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Rebel Views of "The Situation."

injunction of the veteran, | announced by firing on the

Scott-to "permit no interference in his plans"-was deaf to the public voice that besought him to strike! and, as the weary months waned, the dissatisfaction became so deep that the President himself was constrained to assume the authority delegated to him by the Constitution to compel an advance of his armies.

In viewing the fruits of that winter's lethargy the patriot's voice must ever be raised in condemnation-not in spite, but in righteous indignation; and, if any behold in it a deeply laid political plan to prolong the war for partisan purposes, they may be forgiven their evident misconstruction of causes from the magnitude of sad effects. The key to the want of success is, we conceive, to be found in the want of capacity to grapple the magnitude of the situation-a want of confidence in himself felt by the Commanding-General: his loyalty, his devotion to duty, his desire for success, we are sure are not to be questioned by any attentive student.

The Battle of Dranes

ville.

The "untoward affair at Dranesville," referred to by the Richmond Dispatch, we have already adverted to, as having occurred on Friday, December 20th. On the morning of that day, the brigade of McCall's division commanded by General O. C. Ord, was ordered out on a foraging and scouting expedition toward Dranesville, to the north of its position. The force detailed consisted of the Bucktail rifles, Lieutenant-Colonel Thos. L. Kane; Sixth Pennsylvania reserve corps, Lieutenant-Colonel W. M. Penrose; Ninth, Colonel C. F. Jackson; Tenth, Colonel John G. McCalmont; Twelfth, Colonel John H. Taggart; and Captain H. Easton's battery A, of the Thirteenth, and two squadrons cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Higgins. McCall, apprehending an attack, ordered the brigade of General Reynolds forward to Difficult Run, where it awaited orders under arms. With his staff and escort the Division-Commander followed in the track of General Ord, to be personally present in case of emergency.

Marching by the Leesburg pike, the Federal advance, Bucktail rifles, had entered Dranesville, where the enemy's presence was

The Battle of Dranes

ville.

left, up the Centreville road,
by which about thirty-five
hundred rebels were approaching, under
command of Colonel Stewart. The enemy's
force consisted of the Eleventh Virginia,
Colonel Garland; Sixth South Carolina, Lieu-
tenant-Colonel A. J. Secrest; Tenth Alabama,
Colonel John H. Forney; First Kentucky,
Colonel Tom Taylor; the Sumter flying ar-
tillery, Captain Cutts; and detachments from
Ransom's and Radford's cavalry. This force
served as an escort of two hundred wagons,
out, like the Federals, for forage.

The discovery of each party proved simultaneous, and the disposition for battle at once took place. The rebels deployed to the right and left of the road in the thick woods-the Eleventh Virginia and Tenth Alabama on the right, the Sixth South Carolina and First Kentucky on the left. These were pushed forward to within three hundred yards of the Leesburg pike, to the edge of the clearing. The Kentuckians first showed themselves, when the fiery Bucktails advanced upon them, and after a sharp round at short distance pressed the enemy back. The Pennsyl vania reserves, after an hour's skirmishing and sharpshooting, advanced to the attack. Easton's battery, in the meanwhile, had made sad work with the rebel battery, killing all its horses, exploding two caissons, destroying one limber and killing twelve artillerists. After the advance, the conflict was short and severe, ending in the enemy's retreat and pursuit. McCall coming up at the moment of victory, ordered the pursuit to be discontinued, fearing a flank movement from Centreville, where the enemy was in permanent force. That evening, the forage having been secured, McCall returned the whole force to his camp quarters near the Falls, taking advantage of which, the rebels again moved forward and occupied Dranesville.

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THE "ANACONDA."

that of all other regiments engaged. The "Bucktails" there commenced their career of honor. McCall reported his loss as seven killed, sixty-one wounded and missing.

This was the only battle proper of the campaign against Manassas. Judged by future struggles it was but a small affair, though then considered worthy of the special thanks of the Secretary of War, and serving as the occasion for recommendations for a general promotion of those engaged.

The Rebel Army in
Winter Quarters.

471

The "Anaconda."

