was heard from Warren, till ten minutes before 9, when his dispatch reached Meade, stating that he had found the enemy's defenses so strong that he did not feel able to carry them, and had suspended his attack in consequence. Sedgwick was thereupon directed to hold off till further orders, while Meade galloped to Warren, four miles off, and conferred with him as to the situation. He found Warren fixed in the conviction that an attack on this flank was hopeless; and now it was too late to concentrate for a determined attack on the center; while, if the attempt to flank the enemy's left was to be further prosecuted, the whole army must be moved toward our left, abandoning the turnpike, which was our main line of communication and of retreat. Meade concluded to desist for the day: the 5th and 6th corps, with two divisions of the 3d, returning to their former positions. Meanwhile, the opening of our batteries in the morning had exposed to the enemy the point on his left where we had purposed to attack, and he had made haste to strengthen it by earthworks, abatis, and guns. Our supply trains had been left north of the Rapidan. If the movement should be persisted in, they must be brought over, in order that our soldiers' haversacks might be re 85 Dec. 1-2. 8 Gen. A. P. Howe, testifying before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, thus sums up the judgment of those officers of his army who were dissatisfied with Meade's leadership: "I do not think they have full confidence in the ability or state of mind of Gen. Meade. What I mean by that is the animus that directs the movements of the army. They do not think there is that heart, and energy, and earnestness of purpose in the war, to make every use of the means at his command to injure the enemy and carry on the war successfully. I do not think plenished. Then the turnpike and plank roads must be abandoned, and our army cut loose from its resources, at a season when a few hours' rain would convert the river in its rear into a raging, foaming flood. All the important roads in this region run from Gordonsville and Orange Court House eastward to Fredericksburg; and our army, moving southward to flank the enemy, must cut and bridge roads for its guns and trains. That army, if not discouraged by the bungles and failures of the last week, must by this time have been soured and intensely disgusted. To rush it now on the Rebel defenses which had grown and were growing stronger each hour-would be to expose it to defeat in a position where defeat was sure to be disastrous, and might prove ruinous. Meade decided, therefore, to back out-and this was the least wretched part of the entire wretched business. He says he should have marched to the heights of Fredericksburg, if Halleck had left him at liberty to do so; but he probably evinced more sense, if less spirit, in plumply retreating, so bringing his army back across the Rapidan during the night," and taking up his pontoons next morning, without having been pursued, or anywise molested during his retreat." And this terminated, with the Army of the Potomac, the campaign of 1863. they have, I will not say confidence, but faith in him. They do not expect from him what the crisis seems to call for. They believe that, if he is attacked, he will do all he can to defend his position. But that he will act with zeal and en ergy, or that his whole heart and soul are in the bringing all the meaus successfully to bear to break down the enemy, so far as I can judge, they do not look for that; they do not expect it. So far as I can judge, a great many officers think he can do very well in a defensive fight. If he was called upon to guard the Potomac or Washington, he will make good marches to stop the enemy; but that he will be active, zealous, en FIGHTS AT WYTHEVILLE AND LEWISBURG. The more important military operations in (and from) WEST VIRGINIA, during 1863, were as follows: A raiding expedition, 1,000 strong, consisting of the 2d Virginia (Union) cavalry, Col. John Toland, and 34th Ohio infantry (mounted), which struck out" from Browntown, West Virginia, crossing Lens mountain to Coal river, and thence moving southeasterly by Raleigh and Wyoming Court House, zigzagged over the Guyan, Tug, and several other ranges of mountains, swooped down" on Wytheville, a village of 1,800 inhabitants, and a place of considerable importance. Hitherto, they had passed over a rugged, wild, and sterile region, having very few inhabitants and no elements of resistance; but, charging into Wytheville, they were fired on from the houses, whereby Col. Toland was soon killed and Col. Powell, 34th Ohio, mortally wounded, as were several of their leading subordinates. After firing some of the buildings whence they were thus assailed, our men, abandoning their dead and wounded, fell back two miles and encamped; starting for home, under Lt.-Col. Franklin, 34th Ohio, early next morning. Hungry, worn out, and dispirited, they lost nearly half their horses on their devious way homeward: wending from early dawn till midnight over the ergetic, in using his means to strike successful offensive blows against the enemy, not at all; he is not the man for that-at least that is my impression. 