By another executive order from the maintain itself. Some reverses, which War Department, dated February 14th, perhaps were unavoidable, suffered by the political prisoners held under arrest newly-levied and insufficient forces, disat Fort Lafayette, and elsewhere, were couraged the loyal, and gave new hope generally directed to be released on their to the insurgents. Voluntary enlistment simple parole. The order set forth the seemed to cease, and desertions composition in which the rebellion had found menced. Parties speculated upon the the nation, and the circumstances under question, whether the conscription had which the arrests had been made. "Every not become necessary to fill up the ardepartment of the government was para- mies of the United States. In this emerlyzed by treason;" when "the Capitol gency, the President felt it his duty to was beleagured and its connection with employ with energy the extraordinary all the States cut off;" when, "even in powers which the constitution confides to the portions of the country which were him in cases of insurrection. He called most loyal, political combinations and into the field such military and naval secret societies were found furthering the forces authorized by existing laws as work of disunion; while from motives of seemed necessary. He directed meadisloyalty or cupidity, or from excited sures to prevent the use of the post-office passions or perverted sympathies, indi- for treasonable correspondence. He subviduals were found furnishing men, jected passengers to and from foreign money, materials of war, and supplies countries to new passport regulations; to the insurgents' military and naval and he instituted a blockade; suspended force. Armies, ships, fortifications, navy- the habeas corpus in various places, and yards, arsenals, military posts, and garri- caused persons who were represented to sons, one after another, were betrayed him as being engaged, or about to engage or abandoned to the insurgents." in disloyal and treasonable practices, to be arrested by special civil, as well as military agencies, and detained in military custody, when necessary, to prevent them, and deter others from such practices. Examinations of such cases were instituted, and some of the persons so arrested have been discharged from time to time, under circumstances or upon conditions compatible, as was thought, with the public safety."

The situation was unprecedented, and little or no provision had been made, or was in working operation for its requirements. Congress had not anticipated, and so had not provided for the emergency. The municipal authorities were powerless and inactive. The judiciary machinery seemed as if it had been designed not to sustain the government, but to embarrass and betray it. Foreign intervention was openly invited, and in- From this explanation of the course dustriously instigated by the abettors of which had been pursued, the Secretary, the insurrection, and it became imminent, turning to the indications of safety at the and has only been prevented by the present time, proceeded to set forth the practice of strict and impartial justice, motives for the relaxation of the previous with the most perfect moderation in our rigor, and the terms proposed by the intercourse with other nations. The government for the opening of the prison public mind was alarmed and apprehen- doors. "Meantime, a favorable change sive, though, fortunately, not distracted of public opinion has occurred. The line or disheartened. It seemed to be doubt-between loyalty and disloyolty is plainly ful, whether the National Government, defined. The whole structure of the which one year ago had been thought a government is firm and stable. Appremodel worthy of universal acceptance, heusions of public danger, and facilities had indeed the ability to defend and for treasonable practices, have diminished

ARMIES OF THE POTOMAC.

To carry this order into effect a special commission was appointed, consisting of Major-General John A. Dix, commanding in Baltimore, and the Hon. Edwards Pierrepont of New York, who were authorized to examine the cases of the state prisoners, and summarily determine whether " they should be discharged, or remain in military custody, or be remitted to the civil tribunals for trial."

By the side of this order appeared another, announcing that, "on and after the 26th of February, the President, by virtue of the act of Congress, takes military possession of all the telegraph lines in the United States. All telegraphic communications in regard to military operations, not expressly authorized by the War Department, or the proper officers, were absolutely forbidden, and newspapers publishing intelligence in violation of the regulation, were excluded there

and seven wounded, including a captain. One only of the attacking party was wounded. Four hundred cavalry and two companies of infantry abandoned the town. Having set fire to several large buildings filled with ample stores of provisions, Major Webster brought his force off in safety before the enemy could bring up reinforcements to interrupt their return."

termination, and in your high soldierly which the Union troops entered by a qualities, is so great that I shall rest as- spirited movement, putting its defenders sured you will pass through the ordeal to rapid flight. One rebel was killed resolutely, triumphantly. Still, I cannot quit you without deep emotion, without even deep anxiety, in the moment of our country's trials and dangers. Above all, I am anxious that my brave countrymen, here in arms, fronting the haughty array and muster of Northern mercenaries, should thoroughly appreciate the exigency, and hence comprehend that this is no time for the Army of the Potomac -the men of Manassas-to stack their arms and quit, even for a brief period, the standards they have made glorious by their manhood. All must understand this, and feel the magnitude of the conflict impending, the universal personal sacrifices this war has entailed, and our duty to meet them as promptly and unblenchingly as you have met the enemy in line of battle."

