Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER XXVII.

GIN. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON'S PROPHECY OF THE FATE OF TENNESSEE.-CHARACTER AND EXTRAORDINARY FORESIGHT OF THIS COMMANDER.-HOW TENNESSEE WAS SACRIFICED TO THE ATTEMPTED DEFENCE OF VICKSBURG.—BRAGG'S ARMY FLANKED AT HOOVER'S GAP.—IT COMMENCES A RETREAT TO CHATTANOOGA.-EXPEDITION OF JOHN MORGAN.-HOW IT AFFECTED THE WESTERN CAMPAIGN AND EMBARRASSED BURNSIDE.-MORGAN'S CIRCUIT THROUGH KENTUCKY, INDIANA, AND OHIO.-WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED.—HIS ANXIETY FOR RETREAT.-CUT OFF ON THE OHIO RIVER.-TERRIBLE SCENES IN THE ATTEMPT TO SWIM THE RIVER.-CAPTURE OF MORGAN AND THE BULK OF HIS COMMAND.-CRUEL AND INFAMOUS TREATMENT OF THE DISTINGUISHED CAPTIVE AND HIS OFFICERS.-SURRENDER OF CUMBERLAND GAP.-PRESIDENT DAVIS' COMMENTARY ON THIS EVENT.-RECOIL OF SERIOUS CHARGES UPON THE RICHMOND ADMINISTRATION.-BURNSIDE'S INVASION OF EAST TENNESSEE. GEN. FRAZIER IN COMMAND AT CUMBERLAND GAP.-HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH GEN. BUCKNER.-THE DEFENCES OF THE GAP IMPERFECT.-INSUFFICIENCY OF THE GARRISON.-WHY GEN. FRAZIER SURRENDERED IT.-TWO LINES OF OPERATIONS NOW OPENED AGAINST CHATTANOOGA.-THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA.-TOPOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTRY AROUND CHATTANOOGA.-MOVEMENTS OF ROSECRANS.-HE THREATENS A FLANK MOVEMENT TOWARDS ROME. THE CONFEDERATES EVACUATE CHATTANOOGA.—BRAGG'S NEW LINE FROM LEE'S AND GORDON'S MILLS TO LAFAYETTE.-LONGSTREET'S CORPS ON THE WAY FROM VIRGINIA TO REINFORCE HIM.-ROSECRANS PURSUES THE CONFEDERATES, AND EXPOSES HIMSELF IN DETAIL. THE LOST OPPORTUNITY IN M'LEMORE'S COVE.-LINES OF ROSECRANS' ADVANCE.-BRAGG RESOLVES TO ADVANCE AND ATTACK HIM.-ARRIVAL OF LONGSTREET WITH FIVE BRIGADES. THE ENEMY ANTICIPATES A FLANK MOVEMENT BY BRAGG.—A SEVERE ENCOUNTER.-CLEBURNE'S GALLANT CHARGE.-THE CONFEDERATE PLAN OF BATTLE FOR THE NEXT DAY.-GEN POLK TO OPEN THE ACTION.—A STRANGE DELAY.A SINGULAR BREAKFAST SCENE.-GEN. BRAGG FURIOUS.-THE CONFEDERATE RIGHT WING BEATEN BACK.-CRITICAL CONDITION OF THE FIELD.-LONGSTREET'S ATTACK.-HE SAVES THE DAY.-THE ENEMY UTTERLY ROUTED.-CHICKAMAUGA A BRILLIANT BUT UNPRODUCTIVE VICTORY.

THERE was no Confederate commander so remarkable for long foresight and for the most exact fulfilment of prophetic words as Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. He was more profound than Lee; his mind could range over larger fields; at all times of the war his cool, sedate judgments were so in opposition to the intoxicated senses of the Confederate people, that he was

[ocr errors]

rather unpopular than otherwise, and rested his reputation on the apprecia tive and intelligent, who steadily marked him as the military genius of the Confederacy. It remained for the sequel to justify the reputation of this greatest military man in the Confederacy, who, cooler even than Lee hinself, without ardour, made up almost exclusively of intellect, saw more clearly than any other single person each approaching shadow of the war, and prophesied, with calm courage, against the madness of the Administration at Richmond and the extravagant vanity of the people.