403 roughest mountains, and being four days without food, till they struck Tug fork the second night, where they found and killed some cattle. Misled by a treacherous guide, they wasted next day wandering through the mountains, finding" rations and feed at Fayetteville; having ridden over 400 miles, lost 83 men, with at least 300 horses, and endured as much misery as could well be crowded into a profitless raid of eight days. Gen. W. W. Averill, setting forth from Huttonsville, Randolph county, moved down the line dividing West from old Virginia, pushing back the small Rebel forces in that quarter under Col. W. S. ['Mudwall'] Jackson, and menacing an advance on Staunton. At length, when near Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs, he was met" by a force about equal to his own, under Maj.-Gen Sam. Jones, but more immediately commanded by Col. Geo. S. Patton, who had chosen a strong position in a gorge between steep mountains that precluded flanking, where a spirited fight was maintained throughout the day, and till noon of the next; when Averill drew off, short of ammunition, leaving one disabled gun. He had calculated on help from Gen. Scammon, commanding on the Kanawha, which did not reach him. Our ernment; they do not like the way the Negro question is handled. And, again, the impres sion is made upon my mind that there are some who have no faith in this war, who have no heart in it; they will not do any thing to com. "Question: The same observation you apply to Gen. Meade will apply to the corps command-mit ers you refer to, will it not? "Answer: I think so. I do not know as it would be proper for me to state here the terms we use in the army. However, we say there is too much Copperheadism in it. This is so for different reasons: with some, there is a desire to raise up Gen. McClellan; with others, there is a dislike to some of the measures of the Gov themselves; but there is a wide difference between doing your duty so as not to commit yourself, and doing all that might reasonably be expected of you at these times. I do not know as I can express myself better than saying that there is Copperheadism at the root of the matter." 87 July 13. total loss here was 207; Patton re- | strongly posted on the top of Droop ports his at 156, and says he took 117 mountain, in Greenbrier county, prisoners. He attempted to pursue routed him, and drove him back into with cavalry, but to little purpose. Monroe county, with heavy loss. Averill returned to Huttonsville. Ours was 120 in all; the Rebels twice or thrice so many, including 100 prisoners, with 3 guns and 700 small arms. West Virginia was thus nearly cleared of armed Rebels at the close of the campaign; and they never after entered it but as raiders. Late in the Fall, Averill, starting from Beverly with some 5,000 men, and, chasing Col. 'Mudwall' Jack son, struck" a somewhat smaller Rebel force under Gen. Echols, XVIII. THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPAIGN. MIDDLE AND EAST TENNESSEE. WHILE Gen. Rosecrans, at Murfreesboro', was accumulating wagons, munitions, and supplies, for a determined advance against Bragg's army confronting him at Shelbyville or Tullahoma, the noted and generally successful raider Morgan was preparing, on our right, for a more extensive and daring cavalry expedition than he had yet undertaken. Meantime, a party of predatory horsemen, about 80 in number, claiming to belong to the 2d Kentucky Confederate cavalry, crossed the Ohio from western Kentucky near Leavenworth, Ind., about the middle of June, raiding through Orange, Orleans, and Washington counties; and were trying to make their way back into Kentucky, when they were cornered' by the Leavenworth home guards, Maj. Clendenin, and the steamboat Izetta, and were soon glad to surrender. Barely one of them escaped to the Kentucky shore, and he was immediately captured. At length, setting out' from Sparta, Morgan crossed' the Cumberland, then in flood, near Burkesvillebuilding boats for his trains and swimming his horses-with a wellmounted force of 2,028 effectives and 4 guns; pushing back Col. Wolford's cavalry, who sought to impede his march, passing through Columbia, which was partially sacked by his subordinates, contrary to orders, and striking Green river at Tebb's bend; where 200 of the 25th Michigan, Col. O. H. Moore, had, wholly within the last 24 hours, intrenched themselves, formed abatis, &c., and prepared to stay. Morgan summoned them in due form, and was courteously informed by Moore that, on account of this being the glorious Fourth,' he could n't entertain the proposition. Morgan, having two regiments at hand, forthwith assaulted; and a desperate fight of some hours ensued, wherein Col. Chenault, Maj. Brent, and several more of his best officers 'July 1-2. * July 3. ⚫ July 4. MORGAN'S RAID INTO INDIANA AND OHIO. 405 " were killed, and he was finally com- the direction of Gen. H. M. Judah, Moving thence on Lebanon, which was held by Col. Hanson,' 20th Ky., with 400 of his men, Morgan summoned it at sunrise," and was refused. After spending seven hours in fruitless efforts to reduce it, he at length charged into the town, and set fire to the buildings whence Hanson was firing-burning a good part of the place, and compelling Hanson to surrender. Here Morgan's young brother was killed, leading a charge. And he had lost so much time at Tebb's bend and here, that our