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Thomas C. DeLeon, Four years in Rebel capitals: an inside view of life in the southern confederacy, from birth to death., Chapter 19: days of depression. (search)
ap and shook to the winds the few remaining shreds of hope. General Wise was ill in bed; and the defense-conducted by a militia colonel with less than one thousand raw troops — was but child's play to the immense armada with heaviest metal that Burnside brought against the place. Roanoke Island was the key to General Huger's position at Norfolk. Its fall opened the Sounds to the enemy and, besides paralyzing Huger's rear communications, cut off more than half his supplies. The defeat was neral Huger's shoulders. But wherever the fault, the country could not shake off the gloom that such a succession of misfortunes threw over it. This feeling was, if possible, increased, and the greatest uneasiness caused in all quarters, by Burnside's capture of Newbern, North Carolina, on the 4th of March. Its defenses had just been completed at heavy cost; but General Branch, with a garrison of some 5,000 men, made a defense that resulted only in complete defeat and the capture of even h
Thomas C. DeLeon, Four years in Rebel capitals: an inside view of life in the southern confederacy, from birth to death., Chapter 24: echo of Seven days, North and South. (search)
ederates inflicted a loss five times their own, held the field, and captured a number of prisoners and guns. General Winder led his troops gallantly to the charge, but just at the moment of collision he was struck and mortally wounded by a shell. And the unstained spirit of the gallant son of Maryland winged its flight, ere the shouts of victory could cheer it on its way! The Washington government at once ordered the remains of Mc- Clellan's army to General Pope; and massing with them Burnside's army at Fredericksburg and the vicinity, strained every nerve to aid his successful advance. But here we may digress for the moment, to take a bird's-eye view of matters of grave moment passing in distant quarters of the Confederacy. While victory had perched upon Confederate banners in Virginia, a heavy cloud was gathering over the West; threatening to burst and sweep ruin and destruction over the whole trans-Alleghany region. Not dispirited by the reverses in Virginia, the nort
Thomas C. DeLeon, Four years in Rebel capitals: an inside view of life in the southern confederacy, from birth to death., Chapter 25: the war in the West. (search)
hat defended it, the southern masses never dreamed the day would come when that proclamation would be more than the paper upon which it was engrossed. Still, in the general gloom upon them, it was taken as but another augury of the bitter spirit animating their enemies; and of the extent to which it would drive them in this war for the Union and flag. And so the close of 1862 fell dark and dismal upon the distracted country; enlivened only by the sole gleam in Virginia — the repulse of Burnside from Fredericksburg. But even the joy for this triumph was dashed by the precious blood spilled to purchase it; another vent for that steady drain of men, material and endurance-already almost past bearing. But there was no weak yielding in Government, or in people. Men looked at each other through the gloom, and even as they asked --Brother, what of the night? --struck hands in a clasp that meant renewed faith in the cause and renewed determination to prove its right. Early in th
Thomas C. DeLeon, Four years in Rebel capitals: an inside view of life in the southern confederacy, from birth to death., Chapter 28: across the Potomac and back. (search)
Fredericksburg and its effect on the people why on pursuit? Hooker replaces Burnside death of Stonewall Jackson. Of such vast import to the southern cause was to his rescue. Following this plan, and depending also upon the heavy masses Burnside was bringing down to him from Fredericksburg, Pope attacked Jackson in detail d them once more. The outcry in the North resulted in the choice of General A. E. Burnside to command the new invasion; and he was of course hailed as the augur, e Valley-road Onto-Rich-mond. With a renewed, and splendidly appointed, army, Burnside moved in November toward Fredericksburg; thinking that this time he had reallyford stronghold. But once again, as ever, the shattered and broken legions of Burnside were allowed two days to recover from their demoralization; to pass at leisured, reacted on Richmond; and the gloom in the Capital grew deep and universal. Burnside had, meantime, been dismissed in disgrace for his shameful failure. The inevi
Thomas C. DeLeon, Four years in Rebel capitals: an inside view of life in the southern confederacy, from birth to death., Chapter 29: over again, to Gettysburg. (search)
ion and Harrisburg was threatened by Ewell. The whole North rose in its might. Governors Seymour, of New York, Andrew, of Massachusetts, and Curtin, of Pennsylvania, put their whole militia at the service of the President; the energy at Washington, momentarily paralyzed, soon recovered; and by the last day of the month, Meade had collected an army of near 200,000 men. Many of these were, of course, new levies and raw militia; but near one-half were the veterans of the armies of McClellan, Burnside and Hooker; men who had fought gallantly on southern soil and might be expected to do so on their own. It seems that Lee's intention was to flank Meade; and leaving him in Maryland, to pass into Pennsylvania, occupy Harrisburg, destroy communications between Washington and the North and reduce Philadelphia. Such, at least, was the universal belief of the southern people; and so rapidly did their mercurial temperament rise under it, and so great was their reliance in the army that wa
