difficulty about reaching Lynchburg with a cavalry force alone. From
there you could destroy the railroad and canal in every direction, so
as to be of no further use to the rebellion. Sufficient cavalry should
be left behind to look after Mosby’s gang. From Lynchburg, if
information you might get there would justify it, you could strike
south, heading the streams in Virginia to the westward of Danville,
and push on and join General Sherman. This additional raid, with one
about starting from East Tennessee under Stoneman, numbering four or
five thousand cavalry, one from Vicksburg, numbering about seven or
eight thousand cavalry, one from Eastport, Mississippi, ten thousand
cavalry, Canby from Mobile bay with about thirty-eight thousand mixed
troops, these three latter pushing for Tuscaloosa, Selma, and
Montgomery, and Sherman with a large army eating out the vitals of
South Carolina, is all that will be wanted to leave nothing for the
rebellion to stand upon. I would advise you to overcome great
obstacles to accomplish this. Charleston was evacuated on Tuesday
last.
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”
General Sheridan moved from Winchester on the 27th of February with two
divisions of cavalry numbering about five thousand each. On the 1st of
March, he secured the bridge, which the enemy attempted to destroy
across the middle fork of the Shenandoah, at Mount Crawford, and entered
Staunton on the 2d, the enemy having retreated on Waynesboro’. Thence he
pushed on to Waynesboro’, where he found the enemy in force in an
intrenched position, under General Early. Without stopping to make a
reconnoissance, an immediate attack was made, the position was carried,
and sixteen hundred prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery, with horses
and caissons complete, two hundred and ninety wagons and teams loaded
with subsistence, and seventeen battle flags, were captured. The
prisoners, under an escort of fifteen hundred men, were sent back to
Winchester. Thence he marched on Charlottesville, destroying effectually
the railroad and bridges as he went, which place he reached on the 3d.
Here he remained two days, destroying the railroad toward Richmond, and
Lynchburg, including the large iron bridges over the north and south
forks of the Rivanna river, and awaiting the arrival of his trains. This
necessary delay caused him to abandon the idea of capturing Lynchburg.
On the morning of the 6th, dividing his forces into two columns, he sent
one to Scottsville, whence it marched up the James river canal to New
Market, destroying every lock, and in many places the banks of the
canal. From here a force was pushed out from this column to
Duiguldsville, to obtain possession of the bridge across the James river
at that place, but failed. The enemy burned it as the Union troops
approached. The rebels also burned the bridge across the river at
Hardwicksville. The other column moved down the railroad toward
Lynchburg, destroying it, as far as Amherst Court House, sixteen miles
from Lynchburg; thence across the country, uniting with the column at
New Market. The river being very high, Sheridan’s pontoons would not
reach across it; and the enemy having destroyed the bridge by which he
had hoped to cross the river and get on the South Side railroad about
Farmville, and destroy it to Appomattox Court House, the only thing left
for him was to return to Winchester or strike a base at the White House.
Fortunately he chose the latter. From New Market he took up his line of
march, following the canal towards Richmond, destroying every lock upon
it and cutting the banks wherever practicable, to a point eight miles
east of Goochland, concentrating the whole force at Columbia on the
10th. Here he rested one day, and sent through by scouts information of
his whereabouts and purposes, and a request for supplies to meet him at
White House, which communication reached General Grant on the night of
the 12th. An infantry force was immediately sent to get possession of
White House, and supplies were forwarded. Moving from Columbia in a
direction to threaten Richmond to near Ashland station, he crossed the
Annas, and after having destroyed all the bridges and many miles of the
railroad, he proceeded down the north bank of the Pamunkey to White
House, which place he reached on the 19th.
EXPEDITION AGAINST ST. MARKS, FLA.
MARCH 4–12, 1865.
An expedition set out from Key West about the 1st of March, under
General Newton, having for its main object the occupation of St. Marks.
The troops were landed from Appalachee Bay, near the light house at the
mouth of St. Marks river, and encamped about two and a half miles from
that spot, in order to await the landing of the artillery, and the
cooperation of the gunboats, which were to ascend the river, and assist
in the assault. A dense fog unfortunately occurring at the time, several
of the gunboats went ashore, and none were able to ascend the river. The
enemy, by this delay, received timely information of the movement, and
were prepared to meet it.
