TO SOUTH VIRGINIA FOR SUPPLIES
Burnside's "mud march"--His removal--Hooker superseding him--Our
great want of supplies--Longstreet ordered to South Virginia--Hood's
and Pickett's divisions with him--I precede them--Inspecting fort
at Washington, N. C.--Rejoin the command at Suffolk--Gathering
supplies--Operations against Suffolk not successful--Ordered
back to Lee--All haste--No time lost, but too late for
Chancellorsville--Pickett's courtship--Harrison, the scout--Death of
Stonewall Jackson--Lieutenant Habersham.
Here then for some weeks did the two armies lay in the peace of camp
life after the fever of battle. Burnside attempted a movement, known
as the mud march, quickly made abortive by the condition of roads, and
then Mr. Lincoln reluctantly removed him, placing Hooker--"Fighting Joe
Hooker"--in command of the Army of the Potomac. It was in May before he
attempted his disastrous move against Lee and Jackson.
Meantime, our army was in want of all supplies. The subsistence
department lacked fresh meat. In southern Virginia and eastern North
Carolina there were said to be large quantities of small cattle which,
fattened on the good Virginia pasture lands, would greatly help the
subsistence officers. There were also there large stores of bacon and
corn. It was decided to send part of Lee's army to operate in that
region, and, at the same time, by covering large wagon trains, we
should be enabled to use that part of the country for the Virginia
army.
It had sometimes been occupied by the enemy, at all times exposed to
their sudden incursions. But these, it is thought, formed the least
of the reasons governing Lee when sending Longstreet and two of his
strong divisions to Nansemond and Suffolk. It was daring to make such
a large draft on his army, but Lee was given to daring efforts, with
a great objective in view. The Northern army was becoming dangerously
strong for him to view calmly, and another strong body was preparing to
threaten Richmond from a different quarter. Lee may have reasoned, as
he did in some of his Valley operations, that by detaching Longstreet,
Hooker would be quickly induced to follow him, by sending from his army
a still larger force for the safety of the threatened districts. But it
proved they had enough troops for such reinforcements without impairing
Hooker's great strength.
Our two divisions, Hood's and Pickett's, and a battalion of artillery
broke camp and halted at Petersburg, whence the force found camps
on the Nansemond River, in a manner besieging the town of Suffolk,
strongly held by the Federals.
By Longstreet's order I set out alone for a short visit of inspection
to the eastern boundary of North Carolina. It was the little town
of Washington, on the head of a tidal river, that, I think, I first
visited. There was nothing there but a well-built, strong earthwork
fort, and a fine, full regiment, doing nothing and eager for action.
It was not likely to come to them at that dull place, and on my
recommendation the regiment was sent to Lee.
The lieutenant-colonel (Lamb) gave me a warm fur collar, which was
always a comfort, and he was delighted with the pair of spurs I made
him accept from me (they were made from the brass trunnion beds of the
monitor _Keokuk_, sunk by our forces at Charlestown). Poor Lamb was
killed in the first engagement of his regiment. My instructions were to
lose no time, but, after a glance around, hasten back to the command.
When I returned it was seen that nothing had been achieved. Some little
bluffing had been made at the town of Suffolk, in which we lost two
pieces of artillery and gained nothing. Time was passing, the Virginia
roads improving, and some restlessness apparent among us. We knew, of
course, that Hooker must soon fight, and that we should be there. At
last General Lee sent for us in haste, not a moment was to be lost. Not
a moment was lost; we threw everything into movement, realizing how
keenly our beloved commander and comrades on the Rappahannock would be
wanting their Lieutenant-General and his two splendid divisions. But
it was humanly impossible. We were late, Hooker had attacked rather
earlier than expected, and on May 3 the battle was given, and our
great Jackson fell in glorious victory while we were miles distant by
railroad from the memorable field of Chancellorsville.
General Pickett was a widower, but had recently suffered himself to
fall in love with all the ardor of youth. The object of these fiery, if
mature, affections dwelt not far from Suffolk. Pickett's visits were
frequent, a long night ride and return for duty early next day. Perhaps
he had wearied Longstreet by frequent applications to be absent,
but once he came to me for the authority. My answer was, "No, you
must go to the Lieutenant-General." "But he is tired of it, and will
refuse. I swear, Sorrel, I'll be back before anything can happen in
the morning." I could not permit myself to be moved. If anything did
happen, such as a movement of his division or any demonstration against
it, my responsibility for the absence of the Major-General could not
be explained. But Pickett went all the same, nothing could hold him
back from that pursuit. He married some time after. I don't think his
division benefited by such carpet-knight doings in the field.
While Longstreet was holding this brief independent command, a scout,
more properly a spy, was placed at his service by the War Department.
He was a man of about thirty years, calling himself a Mississippian,
and was altogether an extraordinary character. He was paid in United
States greenbacks. I approved requisition on the quartermaster every
month for $150 for him. His time seemed to be passed about equally
within our lines and the enemy's. Harrison (such was his name) always
brought us true information. There was invariable confirmation of his
reports afterwards.
While always suspicious that such secret instruments give away as much
as they bring and may be in the pay of both sides, it was difficult to
be sure of this in Harrison's case. He went everywhere, even through
Stanton's War Office at Washington itself, and brought in much. We
could never discover that he sold anything against us; besides, we
had means, and did verify his account of himself as coming from
Mississippi. When Longstreet gave him up in September, he was sorry
afterwards and missed the man. He made me try to get him back for our
command, but I failed.
There will be more to say of Harrison before losing him. On the whole
he appears to have been a daring Southerner, hating Yankees most
bitterly, but loving their greenbacks, and fond of secret, perilous
adventure. Latrobe recently heard from him in Baltimore, in want, and
asking some small assistance.
Upon rejoining our army after Chancellorsville we were, of course,
eager questioners and listeners for everything about the battle.
Gratifying it was to hear on all sides of the conduct of our two
divisions, which bore so large a part of the attacks on Lee. Anderson
and McLaws had never fought better; while Lee, to hold his position
and beat off Hooker, had to have the very best every man could
give him. It was a battle most extraordinary in its execution and
development. The powerful movement on Lee's rear by Sedgwick's force
from Fredericksburg was enough to disconcert any ordinary commander.
Lee, calm and undismayed, met it by thinning out his lines to almost a
frazzle, and throwing a good division before John Sedgwick, while he
and Jackson were preparing the blow that made "Fighting Joe Hooker's"
head split with surprise and agony and sent him flying back across the
Rappahannock.
The great flank movement of Stonewall had been carefully planned by
Lee and most brilliantly executed by the Lieutenant. But the army had
suffered the irreparable loss of that hero. Struck down in the gloaming
and thick foliage of the forest, by his own men, his dauntless spirit
clung to his army for a week, among ever-hopeful soldiers, and then
took its warrior's flight to its Supreme Maker. There was none left in
his place; there was but one Jackson.
When Marye's Hill was attacked by Sedgwick in Lee's rear, the battery
in action there had to make a hurried escape. One of its officers, a
dear friend of mine, Lieut. Frederick Habersham, had been killed at
his section. His comrades determined to have his body, and lashed it to
the trail of a gun, and there it hung, firmly bound, a sight not often
witnessed, while the battery, already late in retiring, was at a gallop
in escape from the pursuing enemy. It was accomplished handsomely, and
the brave fellow received his interment by the hands of loving wife
and friends at his home in Savannah. It was my brother, Doctor Sorrel,
in Richmond, who, with many difficulties, arranged for the care and
transportation home of the slain artillerist.