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that they were scarcely able to enforce discipline, or exercise any control over their brave but broken and disheartened troops.

Thus ended the campaign of General Pope in Virginia. It was the most disastrous to the Federal cause which had yet occurred. The losses suffered were very great; though the precise extent can only be conjectured. It is probable that during all the contests which took place while General Pope held the command, they amounted to eight thousand killed, twenty thousand wounded and missing. The chief cause of the disasters. which occurred was the fact, that the army of the Potomac under McClellan was not combined with the army of Virginia, in time to meet and overpower the enemy.*

One of the chief disasters connected with these events was the death of General Philip Kearny. This officer had won for himself a high reputation. His loss at that crisis was a national calamity. He had earned by his unrivalled heroism and romantic boldness the distinction of being regarded as the Ney or the Lannes of the armies of the Union. He was a stranger to fear, and in every engagement he was to be seen, moving with grand and majestic energy, in the thickest and fiercest of the combat. So well had the Rebel generals and soldiers learned to recognize his person and his spirit, that they usually designated him by the expressive sobriquet of the "one-armed devil." He served with distinction during the Mexican war, with the rank of major, and lost an arm in one of its bloodiest battles. He had subsequently spent some years in Europe, and had borne a distinguished part as a volunteer in the French army in Algeria, the Crimea, and at Solferino. In 1861, he was the thirteenth on the roll of two hundred brigadier-generals who were rapidly appointed. It was but a few weeks before his death that his services and merits were tardily remembered, and he received the rank of major-general. He was the favorite warrior of New Jersey, and led the gallant troops of that patriotic State "to glory or the grave," in the memorable battles of the Peninsula, at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, White Oak swamp,

* General Halleck, in his official report to the War Department, of December 2d, 1862, said: "I repeatedly urged upon General McClellan the necessity of promptly moving his army, so as to form a junction with that of General Pope. The evacuation of Harrison's Landing was not commenced till the 14th, eleven days after it was ordered." "Had the army of the Potomac arrived a few days earlier, the Rebel army could have been easily defeated, and perhaps detroyed." In connection with this statement it may be proper to add the following extract from the letter sent by General Halleck to Pope, which indicates the very just estimate which he had formed of the services of the latter. It was dated, "Washington, August 31st, 1862, 11 A. M.-Major General Pope :-My dear General:-You have done nobly. Don't yield another inch if you can avoid it. All reserves are being sent forward; I am doing all in my power for you and your noble army. God bless you and it. Send me news more often if possible. H. W. Halleck."-See "Pope's Campaign in Virginia, its Policy and Results, &c. By a General Officer," p. 30.

SKETCH OF GENERAL STEVENS.

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Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill. He was, as all such men are apt to be, frank, bold, and generous in his temper; intense in his attachments and in his hatreds; but usually just and equitable in his estimate of others.

Equally remarkable, though very dissimilar, was the character of General Isaac Ingalls Stevens, who also fell at Chantilly. He was a native of Massachusetts. When he graduated at West Point, in 1839, he was not only at the head of the best class which had ever graduated there, but so great was his superiority to all his classmates, that there were fifteen degrees in the scale of merit between himself and the first cadet below him. He served with distinction in the Mexican war. He was breveted captain for gallant and meritorious conduct at Contreras, Churubusco, and Chapultepec. His bravery at the city of Mexico, in the storming of the San Cosme gate, procured him the brevet of major. His eminent scientific abilities were afterward employed by the Government in conducting the survey of the route for the Northern Pacific railroad. President Pierce appointed him Governor of Washington Territory; and he subsequently represented that Territory in Congress. He was absent in his distant Pacific home when the Rebellion commenced. He immediately started for the Federal capital, travelled thousands of miles by land and sea, arrived at the period of the first battle of Manassas, and tendered his services to the Government. He was placed in command of the seventyninth New York regiment, whose colonel, Cameron, had fallen on that disastrous field. He subsequently accompanied General Sherman to South Carolina, and participated in the conflicts which took place around Port Royal. He was, at a later period, transferred to North Carolina, whence he returned with General Reno to the army of Virginia. His character was peculiar. He also was ignorant of the emotion of fear; but he was in many respects the opposite of the impetuous, bold, and reckless Kearny. He was quiet and gentle in demeanor, reticent and reserved in speech, thoughtful and prudent in action, scientific and masterly in his professional knowledge, firm, heroic, and sagacious on the battle-field.

