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CH. XI.]

MCCLELLAN'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

Estimating the rebel forces at 150,000, and supposing them to be well disciplined and thoroughly entrenched and supplied with artillery (see p. 94), McClellan was unwilling to advance upon Manassas during the early part of the winter, notwithstanding severe censure was cast upon him for delay and inexplicable tardiness. The president did not pretend to know much, if any thing, about military science, and the secretary of war, though bred to the law and full of zeal and spirit, was not probably better able to judge than Mr. Lincoln of the reasons which weighed so strongly with the general-in-chief against what he considered to be premature, unprepared action.

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The president put various queries to McClellan in regard to the comparative values of the two plans, his and McClellan's; to which the general-in-chief answered in a lengthy paper, February 3d, given in his Report, urging strongly that the base of operations by the Lower Chesapeake " afforded the shortest possible route to Richmond, and struck directly at the heart of the enemy's power in the east." A ma. jority of the general officers, who met at McClellan's headquarters, approved of his plans to move by the Chesapeake and Rappahannock, ascending to Urbana on the Rappahannock, and thence crossing to Richmond, between forty and fifty miles westwardly.

Although the roads previously had Mr. Lincoln, at one time convinced been good, yet towards the close of by interviews with McClellan that the December, 1861, they became unfavor- plans of the latter were the best, at anable, and grew more and more so as the other quite confident that his own and season advanced. Early in February, his secretary's were preferable, hesitat McClellan, affirming that he could ed in his action, and seemed to assent "fix no definite time for an advance," with reluctance to any of the proposi declared that "the roads have gone tions of the general-in-chief. On the from bad to worse; nothing like their 8th of March, the president issued his present condition was ever known here" General War Order No. 2;" by which before; they are impassable at present." it was directed that the Army of the About the middle of January, McClellan Potomac be organized into four army recovered from a severe illness, and corps. The first, consisting of four soon learned how anxious the govern- divisions, was assigned to Gen. Mcment was for an immediate Dowell; the second, consisting of three movement. The general-in- divisions, to Gen. Sumner; the third chief wished to attack Richmond by and the fourth, consisting each of three the Lower Chesapeake; which, how-divisions, to Gens. Heintzelman and ever, Mr. Lincoln did not approve, and Keyes. Gen. Wadsworth was placed issued a special war order, January in command of the troops for the de31st, directing that a point on the railroad southwest of Manassas Junction be seized and occupied, the troops to move on or before February 22d.

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VOL. IV.-17.

fence of Washington; and a fifth army corps, consisting of two divisions, was assigned to Gen. Banks.* On the same

* Gen. McClellan complains, in his Report, that this

day, a third war order was issued, re- Dunning, at Romney, made an attack quiring that no operations be entered on the enemy stationed at Blue's Gap, a upon without leaving Washington strong position, sixteen miles distant, entirely secure, and without clearing on the road to Winchester, and routed the navigation of the Potomac from the them completely. Lander joined Kelly enemy's batteries and other obstruc- at Cumberland, and went thence to tions. The movement upon the Chesa Romney; but finding that Jackson had peake, as McClellan wished, was also nearly surrounded him with a large ordered to move, as early as the 18th force, he marched all night to Springof March, or earlier, if possible. field. Jackson did not follow him, but retired to Winchester. Subsequently, Moorfield was captured; and by a spirited dash upon the rebel position at Bloomery Gap, Lander took the enemy completely hy surprise, several officers and men, in all seventy-five, being made prisoners. On the 11th of February, Lander telegraphed to McClellan that the district was cleared of the enemy. The war department (February 17th) acknowledged the activity and valuable services of Gen. Lander; but he was compelled to resign on account of ill health, and died on the 2d of March.

Meanwhile, events, some of them of great importance, had occurred at various points in Virginia, since the beginning of the war. These may properly here be noted, as having, to a consider able extent, modified Gen. McClellan's plan of the campaign.

Early in January, the rebel Gen. Jackson, who had been purposing for some time to move from Winchester to

the northwest, left that place, 1862. and advanced towards Hancock, some forty miles distant. Arriving at Bath, through a pitiless storm of snow and hail, he drove out four companies of our troops, who retreated to Han cock, across the Potomac, and made a stand on receiving reinforcements there. Jackson followed and demanded the surrender of the town; but Gen. Lander, who was in command, refused peremptorily. Firing across the river was tried by both parties, but to little purpose. Jackson moved westwardly, and Lander made his preparations to cross into Virginia soon after. Colonel

order was issued hastily, without consultation at all

with him. He affirms that he had always been in favor of the principle of organization into army

corps, but he did not think that the time had come as yet for this. "These views had been frequently ex

pressed by me to the president and members of the cabinet; it was therefore with as much regret as sur

prise that I learned the existence of this order."

On the 24th of February, Colonel Geary (of Banks's command,) crossed the Potomac, and took possession of Harper's Ferry, which, half-burned and plundered by the rebels, was mostly deserted by its inhabitants. The heights being secured, a strong force oc cupied Charlestown on the 28th, on the advance to Winchester. Martinsburg, an important town on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, was occupied on the 3d of March, and Smithfield on the 6th. The enemy, in the direction of Winchester, were evidently falling back; and it was expected that a stand would be made at that place by Jackson. Geary, meanwhile, advanced with his force and occupied Lovettsville, and

CH. XI.]