The same day an attack, a counterpart of the affair just described, was made in force by the Confederate General "Stonewall" Jackson upon the Union outposts in Morgan county, Virginia, guarding the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. The party left Winchester on the 1st of January, and after a march of universal hardships in the severe cold, without protection of tents or blankets, encountering a storm The opening of the new year found of snow, rain, and hail, on the night of General McClellan recovering from an the 3d, reached Bath the next day, and attack of fever, which, though it kept prepared to attack the small body of him from the field, was not suffered to Union troops at Bath, which, with some interfere with his direction of the army. sharp skirmishing, retreated before them, There were some slight movements in crossing the Potomac six miles distam Western Virginia. An expedition, con- at Hancock. This town was then apsisting of portions of an Ohio and Vir-proached by the rebels, and its surrenginia regiment, with a detachment of In- der was demanded on the 5th, by Gendiana cavalry, in all about seven hun- eral Jackson, with a threat of bombarddred and fifty men, under command of ment. This General Lander, who was Major Webster, of the 25th Ohio, was in command, met by opening fire on the sent by General Milroy from his camp enemy's position on the opposite hill. at Huttonsville, in Randolph county, to Firing was kept up for an hour, without attack the enemy in Huntersville, the loss of life on either side, when the ascapital of the neighboring county of Po-sault was abandoned. The rebels concahontas, where there was a depot of supplies. Starting the last day of December, the force braving the wintry severity of the mountain region, traversed the intervening fifty miles, passing over Elk Mountain, and coming, on the 4th of January, upon the outposts of the enemy at Greenbrier river, near the point of attack. The pickets of the Confederates were driven in, and a number of their cavalry pursued to the town, ville, January 7, 1862.

tented themselves with burning a bridge on the Potomac and breaking up a portion of the railroad track.

On the 8th, a detachment of General Kelley's command, led by Colonel Duning of the 5th Ohio, advancing from Romney some thirty miles, surprised an inferior force of the enemy at Blue Gap. The attack was made with spirit, and re*Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial, Huttons.

LANDER'S ATTACK AT BLOOMING GAP.

sulted in the rapid dispersion of the rebels. Two pieces of artillery were taken with a few prisoners. A number of killed were found. No loss was suffered by the Unionists, who returned after destroying several houses of the rebel officer Colonel Blue, and others, used for quarters, bringing off considerable booty of cattle and stores.

269

forty miles south of Romney. He has
captured two hundred and twenty-five
beef cattle, and he broke up the guerrilla
haunt there. Two of his men were bad-
ly wounded, but several of the rebels
were killed. The enemy has thus been
driven out of this department.
I re-
spectfully commend Colonel S. S. Carroll
to your notice. He is a most efficient
and gallant officer. Lieutenants H. G.
Armstrong, A. A. G., and Fitz James
O'Brien, Aid-de-Camp, joined me in the
charge, by which the rebel officers were
captured and confidence restored, after
the cavalry had been checked. O'Brien
was shot through the breast by a rebel
whilst out scouting."

