"Our loss is heavy, but that of the enemy must be enormous.

"With the exception of General Casey's Division, the men behaved splendidly. "Several fine bayonet charges have been made. The Second Excelsior Regiment made two to-day."

The following address was read to the army on the evening of the 3d, at dress parade, and was received with an outburst of vociferous cheering from every regiment :

"HEAD-QUARTERS ARM, VA, THE POTOMAC, "CAMP NEAR NEW BRIDGE, VA., June 2.

"SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC:-I have fulfilled at least a part of my promise to you. You are now face to face with the rebels, who are held at bay in front of the capital. The final and decisive battle is at hand. Unless you belie your past history, the result cannot be for a moment doubtful. If the troops who labored so faithfully, and fought so gallantly at Yorktown, and who so bravely won the hard fights at Williamsburg, West Point, Hanover Court-House, and Fair Oaks now prove worthy of their antecedents, the victory is surely ours.

1

"The events of every day prove your superiority. Wherever you have met the enemy you have beaten him. Wherever you have used the bayonet, he has given way in panic and disorder.

"I ask of you now one last crowning effort. The enemy has staked his all on the issue of the coming battle. Let us meet him and crush him here, in the very centre of the rebellion.

"Soldiers, I will be with you in this battle, and share its dangers with you. Our confidence in each other is now founded upon the past. Let us strike the blow which is to restore peace and union to this distracted land. Upon your valor, discipline, and mutual confidence the result depends.

" (Signed)

GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, "Major-General Commanding."

This first dispatch of General McClellan gave great offence in two particulars: one was in not giving General Sumner proper credit, and the other in the censure cast upon Casey's Corps. As a consequence of this, the following dispatches were sent forward:

"To Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

"NEW BRIDGE, June 5, 10.30 A. M.

"My telegraphic dispatch of June 1st, in regard to the battle of Fair Oaks, was incorrectly published in the newspapers. I send with this a correct copy, which I request may be published at once. I am the more anxious about this, since my dispatch, as published, would seem to ignore the services of General Sumner, which were too valuable and brilliant to be overlooked, both in the difficult passage of the stream and the subsequent combat. The mistake seems to have occurred in the transmittal of the dispatch by the telegraph.

"(Signed)

"

G. B. MCCLELLAN, “ Major-General Commanding.”

"THE CORRECTED DISPATCH.

"FIELD OF BATTLE, 12 o'clock, June 1.

"Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: "We have had a desperate battle, in which the Corps of Sumner, Heintzelman, and Keyes have been engaged against greatly superior numbers. Yesterday, at one o'clock, the enemy, taking advantage of a terrible storm, which had flooded the valley of the Chickahominy, attacked our troops on the right bank of the river. Casey's Division, which was the first line, gave way unaccountably and discreditably. This caused a temporary confusion, during which some guns and baggage were lost, but Heintzelman and Kearny most gallantly brought up their troops, which checked the enemy. At the same time, however, General Sumner succeeded, by great exertions,

in bringing across Sedgwick's and Richardson's Divisions, which drove back the enemy at the point of the bayonet, covering the ground with his dead. This morning the enemy attempted to renew the conflict, but was everywhere repulsed.

"We have taken many prisoners, among whom are General Pettigrew and Colonel Loring. Our loss is heavy, but the loss of the enemy must be enormous. With the exception of Casey's Division, our men behaved splendidly. Several fine bayonet charges have been made. The Second Excelsior made two to-day.

"(Signed)

G. B. MCCLELLAN, General Commanding.” "HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, June 5.

"Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

"My dispatch of the first inst., stating that General Casey's Division, which was in the first line, gave way unaccountably and discreditably, was based upon official statements made to me before I arrived upon the field of battle, and while I was there, by several commanders. From statements made to me subsequently by Generals Casey and Naglee, I am induced to believe that portions of the division behaved well, and made a most gallant stand against superior numbers; but at present the accounts are too conflicting to enable me to discriminate with certainty. When the facts are clearly ascertained, the exceptional good conduct will be properly acknowledged. "GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, แ Major-General Commanding."

66

(Signed)

The dispatch correcting the omission in relation to General Sumner being altered in relation to the conduct of Casey's Corps, to read discreditably " "instead of "disunitedly" makes the censure more severe nevertheless, on the same date, portions of the division are in the other dispatch relieved from censure. The result was, that General F. J. Peck superseded Casey, who was given some employment at White House in the rear.

CHAPTER XXIII.

General Jackson's Movement.-Battle at Winchester.-Advance of Banks.-Shields ordered to join McDowell.-Retreat of Banks.-Front Royal.-Banks driven across the Potomac.-Mountain Department.-Fremont supersedes Rosecrans.-Battle at McDowell.-Fremont's Corps ordered to support Banks.-The Object of Jackson's Raid.-Fremont's Movement.-Retreat of the Enemy.-Harrisonburg.-Cross Keys. -Escape of Jackson.-McDowell concentrates at Fredericksburg.-Formation of the Army of Virginia under Pope.

