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CHAPTER VII.

1861.

AFFAIRS IN VIRGINIA-ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

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Wise and Floyd in Virginia - Carnifex Ferry-Rebel General Lee - His plans against Reynolds - Rosecrans at Gauley River - Kelly's dash on Romney -- Milroy's attempt - End of the season - Rosecrans' address to his troops-McClellan at Washington His efforts to improve the army-Public sentiment towards him Sabbath order-"Memorandum" for the President-Extracts - Active exertions - Rebels retire from vicinity of Washington-Grand review - McClellan's statement of the condition of the army at end of October-His views as to forward movements-Attacks on newspaper offices-Grand Jury on freedom of the press-Military arrests - Passport system-Government circular as to coast defences Col. Geary at Bolivar Heights - Reconnaissance ordered - Gen. McCall at Dranesville - Gen. Stone and his proceedings-Orders troops to cross the Potomac - Philbrick's report - Stone's orders - Col. Devens crosses Attacked by the enemy - Col. Baker ordered to sustain him-Miserable lack of means of crossing the river -Disaster at Ball's Bluff Baker killed Heavy loss-Who is responsible ?- Severe trial to loyal people Effect on the rebels-Scott retires-McClellan general-in-chief-His plans - Gen. Lockwood marches to "Eastern shore"- Good result - Gen. Ord defeats Stuart near Dranesville-Navigation of the Potomac Rebel batteries-McClellan not ready to move- Order as to fugitive slaves in Washington-Confederate General tone of it - Proceedings of rebel congress of no great moment.

Congress-Davis's message

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TURNING our attention again to Vir- | he had surprised Col. Tyler's 7th Ohio ginia (see p. 44) we see that, by the end of July, the Kanawha Valley was freed from secession troops, and that Wise (formerly governor), having destroyed all the bridges he could, and carried off wagons and teams of the people, had decamped. A month or more of comparative quiet was spent in repressing insurgent marauders in the mountainous regions. Early in September, however, J. B. Floyd, whose reputation for honesty was none of the best (see vol. iii., p. 564), and who was now in command of rebel troops, occupied a high hill at Carnifex Ferry, on the north bank of the Gauley River, a position of considerable value. On the 26th of August,

regiment at Cross Lanes, near Summersville, and routed them entirely. Gen. Rosecrans, who had a force numbering nearly 10,000 under his command, determined to attack Floyd at once, and his determination was carried into effect on September 10th. The rebel commander had some 3,000 to 5,000 men, and sixteen field pieces in position, and was inaccessible on either flank or rear, his front being masked with jungle and forest. A spirited attack was made in the afternoon, and Gen. Rosecrans ordered the men to sleep on their arms, ready to assault the post in the morning; but Floyd, deeming discre tion the wisest thing for him, silently made off in the night, and by destroy.

CH. VII.]

AFFAIRS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.

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ing the bridge and the ferry boats, he tacked and driven by Benham, Col. put the Gauley River, with its rushing Croghan, its commander, being killed. tide, between him and Rosecrans' army. Floyd retreated to Peterston, more Floyd retreated some thirty miles to than fifty miles distant. Big Sewell Mountain, and thence to Meadow's Bluff, out of harm's way for the present. Wise, who, it was expected, would help Floyd, remained at Big Sewell, and called his position by the sounding title, "Camp Defiance."

Gen. R. E. Lee, a person subsequently of much note in the rebellion, arrived from the northward with a force of 9,000 men and some eight or ten pieces of artillery; he took command of Floyd's and Wise's troops, which raised his numbers to 20,000 men. While on his way, in August, he found Gen. Reynolds in command at Cheat Mountain and Elk Water. His plan was, if possible, to capture Reynold's forces by strategy, and for that purpose he pushed forward two bodies to take our men in front and rear. For three days, September 12-14th, there was skirmishing, more or less sharp, going on. Col. John A. Washington, one of Lee's aids, and recently proprietor of Mount Vernon, was killed, with about 100 other rebels. The Union loss was probably about equal.

Gen. Rosecrans having taken post at Gauley Mount on New River, Floyd planted himself on the opposite (south) side of the river, and opened fire on the Union troops and others in sight. Rosecrans tried to flank and surprise him; but a sudden rise in the river rendered it impassable, and Gen. Benham failed to get in the rear and cut off Floyd's retreat. On the 14th of November, Floyd's rear guard was at

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In the north-east, Gen. Kelly, who was guarding a part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, started from New Creek on the night of Oct. 25th, and advanced to Romney. In this spirited dash he drove out the rebel battalion, captured two cannon and sixty prisoners, and a variety of valuable stores. Gen. Milroy, who succeeded Gen. Reynolds at Cheat Mountain, attempted a similar dash, Dec. 12th, on the rebels in his front, strongly posted at Alleghany Summit, twenty-two miles distant on the turnpike to Staunton Over 3,000 men went on the expedition but it failed of success.

