The Washington herald. [volume], December 20, 1914, Society Section, Image 25

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THE WASHINGTON HERALD, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20. 1914.
CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY, FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thrilling Events of the Creat Straggle Graphically Described Daring find Exploits of Union and Confederate Forces Reviewed
GEN. GRANT LEAVES FOE
BATTLE OF NASHVILLE.
December 14.
Fifty years ago today Gen. Grant left
City Point. Va.. for Nashville Tenn.. to
take command In person of the Federal
army under Gen. George H. Thomai.
which was confronting- a Confederate
army under Gen. John B. Hood, before
that city.
It wu Grant's purpose to relieve Gen.
Thomai from command if ha had not
moved against the enem. Happily that
purpose was not carried out. Good news
from Thomas cut Grant's Journey short,
and among the first and warmest con
gratulations to reach Thomas were those
of Grant.
The incidents of Grant's dealing., with
Thomas have often been cltJB as evidence
of Grant's limitation of character In al
lowing personal bias to affect his mili
tary Judgment.
The circumstances were such as to give
some color to such a view. The two gen
erals had learned to respect but not to
admire each other.
Earlier In the war Grant had believed
himself discriminated against in favor
of Thomas. After Grant had risen to
high command, he had ranked Thomas
.. - l. -. ..-. rrrSk M - at, njktlAAa Kla
I v niiuitniKJiiH. inne
.. .-..'-
oldncss between them. Grant's 'vo
to Sherman had widened the breach.
Then came Grant's appointment to a
comand in Virginia. Sherman's elevation
to supreme command In the West, the
Atlanta campaign, end. in mid-November. , so rapid naa oeen tne turning mine ...........u.-vvi. i.uU uimn me. rv.i .iri
184. the beginning of the march to the i Tne Confederates had taken positions ment that in the early afternoon this of Overtons.
sea, when Thomas had been left behind at Nashville on December 2 and 3 part of the line was almost at right Coveted by a heavy bombardment of
by Sherman to hold Tennessee, which Hood's army numbered, at a low esti- , angles to Gen. Wood's position and was , the Confederate works, the selected
Confederates under Gen Hood were then I mtr- '0.000. Including cavalry. Gen. facing east instead of south, as it had I troops sent out a cloud of skirmishers
about to invade ' Hoo1 expected re-enforcements from been in the morning snd then launched themselves against
the west of the Mississippi, and be- smith'." infantry and Wilson's raval- the strongly fortified hill. Shot and
Tatossas' Scattered omtnand. lieved that when Thomas should come rv (the divisions of Gens. Hatch and I shell and canister were rained upon them.
The success or failure of Grant's grand Jut from behind his defenses to attack i knipe) threw themselves against the yet they never faltered. Moving up to
strategy was in the balance. The march I he would be able to beat him. with the aeries of strong works which Hood had the verv mouths of the Confederate can
to the sea had been undertaken with his a,d ' thr new troops, and follow him erected immediately west of the Hills-, non. their mrn faalltnatr at eery step, the
approval. Bv it the Middle west had
been virtually stripped of troops.
Hood at once had marched into Ten
nessee. Thomas, to meet tne situation
i'"i
had three small army corps which
never served together and were made
largely of recruits, a few negro regiments
the convalescents whom 8herman had
sent North and a cavalry force under
Gen. James H. Wilson that was not
equipped.
Against this command, which was
widely scattered and which Thomas had
been given no opportunity toconcentr. and ., that on of braaciX 1,7.1 o I f. Twin y- th irt "or pi '" ' "-J , but pron"""
before Sherman marched. Hood advanced WM r,rruited and remounted Then a Xtwwn Snlth's Corps and W ils.m formHl '" rreparattoii for another at
a thorourtiy trained veteran army For flerc .,t Rtorm had cauacd another SVaJr?, and togethe. the -hole line '' k'
the while .t wemed a. though all of postponement. swung forward. (..federate. Flee rhe Field.
Tennessee and f.entucky must again fall I Oen. Thomas' delav. while .-..i,..!.., ' ..
Tennessee and
before Hood.
WhAn Can llmul . arm.' r,tlf..l utrnnaT
- .
started North from Alabama toward
.Nashville on November XL, tien. i nomas
was working night and day to concen-1
trate and equip his troops. The Fourth
and Twenty-third Corps, under Gen. J.
M. Schofleld. numbering about ao.onn
were posted to meet the Confederate ad
vance. The sixteenth Corps under Gen.
A. J. Smith, was In Missouri and the
balance of the command waa scattered
at various garrison points.
Before an effective force could be gath
ered Gen. Hood had pushed north to
Franklin, seventeen miles south of Nash,
vllle. There he waa checked on Novem-
h. r by the Federals under Gen. Sebo
but the latter retired to the Nwh-
Held:
vllle defenses on December 1. On that '
and the following day the ixtenth Corpa '
arrived from Bt, Ixniia and other rein-
forcements from Chattanooira. The Con-
federates coming up, took position in
front of the city.
f.mnt Take a II nd.
At nicht. on December 1. Gen. Thomis
sent this dispateh to Gen. Halleck at
"Waahington:
'After Gen. Schofleld' flrht of yfater
day, feelinK convinced that (ne enemy
very far Tutn umbered him. both in in
fantry and cavalry. I determined to re
tire to th fortifications around Nash-
ille. until Gen. Wilton can get hia cav
alry equipped.
If Hood attacks me here, he will be
more seriously damaged than ho wis
vraterday; if he remains until Wilson
gets equipped. I can whip him and will
move a cam si him at once
The mention of delay was disquieting
to the Washington authorities. Secretary
of War Stanton wired Grant next morn-
ine:
"Th President feels solicitous about
the disposition of Thomas to lay in forti
ftcatlons for an indefinite period, "until
Wilson gets equipments.' This look? like
the M Clellan and Hosecrans strategy
strateK of do-nothing. The President
wishes you to consider the matter."
I'nder sharp and repeated proddings
from Washington, which held Grant re--ponsiM-
for the situation at Nashville.
and put on him all the responsibility of
relieving Thoma. If he were to be re
lieved. Grant suffered from a state of
' mental torture quite unusual to him. He
frared thr consequence of delay, and he
had no data to show how near Thomas
s to moving.