Previous to landing the troops an expedition was sent to cut the
railroad bridge and two turnpike bridges over the Oclokony river, and to
destroy the trestle work over the Ocilla river. Another expedition was
sent to cut the railroad between St. Marks and Tallahassee. These
enterprises were unsuccessful. On the following morning an advance was
made along the road towards the bridge over the East river, where it was
found that the planking had been torn up by the enemy, who was posted on
the opposite side, with one piece of artillery, prepared to dispute the
passage.
Two companies of a colored regiment, commanded by Major Lincoln, made a
gallant charge towards the bridge over the open space intervening,
before whom the enemy fled with great rapidity. They were followed by
the two companies, who acted as skirmishers, capturing the piece of
artillery, which was immediately turned on the flying rebels.
The bridge was promptly repaired by the soldiers of the Ninty-ninth
colored regiment, and, crossing, the line of march was commenced towards
Newport. On reaching Newport a dense column of smoke indicated that the
bridge which it was necessary to cross, was destroyed.
Leaving Major Weeks at Newport bridge to guard against any attempt of
the enemy to cross and get in the rear of the Union troops, a service
that he gallantly performed under an incessant fire from the enemy, the
column pushed on towards the Natural bridge, some eight miles above,
with the design of crossing there. Here it was discovered that the enemy
was strongly posted on the opposite side, determined to oppose its
passage.
At daylight on the following morning, Major Lincoln, with two companies
of the Second cavalry, commenced the attack, and succeeded in driving
the advanced posts of the rebels over the bridge; but his further
progress was checked by a superior force, who were strongly intrenched,
besides being protected by marshes, thickets, and other natural
defences.
Reconnoissances were made with the view of ascertaining the
practicability of crossing at some other place, but without success, and
it was determined to attempt to force a passage over the bridge.
Accordingly Colonel Townsend, in command of the Second colored, was
ordered to turn the enemy’s flank, and Major Lincoln to make the direct
assault, supported by Colonel Piersoll, commanding the Ninety-ninth
colored.
Advancing gallantly to the charge, Colonel Townsend drove the enemy
before him. They fled precipitately, abandoning their breastworks; but,
unfortunately, the Union soldiers encountered, right in their way, a
wide deep ditch, impassable to troops, and were compelled to return.
Finding that the enemy were too strong in numbers and position, while
the Union troops were posted in a low, marshy position, it was
determined to withdraw about three hundred yards in the rear, in an open
pine barren, which had been previously selected. This was done in good
order.
The rebels, now supposing that the Federal force were in full retreat,
advanced in force, with artillery and infantry; but, to their surprise,
they were received by a perfect line of infantry supported by artillery.
Two desperate charges were made by the enemy, but they were repulsed
with heavy loss on the part of the assailants, and the Union troops
remained masters of the field. The Federal loss was about one hundred
and fifty in killed, wounded and prisoners.
No further advance was deemed prudent by General Newton, and he
accordingly reembarked his troops, and returned to Key West.
STONEMAN’S EXPEDITION IN NORTH CAROLINA.
MARCH 20-APRIL 13, 1865.
On the 14th of February, General Grant sent the following communication
to General Thomas, containing instructions for a proposed cavalry
expedition, under General Stoneman, from General Thomas’s army. It was
the design of General Grant that this expedition should have started
early in February, and have penetrated as far as Columbia, South
Carolina, in cooperation with General Sherman’s forces in that State at
that time. As General Stoneman’s troops did not move at the time
appointed, it now became necessary to change the plan and route of the
expedition:
“CITY POINT, VA., February 14, 1865.