cavalry were closing in upon him; so the Rebel raider decamped at dark, during a furious rain, compelling his prisoners (whom he had not yet had time to parole) to race ten miles in ninety minutes to Springfield-one, who could not or would not keep the pace, being shot dead by the way. Moving rapidly by Shepherdsville and Bardstown,' Morgan struck the Ohio at Brandenburg," 40 miles below Louisville; seizing there the steamboats McCombs and Alice Dean, on which he crossed his command-increased, during his progress, by Kentucky sympathizers, till it was said now to number 4,000 men, with 10 guns. The Alice Dean was burned; the McCombs-which probably belonged to a friend, who had placed it where it would be wanted —was left unharmed. Gen. Hobson, who, with a bad start, had been following from the Cumberland, under Morgan sped inland, by Corydon, Greenville, and Palmyra, to Salem, Ind., where he surrounded" and captured 350 Home Guards,' who had fallen back thus far from Corydon before him. He here broke up the railroad, burnt the dépôt, and ordered a general conflagration of mills and factories, but allowed each to be ransomed by the payment of $1,000 in cash. Thence moving by zigzags, but in an easterly course, through Vienna, dividing up his command so as to cut railroads and telegraphs on every side, the raider at once threatened" Madison and demanded. the surrender of Old Vernon, where a body of militia had hastily assembled to oppose him; but he decamped on finding the militia in earnest. Passing thence through Versailles," and making capital bargains in horsetrades all along, his followers concentrated at Harrison, just across the Ohio line; sweeping around Cincinnati" at distances of 7 to 20 miles, and pushing thence by Miamisville, Williamsburg, Sardinia, Piketon, and Jackson, they struck the Ohio at Buffington island, not far below Parkersburg, whence they counted on an easy escape through the poor, thinly settled adjacent region of West Virginia and north-eastern Kentucky to the more congenial shades of southwestern Virginia. Of course, they levied on the stores and granaries, as well as the stables and kitchens, along their route; but the pursuit was so hot that they found time to do comparatively little mischief. Crossing the Little Miami railroad, they obstructed the track at a spot suited to their purpose, and watched it till the train, at 7 A. M., came down from Morrow; throwing off the locomotive, killing the fireman, and wounding the engineer; when they rushed out of the adjacent woods, and, while the cars were being fired and burnt, they captured and paroled 200 unarmed recruits, who they had probably been apprised were coming. There was some skirmishing from day to day; but the raiders were too strong for any force that could be assembled on the instant, while their route could not be foreseen, and they moved too swiftly-burning bridges and obstructing roads behind themto permit the gathering cloud in their rear to overtake them: these having but a second and very inferior choice in swapping horses. Still, a considerable force had collected in their front at Chilicothe; but Morgan had pressing business in another direction. panies, who were received with a volley, which plainly said, 'No thoroughfare;' and the next moment brought tidings of a gunboat, which had drawn off when fired at, but would of course spread the alarm far and wide. One of Morgan's Colonels now reported that he had charged and routed a hostile force posted in rifle-pits not far distant, capturing 150 prisoners; and the chief was hurrying his preparations for crossing his men forthwith, when the roar of guns down the river argued gunboats at hand, just as three heavy columns of infantry appeared, crowning the bluffs in his rear and on his right, opening fire on the close columns of the fugitives. Forthwith, the word was given to flee up the river, and it was obeyed with alacrity; leaving guns, wagons, &c., with dismounted men, sick, wounded, &c., to the number of 600, to become prisoners. Morgan and his remaining troopers sped up the river some 14 miles to Belleville; where they had fairly begun, at 3 P. M., to swim their horses across-330 having got away-when Gens. Hobson and Shackleford, in command of a division of their pursuers, were again upon them; while several gunboats confronted them on the river, manned by Gen. Scammon, commanding on the Kanawha; he having brought down two or three regiments to share in the hunt. As there was no hope in fighting, the raiders took post on a high, scarcely accessible bluff, where they were summoned by Shackleford to surrender. They asked an hour for consideration: he gave them forty minutes; Hobson, on reaching the Ohio, had foreseen that the chase would be obliged to take water again, and had sent at once to Louisville to have the river well patrolled by gunboats. And, so soon as it became evident that Morgan was making for Pomeroy or Gallipolis with intent to cross, the inhabitants along the roads leading thither began to fall trees across them in his front, materially interfering with the freedom and celerity of his movements. At length," the weary, harassed raiders struck the Ohio just at daylight, at a ford a little above Pomeroy, and sent across two com- and, when these expired, all that re 16 July 19. |