WHEN General Jackson,* in the beginning of March, fell back before the advance of Banks, thus uncovering the communication by

Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born in Clarksburg, Virginia, January 21st, 1824, and graduated at West Point in 1846. He was successively brevetted captain and major, for gallant conduct in the Mexican war; and in 1852 resigned his commission and became professor of mathematics in the Military Institute of Virginia. At the outbreak of the rebellion he was appointed brigadiergeneral in the Confederate army, fought at Bull Run, where he earned the sobriquet of "Stonewall" Jackson, and during the winter of 1861-62, commanded at Winchester. In March, 1862, he was defeated near that place by Shields, and in May conducted his celebrated campaign of the Shenandoah Valley, driving Banks across the Po

tomac, and subsequently escaping from the combined forces of Banks, Fremont, and McDowell. In June he joined the rebel army at Richmond, and participated in the seven, days' fighting. In the succeeding August, he fought the battle of Cedar Mountain, and took a prominent part in the second Bull Run campaign, after which he led the rebel invasion of Maryland, captured Harper's Ferry, September 15th, and two days later fought at Antietam. He commanded the rebel right wing at the battle of Fredericksburg, December 18th, was soon after appointed a lieutenant-general, and at the battle of Chancellorsville, May 2d, 1868, was mortally wounded, while leading a successful flank movement. He died May 10th.

Manassas Gap between the Confederate army and the resources of the Valley, the whole force of the enemy, in front of Manassas, fell back to the Rappahannock, abandoning Fredericksburg, and that in the Valley retreated towards Staunton. The retreat of Jackson was, however, slow. He abandoned Winchester on the 12th of March, and it was occupied by General Banks with his advance, on the same day that General McClellan assumed the command of the Army of the Potomac. On occupying Winchester, General Banks issued an order forbidding all depredations and marauding. This order had become necessary, since the people of the fertile but unfortunate Valley were exposed to the alternate operations of both armies. The mission of Jackson in the Valley was at that time to cover the retreat of that part of the rebel army, which, coming from Centreville by way of Strasburg, was destined to operate near Staunton, and to protect the road from the Valley to Gordonsville, to which point the main body of the Confederates had retreated. That object having been effected by the 15th of March, the subsequent movements of Jackson were at his own discretion. On the 17th, a force under General Shields left Winchester in pursuit of the enemy, who retired towards Strasburg. His rear-guard was overtaken near Middletown, and with four guns it disputed the ground foot by foot. The main force of Jackson was at Mount Jackson. On the 20th, Shields's reconnoitring force returned to Winchester. The division of General Williams, forming one-half of Banks's command, at the same time moved off towards Battletown, through which a good turnpike runs from Winchester to Centreville. This movement led Jackson to suppose nearly the whole army of Banks was about to re-enforce McClellan. To prevent this, he determined to attack Winchester. Accordingly, four regiments of infantry made a forced march from Mount Jackson to Strasburg, and advanced thence, on Saturday, the 22d, to the battle-ground within three miles of Winchester. This rapid march of thirty-five miles in two days was without supply trains, and the advance appeared in front of the Union pickets in the afternoon of Saturday.

that

About four miles in advance of Winchester, on the turnpike to Strasburg, through Middletown, is the village of Kernstown. A mudroad branches from the turnpike about midway between Winchester, and runs to the right over Cedar Creek. The Fourteenth Indiana was on Saturday picketed on the turnpike half a mile beyond Kernstown, and at half-past two discovered the enemy's cavalry under Ashby, reconnoitring_the_woods on both sides of the turnpike, and steadily advancing. The Union troops then fell back, pursued by the cavalry, occasionally facing about to fire upon the pursuing enemy. General Shields* ordered up four companies of infantry to support the

James Shields was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1810. He emigrated to the United States in 1826, settled in Illinois, and became Judge of the Supreme Court of that State. He was brigadier-general of volunteers in the Mexican war, was promoted to be major-general, and was wounded at Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec. Subsequently he was U. S. Senator from Illinois

and Minnesota. At the outbreak of the rebellion he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, succeeded General Lander in command of his brigade, in March, 1862, and soon after defeated Jackson at Winchester. His troops were subsequently worsted in an encounter with Jackson, June 9th. In the succeeding year he resigned his commission.

