Page images
PDF
EPUB

Commander Hollins' Attack on the Blockading Squadron.

ESCAPE OF THE NASHVILLE,

feet below the water line. The men were quickly at their quarters, and, as the ram passed abreast the ship, the entire port battery gave the adventurer a salute of iron hail. The Richmond's cable was then slipped and she proceeded to drop down the river the other ships of the blockade being signaled to pass on ahead, while the Richmond covered their exit by way of the S. W. pass, to the Gulf. The ram did not again make her appearance. The river above presented a somewhat startling spectacle. A line of blazing fire rafts stretched entirely across the channel, bearing down upon the squadron with the current. Behind them, to assist in the consummation of the proposed destruction, were five steamers, well armed and of light draught, ready to play upon the Federal ships from any quarter. The Preble passed the bar in safety, but the Vincennes and Richmond grounded. Captain Pope in his report said:

"This occurred about eight o'clock, and the enemy, who were now down the river with the fire steamers, commenced firing at us, while we returned the fire from our port battery and rifled gun on the poop-our shot, however, falling short of the enemy, while their shell burst on all sides of us, and several passed directly over the ship.

"At half-past nine Commander Handy, of the Vincennes, mistaking my signal to the ships outside the bar to get under way for a signal to abandon his ship, came on board the Richmond with all his officers and a large number of the crew, the remain

der having gone on board the Water Witch.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

I captured a prize from them, and after they were fast in sand I peppered them well. "There were no casualties on our side. It was a complete success. HOLLINS."

The prize referred to was the coal transport cut away from the Richmond's side on the first shock of the ram. No Federal vessel was sunk nor any disabled. The Commodore rested on his honors, and was heard of no more. But to him belongs the credit of having first tried the principle of the water ram, and his partial success served to incite those other efforts, in the same direction, which resulted in the introduction of a new and most powerful agent of destruction. The Confederates were Escape of the Nashfurther delighted, at this ville, &c. time, by the escape from Charleston S. C. harbor, (October 11th,) of the steamer Nashville, having on board a valCapuable cargo of cotton and turpentine. Also of the steamer Theodora, October 12th, with the Commissioners extraordinary of the Southern Government to the Courts of St. James and St. Cloud, viz: James M. Mason of Virginia, and John Slidell of New Orleans. The Nashville passed out of the harbor on the night of Friday, October 11th, under command of Captain Robert B. Pegram, formerly of the United States navy. She was a fine fleet craft, stolen from her New York owners by the South Carolina "authorities," before the date of President Lincoln's proclamation of April 13th, with the design of making her the nucleus of the proposed Confederate navy. Could those authorities have been as successful in "appropriating" Government vessels

tain Handy before leaving his ship had placed a slow match at the magazine. Having waited a reasonable time for an explosion, I directed Commander Handy to return to his ship with his crew, to start his water, and if necessary, at his own request, to throw overboard his small guns, for the purpose of lightening his ship, and to carry out a kedge with a cable to heave off by. At ten A. M. the enemy ceased firing, and withdrew up the river. During the engagement a shell entered our quarter port, and one of the boats was stove by another shell."

The two ships were dragged over the bar safely during the day. Captain Pope stated that he would have stopped at Pilot-town (the junction of the passes), and there have given battle, but the great length of the flag ship would not allow her to wind so as to

Escape of the Nashville, &c.

The Chicacomico Affair.

as in other preparatory | being to cut off Brown's plunder of the resources retreat. This, however, they of the United States, they failed to do, for Colonel might have had a navy with which to defend Brown destroyed whatever property was not their harbors quite effectually. The Theodora portable, and, after a double quick march passed out the night following the Nashville's through the sand, reached the lighthouse in escape, running direct for Cardenas, Cuba. the evening, with the loss of about fifty-most The drama of their arrest by the vigilant of them being stragglers, and officers trying Commander Wilkes, was soon to follow, form- to reclaim them, taken prisoners. ing one of the most exciting and important events of the year.

The Chicacomico Affair.

A somewhat remarkable conflict occurred on the Hatteras beach, Oct. 4th and 5th, which deserves more than a brief Summary allusion.