In these cirenmstan-es he snt succes
sive dispatches advising, urging, com
manding and even threatening Gen.
Thomas, in an effort to get him to take
the offensive without delay.
rThe correspondence, too extensive to
reproduce, may be found in Series 1.
Volume X1V. Part II of th. Official
Records of the War.)
To these telegrams Thomas replied that
he would take the offensive just at soon
as Gen. Wilson could mount his men:
that to move sooner would be to risk
defeat or at least to throw away an op
portunity to crush the Confederates.
But Grant was highly Impatient He
-.feared a Confederate advance to the Ohio
River. Although on December 3 he tele
graphed to Secretary Stanton that "vhen
an officer is Intrusted with the command
of a department he ought to be allowed
to use the material given hlm In his own
way, on December fi he sent a peremp
tory order to Thomas to "attack Hood
at once and wait no longer for a re
mount of your cavalry."
(.rant Order. Thomas Removal.
Thomas replied that he would attack
at the earliest possible moment
On December s Grant telegraphed to
Gen. Halleck, chief of staff at Washing
ton: "If Thomas has not struck yet. he
ought to be ordered to hand over his com
mand to Schofleld.'' To which Halleck
replied: "If you wish Gen. Thomas re
lieved from command, give the order.
Xo one here will. I think. Interfere. The
responsibility, however, will toe yours, aa
no one here, so far as I am Informed
ishee G'n. Thomas' removal."
On December 9 Halleck Informed
Thomas of Grants dissatisfaction, to
which Thomas replied: "I feel conscious
Ihst I have done everything In my power
to prepare and if he (Grant)
should order me to he relieved. I wU
-ubralt without a murmur."
' On that day b Grant'a direction an
order relieving Thomas from command
'I'd naming Gen. Schofleld his successor,
was drafted n the War Department At
this point on. Halleck' proverbial cau
tion interposed. He telegraphed Gen.
Grant before striding the ordrr. asking
whether he still wished it to be trans
inltted. Grant accepted Ihe tlnt. and
us.eride,l action "until II is mrn whelh
er he iThomas) wiC dp anything."
THOMAS DEFEATS HOOD
NEAE NASHVILLE.
December . 15.
Fifty .years ago today a Federal
army under Gen. George H. Thomas
defeated a Confederate army under
Gen. John B. Hood, which had Invaded
Middle Tennessee and established itself
In a .strong position In the hills outside
of Nashville, the State capital.
This was the first of two days' fight
ing: on the morrow the final crushing
blows were delivered and Hood's army
was to be almost wiped out of exist
ence. Nashville was one of the most timely
Federal victories. It came when Sher
man's great array was on Its march
from Atlanta to the sea. and when wild
rumors of its defeat were circulating
in the North: when Grant's mighty
host confronting Lee at Petersburg
seemed checked, when the Federal
campaign seemed at a halt.
It proved that the trust imposed on
Thomas, who more than a year before
had won the title. "Rock of Chlca
mauga," had not been a mistaken one.
By the victory at Nashville he vindi
cated his military Judgment, In spite
of the fact that his ability to meet the
situation in Tennessee had been doubt-
f(. b ,,
r m trt t as fri A V m M (s aliafl np
' ders. conditional on Thomas not having!
I m0ved appoining Gen John A Logan
! lo ,Up,rede hint The battle halted
Grant at Washington and Logan at
Louisville. Ky.
,, .,, Ta
into .-xasnviue. io ne posted his three
corps in front of the Federal defenses, jt appears fro mthe records that the
and waited cavalrymen did more effective service
On December .1 Thomas had about '.i,. ,. i.r.nirv i,raint there re -
jnnftft I.-..,.... ...j .nAA , .,
had!"'""" "'-""- ca.airy. ten
"P imr.Ie.vei Jt ,h 7 W"r. c!v"'mn
-'naMmen, -L ." Ttermaser'a de-
ndTBOoTV .hf i.'e "tlly !.rKm,d
'rl mount's without
.1. TJmf.rTrln,,d .tr.om tack-
InK the Confederates until hU cavalry
under Oen. James H. WIMon. a former
uiviBiun iomrnanar unarr sNheridan
Gen. Thomas' delay, while weakening
the spirit of Hood's poorly fed and ,
kal...l.J ...... . .a .
- ..- u ...... , nii.iriiru inn 10.ll,
both in morale and numbers, fly stu-
pendous labors recruits were brought
forward, snrnli.s were rnia.i,ha.
and the cavalry secured mount.-, and'
re-enforcements as well.
On December 14 Thomas' nrmv num.
bered approximately 47.000 infantry
and 12.000 cavalry, of which S.000 were
mounted. On that day the ice melted
and Thomas announced to his com
manders his plans for the attack the
next morning. Hood's expected re-enforcements
had not yet come.
Hood's Flanks Eposes'.
Mood s entrenched line, with
?"'. Cn t the left. R R
" "L"I" on inp . nd K. D
til. Centr.V cxtena,n 'm -
"'". ' 'r ""l"- wt" lo tn" Chat
tanooga iiatiroad on the east, each
flank resting on hills, and the whole
racing north along the crest of a con
siderable ridge. In the rear of his lines
were the higher elevations of the
Brentwood Hills.
This line, more than five miles long
and from one to two miles la front of
Thomas' defenses, did not extend to the
river on either flank. The cavalry
were trusted to cover the flanks, and
Hood had erected several detached
works as an extra precaution on his
left. It was planned to Join these by
a defensive line, but it had not been
done when Thomas moved to attack.
The Federal army comprised a pro
visional corps under Gen. J. B. Steed-
man, the Twenty-third Corns under
Gen. John M. Schofleld. Fourth Corps '
unaer t.en. Thomas J. Wood (its old I
commander. Gen. Stanley had been '
wounaeai. .sixteenth Corps under Gen.
Andrew J. Smith, and Wilson's Cavalry
CorDS-
'Prove. Manhood of the Negro.
Gen. Thomas' written plan of battle
issued to his commanders on December
II was closely adhered to during ihe
day. It provided for a series of heavy
strokes against Hood's left nank hy
nearly the whole Federal army, with
occasional attacks on Hood's right by
Gen. Stfjedman to conceal the import
ance of the main attack.
