CHAPTER XXIV.Gen. McClellan’s Departure.—Gen. Burnside’s Address.—March to Fredericksburg.—Reasons for choosing this Route.—Randolph Estate.—Failure of the Pontoons to Arrive.—Stafford Court House.—The Thirty-third preparing Winter Quarters.—Scouting Parties.—The Ashby Family.
Gen. McClellan’s Departure.—Gen. Burnside’s Address.—March to Fredericksburg.—Reasons for choosing this Route.—Randolph Estate.—Failure of the Pontoons to Arrive.—Stafford Court House.—The Thirty-third preparing Winter Quarters.—Scouting Parties.—The Ashby Family.
Gen. McClellan took his departure for Washington on a special train from Warrenton, Tuesday noon, and Gen. Burnside assumed command, after issuing the following address:
“In accordance with General Orders No. 182, issued by the President of the United States, I hereby assume command of the Army of the Potomac. Patriotism and the exercise of my every energy in the direction of this army, aided by the full and hearty co-operation of its officers and men, will, I hope, under the blessing of God, ensure its success.“Having been a sharer of the privations, and a witness of the bravery of the old Army of the Potomac in the Maryland campaign, and fully identified with them in their feelings of respect and esteem for Gen. McClellan, entertained through a long and most friendly association with him, I feel that it is not as a stranger that I assume command.“To the Ninth Army Corps, so long and intimately associated with me, I need say nothing. Our histories are identical.“With diffidence for myself, but with a proud confidencein the unswerving loyalty and determination of the gallant army now entrusted to my care, I accept its control, with the steadfast assurance that the just cause must prevail.“A. E. BURNSIDE,Major-General Commanding.”
“In accordance with General Orders No. 182, issued by the President of the United States, I hereby assume command of the Army of the Potomac. Patriotism and the exercise of my every energy in the direction of this army, aided by the full and hearty co-operation of its officers and men, will, I hope, under the blessing of God, ensure its success.
“Having been a sharer of the privations, and a witness of the bravery of the old Army of the Potomac in the Maryland campaign, and fully identified with them in their feelings of respect and esteem for Gen. McClellan, entertained through a long and most friendly association with him, I feel that it is not as a stranger that I assume command.
“To the Ninth Army Corps, so long and intimately associated with me, I need say nothing. Our histories are identical.
“With diffidence for myself, but with a proud confidencein the unswerving loyalty and determination of the gallant army now entrusted to my care, I accept its control, with the steadfast assurance that the just cause must prevail.
“A. E. BURNSIDE,Major-General Commanding.”
He immediately proceeded to organize the army into three Grand Divisions—the Second and Ninth Corps, under Sumner, comprising the right; Third and Fifth, under Hooker, the centre; and First and Sixth, under Franklin, the left. Gen. Smith succeeded Franklin in the command of the Sixth Corps, and Gen. Howe was placed in charge of the Division.
We had now obtained possession of all the Gaps in the Blue Ridge. But we had merely locked the door after the escape of the animal, for the enemy, instead of being cooped up in the Shenandoah Valley, were in advance of us, well on their way to Culpepper. After mature deliberation and consultation with Gen. Halleck, who had arrived at Warrenton, Gen. Burnside decided to march rapidly to Fredericksburg, cross the Rappahannock at that place, and pushing southward, seize some point on the railroad, and fight a battle with Lee before he could mass all his forces. His reasons for choosing this route in preference to the one by Gordonsville, he has since stated, as follows: “The further we got into the interior of Virginia the larger would be our line of communications, and the greater would bethe difficulty we would have in keeping them open, as the enemy had on our right flank a Corps that at almost any time could, by a rapid movement, seriously embarrass us. If we were caught by the elements so far from our base of supplies, and at the same time in the enemy’s country, where they had means of getting information that we had not, it might, I thought, prove disastrous to the army, as we had but one line of railway by which to supply it. In moving upon Fredericksburg, we would all the time be as near Washington as would the enemy; and after arriving at Fredericksburg, we would be at a point nearer Richmond than we would be even if we should take Gordonsville. On the Gordonsville line the enemy, in my opinion, would not give us a decisive battle at any place this side of Richmond. They could defend Gordonsville until such time as they felt they had given us a check, and then with so many lines of rail open to them, they would move upon Richmond or Lynchburg, and, in either case, the difficulty of following them would be very great.” Gen. Halleck agreed to have the pontoons ready for him at Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, on his arrival.
Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15th and 16th, the army started in a south-easterly direction in three columns, with the exception of a small force, which bore off towards Culpepper, to mislead and cause the enemy to think we were going to advance in that direction. The Thirty-third broke camp early on Sunday, and marching sixteen miles, encampedin a beautiful grove near Catlett’s Station. The men were in fine spirits, and moved rapidly over the good roads, inspired with the hope that they were now going to Richmond without fail.
The first day’s march presented nothing worthy of interest, unless it was the worn-out and ruined plantations which were seen on every side. Upon halting at one we found the mansion, situated back from the road, entirely deserted. Windows, doors, and everything of a combustible nature, had disappeared from the once splendid dwelling. Near by were a number of rude log huts, occupied by negroes. A bevy of children sallied out to inspect us as we rode up, betraying all that eager curiosity peculiar to the African race. They, together with a few helpless old men and women, were the sole occupants of the place. From them we learned that it belonged to a second cousin of John Randolph of Roanoke, who had died a few weeks before, and was buried beneath a tall oak in front of the mansion. The widow had gone to Fredericksburg, taking with her what effects she could.