“General Canby is preparing a movement from Mobile bay against Mobile
and the interior of Alabama. His force will consist of about twenty
thousand men, besides A. J. Smith’s command. The cavalry you have sent
to Canby will be debarked at Vicksburg. It, with the available cavalry
already in that section, will move from there eastward, in
cooperation. Hood’s army has been terribly reduced by the severe
punishment you gave it in Tennessee, by desertion consequent upon its
defeat, and now by the withdrawal of many of his men to oppose
Sherman. Canby’s movement will attract all the attention of the enemy,
and leave the advance from your stand-point easy. I think it
advisable, therefore, that you prepare as much of a cavalry force as
you can spare, and hold it in readiness to go south. The object would
be three-fold: first, to attract as much of the enemy’s force as
possible to insure success to Canby; second, to destroy the enemy’s
line of communications and military resources; third, to destroy or
capture their forces brought into the field. Tuscaloosa and Selma
would probably be the points to direct the expedition against. This,
however, would not be so important as the mere fact of penetrating
deep into Alabama. Discretion should be left to the officer commanding
the expedition to go where, according to the information he may
receive, he will best secure the objects named above.
“Now that your force has been so much depleted, I do not know what
number of men you can put into the field. If not more than five
thousand men, however, all cavalry, I think it will be sufficient. It
is not desirable that you should start this expedition until the one
leaving Vicksburg has been three or four days out, or even a week.
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.
“Major-General G. H. THOMAS.”
General Stoneman’s expedition started from East Tennessee on the 20th of
March, moving by way of Boone, North Carolina, and struck the railroad
at Wytheville, Chambersburg, and Big Lick. The force striking it at Big
Lick pushed on to within a few miles of Lynchburg, destroying the
important bridges, while with the main force he effectually destroyed
the road between New river and Big Lick, and then turned for
Greensboro’, on the North Carolina railroad; struck that road and
destroyed the bridges between Danville and Greensboro’, and between
Greensboro’ and the Yadkin, together with the depots and supplies along
it, and captured four hundred prisoners.
General Stoneman, in his dispatch to General Thomas, gives the following
account of his operations after leaving Boone:—
“SLATERVILLE, N. C., April 13, 1865.
“From Boone it became necessary to cross the Blue Ridge into the
Yadkin river bottom, in order to obtain supplies for men and horses.
There we were detained three days by freshets. From thence we struck
for Christiansburg. On the route I detached Colonel Miller, with a
portion of his brigade, to Wytheville, and Major Wagner, with a
portion of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania, Palmer’s brigade, to Big Lick.
These three points were struck almost simultaneously. Colonel Palmer
attacked, and, after some fighting, captured Wytheville, destroyed the
depot of supplies at that point, and also at Mair’s Meadow. Major
Wagner, after striking the railroad at Big Lick, pushed on towards
Lynchburg, destroying, on his way, the important bridges over the Big
and Little Otter, and got to within four miles of Lynchburg with the
main body, and effectually destroyed the road between New river and
Big Lick, and then struck for Greensboro’, on the North Carolina
railroad.
“Arrived near Salem, N. C., I detailed Palmer’s brigade to destroy the
bridges between Danville and Greensboro’, and between Greensboro’ and
Yadkin river, and the large depots of supplies along the road. This
duty was performed with considerable fighting, the capture of four
hundred prisoners, and to my entire satisfaction. With the other two
brigades, Brown’s and Miller’s, and the artillery under the command of
Lieutenant Reagon, we pushed for Salisbury, where we found about three
thousand troops, under the command of Major-General W. M. Gardiner,
formed behind Grant’s creek, about two miles and a half from
Salisbury. As soon as a proper disposition could be made, I ordered a
general charge along the entire line, and the result was the capture
of fourteen pieces of artillery, and one thousand three hundred and
sixty-four prisoners, including fifty-three officers.
“We remained at Salisbury two days, during which time we destroyed
fifteen miles of railroad track and the bridges towards Charlotte, and
then moved to this point. From here we shall move to the south side of
the Catawba river, and be in a position to operate towards Charlotte
and Columbia, or upon the flank of an army moving south.
“The following is a partial list of the public property captured north
of Salisbury, and destroyed by us: Four large cotton factories and
seven thousand bales of cotton; four large magazines, containing ten
thousand stand of small arms and accoutrements, one million rounds of
small arm ammunition, one thousand rounds of fixed artillery
ammunition, and seven thousand pounds of powder, thirty-five thousand
bushels of corn, fifty thousand bushels of wheat, one hundred and
sixty thousand pounds of cured bacon, one hundred thousand suits of
gray uniforms and clothing, two hundred and fifty thousand army
blankets, twenty thousand pounds of harness leather, ten thousand
pounds of saltpetre; also a very large amount of sugar, salt, rice,
and other stores and medical supplies. In addition to the arsenals at
Salisbury, the military workshop was being fitted up, and was filled
with machinery sent from Raleigh and Richmond, all of which was
destroyed.”