When the Vicksburg campaign was decided upon at Richmond, Gen. Johnston then warned the authorities there that they should make choice between Mississippi and Tennessee; and in urging the retention of the latter State, he declared, with singular felicity of expression, that it was "the shield of the South." In six weeks after the battle of Murfreesboro, our army in Tennessee was as strong as when it fought that battle, and, with ordinary generalship, might have driven Rosecrans from the State. But when Stevenson's division was sent to the lines of the Mississippi, Johnston saw the errour; he sent to Richmond a protest against it, which he thought of such historical importance as to duplicate and to copy carefully among his private memoranda; and he then predicted that the Richmond Administration, in trying to hold the Mississippi River and Tennessee, would lose both, and that the enemy, once pressing the northern frontier of Georgia, would obtain a position that would eventually prove the critical one of the war.

With his forces reduced for the defence of Vicksburg, Gen. Bragg inisted upon regarding his army in Tennessee as one merely of observation. Rosecrans was in his front, and Burnside, who commanded what was called the Army of the Cumberland, was in a position, by an advance towards Knoxville, to threaten his rear. In July, Gen. Bragg occupied a ridge extending from Bellbuckle towards Bradyville, very strong by nature on the right and made strong by fortifications on the left, in front of Shelbyville. An injudicious disposition of forces left Hoover's Gap undefended by our army. Rosecrans advanced upon Hoover's Gap. Three brigades of Confederates moved rapidly up, and held them in the Gap over forty hours. This position gained placed Rosecrans on Bragg's flank, who, to save his army, commenced a retreat, which was eventually continued to Chattanooga.

EXPEDITION OF JOHN MORGAN.

As part of the general plan of action in the West, and an important contribution to the success of Gen. Bragg's retreat, we must notice here a remarkable expedition of the famous cavalier, Gen. John Morgan, the

EXPEDITION OF JOHN MORGAN.

441

effect of which, although its immediate event was disaster, was to create an important diversion of Burnside's army, large detachments of which were drawn after Morgan into and through Kentucky, and to prevent that Federal commander from getting in rear of Bragg's army at the time it was menaced in front by Rosecrans, at Shelbyville.

In the latter part of the month of June the command of Gen. Morgan, consisting of detachments from two brigades, and numbering nearly three thousand men, approached the banks of the Cumberland. The passage of the river was weakly contested by three Ohio regiments, which had advanced from Somerset, Kentucky. Gen. Morgan was obliged to build a number of boats, and commenced crossing the river on the 1st July. By ten o'clock next morning his whole regiment was over the river; the advance proceeding to Columbia, where, after a brief engagement, the enemy was driven through the town.

Passing through Columbia, Gen. Morgan proceeded towards Green River Bridge, and attacked the enemy's stockade there with two regiments, sending the remainder of his force across at another ford. The place was judiciously chosen and skilfully defended; and the result was that the Confederates were repulsed with severe loss-about twenty-five killed and twenty wounded.

At sunrise on the 4th July, Gen. Morgan moved on Lebanon. The Federal commander here-Col. Hanson-made a desperate resistance; placing his forces in the depot and in various houses, and only surrendering after the Confederates had fired the buildings in which he was posted. About six hundred prisoners were taken here, and a sufficient quantity of guns to arm all of Morgan's men who were without them.

Rapid marches brought Morgan to Bradensburg on the 7th July; and the next day he crossed the Ohio, keeping in check two gunboats, and dispersing a force of militia posted with artillery on the Indiana shore. When the pursuing column of the enemy, which had increased now to seven regiments and two pieces of artillery, reached the banks of the river, it was to find the passenger boat on which Gen. Morgan had effected a crossing in flames, and to see far back on the opposite shore the rear-guard of his force rapidly disappearing in the distance.

On the 9th July Morgan marched on to Corydon, fighting near four thousand State militia, capturing three-fourths of them, and dispersing the remainder. He then moved without a halt through Salisbury and Palmyra to Salem, where he destroyed the railroad bridge and track and a vast amount of public stores. Then taking the road to Lexington, after riding all night, he reached that point at daylight, capturing a number of supplies, and destroying during the night the depot and track at Vienna, on the Jeffersonville and Indianapolis Railroad. Leaving Lexington, he passed on north to the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad near Vernon, where,

finding Gen. Manson with a heavy force of infantry, he skirmished with him two hours as a feint, while the main command moved round the town to Dupont, where squads were sent out to cut the roads between Vernon and Seymour on the west, Vernon and Lawrenceburg on the east, Vernon and Madison on the south, and Vernon and Columbus on the north.