Thomas C. DeLeon, Four years in Rebel capitals: an inside view of life in the southern confederacy, from birth to death., Chapter 34: the beginning of the end. (search)
he mountains of Virginia. Then for four months-until he dug his way out of his dungeon with a small knife-John Morgan was locked up as a common felon, starved, insulted and treated with brutality, the recital of which sickens-even having his head shave! There was no excuse ever attempted; no pretense that he was a guerrilla. It was done simply to glut spite and to make a dreaded enemy feel his captors' power. Meantime General Bragg, at Tullahoma, faced by Rosecrans and flanked by Burnside's Army of the Cumberland, was forced to fall back to Chattanooga. Rosecrans pressed him hard, with the intent of carrying out that pet scheme of the North, forcing his army down through Georgia and riddling the Cotton States. It is inessential here to recount the details of these movements. Rosecrans had a heavy and compact force; ours was weak and scattered, and Bragg's urgent appeal for men met the invariable answer, there were none. to send. For the same reason-insufficient force-Bu
Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee, Chapter 5: invasion of Virginia. (search)
ar a large force of Federal troops was easily forced to capitulate by a portion of the Confederate army approaching from the direction of Maryland. Patterson commenced to cross the Potomac with the avowed purpose of fighting a battle with the army under Johnston, but when about two thirds of his troops had crossed he received a telegram from General Scott ordering him to send to Washington at once all the regular troops he had, horse and foot, as well as the Rhode Island regiment under Burnside, which was a very fine one. If this telegram had not been received, and Patterson had continued the march of his troops into Virginia, he would have reached Martinsburg on the 17th of June, and on the 18th could have attacked the Confederate troops then in line of battle awaiting him at Bunker Hill, eleven miles distant, and there might have been on the pages of American history a second battle of that name. The explanation of General Scott's telegram is to be found in the fact that he ha
Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee, Chapter 6: the campaign in West Virginia. (search)
derate in feeling and his army largely recruited. General John B. Floyd, who had been President Buchanan's Secretary of War, had been commissioned at Richmond as brigadier general, and had recruited and organized a brigade in southwest Virginia, and in July led it over to the region of the Kanawha. This was the first field assigned to George B. McClellan by the Federal War Department, an officer of great promise, who, graduating at West Point in 1846, had for his classmates, among others, Burnside and Stonewall Jackson. He served first in the Engineer Corps, and in 1855 was appointed a captain in the First Cavalry. His previous military experience had been much the same as Lee's. In 1857 he resigned, to take up railroad work, and when war commenced he was made a major general of Ohio volunteers. He crossed into northwest Virginia on the 26th of May, he says, of his own volition and without orders. A portion of his command was under General Cox on the Kanawha. In McClellan's imme
Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee, Chapter 10: Sharpsburg and Fredericksburg. (search)
tuart to Warrenton told him that the whole of Burnside's army had gone to the Rappahannock opposite he open plain nearest to the Southern lines. Burnside's army had to cross this open plain in full v on the morning of battle. Three weeks after Burnside arrived on the Rappahannock, public pressure he lower bridge, and by the night of the 12th Burnside's army was in readiness for the attack. His lothes and would not get down to his work. Burnside's plans seem to have been to attack simultanets to assume the offensive were made later by Burnside, the two armies looked quietly at each other ols, the sun, the rain and mud. That Hooker, Burnside's successor, is obliged to do something, but the Rappahannock to meet a recent move of General Burnside. Their bivouac in the rain and snow was d, and clothed opponent had his troubles too. Burnside had lost the confidence of many of his princier winter operations were suspended. Then Burnside prepared a sweeping order, dismissing from th[15 more...]
Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee, Chapter 11: Chancellorsville. (search)
visions of A. P. Hill, Early, and D. H. Hill under Rodes, and Trimble under Colston. The Federal general's designs were well conceived. He proposed to march three of his corps up the Rappahannock twenty-seven miles, cross them at Kelly's Ford, add to them one corps which should cross below at United States Ford, and with these four corps make a great turning column, which should move down on Lee's left rear, while the remaining three corps, constituting his left wing, should cross à la Burnside in Lee's front at Fredericksburg, hold him steady by the menace of a direct attack, and when he was manoeuvred out of his intrenchments, pursue him. In order to make the blow more effective, Stoneman was directed to make a wide detour well around the Southern left and rear, throw ten thousand sabers between Lee and Richmond, breaking up his communications, stopping his supplies, and be in a position to obstruct the Confederate retreat until Hooker could deliver a final blow. The Union c
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