GENERAL WILSON’S EXPEDITION IN ALABAMA.
MARCH 22-APRIL 20, 1865.
When General Canby received orders in January to advance from the forts
in Mobile Bay, and attack Mobile, he was also instructed to dispatch an
expedition under General Wilson into the interior of Alabama, where the
rebels maintained several important towns, which were garrisoned by
forces of some magnitude.
The expedition under command of Brevet Major-General Wilson consisted of
twelve thousand five hundred mounted men. It was delayed by rains until
March 22, when it moved from Chickasaw, Alabama. On the 1st of April
General Wilson encountered the enemy in force under Forrest near
Ebenezer Church, drove him in confusion, captured three hundred
prisoners and three guns, and destroyed the central bridge over the
Catawba river. On the 2d he attacked and captured the fortified city of
Selma, defended by Forrest with seven thousand men and thirty-two guns,
destroyed the arsenal, armory, naval foundry, machine shops, vast
quantities of stores, and captured three thousand prisoners. On the 4th
he captured and destroyed Tuscaloosa. On the 10th he crossed the Alabama
river, and after sending information of his operations to General Canby,
marched on Montgomery, which place he occupied on the 14th, the enemy
having abandoned it. At this place many stores and five steamboats fell
into Federal hands. Thence a force marched direct on Columbus, and
another on West Point, both of which places were assaulted and captured
on the 16th. At the former place General Wilson captured fifteen hundred
prisoners and fifty-two field guns, destroyed two gunboats, the navy
yard, foundries, arsenal, many factories, and much other public
property. At the latter place General Wilson took three hundred
prisoners, four guns, and destroyed nineteen locomotives and three
hundred cars. On the 20th he took possession of Macon, Georgia, with
sixty field guns, twelve hundred militia, and five generals, surrendered
by General Howell Cobb. General Wilson, hearing that Jeff Davis was
trying to make his escape, sent forces in pursuit, and succeeded in
capturing him on the morning of May 11.
* * * * *
On the 4th day of May, General Dick Taylor surrendered to General Canby
all the remaining rebel forces east of the Mississippi.
A force sufficient to insure an easy triumph over the enemy under Kirby
Smith, west of the Mississippi, was at once put in motion for Texas, and
Major-General Sheridan designated for its immediate command; but on the
26th day of May, and before they reached their destination, General
Kirby Smith surrendered his entire command to Major-General Canby. This
surrender did not take place, however, until after the capture of the
rebel President and Vice-President; and not till after General Smith had
disbanded a large portion of his army, and permitted an indiscriminate
plunder of public property.
Owing to the fact that many of those lately in arms against the
government had taken refuge upon the soil of Mexico, carrying with them
arms rightfully belonging to the United States, which had been
surrendered by agreement to the Federal commanders, General Grant deemed
it essential that a large army should be maintained in Texas. The
unsettled state of the Mexican country on the Rio Grande at that time,
also rendered this course necessary. Many of the leaders in the late
rebel armies, who had surrendered and given their parole, had also taken
refuge in Mexican territory, feeling distrustful of their personal
safety at the hands of the Federal authorities.
CAPTURE OF MOBILE AND THE REBEL FLEET.
APRIL 12-MAY 4, 1865.
When Vice-Admiral Farragut left the West Gulf squadron in the autumn of
1864, the command devolved on Commodore James S. Palmer, senior officer
on the station. That officer continued operations until the arrival of
Admiral Farragut’s successor, Acting-Rear-Admiral Thatcher. The
resumption of offensive operations against the city of Mobile, under the
direction of Major-General Canby, was not determined upon until early in
January, when Acting-Rear-Admiral Thatcher was ordered to proceed
immediately to New Orleans, in order to cooperate with the military
commander.
[Illustration: CONFEDERATE PORTRAITS. COOPER. BORHAM. MAFFITT. SEMMES.
