480 BATTLE OF JAMES ISLAND. possible make a rush and capture the fort. That afternoon, however, the enemy attacked our lines near Wright's camp, but were repulsed with heavy loss. The reconnoissance was now given up, and a project set on foot to reduce the fort with artillery. In this crisis of affairs, Hunter left, with orders not to advance on Charleston, or attack fort Johnston "until reinforced or ordered from head-quarters, but that the camps should be made sure and intrenched." Yet the camps could not be made "secure" so long as the guns of the fort commanded them-it must be taken or they abandoned. Why Hunter left while the army was in this critical position, leaving an order so indefinite and contradictory, requires a more satisfactory explanation than has yet been given. The bombardment producing no effect, and deserters stating that the garrison consisted of only eight hundred men, defended by six guns, and that the whole force on the island amounted to but twelve thousand, Benham resolved to storm the fort. BATTLE OF JAMES ISLAND. Four o'clock on the morning of the sixteenth, was the hour selected for the assault. General Stevens, with four thousand men, was to move suddenly in one overwhelming mass on the enemy's works on the right, while General Williams, with three thousand more approached on the left to his support. The Michigan Eighth, only four hundred strong, advancing at the double-quick in dead silence, first approached the enemy's works, but being discovered before they reached them, were met by a murderous volley of grape and canister, which mowed them down like grass. They kept on, however, in the face of the horrible tempest, until nearly half their entire number were killed or wounded, when reduced to a mere handful, and unsupported, they A GALLANT REGIMENT. 481 were compelled to fall back, a band of heroes every one. On the heels of this repulse came the indomitable Seventyninth Highlanders, on the double-quick, and formed in line. of battle in a large cotton field, directly in front of the guns of the fort. As they passed General Stevens they cheered him. He lifted his cap and smiled as he watched the solid ranks with fixed bayonets, sweeping like a dark shadow over the field in the early dawn. The rain was falling gently, and through the misty air stretched the dark earth works silent as death. Not a shot was fired till they came within a thousand yards of the batteries, when all at once the guns opened with grape and canister, sweeping the open ground like driving hail. Without returning a shot, the regiment, still at the double-quick, closed up its rent ranks, and moved swiftly forward through the desolating fire till they reached the fort. Waving his sword above his head, and shouting to his men to follow him, Lieutenant Colonel Morrison leaped on the ramparts. Several of his brave men followed him, but as fast as they reached the top, they were dropped by marksmen concealed in rifle pits in the rear, and finally Morrison was borne back wounded in the head. A part of the regiment now filed to the right of the fort -a part maintained its position in front, while the right wing got behind an embankment and by its deadly fire, nearly silenced the guns and prevented any sally. Though rapidly picked off by the hidden foe, they stubbornly maintained their ground, and looked anxiously back for the regiments that were to support them. Had they come up, the fort would have been ours, but instead of help, there arrived an order to fall back. Maddened and mortified, these heroic men then retreated, leaving half of their killed and wounded behind them. The Seventh Connecticut which should have been up long before, now advanced through the same terrible fire, but were driven back as the two regiments that preceded them had been. It was said that a hedge crossed the field with only a single opening, through which each regiment had to pass in a narrow line, and thus made the premeditated simultaneous attack impossible. It was also asserted that our batteries did not fire until after the repulse, and then threw shot and shell into our own ranks, completing the discomfiture. Williams' division moved into the fire and fought gallantly, but never reached the works. Our loss in killed and wounded was about five hundred, three fifths of which fell on the Eighth Michigan and Seventy-ninth Highlanders. This disaster was the more mortifying from its having occurred before Charleston. This city which first lighted the torch of civil war, had suffered less than most of the other portions of the rebellious states, and to be defeated here, 'caused the deepest chagrin and indignation. Benham was