Thomas Elbert Vineyard
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.

McClellan became convinced that Jackson was really approaching with a large force, and decided to change his base to the James River, leaving Porter with the Fifth corps on the banks of the Chickahominy, to prevent Jackson from interrupting this gigantic movement. It involved marching an army of 100,000 men, with a train of 5,000 heavily loaded wagons, and many siege-guns, together with 3,000 cattle to be driven across the marshy peninsula.

On the night of the 26th, McCall's division was directed to fall back to the bridges across the Chickahominy near Gaines' Mill, and there make a stand, for the purpose of holding back the Confederates. Just before daylight the operations of moving the troops began.

The Confederates were equally alert, and opened a heavy fire upon the retreating columns. The Union force under McCall, by being skillfully handled, succeeded in reaching their new position on the Chickahominy heights, and on the morning of the new day made ready for action. The selection of this ground had been well made; they occupied a series of heights fronted on the west by a cycle shaped stream. The land beyond was an open country, through which a creek meandered sluggishly, and beyond this a densely tangled undergrowth. Around the Union position also were many patches of woods, affording cover for the reserves.

To protect the Federals, trees had been felled along their front, out of which barriers, protected by rails and knapsacks, were erected.

Jackson's forces had united with those of Longstreet and the two Hills, and were advancing with grim determination of victory.

It was two o'clock, on June 28th, when General A. P. Hill swung his division into line for the attack. He was unsupported by the other divisions, which had not yet arrived on the field. His columns moved rapidly toward the Union front, and was met by a hailstorm of lead from Porter's artillery, which sent messages of death to the approaching lines of gray.

The Confederate front recoiled from the incessant outpour of grape, canister and shell. The repulse threw the Confederates into great confusion. Many left the field in disorder. Others threw themselves on the ground to escape the withering fire, while some held their places.

The Federals were reënforced by General Slocum's division of Franklin's corps.

Lee ordered a general attack upon the entire Union front. Reënforcements were brought up to take the place of the shattered regiments. The troops moved forward in the face of a heavy fire and pressed up the hillside against the Union line at fearful sacrifice. It was a death grapple for the mastery of the field.

At this time General Lee observed Hood of Jackson's corps coming down the road bringing his brigade into the fight. Riding forward to meet him, Lee directed that he should try to break the Union line. Hood, in addressing his troops, said that no man should fire until ordered, then started for the Union breastwork 800 yards away. They moved rapidly across the open under a shower of shot and shell. At every step the ranks grew thinner and thinner. They quickened their pace as they passed down the slope and across the creek. Not a shot had they fired. With the wing of death hovering over all, they fixed bayonets and, dashing up the hill into the Federals' line, with a shout they plunged through the felled timber and over the breastworks. The Union line had been pierced and was giving way, and the retreat was threatening to develop into a general rout. But the Federals at this moment were reënforced by the brigades of French and Meagher of Sumner's corps. This stopped the pursuit and, as night was at hand, the Southern soldiers withdrew. The battle of Gaines' Mill was then over.

General Lee believed that McClellan would retreat down the Peninsula, but on June 29th, this being the next day after the battle of Gaines' Mill, he became convinced that the Federals were moving towards the James River. Longstreet and A. P. Hill were again ordered to take up the pursuit of the Federals.

McClellan had left Sumner to guard his retreating columns. Sumner followed up in the rear of the Federals and brought his men to a halt at what is known as the "Peach Orchard," near Savage's Station, and successfully resisted the spirited fire of musketry and artillery of the Confederates. On this same Sunday evening he was attacked by General Magruder with a large force, who was following close on the heels of the Army of the Potomac. Magruder brought his artillery into action, but failed to dislodge the Federals. He then charged the Union breastworks and was met with a vigorous fire, and the battle raged over the entire field. Both sides stood their ground until darkness closed the contest. The battle of Savage's Station was now over. Before midnight Sumner had withdrawn his forces and was following after the wagon trains of McClellan.

