THE POTOMAC REACHED

447

that of the "church-going bell," while the other had heard only the roar of cannon, the rattle of musketry, and the pealing bugle, heralding the charge, until the fatal shot had ended all sights and sounds at once. They lay amid the budding flowers and springing grass, and bursting leaves of the sweet spring, but not those of their fair New England home.

The army resumed its march, and at length a loud cheer went up, for the Potomac gleamed in the sunlight. Soon on every hill slope, camp fires were burning, as the hungry soldiers prepared their hard earned supper.

The rear guard arrived at sundown, making a march of fifty-three miles in forty-eight hours-thirty-five of it on that Sabbath, a part of the time fighting their way. The poor fellows had been pushed to the limits of their endurance, and now, completely fagged out, with thinned regiments, looked back on the day with bitter feelings, and angry denunciations of the policy or power, that had doomed them to this ignominious retreat from a foe they had so long chased before them.

The scene on the banks of the river was of the most animating kind. A thousand wagons and carriages were huddled together and strung along the shore, while all along the hill sides lay the army, looking anxiously across to the farther side, where they at last might obtain rest, free from all danger of attack.

There was but a single ferry at this point, which was appropriated by the ammunition wagons. A ford crossed near by, but it was so deep that the wagons which held it, could not cross in regular succession, and only the strongest teams were permitted to try it that night. Fortunately, some boats for the pontoon bridges had been brought back in the train from Strasburg, which were launched, and the troops in small detachments embarked. By noon the next day, the

448

SICK LEFT BEHIND.

entire army was on the Maryland shore, safe at last, though with the loss of fifty-five wagons, stores, etc. The killed, wounded and missing amounted to nine hundred and five, of which over seven hundred were either captured or straggled off in the retreat.

The escape of the detachments cut off at Strasburg and Winchester-one taking a by-way through the mountainswere almost miraculous, and reflected great credit on the respective commanders. The Vermont cavalry suffered severely, being almost annihilated in a single rash, desperate charge.

Banks had conducted the retreat with masterly skill, and by his firm bearing and cool, confident orders, held his gallant army completely in hand. To do this, required greater generalship than to win a battle. His friends were loud in their complaints against the government for stripping him of his troops, and thus leaving him at the mercy of the enemy.

Banks was compelled to leave behind him sixty-four sick at Strasburg, and one hundred and twenty-five at Winchester. Eight surgeons nobly volunteered to stay and take care of these, and thus of their own accord surrendered themselves prisoners of war. Jackson, with a generosity that might well be imitated on both sides, refused to consider them as such, and they were left free to return to our lines.

The rebel leader had executed a bold and daring maneuver, but failed to accomplish his first object-the destruction of Banks' command, thanks to the energy and skill of that officer, who in the management of the retreat had proved what his friends had always asserted of him, that he had all the qualities of a great general. The second object, however, he most successfully accomplished, viz. frightening the Secretary of War out of his propriety. He had achieved no substantial victory over Banks, but he did over the War

MOVEMENTS TO CUT OFF JACKSON.

449

Department. The Secretary immediately ordered Fremont to move across the mountains, and cut off Jackson's retreat, and McDowell from the east to detach a division for the same purpose, while he telegraphed to the North for troops to be sent forward in all haste, as the Capital was in danger. The former was wise action-the latter absurd, and created a needless panic. The entire militia was at once called out for three months, though only a part of them proceeded to Washington.

That a general, with the capacity that Jackson had showed himself to possess, would with twenty or twenty-five thousand men, push a hundred miles from the base of his operations, between two flanking armies, cross the Potomac, dash on Washington, and expect ever to get back again, was too absurd an idea to be entertained for a moment.

QUIET ALONG THE

CHAPTER XXXV.

ΜΑΥ, 1862.

COAST-PENSACOLA EVACUATED-HALLECK AT CORINTH -THE ENEMY'S COMMUNICATIONS CUT OFF-NAVAL ACTION AT FORT WRIGHT -FIGHT AT FARMINGTON NEAR CORINTH-GALLANT CAVALRY CHARGECORINTH EVACUATED-ELLIOT'S CAVALRY EXPEDITION-BUTLER AT NEW ORLEANS-HIS VARIOUS ORDERS-MITCHEL IN ALABAMA-STATE OF AFFAIRS AT THE CLOSE OF THE MONTH-IMPORTANCE OF A VICTORY BEFORE RICHMOND ANXIOUS STATE OF THE PUBLIC MIND.

WHILE

HILE such stirring events signalized the month of May around Richmond and Washington, exciting news was received from other portions of the country. Quiet however, reigned along the Atlantic slope-nothing of especial interest occurring in Burnside's command or Hunter's department, except the appointment of Stanley as Governor of North Carolina, who was formerly a member of Congress from that state. South, Pensacola was evacuated on the twelfth, (the troops having gone to reinforce Beauregard) and the navy yard destroyed.

Halleck at Corinth was slowly, yet surely, tightening his coils around the enemy, and the two great armies of the east and west were concentrated for a decisive blow. The fall of New Orleans at the close of April had given a new phase to military affairs in the south west; for no sooner was it accomplished than Farragut began to move up the Mississippi, capturing cities as he went. It was a long way, it was true, to Memphis, and fortifications lined the banks, which were especially strong at Vicksburg. Still, the control of the Mississippi was considered an accomplished fact, and Beauregard must regard it as such, and change his plans accordingly.

Meanwhile, however, Halleck steadily pushed forward his

works, and every week found him nearer the enemy's fortifications. Various skirmishes took place, in which we usually gained more or less important advantages. One expedition cut the Mobile and Ohio rail road at Purdy, destroying Beauregard's communication with the north. On the third, General Pope, commanding the left wing, sent a force under General Paine to Farmington, where it encountered the enemy between three and four thousand strong, and defeated them with a loss of only fourteen killed and wounded. At the same time, an artillery reconnoissance was made to Ellendale, and destroyed a part of the track of the Memphis and Charleston rail road, thus circumscribing sadly Beauregard's means of obtaining supplies. In the meantime, the rebel commander received the news of the capture of Baton Rouge. Thus, turn which way he would, he saw only disaster. The sky was black with the gathering tempest, and it thundered all around him.

At fort Wright, but little progress was made, and it began to look as though nothing would be done there until Farragut should come up from below. The rebels, however, seeing the straightened condition into which they were being forced, resolved to destroy Foote's fleet before the former should arrive, and on Saturday, the tenth, boldly came up from under the guns of the fort and attacked it.

NAVAL ACTION AT FORT WRIGHT.

Eight iron-clad gun boats, four of them fitted up as rams, advanced early in the morning and offered battle. The rebel ram, Louisiana, appeared first around the point, accompanied by four gun boats. The Cincinnati was lying in shore at the time and allowed her to pass in silence. She then swung out into the stream, when the ram turned with the intention of running her down. Captain Stemmel of the Cincinnati immediately opened his broadsides, sending his shot crashing