The most important of these operations in this region of Western Virginia, was a forced reconnoissance, led by General Lander, on the night of the 13th of February and following morning, against the rebel position at Blooming Gap, on the eastern border of Hampshire county. "We ran down and captured," says he, in his dispatch to General McClellan, The officer last mentioned will be re"seventeen commissioned officers, among membered by our readers as the spirited them colonels, lieutenant-colonels, cap- volunteer, at the opening of the war, tains, etc. We engaged them with four whose animated account of the march to hundred cavalry. Our infantry was not the relief of Washington has been given near enough to support the cavalry, and on a previous page of this work. On the enemy were retiring. We have in the return of the militia regiment, in all seventy-five prisoners, and killed thir- which he then served, he endeavored to teen of the enemy, and lost two men and raise a company for a volunteer regisix horses at their first fire. I led the ment; and failing in this undertaking, charge in person, and it was a complete sought employment on some general's surprise. Colonel Carroll, commanding staff. General Lander, in January, met the 5th or 8th Ohio, made a very daring this wish by appointing him one of his and successful reconnoissance immediate-aids. He then entered on active service ly afterwards to Unger's Store. Major in Virginia. Daring to a fault, he was Frothingham is entitled to great credit foremost with the gallant Lander in enfor building, under my direction, in four countering the foe. I have not space, hours, in the dead of night, a complete says the writer of a genial tribute to bridge across the Great Cacapon at an his memory, "to detail the events in unfrequented mountain road. Two col- O'Brien's brief but glorious career as a umns of two thousand men each marched soldier; how, in the brilliant skirmish at thirty-two miles, and one column forty- Blooming Gap, Lander, O'Brien, and two three miles, since four P. M. yesterday, soldiers dashed upon an ambuscade and besides bridging the river. The papers captured three officers and eight men :taken and my own reconnoissance to the how O'Brien retained the sword and acsouth prove the country clear, and that coutrements of the rebel captain as troJackson and Loring are at Winchester. phies-the same trophies which were so We made a move and occupied the soon to be borne upon his own coffin : Blooming Gap and' Point Hill, on the how, two days later, February 16th, belief, by information obtained from de- O'Brien headed a body of cavalry which serters, that General Casson's brigade encountered a superior force of the enewas there. General Dunning has just my; how he met the rebel leader, when arrived at New Creek from Moorfield,

* Ante vol. i. p. 168

two simultaneous shots were heard; the In about a fortnight after the action just one fired by O'Brien carried instant death; that which he received pierced his shoulder; but he still rallied his men, and brought off all, save himself, unharmed." The wound, which was not at first thought dangerous, grew worse; amputation became necessary; the operation was performed, and was succeeded by lock-jaw, which terminated in death, April 6th. The remains of the deceased were brought to the city of New York, and interred at Greenwood, with military honors, by his old comrades of the 7th regiment.

described he died in the camp at Paw Paw, whence he dated his last dispatch of victory. A generous tribute was paid to his memory by his friend and companion in arms, General McClellan, in the following General Order, of the 6th of March: "The Major-General commanding, with deep regret, announces to the army of the Potomac the loss of Brigadier-General Frederick W. Lander, the commander of one of its divisions, who died at Camp Chase, on the Upper Potomac, on the afternoon of the 2d instant, from the effects of a wound received in The brilliant affair at Blooming Gap the affair with the rebels at Edwards' was made the text of a special bulletin Ferry on the 22d of October, 1861. from the War Department. It was felt The public services of the deceased, then that the brilliant services of General known as Colonel Lander, in connection Lander, who had shown so much spirit with the overland route to the Pacific, in his command, though suffering from had made his name familiar to the Amerithe effects of a wound received in a re- can people. At the commencement of connoissance at Ball's Bluff the day after this unhappy rebellion, he was among the the unfortunate engagement at that place, first who volunteered to support with his made some particular tribute to his gal- life the Constitution and laws of his counlantry appropriate; while any evidence try. From the beginning of the military of energy in Virginia was eagerly ac- operations which have restored Western cepted in earnest of the future. "The Virginia to the Union-from the origiPresident," wrote Secretary Stanton, on nal movement upon Phillippa, where his the 17th of February, in this official bul- qualities as a leader of troops were strikletin to General Lander, "directs me to ingly displayed-to the complete expulsay that he has observed with pleasure sion of the rebels from his department, the activity and enterprise manifested by in which he exhausted his fading eneryourself and the officers and soldiers of gies, his conduct has elicited the admirayour command. You have shown how tion of his countrymen. His invaluable much may be done in the worst weather services at Rich Mountain were recogand worst roads by a spirited officer at nized by the Government in his appointthe head of a small force of brave men, ment as a Brigadier-General, and his last unwilling to waste life in camp when efforts were rewarded by the official apthe enemies of their country are within proval and thanks of the President. Tall reach. Your brilliant success is a hap-of stature, and of great strength and acpy presage of what may be expected when the army of the Potomac shall be led to the field by their gallant general." Having cleared his department of the enemy, General Lander, unable, from his ill health, to perform active service, asked to be relieved from duty. The request, from such a man, was ominous.

* Obituary notice, Harper's Weekly. April 26, 1862.

tivity, with a countenance expressive of intelligence, courage and sensibility, General Lander's presence was commanding and attractive. As a military leader, he combined a spirit of the most daring enterprise with clearness of judgment in the adaptation of means to results. As a man, his devotion to his country, his loyalty to affection and friendship, his