The Confederates were pursuing McClellan in two columns, one led by Jackson and the other by Longstreet. The division under Longstreet came upon the Federals at Glendale, where they were guarding the right flank of the retreat. The Federals were attacked by a part of Longstreet's division led by General McCall, but was repulsed with great loss. Longstreet ordered a general attack. One Alabama brigade charged across the field in the face of the Union batteries. The men had to go a distance of 600 yards. The batteries let loose grape and canister, while volley after volley of musketry sent its death-dealing messages among the Southerners. But nothing except grim death itself could check their impetuous charge. Pausing for an instant, they delivered a volley of musketry and attempted to seize the guns. Bayonets were crossed and men engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle. Darkness closed on the fearful scene, yet the fighting continued. The Federals finally withdrew from the field to follow up their retreating columns.

There fell into the hands of the Confederates a field hospital, filled with the wounded, gathered from the fields of Gaines' Mill, Savage's Station and Glendale. These wounded were taken charge of as prisoners, along with their attending physicians. This proved to be a great burden to the Confederates, as they were taxed to their utmost caring for their own wounded.

By this series of engagements McClellan was enabled to reach Malvern Hill, on the James River, with his army intact. By noon on July 1st his last division had reached its position. The Confederates, led by Longstreet, were close on his trail, and were soon brought up to the Union outposts.

Malvern Hill, a plateau a mile and a half long and half a mile wide, with its top bare of woods, commanded a view of the country over which the Confederates must approach. Around the summit of this hill McClellan had placed tier after tier of batteries, arranged like an amphitheater. On the top were placed several heavy siege guns, his left flank being protected by the gunboats in the river. The morning and early afternoon were occupied by several Confederate attacks, sometimes formidable in their nature, but Lee planned for no general move until he could bring up a force which he thought sufficient to attack the strong position of the Federals. The Confederates had orders to advance, when a signal shout was given by the men of Armistead's brigade. The attack was made late in the afternoon by General D. H. Hill, and was gallantly done, but no army could have withstood the fire from the batteries of McClellan as they were massed upon Malvern Hill. All during the evening brigade after brigade tried to force the Union lines. They were forced to breast one of the most devastating storms of lead and canister to which an assaulting army has ever been subjected. The round shot and grape cut through the branches of the trees. Column after column of Southern soldiers rushed upon the death dealing cannon, only to be mowed down. Their thin lines rallied again and again to the charge, but to no avail. McClellan's batteries still hurled their missiles of death. The field below was covered with the dead, as mute pleaders in the cause of peace. The heavy shells from the gunboats on the river shrieked through the timber and great limbs were torn from the trees as they hurtled by. Darkness was falling over the combatants. It was nine o'clock before the guns ceased firing, and only an occasional shot rang out over the gory field of Malvern Hill.

The next day the Confederates, looking up through the drenching rain to where had stood the grim batteries and lines of blue, saw only deserted ramparts. The Federal army had retreated during the night to Harrison's Landing, where it remained until August.

President Lincoln became convinced that the operations from the James River as a base were impracticable, and orders were issued for the army to be withdrawn from the peninsula.

The net result of the Seven Days' Battles was a disappointment to the South, as the Southern public believed that McClellan should not have been allowed to reach the James River with his army intact, although the siege of Richmond had been raised.

Generals McClellan, Jackson, A. P. Hill, G. W. Smith, Joseph E. Johnston and Lee, as well as other commanding officers of this series of battles about Richmond, had been great friends. Some of them had attended school together at West Point, and many of them had enjoyed each other's fellowship while members of the Aztec Club in the City of Mexico, which was an organization of American officers, while for a few months they were in the Mexican capital at the close of the Mexican war. General Franklin Pierce was president of the club, who was afterwards President of the United States.

Generals McClellan and Joseph E. Johnston were special friends even after the war, and in a conversation with McClellan Johnston remarked "You never know what is in a man until you try to lick him."

