828 New vessels, completed and under construction 123 659 3120,290 Total 427 3,268 340,036 Increase since last reported 163 711 122,020 Losses by shipwreck and in battle. Name. Class. Guns. Tonnage Remarks. R. B. Forbes Steamer. 3 329 Wrecked Feb., 1862, coast of North Carolina. Congress Frigate. 50 1,867 In action with Merrimac, March 8, 1862. Cumberland Sloop. 24 1,726 do. Whitehall Steamer. 4 323 At Old Point, March 9, 1862, by fire. M. J. Carlton Mortar Schooner 3 178 Attack on Forts Jackson and St. Philip, April 19, 1862. Varuna Steamer. 9 1,300 In action with confederate gun-boats below New Orleans, April 24, 1862. Sidney C. Jones. Mortar schooner 3 245 Grounded below Vicksburg and burned to prevent falling into the hands of the enemy. Island Belle Steamer. 2 123 Grounded in Appomattox river June, 1862, and burned to prevent falling into the hands of the enemy. Adirondack Scre
G. S. Hillard, Life and Campaigns of George B. McClellan, Major-General , U. S. Army, Chapter 6: (search)
importance, the memorandum of its proceedings is here given in full:-- Headquarters, army of the Potomac, Fairfax Court-House, March 13, 1862. A council of the generals commanding army corps, at the Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, were of the opinion-- I. That the enemy having retreated from Manassas to Gordonsville, behind the Rappahannock and Rapidan, it is the opinion of generals commanding army corps that the operations to be carried on will be best undertaken from Old Point Comfort, between the York and James Rivers: Provided-- 1st. That the enemy's vessel, Merrimac, can be neutralized. 2d. That the means of transportation sufficient for an immediate transfer of the force to its new base can be ready at Washington and Alexandria to move down the Potomac; and, 3d. That a naval auxiliary force can be had to silence, or aid in silencing, the enemy's batteries on the York River. 4th. That the force to be left to cover Washington shall be such as t
Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume II., chapter 6 (search)
en interrupted, it is certain that all our movements should have been directed by a common head, responsible for the proper distribution and concentration of our forces. A Secretary of War, however able and fit, is perplexed by duties and anxieties too multifarious and distracting to permit of his serving to advantage as Generalissimo. Two days later, at a council of corps commanders at Fairfax Court House, it was decided — for reasons not given and not apparent — to debark our army at Old Point Comfort, between the York and James rivers, instead of Urbana or Mob Jack Bay — a most unfortunate decision, though materially qualified by the following provisos: 1st. That the enemy's vessel Merrimae can be neutralized. 2d. That the means of transportation, sufficient for an immediate transfer of the force to its new base, can be ready at Washington and Alexandria to move down the Potomac; and 3d. That a naval auxiliary force can be had to silence, or aid in silencing, the e<
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 70 (search)
f the United States. Virginia, by solemn act of Assembly, and by formal deed, duly recorded in the Clerk's office of my County, (and which I have often read,) ceded and transferred all her right, title, and interest of, in, and to the lands at Old Point Comfort to the United States, for purposes of fortification and national defence. Then, if the guns are the property of the United States, and Old Point Comfort is also the property of the United States, what right, moral or legal, has VirginiOld Point Comfort is also the property of the United States, what right, moral or legal, has Virginia to lay her hands upon the guns, or to hinder the transfer of them to the lands of the United States? A man takes and carries away for his own use my horse, and the law pronounces it larceny — in plainer language, stealing. Now, what difference, I beg to know, is there, either in morals or in law, between the act of an individual illegally taking and carrying away another's property, and that of a State doing the same thing? Do we make the matter better by paying for the guns after they hav
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2. (ed. Frank Moore), Doc. 168.-the burning of Hampton, Va. August 7-8, 1861. (search)
egiment. Mr. Scofield, however, escaped, having been fired upon once by a pistol shot, but fortunately escaped unhurt. On the outskirts of Hampton, going toward Old Point, he met an old acquaintance formerly of Hampton, belonging to the cavalry, who answered to a question why Hampton was fired, that the cursed Yankees, having had nd gray-headed gentleman, and his wife, (Unionists,) the coroner of Hampton, Mr. Kennon Whiting and lady, and several other prominent citizens of Hampton, are at Old Point, under the protection of the old flag they were born under, being kindly cared for by Major-General Butler. The village is a complete wreck; every house is gu about 4,000 strong. The defences are said to be complete, the only approach to the place being commanded by nine columbiads. The present force of the enemy at Old Point is estimated at 6,000. Gen. Magruder was erecting strong fortifications at Bethel, 250 men being daily employed on the works. It was supposed that a man of
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 190 (search)
ld throw a ball some distance beyond; a company of our men manned the yawl boat brought ashore from the barque, and started to board her, when it was announced that three launches had started from the ship for the same purpose; our men perceiving this, and not being prepared to resist so large a number, returned to the shore. The men from the Vincennes proceeded to the barque, amid a shower of six-pounders, which fell thick and fast all around them, and, after raising a United States flag, set fire to her and left. The vessel continued burning all night, and yesterday morning numbers of our citizens and others from Old Point were around the wreck, trying to save what they could. The Yankee captain lost all of his clothes, and every thing else which he and his wife had aboard. It is estimated that the prize was worth one hundred thousand dollars, being the most valuable one yet captured by our bold privateer. The prize vessel was loaded with medicines, wool, copper, and furs.
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