80

DEATH OF COLONEL BAKER.

and centre were held by the Twentieth Massachusetts, while, also in the centre, marched the California battalion. On the front were the three guns, the six pounder in the centre, and the howitzers on the wings. The enemy advanced with dreadful yells, and made the chief attack on the left and centre. They had superior numbers, but the guns made the contest not unequal. The enemy opened a deadly fire at the gunners. Soon, of those who served the six pounder not one was found, and the lanyard and pouch being lost, the gun was of no use. The articles were found, however, but blood-stained, and the gun was put in position by Baker, Coggswell, Lee, and Bramhall, men called from the infantry, and the gun again shelled the enemy. A fierce contest now raged, and grew yet more and more violent, and Bramhall had but a single man to help him at the gun, and he did his duty well. The artillery, however, was not effective, and the enemy, meanwhile, redoubled their efforts, but were met at every point by the gallant troops, who battled well in hopes of promised succor. General Gorman had crossed a few miles lower down with a part of his brigade, and General Stone's adjutant promised that the general would soon be present to aid. But he came not, and the brave Colonel Baker, in this crisis, fell at the head of his troops, which cast success into the opposing scale.

Colonel Lee, on whom the command seemed to devolve, decided on a retreat, but Colonel Coggswell galloping up, being senior colonel, assumed it, and changed the line of battle, with the resolve to cut his way through the enemy to Edward's Ferry, some distance below. A rebel officer, on a white horse, now rode up to the Tammany regiment, and pointing to the woods, gave the order "charge." The regiment, and the Fifteenth Massachusetts rushed forward, believing the order from their own officers. A destructive volley met them, and they were driven back in disorder, which was now too late to correct, while the exultant enemy pressed on with shouts. The troops now fell back to the bluff. The foe could not be beaten back, and they made a furious attack on the brave men, unable to fight or retire. One scow-the only one-laden with the wounded and those who were escaping, was crowded in the river, pelted by the thick shower of balls which the enemy shot after her. The motion of these, who tried to shun the bullets, capsized her, and with her unhappy freight she sank to the bottom.

GENERAL STONE RELIEVED OF COMMAND.

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The river rolled on in sullen grandeur. Its rapid stream and precipitous banks were witnesses of a fearful scene. Groans, cries, and shrieks rent the air, as some cast themselves down into the swift current, while the yells of the savage foe fell on ears that soon were closed forever; and the bank was red with the blood of the slaughtered heroes. And yet this glorious band, with a bravery not surpassed in ancient story, stood firm to the last, and no white flag told of surrender to the foe. Their lofty souls never stooped to ask quarter, and they exhibited there, deeds of self-sacrificing devotion, such as shed lustre on the cause for which they died. Officers commanded men to escape, and the men, in many an instance, only thought of the safety of their officers.

Colonel Devens ordered his men to cast their muskets into the river, and escape. About eighty, who could not swim, were led by Captain Bartlett up the river. They found a sunken boat, which could convey five at a time, and Captains Bartlett and Tremlett, and Lieutenant Abbott waited until all were over, and then crossed over themselves. Many who swam were shot in the head and perished. Soldiers would not leave the side of their wounded officers, but swam slowly to save them. The fugitives made for Harrison's island. The Potomac, here, was red with the blood of the Union slain, for the rebels fired incessantly.

The bloody tragedy was ended. The sullen stream bore lifeless bodies of brave men, among whom were some of the noblest hearts of the nation, down over the craggy rocks, where they rolled in mangled confusion. The sad survivors sat down in silent rage, gnashing their teeth to think that bravery was of no use, and manhood of no avail; but a useless butchery had resulted from mismanagement, or perhaps, worse, from treachery. The whole nation mourned, and gloom overspread the people like a pall. The gallant Baker was generally lamented, and his remains lay honored in state, in Independence Hall, at Philadelphia.

The greatest blame of this movement was attached to General Stone, and he was relieved of his command and imprisoned. General Gorman, from Banks' division, crossed at Edward's Ferry in the meanwhile, and McClellan arrived on the field, and ordered the troops back to Maryland. Colonel Lander was put in command of Baker's troops, but

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CHARGE OF ZAGONYI.

a wound received in a skirmish rendered him unfit for service. The Federal force was eighteen hundred. One-half were lost, as killed, wounded, or prisoners. Of the latter, were Colonels Coggswell and Lee.