THE BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN

After the failure of McClellan's Peninsula campaign General John Pope was called from the West to Washington to take charge of the Union forces, and arrived in June, 1862. A new army was made up from the respective divisions of McDowell, Banks and Fremont, which was to be known as the Army of Virginia. General Pope at first refused to take command of this army, for the reason that McDowell, Banks and Fremont were superior officers in rank to himself, but was prevailed upon to take the command, which he did, and in an address to his army he ended with the statement, "My headquarters will be in the saddle." When this was shown to General Lee, he grimly commented, "Perhaps his headquarters will be where his hindquarters ought to be."

Fremont refused to serve under Pope, whom he considered his junior, and resigned. His corps was assigned to General Sigel.

Pope's idea was to draw Lee's army away from following that of McClellan down the peninsula, and advanced from Washington with Gordonsville as his objective point. This place, being at the junction of a railroad, was a base of supplies for the Southern army.

The sagacious Lee had divined his intentions and sent Stonewall Jackson and Ewell to occupy this town. Ewell arrived in advance of Jackson, and held the town. Jackson, coming up later, took full command of the army.

On July 27th, A. P. Hill also joined him with his corps, which brought their strength up to about 25,000 men.

The Union army now occupied that portion of the country around Culpeper Court House. Pope soon found that his brilliant success in the West was not like measuring swords with the Confederate generals in Virginia.

On August 6th Pope began his general advance on Gordonsville. Jackson, being informed of his advance, immediately set his army in motion for Culpeper Court House, hoping to crush the Army of Virginia before it reached the neighborhood of Gordonsville, so as to nowise interrupt their base of supplies. Jackson succeeded in crossing the Rapidan River and took a strong position two miles beyond on Cedar Mountain, which is a foothill of the Blue Ridge. From its summit could be seen vast stretches of quiet farm lands, which had borne their annual harvest since the days of the Cavaliers. Its slopes were covered with forests, which merged into waving grain fields and pasture lands, dotted here and there with rural homes. It was on these slopes that one of the most severe short battles of the war was fought.

Jackson placed Ewell's batteries on the slope about 200 feet above the valley, and General Winder took a strong position on the left.

General Pope well knew that the whole North was eagerly watching his movements, and resolved to make an attack, as he must strike somewhere, and do it soon—and here was his chance. He sent Banks, with 8,000 men, to make the attack against the Southerners in their strong position on the mountain side.

Banks advanced against the enemy on the afternoon of August 9th. He advanced through open fields in full range of the Confederate cannon, which presently opened with roar of thunder. The men, heedless of all danger, pressed on up the slope, but were suddenly met by a brigade of Ewell's division, and a brief deadly encounter took place. The Confederate lines began to waver, and no doubt would have been routed but for the timely aid of two brigades which rallied to their support. Meanwhile the Union batteries had been wheeled into position and their roar answered that of the Confederates on the hill. For three hours the battle continued with utmost fury. The fields were strewn with the dead and dying, who fell to rise no more. At length, as the shades of evening were settling over the gory field, Banks began to withdraw his troops, but left 2,000 of his brave men—one-fourth of his whole army—dead or dying along the hillside. The Confederate losses were about 1,300. On account of the peculiar situation of the armies during the battle, their wounded could not be taken charge of, who suffered terribly from thirst and lack of attention as the sultry day gave way to a close, oppressive night. For two days the armies faced each other across the valley, then quietly withdrew.

Pope's first battle, as leader of the Army of Virginia, had resulted in neither victory nor defeat. This battle was a prelude to a far more disastrous battle to be fought a few days later at Bull Run.

SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN

The three weeks intervening between the battles of Cedar Mountain and Second Bull Run were spent in heavy skirmishing and getting position for a decisive battle. General Pope's headquarters was at Culpeper Court House, but he had left much of his personal baggage and private papers at Catlett's Station, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, while his vast store of supplies was at Manassas Junction.

Pope was expecting to be reënforced by McClellan, but they had not yet arrived. Meanwhile Lee had sent Longstreet with his corps to reënforce Jackson, and followed up later himself. Longstreet reached Gordonsville on the 13th day of August.

