"At last we are going to move again," said Ralph, as they gathered roundheadquarters. "We are to report to General Howard and go with Sherman onhis 'March to the Sea.'"
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"Well, it'll be a relief, for this sort of life is too much like playingsoldier to suit me," a gray-haired private responded.
It was a light-hearted body of men who left Vicksburg that day, but whenthey reached Nashville, they were disappointed to learn that they weretoo late to join Sherman, but the Seventeenth Corps was cut off andassigned to General Schofield's Command, then stationed at Columbia,Tennessee. It was approaching winter's rigors, and General Hood hadharassed the Federal army at all points, and was trying to persuadeSherman away from Atlanta. When he found he could not do so, he massedhis whole strength for the purpose of destroying General Thomas' forces.Turning his face in the direction of Nashville, he met a barrier in theheavy rains which had fallen, rendering the roads almost impassable,and it was well into November before he reached Duck River, forty milessouth of Nashville.
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General Schofield expected him, but Hood flanked him by crossing tothe other shore, which led the Union general to deem it {222}prudent toattempt to reach Nashville.
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Quickly he retired to Franklin, where he succeeded in getting across theriver, throwing up earthworks, and placing his artillery. The scenewas a stirring one. General Hood forced his men up against the strongbreastworks with a recklessness that was appalling. They were doomed,for the terrific onslaught of musketry and artillery cut them down sofast that they were piled up in heaps, dying and dead, the entire lengthof the line.
The struggle at the breastworks was so fierce that it became a hot, madencounter between the two armies, who fought literally, hand to hand,while their fire flashed in each others faces. Officers dismounted, andfought beside their men. The contest became so close that the standardsof both armies were upon the earthworks at the same time.
A ditch ran outside the works, which was filled with the Confederates,who could not cross it under such a blinding fire. Here they met theirheaviest losses. The smoke from the National side was so dense, andkept so near to the earth, that it added to the horror of the scene bybringing on almost complete darkness. {223}It was one of the hardestfought battles of the war, and not until midnight did General Schofieldorder a retreat to Nashville, a wise move, for had he been content toremain at Franklin, the fortunes of the day would have been changed veryessentially, for Hood planted all his artillery there that night, andthus, aided by General Forrest's cavalry, the victory of the day beforewould surely have been turned into a defeat.
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They were worn out--unable to fight longer, and so completely exhaustedby lack of sleep that many of the men in this retreat stumbled and fellon their faces, and only the vigorous pricking of the bayonet by theircompanions aroused them to a sense of the danger they were in of beingcaptured,--thus they were hurried along.
The whole strength of the army was now concentrated on the defeat ofHood. On the fifteenth of December General Thomas, who had been grumbledat and called "slow," delivered a crushing blow by moving upon Hood'sfront and flank with such force that he fled precipitately towardFranklin, with Wilson's famous cavalry in hot pursuit.
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General Thomas made a clean sweep of the {225}artillery, capturing everypiece, and taking forty-five hundred prisoners.
The morning of February 9 was cold and frosty, and as the soldiershuddled round the crackling fires built in the open air, they recountedtales of the incidents they had seen, or fought again the battles of thepast four years.
"I enlisted to the end of the war," said Ralph. "'When this cruel wasis over,' I shall go home and try to be content," Some of his companionsshared his feelings; to these the prospect of returning home was adelightful one, but others had grown so fond of this life of danger andperil that a return to the peaceful pursuits of home-life seemed tameand dull. War hardens and blunts the finer feelings, making men callousand indifferent to the gentler ministrations of home.
It was with mixed feelings of joy and regret that the regiment embarkedon the steamer for New Orleans. The voyage was a break in the dailylife, but when land soldiers are penned up on board a boat there is notmuch r to break the monotony. At noon of the fourth day they laid upat a little landing to "wood up." Not a house was to be seen, the talltrees stood up black and gloomy, and the dull gray sky lowered ominouslyover them. Glad to feel the earth beneath their feet, a few of the moreventuresome leaped ashore for a "run in the timber," as they expressedit, though they prudently kept near the boat.
Ralph was sitting on the deck when he heard the report of a rifle, andjumping up, he called out, "Our men are attacked!"
Instantly every man's weapon was pointed in the direction from whencecame the sound. A poor fellow had roamed a few steps farther from hiscomrades than caution would have dictated, and had been fired upon byguerrillas, who were skulking behind the trees in the leafy depths ofthe forest. Another man staggered to the edge of the bank, and wouldhave fallen overboard, were it not for Ralph's quick leap. He had beenwounded in the arm, and as he was helped on board he said; "There is aband of them up there in the woods."
"Fire!" {226}came the word of command, and the bullets whistled afterthe fleeing band, who did not return the shots, however. Whether theywere hit, was not known. A detail was sent to bring in the body of thedead soldier who had fallen just at the edge of the woods. This incidentchecked the gay spirits of the men, but, after all, it was one of thepossibilities of war, and might have befallen any one there.
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They reached the city of New Orleans on the evening of February 21st,and encamped at a beautiful little village about eight miles below thatcity. But their stay was brief, and again they were transported acrossthe Gulf to Dauphine Island, Alabama. The March weather washealth-inspiring, but they had no leisure for admiring natures lovelyface, for there was more fighting ahead.
