Memorial Edition —————— REMINISCENCES OF THE CIVIL WAR BY GENERAL JOHN B. GORDON OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY GENERAL STEPHEN D. LEE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE UNITED CONFEDERATE VETERANS MEMORIAL ACCOUNT BY FRANCES GORDON SMITH Illustrated NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS ATLANTA THE MARTIN & HOYT CO. 1904 COPYRIGHT 1903, 1904, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I MY FIRST COMMAND AND THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR A company of mountaineers—Joe Brown's pikes—The Raccoon Roughs—The first Rebel yell—A flag presented to the company—Arrival at Montgomery, Alabama—Analysis of the causes of the war—Slavery's part in it—Liberty in the Union of the States, and liberty in the independence of the States.................................................................................................... 3 II THE TRIP FROM CORINTH The Raccoon Roughs made a part of the Sixth Alabama—The journey to Virginia—Families divided in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri—A father captured by a son in battle—The military spirit in Virginia—Andrew Johnson and Parson Brownlow Union leaders in Tennessee—Johnson's narrowness afterward exhibited as President.... ................................26 III BULL RUN OR MANASSAS The first great battle of the war—A series of surprises—Mishaps and mistakes of the Confederates—Beauregard's lost order—General Ewell's rage—The most eccentric officer in the Confederate army—Anecdotes of his career—The wild panic of the Union troops— Senseless frights that cannot be explained—Illustrated at Cedar Creek.............................. 37 IV THE SPRING OF 1862—BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES OR FAIR OAKS Indomitable Americanism, North and South—Rally of the North after Bull Run—Severity of winter quarters in Virginia—McClellan's army landed at Yorktown—Retreat of the Confederates—On the Chickahominy—Terrible slaughter at Seven Pines —A brigade commander............................................................................................................................ 47 V PRESENIMENS AND FATALISM AMONG SOLDIERS Wonderful instances of prophetic foresight—Colonel Lomax predicts his death—The vision of a son dying two days before vi CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE it happened—General Ramseur's furlough—Colonel Augusta Gordon's calm announcement of his death—Instances of misplaced fatalism—General D. H. Hill's indifference to danger.....................................................................................................................................60 VI BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL Continuous fighting between McClellan's and Lee's armies—Hurried burial of the dead— How "Stonewall" Jackson got his name—The secret of his wonderful power—The predicament of my command at Malvern Hill—A fruitless wait for reinforcements— Character the basis of true courage—Anecdote of General Polk.......................................... 70 VII ANTIETAM Restoration of McClellan to command of the Federals—My command at General Lee's center—Remarkable series of bayonet charges by the Union troops—How the center was held—Bravery of the Union commander—A long struggle for life........................................................................................................................................ 80 VIII CHANCELLORSVILLE A long convalescence—Enlivened by the author of "Georgia Scenes"—The movement upon Hooker's army at Chancellorsville—Remarkable interview between Lee and Stonewall Jackson—The secret of Jackson's character—The storming of Marye's Heights— Some famous war-horses.......................................................................................................92 IX WAR BY THE BRAVE AGAINST THE BRAVE The spirit of good fellowship between Union and Confederate soldiers—Disappearance of personal hatred as the war progressed—The Union officer who attended a Confederate dance—American chivalry at Vicksburg—Trading between pickets on the Rappahannock— Incidents of the bravery of color-bearers on both sides—General Curtis's kindness—A dash for life cheered by the enemy............................................................................................ 105 X RETROSPECTIVE VIEW OF LEADERS AND EVENTS Confederate victories up to the winter of 1863—Southern confidence in ultimate independence—Progress of Union armies in the West—Fight for the control of the Mississippi—General Butler in possession of New Orleans—The new era in naval construction—Significance of the battle of the Monitor and Merrimac—Great leaders who had come into prominence in both armies—The death of Albert Sidney Johnston—General Lee the most unassuming of great commanders................................................................. 