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An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Introduction. (search)
t, and boastful. His self-conceit is boundless: any one who disputes his ideas is a fool. The peculiarities of Yankee character displayed during the present war are very amusing, but sometimes, it must be confessed, very offensive. When General Scott was in chief command at Washington, and promised to disperse the rebels within thirty days, the Northern editors were lavish and servile in praise of the great chief Columns upon columns of editorial flattery daily issued from their journals.ell, his talented lieutenant, came in also for his share of praise, although thousands asked: Who is McDowell? When the reports of the Washington Administration claimed a victory at Manassas, the whole nation vociferously chaunted the praises of Scott and McDowell; but when the truth leaked out the day following, not a newspaper in the whole country but vilified them both, calling the first a stupid, ignorant old blockhead, and the latter a traitor. Butler had appeared upon the scene some
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 1: (search)
nly a colonel of dragoons in the old United States service. It is true that several officers (among them Van Dorn, Longstreet, Ewell, and Evans) in the Indian countries, or on the Border, immediately threw up their commands, and joined the fortunes of their respective States; but little was expected of them, since they could only be regarded as men of theory, with but little experience in warfare. Common expectation, however, was most agreeably disappointed in these officers. While General Scott and a host of officers were drilling and marshalling their men at Washington, the State of Virginia seceded. Her arsenals and naval works were, as a consequence, blown up or fired by the enemy, and evacuated; the only spoil that fell to our lot, at Norfolk and other places, being charred and broken hulls, empty dockyards, spiked cannon, and damaged ammunition. The seizure of Harper's Ferry secured to Virginia several thousand stand of arms; but beyond these, little fell to the Confede
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 2: (search)
ws troops ordered to Virginia Rejoicings in the camp Hospitalities on the road patriotism of the women Northern sympathies in east Tennessee camp at Lynchburgh by rail to Manassas station. April having passed, and the intentions of General Scott not being as yet developed, it was conjectured that operations might commence simultaneously at different points. Troops were therefore sent to Union City, (Kentucky,) near Cairo, on the Mississippi, and to Columbus, (Kentucky,) on the same ound a thousand and one excuses for not bearing arms for the country that had enriched them, and in which perchance they had been born. This is true of Hollanders generally, and of Dutch Jews almost universally. It becoming apparent that General Scott's main line of advance and attack would be from Washington towards the Confederate capital of Richmond, the majority of our forces were directed to a point mid-way between both places. From our camp ground we daily saw trains passing onwards
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 3: (search)
eral Joe Johnston is at the Ferry with a small force guarding the passage; for if General Patterson and his forty thousand men pour across from Maryland and Pennsylvania into the Shenandoah Valley, they can march on this place by the flank, while Scott moves down from Washington in our front. 'Tis fully sixty miles, however, from the Ferry here, and if we hadn't so many traitors and spies around at all points, night and day, our boys wouldn't be obliged to guard the Gap yonder this cold night,t. Pegram had been surprised and defeated by McClellan, at Rich Mountain in Western Virginia, (July twelfth,) and from reports of killed and wounded, it was very evident the Federals had no idea of amusing themselves by throwing snowballs at us. Scott began to push his outposts towards Fairfax Court-House, and sharp skirmishing was of daily occurrence; but with little damage to either side. We learned that our independent scouts around Alexandria caused much annoyance and loss by their unerri
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 4: (search)
y to the front, that news was brought of Patterson's retreat from the Shenandoah Valley into Maryland, his object being to effect a junction with the forces of General Scott around Washington in time for the great struggle. At the same time, telegrams informed us of Johnston's retreat to Winchester and Strasburgh; and he himself hngagement. This was excellent news, and Johnston's manoeuvres raised him high in the opinion of the men. During the night we picked up several stragglers from Scott's army, and learned from them that McDowell was in chief command, and had seventy-five thousand men. These prisoners did not wish to be sent far from Manassas, and for peculiar reasons. Don't send us to Richmond, they said; our army will be in Manassas before Sunday, and therefore we wish to save trouble. Lincoln and Scott both promise to be in Richmond within a week, and as the thing will be over so soon, we don't wish to be sent far off, etc. We could not help laughing at the simplicity
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 5: (search)
er than the left in position and numbers, even without considering the two reserve brigades of Holmes and Early, which were stationed with the former for emergencies. At which of these points the meditated blow might fall none could foresee. Scott was said to be a crafty general, and there can be no doubt that he taxed his little genius rather heavily on this occasion to assist McDowell, who, as our prisoners assured us, held the chief command. I had scarcely returned to camp, about five heir knives and rushed to close quarters, the Yankees screamed with horror. It is only fair to state that the Federal Colonels Hunter, Heintzelman, and others, nobly did their duty, and handled their troops with great precision and judgment. Scott's idea of attracting our attention on the right, and at Stone Bridge, while columns were marching through the woods to cross at Sudley and Red House Fords, was an excellent one, and it was carried out to the letter by his scientific subordinates.
