Battles of the Civil War
TextBATTLE OF CLOYD MOUNTAIN
In the early spring of 1864 the command of the Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley was given to General Hunter, who made ready to march upon Lynchburg, with the object of taking possession of the city and to capture large stores of provisions and munitions of war which belonged to the Confederates and were stored at Lynchburg. He also laid waste to the country over which his army passed so as to render the same of little value as a source for supplies to the Confederacy.
A division of his army under General Crooks fought a desperate battle on the 9th day of May, 1864, with the Confederates, commanded by General Jenkins, at Cloyd's farm, near Dublin depot, in southwestern Virginia. This was one of the most severe short engagements of the entire war, in which General Jenkins was killed and the total loss to the Confederates in killed and wounded and missing was about 900, and that of the Federals somewhat less. During this short engagement the grim monster Death was on every side, and whose threatening shrieks howled in the air around them.
Hunter's main army finally reached the vicinity of Lynchburg on the 17th day of June, after fighting a battle with Imboden and McCausland a few miles away from Lynchburg, the Confederates falling back within the breastworks which they had hastily thrown up. The city was defended by a portion of Breckinridge's division, but their numbers were far inferior to that of the Federals, who had by this time arrived before the city. Hunter halted his army and brought up his artillery and did some cannonading, but went into camp with the expectation of taking the city without much opposition the next morning. It is thought that he could have easily taken the city on the evening of his arrival, but during the night General Gordon arrived with his division and the Confederates were reënforced by other arrivals next morning from the army of General Early, then on its way to the Shenandoah Valley. On the morning of the 18th General Hunter found Lynchburg full of Confederate soldiers, and more arriving on every train, which on the arrival the bands playing could plainly be heard by the Federal soldiers as they came upon the field. Hunter soon found, in his opinion, the capture of Lynchburg an impossibility, and his raid was to terminate in a dismal failure. During the 18th there was some cannonading and several skirmishes between the cavalry of the two contending armies.
On the night of the 19th he broke camp and marched away to the westward. Why he retreated without giving battle was not understood. General Gordon said that in his opinion that conscience was harrowing General Hunter and causing him to see an avenger wrapped in every gray jacket before him. The Confederates took up the pursuit of Hunter's retreating army, but Hunter succeeded in getting back across the mountains into western Virginia, after hard marches over mountain roads with little or no supplies for his army, and with a large amount of straggling.
General Lee dispatched General Early with an army of 20,000 men to threaten Washington, in the hope of drawing part of Grant's army away from before Richmond. Early was to go by the way of Shenandoah Valley. This route was given him partly in order to help defend Lynchburg and to get supplies for his army in the valley. He reached Winchester on the 3d of July, and moved rapidly down the valley and crossed into Maryland, and was at Hagerstown on the 6th. He turned about and moved boldly upon Washington. He met and defeated General Wallace on the Monocacy on July 9th, and on the next day he was within six miles of the capitol at Washington. An immediate assault might have given him possession of the city, which was weakly defended, but he delayed for a day, and in the meantime two divisions under General Wright from Grant's army from before Petersburg arrived and Early was forced to retreat, after spending the 12th in threatening the city. This was considered one of the boldest raids of the entire war.
This attack on Washington by General Early created considerable excitement in the city, for no other Confederate army had ever been so near to the capital before. The government employees of all kinds, the sailors from the navy yard, and the convalescents from the hospitals, were all rushed out to the forts around the city. Even President Lincoln himself went out to the defenses of the city.
Early recrossed the Potomac at Snickers' Ferry on the 18th. Here he was overtaken by the pursuing Federals, at which place a battle was fought in which Early was the victor. He fought another battle at Winchester with General Averell's cavalry.
Grant decided to give the command of the army in the Shenandoah to General Philip H. Sheridan, to whom he gave instructions to drive the Confederates out of the valley once for all, and to destroy all growing crops and everything that would be of any advantage to the Confederacy in the way of supplies for their army or otherwise. This he finally did, and Sheridan afterwards said that he believed a crow could fly over the entire valley without getting even a mouthful to eat.