After the return of the army of Virginia within the works at Washington, General Pope resigned his command, and requested to be transferred to some other post of duty. He was immediately appointed to the command of the Department of the Northwest, within whose jurisdiction that territory lay which had recently been afflicted by the sanguinary cruelties of the revolted Indian tribes. Before leaving Washington, however, he felt it his duty to prefer charges against several of the officers who had received and disobeyed his orders during the engagement near Manassas. The chief of these was Fitz John Porter, to whose neglect or perfidy he charged the misfortunes and defeats which had been suffered by the Federal army. The chief charge which he preferred against that officer, and which was investigated at a later period by a court-martial convened at Washington for that purpose, was, that he had refused to

march against the enemy, and to unite his troops with that portion of the Federal forces, under Hooker at Kettle Run, on the 28th of August, though General Pope had despatched him repeated and distinct orders so to do. It was also clearly proved at the trial, that General Porter entertained a personal hostility to Pope; that he had severely censured his dispositions for the campaign; and that he had sent telegrams to his friends in Washington, ridiculing the orders and the management of that general. The evidence produced upon this trial modified very essentially the opinion which the nation had entertained in regard to the merits and services of General Pope; and convinced them that the failure of the operations which he conducted, was to be attributed, not so much to any incapacity or neglect of his own, as to the inefficiency and perfidy of some of those who held command under him.

After a thorough investigation of the facts in the case, the court, of which General Hunter was the president, and Mr. Holt the judge-advocate, rendered a verdict, finding General Porter guilty of all the charges preferred against him; and intimating that, to his neglect and disobedi ence of orders, the disasters of the campaign of General Pope were chiefly attributable. His finding was approved by the President on the 21st of January, 1863, and General Porter was cashiered and dismissed from the service, and forever disqualified from holding any office of trust or profit under the Government of the United States.

BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.

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CHAPTER XXIX.

BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE-SITUATION OF THE PLACE-FEDERAL TROOPS POSTED THERE— MOVEMENTS OF GENERAL BRECKINRIDGE-INCIDENTS OF THE ENGAGEMENT-DEATH OF GENERAL WILLIAMS-ASSISTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GUNBOATS-FINAL DEFEAT AND REPULSE OF THE REBELS—THE REBEL RAM ARKANSAS-ITS DESTRUCTION-INDIAN MURDERS AND DEVASTATIONS IN MINNESOTA-CAUSES WHICH LED TO THEM-INCIDENTS -CONNECTED WITH THEM THEIR SUPPRESSION AND PUNISHMENT-GENERAL SIBLEY-BATTLE FOUGHT NEAR RICHMOND, KENTUCKY-FEDERAL TROOPS ENGAGED-FEDERAL ADVANTAGE-FEDERAL REPULSE-UNION TROOPS ARE RE-FORMED IN LINE OF BATTLE THREE TIMES-GENERAL NELSON -FEDERAL LOSSES BATTLE AT TAZEWELL-EXPEDITION OF COLONEL ELLET ON THE MISSISSIPPI AND UP THE YAZOO-CAPTURE OF THE TRANSPORT FAIR PLAY-RESULTS OF THE EXPEDITION-BATTLE NEAR DENMARK, TENNESSEE-INCIDENTS OF THE ENGAGEMENT— HEROISM OF CAPTAIN FRISBIE-FEDERAL VICTORY-APPREHENSIONS OF AN INVASION OF OHIO BY THE REBELS-PROCLAMATION OF GOVERNOR TOD-PREPARATIONS MADE TO RECEIVE THE ENEMY-GENERAL LEWIS WALLACE-RETREAT OF THE REBELS-TERMINATION OF THE

POPULAR EXCITEMENT-SUMMARY OF UNIMPORTANT EVENTS IN AUGUST, 1862.