MANASSAS ABANDONED BY THE REBELS.

was very successful in driving before him a body of Mississippi troops, stationed at the town; these presently retired to Hillsborough. Leesburg was occupied on the 8th of March, the rebels under Hill having hastily evacuated it. Sixty-seven prisoners, over one hundred horses, and a quantity of stores were captured.

Jackson evacuated Winchester, March 11th; it was immediately taken possession of, the next day, by our troops, under Gens. Hamilton and Williams. The fortifications at this place, which had been supposed to be formidable, were found to be hastily constructed and of no importance. The brigade of Gen. Shields was now quartered at Winchester, where Gen. Banks also established his headquarters.

This movement, threatening as it did the left flank of the rebels, hastened their retirement along the entire line from Aquia Creek to the Shenandoah. Well advised of the progress of vast military preparations on the Potomac, and aware that one large force was before them; that another was fast gather ing from Harper's Ferry, on their flank; and that probably speedy movement would be made by the Chesapeake in their rear, the rebel leaders resolved to decline a battle, which had been for months eagerly expected by the people of the loyal states. Retreat, at the present, was their policy, and retreat they accomplished in the coolest and most scientific manner. The heavy artillery at Manassas was leisurely removed, the railroad leading south answering the purpose of transporting men and munitions to any ex

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tent; and so skilfully was all this per. formed, despite Gen. McClellan's "secret service force," to give information of the rebel doings, that, when our army reached Manassas, there was not a gun left to be captured, or hardly a straggler to be taken prisoner. On Sunday even. ing, March 9th, the last of the rebel force abandoned Centreville, retreating in perfect order, leaving the formidable line of fortifications on the ridge entirely empty, save a few wooden painted logs, which had been placed in the embrasures. The famous stone bridge over Bull Run, and another over Cob Run, were destroyed in the retreat.

Gen. McDowell, with the advance of the army, arrived at Centreville on the 10th of March, and dispatched a cavalry force the same evening to Manassas, whence the last of the rebel troops had departed in the morning. Nearly everything of value had been removed, and nothing remained but the refuse of the camp, the lines of rude huts, etc.

It was a mortifying confession, but it had to be made, that the rebels had got the better of us, and that their retreat on this occasion was equivalent to a victory. It required all the public confidence heretofore placed upon McClellan and his forthcoming victories, to escape the conviction that the number of the rebels had been greatly over-estimated, and that we had given them an advantage, especially in the way of preparing for defence against our advance, which was likely to protract the contest far longer than any one as yet had contemplated.

McClellan, having entered upon the active duties of commanding the ad

vance movement of the army, did not expect certainly that any change would be made in his official position as general-in-chief. By the war order, however, which was issued on the 11th of March, it was ordered: " Major-General Mc. Clellan, having personally taken the field at the head of the Army of the Potomac, until otherwise ordered, he is relieved from the command of the other military departments, he retaining command of the Department of the Potomac." By the same order, Gen. Halleck was placed in command of the Department of the Mississippi, and Gen. Fremont in command of the Mountain Department, i. e., the region west of the Department of the Potomac. Each of these commanders was ordered to report directly and frequently to the secretary of war.*

Although not a little mortified at the course which had been pursued towards him, McClellan, three days afterwards, issued a spirited address to the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac, in which he declared, that, though he had held them back, it was to discipline them and fit them to "give the death-blow to the rebellion." He also assured them, that he was ready to share all dangers and trials with them, and that he held it an honor to belong to the Army of the Potomac.t

* McClellan, in his Report, states that the first know ledge he had of this order was through the newspapers. He addressed a note to the president, cheerfully ac

ceding to the disposition thus made of his services, and declaring that no consideration of self would in any manner interfere with the discharge of his public

duties.

The rebel batteries on the Potomac at Cockpit Point and other stations were abandoned soon after the

retreat from Manassas, and the river was once more free from annoying and vexatious obstructions.

At a council of the generals commanding army corps, held at headquar ters, March 13th, it was deemed most expedient, Washington being properly secured against attack, and Manassas being occupied in force, to proceed to the advance upon Richmond by way of Fortress Monroe. The president and war department approved this plan of operations, and urged immediate, energetic action.

Before proceeding further, however, with the narrative of military operations in Virginia, we must call the reader's attention to the celebrated encounter between the Merrimac and the Monitor, not only because of its general effect upon the progress of the great contest, but also because of its marked importance in the history of naval warfare in modern times. Certainly, nothing which has ever occurred in connec tion with ships of war, and with attempts to render them invulnerable, is more remarkable and more significant in its results than this memorable encounter.

It will be remembered, that when the rebels seized upon the navy yard at Norfolk (see p. 24), the U. S. steamer Merrimac was one of the vessels which was scuttled and abandoned by Capt. Macaulay. Subsequently, she was raised and placed in the dry dock, and special care was bestowed upon fitting her out in such wise as to be invincible to all attack, and consequently able to act as a universal destroyer. Her hull was cut down, and a bomb-proof covering of wrought iron put over her main deck. Her bow and stern were sharpened and clad in steel, with a projecting

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