In Missouri, Major Zagonyi, of Fremont's Body-guard, with one hundred and fifty men, was sent in advance by that general, who had heard that Springfield, at the distance of fifty miles, was occupied by three hundred rebels, whom he determined to dislodge. Reaching the place the following afternoon, Zagonyi found the enemy drawn up in line of battle, half a mile from the city, and reported to be two thousand strong. The major rode boldly on through the fire of the skirmishers, and formed his men in the enemy's camp. The bugle sounded the charge, and these brave cavaliers, sword in hand, dashed on. The enemy fired a volley, broke and fled before this hurricane. The cry of the Federals was, "Fremont and the Union." The infantry sought safety in the woods; then a recall was sounded, and Zagonyi pursued the cavalry through the town, and dashed through the streets, making a score of charges, till not a rebel remained. The recall was sounded, and only two thirds of his command remained. The enemy lost one hundred and fifty in killed and wounded, and twenty-seven prisoners.

CHAPTER IX.

NOVEMBER, 1861.

THE PUBLIC MIND DISSATISFIED-FREMONT-WHAT DIFFICULTIES HE SURMOUNTED ADVANCE OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC EXPECTED-GREAT NAVAL EXPEDITION-ENCOUNTERS A STORM-BOMBARDMENT OF THE REBEL FORTS-ATTACK AND VICTORY-GENERAL SCOTT RETIRES, AND MCCLELLAN SUCCEEDS HIM-GRAND REVIEW OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC GRANT'S EXPEDITION FROM CAIRO-BATTLE OF BELMONTNELSON'S CAMPAIGN, ITS RESULTS-INVESTIGATION OF CHARGES AGAINST FREMONT HIS REMOVAL-HUNTER SUCCEEDS-HALLECK SUPESREDES HUNTER-DEPARTMENTS RECONSTRUCTED-EXPEDITION OF DIX-CAPTURE OF MASON AND SLIDELL-THEIR SURRENDER DEMANDED, AND ON WHAT GROUND OBTAINED THE NASHVILLE AND TUSCARORAMCCLELLAN'S ORDERS-THE NEGROES AT PORT ROYAL-REBELS BURN THE COTTON-REBEL SCHOONER BURNED.

GREAT want of satisfaction with the administration now prevailed throughout the country. Fremont still commanded in Missouri, but his removal was demanded; and he lost the confidence of the public after the battle of Wilson's Creek and the fall of Lexington; and even the Blairs, who had been his friends, were now become his opponents. Yet when he took the command of Missouri, it was full of rebels and guerillas. Two large armies were invading the State; the department was disorganized, and the city of St. Louis rebellious. He was without the aid of Government, without arms and equipments, and, in a measure, money or credit. The State was to be recovered, the Illinois border protected, and preparations were to be made for descending the Mississippi. Public calumniators were rife, private hostility abounded, and the national Government manifested no concealed distrust. These were great difficulties. He guarded over one thousand miles of river and railroad travel, without naval aid, or the loss of a railroad in the State, at a time when the rebels frequently destroyed the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and were keeping the Potomac sealed with a blockade. While Western Virginia and East Tennessee suffered the depredation of guerillas, he kept the contest in Missouri confined between organized bodies of troops, and, by a good use of his resources, repelled an army of twenty

81

ADVANCE OF THE ARMY EXPECTED.

thousand men from the border on the southeast. He also guarded the Illinois border on the south from invasion. The design, afterward successfully carried out, of striking at the heart of the rebellion, by the rivers Cumberland and Tennessee, was Fremont's well-matured plan, and would have saved the country millions, if carried out at the time. He collected an army of forty thousand men, marched at their head, through an enemy's country, three hundred miles, chasing the rebels, throwing a bridge over a river broad and deep, and overcoming obstacles declared by a high official incapable of being surmounted. And on the eve of a great battle he was removed from the command, as will presently be shown.

The fact that October, so well calculated for warlike demonstrations, passed without striking a blow at the enemy on the Potomac, was another source of complaint. And now, in the chill month of November, it was rumored, daily, that an advance was about to be made on the strong fortifications of Manassas. The enemy expected a flank movement on the Potomac, and their lines now ran from Blue Ridge to Acquia creek. Except when some daring vessel made the unsafe attempt of running down past the heavy shore batteries, the Potomac was effectually blockaded. This was mortifying to the people, and felt as dishonorable to the nation. Every one thought that the army should move, and that the coldness of the weather would prevent an active campaign in Virginia.

The blockade interfered with the commerce of France and England. The latter wanted cotton, and her operatives, in the manufacturing towns, would be thrown out of employment and reduced to poverty if the blockade was not soon raised. If nothing were done before spring, these nations, it was surmised, would demand an abandonment of the blockade. The cry from the West was not the weakest. Its nature required action, and could ill brook the delay which condemned a hundred thousand armed men to inactivity. The Secretary of War (Cameron) was included in the complaints, and was declared more eager to obtain fat contracts for his friends than to urge the army onward to battle. The Cabinet was thought to be heedless of existing events, and the veteran hero, General Scott, was deemed too slow, while age and infirmities rendered him unfit to guide the helm, that in such