the National Bank currency did not pass Congress until early in 1863 ( 634). 600. Emancipation. President Lincoln, from the first, had in sisted that the war was only to preserve the Union. It was not in The Henry Ward Beecher. English people were greatly interested in the American war. In many respects the sympathy seemed to be with the Southern Confederacy. Not until after the Emancipation Proclamations of President Lincoln had shown that the war had become a contest for and against slavery was the English nation ready to be cordial to the Union. Rev. Henry Ward Beecher greatly advanced the interests of the United States by his eloquent speeches before British audiences during the summer of 1863. Mr. Beecher was pastor of one of the largest churches in Brooklyn, and eminent, not only as a preacher, but also as a political and popular lecturer. the interest of one section over another. Disputing the right of secession, the government claimed the right of selfpreservation. The Union was to be maintained at all hazards. As the war progressed, however, a strong feeling prevailed in the North that, as slavery was the real, principal cause of the war, the President should attack slavery as a war measure. After the battle of Antietam, President Lincoln issued his first Emancipation Proclamation. This proclamation was only a warning. In itself it did nothing. It merely gave notice to the seceded States that unless they returned to the Union before the close of the year he would declare their slaves free. As no State did return, he issued, on January 1st, 1863, his real Emancipation Proclamation. This was put forth as a war measure, and it declared that all slaves should hereafter be free in the States then in rebellion. 601. The End of Slavery. This proclamation did not abolish slavery in the United States. It had no application in the border States, as they were called, which had not seceded. Slavery therefore existed legally, as heretofore, in Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri. The immediate effect of the proclamation was that the army and navy thereafter considered all negroes as free men, and refused to allow their former masters to treat them as slaves. Soon after, colored men were enlisted as soldiers and sailors in the army and navy. It should be distinctly borne in mind that slavery was not finally abolished in this country until the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1865 (¶ 644). CHAPTER LXXIV. THE DARKEST HOUR AND THE DAWN. 602. Lee's Second Invasion. For two years the war for the Union had been bravely fought, but not with great success. The Confederates had fought with equal bravery, and, although generally with less numbers, they had prevented any marked gain by the Union forces. The spring campaign of 1863 in the East had proved disastrous to the Union cause, especially in Hooker's failure at Chancellorsville. Lee, emboldened by his success in this engagement, determined once more to cross the Potomac, and carry the war into Union territory. The Confederate army by rapid marches pushed across northern Virginia, crossed Maryland, and marched into Pennsylvania. Hooker, by orders from the President, turned over the command of the army to General Meade. Meade at once hurried forward the Army of the Potomac to prevent Lee from attacking Washington or Baltimore. Lee apparently was aiming directly at Harrisburg, the capital of the State. General George G. Meade. (From a negative in the possession of the U. S. Government.) little valley surrounded by 603. Gettysburg.-Gettysburg was a beautiful town of three thousand inhabitants, pleasantly situated in a hills, slopes, and elevated plateaus. It is the centre of a wellcultivated and fertile region. On the first day of July, 1863, the Confederate advance, under Hill and Ewell, met the advance corps of the Union army, under Reynolds and Howard. After a spirited engagement the Confederates drove them southward through the town. to an elevated line along Culp's Hill and Cemetery Ridge, overlooking the town. This day's fight was a brilliant success on the part of the Southern army. The Federals sustained a great loss in the death of General Reynolds. 604. The Second Day. During the night following, the larger part of the Federal army came up and formed their line along a series of ridges extending from Culp's Hill on the right to Round Top on the left. The Confederates took position on the opposite side of the town, and extended themselves for twelve miles or more, For two hours the air was alive with shot and shell. In all the annals of war perhaps no instance can be found of a braver assault, a more persistent attack, or a more heroic repulse than in Pickett's charge, which occurred also on the third day of the battle. The steadiness of the Union troops in resisting this charge and obliging the Confederates to retreat was an illustration of the bravest heroism and the most devoted patriotism to be found in history. 606. The Result. The battle was over. The Federal army had A successful invasion of the North became impossible. won. Gettysburg had put an end to that idea. But the South could never replace the thousands of Lee's veterans who went down in the terrible conflict. The losses on both sides were terrific. In the three days' contest the Union army lost more than twenty-three thousand men in killed, wounded, and prisoners, and the Confederate loss was equally large. Nothing remained for Lee but to recross the Potomac, only had the battle of Gettysburg been won, but military events in the West were greatly in favor of the Union cause. 608. Vicksburg and Port Hudson. In order to gain complete control of the Mississippi (575), thereby preventing the Confederate army from obtaining supplies from the country beyond the river, it was necessary that the Union forces should capture Vicksburg and Port Hudson. General Banks pushed up the river and attacked Port Hudson. General Grant moved down the river and attacked Vicksburg. For two months he endeavored to cut a canal across a short bend in the river so as to turn the course of the river away from Vicksburg. Finally he moved his army still farther south, crossed the river, moved northeast, and attacked the stronghold from the eastern side. The Confederate army of the West was under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston, a most skilful general. General Pemberton was in command at Vicksburg. Grant separated Johnston's army from that under Pemberton; then, attacking Johnston, he drove him eastward beyond Jackson. Returning, he hemmed in Pemberton's forces at Vicksburg, and laid siege to the town. Thus he threatened Johnston in the rear, and attacked Pemberton in the front. The siege was managed with both strategy and skill. Only one event could result. Pemberton's army was starved out. of six weeks Pemberton surrendered with his surrender took place on the Fourth of July, After a siege entire force. The 1863, the day following the close of the battle at Gettysburg. Port Graysville siege to Vicks R West Ringgold Chattano burg, Rosecrans, who occupied Murfreesboro, moved south, and obliged the Con federates to evacuate Chattanooga and retire still further south, where they took up a position upon the Chickamauga. Here, on the 19th and 20th of September, was fought a severe battle, which resulted in Rosecrans' defeat. His army retreated to Chattanooga, but the retreat was covered by a part of his command, under General Thomas, who held his ground obstinately and thereby prevented more serious disasters. General Bragg, with the Southern army, followed and hemmed in the Union forces at Chattanooga, cutting off their supplies. 610. Missionary Ridge. Grant, who had been made famous by the capture of Vicksburg, was now placed in command of the western armies. He hastened to Chattanooga, and found Bragg's army posted along Missionary Ridge. The Confederates were so strongly fortified as apparently to defy attack. Grant ordered an |