At Centreville formidable fortifications were reported to exist. The artillery was located between Cub Run and Stone Bridge back of Centreville, leaving enough guns in position in the fortified post of Centreville to answer for any likely contingency. In all these severai commands snug huts were constructed, and, in all respects, the Confederate troops felt at home for the winter. Beauregard occupied the old Wier mansion in the first Bull Run battle-field; General Johnston took up The rebel army, as orhis quarters in the Lewis House, near at hand. ganized in Virginia for the Thus ends the story of the winter's campaign against second campaign against McClellan, was under the chief command of Manassas, up to February 1st. Little has been General Joseph E. Johnston. The army of chronicled of military events for little transthe Potomac was commanded by General P. pired: a few advances after the rebels had T. Beauregard; First Division, General Van retired toward their winter quarters at CenDorn; Second, General G. W. Smith; Third, treville and beyond-a few skirmishes and General Longstreet; Fourth, General Kirby scouting expeditions-the collision of rival Smith. General Thomas Jackson command- foraging parties to Dranesville-picket shooted the army of the Valley and General Holmes ing-artillery duels along Banks' lines-that the army of Acquia. These forces opposed was all. The great army lay like a vast serthe Federal lines from Cumberland to Acquia. pent, plethoric with fullness, and immobile in As early as December 27th they were fixed in its lazy ease. It was, indeed, the "anaconda," winter quarters. Longstreet's division, in- whose coils were to close upon the Laocoon cluding the brigade of General Stuart, held of treason, until it and all its progeny Centreville. Kirby Smith occupied "Camp were strangled forever. If its agile foe never Wigfall," on the Orange and Alexandria rail- was caught in its coils, it still was the road. Van Dorn's brigades lay along Bull conda," for so the people had christened it, Run. Four brigades were in quarters on the and as such it will be embalmed in history. Ocoquan river as far down as Davis' ford. | Alas for its memory!

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APPENDIX.

JUDGE CAMPBELL'S

STATEMENT REGARDING THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

FEDERAL

THE final communication of the Confederate Commissioners to the Federal Government (given on pages 69-71) did not cover their entire statement of their case. A Message from Jefferson Davis to the Confederate Congress May 10th, 1861, was accompanied by documents of considerable interest, if not importance, as embodying the Southern presentment of their course and wishes in the matter of the evacuation of the forts, Sumter and Pickens. As Mr. Davis, in his Message, said: "It is due to you (Congress), to him (Judge Campbell), and to history that a narration of the occurrences with which he was connected should be made known," we here append the Message and accompanying documents:

DAVIS' MESSAGE.

"Gentlemen of the Congress:

"In the Message addressed to you on the 29th inst., I referred to the course of conduct of the Government of the United States toward the Commissioners of this Government sent to Washington for the purpose of effecting, if possible, a peaceful adjustment of the pending difficulties between the two Governments. I also made allusion to an intermediary, whose high position and character inspired the hope of success; but I was not then at liberty to make my communication on this subject as specific as was desirable for a full comprehension of the whole subject. It is now, however, in my power to place before you other papers, which I herewith address to you from them You will perceive that the intermediary referred to was the Hon. John A. Campbell, a Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, who made earnest efforts to promote the successful issue of the mission intrusted to our Commissioners, and by whom I was kept advised, in confidential communications, of the measures taken by him to secure so desirable a result. It is due to you, to him, and to history, that a narration of the occur rences with which he was connected should be made known, the more especially as it will be seen by the letters hereto appended, that the correctness and accuracy of the recital have not been questioned by the Secretary of State of the United States, to whom it was addressed. I avail myself of this opportunity to correct an error in one of the statements made in my Message of the 29th of April. It is there recited that I was prompted to call you together, in extraordinary session, by reason of the declarations contained in the pro

clamation of President Lincoln of the 15th of April. My pro clamation, convoking you, was issued on the 12th of April, and was prompted by the declaration of hostile purposes contained in the Message sent by President Lincoln to the Governor of South Carolina, on the 8th of April. As the proclamation of President Lincoln, of the 15th April, repeated the same hostile intention in more specific terms, and on a much more extensive scale, it created a stronger impression on my mind, and led to the error above alluded to, and which, however unimportant, I desire to correct.

"MONTGOMERY, May 3d, 1861."

"JEFFERSON DAVIS.