WHILE these important events were transpiring in the vicinity of Washington, the champions and the enemies of the Federal Union were active in other portions of the country; and hostilities were carried on at various points with unremitting energy.

On the 5th of August, 1862, a spirited engagement took place at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in which the Rebel forces were commanded by John C. Breckinridge. This town is situated on the first high bluff which exists on the banks of the Mississippi above its mouth. It stretches along the margin of the river; and in its rear, a number of Federal troops had been stationed, commanded by General Williams. These troops consisted of the twenty-first Indiana, fourteenth Maine, the seventh Vermont, the sixth battery, the thirteenth Massachusetts, the fourth Wisconsin, the ninth Connecticut, and the sixth Michigan. But among all these regiments there were not more than twenty-five hundred effective men. The possession of Baton Rouge was of importance to the contending parties, inasmuch as it controlled the navigation of that portion of the Mississippi. The Rebel forces sent to assault it were detached from those which occupied and defended Vicksburg. These were about five thousand in number, and when they approached Baton Rouge, before dawn on the 5th, a mistake occurred on their part which inflicted upon them a serious calamity. As their column was advancing three miles from the town, they were suddenly assailed by a volley of musketry from an adjoining field of sugar cane, by which a number were slain and wounded. Among the former of these, was Alexander H. Todd, whose relationship to Mr. Lincoln gave him a notoriety which delivered him from an otherwise inevi

table oblivion. Cobb's Kentucky battery was also disabled, and their guncarriages broken. This deadly salute came from the allies of the Rebel forces. As soon as order was restored, the latter continued to advance, and having arrived in the vicinity of the Federal forces, their line of battle was formed. Their object soon became apparent. It was to concentrate their fire upon the centre of the Federal lines where the Indiana regiment was posted. This regiment made a brave resistance; but though the fourteenth Maine soon came to their assistance, both were eventually compelled to give way and retire from their position. The Rebels pursued their advantage, and advanced into a portion of the Federal camp which had thus been evacuated. This they instantly plundered and burned. They also obtained possession of a single gun of Everett's battery. But the victors were destined to experience a warm reception. The sixth Michigan now opened upon them with musketry and artillery, and assisted by the Indiana troops who had rallied, charged upon the foe, expelled them from the camp which they had gained, and recovered the lost cannon. It was during this brilliant charge that General Williams was slain. He received a musket ball in the breast while at the head of his troops, and as he was carried to the rear, he cheered on his men to victory with his expiring breath. In the centre, the success against the enemy was at this moment complete. Being repulsed at this point, the attack of the Rebels was then directed against the sixth Michigan, who had resumed their first position. The enemy attempted to scale a high picketfence which intercepted them. This intention was opposed for some time with desperate determination by one of the companies of this regiment, who deployed along the fence, and running their muskets through the openings of the pickets, fired in the faces of the enemy. The latter quickly returned the assault in the same manner; and thus the combatants were fighting on opposite sides of the fence and within arm's-length of each other. At length the Rebels succeeded in tearing down the pickets, and the combat continued until they were driven back.

After the battle had progressed an hour, a portion of the enemy were discovered approaching the right wing of the Federals, for the purpose of flanking it. The latter reserved their fire until the Rebels came within fifty paces. Both sides then commenced an exchange of musketry which was very destructive. The Federals were driven back into a ditch, but they quickly rallied; a portion of the sixth Michigan came to their aid, and they charged upon the enemy in return. Panic-stricken at this sudden reverse, the Rebels retreated, abandoning their flag, a piece of artillery, and some prisoners. Meanwhile, along other portions of the line the battle raged with fury. Nim's battery, supported by the thirtieth Massachusetts, was charged upon three times successively, and as often they repulsed the enemy with immense slaughter. Everett's battery was also worked with great effect. After the death of General Williams, Colonel

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