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defeated the enemy at Port Gibson, May 1; at
Raymond, May 12; and, two days later, at Jackson,
where he met and worsted a rebel army under General
Johnston,1 who retreated northward. 
Abandoning
Jackson, Grant turned westward and was victorious at Champion
Hills,2 May 16, and at Black River Bridge,
on the next day. By these movements he compelled the evacuation of
Grand Gulf, prevented the forces of Johnston and Pemberton
from uniting, and drove the latter, who had sallied out to oppose
him, back within the intrenchments of
Vicksburg.
64. Grant then laid siege
to the city, which, with the aid of the gunboats, he soon
completely invested. For more than six weeks the besiegers kept up
an almost incessant bombardment. Assistance and escape were alike
impossible to the doomed garrison. Failing in two attempts to
carry the works by storm, Grant was making ready for a third
assault, when (July 3) Pemberton asked for an armistice to arrange
terms of capitulation, and later in the day the two generals met
between the lines to confer about the surrender, which took
place the next morning. The prisoners were paroled. The Union
loss, from the crossing at Bruinsburg to the fall of Vicksburg,
was about eight thousand men.
65. A cavalry
raid, by Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson,3 facilitated
Grant's operations before Vicksburg. This officer, leaving
LaGrange, Tennessee, swept southward through the interior of
Mississippi, breaking the enemy's communications, destroying
railroad bridges, rolling-stock, and military supplies, and
reached Baton Rouge, May 2, having, with about a thousand men,
traversed six hundred miles of hostile territory in little more
than two weeks. While the siege of Vicksburg was in progress a
rebel force of some twenty-five hundred men attacked (June 6) the
camp at Milliken's Bend, garrisoned by a thousand effective
troops. After a desperate engagement, the garrison being assisted
by two gunboats, the assailants were driven off with severe
loss.
66. During the
siege of Vicksburg General Johnston1 had been
hovering in the rear of Grant's army. Immediately after the
surrender Sherman4 went in pursuit of him, and pressed
him back to Jackson, from which place he was a second time driven,
and retreated eastward. He afterwards sent part of his force to
aid Bragg, in Northern Georgia.5 General Grant
also sent expeditions to various points on both sides of the
river, wherever opportunity offered to capture Confederate troops
or guerrilla bands, to destroy or seize Confederate supplies, or
to cut Confederate communications. When Grant and Sherman took a
large part of the
1 See p. 267, ¶ 30.
2 be battle fought here is also called the battle of Edwards Station, and the battle of Baker's Creek.
3 See p. 300, ¶ 31. 4 See p. 260, ¶ 19. 5 See p. 276, ¶ 54.
QUESTIONS. -- What further can you tell of Grant's movements before he laid siege, to the city? What did Grant accomplish by these movements? 64. What further can you tell of the siege of the city and its surrender? 65. Give an account of Grierson's raid. Of the attack upon Milliken's Bend. 66. What is said of General Johnston, and of Sherman's pursuit of him? Where did Grant send expeditions, and for what purpose?
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army from Vicksburg to East Tennessee,1 General
James B. McPherson2 was left in command of the
remainder, and he actively followed up the work of destroying the
enemy's transportation and resources.
67. Port Hudson, the last
rebel obstruction on the Mississippi, was made untenable by the
fall of Vicksburg, and, July 8, its garrison of over six thousand
men, under General Frank Gardner, surrendered to General Banks,
who had for some weeks been investing it. General
Banks3 had superseded General Butler in New Orleans
in the latter part of 1862.
Soon after assuming command, Banks
despatched troops to Galveston,4 Texas. On the
night of January 1, after a part of them had reached their
destination, the rebels made an attack by land and water, retook
the city, killing or capturing its garrison of about three hundred
men, and seizing some of the government shipping in the harbor.
Early in the year, Banks swept over the wealthy country bordering
on the Atchafalaya, defeating the enemy under General
Richard Taylor5, and others, at various points, and,
May 8, entered Alexandria, which place had been captured
the day before by Admiral Porter,6 with his gunboats.