Wilson's cavalry waa to move In
mass on the extreme right of the Fed
eral attacking line. This feature of
the plan was unique In American war
fare, in that the cavalry was handled
as a fighting unit in a battle instead
of as a mere protection for the flanks
The morning of December lit found
the country veiled In a heavy fog that
made the movement of troops exceed
ingly slow, but by S o'clock, when It
began to clear. Thomas' army was
coming into position outside Its de
fenses. Part of Steedman's men and
the quartermaster's recruits had been
left to guard the inner line of works
Gen. Steedman being ready. Thomas I
ordered him to move forward in the
opening demonstration of the battle.
About 8:J0 the negro brigade of Col.
Thomas J. Morgan and the white bri
gade of Lieut Col. C. H. Grosvenor as
saulted a strong position on Gen.
Hood's right flank. A part of the
works were carried by the negro regi
ments, but, finding the Confederates
massing to drive them out. Steedman
ordered the place evacuated.
By the time this attack had ended
the flrinir was heavv alona- the r.at nf
the Federal line, which was moving
steadily forward to strike Oen. Hood's
left flank. At 11 o clock Hood's atten
tion was again attracted to the right
of his line by a heavy assault by the
two brigades of Steedman's troops
which had opened the battle. They
carried a commanding- earthwork on
the Chattanooga Railroad, and a few
moments later Steedman's third bri
gade, also of negro troops, under
Charles R. Thompson, attacked and
carried the left of the front line of
workr of the Confederates on the
Nolensville pike.
Deeming these attacks more serious
than they really were. Hood called
for re-enforcements from his left,
which was thus materially weakened.
When Thomas rode' over this part of
the Held the next day and saw the
bodies of the negroes lying side by side
with those of the white troops, he
said, "This proves the manhood of the
negro."
Captare Bond'. First Line.
Mesnwhile the rest of Thomas' army
had been swinging in upon Hood's
left as on a pivot. Wilson's cavalry,
on the extreme west, had smashed
hack Hood's mounted troops which
had been depleted ' by the detachment
o. three divisions for pen ice far dis
tant from NashMlle snd which now
numbered, according lo Contede, ate
reports only 1.U0U men uoder Oen. J.
R. Chalmers and by 12:30 the pikes
on Hood's left were open to the south
and Gen. Wood's and Gen. Smith's Fed
eral corps were close upon the Confed
erate flank
Wood faced Stewart's Confederate
corps behind Its outer works, while
Smith was In front of Its newly erected
redoubts which covered Stewart's ex
Thomas now ordered Gen. Wood to
attack the first Confederate lines on
Montgomery Hill, an irregular, conical
eminence which rose 150 feet above
the general level of the country near
the Hlllsboro pike. Its aides were
heavily wooded and the Confederates
had encircled its crest with strong en
trenchments and covered the ap
proaches with rows of sharpened
stakes and abattis. The brigade of
Col. P. Sidney Post of the Fifty-ninth
Illinois Veteran Regiment was picked
to attack.
"At the command," wrote Gen. Wood,
"as sweeps the stiff gale over the
ocean, driving every object before It.
so swept the brigade up the wooded
slope, over the enemy's lntrenchments.
and the hill was won." ,
So many Confederates were raptured
at this point that whefs they were
started for the rear Gen. Thomas
thought for the moment that they
were Confederate reserves w ho had
come, up and recaptured the works.
Cavalry Captarr Redoubt..
Wood's corps was merely the hinge
. upon which Thomas was swinging the
rest of his army. Slowly, but with
; tremendous Impact the corps of Oen.
Smith. with ,hal of Schofleld In re,
. "ere. and with Wilson's vJr "
lh extreme right, was smashing down
against nooo s nana. .
hum dike
.. " ..-- , "- .....
doubts. The apparent superior ., -
due merely to the facility of the e-
alry for rapid movement. M.'ng
cood U"' of tn,"r h0"", "' d '.,,.
dashed upon position l'un -
.1 Lm.nin t irll. III lllHi:K M IU tlltll isarvn.sa
to horse for the next move.
iiv ine lime ine rruuuuir t-i- m
rvderal hands and th- way to the rear
Qf Hood's lines wid open. Thomas had
are ladlcalfon i Defeat.
On advancing it was found that the
.'I, aa, a ii- i- ...- . w ---
enemy was falling back. Woods Corps
had Just broken thiougli the extreme
left front of the main Confederate
lines. Acting under Instruction from
I Thomas, Wood had launched the divi-
sion of Gen. Nathan Kimball aBHlnit
ihe salient ancle where Stewarts tlanK
bent to the south I'nder cover of a
heavy artillery fire the troops had
rushed ud the steep aerent which was
crowned by the Confederate works,
and. aasnina- over ..ie l';i-. '-'
driven the goinners from their pieces
and turned jhem upon the enemy.
HOOD CRUSHED IN SEC05D
DAYS FIGHTING.
December 16.
Kift ears ago inaay tne . oni.-uei m.
army under en. John B. Hood, which
had invaded Middle Tennessee In a hope
.. .a. aa...- .. aa... ..... 1, u.-..
OI regaining tne maic iwr uir .--..a...., "
crushed by the Federals under lien.
lieorge H. Thomas, in the second days
flghtint at Nashville.
The defeat of the Conf. derates was
complete. Night found the remnants of
Hood's army in full Might for the T
lieasee Klver. eighty miles to the south,
behind which they were to llnd i-heltet.
The character of the battle reflected
the iiereonallty of the Federal commands
er. Thomas, ratlent. deliberate and calm
amidst the greatest excitement around
him. spent the greater part of the day
inspecting his oattli line. Instructing nis
generals and carefully adjusting his com-
lilnations. Then, when all was teadv. he
struck a single crushing blow, that crum-
bled the Confederate army into a dls-
ordered. fWeing horde. I
The dav before, by a careful ami
derly massing of 'almost his entire
strength aaiainst the Confederale left I
flank Thorn., had driven Hood fiom a
position which he had tsken up on the,:1nr'1 being rounded up in ihe deadly !
hills on the Atskirts of Nashville, and. I "pocket" formed hv the Fedeial avsl rv
rapturing marry guns and prisoners, had ' aining the Confederate rear The ground.
forced the enemy to retreat In the night ' strewn with arms, whole batteries
to a second defensive line, two miles
in the reai of the first '
Bight tnglr In Hood's Line.