JOHN SLIDELL. JAMES M. MASON.]
The force placed under Acting-Rear-Admiral Thatcher was increased by
light-draught iron-clads detached from the Mississippi squadron for
service in Mobile Bay. A joint movement by land and water was arranged
and carried into execution. Indications that the rebels were about to
evacuate the city led to a naval reconnoissance in force, to ascertain
the facts, on the 11th of March, with five monitors, in as close
proximity as the shallow water and obstructions would permit. This
movement drew from the insurgents such a fire as to place beyond doubt
that those defences were still intact.
The principal defence of Mobile was Spanish Fort, an irregular bastioned
work of very ancient structure, connected with fortifications five miles
in length commencing at D’Olive’s creek, and running to Minetta bay.
Beyond Spanish Fort, to the left, on the opposite shore of Minetta bay,
is Fort Alexis, mounting heavy guns. Forts Huger, Bradley, Tracy,
Battery Gladden, Spanish River battery, Blakely, and other rebel
defences frowned defiantly on the Federal army from the land side.
From September, 1864, to March, 1865, important movements of the armies
of the Nation in distant States deterred the Government from sending a
sufficient military force for the reduction of Mobile, which was
garrisoned during that time by about fifteen thousand troops under
General Maury.
After the breaking up of Hood’s army by Thomas, and the successful march
of Sherman through South Carolina, the corps of A. J. Smith and General
Steele were sent to reinforce General Canby, and steps were taken to
insure the capture of Mobile. An army of forty thousand men soon
invested the city on the land side, while the powerful fleet closed up
the waters, and prepared for the perilous attack.
The Sixteenth corps, Major-General A. J. Smith commanding, moved from
Fort Gaines by water to Fisher’s river; the Thirteenth corps, under
Major-General Gordon Granger, moved from Fort Morgan and joined the
Sixteenth corps on Fisher’s river.
The troops were landed on the 21st of March on the left bank of Fisher’s
river, about seventeen miles from its junction with the bay, and
advanced as rapidly as the condition of the road would permit, while the
naval vessels shelled the woods and kept open communication by signals
with General Canby for cooperation.
On the 27th of March, an assault on Spanish Fort was made by General
Canby’s troops, and simultaneously a portion of the fleet crossed
Blakely river bar, an extremely dangerous undertaking, owing to shallow
water, and the number of torpedoes with which that portion of the bay
was filled. The rebels doubtless believed that the naval vessels were
not able to cross the bar of Blakely river; and even if successful in
crossing, that it was in their power to destroy the fleet by their marsh
batteries and the innumerable torpedoes with which the river was filled.
They did succeed in sinking two of the monitors, the Milwaukee and the
Osage, and four wooden gunboats at the entrance of Blakely river, by
these submarine implements of destruction, although the river had been
thoroughly dragged, and many torpedoes were removed before the vessels
went over the bar.
By the 3rd of April, Spanish Fort and Fort Alexis had been completely
invested by the troops, and during the night of the 8th and morning of
the 9th they were, after a short but severe bombardment, captured, and
with them from sixteen hundred to two thousand men, with sixteen heavy
guns. With the key to Mobile thus secured, the other works of
importance, Batteries Tracy and Huger, were within easy reach, and on
the evening of the 11th they were evacuated.
At two o’clock on the morning of April 9th, General Canby’s troops
entered the intrenchments. General Canby’s report, the next morning,
said:
“Spanish Fort and its dependencies were captured last night. We have
twenty-five officers, and five hundred and twenty-eight enlisted men
prisoners, and have taken five mortars, and twenty-five guns. The major
part of the garrison escaped by water. Blakely is already invested and
will be assaulted to-day.”
On the 12th, the troops were convoyed to the west side of the city for
the purpose of an attack, and the fleet gained a suitable position for
performing its share of this work, but it was soon ascertained that the
city was at the mercy of the Union arms, all the remaining defences
having been abandoned. A formal surrender was, therefore, demanded by
General Granger, and Acting-Rear-Admiral Thatcher, which was complied
with, and possession was taken of the city. The works which environed
Mobile were of immense strength and extent. Nearly four hundred guns
were captured, some of them new and of the heaviest calibre.