Fourteenth Indiana, and hold the enemy in check until he could bring forward his division. A battery of artillery was also ordered forward to assist in checking the now advancing enemy. While directing this battery, Shields was wounded in the arm by the splinter of a shell. He, however, remained on the field until dark, when the troops began to arrive. The enemy were now in advance of Kernstown, and about three miles from Winchester. They, however, did not press the attack, but bivouacked for the night. This respite was not unwelcome to Shields, who was waiting for the return of Williams's troops to re-enforce him, although these did not arrive until after the action. The Union forces engaged in the battle embraced, with the exception of five hundred men, only the division of Shields (formerly that of Lander), composed of the brigades of Kimball on the right, Tyler in the centre, and Sullivan on the left. Inasmuch as Shields, in consequence of his wound, did not appear on the field, General Kimball assumed command. The enemy's centre was a little to the left of the turnpike, at the village, and his left extended one and threequarter miles west of the road, his right wing about one mile to the east of it. The mud-road branching from the turnpike passed through his left centre. Beyond this there was a grove of trees, and still farther a ridge of hills crowned by a stone wall about breast high. At eight o'clock, A. M., on the 23d, the enemy opened with four guns, which were replied to by six. The batteries were then re-enforced on both sides. The enemy's guns were so well served that it became necessary to storm them, and the infantry columns of the first and second brigades were massed for an attack upon the enemy's left. General Tyler moved his column on the mud-road until he came in front of the stone wall, from which at two hundred yards distance he received a deadly fire; but his unwavering troops pressed on without reply until within fifteen yards, when they delivered their fire with such effect that the enemy fell back across the field, unmasking as they did so two six-pound guns, the canister from which tore open our ranks with great havoc, without stopping the advance of the men, who speedily captured one gun with its caisson. Two other brass guns were now unmasked with such effect that our troops were forced back, upsetting the captured gun as they left it. The Fifth Ohio and Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania now formed, and advanced with the bayonet. In the desperate encounter the Ohio regiment lost its standard-bearer five times in a few minutes. The Fourteenth and One Hundred and Tenth Indiana now advanced at the quick in support, and the enemy fell back again, leaving the captured gun. It was now seven o'clock P. M., and the firing began to lessen. The cavalry in pursuit of the enemy captured about two hundred prisoners. The men slept upon the battle-field, and awoke to pursue the enemy on the morning of the 24th, who, however, retired on being attacked. At nine o'clock General Banks arrived on the field from Harper's Ferry, and assumed command. The Union loss in this battle was one hundred and thirty-two killed, five hundred and forty wounded, forty-six missing-total, seven hundred and eighteen. The loss of the enemy was estimated at nine hundred, of whom two

hundred and thirty-six were prisoners; two guns and four caissons were captured. The enemy had been re-enforced at ten o'clock, Sunday morning, by General Garnett, and claimed that his whole force was then six thousand, of whom three thousand were engaged. General Shields reported his own command at eight thousand.

The enemy retired beyond Strasburg, which place General Banks held on the 25th March. The enemy continued in the neighborhood, occasionally harassing the outpost, until, on the 1st April, General Banks resumed his forward movement to Woodstock, which was defended by Ashby's cavalry and the shells of the enemy. On the same day the advance passed through the town, and on the 2d it drove the enemy's rear-guard over Stony Creek, near Edenburg. The enemy destroyed bridges as he retired, and Banks rebuilt them with great labor, as he followed. On the 11th, his advance under General Shields, who was so far recovered of his wound as to appear on the field in a carriage, was in occupation of Edenburg, head-quarters remaining at Woodstock. The enemy continued at Mount Jackson.

The enemy's cavalry continued busy under Ashby, and frequent attacks were made on the lines of communication. On the 17th, Mount Jackson was occupied by the Union forces, Shields and Williams making a combined attack upon it, and pushing their pickets five miles beyond. New Market was occupied at the same time. The advance of Banks's column pressed, on the 18th April, close upon the heels of Jackson's retiring troops, which continued their retreat in the direction of Staunton. On the 20th, General Banks telegraphed as follows:

To Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

“NEW MARKET, April 20, 9 A. M.

"The flight of Jackson from the valley by the way of the mountains, from Harrisonburg towards Stannardsville and Orange Court-House, on Gordonsville, is confirmed this morning by our scouts and prisoners.

"N. P. BANKS,

"Major-General Commanding."

The advance pushed on under General Williams, who held Harrisonburg on the 24th, and his scouts captured some prisoners nine miles beyond. Banks, whose head-quarters were at New Market, visited Harrisonburg on the 29th, and while there received news of the capture of New Orleans, an event which, by its influence upon the fate of Yorktown, would, it was supposed, have a great effect upon his own position. The forces under Banks were now about sixteen thousand

men.

At this time Jackson, who had been falling back before Banks, formed a junction with General E. Johnson, who had fallen back from the Mountain Department before the advance of Milroy, who, on the 23d of April, had followed him to within seven miles of Staunton. The enemy supposed that the Union forces under Fremont and Banks, meeting at Staunton, would attempt to drive the Confederates before them until they could form a junction with McDowell east of the mountains, and then throw their combined forces upon Richmond. On the other hand, the Union generals anticipated that on the fall of