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Mobile Bay was now the destined point. Crossing over to the mainland,they spent several days in skirmishing, it being General Grants designto divert the enemy's attention from his real intention, which was toattack and subdue Spanish Fort, before whose walls they were arrayed onthe dawn of March 27. Bombardment began early. A dense curtain ofsmoke hung over the fort, like a pall, and after four days of vigorousassault, their guns were silenced, and just before the midnight hour,the works were carried, amid wild cheers and exultation.
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Great events were taking place while the Western army was busy. Sheridanand his cavalry had not been idle in the Shenandoah Valley, and atWaynesboro' General Custer, the intrepid, who commanded his ThirdDivision, routed General Early, and took 1,500 prisoners, and every gunand train he had. Sheridan was not content with this victory, buthe ruined the locks in the James River Canal, destroyed parts of therailroad, thus cutting off supplies, and then joined General Grant'sarmy, and passed through Dinwiddie Court House with his splendid bodyof cavalry, and attacking the right flank of the Confederates at FiveForks, found no {229}difficulty in dislodging their cavalry, when astrong force of infantry came to their rescue, who in their turn routedSheridan most unexpectedly. At once Grant hurried the Fifth Corpsforward to his assistance, but it was noon of the first of April beforehe could get them into position.
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Bringing up his mounted force in front, who dashed forward in gallantstyle, he led the Fifth Corps so as to completely encircle {230}theConfederates. This manouver was an unpleasant surprise to the enemy, anda victory for the Federal side. Five Forks was held by them, and 5,000prisoners fell into the hands of the Union army.
Following up his advantage, General Grant leveled two more forts, whosedefenders still resolutely held out--Forts Gregg and Whitworth, at thelatter of which the Confederate General Hill was shot.
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General Lee's flight was a sad ending to his earnest hopes and faithfulespousal of the cause which he believed right. He was pursued closely byGeneral Grant, who attacked him whenever {231}the two armies approachedeach other. These conflicts were severe and destructive, as it presentedthe strange fact of two bodies of soldiers, both skilled and brave,moving along over the open country, unprotected by any entrenchments,and continually falling upon each other with desperation. To add to thegloom of Lee's situation, his men were half-famished and nearly wornout.
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Arriving at Appomattox Court House, a week after leaving Petersburg, hewas again checked by Sheridan's dismounted cavalry, {232}who were massedin a solid line across his path, but this gave him no uneasiness. Headvanced with confidence that he could easily break their ranks, when tohis dismay they drew off to the right, and his progress was barred by aheavy force of blue-coats, with their glittering weapons.
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A halt was made, and as Sheridans men {233}were about to chargeupon them, a flag of truce was sent out, which caused a cessation ofhostilities.
General Lee's hopes had suddenly been destroyed. He had bravely heldout, even in the face of adverse fate, and even in March had summonedGeneral Gordon, who had command of Stonewall Jackson's old corps, to aconference, and that general had frankly told him the hopelessness ofa further struggle. His own admission was that his army were almoststarving, he could not furnish men, or food, or horses, and aftervisiting the Confederate Congress at Richmond the next day, he came backalmost heart-broken, but with no power to stay the tide of blood. Thedesperate attack on Fort Steadman and the failure of the Confederatetroops to cover their retreat followed.
General Grant's liberal terms which he dictated to the defeated men werea marvel of generosity. He merely asked that they lay down their armsand return to their homes, where he promised them fullest protection inall their rights, so long as they did not again take up arms against thegovernment. He also permitted them to take their horses with them, asthey "would need them for plowing," so sure he was that the end of theterrible war had come, and that men would be glad to resume the peacefulpursuits of life.
The two great commanders, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, hadexchanged several notes relative to the surrender, and on the 9th ofApril they met at the McLean House, where the terms were made known, andthe next day General Lee issued a farewell address to his army, whoselove and devotion to him had proven itself in many a hard-fought field.
CHAPTER XX. THE SURRENDER.
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ICHMOND has {234}surrendered! The army of Lee has retreated! From everylittle village, and in every vast city the glad cry rang forth on thatbright April morning, early in 1865, till the echoes bore the joyfultidings to every camp and bivouac in the Union army, "Shout the gladtidings!" The words rang out, and the streets of the cities were filledwith excited crowds of men and women, who were frantic with joy. Eventhe little children seemed to have become inspired with the enthusiasm,and laughed and danced, they knew not why.
Flags were run up in haste, men and boys ran wildly around, singing andcheering, strangers clasped each others' hands gladly, while women weptwith joy.
The "good news," however, had been received at first by the army towhich Ralph belonged, with incredulity, and such expressions as "We'veheard that before!"
"My feet are pretty sore tramping!"