JUDGE CAMPBELL VS. WM. H. SEWARD,

"WASHINGTON CITY, Saturday, April 13th, 1861. "Sir: On the 15th of March ult., I left with Judge Craw ford, one of the Commissioners of the Confederate States, a note in writing to the effect following:

"I feel entire confidence that Fort Sumter will be evacuated in the next ten days. And this measure is felt as impos ing great responsibility on the Administration. I feel entire confidence that no measure changing the existing status, prejudicially to the Southern Confederate States, is at present contemplated. I feel an entire confidence that an immediate demand for an answer to the communication of the Commis sioners will be productive of evil and not of good. I do not believe that it ought at this time to be pressed.'

"The substance of this statement I communicated to you the same evening by letter. Five days elapsed, and I called with a telegram from General Beauregard, to the effect that Sumter was not evacuated, but that Major Anderson was at work making repairs.

"The next day, after conversing with you, I communicated to Judge Crawford, in writing, that the failure to evacuate Sumter was not the result of bad faith, but was attributable to causes consistent with the intention to fulfill the engage ment; and that, as regarded Pickens, I should have notice of any design to alter the existing status there. Mr. Justice Nelson was present at these conversations, three in number, and I submitted to him each of my written communications to Judge Crawford, and informed Judge C. that they had his (Judge Nelson's) sanction. I gave you on the 221 March, a substantial copy of the statement I had made on the 15th. "The 30th of March arrived, and at that time a telegram came from Governor Pickens inquiring concerning Colonel Lamon, whose visit to Charleston he supposed had a connec tion with the proposed evacuation of Fort Sumter.

"I left that with you, and was to have an answer the follow

JUDGE CAMPBELL'S STATEMENT.

473

ing Monday (1st April). On the 1st of April I received from you the statement in writing, 'I am satisfied the Government will not undertake to supply Fort Sumter without giving notice to Governor Pickens.' The words I am satisfied' were for me to use as expressive of confidence in the remainder of the declaration.

"The proposition, as originally prepared, was, 'The President may desire to supply Sumter, but will not do so,' &c., and your verbal explanation was that you did not believe any such attempt would be made, and that there was no design to reenforce Sumter.

"There was a departure here from the pledges of the previous month, but with the verbal explanation I did not consider it a matter then to complain of; I simply stated to you that I had that assurance previously.

"On the 7th of April I addressed you a letter on the subject of the alarm that the preparations by the Government had created, and asked you if the assurances I had given were well or ill founded. In respect to Sumter, your reply was: 'Faith as to Sumter fully kept-wait and see.' In the morning's paper I read: 'An authorized messenger from President Lincoln informed Governor Pickens and General Beauregard that provisions will be sent to Fort Sumter, peaceably or otherwise by force.'

"This was the 8th of April, at Charleston, the day following your last assurance, and is the evidence of the full faith I was invited to wait for and see. In the same paper I read that intercepted dispatches disclose the fact that Mr Fox, who had been allowed to visit Major Anderson, on the pledge that his purpose was pacific, employed his opportunity to devise a plan for supplying the fort by force, and that this plan had been adopted by the Washington Government, and was in process of execution. My recollection of the date of Mr. Fox's visit carries it to a day in March. I learn he is a near connection of a member of the Cabinet. My connection with the Commissioners and yourself was superinduced by a conversation with Justice Wilson. He informed me of your strong disposition in favor of peace, and that you were oppressed with a demand of the Commissioners of the Confederate States for a reply to their first letter, and that you desired to avoid, if possible, at that time. I told him I might, perhaps, be of some service in arranging the difficulty. I came to your office entirely at his request, and without the knowledge of either of the Commissioners. Your depression was obvious to. both Judge Nelson and myself. I was gratified at the character of the counsels you were desirous of pursuing, and much impressed with your observation that a civil war might be prevented by the success of my mediation. You read a letter of Mr. Weed, to show how irksome and responsible the withdrawal of troops from Fort Sumter was. A portion of my communication to Judge Crawford on the 15th of March was founded upon these remarks, and the pledge to evacuate Sumter is less forcible than the words you employed. Those words were: Before this letter reaches you (a proposed letter by me to President Davis), Sumter will have been evacuated.'

"The Commissioners who received these communications, conclude they have been abused and overreached. The Montgomery Government hold the same opinion. The Commissioners have supposed that my communications were with you, and upon the hypothesis prepared to arraign you before the country in connection with the President. I placed a peremptory prohibition upon this as being contrary to the terms of my communications with them. I pledged myself to communicate information upon what I considered as the best authority, and they were to confide in the ability of myself, aided by Judge Nelson, to determine upon the credibility of my informant.