In the first day s battle Gen. Hood had
heen unable to protect his Hank from
the attacks of Gen. Janies II. Wilson's j1
cavalry coins, ss the bulk of his own
cavalry had been previously sent sway
for operations far distant from Nashville.
Only 1,000 men remained, under Gen.
James Chalmers, and these had been
pushed back by Wilson's men.
Realising that he must do something
to remedy that evil. Gen. Hood, in form-1
MK nl" new "" nuide nl fro,n i
man nair as long as in me oio one. inai , w,s refused by the Confederate corn
allowed him to "refuse " his flanks. . mander. Gen w. H Hardee
Cheatham's corps Joined Stewart's; The demand was merely a show ot con
corps, where the Confederate left-center : fldenre on Sherman s part for he knew
resiro on a si.ep inn. .111-1.111,1 , aiieu
Shy., west of the Granny White pike.
Stewart's men faced north, connecting
with Lee's corps, which formed the ex
treme right of Gen. Hood's army, and
whose right Hank rested upon a hight
called Overtons Hills.
Chalmers' Confederate Cavalry were
on Cheatham
i'. left flank, facing south
riy White pike, where part
on the Granny
of Gen. wiisons reoerai troops naa proposed that Sherman should establish
gained a foothold In Hood's rear the , a strongly fortified base on the sear oast
night before. and then Immediately transport his entire
Gen. Thomas, too. had made adjustment, srmy to Virginia In order to aid In crush
In his army at the close of the previous j lng Lee at Petersburg,
day. but night had prevented his lines . Grant had. concluded that the most im
from being formed as he desired. So at portant operation toward closing the war
6 o'clock in the morning of December 16 would be to "close out l.ee and his
the Federals continued their adjustment army." He believed that Sherman's
in iront 01 nooo s new position
Federal Cavalry la Hood's
Before 9 o'clock Gen. Thomas and his
aids rode out from Nashville, where he
had spent the night, to the extreme left
e ui u. u.uA. ,ip,dAn ...j... n- ' .". ".... a iiwij Heart. ei !i- set
f M. .Inoned Lt T0ibu oy th-m He wrote to Cant
J. B. steedman was stationed. -ext to . . ,h. ..... tK., .. ,, , . ....
.j... .... n. T I ll'iwl. r.nrfki I
. .. ..,u... v... .. . w . i
Corps, facing Lees Confederate corps at
Overtons Hills: then came Gen. A. J.
Smith's Sixteenth Corps, fronting on
Stewart at Shys Hill. At that point the
Federal line formed a right angle to con
,-a ... . .
form with the Confederate position. Gen. i
J. M. Schofleld'. Twenty-third Corps fee- .
Ing east ir. front of Cheatham's corps- ;
Wilson's Federal cavalry was on the
right (southi of Schofleld. threatening the
Confederate rear.
Thomas made his way slowly along his
line from left to right, talking with his '
commanders, suggesting change, in for- j
mation. and outlining his plans for at-
tack. A furious aitillery Are was direct-
ed upon the cVnfeoVralc Itne from every
.a .. ... . ... I
vantage point. At the angle at 8hys
Mlll a terrltlc cross-fire was maintained
The guns of 6en. Darius Couch's divi
sion of Schotleld's corps raining shell
upon it from the west, whila those of
Oen. John Mi Arthur a division of Smith's
corps assailed It from the north
c, - . a .. u... rr.
within SW yards of Bhys Hill, and while r"rmn bi,df,of th First division of
shells from his guns leveled the hastily I ",Tw"n,"e'h -? M f'rr,ef to
constructed Confederate earthworks, his I Jgl land. in the Savannah Blver
sharpshooters prevented their being re-, -"' move, which took place Dccem
nalred I ' ' '"' hlnt t0 n- Hrde ,h,t
p . the Federals soon would block up his
Even Oovan'a presence with Chalmers oad north fnarMton Aa ytU now.
did not halt4the persistent advance of J fYcr non of Bnerlrmn-a troops were on
the mass of Federal cavalry. At J the South Carolina bank of the river
o'clock Wilson Intercepted a messenger! Seeing the work of preparation well
from Hood to Chalmers, bearing an ap-1 n progress. Sherman prepared a de
peal "For God s sake, drive the Yankee j niand for surrender and seut It to Gen.
cavalry from our left and rear or all Is, Hardee under a flag of truce,
lost." An hour later fl:0 Wilsons shots Th .. ,-, , . ,,,. , ,.
..... - ... rw.r-A ' " demand closed with a threat of re
were falling In the rear of the Confed-1 . ,.. , ,
eia.eg pi any, inn
egroe Fight Desperately.
At 3 o'clock, while the bombardment of
Shys Hill waa In progress, a sudden
attack was made by the Federals on
Overtona Hill, at tht extreme point of
Hood'- other (right) flank.
Gen. Wood had been making careful
I ... . ,h r..w11, ro-i
j ona ,,, ... iurlnK dg mormnr and
aft(.r a onrCT,nce wltn Grn Thomas.
J determined to try his chances at an as-
j sault.
Col. P. Sydney Post's brigade of Sam
Ueatty's division of the Fourth Corps.
supported by Col. A. D. Straight'." brl-
gade of the same corps, was to sttack
from the north Cot Charles R. Thomp-
.or. s negro brigade of Hteedman s pro-
. v s.on.i aivi.ion was picked to mage .
while, nri nm.i h.h. a.., ....,.,-
to Baln a foothold on th(. parapets: but In
, valn
I ,-, .-. ... . ... ...- ..-
... . vi. .in- jsaiiitiii I'lurr w no tne
day l.foie had won distinction by lead
, , , Confederate y.
,,, .fell dead as he neared the Mn h-
"" works. The negroes for a while main-
. t.lned a stand In the face of a murderous
a . .! . .. . .
