Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/198

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UNITED STATES

were concentrated; he encountered some opposition, and reached Stone river near that place on the 29th and 30th. Here bloody engagements occurred, Dec. 31, 1862, and Jan. 2, 1863, which resulted in the abandonment of Murfreesboro by the confederates during the night of Jan. 3-4. (See Murfreesboro.) The other operations in this vicinity during the winter and spring were confined to cavalry raids. On Nov. 28, 1862, Gen. Grant, in command in W. Tennessee, commenced an advance into Mississippi with the design of operating against Vicksburg. He had reached Oxford when, on Dec. 20, a blow was struck at his communications in the capture of Holly Springs by Van Dorn, who took more than 1,000 prisoners and destroyed a vast quantity of munitions and stores, compelling Grant to abandon the movement. On Oct. 8 Galveston, Texas, was occupied by a naval force, and was held till Jan. 1, 1863, when it was retaken by Gen. Magruder.—Operations of greater magnitude had in the mean while taken place on the eastern theatre of the war. About April 1, 1862, Gen. McClellan, who now had command only of the department of the Potomac, transferred his forces to Fortress Monroe, and began a movement upon Richmond up the peninsula between the York and James rivers. On the 4th an advance was made upon Yorktown, which was besieged for a month, when it was abandoned by the confederates. McClellan then continued his advance, and a series of bloody battles was fought, viz.: at Williamsburg, May 5; Hanover Court House, May 27; Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, May 31 and June 1; Mechanicsville, June 26; Cold Harbor, June 27; Savage's Station, June 29; Frazier's Farm, June 30; and Malvern Hill, July 1, on the James. During the night of July 1 Gen. McClellan withdrew his troops to Harrison's Landing, 7 m. below Malvern Hill, where he remained till about the middle of August, when his army was transferred to the Potomac. The confederate army in this campaign was at first commanded by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, who was succeeded by Gen. Robert E. Lee. Soon after the battle of Malvern Hill it retired to Richmond, to assume the offensive against Washington. (For a detailed account of the peninsular campaign, see Chickahominy.) In the mean time a confederate force under Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson and federal forces under Gens. Banks and Fremont had been operating in the Shenandoah valley. (See Cross Keys.) Several battles were fought, and about the middle of June Jackson was summoned with the greater part of his force to Richmond. In July Gen. Pope was placed in command of the federal army of Virginia, consisting of the forces that had been operating in the valley and of those under Gen. McDowell covering Washington. About the same time Gen. Halleck was summoned from the west to act as general-in-chief at Washington. On Aug. 9 a portion of Pope's army under Banks was repulsed with loss at Cedar mountain, near Culpeper Court House, by a superior body of confederates under Jackson, who formed the van in Lee's offensive operations. On Aug. 29 and 30 occurred the second battle of Bull Run, between the Union army under Pope and the confederate forces under Jackson and Longstreet, in which the latter had the advantage. (See Bull Run.) Pope retreated within the defences of Washington and resigned, Gen. McClellan assuming command of the remnant of his army. Lee moved to the Potomac above Washington and crossed into Maryland. McClellan soon started to meet him, and encountered portions of the enemy on Sept. 14 at Turner's and Crampton's gaps in the South mountain, from which they were driven after severe fighting. The next day Harper's Ferry, with 11,583 men, 73 guns, 13,000 small arms, and other stores, was surrendered to a detachment of Lee's army under Jackson. McClellan, advancing, found Lee on the 15th strongly posted across Antietam creek near the village of Sharpsburg, where on the two following days a bloody but indecisive battle was fought. (See Antietam, Battle of.) On the night of the 18th Lee retreated into Virginia. McClellan crossed the Potomac about Nov. 1, and advanced to Warrenton, near the Rappahannock. On the 7th he was directed to turn over the command to Gen. Burnside, who moved down the Rappahannock to Fredericksburg, which was summoned without effect on the 21st. Lee had made a parallel movement down the S. bank of the river, and strongly intrenched himself on the bluffs behind the town. On Dec. 13 Burnside crossed the river and made repeated attacks on the enemy's position, but was repulsed with great slaughter, and on the 15th returned to the N. bank. (See Fredericksburg, Battle of.) On Jan. 26, 1868, Burnside was superseded by Gen. Joseph Hooker. About the close of April Hooker began to cross the Rappahannock, and concentrated his forces at Chancellorsville, where a bloody engagement ensued, May 24, in which the Union army was worsted by the forces under Lee, Hooker recrossing to the N. side of the river. In this battle Jackson was mortally wounded. (See Chancellorsville, Battle of.) About the beginning of June Lee, again assuming the offensive, advanced into the Shenandoah valley, capturing Winchester on the 15th, whence he drove a federal force under Gen. Milroy, taking many prisoners. The main body of the confederate army crossed the Potomac above Harper's Ferry, June 24-25, and marching across Maryland entered Pennsylvania. Hooker had begun on June 13 to move north, so as to cover Washington, and on the 26th crossed the Potomac about half way between Washington and Harper's Ferry, advancing to Frederick, Md. On the following day he resigned his command, in consequence of a difference with Gen. Halleck respecting the disposition of a force at Maryland Heights opposite Harper's