"I think a candid man who will read over what I have writ

ten, and consider for a moment what is going on at Sumter, will agree that the equivocating conduct of the Administration, as measured and interpreted in connection with these promises, is the proximate cause of the great calamity.

"I have a profound conviction that the telegrams of the 8th of April, of General Beauregard, and of the 10th of April, of General Walker, the Secretary of War, can be referred to nothing else than their belief that there has been systematic duplicity practiced upon them throughout. It is under an oppressive sense of the weight of this responsibility that I submit to you these things for your explanation. "Very respectfully,

JOHN A. CAMPBELL, "Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. "The Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State." THE DISPATCHES.

"To L. P. WALKER, Secretary of War: An authorized messenger from President Lincoln just informed Governor Pickens and myself that provisions will be sent to Fort Sumter peaceably, or otherwise by force."

"General P. G. T. BEAUREGARD: If you have no doubt of the authorized character of the agent who communicated to you the intention of the Washington Government to supply Fort Sumter by force, you will at once demand its evacuation, and if this is refused, proceed in such manner as you may determine to reduce it."

THE SECOND DEMAND.

"WASHINGTON CITY, April 20th, 1861. "Sir I inclose you a letter corresponding very nearly with one I addressed to you one week ago (13th April), to which I have not had any reply. The letter is simply, one of inquiry in reference to facts concerning which I think I am entitled to an explanation. I have not adopted any opinion in reference to them which may not be modified by explanation, nor have I affirmed in that letter, nor do I in this, any conclusion of my own unfavorable to your integrity in the whole

transaction.

"All that I have said, and mean to say, is, that an expla nation is due from you to myself. I will not say what I shall do in case this request is not complied with; but I am justified in saying that I shall feel at liberty to place these letters before any person who is entitled to ask an explanation of myself. Very respectfully,

"JOHN A. CAMPBELL, "Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. "The Hon. W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State."

To this Mr. Seward did not reply. Whereupon Judge Campbell communicated the whole matter to Mr. Davis, accompanying the inclosures with the following note:

"MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 7th, 1861.

"Sir: I submit to you two letters that were addressed by me to the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States, that contain an explanation of the nature and result of an intervention by me in the intercourse of the Commissioners of the Confederate States with that officer. I considered that I could perform no duty in which the entire American people, whether of the Federal Union or of the Confederate States, were more interested than that of promoting the counsels and the policy that had for their object the preservation of peace. This motive dictated my intervention. Beside the interview referred to in these letters, I informed the Assistant Secretary of State of the United States (not being able to see the Secretary), on the 11th of April, ultimo, of the existence of a telegram of that date from General Beauregard to the Commissioners, in which he informed the Commissioners that he had demanded the evacuation of Sumter, and if refused he would proceed to reduce it. On the same day, I had

been told that President Lincoln had said that none of the
vessels sent to Charleston were war vessels, and that force was
not to be used in the attempt to supply the fort. I had no
means of testing the accuracy of this information, but offered
that, if the information was accurate, I would send a tel-
egram to the authorities at Charleston, and that it might pre-
vent the disastrous consequences of a collision at that fort be-
tween the opposing forces. It was the last effort that I would
make to avert the calamity of war. The assistant secretary
promised to give the matter attention, but I had no other
intercourse with him or any other person on the subject, nor
have I had any reply to the letters submitted to you.
"Very respectfully,

JOHN A. CAMPBELL. "Gen. DAVIS, President of the Confederate States."

MR. SEWARD'S DEFENSE.

Mr. Seward, we believe, made no reply to this letter from Judge Campbell; but, an editorial in the Albany Evening Journal for May 22d, doubtless spoke by his authority. It said:

"If the Secretary of State was at liberty to reply to exJudge Campbell, revealing all that passed between them on several occasions, not only no imputation of insincerity would rest upon the Secretary, but the facts would seriously affect Judge Campbell's well established reputation for candor and

frankness.

These revelations would furnish no evidence of either the falsehood' or duplicity' of Governor Seward, for there was nothing of either in his conversation.