' '
other hriKadf in the h.itl .-
A Ti.-i a jharp and d fprat.c strual
v litl- this attack ui in progress at
"" extreme left of the Federal line. Gen.
i nomas was nun
e wun ,,,ii, niunnri rnrpn in
Shs Kill II" saw at ones
" ".
that eerthi
nit was f.yorable for .s-
sauit ;mi MrArthur
asked nermhv-inn of tlen
MrArthur had prevtnimlv
mlth tn -
sault the ilaie with his division, but had
nern limped
On. Thomas mdered Ihe attark be i
deferren until tlen. Bebafield should make
, a forward movement asainet the Con-
federate Hank. The .-en, ral rode off to-
, .-i nonem s position.
,. had scarcely arrived there, when
si Oil
4 o'lock. Hen. MrArthur. Imps-
tlent at what he believed a serious de-1
lax. sent ni- men against the lull. The
1 r,"i.d.i Af I 'nl 11' I IL.tl.tl u at. .
C. ri. . M,M",,n- " In- from Knoxvin. to Lml hl.urg and Char-
J Ninety-fifth hio Regiment, swinging lottesvllle Va
I around to the west of the Confederate ivimarilv it s- rn Stonemans ob
, salient, so as to come under rover of jrrt to defeat the Confederates and do
....... oi wm. lourni nsueri-s ann
i iu tanc I'linmiinr I'l a. Pliri lTI llf; IH.ii-
a lalia n, 4 .,..... .. -. -- --- -.
i : r-u I t'l v rt ' I)
.
...... nu iinenjiv-iij in.i i.irini an
ne.ore i., mis nriga.le mounted the
heights and atorm.d the Confederate In
thlr works. Not a shot was fire.) by
.1 . . I , ' ... . ,, . i a m ...
.... .aaii.en e men uiiiii ine reacnea tnei
, crest. Then, under a hall of bullet and
shell, they dashed in with a yell and
: broke through ;n. Bates' attenuated!
I line ;
'lose behind were the other brigades
01 iic Aiiimr s division, .n echelon, and
further to the left the division of Cen. I
Kennrr uarrard. The whole Cnion line
in motion.
The cavalry under Wilson closed In
rapidly in the rear, snd swinging up the '
..inu " nue pige. stormed and iap -
lured a fortified hill on the extreme flank
oi ine enem ana turned its guns upon
the confederatea at Sh Mill win. h Mc-!
Arthur was Just then attackiii. tien. J I
' ' ox s division of Scholield .Isshed in
f"om the west: Wood anl steedman,
hearing the cheers from the right Hank
or-'1"" attacked the Confed. i.te- an.l
diove them from Overtons Hill
Hoods whole army was in flight ,
Thousands of prisoners wen taken, filllijthe railiosd will, ,. I., ,... '. i '. ..i
"-- " ' ' ii.oiirn. an.i until i
'""' ,hp """ almost every s-mblanre1
of order was gone from the Confedeiale
army
GEN. SHERMAlt DEMANDS SUR
RENDER OF SAVANNAH.
December 17.
4
-ftv years ago tndav den sth.rTn.o
demanded the surrender of Savannah aid
full well that the Confederates would not
consider giving up the city at that time.
The place was not yet completely In
vested, for the way north to Charleston.
S. C, was open, and there was little like
lihood of its being closed for sometime
to come.
The previous day Gen. Sherman's
-" - " "Oa gVI. a-llfill.-l..-
plans had been set awrv by the arrival of
instruction from Gen. Grant The Inttor,
splendidly organised and equipped force
could be used to better advantage at
Petersburg than in long siege at Sa
vannah. Oen. Sherman received these inatrur-
lm, alth a 1.. a . ... a.. .
. : ' " " origin., lu.n ,
neen lo rCriii,. U. ,.... a. i ...... ...
I march upon Columbia, S. C. thence to
-. - . - ... ... uai.ll l.ll llllll inn. ,'
Raleigh, and then north into Virginia.
But. he declared, he now would imme
diately start to gather. transportation to
send his army north.
Threaten ta laveat thr lt.
To get a surncient fleet to moie his
men lo Petersburg womm ..k,. , onid
erable time, and Oen. RrrrnanSe ter mined
to try to take Savannah while waiting.
Heavy siege guns that had been brought
by vessel from Port Royal were placed
in the Federal works, and the rmi -et
to work making fascine, of ei.e straw I
and other matensl. with - - - . mi mln
. .........a- - a
the swamps and ditcher across which it
would be necessary to advance to as-
. aault the enemy's lines
By building dams, adjusting watergates
and digging ditches, the rice swamps In
front of the Confederate defenses were
partially drained. Corduroy roads were
built up to the front so that troops could
, '' moved wth facility, and Col. E. A
of the city being taken by aasault.
To Pat (iarrlao. to ike Lara.
After detailing his nrenaratlons for
hnmKiiditia ekaa ! Sa tt s. .. .. .. .
uvmu.iuiiii wiv- llii, il"ll. CJIH.-I llisa.ii
""
"Should you entertain the proposition I
am prepared to grant liberal term, to the
Inhahltsnts and garrison, but should I be
forced to resort to assault, and the slower
and surer proces. of starvation. I shall
then feel Justlflil In resorting to the
harshest Measures, and shall make little
effort to restrain my army, burning to
avenge s gieat national wrong they at-
tach to Savannah and other large cities.
which hav.. iwen so prominent in dragging
our country into civil war
"I lncli.se you a copy of Gen. Mood a
demand for the surrender of the town of
Resaca. to be used by you for what it
la worth."
The Inrlosure was Hood' threat to put
the garrison of Resaca to the sword If It
M'l fnnnrl liairiaaarw In .. ika .-.
...., ... ..,, ,., ."""
b
OEN. ST0NEMAN DEFEATS CON
FEDERATES NEAR MARION.
December 18.
Fifty eari ago today Federal cavalry
under 'leu Georse Sliinrman defeated an
Inferior force of Confederatea jnder Oen
J. C Hrecklnrldae near Marlon in South
western Virginia, and opened the wav to
the salt work- at Saltlllc. which were
to he destroyed.