120 XI GETTYSBURG Why General Lee crossed the Potomac—The movement into Pennsylvania—Incidents of the march to the Susquehanna— CONTENTS vii CHAPTER PAGE The first day at Gettysburg—Union forces driven back—The key of the position—Why the Confederates did not seize Cemetery Ridge—A defense of General Lee's strategy—The fight at Little Round Top—The immortal charge of Picket's men—General Meade's deliberate pursuit—Lee's request to be relieved................................................................................. 137 XII VICKSBURG AND HELENA The four most crowded and decisive days of the war—Vicksburg the culmination of Confederate disaster—Frequent change of commanders in the Trans-Mississippi Department—General Grant's tunnel at Fort Hill—Courage of Pemberton's soldiers— Explosion of the mine—Hand-to-hand conflict—The surrender........................................ 177 XIII FROM VICKSBURG AND GETTYSBURG TO CHICKAMAUGA Lee's army again headed toward Washington—He decides not to cross the Potomac at the opening of winter—Meade's counterattack—Capture of a redoubt on the Rappahannock—A criticism of Secretary Stanton—General Bragg's strategy—How Rosecrans compelled the evacuation of Chattanooga................................................................................................. 188 XIV CHICKAMAUGA One of the bloodiest battles of modern times—Comparison with other great battles of the world—Movements of both armies before the collision—A bird's-eye view—The night after the battle—General Thomas's brave stand—How the assault of Longstreet's wing was made—Both sides claim a victory....................................................................................... 198 XV MISSIONARY RIDGE—TRIUNE DISASTER Why General Bragg did not pursue Rosecrans after Chicka- mauga—Comparison of the Confederates at Missionary Ridge with the Greeks at Marathon—The Battle above the Clouds—Heroic advance by Walthall's Mississippians—General Grant's timely arrival with reinforcements—The way opened to Atlanta..................................................................... 213 XVI WINTER ON THE RAPIDAN In camp near Clark's Mountain—Religious awakening—Re- vival services throughout the camps—General Lee's interest in the movement—Southern women at work—Extracts from General Lee's letters to his wife—Influence of religion on the soldiers' character............................................................................................................................. 229 XVII THE WILDERNESS—BATTLE OF MAY 5 Beginning of the long fight between Grant and Lee—Grant crosses the Rapidan—First contact of the two armies—Ewell's viii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE repulse—A rapid countercharge—A strange predicament—The Union center broken— Unprecedented movement which saved the Confederate troops....................................... 235 XVIII THE WILDERNESS—BATTLE OF MAY 6 The men ordered to sleep on their arms—Report of scouts—Sedgwick's exposed position— A plan proposed to flank and crush him—General Early's objections to it—Unfounded belief that Burnside protected Sedgwick—General Lee orders a movement in the late afternoon— Its success until interrupted by darkness—The Government official records prove that Early was mistaken....................................................................................................................... 243 XIX RESULTS OF THE DRAWN BATTLES General Grant the aggressor—Failure to dislodge Lee—An exciting night ride—Surrounded by Federal troops—A narrow escape in the darkness—General Lee's comments on the assault upon Sedgwick—A remarkable prediction as to General Grant's next movement.............................................................................................................................262 XX SPOTTSYLVANIA General Lee's prophecy fulfilled—Hancock's assault on May 12—One of his greatest achievements—General Lee to the head of the column—Turned back by his own men— Hancock repulsed—The most remarkable battle of the war—Heroism on both sides......................................................................................................................................271 XXI MOVEMENTS AFTER SPOTTSYLVANIA A surprising capture—Kind treatment received by prisoners—Five rainy days of inaction— Fighting resumed on May 18—Hancock's corps ordered to the assault—General Grant's order to Meade: "Where Lee goes, there you will go also"—How Lee turned the tables— Fighting it out on this line all summer—Lee's men still resolute after the Wilderness....................................................................................................................... 287 XXII HUNTER'S RAID AND EARLY'S CHASE The movement upon Lynchburg—Hunter's sudden panic Devastation in the Valley— Burning of private homes—Lee's orders against destruction of private property—Washington