September found the two armies near Winchester, and on the 19th a severe battle was fought which was kept up the entire day, the advantage being first with one side and then the other. Finally the Confederates, being outnumbered, retreated back through Winchester. This was a bloody day, in which the loss of the Federals was about 5,000, and that of the Confederates about 4,000.
The next day the Confederates were overtaken at Fisher's Hill, at which place Early was making preparations for a great battle, which engagement did not occur until the 22d. This engagement proved to be disastrous to Early, his army being flanked by the Federals with superior numbers. He began a stubborn retreat, which finally became a rout. He was closely followed up by the Federals, and fought several small engagements on his retreat.
On about the middle of October he received reënforcements from Longstreet, and on the 19th he attacked Sheridan's army at Cedar Creek, under the immediate command of General Wright, Sheridan having gone to Washington, but returned in time to take part in the battle. This took place about twenty miles from Winchester, the attack being made by General Gordon, who fell upon General Sheridan's men while they were yet sleeping early in the morning. Gordon was immediately supported by the army; Early himself came up to the attack. The Federals were completely surprised and retreated, which became a rout, leaving their entire camp equipment, together with some prisoners, in the hands of the Confederates. The Confederates thought they had gained a signal victory, and gave up the pursuit of the retreating Federals, and turned their attention to pillaging the Federal camp.
General Sheridan was on his way from Winchester to his army headquarters at Cedar Creek when he heard the roar of the cannon which convinced him that a great battle was being fought. He at once made haste to take charge of his army, this being Sheridan's famous ride. He first met stragglers of his army, and then passed through brigade after brigade of his retreating army, which so blocked the highway that he was compelled to leave the same and take to the fields. He at length succeeded in stopping the retreat and turned it into an attacking column. In this retreat were two divisions commanded by two future presidents, viz.: President Hayes and McKinley. This attack on the Confederates completely surprised them, and they were utterly routed and so badly defeated that Early's army was never completely reorganized, this being the last principal engagement in the Shenandoah Valley.
Previous to these battles in the valley, Early had dispatched General McCausland with his division of cavalry to go into Pennsylvania to levy large sums of money on the towns in reprisal for Hunter's depredations in the Shenandoah Valley. This cavalry party burned the town of Chambersburg.
THE SIEGE AND FALL OF PETERSBURG
After the battle of Cold Harbor Grant remained a few days trying to find a weak place in the Confederate lines. This he abandoned and resolved to move his army across the James and to Petersburg, which place is about twenty miles from Richmond, and was defended by General Beauregard with a small division of the Confederate army.
Petersburg was at the junction of three railroads, and was a place of great importance to the Confederacy, as all the supplies of Lee's army, as well as to Richmond, came by the way of Petersburg, and for these reasons General Grant resolved to destroy the railroads, and if possible to capture the city, and thus destroy the Confederates' source of supplies.
These conditions being well known to Lee, he resolved to defend Petersburg, and to save it from capture if possible, and thus began the greatest struggle of its kind known in modern times.
The advance divisions of Grant's army, under Hancock and W. F. Smith, appeared before Petersburg June 15, 1864. Beauregard managed to hold the entrenchments with his small force until Lee's main army arrived, which came by a shorter route than the one which the Federals had taken. Both armies were in full force before Petersburg by the evening of the 18th, and the great struggle had now begun. The Confederate entrenchments extended for thirty miles, and the whole country was a network of fortifications. Grant at once began to extend his lines of entrenchments, and thus the two armies were pitted against each other for their last great struggle, the army of General Grant numbering more than 100,000 men, while that of General Lee was about half that number.
