Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1912 — The CIVTL WAR [ARTICLE]

The CIVTL WAR

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

(April 15, 1862. It was reported that a British naval vessel, anchored in Hampton Roads, . refused to receive a company of Confederate gentlemen who went dot to them in a steamer. The English officers informed the visitors that they could hold no communication with them. An effort to convene the court of (Berkeley county, Virginia, under a 'Confederate Judge, was frustrated by (Thomas Noakes, a loyal citizen, who (interfered with the sheriff. Subseiquently, by permission of the Fedora! provost-mastqr of the town, three (Union magistrates \rere selected and (held court, transacting some necessary business. ] The Union steamer Sebago, carryjlng one hundred-pound parrott gun, stopped the activities of Confederates iwho were constructing batteries on the Glocester side of the York river, two miles above Yorktown. Until the Sebago arrived with her heavy gun the Union gunboats could not approach, being outranged by the Con*, federate arms. General McClellan continued prepjarations for an artillery attack on [Yorktown, placing batteries. A reconinaissance by the Confederates with a (force of 2,000 Infantry brought on a (heavy skirmish. : Confederates cut the levee on the (Mississippi river near Fort Wright. (An Immense amount of property was destroyed. (April 16, 1862. Abraham Lincoln, president of the [United States, signed the bill for the emancipation of slaves in the District lof Columbia, and it became a law. A boat containing officers and men >of the 76th Pennsylvania sank at Castlemen’s Ferry, on the Shenandoah river, drowning' a number of passengers. In an effort to standardize the Confederate currency, John H. Binder, Brigadier General of the Confederate [army, issued an order prohibiting the Issuance and circulation of private notes. Opportunity was given to translate those in hand into bankable funds. Confirmation of the rumors of a battle at Apache Pass, N. M., reached Washington. A force of Confederates from Texas was defeated in an encounter with United States regulars, after a desperate fight, in which the Texans charged their enemy’s battery four (times. A reconnoisance and surveying party [sent by the National forces to Wil(mlngton Island, North Carolina, was attacked and roughly handled by a (force of Confederates from neighboring batteries. The Federal soldiers fought desperately to escape capture, §nd finally held their assailants off. Sixty-one of Ashby’s Confederate cavalry were captured while at breakfast in a church several miles beyond Columbia Funarce, Virginia. The prisoners were "taken into Woodstock, Va. Troops from Ringgold’s cavalry and the 46th Pennsylvania made the capture. Skirmishes occurred near Savannah, Tenn., and Lee’s Mills, Va.

April 17, 1862. The National forces under Gen. Banks occupied Mount Jackson, Va, The Confederates, outnumbered, resisted the attack to gain time to destroy 'bridges and railroad rolling stock, but ■were driven away before they difi complete damage. A ) committee of the House of Representatives of Virginia, investigating the Roanoke Island disaster, reported that “whatever blame or responsibility Is justly attributable to any one for ithe defeat of our troops at Roanoke Island on the Bth of February last, should attach to Gen. Huger and Mr. Benjamin, the late Secretary of War.” New Market, Va., was occupied by Gen. Banks’ Union forces, after a islight resistance by the Confederate force stationed there. A heavy artillery duel, lasting Intermittently for eighteen hours, ensued on an effort by Confederates to 'erect a battery three miles from Yorkitown. The Union artillery, in large [number, prevented the enemy from 'completing their work. The first anniversary of the Declaration of Virginia’s secession was Celebrated in the state, - The Union steamers Minnehaha and [Patton, loaded, with National troops, 'were fired into by Confederates as they were passing up the Tennessee river. The Memphis Appeal stated that the Confederate losses at the battle of ;Shlloh (Pittsburg Landing), did not exceed one thousand killed and five thousand wounded. The defeat on the second day'of the fl&ht was ascribed to whisky found in the Federal camp captured on the first day. Confederates captured 475 Federal refugees at Woodsons Gap, Tenn. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston assumed command of the Confederate troops defending Yorktown, wit a an army increased to 65,000 men. April 18, 1882. Gen. McClellan sent the following dispatch from before Yorktown to the war department: “At about one-half ihour after midnight last night the enemy attacked Smith’s position, and attempted to carry his guns. Smith repulsed them handsomely, and tpok some prisoners. The firing was very

