from headquarters created the most intense excitement in Washington. It was supposed to be the last of passes, and that the review was intended as the preliminary step to a forward movement. Did not a grand review with Bonaparte always precede a great battle? The time of decision and of fate had certainly come.

The review itself was a grand display, such as was never before witnessed on this continent, and may never be again. Nearly a hundred thousand men-infantry, artillery, and cavalry-were drawn up in an open field, near Bailey's cross roads, and were reviewed by McClellan, the President, and a portion of the Cabinet. As the As the young commander galloped up and down the long lines, thunderous cheers rolled after him, and countless sabers gleamed and shook in the air. There seemed to be no end to the marching columns as they afterwards defiled past him. It was a grand display of power; and as one looked upon it, it seemed that nothing could resist that mighty host when once set in motion. But it passed away like the reviews which had preceded it, and quiet once more settled on the Potomac.

EXPEDITION FROM CAIRO-BATTLE OF BELMONT-CRITICISM UPON IT-NELSON'S EXPEDITION TO PIKETON-A LONG MARCH-THE BATTLE-ROUT OF THE ENEMY-Nelson's ordER— ADJUTANT-GENERAL THOMAS SENT WEST TO INVESTIGATE THE CHARGES AGAINST FREMONT-HIS REPORT-ITS INJUSTICE -CONDUCT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR-REMOVAL OF FREMONT-HUNTER APPOINTED IN HIS PLACE-SUPERSEDED BY HALLECK AND SENT TO KANSASRECONSTRUCTION OF THE WESTERN AND SOUTH-WESTERN DEPARTMENTSDIX SENDS AN EXPEDITION INTO EASTERN VIRGINIA-CAPTURE OF MASON AND SLIDELL-EXULTATION OF THE PEOPLE-CREATES A STORM OF INDIGNATION IN ENGLAND-WAR THREATENED-THEIR SURRENDER DEMANDED-IS COMPLIED WITH- -WILKES' COURSE CLEARLY UNJUSTIFIABLE-THE TUSCARORA AND NASHVILLE IN AN ENGLISH PORT-CONDUCT OF THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES-MC CLELLAN'S STRINGENT ORDERS TO THE ARMY-THE NEGROES AND COTTON OF PORT ROYAL-BOMBARDMENT OF FORT PICKENSBURNING OF THE ROYAL YACHT.

IN

the mean time, Grant at Cairo planned an expedition against Belmont in Missouri, nearly opposite Columbus, where the enemy had established a camp with the intention, as he was informed, of sending off reinforcements from it to Price, who was being pushed by a superior force. To prevent this, and at the same time to protect some columns that he had sent out against Jeff. Thompson, Grant determined to drive the rebels from the place. With two thousand eight hundred men, he started from Cairo in transports, and moving nine miles down the Kentucky shore, (as though his destination was Columbus,) tied up for the night. Two other columns had been sent forward from Paducah across the country to complete the deception. At daylight next morning, (the seventh,) Grant proceeded down the river, till almost within range of the enemy's guns, when he sud

BATTLE OF BELMONT.

201

denly landed his troops on the Missouri shore, about two miles and a half above Belmont, where the enemy were encamped.

BATTLE OF BELMONT.

Leaving a detachment in charge of the transports, he moved up the bank, and going a mile drew up in a corn field. Skirmishers were thrown out, and soon the dropping fire in the surrounding woods showed that the enemy was aware of his purpose and prepared to receive him. After a short halt, the whole column was ordered forward in line of battle, with the exception of Colonel Buford's regiment, which was directed to make a detour inland to the right, so as to come upon the camp in that direction. The enemy soon appeared in force, and the fight commenced. Pushing on through the timber, floundering through the underbrush, the gallant men of Illinois and Iowa steadily forced the rebels back, though they contested every inch of ground bravely. Shell and shot from their artillery, and a storm of bullets from their infantry, fell without cessation into our ranks, sometimes so terrifically as to occasion temporary disorder, but never a backward movement. At length the enemy fell back for a quarter of a mile, when being heavily reinforced, they made another determined stand. Again our troops rushed forward with cheers, passing on a run over the rebel dead and wounded; the latter appealing in the uproar most piteously for mercy, evidently expecting no quarter. Now and then, a soldier, moved with pity, would stop to give a sufferer a drink from his canteen, and then press forward after his comrades. The enemy made their last stand behind a natural bank, and being somewhat protected, maintained their position for half an hour. In the face of a tremendous fire, our troops steadily advanced, led by officers worthy to command them, and who by their

202

CAPTURE OF THE CAMP.

dauntless bearing and reckless exposure of life, won the unbounded admiration of their Commander-in-Chief. He and McClernand rode forward into the fire, with their staffs, offering conspicuous marks to the enemy's sharp shooters. The horse of the former soon fell under him, but he mounted another, amid the cheers of his men. A bullet pierced one of McClernand's holsters, while horse after horse of the staff officers went down. Colonels Logan and Foulke cheered on their men with heroic words that rung over the din of battle. Answering with cheers, the soldiers dashed on, and drove the enemy back to the camp. Trees had been felled all around this, making a rude abatis, through which our troops saw it would require a desperate effort to force their way. But closing steadily up on three sides at once-Colonel Buford having reached his point of destination-they poured in a wasting fire, and leaping over the abatis bounded with a shout into the open space around the camp. The twenty-seventh Illinois was first within, and the shout they sent up made the whole line spring forward as one man. The camp was won, the rebel flag hauled down, and the stars and stripes hoisted in its place, while the bands struck up national airs, and cheer after cheer shook the shores of the Mississippi. The tents and all the camp equipage were set on fire, and soon became a mass of flame. The garrison in Columbus, seeing the camp in our possession, opened a brisk fire with their heavy guns, and shot and shell went hurtling and shrieking through the air, making it evident that the position which had been so gallantly won, must be abandoned. At this juncture, it was reported to Grant, that a heavy force was crossing the river between them and their transports, so as to cut off their retreat. The wearied troops had fought their way, inch by inch, into the enemy's camp, and now, they saw, must fight their way back to the boats. The bugles sounded the recall, and gathering up their

dead and wounded, the victorious little army reluctantly took up its retreat over the ground it had so nobly won. The enemy by this time had landed, and were drawn up in line of battle across their line of progress. Colonel Logan ordered his flag to the front of his regiment, and moved straight on the enemy, followed by the whole army except the twenty-seventh Illinois and Dollins' cavalry, which had made the detour to the right in the morning. These fell back by the same circuitous way they had advanced. As the force entered the woods again, they were met by the rebels-and the battle commenced fiercely. Though outnumbered two to one, and exhausted by their long struggle, the soldiers knew that their only safety lay in reaching their transports. Hewing their bloody way, they fought desperately, and though sometimes thrown into disorder, always rallied again and pressed fiercely forward. When the order to retreat was first given, McClernand asked Logan what he proposed to do. "Cut our way through, Sir," was the laconic reply, and now he was doing it. The shot fell fast, and the dry and leafless woods were carpeted thick with the dead, yet the banners kept advancing. Two gun boats had accompanied the transports of Grant, and these now opened a destructive fire on the enemy. Except for these, the retreat would have ended in a complete overthrow when the embarkation commenced. But their shells screaming along the shore, and tearing through the forest, kept the rebels back. Dougherty rode backward and forward through the fire to bring up his lagging brigade, and though struck again and again, kept his saddle, until at last his horse fell, when unable to walk from his wounds, he sunk on the ground and was taken prisoner. At length the whole force was re-embarked, with the exception of Buford's command and Dollins' cavalry, which had not yet been heard from. The enemy kept up a steady fire on the tra