Lee observed that Pope's position was weak at Culpeper and determined to attack him without delay and gave orders for his army to cross the Rapidan. Pope knew that his position at Culpeper was weak and fell back to a stronger position behind the Rappahannock.

Lee hoped to attack the Army of Virginia before it could be reënforced by McClellan, but, on account of heavy rains, which raised the streams, he was somewhat delayed until Pope had been reënforced by a part of Burnside's corps, under General Reno, and later was also reënforced by Generals Kearny and Reynolds with their divisions of the Army of the Potomac.

Lee sent the dauntless cavalry leader J. E. B. Stuart to make a raid around the Union army. Stuart crossed the Rappahannock with 1,500 mounted men, as bold as himself. After riding all day, and on the night of the 22d, in the midst of a torrential rainstorm, while the darkness was so intense that every man was guided by the tread of his brother horseman, Stuart fell upon the Federals at Catlett's Station, capturing 200 prisoners and scattering the remaining troops in the darkness. He seized Pope's dispatch-book, with his plans and private papers, took several hundred horses and destroyed a large number of wagons loaded with supplies. Among his trophies was a fine uniform cloak and hat, which were the personal belongings of General Pope. These were exchanged later for General Stuart's plumed hat, which he had left behind when surprised by a party of Federals.

Stuart's raid proved a serious misfortune for Pope's army. But Lee had far greater things in store. He resolved to send Jackson to Pope's rear with a large force, Jackson led his army westward, which was shielded by woods and low hills of the Blue Ridge. He passed through a quiet rural community. The majority of the country folk had never seen an army before, though it is true that for many days they had heard the roar of the cannon from the valley of the Rapidan.

General Lee, in the meantime, had kept Longstreet in front of Pope's army to make daily demonstrations, to divert Pope's attention from Jackson's movements and lead him to believe that he was to be attacked in front.

Jackson suddenly, on August 26th, emerged from the Bull Run Mountains and marshaled his clans on the plains of Manassas.

Pope was astonished to find Jackson in his rear, and hastened with all speed with his forces toward Manassas Junction, where he had vast stores of provisions and munitions of war, but he was too late to save them. They had been taken by General Stuart in advance of Jackson's army. This was a serious loss to Pope. The spoils of the capture were great, including 300 prisoners, 125 horses, ten locomotives, seven long trains of provisions, and vast stores and munitions of war. Pope was moving against Jackson with a far larger army, and was expecting to be reënforced from the Army of the Potomac, while on the other hand, Longstreet was hastening to reënforce Jackson, but had not arrived.

Pope, hoping to crush Jackson's army before he could be reënforced by Longstreet, sent a force to interpose Longstreet at Thoughfare Gap. Jackson was not to be caught in a trap. He moved from Manassas Junction to the old battlefield of Bull Run.

Late in the afternoon of the 29th he encountered King's division of McDowell's corps, near the village of Groveton, and a sharp fight was opened and kept up until after dark.

On the following day, August 29th, the first day's battle was fought. Pope was still hopeful of crushing Jackson's army before the arrival of Longstreet, and ordered a general advance across Bull Run.

Ere long a loud shout arose from Jackson's men that told too well of the arrival of Longstreet. Far away on the hills could be seen the marching columns of Longstreet, who had passed through the gap in safety and was now rushing upon the field. Pope had lost the opportunity of fighting the army of his opponent in sections.

The field was almost the same that the opposing armies had occupied the year before, when the first great battle of the war was fought, and many of them were the same men.

The two armies faced each other in a line five miles long. Late in the afternoon, the regiments, under Kearny and Hooker, charged the Confederate left, which was swept back and rolled upon the center. But presently General Hood, with his famous Texan brigade, rushed forward in a wild, irresistible dash, pressed the Federals back and captured several prisoners.

Darkness closed over the scene and the two armies rested on their arms until morning.

Over the gory field lay multitudes of men who would dream of battlefields no more.

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