heavy. AH is now quiet. .. .My posh tion occupied yesterday by Smith was intrenched last night, so that we have been able to prevent the enemy from working today, and kept his guns si* lent. SSme results at the batteries at Hyam’s Mills. Yorktown was shelled by our gunboats and some of our barges today, but without There has been A good deal of firing from the Yorktown land batteries.*’ Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, Va., was occupied by the Union forces. Their progress was valiantly disputed by a small force of Confederates that made two distinct stands, and the, bridge across the Rappahannock to Fredericksburg when they were finally driven beyond the river. In the afternoon the town of Freder. icksburg surrendered under a flag of truce to Lieut. Wood. A meeting of the council declared sympathy with the southern cause, and asserted that surrender was made only under promise that property would be protected. Martial law was declared by the Confederate government in eastern Ten nessee. Advertisement having been made in the public press of North Carolina that agents would be sent to “borrow, purchase, and, if necessary, impress,” all arms in the hands of private citizens. Gov. Henry T. Clark issued a proclamation to the people in which he warned them that such agents need not be obeyed, as they were acting against the state constitution/ but urging the citizens to surrender such arms as they did not actually need. The bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Phillips, on the Mississippi river, below New Orleans, was comr. menced by the Federal fleet, under Flag Officer Farragut April 19, 1862. - The Union force under General Reno, which left Newbura, North Carolina, two days before, defeated a regiment of Georgia militia and a supporting force at Camden, near Elizabeth City. The National loss was 12 killed and 48 wounded. Colonel Hawkins of the New York Zouaves was among the wounded. General Banks, in Western Virginia, reported a sharp skirmish brought on by an attempt of the Confederates to burn two bridges that his men were guarding. He advißed that he believed that Jackson, who had entered the Shenandoah Valley to threaten Washington and prevent McDowell from Joining McClellan; had left the valley for Yorktown. The Confederate schooner Wave vjas captured by the pilot boat G. W. Blunt off the coast of South Carolina. An expedition from Union steamboat Crusader, sent into Edlsto Island to disperse Confederates who were molesting the Federal cotton agent, fell Into a skirmish with two armed bands. The Confederates gained the advantage In each affair. The Petersburgh, Virginia, Express criticised the requisition of slaves from Prince George and Surry counties for the purpose of working on the Williamsburg fortifications, on the ground that taking the slaves away from the fields threatened the crops of that sect!cm, which we're needed for the army. The advance of General Banks* Union forces, delayed by the Confederates having burned many small bridges in their late retreat, enteral Sparta, eight miles in front of New Market, Virginia. The U. S. S. S. Huron captured the Confederate sch'ooner Glioe off Charlestown. The Glide, loaded with cotton and rice, was attempting to run the blockade, bound for Nassau. The city council of Fredericksburg notified General Augur that the Confederate forces had evacuated the town, and no resistance would be made tp the entrance of Union troops. April 20, 1862. The withdrawal of the Confederate General Stonewall Jackson from the Shenandoah Valley was confirmed by scouts and prisoners at General Banks’ headquarters at New Market Virginia. It was reported that he emerged through the mountains, by way of Harrisonburg, Stannardsville, Orange Court House and Gordonsville. Jackson, and by his movement into the valley had held suspended Union forces three times as large as his own, which the’Authorities at Washington, in panic, had kept from Joining General McClellan in the Peninsular expedition. April 21, 1862. The United States circuit court for the middle district of Tennessee held its first session since the secession of the state, in the court room of the capital at Nashville, Judge John Cab ron presiding.. , The provost marshal’s force at Richmond, Virginia, arrested three watchmaking citizens of Richmond on charges of disloyalty. The prisoners were reported in the Richmond Mspatch as “defiant in their remarks, saying they owed allegiance to the United States alone, etc. All three of them afe Virginians by tyrth.” General Milroy, at the head of a National reconnoitering force, overtook the rear guard of the Confederate cavalry six miles west of the railroad near Buffalo Gap, Augußta county, Western Virginia. The rear guard escaped by flight Milroy learned that their main body had stopped for the night before six miles beyond the Gap, but finding that they were cut off by Banks and Staunton, they had borne southwest toward the James river. The ship R. CL Filfcg was captured by the National fleet while attempting to run the blockade at Mobile, Alabama. The Federal* regained Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Confederate, congress' at Richmond was broken up and dispersed by the proximity of the armies. (Copyright, 191$, by W. Q. Chapman.) .