1 Cox, Jacob Dolson. Military Reminiscences of the Civil War. 2
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Cox, Jacob Dolson. Military Reminiscences of the Civil War. 2 vols. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1900. Volume I CHAPTER I THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR 1 Ohio Senate, April 12 Sumter bombarded "Glory to God!" The surrender Effect on public sentiment Call for troops Politicians changing front David Tod Stephen A. Douglas The insurrection must be crushed Garfield on personal duty Troops organized by the States The militia Unpreparedness McClellan at Columbus Meets Governor Dennison Put in command Our stock of munitions Making estimates McClellan’s plan Camp Jackson Camp Dennison Gathering of the volunteers Garibaldi uniforms Officering the troops Off for Washington Scenes in the State Capitol Governor Dennison s labors Young regulars Scott’s policy Alex. McCook Orlando Poe Not allowed to take state commissions CHAPTER II CAMP DENNISON 21 Laying out the camp Rosecrans as engineer A comfortless night Waking to new duties Floors or no floors for the huts Hardee s Tactics The water-supply Colonel Tom Worthington Joshua Sill Brigades organized Bates’s brigade Schleich’s My own McClellan’s purpose Division organization Garfield disappointed Camp routine Instruction and drill Camp cookery Measles Hospital barn Sisters of Charity Ferment over re-enlistment Musters by Gordon Granger " Food for powder " Brigade staff De Villiers "A Captain of Calvary" The "Bloody Tenth" Almost a row Summoned to the field. CHAPTER III McCLELLAN IN WEST VIRGINIA 40 Political attitude of West Virginia Rebels take the initiative McClellan ordered to act Ohio militia cross the river The Philippi affair Significant dates The vote on secession Virginia in the Confederacy Lee in command Topography The mountain passes Garnett s army Rich Mountain position McClellan in the field His forces Advances against Garnett Rosecrans’s proposal His fight on the mountain McClellan’s inaction Garnett s retreat Affair at Carrick s Ford Garnett killed Hill s efforts to intercept Pegram in the wilderness He surrenders Indirect results important McClellan s military and personal traits. CHAPTER IV THE KANAWHA VALLEY . ... 59 Orders for the Kanawha expedition The troops and their quality Lack of artillery and cavalry Assembling at Gallipolis District of the Kanawha Numbers of the opposing forces Method of advance Use of steamboats Advance guards on river banks Camp at Thirteen-mile Creek Night alarm The river chutes Sunken obstructions Pocotaligo Affair at Barboursville Affair at Scary Creek Wise s position at Tyler Mountain His precipitate retreat Occupation of Charleston Rosecrans succeeds McClellan Advance toward Gauley Bridge Insubordination The Newspaper Correspondent Occupation of Gauley Bridge. CHAPTER V GAULEY BRIDGE 80 The gate of the Kanawha valley The wilderness beyond West Virginia defences A romantic post Chaplain Brown An adventurous mission Chaplain Dubois "The river path" Gauley Mount Colonel Tompkins s home Bowie-knives Truculent resolutions The Engineers Whittlesey, Benham, Wagner Fortifications Distant reconnoissances Comparison of forces Dangers to steamboat communications Allotment of duties The Summersville post Seventh Ohio at Cross Lanes Scares and rumors Robert E. Lee at Valley Mountain Floyd and Wise advance Rosecrans’s orders The Cross Lanes affair Major Casement s creditable retreat Colonel 1 Tyler s reports Lieutenant-Colonel Creighton Quarrels of Wise and Floyd Ambushing rebel cavalry Affair at Boone Court House New attack at Gauley Bridge An incipient mutiny Sad result A notable court-martial Rosecrans marching toward us Communications renewed Advance toward Lewisburg Camp Lookout A private sorrow. CHAPTER VI CARNIFEX FERRY To SEWELL MOUNTAIN AND BACK . 105 Rosecrans s march to join me Reaches Cross Lanes Advance against Floyd Engagement at Carnifex Ferry My advance to Sunday Road Conference with Rosecrans McCook’s brigade joins me Advance to Camp Lookout Brigade commanders Rosecrans’s personal characteristics Hartsuff Floyd and Wise again " Battle of Bontecou " Sewell Mountain The equinoctial General Schenck arrives Rough lodgings Withdrawal from the mountain Rear-guard duties Major Slemmer of Fort Pickens fame New positions coveing Gauley Bridge Floyd at Cotton Mountain Rosecrans’s methods with private soldiers Progress in discipline. CHAPTER VII COTTON MOUNTAIN 129 Floyd cannonades Gauley Bridge Effect on Rosecrans Topography of Gauley Mount De Villiers runs the gantlet Movements of our forces Explaining orders A hard climb on the mountain In the post at Gauley Bridge Moving magazine and telegraph A balky mule-team Ammunition train under fire Captain Fitch a model quartermaster Plans to entrap Floyd Moving supply trains at night Method of working the ferry Of making flatboats