Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/197

small forces of confederates and federals, the advantage being in favor of the latter. The battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., was fought on Dec. 7, the Union forces being commanded by Gens. Herron and Blunt, and the confederates by Gen. Hindman. The latter retreated during the ensuing night, leaving the federals in possession of the field. Ship island, about 10 m. from the coast of Mississippi, had been occu- pied in the latter part of 1861, and here troops were collected for the capture of New Orleans, to be under the command of Gen. Butler, who reached the island March 25, 1862. New Orleans was defended by Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on opposite sides of the Mississippi, about 83 m. below the city. Both of these works were of great strength, and between them the passage had been barred by chains and hulks. On April 18 a bombardment was commenced by a federal fleet of 47 vessels, carrying 289 guns and 21 mortars, the whole commanded by Oapt. Farragut, the mortar fleet being under the special command of Capt. Porter. On the morning of the 24th, the barriers having been previously removed, Capt. Farragut ran past the forts with a part of his fleet, destroyed a squadron of the enemy's rams and gunboats, silenced the batteries above the forts, and reached New Orleans on the 25th. Gen. Lovell, in command of the confederate troops, evacuated the city on his arrival, and destroyed all the cotton, sugar, and other valuable stores. Forts Jackson and St. Philip surrendered to Capt. Porter on the 28th. Gen. Butler now moved up with his army, took formal possession of New Orleans (May 1), and placed it under martial law. Farragnt's fleet passed up the river, captured Baton Rouge, and afterward proceeded to Vicksburg, the only remaining stronghold of the confederates on the Mississippi, of which a bombardment was begun on June 26. On the morning of the 28th Capt. Farragut with seven vessels passed the city, and joined Capt. Davis's flotilla from Memphis. The siege of Vicksburg was abandoned about the end of July, Capt. Farragut, who had repassed the batteries, dropping down the river with his fleet. On Aug. 5 the confederate Gen. Breckinridge was repulsed in an attack on Baton Rouge by Gen. Williams, who fell at the moment of victory. In December Gen. Butler was superseded by Gen. Banks. Another expedition, under the command of Gen. Burnside and Com. Goldsborough, sailed from Hampton roads Jan. 12, 1862, entered Pamlico sound by way of Hatteras inlet, and attacked Roanoke island, which the confederates had strongly fortified. The troops landed Feb. 7, and on the following day stormed the intrenchments, and obliged about 2,700 of the enemy to surrender. On the 9th the fleet passed up the sound to Elizabeth City, N. C., and destroyed the confederate flotilla. On March 14 Gen. Burnside captured New Berne after a severe battle, taking 500 prisoners and 69 guns, and immediately afterward marched a force thence to Beaufort, which made no resistance; but Fort Macon, which defended the entrance to it from the sea, held out until April 25. Washington, Plymouth, and other towns on the coast were also occupied. On April 11 Fort Pulaski, on Cockspur island at the mouth of the Savannah river, was reduced by bombardment from batteries on Tybee island. On March 8 the confederate ironclad Virginia (formerly Merrimack), coming out from Norfolk, attacked the federal fleet in Hampton roads, and destroyed the frigates Cumberland and Congress. During the ensuing night the ironclad Monitor, under command of Lieut. Worden, arrived from New York, and in the morning engaged the Virginia, which retired after a protracted contest. (See Hampton Roads.) On May 10 Norfolk was occupied without resistance by a detachment from Fortress Monroe under Gen. Wool, and the Virginia was blown up to prevent it from falling into his hands. In June, 1862, Gen. Buell left Corinth, Miss., and moved east, threatening Chattanooga, Tenn. Gen. Bragg, in command of the confederates, thereupon moved from Tupelo, Miss., through N. Alabama and Georgia, reaching Chattanooga in advance of Buell. Toward the end of August he started on an invasion of Kentucky, which his forces entered from E. Tennessee. On the 30th a corps under Kirby Smith encountered a raw Union force under Gen. Manson at Richmond, Ky., and totally defeated it with a loss of several thousand in disabled and prisoners. Lexington was occupied on Sept. 4. On the 17th Bragg captured Munfordsville, with the Union force there of about 2,000 men under Col. Wilder, and on Oct. 1 entered Frankfort. In the mean time Buell had marched by way of Nashville, which he left strongly garrisoned, to Louisville, where his army arrived between Sept. 25 and 29. On Oct. 1 he began to move against Bragg, who slowly retreated to Perryville, where he made a stand, and on the 8th a battle ensued, in which the confederates lost 2,500 men and the federals more than 4,000. During the succeeding night Bragg continued his retreat, and joining Kirby Smith passed into E. Tennessee. On the 30th Buell was superseded by Maj. Gen. Rosecrans. The confederates under Gen. Price having occupied Iuka, Miss., Gen. Rosecrans attacked that place on Sept. 19, and severe fighting ensued, which was ended by darkness. During the succeeding night Price retreated, and at Ripley united with a stronger confederate force under Gen. Van Dorn, who soon advanced against Corinth, now defended by Gen. Rosecrans. The attack was commenced on Oct. 3, and ended on the following day with a strong and determined assault, which was repulsed with great loss, the federal pursuit continuing as far as Ripley. (See Corinth, vol. v., p. 354.) Gen. Rosecrans, having assumed command in Kentucky, began on Nov. 10 to move to Nashville. On Dec. 26 he began to march thence upon Murfreesboro, where Bragg's forces