From Vernon Gen. Morgan proceeded to Versailles, capturing five hundred militia there and gathering on the road. From Versailles he moved without interruption across to Harrison, Ohio, destroying the track and burning small bridges on the Lawrenceburg and Indianapolis Railroad. At Harrison he burned a fine bridge. Leaving Harrison at dusk, he moved around Cincinnati, passing between that city and Hamilton, destroying the railroad, and a scout running the Federal pickets into the city, the whole command marched within seven miles of it. Daylight of the 14th found him eighteen miles east of Cincinnati.

The adventurous commander had now performed a wonderful circuit; he had traversed two enormous States, destroying property, probably to the extent of ten millions of dollars; he had cut an entire net of railroads; he had paroled nearly six thousand prisoners, and thrown several millions of people into frantic consternation. He had done his work, and the anxiety now was to escape. It was no easy matter. The country had been aroused, and it was reported that twenty-five thousand men were under arms to pursue or to intercept "the bloody invader."

After passing Cincinnati, the jaded command of Confederates proceeded towards Dennison, and making a feint there, struck out for the Ohio. Daily were they delayed by the annoying cry of " Axes to the front," a cry that warned them of bushwackers, ambuscades, and blockaded roads. It appeared that every hillside contained an enemy and every ravine a blockade. It was not until the evening of the 19th July, that the command, dispirited and worn down, reached the river at a ford above Pomroy.

At 4 P. M., two companies were thrown across the river, and were instantly opened upon by the enemy. A scout of three hundred men were sent down the river a half mile, who reported back that they had found a small force behind rifle-pits, and asked permission to charge. The riflepits were charged, and one hundred and fifty prisoners captured. A courier, arriving about the same time, reported that a gunboat had approached near our battery, and upon being fired upon had retired precipitately.

Gen. Morgan finding this report correct, and believing that he had sufficient time to cross the command, was using every exertion to accomplish the task, when simultaneously could be heard the discharge of artillery from down the river-a heavy, drumming sound of small arms in the rear and right; and soon from the banks of the river, came up three black

CAPTURE OF JOHN MORGAN.

443

columns of infantry, firing upon our men, who were in close column, preparing to cross. Seeing that the enemy had every advantage of position, an overwhelming force of infantry and cavalry, and that his men were becoming completely environed, the command was ordered by Gen. Morgan to move up the river double-quick. Three companies of dismounted men, and perhaps two hundred sick and wounded were left in the enemy's possession. The bulk of the command pressed rapidly to Belleville, about fourteen miles, on a running fight, and commenced fording, or rather swiming, at that point. Three hundred and thirty men had effected a crossing, when again the enemy's gunboats were upon them-one iron-clad and two transports. It was a terrible adventure now to cross the river; but even under the hot fire a party of officers, headed by Col. Adam R. Johnson, plunged into the stream, and commenced the struggle of life and death. Of the fearful scene which ensued, one of the party writes: "The Colonel's noble mare falters, strikes out again, and boldly makes the shore. Woodson follows. My poor mare, being too weak to carry me, turned over, and commenced going down; encumbered by clothing, sabre, and pistols, I made but poor progress in the turbid stream. An inherent love of life actuated me to continue swimming. Behind me I heard the piercing call of young Rogers for help; on my right, Capt. Helm was appealing to me for aid; and in the rear my friend, Capt. McClain, was sinking. Gradually the gunboat was nearing me. Should I be able to hold up until it came; and would I then be saved to again undergo the horrours of a Federal bastile? But I hear something behind me snorting! I feel it passing! Thank God! I am saved! A riderless horse dashes by; I grasp his tail; onward he bears me, and the shore is reached. Col. Johnson, on reaching the shore, seizes a ten-inch piece of board, jumps into a leaky skiff, and starts back to aid the drowning. He reaches Capt. Helm, but Capt. McClain and young Rogers are gone.'

Gen. Morgan was not of the fortunate party that escaped across the river. With two hundred of his men he broke through the enemy's lines on the north side of the Ohio, and continued his flight in the direction of New Lisbon, with the design of reaching the river higher up. Forces were despatched to head him off, and the brave cavalier, who had so often given occasion of surprise and mystery to the enemy, was, at last, brought to bay at a point on the river where there was no escape, except by fighting his way through, or leaping from a lofty and almost perpendicular precipice. Here he surrendered himself and the remnant of his command.

Of the infamous treatment of this distinguished captive and his com rades, the following memorandum was made in the War Department at Richmond, signed by Lieut.-Col. Alston, as a personal witness: "They were carried to Cincinnati, and from thence he [Gen. Morgan] and twentyeight of his officers were selected and carried to Columbus, Ohio, where

« PreviousContinue »