The Cotton Mountain affair Rosecrans dissatisfied with Benham Vain plans to reach East Tennessee. CHAPTER VIII WINTER- QUARTERS 146 An impracticable country Movements suspended Experienced troops ordered away My orders from Washington Rosecrans objects A disappointment Winter organization of the Department Sifting our material Courts-martial Regimental schools Drill and picket duty A military execution Effect upon the army Political sentiments of the people Rules of conduct toward them Case of Mr. Parks Mr. Summers Mr. Patrick Mr. Lewis Ruffner Mr. Doddridge Mr. B. F. Smith A house divided against itself Major Smith’s journal The contrabands A fugitive-slave case Embarrassments as to military jurisdiction. CHAPTER IX PACK VOLUNTEERS AND REGULARS 165 High quality of first volunteers Discipline milder than that of the regulars Reasons for the difference Practical efficiency of the men Necessity for sifting the officers Analysis of their defects What is military aptitude ? Diminution of number in ascending scale Effect of age Of former life and occupation Embarrassments of a new business Quick progress of the right class of young men Political appointments Professional men Political leaders naturally prominent in a civil war " Cutting and trying " Dishonest methods An excellent army at the end of a year The regulars in 1861 Entrance examinations for West Point The curriculum there Drill and experience Its limitations Problems peculiar to the vast increase of the army Ultra-conservatism Attitude toward the Lincoln administration " Point de zele " Lack of initiative Civil work of army engineers What is military art ? Opinions of experts Military history European armies in the Crimean War True generalship Anomaly of a double army organization. CHAPTER X THE MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT SPRING CAMPAIGN . 192 Rosecrans s plan of campaign Approved by McClellan with modifications Wagons or pack- mules Final form of plan Changes in commands McClellan limited to Army of the Potomac Halleck s Department of the Mississippi Fremont’s Mountain Department Rosecrans superseded Preparations in the Kanawha District Batteaux to supplement steamboats Light wagons for mountain work Fremont’s plan East Tennessee as an objective The supply question Banks in the 2 Shenandoah valley Milroy s advance Combat at McDowell Banks defeated Fremont s plans deranged Operations in the Kanawha valley Organization of brigades Brigade commanders Advance to Narrows of New River The field telegraph Concentration of the enemy Affair at Princeton Position at Flat-top Mountain. CHAPTER XI POPE IN COMMAND TRANSFER TO WASHINGTON . 217 A key position Crook s engagement at Lewisburg Watching and scouting Mountain work Pope in command Consolidation of Departments Suggestions of our transfer to the East Pope s Order No. 1 1 and Address to the Army Orders to march across the mountains Discussion of them Changed to route by water and rail Ninety-mile march Logistics Arriving in Washington Two regiments reach Pope Two sent to Manassas Jackson captures Manassas Railway broken McClellan at Alexandria Engagement at Bull Run Bridge Ordered to Upton s Hill Covering Washington Listening to the Bull Run battle Ill news travels fast. CHAPTER XII RETREAT WITHIN THE LINES REORGANIZATION HALLECK AND HIS SUBORDINATES 240 McClellan s visits to my position Riding the lines Discussing the past campaign The withdrawal from the James Prophecy McClellan and the soldiers He is in command of the defences Intricacy of official relations Reorganization begun Pope’s army marches through our works Meeting of McClellan and Pope Pope’s characteristics Undue depreciation of him The situation when Halleck was made General- in-Chief Pope s part in it Reasons for dislike on the part of the Potomac Army McClellan s secret service Deceptive information of the enemy s force Information from prisoners and citizens Effects of McClellan’s illusion as to Lee s strength Halleck’s previous career Did he intend to take command in the field? His abdication of the field command The necessity for a union of forces in Virginia McClellan s inaction was Lee’s opportunity Slow transfer of the Army of the Potomac Halleck burdened with subordinate s work Burnside twice declines the command It is given to McClellan Pope relieved Other changes in organization Consolidation New campaign begun. CHAPTER XIII SOUTH MOUNTAIN 263 March through Washington Reporting to Burnside The Ninth Corps Burnside’s personal qualities To Leesboro Straggling Lee s army at Frederick Our deliberate advance Reno at New Market The march past Reno and Hayes Camp gossip Occupation of Frederick Affair with Hamp ton s cavalry Crossing Catoctin Mountain The valley and South Mountain Lee s order found Division of his army Jackson at Harpers Ferry Supporting Pleasonton’s reconnaissance Meeting Colonel Moor An involuntary