On the approach of winter, Gen. Lee was ordered to take charge of the southern coast defences; Wise was ordered to Richmond; and all the rebel forces were withdrawn, except a small one under Floyd. Soon after, in December, Floyd was removed to Tennessec, for service there; and thus ended. the operations of the season, the Union army being left in full possession of Western Virginia.

Gen. Rosecrans also, the campaign having been brought to a close, issued a stirring, earnest address to his troops. Among other things he said: "Your patience and watchings put the traitor Floyd within your reach, and though by a precipitate retreat he escaped your grasp, you have the substantial fruits of victory. Western Virginia belongs to herself, and the invader is expelled from her soil."

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The government, as well as the peo. ple, were disposed to regard Gen. McClellan, though comparatively a young man (born, 1826), as worthy of almost unlimited confidence; and he was eulogized, for a time, in terms which formed a painful contrast

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Gen. McClellan, as previously stated beginning to be learned and appreci (see p. 45), on the call of the government, proceeded at once to Washington, and entered upon the work of no light magnitude, in the existing crisis. "I found," he says, in a letter to the secretary of war, "no army to command; a mere collection of regiments cowering on the banks of the Potomac, some perfectly raw, others dispirited by the recent to subsequent exhibitions of popular defeat (at Bull Run). Nothing of any feeling. On the 20th of August, he consequence had been done to secure formally entered upon command of the the southern approaches to the capital, by means of defensive works; nothing whatever had been undertaken to defend the avenues to the city on the northern side of the Potomac. The troops were not only undisciplined, undrilled and dispirited; they were not even placed in military positions. The city was almost in a condition to have been taken by a dash of a regiment of cavalry."

Army of the Potomac, which, as at that time constituted, comprised the troops serving in the former departments of Washington and North-eastern Virginia, in the valley of the Shenandoah, and in the states of Maryland and Delaware.

At the president's request, McClellan prepared a paper, which he called a " Memorandum," and on the 4th of August, submitted it to Mr. Lincoln. A passage or two may be quoted as giving the views of one who was en

requests that in future there may be a more perfect re

spect for the Sabbath on the part of his command. We are fighting in a holy cause, and should endeavor

to deserve the benign favor of the Creator. Unless in

Gen. McClellan came to his work with much prestige, and great things were expected of him on all hands. He began by enforcing military disci * On the 6th of September, the following order was pline in the camps at the capital, issu-issued: "The Major-general commanding desires and ing an order to this effect, July 30th; officers of all grades were required to be at their posts and attend to their duties; and a board was appointed for examination of the officers of volunteer regi-manding officers, that all work shall be suspended on ments. Congress, as we have seen, authorized the president to call for 500,000 volunteers; and the loyal states nobly responded to the call. The les son of the defeat at Bull Run was now

* 66 Report of Gen. George B. McClellan upon the Organization of the Army of the Potomac, and its Campaigns in Virginia and Maryland, from July 26th, 1861, to November 7th, 1862."

the case of an attack by the enemy, or some other extreme military necessity, it is commended to comthe Sabbath; that no unnecessary movements shall be made on that day; that the men shall, as far as possible, be permitted to rest from their labors; that they

shall attend Divine service after the customary Sunday

morning inspection, and that officers and men shall alike use their influence to insure the utmost decorum and quiet on that day. The General commanding regards this as no idle form. One day's rest in seven is necessary to men and animals. More than this, the observance of the Holy Day of the God of mercy and of battles is our sacred duty." At a later date (Nov. 27th), this order was directed to take effect in all the camps of the United States Army.

CH. VIL]

MCCLELLAN'S MEMORANDUM.