Banks returned to the Mississippi, and invested Port Hudson
in the latter part of May, Farragut6 coöperating
with the fleet. Two general assaults were made, in which the
troops of Banks's command, both white and colored, showed great
bravery, but the works were too strong to be carried by storm. The
Union army entered this stronghold July 9. The Mississippi was now
opened to the Gulf, and the Southern Confederacy was cut in two.
During this siege Taylor reoccupied Alexandria, and,
swooping down West of the Mississippi, captured the garrison at
Brashear City, which, however, with the whole region east
of the Atchafalaya, he hastened to abandon after the fall of Port
Hudson.
68. After the
opening of the Mississippi, General Banks sent General William B.
Franklin,7 in command of an expedition in transports,
aided by gunboats, to seize Sabine Pass, Texas. But two of
the gunboats, being disabled in an attack upon the enemy's
batteries, September 8, surrendered, and the rest of the
expedition returned. In October, Banks planned an expedition to
break up the extensive trade which had been carried on across the
Rio Grande at Brownsville. Troops were landed on the Texas shore
of that river, and in November, Brownsville and the river
thence to its mouth were held by the national forces, who
subsequently occupied more than half of the coast of the
state.8
1 See p. 277, ¶ 55. 2 See p. 298, ¶ 26. 3 See p. 271, ¶ 39. 4 See p. 264, ¶ 23.
5 See p. 309, ¶ 56. 6 See p. 279, ¶ 62. 7 See p. 270, ¶ 38. 8 See p. 288, ¶ 4.
QUESTIONS. -- When did McPherson take command at Vicksburg, and how did he employ himself? 67. Give an account of the fall of Port Hudson. When did Banks take command in New Orleans? -- What can you tell of operations at Galveston? In the country bordering on the Atchafalaya? At Alexandria? What further particulars can you give of the siege and fall of Port Hudson? What is said of the operations of General Taylor? 68. Give an account of the reverse at Sabine Pass. Of the Federal movements on the Rio Grande and the Texan coast.
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69. The
withdrawal of many, of the troops from the
Carolinas,1 in the previous year compelled those
left to act chiefly on the defensive; but General
Gillmore2 and Admiral Dahlgren
made a combined attack, by land and water, upon.
Charleston, which city, however, held out till February,
1865.
Meanwhile it suffered severely from the Federal
cannon.
Early in the year the fleet failed in
attempts upon Fort McAllister, and in April in an attack
upon Fort Sumter, and the rebel defences of
Charleston.4 Gillmore, in command of the land forces,
gained a foothold on Morris Island in July. Fort
Wagner, on the northern part of the island, after gallant
assaults upon it had been as gallantly repulsed, was abandoned by
its garrison in September. But without waiting for this, the army
and the fleet opened fire upon Charleston, and upon Sumter and
other forts in the harbor. In the latter part of August, Sumter
was reported by Gillmore to be," a shapeless and harmless mass of
ruins." It was not so harmless, however; for it hurled its
messengers of destruction against the besiegers for a year and a
half, when Charleston and all its defences were brought under
national authority.
70. General Poster, now in command
in North Carolina, repelled an attack, made by the rebel
General D. H. Hill, upon Newbern, in March, and another
upon Washington early in the next month. Failing at
Washington, He joined Longstreet, who was then laying siege to
Suffolk, in South-eastern Virginia. Its garrison of
fourteen thousand men, under General Peck, with the assistance of
gunboats, successfully defended the post against superior
numbers.5
71. General Burnside6 remained
in command of the Army of the Potomac,7 still
opposite Fredericksburg, till late in January, when he was
relieved, and General Joseph Hooker8 appointed
in his place. No forward movement was made for three months, when
Hooker crossed the Rappahannock for another advance upon Richmond,
and, May 2, was met by General Lee9 near
Chancellorsville. Here was fought a desperate battle, which
lasted three days, when the Union general retreated across the
river, his army having suffered severely.