The works st Saltvllle had given to
the Confederacy a large pait of Its aup
Dlv of the an-At , iimnma neeei-sll Since
the earliest days of the war the Federals
hail made attempts to deetrov them. and.
though thv had several times reached
in. .inltv f the works, had neer
-ii.ceeded
Three years of campaigning had great-
lv weakened the i 'onfi Oerate force in
Southwestern Virginia and Kaetcrn T. n-
.; iittl on I .ceni'.er 1. w hen len
.;l I. l ... .-.
Stun ii., tn started ut from Knox-llle
with about 4.0tt, cavalry snd four guns.
there were not Z of the enemy to op
ose him.
The Federal command consisted of ? WD
men under Gen. Stephen V. Rurbrldgc.
which i.awl
been organized in Kent'., kv
,na h,j rlnafll n wav of Cumberland
;,, to Beans Station in Kast Tennes
see. east of Knoxvllle. and about 1.100)
under lien Ahr.n C Gillem. who had
,.., i,,.i,. i,.i ,... ..,.i..' ,.v
the
..... ,-,u... ...... ,,,a,, -i 'tr- . -r rt ,.,, ,,,.
Confederates along the railroad that ran
aM ponjgjble .lamag- to thnt railroad. Oca
Iee. at I'etei shurg. defended upon It
ao. a mine (inn ill nis supplies. ir SU'-
. I . . m l. .. aa
cr,ftil
me.-t.nn and defeating the
eneir . Ktoneman plannel to move
against Saltvilk and I i destro) the works
Cure.
laptnre Morgan's Brother.
With tien filllem s command Stone.
man formed a Junction with Kurbridge s
torce at llean Matlon on 1 e. ember 11 and
from there made a sweep to the north in
an endeavor to gel m the rear of the
outly ing Confederate brigades under Gen.
Basil W Duke .John Morgan's old com -
manili and John C auslin lien (;il-
lem met I'ukes command, temporality
under Col. Kit hanl i Morgan, a brothel
of the famous Cnnfed.-i in caialrv run!,
'er. near Kingsport. on the north fork
of the llolston Kiver. at daylight of the
morning of iJcvcmlicr :
After a short contest the Federals sui -
ceeded in crossing the river and in cap
turlng a number of Confederates includ-
Inv Col. Morgan. On the nth the Fed
erals cnncnti.it.il at Hri.tol on the ir
ginla State In
State In,, Then.. ,ev pushed nrrlv M'" w"e Pa'olM ''d "'imber of
n miles east t,. Abingdon, destrnvlng riously wounded were left behind in
flftee
verts. Several trains with !ocomotic
were captured
it nw- was learned that the brigade
under Gen. Vaughn, which the Federals
had endeavored to ,nt,r, it had eluded
thrm- ,, a KrU iu wav tow irri
to push niong Ir.e railroad as far as pos
sible, hoping that he might therein draw i
... i; Hreckinhridge. ami whatever forces I
he might have heen aide lo colle- t to '
defend Saltvllle. out of the work, at that
point to a battle ground more favuiablo
to the Federals. The defenses at Halt
v:lle were of great natural strength.
The Federals, under Gen Gillem. fol
lowing Gen. Stoneman s Instructions,
overtook the Confederates under Vaughn
near Marlon. Va . twenty-seven miles
northeast of ..bington. early tn the morn
ing of December IS. attacked, routed and
pursued them to Wythevllle. twenty-live
miles beyond, which point waa reached
about dark. The Federals captured about
ij prisoners, a number of wagona and
some artillery.
Enesay Flees to Hills.
During the night of the 16th Gillem
completed his destruction of Wytheville.
with a large store of Confederate sup
plies, embracing -.VflO rounds of fixed
ammun
ma""a
itlon, several hundred wagons.
arms ammunition. pack-saddles.
harness, etc.. fifteen caissons and ten llelo
guns, two locomotives and several cars.
Having sent a portion of his command
to Reedy Creek, thirteen miles beyond,
to destroy an Important bridge over that
stream, he faced about and early in the
forenoon of liecember 17 rejoined Gen.
Stoneman with the main body near Mount
Airy. midway between Marlon and
Wythevllle.
The only thing now left for us to do
was the destruction o( the far-famed
salt works." wrote Gen. Stoneman In his
official report. By this time Gen. Brerk-
. ,. , . ., a ... .. ...
innugc iiuu R.uieren n,, .uurnw coin-
mand arid, as Stoneman bad wl.shed. had
.... . ,...,.,. .... ..,. .
come uui iro,-. oaiivuic ami
taken
stand near Marlon In an endeavor to
jaevent the Federals from returning into
East Tennessee.
By the night of the 17th the Federals
had driven back Breckinridge s outposts
and were prepared lo attack him the
next morning. Gen. Stoneman detached
Gen. Gillem s command and sent It
around to the t onfedersK- left to get
between it and the salt work... while a
smaller detachment was sent to gain the
enemy's rear, around their right flank
The following morning stoajr.-iian. with
Burbridge's command, attacked Kreck-
inriilge s force near Mario
nd afer
conclusion
series of assaults. t th
oi which the Confederate ammunition
... .. .. . .
was totally expended, forced the enemy
to fall back into the mountains under
cover of darkness.
There was considerable lighting on the
19th and early 30th. but by night of the
second day Saltville was In Federal
hands The town had been fired by the
Confederates before its evacuation, and
the Union troops at once set out to de
stroy the salt works.
OEN. T0EBEBT STARTS
ON RAID.
December 19.
Flfity yesrs ago today Oen. Alfred T.
A. Torbert. with S.0OO of Sherman's cav-
I airy, without artillery, left Winchester on
I a raid to Gordonsvilllc. which was to
P-v unsuccessful.
Tda. a-aai.4 wan umlarlo L.m Sin firrfprl to
I liv ibiu wmm 'i --. i . . .. ..- --
Gen. Sheridan from Gen. Grant, who
. . . .. wl..m ,. ,..,. virianla
""h"' hlm trlkr ,ne ' entr' v,rt
Railroad at or near Gordonsvllle, M,
to destroy It toward Lvnrhburg. In order
t , ,, OM o( ,icn t,t a sources of '
"ipie
supplies. i
The First and Second cavalry divisions,
under Gen We.ley Merritt and William I
-.,., ranectivelv cre assigned to '
H' PomtXX- rfrct)y acre assigned to .
tne wors. wnne ine miru u. , ii i
Gen. Custer, mas lo move directly up
the Shenandoah Vallev. to effect a dl-
v-non-
Marching through Front Royal. Ches-
1 ter Gap. Utile Washington and Madison
,.ourthoua, ,h romnMnd reached the
. . ..... ..
