To this date 150,000 Southern soldiers had been made prisoners during the course of the war. May 8—Battle of Spottsylvania; result indecisive. 66 10-Battle of Spottsylvania continued. each side 10,000 men. Still indecisive. Losses to 12-Lee and Grant fight again, without victory by either. 13-Sheridan destroyed Lee's depot of supplies in his rear, at Beaver Dam. 15-Sherman drives Johnson from Resaca after two days' fighting. 21-Lee is flanked at Spottsylvania, and retires to the North Anna. 23-Morgan (Confederate cavalry) enters Ky. with 4,000 men. 25-Sheridan rejoins Grant, after a brilliant series of daring deeds in the rear of Lee. Gen. Stuart, a very able Confederate cavalry leader, is killed in this raid. 27-Grant again flanked Lee, crossing the Pamunky to Hanovertown. June 1-Battle of Cold Harbor, north of, and near, Richmond. It was fought with the utmost bravery and obstinacy, but gained no more decisive end than the destruction of men and material involved. This was very severe on Lee, from the smaller number he had to fall back on. 7-Abraham Lincoln renominated for the presidency of the U. S. 14-Gen. Polk (a Southern bishop) killed. 15-An unsuccessful assault for three days on Petersburg. Union losses 10,000 men. 18-To this time Grant had lost 64,000 men-Lee 38,000 during this campaign. 19-Steamer Kearsarge sinks the famous Alabama, on the coast of France. "20-Petersburg strongly reinforced by Lee. 27—Sherman, pushing Johnson at Keneshaw, meets a severe repulse. In one month he had driven Johnson 100 miles, fought six battles, and killed, wounded or taken prisoner 17,000 men. He followed Grant's principle, and "flanked" him. A retreat was the result. July 1-Public debt over $1,740,000,000. 9-Gen. Early, with 20,000 Confederate troops, passes into Grant's rear, and makes a hasty march north into Maryland. This day he gained a victory over Gen. Wallace, but his losses were so great that he was hindered in his design of capturing Washington, though within six miles of it at one time. He retreats, but sʊon turns back. 18-President Lincoln calls for 500,000 more troops. 19-Gen. Averill (Union) gives Early a check, but finally falls back. 20-22—Severe battles in the neighborhood of Atlanta, Geo. Gen. Sher man victorious. Confederate losses in all over 15,000; Union about 5,500. Union Gen. McPherson killed. Jul. 22-A mine, made under the fortifications of Petersburg, completed. It was charged with 8,000 lbs. of powder. 28-Early sent a detachment into Penn., which burnt Chambersburg. 30-Gen. Stoneman defeated and taken prisoner at Macon, Geo., by Confederates. The mine exploded at Petersburg, blowing up a fort and its garrison; but, from unskillful management, proved a Union disaster; 4,000 men were lost in killed, wounded and prisoners. A constant artillery attack was kept up on Petersburg through this month. Aug. 2-Gen. Banks puts all the negroes in his region in the army (Grand Gulf, La.). 66 t 3-Constant fighting at Atlanta. Hood (Confederate) repulsed. 7—Union Gen. Averill gains a complete victory at Moorfield, West Va. 11-The Confederate vessel Tallahassee burns 5 vessels, and 5 more in the course of Aug. 13-Mosby, Confederate, captures an immense supply train at Berryville, Va. 19-Success of Southern forces before Petersburg. Took 2,000 prisoners. 21-Lee fails to dislodge Warner, who is destroying the Weldon R. R. In three days Grant lost 4,500 men in this undertaking. 31-Gen. Howard, of Sherman's army, gains a decided victory at Jonesborough, Geo. Sept. 2-Gen. Hood evacuates Atlanta, Geo., a very important place, which Sherman at once occupies. Sherman had lust 30,000 men in this campaign, the Confederates 42,000. 5-Gen. Morgan, an active Southern cavalry officer, is killed at Granville, Tenn. 12-Sherman sends away all the families and burns a good part of Atlanta, preparatory to great and brilliant operations. 13-General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, Va. 16-A strong force of Confederate cavalry drive off 2,500 beeves belonging to the Union army on James river. 19—Sheridan defeats Early, (at Oquequan, Shenandoah valley,) inflicting a loss of 8,000 men. 22-Sheridan again inflicts a loss of near 4,000 on Early, at Fisher's Hill, Va. 29-Gen. Grant advances to within ten miles of Richmond, on the north. Gen. Price again invades Missouri. 30-The blockading force captured and destroyed 50 vessels this month. Oct. 5-A repulse of the Southern forces at Allatoona, Geo. Oct. 7-The Confederate steamer Florida captured by the Wachusett, on the coast of Brazil. Sheridan, haying laid waste the Shenandoah valley, returns South. 8-Sheridan defeats the Confederates again in the Shenandoah valley. 11-Maryland votes for a constitution abolishing slavery. 19-Sheridan annihilated Early, at Cedar Creek, by his famous "ride from Winchester," and rallying his men, after they had been defeated. Confederate refugees from Canada rob a bank in St. Albans, Vt. 23-Gen. Price defeated at Blue river, Missouri. 27-Gen. Grant closes the active campaign by an extensive reconnoi sance. 28-Gen. Blunt defeats Price and drives him out of Missouri. He returns no more. Nov. -Gen. Hood, in command of the forces in Georgia, withdrew from the neighborhood of Atlanta, for the purpose of destroying Sherman's base of supplies, and invading Tennessee and Kentucky. He had now about 40,000 men. Gen. Thomas was sent into Tennessee, by Sherman, with a strong force, to contend with him; and Sherman, breaking away from his northern connections, commences his celebrated "march to the sea," in which he is lost to his friends for 40 days, but reaches Savannah in safety. 