CHAPTER XXVIII.

OCTOBER NOVEMBER, 1862.

THE PIRATE ALABAMA-FAILURE OF THE EFFORTS FOR HER CAPTURE— EXPEDITION AGAINST THE CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH RAILROAD RECONNOISSANCES BY THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC-SEIZURE OF SNICKER'S, ASHBY'S, AND THOROUGHFARE GAPS BY THE FEDERALS-ENGAGEMENT AT MAYSVILLE, ARKANSAS-CAPTAIN DAHLGREN'S RECONNOISSANCE TO FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA-ACTIONS AT PHILOMEL AND NEW CREEK, VIRGINIA-CONTEST AT WILLIAMSTON, NORTH CAROLINA-REBEL ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE NASHVILLE-UNION EXPEDITION TO THIBODEAUXVILLE, LOUISIANA-RECONNOISSANCE OF GENERAL MCPHERSON TO HOLLY SPRINGS-FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, SUMMONED TO SURRENDER.

AMONG the Confederate cruisers which inflicted so much damage on the commerce of the United States during the war, was the pirate Alabama, cominanded by Captain Raphael Semmes, and having, as one of her officers, Lieutenant Howell, brother-in-law of Jefferson Davis. This vessel, which became a terror to the nation's commerce, was rigged out as a barque. Her speed under canvas was thirteen knots an hour, and fifteen under steam. She was a double decker of one thousand two hundred tons burden, one hundred and twenty-five feet long, thirty-two in breadth, and, like her deeds, her color was of the blackest hue. Her armament consisted of three thirty-two pounders on each side, and ports amidships were made for two more. Forward she had a one hundred pound rifled pivot gun, and on the main deck a sixty-eight pounder. Tracks were laid, fore and aft, for a pivot bow gun and a pivot stern chaser. Her guns were of British manufacture, and her crew of one hundred and thirty men was taken from an English vessel near the West Indies. When occasion required, she hoisted the flags of all nations, but on approaching a vessel, usually unfurled the banner of St. George. Provisions for eight months were put on board, and thus fitted out, her depredations, during the year 1862, were of a formidable character, and her captures numerous; among the latter, several whalers from New Bedford, etc., besides the barque Ocean Rover, of Mattapoisset, and the

EXPEDITION UNDER GENERAL MITCHELL.

285

large ship Tonawanda, of Philadelphia, In the case of the latter vessel, Semmes exacted bonds for the value of the ship and cargo, redeemable when the war terminated. After destroying his prizes, which was his usual course, the pirate captain received their crews on board his vessel, and after plundering them, set them on shore and paroled them. To capture and destroy this scourge of the seas, the Federal Government sent Commander Ronckendorf, at that time in command of the San Jacinto, in pursuit of her, and though he came up with her once in the port of Fort Royal Martinique, the wily Semmes eluded him, and escaped to the high seas, to commit more depredations. Posterity will learn with astonishment that the pirate captain was feted by British subjects in Old Albion, and regarded with applause by European nations. The British authorities, it will be seen, favored the rapacious Semmes. The English people, especially the aristocracy, bought up the Confederate bonds, and the ship-builders provided the rebels with war vessels.

On the 21st of October, the expedition planned by General Mitchell, in command of the Southern Department, left Hilton Head for the purpose of destroying the railroad bridges between Charleston and Savannah. These bridges spanned the streams Pocotaligo, Talliafinney, and Coosawhatchie, which flow into the Broad river. It was necessary that a landing should be made at Mackay's Point, eleven miles from Pocotaligo, where protection could be afforded by the gunboats to the debarkation of the troops, who would from that point move on to the scene of contest.

A portion of the first and second brigades, four thousand five hundred strong, composed the expedition, which was commanded by Generals J. M. Brannon and A. H. Terry, the former being the ranking officer. Three transports, nine gunboats, and some schooners, carried the troops to their destination, at which they arrived on the 22d of October, at six o'clock A. M. A company of the Seventh Connecticut, in command of Captain Gray, had been sent in advance, in boats, for the purpose of surprising and capturing the pickets of the enemy at Mackay's Point. Gray succeeded in taking prisoners Lieutenant Banks and three men, but the rest escaped, and informed the enemy of the designed attack. All the troops had landed by ten o'clock..

286

SUCCESS OF THE EXPEDITION.

with the exception of the Third Rhode Island. Brannan lost no time in marching against the enemy, and encountered them in a strong position near Pocotaligo. The Federals had to advance along a narrow causeway, exposed to the enemy's artillery fire, which swept the brave ranks of the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania, which was in the advance. Lieutenant Henry's artillery effectively responded, while the Pennsylvanians opened a musketry fire. The latter lost, in this encounter, one hundred and fifty killed and wounded, out of six hundred men. The rest of the Federals having come up, the rebels were driven with great loss from their position, and after a chase of several miles, they made another stand, and being again routed, rallied on reaching Pocotaligo bridge, where they were protected by twelve pieces of artillery. The Federals had only four Parrott guns, commanded by Lieutenant Phoenix. The enemy was driven from the bridge by a fierce infantry charge, after which the troops crossed and destroyed it. Six o'clock had now arrived, the foe was beyond reach, and indications of reinforcements to the enemy by railroad from Charleston and Savannah, made retreat necessary. This was conducted in good order by General Terry. The dead and wounded, six hundred in number, were carried off the field. The portion of the expedition sent up the Coos-, awhatchie river, disembarked, encountered a body of the enemy, killed and wounded about thirty of them, and shelled the town, named after the river. Colonel Barton, the commander of the detachment, then led his men back to the gunboats, and rejoining the expedition, it arrived at Hilton Head on the 24th of October, having accomplished the purposes for which it was sent. On the 30th, the commander of the Department of the South, General O. M. Mitchell, fell a victim to yellow fever, at Port Royal, South Carolina.