Rapldan River at Llbertv Mills on Ue-
ccmber r. All during that day there had .
been skirmishing with the Confederates,
under oen. I.. L. lm Thes.. now took
position on the south side of the Rapldan
behind earthworks and supported by two
... .... ...
guns IManking or tne or age a-ross ine
sunv. ' i'k
river had heen removed and the ford
was not only a bad one. hut completely
commanded bv the Confederate fire.
On. Torbert. therefore, sent part of
his command to cross at Willis Ford,
about two miles above ljberty Mills, and
a second detachment to cross at Caves
Ford, three mile, below These detach-
ments irossed .1. they were ordered, but.
being obliged to make a . onsiderabl
ir-
cult in order to reach the ranks of th,
r-or,fl.d,atcs at Ubern Mills, it was late
. . . , , . .w
i " '" " ""'
enemv.
The lighting "as brief, for it became
. . .rU ,h Ihl. ni,n ro,lM not di.n-
.'' " "- "
ci.i-h friend from foe anl found that I
(Una. Mawau fr. .un.nl Ii- fir'l tr lllli 'l thill'
...., .-.e ....j. ...... ..... ....
on comrades. They camped In l'"on
for the night and prepared to renew the
march toward t,ordonsvllle at .law, i
i Imhinc frnmrn tl.
When the march from Winchester !-
gan the weather was favorable, but the
inmmanil had progressed only a rew
miles when there came a sudden ehange
At first a light mist f.ll. but it so..
, hanged to rain and sl.-ct. The lothiiic
. t h.ti.iii , ,.,.., n , ! ,.,, - n
of the trontier oak-,l through, now
.'
froze formii.g a etlfT . oat like armor The
men suffered Intensely from a biting cold
wind that blew down upon them from
th. mountains.
Tbe roads were in a terrible condition
and It was only hy forceful urgings that
. . a. . i a ... ..... .1 .. ... bun t...
' ine Horses mum ,,e iim-ir ... .Ta. a...
pace. For fear that lnev nngnt treeme iu
death If they remained long in the sad
dle the men frequently dismounted .inu
led their horses at a run.
The night of December li was the cold
est they had thus far exiverlencfd. Utile
real was i i.tained The next morning the
Federals wr. again in motion toward
their obJectlTe. Theie was much shin,
lighting in winch the two guns of the
' Confederate were captured hy the men
I of the First New York Pragroons. and
' the enemy was pushed back to within two
an.l a half miles of linrdnn-vl!:
At that point ihe Confederates held
' g-P in Southwst Mountain. The pass
was very
narrow- ami ould ba . !'
! hrld by a
handful of men. Torbert sent
party to pass oer the mounf.iin at
anoVher point, but Is fore a .rowing ..!' hd " forward that
re enfnrnmrnts
effected Confederal
iiaiue up to the :iont from Gordonsv I
and it was determln.-d to abandon further
attempts to reach the railroad.
About thirty prisoners taken at l.in-
charge of a surgeon. The eornm.ic.l ti:
rned north and. with the two captured
gi'ns. marched to Madison Courthouse
mnrr u encamped for the night,
Ml.. aptarlaa M...I...
The stormy weather continued ai:
through the raid, and Ihe men slept
many nights under a covering of snow.
P. i I. R. Bowen. of the Fu -i New nrk
Dragoons, wrote of one such i. amp-
I ment: "The men made then beds In
j en open field, without tents or shelter
First, ,-preading a rubbei blanket and
upon that a woolen one. two men would
lie down and pull other blankets over
them, a rubber one on lop of all.
"That night the snow fell to a il'Pth
of eight inches or more The first risers
in the morning witnessed s novel scene,
the tows of men having the appearance
of snow-covered graves. Most of them
slept so soundly that the snow was un
disturbed and the only evidence of life
within the mounds were the breathing
holes. As the bugle sounded the reveille
and the men sprang out, we could not but
think of that scene when Gabriel's
trump shall awaken the dead. Were the
men cold? On the contrary, they steamed
with perspiration."
From Madison Courthouse. Gen. Tor
bert's command marched via James City.
Grlfflnsburg and Rlxeyvllle to Fauquier
White Sulphur Springs, and thence to
Warrenton. At that place the first and
second division separated passing
through Northern Fauquier and Loudoun
Counties (Mosby's Confederacy so-cabedi
liv different routes, and on December S
reunited at Winchester.
The total Fderal losses were seven
killed, forty-eight woumVsl and forty
seven missing. In the course of the raid
258 horsea were lost.
On the return Journey, when the reg
ular rations were exhausted and the
command was ordered lo live or the
country, the men Indulged rather freely
In applejack and blackberry wine. Scores
of men had to be .trapped to their horses
for fear that they would be lost, and
many of them rode along the roads
howling like maniacs. A considerable
numb af those counted among the
missing had wandered off from the main
command and been shot by guerrillas.
When In the vicinity of Rectortown. in
Fannuier Countv. where the Confederate
partisan ranger Mosby had been seriously
wounded a few davs before, a vigorous
g.arrh was Instituted for him. It waa
known that he was sheltered at a farm
house.
The Federals visited all the farm
houses of (he vicinity, including that of
Mrs. Qiillly Glascock, where Mosbv had
been sheltered He had he.-n taken off
into the woods In an ambulance a abort
time before their arrival.
CONFEDERATES EVACUATE
SAVANNAH.
December 20.
Fifty years ago today the Confederate
army under Gen. W. H. Hardee evac
uated the city of Savannah, which was
to be occupied by Gen. Sherman s Fed
eral army the next morning before day
light. The fall of Savannah was one of the
greatest moral blows the Confederacy
sustained. Though the city had long
been blockaded by the Federal fleet. It
still had been a port of call for occa
sional blockade runners. Its possession
by the Confederacy even though the
country In Its rear may have been held
by Federals-was believed to give the
tC ..