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trusted with the important and respon- that a smaller force might accomplish sible position of commanding-general, the object in view, but I understand and who, at this early period of the it to be the purpose of this great nation struggle, seemed to have entertained a to re-establish the power of its governstrong conviction of the powers of re- ment, and restore peace to its citizens, sistance possessed by the rebels. in the shortest possible time. "The object of the present war differs Every mile we advance carries us furfrom those in which nations are enga- ther from our base of operations, and ged, mainly in this: that the purpose of renders detachments necessary to cover ordinary war is to conquer a peace, and our communications, while the enemy make a treaty on advantageous terms; will be constantly concentrating as he in this contest it has become necessary falls back. I propose, with the force to crush a population sufficiently nu- which I have requested, not only to merous, intelligent, and warlike to con- drive the enemy out of Virginia and ocstitute a nation. We have not only to cupy Richmond, but to occupy Charlesdefeat their armed and organized forces ton, Savannah, Montgomery, Pensacola, in the field, but to display such an over- Mobile, and New Orleans; in other whelming strength as will convince all words, to move into the heart of the our antagonists, especially those of the enemy's country and crush the rebellion governing aristocratic class, of the utter in its very heart." impossibility of resistance. Our late reverses make this course imperative. When we have reorganized our main army here, 10,000 men ought to be enough to protect the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Potomac, 5,000 will garrison Baltimore, 3,000 Fort Monroe, and not more than 20,000 will be necessary at the utmost for the defence of Washing-triotism and sanguine of success, was in ton. For the main army of operations favor of immediate advance. urge the following composition: 250 regiments of infantry, say 225,000 men; 100 field batteries, 600 guns, 15,000 men; 28 regiments of cavalry, 25,500; 5 regiments of engineer troops, 7,500; total, 273,000. This force must be supplied with the necessary engineer and pontoon trains, and with transportation for every thing save tents.

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The force I have recommended is large; the expense is great. It is possible

For several months, McClellan was busily engaged in getting the Army of the Potomac into shape, and in rendering it fit for active operations. The new levies were recruited and pressed forward with great rapidity; arms and equipments were manufactured and supplied as fast as possible; and the general voice of the people, full of pa

As the army gained strength and greater adaptedness for the work before it, the rebels, who seem to have been kept well supplied, by spies and traitors, with information in respect to matters in and about Washington, called in their advanced pickets, and seasonably retired from their posts of observation near the capital, and from our powerful force gathered there. A grand review of artillery and cavalry was held on the

8th of October; it was an imposing be postponed beyond Nov. 25th, or a affair, and seemed to furnish evidence few weeks from the date at which he of the spirit and energy of the army, was writing. and its capability soon to march against the enemy. There were 6,000 cavalry and 112 guns, with an artillery force of 1,500 men; and the president and other celebrities were present.

At the close of October, McClellan submitted a "statement of the condition of the army under his command, and the measures required for the preserva tion of the government and the

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suppression of the rebellion." In this statement, inferring from what had been learned through spies, prisoners, etc., that the rebels had a force on the Potomac not less than 150,000 strong, well drilled and equipped, ably commanded and strongly entrenched, McClellan expressed his opinion that the army was not powerful enough to advance with any prospect of success. Holding, too, that the salvation of the country depended on the army he was commanding, he was indisposed to move until he had, beside 150,000 men for advance, some 60,000 more for garrison and guard duty, and until he had 200 more guns at least, and everything else requisite. The actual force at this date (October 27th) he stated, was only 76,000 fit for an advance, and about 200 guns. Possibly, he thought, the army might, by special, persistent effort, assume, this present season, offensive operations; and in his judgment, the advance ought not to

* This number was greatly exaggerated, as we now know, since the rebel force in Virginia at this date amounted to less than 70,000 men; in drill and discipline the rebels were also far inferior to McClellan's army.

During the summer there were various exhibitions of violent angry feeling at the North, in attacks upon some newspaper offices and editors who sympathized with, and tried to advo cate, the cause of secession and rebei lion. The grand jury of the United States Circuit Court, sitting in New York, presented several papers as "disloyal presses," "encouraging the rebels," and injuring the interests of the Union. The government sanctioned this view of the subject, and held that the neces sities of the case required some limit to be placed on the present unbounded, licentious freedom of the press. This same plea of necessity was put forth to justify the numerous arrests of persons of influence, who were suspected of disloyalty, or known to be rendering assistance, in different ways, to the rebel machinations against the govern ment; and it was ably, if not satisfac torily, argued, that these and all per sons acting in a hostile manner, open or secret, to the lawful authority of the land, must be arrested, and restrained by the supreme executive of the United States.*

On the 14th of October, a circular was issued by the government, directed to the governors of the northern states on the seaboard and lakes; and atten tion was asked to the improvement

* Nearly 200 persons were committed to Fort Lafayette during the three months from July to October, 1861. For a discussion of the "War Powers under the Constitution of the United States,” see the volume with this title, by William Whiting, Esq., Solicitor of the War Department; pp. 342

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