CHAPTER XX.

OUTSKIRT MOVEMENTS.

THE CIVIL WAR lasted four years. During this time 2,265 engagements took place between the Union and Confederate troops. These conflicts ranged in importance from the insignificant raid, skirmish, or fight, to the decisive battle of Gettysburg, in which the loss of life was appalling. The average number of engagements for each week from the beginning to the close of hostilities was eleven. The total number of battles in which the Union loss was 100 or more in killed, wounded or missing, was 330.

In the preceding chapters the more important movements, battles, and operations of the main armies, have been described. Many outskirt movements were conducted. Only the more important can receive even a passing notice, to bring them within the compass of this volume.

Gen. Banks, while in command of New Orleans, conceived the plan of directing an expedition up the Red river, 1864. His objects were, the capture of Shreveport and the dispersion of Kirby Smith's army. To this end, Admiral Porter, with a strong fleet of ironclads, was to embark 10,000 men from Sherman's old army at Vicksburg, under Gen. A. J. Smith, and move up the river. Banks was to march overland with 15,000 men, and meet Smith's force at Alexandria. Gen. Steele was

to march from Little Rock to Shreveport with the bulk of his

Arkansas troops.

Fort DeRussy was captured March 14th; Alexandria fell on the 16th without a struggle. The Union forces pushed their way to Sabine Crossroads, with occasional skirmishes, when their advance was suddenly attacked and precipitately routed by Confederate forces numbering not less than 20,000 men, under Kirby Smith and Dick Taylor. The Federal loss was 2,000. The Union troops retreated to Pleasant Hill, where they were reinforced. Here the enemy fiercely attacked them next day, April 9th, but he was defeated and driven from the field. In the whole campaign the Union loss in killed, wounded and missing was 5,000; the Confederate loss was less.

Gen. Banks decided to give up the expedition, and began to conduct a retreat. The Shreveport movement or Red river expedition was a failure. It had all the promise of success, and with its resources and available forces would have succeeded if properly managed. On his way back after the victory of Pleasant Hill, a sharp attack on Banks's rear at Cane river resulted in the repulse of the enemy.

The fleet had proceeded up the river, but the reverse of Sabine Crossroads compelled its return. The river, when low, would not float the larger vessels. The high water of spring was fast falling. The vessels ran aground. The fleet was much annoyed by the Confederate sharpshooters and batteries along the shores. The attacking foe was driven away from the river-banks with some loss. The grounded vessels were set afloat with considera

ble difficulty. The river had become so low that vessels could not pass over the falls below Alexandria. It seemed as if the entire fleet would be destroyed. Col. Bailey, an engineer of fertile brain, planned the construction of dams, by means of which the passage over the falls was made in safety.

Alexandria was burned by accident on the retreat, but the enemy naturally claimed that the city was willfully destroyed with a desire for revenge.

About the time of Banks's advance to Alexandria, Gen. Steele left Little Rock, Arkansas, with an army to coöperate in the Red river expedition. Banks's disaster had greatly emboldened the enemy, and endangered Steele's army. A large number of his supply-wagons were taken. When he learned of Banks's retreat, Steele began his backward movement. At Marks Mills the enemy took a number of his men prisoners. When at Jenkins's Ferry, on the Saline river, a large force under Kirby Smith attacked the Union forces, April 30, but met a repulse. Steele, after having suffered severely, finally reached Little Rock.

A Union expedition, fitted out at South Carolina by Gen. Gillmore, was sent to reclaim Florida. It was under the immediate command of Gen. Truman Seymore. He advanced to Jacksonville, Fla., with 600 men, and then to Olustee, where he met a disastrous defeat by an enemy much inferior in numbers to his own. This was February 20, 1864. In a short time both opposing forces were called to participate in the absorbing events around Richmond.

An attempt was made in the early part of March, 1864, by Gen. Judson Kilpatrick at the head of a cavalry force, to penetrate the defenses at Richmond and liberate the Union prisoners confined in Libby prison. Col. Ulrich Dahlgren was killed. Much damage was inflicted upon the enemy's railroads and bridges, but the attempt to enter Richmond failed.

An expedition of 4,000 men against Sabine Pass, La., in September, 1863, under Gen. Wm. B. Franklin, aided by gunboats from Farragut's fleet, failed. Two gunboats were disabled and captured by the enemy. The rest of the expedition returned to New Orleans.

An effort on the part of the Confederates to recover Fort Donelson, early in February, 1863, was unsuccessful.

In April, 1863, Col. Streight with about 1,600 men set out on a raid into northern Georgia. At Cedar Bluff he was forced to surrender to Gen. Forrest in command of a body of cavalry.

Many of the outskirt movements have been enumerated under the chapters on "War in Missouri," "Coast Operations," or in connection with the main campaigns. Many others might be alluded to here, but the students of history in search of details of the minor events are referred to the numerous works prepared on a more comprehensive plan than this one.

CHAPTER XXI.

FINANCIAL MEASURES TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THE CIVIL WAR.

EMPTY TREASURY AT THE OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR.During President Buchanan's administration, in time of peace, the resources of the Government were not sufficient to meet the expenditures. The National debt increased more than $36,000,000 from July 1st, 1857, to July 1st, 1860. Congress had authorized the issue of Treasury notes to meet the deficit in receipts, and on February 5th it authorized the issue of $25,000,000 of bonds, bearing interest at 6 per cent., payable within not less than ten nor more than twenty years. The Secretary of the Treasury was able to place only $18,415,000 of bonds, and this at an average discount of 10.97 per cent.

When Lincoln became President he found an empty treasury, the credit of the Nation gone, and a public debt amounting to about $80,000,000, with daily revenues insufficient to meet the expenditures. Among the final acts of the Congress which closed its session on the 4th of March, 1861, was one which provided for a loan of $10,000,000 in bonds, or the issue of a like sum in Treasury notes. The President was empowered to issue Treasury notes for any part of loans previously authorized but not obtained. Under this statute, notes were issued to the amount of $12,896,350, payable in sixty days after date, and