placed under arrest and sent home and finally deprived of his rank. A victim was demanded, and he was chosen, with how much justice it is difficult to determine. Stevens blamed him, and he in turn censured Stevens for not bringing up the supports as he was ordered to do, thus losing the battle. From all that can be gathered, however, it does not seem to have been a more desperate undertaking than the storming of Stony Point by Wayne in the Revolution, and had it succeeded would have been pronounced one of the most brilliant actions of the war, the glory of which neither Hunter nor Stevens would have refused to share. At all events, it was just one of those desperate, daring adventures which the people had long been clamoring for; and for not attempting which, Halleck and McClellan had been blamed and ridiculed. The people will judge a General by his success, and yet demand. that he shall take terrible risks. Perhaps this is right, but it places commanders in an unenviable position. CHAPTER XXXVIII. JUNE, 1862. MC CLELLAN BEFORE RICHMOND-LABOR OF THE SOLDIERS-MC CLELLAN'S ADDRESS TO THE ARMY-MC DOWELL EXPECTED-REBEL KNOWLEDGE OF HIS PLANS-MC CALL'S DIVISION SENT TO HIS SUPPORT THE FORCE LEFT WITH WHICH TO ATTACK RICHMOND-ANXIETY OF MC CLELLAN-INSUFFICIENCY OF HIS FORCE TO PROTECT HIS RIGHT FLANK-STUART'S CAVALRY RAIDENCIRCLES OUR ENTIRE ARMY-ATTACKS A RAIL ROAD TRAIN-ATTEMPTS TO CROSS THE CHICKAHOMINY-THE COLUMN SAVED BY A LUCKY ACCIDENT -ITS SAFE RETURN TO RICHMOND-ITS EFFECT ON THE REBEL ARMY-BALLOON ASCENSION IN VIEW OF THE REBEL CAPITAL-MOVEMENTS AND RUMORS REBEL PLAN TO DESTROY MC CLELLAN'S ARMY. HE Battle of Fair Oaks which commenced on the last THE day of May and ended on the first day of this month, though it retarded McClellan's advance towards Richmond, did not in the least manner change his plans. The unexpected disastrous flood caused more delay than the battle. Not only were the bridges, constructed with so much labor by the troops, to be rebuilt, but the timbers had to be dragged through deep mud and water, while the ground, swampy before, now became a bed of mortar. The men suffered dreadfully from the deluge, not only on account of the terrible state to which it reduced their camps, but because being followed by hot weather, the air was filled with malaria. The fatigues and annoyances, they were called upon to endure for the next two weeks, were harder to bear than the dangers and carnage of the battle field. McClellan, however, was not discouraged, for if the help promised him should come at the last hour, he felt certain that his gallant army would car ry the flag triumphantly into the rebel Capital. To keep up 484 MC CLELLAN'S ADDRESS. their spirits amid the disheartening circumstances that surrounded them, he issued the following address: neur Camp near New Bridge, Va., June 2, 1862. SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC: I have fulfilled at least a part of my promise to you. You are now face to face with the rebels, who are held at bay in front of the Capital. The final and decisive battle is at hand. Unless you belie your past history, the result cannot be for a moment doubtful. If the troops who labored so faithfully, and fought so gallantly at Yorktown, and who so bravely won the hard fights at Williamsburgh, West Point, Hanover Court House and Fair Oaks, now prove worthy of their antecedents, the victory is surely ours. The events of every day prove your superiority. Whereever you have met the enemy you have beaten him. Whereever you have used the bayonet, he has given way in panic and disorder. I ask of you now one last crowning effort. The enemy has staked his all on the issue of the coming battle. Let us meet him and crush him here, in the very center of the rebellion. Soldiers, I will be with you in this battle, and share its dangers with you. Our confidence in each other is now founded upon the past. Let us strike the blow which is to restore peace and union to this distracted land. Upon your valor, discipline and mutual confidence the result depends. (Signed,) GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding. In holding out this bright future he intended no deception, for he still believed that he was to have the co-operation of the other portion of the army, and nothing had yet occurred to weaken his confidence in ultimate success. Burnside, below, was anxiously waiting for the great decisive battle, when he would move upon the shattered forces in rear, and help to give the death blow to the rebellion. No one in the army before Richmond yet believed that the great scheme, of which their march from Yorktown was only a part, was to be aban |