General Grant turned his attention to trying to destroy the railroads, and made several attempts with much hard fighting to do so. But this, having been anticipated by General Lee, he had given to A. P. Hill the defense and the protection of the railroads, which was his source of supplies. They were ably protected by General Hill, and Grant's attacking parties in every instance were repulsed, and these plans were at length abandoned by him for the present.
The two armies lay facing each other before Petersburg the entire summer and fall, with several small engagements during the summer and a few very severe ones.
A severe cavalry engagement was fought at Trevilian Station, north of Richmond, on June 11th, between the Confederates, commanded by Generals Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee, and the Federals, commanded by General Sheridan.
During the latter days of July the Federals were engaged in digging a mammoth tunnel, beginning in the rear of their entrenchments and to extend under the Confederate fortifications before Petersburg, at the completion of which they expected to fill the same with large quantities of gunpowder which was to be exploded and was expected to blow up the Confederate fortifications.
Of all the schemes employed by either army this was the greatest, and one in which Grant had great faith, and the progress of which was watched with great anxiety. The Confederates were apprised of this undertaking, and had made ready by placing several batteries within their lines so that the fire from the same would sweep the opening which would be made by the blowing up of the "crater." At a few minutes past five on the morning of July 30th this mine was exploded, which was a sight to behold. The Federal troops who were in waiting to march through the opening were somewhat delayed from the shock and horror of the explosion, but at length marched in the opening in great numbers, and by this time the Confederate batteries were brought into action, which so horribly swept their ranks, and they were charged by General Mahone with several divisions of Georgia troops, and the Federal loss became so great, and their ranks in so much confusion, that they were ordered to retire within their entrenchments, thus bringing to a dismal failure the capture of Petersburg by this plan.
During the last days of August Grant renewed his plan to destroy the Weldon railroad. This task was given to General Warren, with a large force who, after fighting several hard battles with the dashing Mahone, whose numbers were greatly inferior to that of Warren, and from his reputation for strategy it is thought that he was very worthy to wear the mantle of "Stonewall" Jackson, the Federals succeeded in destroying this railroad in several places.
Grant continued to extend his lines, and by the end of October he was very near the Southside railroad, and on the 27th fought a desperate battle with A. P. Hill at Hatcher's Run, in which the Federals were defeated and retired within their entrenchments before Petersburg, this being the last engagement of importance until the coming spring.
The suffering and privation endured by Lee's army during the winter of 1864 and 1865, while they lay within the defenses of Petersburg and Richmond with scant clothing and food, can scarcely be imagined by anyone excepting those who were there. Their numbers were depleted by sickness and other causes so by the coming of spring Lee had within his ranks less than 50,000 men.
Lee's lines had been extended until they were so thin that there was danger of breaking. A. P. Hill held the right, Gordon and Anderson the center, and Longstreet the left. Late in February Grant's army was reënforced by General Sheridan from the valley, and in the last days of March it was further reënforced from General Butler's army from down the James River.
General Lee began to see the position that he was in with his army against superior numbers and equipment, and felt that he must sooner or later evacuate Petersburg, and began to plan a junction of his army with General Johnston's in North Carolina.
General Grant anticipated this plan of Lee's and began to extend his lines westward so if possible to cut off Lee's chances of retreat.
Lee determined to make a bold attack on Grant's right, the objective point being Fort Stedman. This plan was given to General Gordon to be carried out, which he gallantly did, and captured the fort, but was unable to hold the same, and retired within the Confederate lines. His attack and capture of Fort Stedman was carefully planned and well supported by the main Confederate army.
The battle at Fort Stedman did not interfere with Grant's plan in extending his lines along the front of the Confederate army, under General Warren. Lee had sent General Anderson to hold the road over which he would retreat in the event he was compelled to evacuate Petersburg.
On the 31st a large Confederate force was at Dinwiddie Court House, and during that night they took a strong position at Five Forks, and here on April 1st a hard battle was fought, the Federals being commanded by Generals Sheridan and Warren. The Confederates were finally defeated with a loss of 5,000 prisoners.
