out of their strongholds. But they had lost fearfully during the progress of this achievement, and with thinned and shattered ranks prepared to continue the contest.

When all were ready to resume the charge General Blair's brigade advanced with the utmost heroism toward the still more formidable batteries of the foe. They climbed the hill, as before, amid a flood of deadly missiles. They were followed by the troops of Fletcher, Diester, Thayer, Cavender, and Peckham. At last the stars and stripes were planted near the interior breastworks of the enemy. Then came a mortal combat, on the issue of which depended the fate of the day. It were vain to attempt to describe the intensity of that struggle, in which brave men, commanded by valiant and skilful officers, exerted the last resources of heroism and fortitude to achieve a glorious result. The superior advantages which the enemy possessed in position and in artillery, as well perhaps as in numbers, rendered the most determined efforts of the Federal troops and officers unavailing. They were hurled down the battlemented heights of Vicksburg, with fearful losses-broken, mangled, decimated, disconcerted. The carnage was terrible. The place was in fact impregnable to such a force, attacked from such a position, without proper reconnoissances of the positions of the Rebels, and without the necessary combinations, by the commander-in-chief, to divide the strength, divert the attention, and con found the counsels of the enemy. Many obstacles of a peculiar character impeded the operations and diminished the effectiveness of the Federal forces. Among these, in addition to the immense strength of the position and guns of the Rebels, were their insidious rifle-pits, the deep sloughs and bayous, the undergrowth of felled trees and brushwood, and the numerous abattis which had been constructed. While the Federals were overcoming these obstacles with difficulty, the powerful and numerous artillery of the foe had ample time to assail them, and to diminish their strength by adding to their multitude of wounded and slain.

It was now evident that this attack on Vicksburg was and must needs be a failure. It was clear that the city could not be taken with the Yazoo as a base of operations. The Federal losses had already amounted to about six hundred killed, fifteen hundred wounded, one thousand prisoners. On Thursday, January 14th, 1863, General McClernand arrived at the camp, and before General Sherman could organize any further offensive operations he was superseded in the command by that officer. At a council of war held on board the Tigress between the commanders of the land and naval forces of the expedition, the conclusion was arrived at that it would be vain and ruinous to renew the attack on Vicksburg at that time and with their present force. The consequence was that the project was abandoned for the present. After several days the troops were re-embarked upon the fleet, and preparations made to direct the energies of the

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brave troops who had failed before Vicksburg under more favorable auspices in some other direction.

On the 10th of January, 1863, the Rebels attacked Springfield, Missouri, in considerable force. The place was defended by Colonel Crabb, who commanded the nineteenth Iowa. The enemy made several desperate charges, but were uniformly repulsed, so that they eventually retired in confusion. They left thirty-five dead upon the field, but carried their wounded away with them. The Federal loss was seventeen killed, fiftytwo wounded. An engagement also took place at the same time at Hartsville, Missouri, in which seven hundred Federal troops, under Major Collins, attacked and routed several thousand Rebels under General Marmaduke. The latter were chased five miles southward. The Federal loss was thirty-five killed and wounded; that of the enemy was about one hundred

CHAPTER XXXIX.

A PECULIAR FEATURE OF THE HISTORY OF THIS CIVIL WAR THE BATTLE OF HUNT'S CROSSROADS IN TENNESSEE-GALLANTRY OF GENERAL SULLIVAN AND THE INDIANA TROOPSDEFEAT OF FORREST-HIS FLIGHT TO THE TENNESSEE RIVER-THE EXPEDITION OF GENERAL CARTER INTO EAST TENNESSEE-ITS OBJECTS-ITS SUCCESS-DIFFICULTIES AND MERIT OF THE UNDERTAKING-SKIRMISH NEAR MOOREFIELD, VIRGINIA-ATTACK OF THE REBELS ON GALVESTON-THEIR SUCCESS-CAPTURE OF THE HARRIET LANE-EXPLOSION OF THE WESTFIELD-FEDERAL LOSSES ON THIS OCCASION-ADDRESS OF THE WORKINGMEN OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN—HIS REPLY-THE BOMBARDMENT OF ARKANSAS POST-LAND AND NAVAL FORCES DETAILED TO THIS SERVICE-THE LOCATION AND IMPORTANCE OF ARKANSAS POST-COMMENCEMENT OF THE ASSAULT BY ADMIRAL PORTER-CO-OPERATION OF THE LAND TROOPS UNDER GENERAL M'CLERNAND-INCIDENTS OF THE CONFLICT-SURRENDER OF THE fort AND OF THE REBEL TROOPS-LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES-VALUE OF THE CONQUEST-SKETCHES OF ADMIRAL PORTER AND GENERAL

M'CLERNAND.

FEW wars have occurred in any country, or any age, in which the number of battles fought was so great-in which the activity of the combatants was so restless and unceasing-in which so many important movements were progressing at the same time over the immense area of conflict, as in the civil war in the United States. It is this peculiar feature of the struggle which renders its history so sanguinary and martial, so destitute of gentler and more pleasing details, and which compels the author to pen, and the reader to peruse, so monotonous a narrative of battles, slaughters, and sieges. It is an evil inseparable from the nature of the subject.