Monday morning the reveille was sounded very early, and by six o’clock the Regiment was on its way. The march lay through a country more barren and desolate, if possible, than that north of Warrenton, presenting the worst features of a slave region. “Snatching” and “jayhawking” continued to be the order of the day, as when in the Loudon Valley. “How are you, Stuart?” “I believe this horse came from Pennsylvania;” “This is a Maryland pig;” wereamong the oft repeated responses made to the rebel farmers, who expostulated with the boys for making way with their animals. Very little satisfaction could be obtained from the “invaders.” War the Virginians wanted, and war they should now have to their hearts’ content. After a march of fourteen miles, we bivouacked near the mouth of Acquia Creek.
A Virginia Sowing Machine.
A Virginia Sowing Machine.
Tuesday we proceeded about fourteen miles further, and encamped near Stafford Court House, between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, about ten miles from the latter.
The right and centre Divisions had now arrived in the vicinity of Falmouth, but no pontoons greeted the eye of Gen. Burnside. The Washington authorities had neglected to forward these essentials for crossing the river, and the rapid and successful marching had been to no purpose. In a day or two more the enemy would be on hand, fortifying the Fredericksburg Heights, and resisting our passage.How great must have been the Commanding General’s disappointment and anger at this phase of affairs! All his plans foiled; the whole campaign a failure; simply because some one had “forgotten to give the order” for forwarding a few pontoons.
The Second, Third, Fifth and Ninth Corps encamped near the river. The Sixth remained near Stafford Court House, and the First, pushing on to Brooks’ Station, was stretched along the Fredericksburg and Acquia railroad, upon which repairs were immediately commenced. Generals Franklin and Smith, who were boon companions, and nearly always together, located their headquarters in a grove close by the village of Stafford, which presented a scene of utter ruin. Dwellings, formerly occupied by the better class, were deserted, and the surrounding negro huts consumed, timber by timber, in the camp fires of the Union soldiers. Our troops had occupied the place during the previous spring. The once neat Court House stood by the road side, a striking monument to treason and rebellion. Deprived of its white picket fence, stripped of window blinds, benches and doors, walls defaced by various hieroglyphics, the judge’s bench a target for the expectorating Yankee, the circular enclosure for the jury besmeared with mud, and valuable documents lying about the floor; it was indeed a sad picture of what an infatuated people will bring upon themselves. In one corner of the yard stood a House of Records, in which had been filed all the important documents belonging to the county for acentury. But they now lay scattered upon the floor around the steps, and in the door yard, to the depth of fifteen inches or more. It is impossible to estimate the inconvenience and loss which will follow this wholesale destruction of deeds, claims, mortgages, &c.
Warwick Court-House, near Youngs’ Mills, Virginia.
Warwick Court-House, near Youngs’ Mills, Virginia.
The jail, across the way from the Court House, where many a poor fugitive had doubtless languished in chains for striking out for freedom, was converted into a guard-house. Peeping through the iron grates of the windows, were to be seen the bilious countenances of several culprits, who, may be, were atoning for having invaded a hen roost or bagged an unsuspecting pig.
Colonel Taylor’s men took up position on awoody crest, and immediately commenced felling trees, pitching tents, building camp fires, and making themselves comfortable generally. The constant ringing of numerous axes and crashing of falling trees all around us, recalled memories of other days, and it was difficult to realize that we were not in a western log clearing. Indeed, the army of “invaders” have accomplished for Virginia what her indolent population have failed to do, cleared up the woodlands, and let the sunlight into many a hitherto cheerless and unhealthy spot.
The boys, as if prescient of coming delay and ease, soon began to construct elaborate log huts, which afforded a much more comfortable shelter than the thin, airy tents. Foraging parties scoured the surrounding country daily, and returned at night loaded down with eatables of every description. What confederate money (of which we had an abundance) would not buy, was “confiscated.” These expeditions were greatly enjoyed by those participating in them. Roving through woods and fields, from one farm house to another, they made numerous acquaintances, and learned everything of interest pertaining to the locality.
On one occasion a party halted at an obscure hovel for a drink of water. On entering we found the only occupant to be a superannuated negress, who, as she expressed it, having become “too old a critter to do nothing, had been turned out here to die.”
Further conversation disclosed the fact that she had belonged to James Ashby, a brother of thedeceased famous General of that name. She related much that was of interest concerning the Ashby family. There were three brothers of them—James, Turner and Richard (commonly known as Dick)—raised in the vicinity of Front Royal, and all now in their graves. James, who was her master, moved to this vicinity when a young man, acquired a large estate, and died February, 1861. Turner, the General, who, when a young man, was admired by every one for his manly bearing, and in later years for his chivalric deeds, was killed at the battle of Cross-Keys. Dick, the remaining and youngest brother, was shot in a skirmish, just prior to the last battle of Bull Run.
After the death of her master, the younger slaves were sent South and sold. “Though I hab raised,” she said, “nineteen children to manhood (eleven sons among the number), all of whom hab been torn away from me, and hab worked hard all my life for massa, his heirs wouldn’t let me stay in the house, but sent me here, with a little hog and hominy, to die alone.” Three times she had herself hoed the little patch of corn in front of the hut, and gathered and husked it. On our inquiring if she was “Union,” she replied, “I’se partial to Yankees, but some of dem is mighty rogues. Dem ar low class people among dem steal all my things. Two came along last week and showed me twenty-five cents for some hoe-cake, which I gib dem, and bless you child, when dey come to pay, felt in all de pockets and couldn’t find de money; but, God bless you chil’ren, deyknew all de time where it was. But de Southrons are just as bad.”
She recounted, with tears in her eyes, the manner in which her youngest son was dragged away. He had been sick for some time, but when word came that the Union forces were advancing, they tied his legs, and placing him in a cart, drove off towards Richmond; but he never reached there, having died in the streets of Olean. We left “Aunt Sophie,” more convinced than ever that the cruelties and wrongs which grow out of slavery have not been overdrawn.