The 20th Indiana regiment, Colonel Brown, was dispatched by Colonel Hawkins-commandant at the fort-to form a camp at Chicacomico, a settlement about forty miles south of the Inlet, where a number of Unionists were understood to dwell. The camp was formed for their protection. The regiment proceeded, late in September, to the point named, in the propeller Fanny, accompanied by the gunboats Ceres and General Putnam. Nothing transpired to cause alarm until the capture, by the rebels, of the Fanny, on the 29th of September, when she was proceeding from the fort to the camp, with a full cargo of stores and forty men, chiefly belonging to the 30th Indiana and 9th New York regiments. This capture was effected by three armed steamers. It much encouraged the enemy, and a bold descent was arranged, by which the camp of Colonel Brown was to be cut off and the troops captured. It was also determined to "punish" those Union families at Chicacomico, who had given the Federalists such warm welcome.

Early on the morning of October 4th, Colonel Brown discovered five rebel steamers, with flatboats and schooners in tow, emerging from Croatan Sound, steering for the Federal encampment. Colonel Brown lost no time in communicating these facts to Colonel Hawkins at the Fort, informing him that he would retreat to the lighthouse at Cape Hatteras. The steamers succeeded in landing over fifteen hundred men about three miles above Colonel Brown's position, and proceeded to land troops further down, their policy

Colonel Hawkins, apprised of this attempt to bag the whole regiment, at once communicated with the fleet, and then marched, with six companies, to the lighthouse, to reenforce Colonel Brown. Of the fleet, the Susquehanna and Monticello were present. These vessels at once moved up to the vicinity of the lighthouse. Thus affairs stood during the evening and night of the 4th. On the following morning, the Monticello, commanded by Lieutenant Braine, doubled the cape and proceeded along the shore to look for the enemy. The vessel had not gone far when the rebels were seen, whereupon the Monticello opened fire. The exploding shells did the work proposed. Not only were the rebels scattered in every direction, but, ow ing to the precision with which the shells were thrown, many were killed, wounded or driven to the water. It is said that a single shell, entering the side of one of the schooners, exploded in her hold, filling the air with the wreck, mingled with the remains of human beings. It was an appalling sacrifice. The level and barren beach, being but three fourths of a mile in width, afforded no spot of refuge from the terrible missiles, which not only swept the sands, but were dropped among the vessels beyond. Dead bodies strewed the beach and sank in the waters. Accoutrements, guns, clothing, musical instruments were flung aside in despair, and each soldier sought such place of refuge as the barren spot offered a sand heap-s clump of bushes, a scrub oak or holly tree. For three and one half hours the rain of shot and shell was not intermitted, and only ceased when night drew its pitying veil over the field. The Monticello having expended one hundred and eighty shells withdrew to the cape. The forces there then marched to the Fort, accompanied by the families of Unionists who had fled from Chicacomico to avoid

STRENGTH OF THE NATIONAL ARMY.

361

the threatened vengeance of their fellow citi- | gave forth accounts astonishing for their miszens from the mainland. It was a mistake in statements. The Norfolk Day Book, then conthe Federal commander not to have moved sidered good authority, reported only one his forces up the beach to co-operate with the man wounded; and, to the latest day, when Monticello. Had there been a few companies the carnage was confessed by those engaged present the entire rebel force would, doubt-in the expedition, that journal never gave less, have been secured. As it was, the disaster covered the enemy with confusion, and sent an alarm through the rebel heart at the mention of the word gunboat. Yet, the secession journals, true to their old instincts,

any other statement of the disaster. The truth, in that instance as in many others, was not calculated to "fire the Southern heart"— therefore it was suppressed. The actual rebel loss wan never published.

CHAPTER XIL

STATE OF PUBLIC

FEELING AT THE NORTH DURING

THE FALL

CONFEDERACT AND ITS ENFORCE

OF 1861. FORCES IN THE FIELD, FEDERAL AND
ATE. THE FEDERAL CONFISCATION
MENT. SEWARD'S CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS.

[blocks in formation]

GOOD CONTHE BALTIMORE BOARD

Unity of the War
Feeling.

Connecticut..

tional Army.

THROUGHOUT the North | quate to he great task of. public sentiment remain- suppressing the rebellion Legislation. The Na. ed, up to the meeting vi et armis. Up to August of Congress in December (1861), a unit on the 15th, the States had answered the President's policy of a vigorous prosecution of the war. first and second calls thus prodigally: Scarcely a voice was raised, throughout the whole domain of the Free States, for peace Illinois...... or in justification of the Southern movement. This solidity of feeling and purpose gave the Administration great cause for satisfaction, filing, as it did, its armies, its coffers, its commissariat, and indicating the straight forward course to pursue. No government could have been more loyally or more materially sustained.