1 See pp. 264, ¶ 24--266, ¶ 26. 2 See p. 277, ¶ 57. 3 See p. 305, ¶ 43.
4 Late in the year 1861 the national government attempted to stop up Charleston harbor by sinking old vessels laden with stone, known as the stone fleet, across the principal channels; but the tide, sweeping around these obstructions, soon opened new channels.
6 See p. 289, ¶ 6. 6 See p. 273, ¶ 46. 7 See pp. 266. ¶ 27--273, ¶ 47.
8 See p. 270, ¶ 37, and p. 272, ¶ 42. 9 See p. 267, ¶ 30.
QUESTIONS. -- 69. What is said of operations in the Carolinas? Of the attack upon Charleston? -- What two failures of the fleet are mentioned? When did Gillmore gain a foothold on Morris Island? What is said of Fort Wagner? Upon what did the army and fleet open fire? What further is said of Sumter? 70. Who was in command in North Carolina? What attacks did he repel in March and April? What is said of the siege and defence of Suffolk? 71. What is said of the Army of the Potomac, and who succeeded Burnside in command of it? Give an account of the battle of Chancellorsville.
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72. Hooker
began his advance with every promise of success. His army, about
one hundred and twenty-five thousand strong, was in splendid
condition, and outnumbered Lee's nearly two to one. Having sent a
cavalry force, under General Stoneman,1 to cut Lee's
communications with 
Richmond,
he directed General Sedgwick,2 with a strong column, to
cross the Rappahannock near Fredericksburg, and himself moved his
main army some miles up the river, and there crossing, took
position at Chancellorsville, about ten miles west of
Fredericksburg, where Lee, nothing disconcerted by the operations
of Stoneman's cavalry, fell upon and routed the Union right wing.
The next morning he renewed his attack and his successes; but just
then he learned that Sedgwick had carried the Heights of
Fredericksburg, and was menacing his rear. Leaving Hooker
inactive from the blow already inflicted upon him, he turned upon
this new foe, and with severe fighting that afternoon and the next
day, crowded him back upon the river. Sedgwick recrossed that
night. The next night Hooker transferred the rest of his troops to
the north side of the Rappahannock, and the whole army returned to
its old camping-ground. This defeat cost the Union army over
seventeen thousand men, among whom were the division generals,
Berry and Whipple. The Confederates lost over twelve thousand,
including their famous general, Stonewall Jackson3
himself, in the magic of his name worth an army to
them.
73. Lee, having been reënforced,
resolved to assume the offensive, and attempt a second
invasion4 of the loyal states. In June he moved
down the Shenandoah Valley, took Winchester and Martinsburg,
crossed the Potomac near Williamsport, advanced into Pennsylvania,
occupied York, and threatened Harrisburg. Hooker followed with the
utmost vigor by the way of Leesburg, and on reaching Frederick,
Maryland, he was relieved, at his own request, and the command was
given to General George G. Meade,5 who continued
the pursuit of the
1 See p. 306, ¶ 47. 2 See p. ¶ 30.
3 He was a accidentally fired upon by his own troops, receiving wounds of which he soon afterwards died. See p. 32.
4 See p. 272, ¶ 43. 5 See p. 315, ¶ 5.
QUESTIONS. -- 72, What further particulars can you give of this battle? Of the attack upon the heights of Fredericksburg? Of the withdrawal of the Union forces? 73. What did Lee now resolve, to attempt? What can you tell of Lee's movement northward? Of Hooker's pursuit? Who took command in place of Hooker?
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rebels, and gave them battle at
Gettysburg. This great and decisive battle began July
1,1 and, continuing
through the next two days, ended in a Federal victory. On the 4th
Lee began to withdraw his broken columns towards Virginia.
74. This
invasion of the loyal states again created great excitement
throughout the north, and the militia of Pennsylvania and the
neighboring states hastened to repel the invaders. The opposing
armies were of nearly equal strength, each numbering about one
hundred thousand men. The Union loss in the invasion exceeded
twenty-three thousand men; the rebel, probably thirty thousand.