"I'm going right on to Richmond now!" and it chagrined the officer incharge so deeply to think that they could not accept it as a truth, thathe had the men drawn up in line, some 6,000 strong, in the pine woodsthrough which they were marching, and appointed officers to ride upand down the line and announce it officially. And then what a roar andthundering of cheers aroused the echoes in those old trees! No moreweariness then, no more stumbling and grumbling, but they made all hasteto the town to which they were nearest, and set up a playful bombardmentwith blank charges, to celebrate the event, much to the rejoicing of thecitizens there, who were as glad as they.
To the worn-out, sunburned soldiers it was good news, and as they{235}gathered in groups loud rejoicing and eager discussion was heardamong them. To Ralph it brought the grateful thought that the dawn ofpeace was near, and the Union would once again be restored, and hisheart was full of a quiet thankfulness that words could not express.
But alas, for the jubilant people--for those who were rejoicing, and towhom a feeling of relief had come, because there was no more war.Those who had so bitterly opposed each other on fields of battle, whosedifferences had received a "baptism of blood," met daily, more likebrothers than late enemies. True, bitterness and disappointment rankledin some hearts, but it is also true that all over our broad land, bothNorth and South, men rejoiced together that they could return to thehomes they had been so long exiles from, and once more take up thethread of social and business life, with a surety that it would beno more severed But even while the North was trembling with excess ofhappiness, a terrible shadow darkened the brilliancy of the victory--thefour years of struggle and bloodshed were obliterated, so it seemed, bya wave of sorrow that swept over the heart of the North, paralyzing itsthrob of ecstasy. Abraham Lincoln, the friend of all mankind, whoselife was free from petty vindictiveness, and whose whole aim was therestoration of the republic on a fair and just basis, a grand andunselfish man, was struck down by the hand of an assassin--J. WilkesBooth. The President was shot while sitting with his wife and otherfriends, in a box at Ford's Theater, Washington, April 14, 1865, andhe died the next morning. The entire nation was dumb with grief andconsternation. On the heels of sweet and gentle peace came the dreadquestion--What will be the outcome? A nation had been plunged intomourning by the mad act of a fanatic.
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At once the War Department issued a poster, offering a large reward forthe capture of the murderer, and on April 26 he was tracked to anold barn on Garrett's farm, twenty miles from Fredericksburg, with ashattered leg. He refused to surrender, {237}and the building was seton fire, and he was shot in attempting to escape, and captured. He hadreceived a mortal wound, from which he died.
The surrender of General Lee was followed by that of all the principalarmies of the Confederacy; the last to throw down their arms being thecommand of General Kirby Smith, on the 26th of May. Thus very littlewas left for the Government to do, save to reconstruct the shatteredportions of our land, to repress wandering bands of outlaws, and tomaintain order.
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The close of the war was welcomed by North and South alike--it was asif a hideous nightmare had been banished, and now the waking dreams ofdesolated homes, reunited, could be realized.
To the boys in blue who had fought valiantly and untiringly, the newsthat the opposing armies had surrendered was a relief, although theysorrowfully turned their faces homeward, at the remembrance of those whocame not with them; still a deep joy filled their souls as they thoughtof those who were waiting to receive them.
The same scenes were transpiring at the South, where patient wives,mothers, sisters and daughters were waiting and watching for those whohad been so strangely preserved to them, and happy voices and beamingsmiles made their home-coming glad.
The two armies--the Army of the Potomac and Sherman's Army--were sent toWashington late in May for review, before being mustered out of service.The scene was inspiring. The {238} streets were packed with a surgingmass of people, proud to shout and cheer for the brown-faced men whofought for the upholding of their beloved government.
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Banners, garlands of flowers, tumultuous cheering, marked the marchingdivisions of the Army of the Potomac, as they wheeled into line, andarriving at {240}the grand stand at the White House, where PresidentJohnson and his cabinet reviewed them, the officers gave a royal salutewith their swords, while the commanders of the divisions sprang fromtheir horses, and went upon the stand as their commands filed by.
The foll
owing day, May 24, Sherman's noble army of bronzed andweather-beaten men were reviewed in the same manner, and as the marchingcolumns kept step to the music of their bands, the enthusiasm wasintense, and broke into cheer after cheer, while the houses, sidewalks,and every spot where human beings could find a foothold, was one mass ofwaving flags, handkerchiefs and streamers.
As Ralph, in far-away Montgomery, where the regiment was to remain buta day or so, read the account of the monster ovation, his bosom swelledwith pride, and life seemed to, take on a rosier color. Every cheerthat was uttered, every look of welcome to those who passed through thestreets of Washington that day, he considered a tribute to every soldierin the land; for had they not all done their duty and stood by theircolors?
He claimed a share in that rejoicing, even though could not be there,and he vaguely wondered if those who had died to save this gloriousUnion did not also rejoice at the dawn of peace, and the new birth of anation, whose proudest boast should ever be that "All men are born freeand equal."
His soul went out in peace and love to all--to those who had fallen inbattle or died of wounds on either side; to the dear comrades whom heremembered long; to that grana martyr--the type of freedom, justice andlove for all--Abraham Lincoln!
"Dreaming, are you?" a cheery voice broke in upon his musings.
"Yes, Steve, I am dreaming--dreaming of the time when I can go to mymother, and tell her how grateful I am that I have been saved throughall the sad scenes the past four years have shown me."
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