November had now arrived, and the Army of the Potomac, still commanded by General McClellan, was the focus in which public interest anxiously concentrated. Reconnoissances and skirmishes had occupied the weeks which elapsed since the battle of Antietam, and the troops yet made no important movement. The nature of the country

in which both armies lay, made the possession of the mountain defiles a matter of importance. Lee's army occupied

OCCUPATION OF GAPS IN THE BLUE RIDGE. 287

the beautiful Shenandoah valley, having his head-quarters at Berryville. His strength had been augmented by reinforcements from Western Virginia. Great strategic importance was therefore attached to the mountain range east of the Shenandoah river, and reconnoissances were made by the Federals to Snicker's, Ashby's, and Thorough fare Graps, which outlets mainly commanded the mountain range. It was most important that they should be occupied. Accordingly, Generals Hancock and Couch were sent for that purpose to Snicker's Gap, on the 2d of November, which being found to contain a body of the enemy, General Hancock at once drew up his men in order of battle. General Caldwell, with his brigade, held the right; Meagher, with his Irish brigade and Colonel Zook's regiment, was posted on the left; and the artillery on commanding eminences. The scouts sent to watch the enemy from the heights, descried their dark masses approaching. Their artillery was in the advance, followed by the cavalry and the infantry, which brought up the rear. When within range the Union guns opened an effective fire, which dispersed them, and the old flag was hoisted on Snicker's Gap.

During this successful operation, a similar success gave the Federals possession of Ashby's Gap. Generals Pleasonton and Averill, near Purcellville and Upperville, in the Shenandoah valley, encountered the famed rebel cavalry, under their chief, Stuart, consisting of four thousand men, protected by two batteries of artilley. Several skirmishes took place, and Pleasonton at length drove the enemy in a resolute charge, toward the gap, and following up the advantage, the position was gained.

On the 3d, General Sigel, with a part of his corps, occupied Thoroughfare Gap, and on the same day, a reconnoissance from Fairfax, beyond Bull Run, by a portion of General Sickles' command, disclosed the Confederates there in force, and part of them at Warrenton. While these operations were in progress, and seemed to promise an advance of the army, and another severe engagement, General McClel lan was superseded, on the 5th of November, in the command of the Army of the Potomac, by General Burnside, and ordered to report at Trenton, New Jersey. His removal at this period was expedient and necessary, and was succeeded eventually by his resignation and retirement into the peace. ful shades of domestic lif›.

288

ENGAGEMENT AT MAYSVILLE, ARKANSAS.

Burnside now assumed command of the army, and in a brief and prudent address to the troops, he expressed his sentiments of respectful esteem for their late commander, his diffidence of his own abilities, and the confidence in their valor which inspired him. He believed that their military operations in the impending struggle, would be crowned with success and victory. Leaving the mighty armies confronting each other, and preparing for the forthcoming battle, we turn our attention to the scenes in Arkansas.

On the 22d of October, General Blunt, in command of part of the troops on that remote frontier, encountered a body of the enemy at "Old Fort Wayne," and utterly defeated it. The rebel forces were in two columns; one, under Generals Marmaduke and Raines, proceeded toward Huntsville; the other, under Cooper and Standwaite, into the Indian territory, by way of Bentonville. The Federal forces were similarly divided to meet the Confederates. Generals Schofield and Totten pursued Marmaduke and Raines, and Blunt followed in pursuit of Cooper and Stand waite. To preserve the communication with the rear of the Union forces, General Solomon was left at Pea Ridge, with his command, and the batteries of Blair and Stockton. Moving rapidly in pursuit of the Confederates, General Blunt encountered them near Maysville. His forces then did not exceed six hundred strong, consisting only of his body-guard and part of the Second Kansas regiment, together with two small howitzers. The enemy, three thousand strong, were already in position, with four large brass pieces advantageously posted. General Blunt ordered his men to meet the rebels on foot, and the artillery began the conflict. In a daring charge, the Kansas troops routed the enemy, and captured their field pieces. Just as the foe had gained the covert of the woods, Colonel Judson galloped up with the Sixth Kansas, followed by six pieces of Rabb's battery, which shelled the woods. The Eleventh Kansas, and finally the First and Third Indiana. arrived, and all the troops being arrayed in the order of battle, were ordered to advance. The Confederates, without awaiting the shock of battle, again betook themselves to the shelter of the forest, and with such celerity as to far outstrip the pursuing Federals. The Union loss was only seven killed and fifteen wounded. The importance of this success was such as to free western Missouri and northwestern Arkansas from the Confederates.