During the movement of the hostile forces north from the
Rappahannock there were frequent cavalry skirmishes, and some
sharp encounters, especially at Beverly Ford and Brandy
Station, at Aldie and Middleburg.
75. Lee continued his
retreat across the Potomac near Williamsport, up the Valley of the
Shenandoah, through the passes of the Blue Ridge, and in September
took position south of the Rapidan. Meade pursued, crossing
the Potomac near' Harper's Ferry, and, keeping east of the Blue
Ridge, posted his army about Culpepper and Brandy Station, north
of the Rapidan.
1 Just one year from the battle of Malvern Hill. See p. 269, ¶ 36.
QUESTIONS. -- Give an account of the battle of Gettysburg and Lee's retreat. 74. What further particulars can you give of this invasion of the loyal states? Mention some of the encounter which took place during the movement of the hostile armies north. 75. What can you tell of the retreat of Lee and the pursuit by Meade?
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The two armies remained thus confronting
each other till the next spring, with the exception of some
unsuccessful movements on the part of each to out-manaeuvre the
other.
In September a part of Lee's army was
sent, under Longstreet,1 and a part of Meade's, under
Hooker,2 to strengthen the armies contending for East
Tennessee.3 In October Lee advanced and attempted to
turn Meade's right. The latter drew back across the Rappahannock
to Centreville. After making some feints, Lee retreated in turn,
followed by the national troops, who attacked the rebels at
Rappahannock Station.4 and Kelly's Ford,
November 7, and took two thousand prisoners. Meade next crossed
the Rapidan, and made demonstrations upon Lee's right, encamped on
Mine Run, but finding the position of the enemy very
strong, withdrew without a battle, and recrossed the
river.
76. West Virginia5 was this
year admitted to the Union as a separate state.
The military operations in this section,
during the year, were of minor importance; yet it was nearly
cleared of armed rebels, and they never again entered it, except
as raiders. The last considerable action took place in November,
near the Greenbrier River,6 where the Union General
William W. Averill7 routed a body of the
enemy.8
77. There were in the naval
service9 of the government, this year, near forty
thousand seamen. Most of these were employed in squadrons to
enforce the blockade and assist the land forces, but many were in
smaller squadrons and single ships, watching in various quarters
for rebel privateers.
So effective was the blockade that
the prices paid for cargoes in southern ports were enormous, and
tempted some English merchants to build swift steamers for
blockade-running. During the year more than three hundred prizes,
about one third of which were steamers, were taken by the national
fleet. Late in February, Commander Worden,10 in the
monitor Montauk, approached near enough to Fort McAllister
to destroy the rebel privateer Nashville, which had for
several months been lying under the guns of the fort, watching an
opportunity to run the blockade. On the 17th of June, the monitor
Weehawken, Captain John Rodgers, captured the iron-clad ram
Atlanta, which had steamed down from Savannah to attack the
Union fleet. The ram was compelled to haul down her flag within
fifteen minutes after the monitor opened fire.
1 See p. 270, ¶ 38. 2 See p. 282, ¶ 71. 3 See p. 276, ¶¶ 54,55.
4 Between Beverly Ford and Kelly's Ford. 5 See p. 247, ¶ 16. 6 Near Lewisburg.
7 See p. 295, ¶ 19. 8 See p. 289, ¶ 7. 9 See p. 274, 48. 10 See p. 266, ¶ 26.
QUESTIONS. -- What was the position of the two armies till the next spring? -- When and for what purpose was a part of each army sent westward? What can you tell of Lee's advance, and the affairs at Rappahannock Station and Kelly's Ford? What of Meade's demonstration upon Mine Run? 76. What new state was admitted to the Union this year? -- What of military operations in West Virginia this year? 77. How many men were in the naval service? How were they employed? -- What is said of the blockade? Of the destruction of the Nashville by the Montauk? Of the capture of the Atlanta by the Weehawken?
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© 1999, 2000, 2001 for NEGenWeb Project by Ted & Carole Miller