The Confederates' defeat at Five Forks was a great blow to Lee, and he immediately began preparations for the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond.
On the night of April 1st Grant began his attack all along his lines, which he kept up the entire night. His cannon threw shells into the doomed city, and at dawn on April 2d the assault began. The Federal troops went forward in an impetuous charge through a storm of grape and canister which was poured into their ranks. The Confederates fell back within their inner breastworks and the Federals pushed on the left as far as Hatcher's Run, where they had a severe engagement in which the Confederate General Pegram was killed, and another engagement near the Southside railroad in which General A. P. Hill was killed. His death was an irreparable loss to the Confederacy. He was one of their able corps commanders, and had been in all the principal engagements in the East. He played a distinctive part in the Seven Days' Battles before Richmond; his timely arrival on the field saved Lee's army from utter rout at Antietam Creek and turned defeat into partial victory; he was a great favorite of "Stonewall" Jackson, and took a distinctive part in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, in which last-named battle he was near by when "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded; with his corps was first on the field at Gettysburg; his corps received the first onslaught of the Federals at the Battle of the Wilderness; was too sick to command his corps at Spottsylvania Court House, which was temporarily commanded by General Early; played a distinctive part at Cold Harbor, and here at Petersburg, on Sunday, April 2d, the end. He was buried in the cemetery at Petersburg on the night of April 2d, while the whole country was being lit up by bursting shells and the hurrying and noise of the progress of a great battle.
On Sunday morning, April 2d, General Lee notified the authorities at Richmond that he must evacuate Petersburg at once, and to notify President Davis of the situation. President Davis was at St. Paul's Church with several of his cabinet listening to a sermon by Dr. Minnegerode, speaking of a supper before Gethsemane. The sexton walked up the isle and handed the President the message, which he read, and quietly retired from the church, this being noticeable on account of it being somewhat out of the ordinary, although they were accustomed to the roar of the cannon at Petersburg. However, it was soon known that Petersburg and Richmond were soon to be evacuated, and the service was dismissed at the church without further announcement.
The city of Richmond was in a state of excitement as the officers of the government departed from the city on their way to Danville, and during the night the arsenals were set on fire by the evacuating troops. The flames spread to a large portion of the city, which was burned. The next day the city was taken charge of by the Federals.
THE SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX
We are now to the closing scenes of the greatest civil war of modern times.
Lee evacuated Petersburg early on the third morning of April, 1865, and retreated toward Amelia Court House.
With the evacuation of Petersburg also fell the city of Richmond. For nine months Lee's invincible forces had kept a foe more than twice their numbers from invading their capital.
Lee had ordered supplies for his army to Amelia Court House, for which they were in sore need, as they had been on little or no rations for several days, but by some mistake of orders the train of supplies had been sent on to Richmond. This serious mistake was a crushing blow to Lee's army, for when his troops reached Amelia Court House and found no supplies, which had been promised them, their hopes sank within them. Lee, as well as his officers, had come to realize that the end of the great war could not be far distant.
Grant's army was hastening in pursuit of that of Lee's, Grant had sent General Sheridan to flank around Lee's army and get in his front, so if possible to cut off his chance of escape.
Lee had intended to concentrate his forces at Amelia Court House, but his whole army did not come up until the evening of the 5th, and on the discovery of his inadequate supplies he began the march anew toward Farmville, dividing his army so as to secure supplies from the country over which he passed. In the afternoon of April 6th Lee's army was overtaken by the Federals and a hard battle was fought at Sailor's Creek, in which General Richard Ewell, who was on the rear of Lee's army, was captured with his entire corps, numbering about 6,000 men.
Lee's main army reached Farmville on the night of the 6th of April, where they received their first rations within two days, and near which place a hard battle was fought, in which the Confederates, under General Mahone, gained a temporary victory.