"We violate no confidence in saying that Judge Campbell balanced long between Loyalty and Secession, the preponder ance up to a late day being in favor of the Union. If he at any time looked with favor or satisfaction upon secession, he was much and generally misunderstood. If he did not seriously contemplate remaining in the Union, and upon the Bench, he was misunderstood. If, during that period of mental trial, he was acting in harmony with the leading enemies of the Union, he was grossly misunderstood.

"That Governor Seward conversed freely with Judge Campbell, we do not deny; nor do we doubt that in those conversations, he intimated that Fort Sumter would be eva cuated. He certainly believed so, founding his opinion upon a knowledge of General Scott's recommendation. Subse quently, the President deemed it his duty to authorize an effort to reenforce and provision that fortress. We do not

know whether Governor Seward met Judge Campbell after that change of purpose, but he was not at liberty, if they did meet, to reveal what was so well kept. But whatever Gover nor Seward said or intimated to Judge Campbell was true at he time it was said. That Judge Campbell reported to the Confederate President half that he said or intimated, is more than doubtful."

THE

QUEEN'S PROCLAMATION TO ENFORCE NEUTRALITY.

"VICTORIA R.

himself to serve as a soldier, or to be employed, or shall serve

"Whereas, We are happily at peace with all Sovereigns, in any warlike or military operation in the service of, or for, Powers, and States;

"And whereas, hostilities have unhappily commenced between the Government of the United States of America and certain States styling themselves the Confederate States of America ;'

"And whereas, we, being at peace with the Government of the United States, have declared our Royal determination to maintain a strict and impartial neutrality in the contest between the said contending parties;

"We, therefore, have thought fit, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, to issue this our Royal Proclamation: "And we do hereby strictly charge and command all our loving subjects to observe a strict neutrality in and during the aforesaid hostilities, and to abstain from violating or contravening either the laws and statutes of the realm in this behalf, or the law of nations in relation thereto, as they will answer to the contrary at their peril.

“And whereas, in and by a certain statute made and passed in the fifty-ninth year of His Majesty King George III., entitled an act to prevent the enlisting or engagement of His Majesty's subjects to serve in a foreign service, and the fitting out or equipping in His Majesty's dominions, vessels for warlike purposes, without His Majesty's license,' it is, among other things, declared and enacted as follows:

"That if any natural born subject of His Majesty, his beirs and successors, without the leave or license of His Majesty, his heirs or successors, for that purpose first had and obtained, under the sign manual of His Majesty, his heirs or successors, or signified by Order in Council, or by proclamation of His Majesty, his heirs or successors, shall take or accept, or shall agree to take or accept, any military commission, or shall otherwise enter into the military service as a commissioned or non-commissioned officer, or shall enlist or enter himself to enlist, or shall agree to enlist or to enter

or under, or in aid of any foreign prince, State, poteniate, colony, province, or part of any province or people, or of any person or persons, exercising or assuming to exer. cise the powers of government in or over any foreign country, colony, province, or part of any province or people, either as an officer or soldier, or in any other military capa city; or if any natural born subject of His Majesty shall, without such leave or license as aforesaid, accept, or agree to take or accept, any commission, warrant or appointment, as an officer, or shall enlist or enter himself, or shall agree to enlist or enter himself, to serve as a sailor or marine, or to be employed or engaged, or shall serve in and on board any ship or vessel of war, or in and on board any ship or vessel used or fitted out, or equipped, or intended to be used for any warlike purpose, in the service of, or for, or under, or in aid of any foreign power, prince, State, potentate, colony, province, or part of any province or people, or of any person or persons exercising or assuming to exercise the powers of government in or over any foreign country, colony, province, or part of any province or people; or if any natural born subject of His Majesty shall, without such leave and license as aforesaid, engage, contract, or agree to go, or shall go, to any foreign State, country, colony, province, or to any place beyond the seas, with an intent or in order to enlist or enter himself to serve, or with intent to serve, in any warlike or military operation whatever, whether by land or by sea, in the service of, or for, or under, or in aid of any foreign prince State, potentate, colony, province, or part of any province of people, or in the service of, or for, or under, or in aid of any person or persons exercising or assuming to exercise the powers of government in or over any foreign country, colony, province, or part of any province, or people, either as an officer or a soldier, or in any other military capacity, or an officer or sailor, or marine in any such ship or vessel a

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