August 2d, the extra session of Congress passed its War tax and modified tariff bills, supplying the National exchequer with funds for immediate use. The Army bill authorized an equivalent of five hundred thousand men for active service, including all arms of infantry, cavalry and artillery. Under this act enlistments were active, and generals in the field found themselves with men ade

Indiana.......
Iowa...

Kansas...
Maine..

Inf.
4,188
..41,000 8,000
.30,000 2,000
16,10 3,600

Cay.

Art. Total.

100

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Massachusetts.

[blocks in formation]

Michigan.
Minnesota..

[blocks in formation]

.384,700 35,500 5,300 425,500

To these enormous numbers must be added the National and State troops provided by Kentucky and Missouri, viz:

[blocks in formation]

California
Delaware...

The National Army.

about 9,500.

.....

.3,600

.4,800 Maryland.
.1,600 Dist. Columbia........1,750

Also the enlistments in the
regular service numbering.

The Confiscation Act.

The Confiscation Act passed by the extra session of Congress, was, to some extent, enforced. This important measure and the proclamation for its enforcement we subjoin :

[ocr errors]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represent

rection against the Government of the United States, after the President of the United States shall have

Giving, as the grand total of men enlisted in the Union cause, from April 15th to August 15th, (1861,) the aggregate of four hun-atives of the United States of America in Congress assem dred and ninety-nine thousand two hundred bled, That if, during the present or any future insurand fifty. At the date last named there were, in the field, about three hundred and seventy- declared, by proclamation, that the laws of the five thousand men. Of this vast mass McUnited States are opposed, and the execution thereClellan had (at the date of Sept. 14th) in the of obstructed, by combinations too powerful to be immediate Department of the Potomac (in-suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial procluding the Departments of Annapolis, Lower ceedings, or by the power vested in the marshals by Virginia, and the defenses around Washing- law, any person or persons, his, her, or their agent, ton,) one hundred and eighty thousand men attorney, or employee, shall purchase or acquire, of all service. One month later, the Com-sell or give, any property of whatsoever kind or demanding - General held two hundred and scription, with intent to use or employ the same, or sixty thousand men under call, with which suffer the same to be used or employed, in aiding, abetting, or promoting such insurrection or resist to assail the Confederate Capital. ance to the laws, or any person or persons, engaged therein; or if any person or persons, being the owner or owners of any such property, shall knowingly use or employ, or consent to the use or employment of the same as aforesaid, all such property is hereby declared to be lawful subject of prize and capture wherever found; and it shall be the duty of the Pre

Confederate Forces in

the Field

seized, confiscated and condemned.

"Sec 2. And be it further enacted, That such prizes and captures shall be condemned in the district or circuit court of the United States having jurisdiction of the amount, or in admiralty in any district in which the same may be seized, and into which they may be taken and proceedings first instituted.

[ocr errors]

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Attor

The Confederate forces enlisted up to August 1st, were put down by rebel writers at three hundred and twenty thousand; but, it is certain that no such numbers were in the field at that time. In Eastern Virginia there were not to exceed one hun-sident of the United States to cause the same to be dred and twenty thousand at any time prior to the evacuation of Manassas Junction (February 8th, 1862). In Western Virginia not to exceed twenty-five thousand. In Tennessee, up to the fall of Nashville (Feb. 25th, 1862,) not to exceed one hundred thousand. In Missouri, up to the battle of Pea Ridge (March 6th, 8th, 1862), not to exceed thirty-ney-General, or any district attorney of the United five thousand. These figures are outside estimates, drawn from the concessions of the Southern authorities after their several defeats in the departments named; and, from a careful collaboration of accounts bearing on this question, we are prepared to state with confidence that, at no time prior to the advance on Richmond from Yorktown (May 2d, 1862), had the Confederate generals more than two thirds the number of available men, at any particular point, than were at the disposal of the Union commanders. The great diversity of opinions and statements on this point renders exactness of estimate impossible; still, we are confident that we have closely approximated to the truth in our figures and assumptions.

States in which said property may at the time be, may institute the proceedings of condemnation, and in such case they shall be wholly for the benefit of the United States; or any person may file an information with such an attorney, in which case the proceedings shall be for the use of such informer and the United States in equal parts.

"Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That whenever hereafter, during the present insurrection against the Government of the United States, any person claimed to be held to labor or service under the law of any State shall be required or permitted by the person to whom such labor or service is claimed to be due, or by the lawful agent of such person, to take up arms against the United States; or shall be required or permitted by the person to whom such labor or service is claimed to be due, or his lawful agent, to work or to be employed in or upon any

THE PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION.

fort, navy-yard, dock, armory, ship, intrenchment,
or in any military or naval service whatsoever,
against the Government and lawful authority of the
United States, then, and in every such case, the
person to whom such labor or service is claimed to
be due shall forfeit his claim to such labor, any law
of the State or of the United States to the contrary
notwithstanding. And whenever thereafter the per-
son claiming such labor or service shall seek to en-
force his claim, it shall be a full and sufficient an-
swer to such claim that the person whose service or
labor is claimed had been employed in hostile ser-
vice against the Government of the United States,
contrary to the provisions of this act.
"Approved, August 6th, 1861."

363

The President's Proclamation.

are in a state of insurrection
against the United States, and
that all commercial intercourse
between the same and the inhabitants thereof, with
the exceptions aforesaid, and the citizens of other
States and other parts of the United States is un-
lawful, and will remain unlawful until such insurrec-
tion shall cease or has been suppressed; that all
goods and chattels, wares and merchandise, coming
from any of said States, with the exceptions afore-
said, into other parts of the United States, without
the special license and permission of the President,
through the Secretary of the Treasury, or proceed-
ing to any of said States, with the exceptions afore-
said, by land or water, together with the vessel or

The Proclamation for the enforcement of this Act vehicle conveying the same, or conveying persons was as follows:

clamatiou.

"WASHINGTON, Friday, Aug. 16th, 1861. "Whereas, On the 15th day The President's Pro- of April, the President of the United States, in view of an insurrection against the laws, Constitution, and the Government of the United States, which had broken out within the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and in pursuance of an act entitled An act to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions, and to repeal the act now in force for that purpose,' approved Feb. 29th, 1795, did call forth the militia to suppress said insurrection and cause the laws of the Union to be duly executed, and the insurgents have failed to disperse by the time directed by the President; and whereas, such insurrection has since broken out and yet exists within the States of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas; and whereas, the insurgents in all the said States claim to act under authority thereof, and such claim is not disclaimed or repudiated by the person exercising the functions of Government in each State or States, or in the part or parts thereof in which combinations exist, nor has such insurrection been suppressed by said States.

[ocr errors][merged small]

to and from said States with said exceptions will be forfeited to the United States, and that from and after fifteen days from the issuing of this proclamation, all ships and vessels belonging in whole or in part to any citizen or inhabitant of any of said States with said exceptions, found at sea or in any port of the United States, will be forfeited to the United States, and I hereby enjoin upon all District Attorneys, Marshals, and officers of the Revenue and of the Military and Naval forces of the United States, to be vigilant in the execution of said act, and in the enforcement of the penalties and forfeitures imposed or declared by it, leaving any party who may think himself aggrieved thereby to his application to the Secretary of the Treasury for the remission of any penalty or forfeiture, which the said Secretary is authorized by law to grant, if, in his judgment, the special circumstances of any case shall require such remission.

"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

"Done in the City of Washington, this 16th day of August, in the year of our Lord 1861, sad of the Independence of the United States the eighty-sixth. "ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

"By the President,

"WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. This act, though qualiNullity of the Act.

of the United States, in pursuance of an act of Congress, July 13th, 1861, do hereby declare that the in-fied by its title to cover habitants of the said States of Georgia, South Caro- only such property as had been “used for inlina, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, surrectionary purposes," was designed to be Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida, retaliatory. The friends of the Slave regard(except the inhabitants of that part of the State of Virginia lying west of the Alleghany Mountains, and ed it as the first step towards his enfranchiseof such other parts of that State, and the other ment. But, it soon came to be regarded as States hereinbefore named, as may maintain a loyal a dead letter in spite of its Congressional auadhesion to the Union and the Constitution, or may thority and Executive endorsement. No be from time to time occupied and controlled by the commander of a department saw it enforced, forces engaged in the dispersion of said insurgents,) if we except Fremont's attempt in Missouri,

« PreviousContinue »