The retreat was again renewed in the hope of breaking through the Federal lines, which were rapidly enveloping around them. During these marches the soldiers were so worn out from hunger, fatigue, and lack of sufficient clothing in the early spring weather, that there was much straggling from the army, and many had thrown their arms away until scarcely one-third of Lee's army was equipped for battle.
Lee's army reached Appomattox Court House late in the evening of April 8th, and here found the Federals in their front, and were compelled to stop and prepare for battle. General Lee and his officers held a council of war that night and decided to make a desperate effort to cut through the Federal lines the next morning. This task was assigned to General Gordon.
On Sunday, the 9th, Gordon made a fierce attack upon the Federals in his front, but was finally repulsed by overwhelming numbers, and sent word to General Lee that he could do nothing further unless he was heavily supported from Longstreet's corps.
With the repulse of Gordon on that morning sank Lee's last hope of breaking through the Federal lines, and he said there is nothing to do but see Grant.
Grant had proposed to Lee at Farmville, on the evening of the 7th, terms for the surrender of Lee's army, to which Lee replied that as much as he desired peace, yet the time certainly had not arrived for the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.
After the repulse of Gordon, on April 9th, Lee soon arranged a meeting with Grant and a truce was ordered pending negotiations for the surrender of Lee's army. This meeting took place at the house of Wilmer McLean at Appomattox Court House, at which place the terms were finally agreed upon by the two world famous commanders and were put in writing in the form of a letter from General Grant to General Lee, and the acceptance of the terms were written by Lee to Grant in the same form.
It is interesting to know that Wilmer McLean had lived on the battlefield of Bull Run during the progress of the first battle fought there, and after the battle moved to Appomattox Court House, and at his house was negotiated the terms of the surrender of Lee's army, thus around his premises was fought the first and the last great battle of the war.
The Confederate officers were allowed to retain their side arms, and the Confederate soldiers to retain their horses. This was a welcome concession.
Lee's army numbered less than 28,000 men, which he surrendered. Of these less than one-third were bearing arms on the day of surrender.
The Confederate soldiers for some time did not realize that negotiations for their surrender was on and were expecting and seemed to be anxious for another battle with General Sheridan in their front, and were greatly surprised on learning of the negotiations that had been completed for their surrender.
It was at once apparent to all that the great war was practically ended.
On the next day the surrender of the army was completed, and when Lee made his farewell address to his soldiers, who had so faithfully defended their faith in the Confederacy in all the hard battles in which they had been engaged, and especially since the Wilderness campaign, and in the defense of Petersburg and Richmond in the closing days, where their endurance was the greatest, and had now come down to the closing scenes at Appomattox, they were all deeply moved. General Lee, in broken accents, admonished them to be as brave citizens as they had been soldiers.
Thus practically ended the greatest civil war in history. Soon after Lee's surrender the other Confederate forces arranged for their surrender in quick succession.
It had been a long, bloody and devastating war, and it is said that there were more Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout alone than the number with Lee's army at the surrender.
The war closed on a spectacle of ruin the greatest yet known in America. While the smoke had cleared away, and the roar of the cannon had ceased, yet there could be heard the wailing of mothers, widows and orphans throughout both North and South, which is the greatest costs of so great and devastating war.
The Southern states lay prostrate; their resources gone; their fields desolate; their cities ruined; the fruits of the toil of generations all swept to destruction.
The total number of Union soldiers engaged were about a million and a half. Of this number, 275,000 were either killed in battle, died of mortal wounds or from disease in camp, and the loss to the Confederates was approximately the same. In both armies about 400,000 were disabled for life, thus making a grand total loss of about a million able-bodied men to the country.
At the close of the war over 60,000 Confederate prisoners were released. The records of the war department shows that 220,000 Confederates were made prisoners in the war. This includes, of course, the surrender of the armies at the close. Of this number 25,000 died of wounds and disease during their captivity. The estimated number of Union captives were about 200,000, of whom 40,000 died in captivity.