Contemporary with the battles of Murfreesboro and Vicksburg was that which occurred near Hunt's cross-roads, in Tennessee. The Confederate General Forrest commanded seven thousand troops, chiefly cavalry, together with a battery of ten guns. The Federal hero, J. C. Sullivan, from Indiana, led six thousand men into the action, together with eight pieces of artillery. The engagement took place in the vicinity of Lexington. Forrest, after gathering seventy-five wagons loaded with plunder and other spoil, was endeavoring to make good his retreat beyond the Tennessee river, which he purposed to cross at Clifton. Sullivan was sent out from Jackson to intercept him, and defeat his purpose. As soon as he received information that the Federal general was in pursuit of him, he returned toward Clifton, but was overtaken, and compelled to fight, at Hunt's cross-roads, on the 31st of December. As soon as the two armies. came in sight of each other, preparations were made for a combat. Both columns were formed in line of battle on an extensive plain. Soon the enemy opened with their artillery, which were well posted and served.

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The battle was gallantly commenced on the Federal side by Major Atkinson, in command of the fiftieth Indiana. In the early part of the engagement the advantage was on the side of the enemy. The Federal troops were nearly all raw recruits, while those of the Rebels were experienced veterans. They had also the advantage of more numerous and better served artillery. But the Indiana troops displayed an unusual degree of steadiness, and continued to advance and charge upon the foe, notwithstanding the terrible losses inflicted upon them. The charges made by the Confederates in return were manfully resisted, and a fierce and desperate close combat ensued, upon the issue of which depended the success of the day. At length the gunners were driven from two of the cannon of the enemy. The Federals rushed forward, captured them, and turned them upon the Rebels. This was the turning point of the battle. The enemy were gradually overpowered throughout the entire field. They then fled in confusion, leaving an immense number of dead and wounded behind them. Their entire loss was nearly one thousand. Four hundred of these were prisoners, who, together with seven cannon, their caissons and ammunition, five hundred horses, many wagons, ambulances, and small arms, fell into the hands of the Federals. The loss of the latter was twenty killed, one hundred wounded, sixty prisoners. During the engagement Colonels Dunham and Fuller, Majors Smith and Atkinson, specially distinguished themselves.

Similar success attended the expedition which was sent by General Granger to destroy the bridges of the East Tennessee railroad. The force detailed to this service consisted of a thousand cavalry, and was placed under the command of General Carter. That officer proceeded from Manchester, Kentucky, toward the Union and Watauga bridges. He encountered the enemy in considerable force at both places, and several spirited actions ensued, in which the enemy were defeated. General Carter succeeded in destroying both bridges, as well as ten miles of the railroad, in killing, wounding, and capturing about five hundred Rebels, and in obtaining seven hundred stand of arms, and a large amount of ammunition and stores. These successes were achieved in the face of great difficulties, in consequence of the almost impassable nature of the country, the inclemency of the weather, and the distance to be travelled. The last was two hundred miles, both in going and in returning. The Federal loss was insignificant, being only ten killed, when compared with the importance of the results accomplished. The chief of these was the severing of one of the main avenues of communication between Virginia and the southwest. So valuable were the consequences of this expedition regarded, that General Halleck, the commander-in-chief, expressed his admiration of General Carter's achievement in a letter of commendation to General Wright, the Federal commander of the department in which it occurred.

On the 3d of January, 1863, a spirited skirmish took place at Moorefield,

Virginia, between the hundred and sixteenth Ohio, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wilder, assisted by a section of Keeper's battery, and a body of Rebels commanded by General Jones. The Federals were encamped near this town, and the purpose of the enemy evidently was to surprise and capture them. They came upon them suddenly, and opened the assault with their artillery. To this salute the Federals responded with courage and skill, and soon succeeded in silencing several of their guns. The attack was then continued by the cavalry of the enemy, but they were effectually checked by the well directed discharges of musketry which proceeded from the ranks of the Federals. The Rebels, however, continued the engagement with stubbornness, and the issue might have been doubtful, perhaps adverse, had not reinforcements opportunely arrived. Colonel Washburn reached the scene of conflict from Petersburg in command of the twelfth Ohio, with a portion of Chalfont's battery. This unexpected assistance eventually decided the contest; for the enemy, fearing to be overpowered between two hostile forces, at length retreated in the direction of the South Fork road, and over the mountains toward Petersburg. At Petersburg Colonel Washburn had left behind a number of sick soldiers. These persons the retiring foe paroled on their route, and thus it was that they claimed the honor of having captured a large body of prisoners. The losses on both sides in this skirmish were inconsiderable; and the action itself would have been unworthy of record, were it not for the unusual coolness and valor exhibited by the Federal troops during its progress.

One of the most complete and signal victories gained by the Confederate arms in this war was achieved at Galveston, Texas, on the last day of 1862, and on the first of 1863. The possession of this place was of great importance to the Federal cause, inasmuch as it controlled a large portion of the seaboard of that State. Accordingly, a naval force had been sent three months previous to this date to capture it. This achievement was accomplished with little difficulty, for the military strength of the enemy there was then insignificant. But the latter formed the resolution to recapture and possess it at the earliest possible period. The Federal naval force posted at Galveston was commanded by Commodore Renshaw; but as it was evident that no defence could be made of the city if an attack were made by the enemy, a land force had been sent to his assistance, which reached its posi tion on the 25th of December. This consisted of three companies of the forty-second Massachusetts, commanded by Colonel Burrill, together with additional troops and stores. These were conveyed to Galveston on the steamers Saxton, Cambria and Mary Boardman.

The situation of Galveston is peculiar. It stands upon an island, and is connected with the mainland, which is nearly five miles distant, by a magnificent bridge. The Rebels had collected a considerable force at the opposite extremity of this structure, on Virginia Point. To prevent their approach to Galveston, Commodore Renshaw had determined to destroy