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 13: (search)
ison Warren, some poor relation of the English blacking-maker, had lived in some out-of-the-way swamp in the Carolinas; he came to Richmond to have a private talk with the President, to let him know what he thought about General McClellan and old Scott. Not getting an audience, he offered himself for the vacancy of quartermaster-general, and not being accepted, was sure that Jefferson Davis was a despot, and that the Southern Confederacy was fast going to the devil. Smith had a self-loadinas made his name famous. Major-General Magruder is about forty years of age, thick-set, voluptuous in appearance, very dressy and dandified, showy in his style and bearing, and nearly always mounted. He was an artillery officer in Mexico, under Scott, and gained an enviable name for efficiency in that branch, as also in engineering. He looks like a man too much given to dissipation, and is incapable of planning a battle, although very vigorous in fighting one. If appointed to fortify a plac
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 18: (search)
es and liquors found; yet still the gunboats continued their bombardment; and Buell's Major-General Don Carlos Buell is from the State of Ohio, and, previous to this present war, was Captain, Assistant Adjutant-General at Washington. He served during the Mexican campaign, and with distinction, having been twice breveted for gallantry. He was always looked upon as a quiet, methodical, and safe officer; and when McClellan selected leaders from the regular service for the volunteers on General Scott's retirement, Captain Buell was appointed Brigadier-General in Kentucky, and soon after rose to the rank of Major-General. His deportment is gentle and soldierly; he thoroughly understands his business, and despises that coarse vulgarity so common among Federal leaders of the present day. forces arriving in haste, crossed the river and formed line of battle for the morrow. It could not be denied that we had gained a great victory-thousands of prisoners were in our hands, including many
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 19: (search)
to be the first engineer in the service. lie had greatly distinguished himself in Mexico, and shared with Beauregard the highest honors of that campaign. It was Scott's practice never to patronize subordinate talent, although all his renown was achieved by it; so that while he continually thrust himself upon popular favor, and obtained the highest rank possible in the service, he never spoke q word in favor of those to whom he was undoubtedly indebted for his greatness. For all that Scott and the War Office cared, Lee might have lived and died a lieutenant-colonel, while others infinitely inferior to him were promoted for political reasons. Virginia most southern point of the peninsula,) and greatly annoyed General Butler, who then commanded the fortress. Butler was tempted to open the campaign of 1861 before Scott, by marching upon Magruder in the hope of overwhelming him. Having made his preparations, he found the Confederates posted at the village of Little Bethel, and was
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 23: (search)
there was nothing I could purchase for their comfort that I failed to do. Had fortune thrown in my way such men as Seward, Lincoln, Blair, Sumner, or Hale, I should have been tempted to use some of the handcuffs out of the wagon-loads which old Scott had sent to Manassas for very different individuals. In such a case it would have been a good joke; but in the present instance, a cruel one. When we hailed a steamboat above Berkeley, I learned the following facts. Huger, I was informed, h of his own men actually engaged; made prisoners of twice as many, and drowned the rest. I hear he came from Fife before entering the Northern army. Yes, dear old Scotland has given a good many men in this war-there's McClellan from Argyle, and Scott from Dumfries, and- Johnstone might have gone on claiming Southern celebrities for natives of Scotia, but Moore, becoming indignant, swore roundly that Beauregard was from Limerick, and Lee from Cork, so that those of us who had not gone beyo
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