4-Johnsonville, Tenn., bombarded. 3 gunboats and 8 transports, with $1,500,000 of stores destroyed. 8 President Lincoln re-elected. Gen. McClellan resigns his commission. 11-A gunboat, the Tulip, blows up on Potomac river. Her boiler burst. 13-Gen. Breckenridge attacks Gillem, near Morristown, Tenn., capturing his artillery, and several hundred prisoners. 14-Atlanta completely destroyed by Sherman, before his march South. 16-Gen. Stoneman attacks Breckenridge, at Marion, Tenn., and captures his artillery and 200 prisoners. Gen. Sherman starts for Savannah through the heart of the Confederacy, with over 65,000 troops. He destroys railroads and lays the country waste wherever he is treated in a hostile manner. 22-Sherman's army reach Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia. The Gov. and Legislature hastily retire. The soldiers amuse themselves by holding a mock legislature, passing loyal resolutions, &c. 24-The Union army in Va., receive nearly 100,000 pounds of turkeys, sent from the North to supply them a Christmas dinner. 25--An attempt to fire New York city miscarries. 30--Gen. Hood, Confederate, with 40,000 men, attacks Schofield, 18 miles from Nashville. Gen. Schofield had only 17,000 men Hood made four attacks, and was each time repulsed. He lost 6,000 men. At midnight Schofield retreated to Nashville, and joined Thomas, followed by Hood's army. Dec. 1-The U. S. navy has 671 vessels, carrying over 4,000 guns, and 51,000 men. It has captured 324 vessels during the year-during the war, 1,379-267 being steamers. 5-65 blockade runners, ships and cargoes worth $12,000,000, have been 12-Gen. Sherman's army reaches the rear of Savannahı, Geo., which 15-16-Battle of Nashville, Tenn., in which Gen. Hood is completely 19-President Lincoln calls for 300,000 volunteers to finish the war. CHAPTER XXVIII. CONCLUDING CAMPAIGN. The year 1864 closed in general disaster to the Confederacy. Sherman had broken the Confederate power in Georgia, destroyed its communica. tions with the Mississippi States, and taken Savannah. Gen. Thomas had broken up Hood's army, in Tennessee, and Grant had closely beleagured the Southern army in Virginia within Richmond and its defenses; while Sheridan had dealt blow after blow on Early, in the Shenandoah Valley, and quite ruined his army. The future operations required the subjugation of the interiors of North and South Carolina, the taking of a few forts on the coast, and the capture of Lee's army in Richmond. The only other army of strength, the remnant of Hood's forces, was in the Southern interior. The Federal government was stronger than ever, both by sea and land. The Southern people were much discouraged; their finances ruined; their fighting men mostly disabled, scattered, forced into submission, or, hopeless of ultimate success, had voluntarily withdrawn from the contest in so large numbers that the Confederate forces were everywhere inferior, and only upheld by the indomitable pride and bravery inherent in the Anglo-American. They would submit only when necessity absolutely compelled them; and thus saved their honor, in their own eyes. They had made a fatal mistake, and they reaped the full harvest of ruin. Yet, their prolonged resistance served to utterly annihilate slavery; raised the negroes to the honorable position of Defenders of the Union; and, the last of Jan., 1865, an amendment to the U. S. Constitution was prepared forever abolishing slavery in the country. In the end the blacks became citizens. We have now but a short record to complete our View of the Civil War. The South had still over 100,000 men in arms, but they were surrounded, cut off from supplies, outnumbered, and pressed with relentless vigor. This was Grant's policy. 1865. Jan. 14-Vessels are sent from Boston and New York with large supplies from the charitable, for Southern sufferers, in Savannah, Geo. 15-Ft. Fisher, on the coast of N. C., captured by Gen. Terry, in conjunction with the U. S. fleet. It is the last stronghold of the South on the sea. Edward Everett died, at Boston, Mass. 16—The magazine at Ft. Fisher exploded, killing and wounding 300 Union men. 17—A Federal monitor blown up by torpedoes, in Charleston Harbor, S. C. "20-Corinth, Miss., evacuated by Southern troops. (( ( 23-Gen. Hood surrenders his command in the Southern army to Gen. Taylor. 28—Gen. Breckenridge becomes Confederate Sec. of War. 29-Southern Commissioners seek an interview with President Lincoln at Fortress Monroe, in the interest of Peace. They failed to make any satisfactory terms. 31-Joint resolution of Congress to amend the U. S. Constitution abolishing slavery (14th Amendment). Feb. -Nine States ratify the Constitutional Amendment in this month. 5-Grant suffers a repulse at Hatcher's Run. Loss 2,000 men. 17—Columbia, S. C., accidentally burned on its evacuation by Southern troops. A Confederate dollar (paper) worth but two cents in Richmond, Va. แ 18-Union troops take possession of Charleston, S. C., as a result of Sherman's march from Savannah north-eastward toward Richmond. Many buildings in Charleston burned in the destruction of Confederate stores by the retiring army. Gen. Lee in favor of arming the negroes for the defense of the South. It is declined by the Confederate government, until too late. |