Vh" . m European eyes. ,
.k TT not at Savannah when
the Federals marched In He bad gone
few das before to visit Oen. J. O.
Foster, commanding the Department of
",,? ou,,n- h headquarters at Port
Roysl. to gain his co-operation in a
movement against the city Sherman
planned that Foster's troops should move
'"hind In South Carolina aad block Gen.
. " " on'r llne of r,'trat north from
Savannan. He i tna, f ne (Sher
mam snouid send part of his own army
' to the north bank of the Savannah River
I to cut off Hardee a retreat that the lat-
ter might sally out from his defenses
,anl defeat the Federals In detail
Sherman was on his way hark from
Port Royal by boat when he received
hau-u thai hi. ... a cs .
-- i .. . .or m mnnom mn
iiial naruee. nau escaped north toward
,harle(,ton ioaru
Mmfn T,,ti ,.Jtr
..,,rv -.., K.j ,
r.er preparation had been made to
assault Savannah when Foster a men
suoald have blocked the Confederate re-
trest. Fascines had been made to nil
up ditches and swamns anil hr.rv oeil.
. z
nance had heen hrom-ht I.. I... . r ,,....,, th,
nance had been brought to bur upon the
Confederate defenses.
On December 1!., when Sherman had
started for Port Royal, a brigade of Fed
erals under Col. Kira A. Carman, com
prising the NCta and lth New York,
Thirteenth New Jersey, Second Maxsa-
husetts and Third Wisconsin regiments.
ha1 been ferried from Argyle Island. In
mmJi , he Ut" P
i 'ma bank, where the troops occupied a
ra,her pr ,rlou8 poejuon amldat th,.
Hoe swamps.
tr.n Hardee looked upon the movement
," "' 1 he South C.irolina bank
' th'' r,vcr a" a "rect threat upon his
sole una ur cumminlcatlon and retreat
.the I nion auseway which ran north to-
ward Charleston, So he made Immediate
I Preparations to evacuate hi.- position.
, AltAlvna tV-iot Vs. -m ,- .. I.I !......
wsa-i ( aiicsv in a( rjy iuji OVl I.
serve the Confederacy in th field than
m an invested city wnicn eientujIU mui
, capitulate
A, .bb u,rr fr,t otr
! durlng the Mh. and at BigbUaU th.
troopa started to march oat. There n
not time. Hardee believed, to earn off
his heavy guns, and h hesitated to de-
, "troy nis remaining tnr! iei u sii'Ui'l
warn the Federals of his retreat.
t was about i o clock the follow, he
morning when t ol. liet.r) V Harnuni
a. ..... ..... ..-...,
I of the listii New Vork infantri
....
inanding the Ihinl lirigau- ol i,.-.ir
division of th' Twentieth for-, be am.
convince,! that Ihe works in front ;" hal
position on the south hank of the Sn-
anna'; River were 'arated !: tV
tnemy
lle picked ten men from thr lOCd New
York eti ran Volunteers, and with them
.mil (apt S H Whcelock. of the ln.
New York regiment, pro.te'l.,1 forward
toward the Confederate defenso. At .,' -i
th- little force entered the enemy s
works, and CoL Harnuni at on,-e sent
bark word to Gen Geary that the (.'wi
fedcretes had gone.
Gear division was at once put in
motion toward the cm. Harrum's brig
ade in advance. Gen. Geary was met at
4 M a m. by Mayor K. D Ann, Id and
a delegation of citizens who surrendered
the place lo hlm. the general accepting
in the name of Gen Sherman. A messen
ger was sent back to acquaint Gen A s
Williams, commanding the Twentieth
Corps, of the fall of Saannali. bul s.
the troops on his flank had no knowidg
ut It and tor a, wnt.e suslecleil tne mes-
senger of being a Confederate emissary
I aptore 3 1,000 Bales of lot Ion.
In the meantime, wr.-ti Geary in Iks
official report, 'my entire division -i-
tereil the cit of Savannah at earlv
dawn, and before the sun hrst gtMe.1
the morning cloud, our national colors,
side b side wltii those of nr own dl i
siou. were unfurled from th. dome of th
exchange and over the I inte-1 Stales
custom-house."
Col. Barnum's brigade w.ts .t once '
to pslrol the cltv and prevent looting
oi rioting It was fi-iind thai in m: :
the store ha,i loen nilface-l before th,
Federals entered Guards w. r, placed
over these and otners ... that further
damage coi.ld not be done
The Confederates, befor.- the final
evacuation, had destroyed the nav yard
and several small vessels lying there. A
force dispatched to take possession of
some of the detsched forts downstream
from Savannah found the Confederate
Ironclad Savannah in the stream. Sh
rlred a few harmless shots toward the
city, and In the follow Ins night was
abandoned and destroyed.
A great store of public military prop
erty was found In the city. Though Har
dee had carried off his light guns, there
were more than 250 pieces of heavy ord
nance left behind, besides a considerable
amount of ammunition and supplies, and
no leas than 31.001 bales of cotton.
Sherman, delayed by bad w.ather in
his return Journey from Port Royal, was
met toward evening of December 21 in the
lowed Ogeechee River by a quartermas
ter's tug. bearing dispatches announcing
the fall of the city. That night he was
at his headquarters outside Savannah,
and the following morning rode into the
city a streets.
He Anally took up his headquarters at
the residence of an Knglishman named
Charles Green, who had come forward
and offered tbe use of his home, a spa
clous dwelling. From there the affairs
of the army were directed. The city
wss policed by the troopa hut the mayor
and city council were instructed to do
administration affairs as usual.
In a short time things resumed their
normal course, and. indeed, there was so
little disturbance from the beginning
that a blockade runner came up tbe river
and anchored off the city, thinking it
waa rtlll held by the Confederates. The
master of the vessel did not realize his
error until he came ashore to the custom-house.
Food was distributed to needy lamiliea
and arrangements were made to bring
supplies In from Northern pons. As a
general thing the eitlsens seemed satis
fled with the change, which assured them
of a period of peace.
The totsl losses of the Federals In the
march across Georgia snd the siege of
Savannah were only It-I killed. 4 wound
ed and 77 missing, s total of 71 In that
time 1,33 Confederates were captured.