Narrative Of Military Operations During The Civil War

General Joseph E. Johnston...

6 minute read

Read Chapter

I.

The composition of the convention assembled in Richmond in the spring of 1861, to consider the question of secession, proved that the people of Virginia did not regard Mr. Lincoln's election as a sufficient cause for that measure, for at least Two-Thirds of its members were elected as “Union men.”And they and their constituents continued to be so, until the determination to “Coerce” the seceded States was proclaimed by the President of the United States, and Virginia required to furnish her quot

35 minute read

Read Chapter

II.

The troops left their camps about noon, Jackson's brigade leading. After the march was fairly begun, and the rear had left Winchester a mile or Two, the different regiments were informed, at the same time, of the important object in view, of the necessity of a forced march, and exhorted to strive to reach the field in time to take part in the great battle then imminent. The discouragement of that day's march to One accustomed, like myself, to the steady gait of regular soldiers, is indescribable

43 minute read

Read Chapter

III.

No military event deserving notice occurred on our part of the frontier during the remainder of the summer. We were employed in observing the enemy and preparing our troops for active service by diligent instruction. The captured material enabled Colonel Pendleton to increase and improve our artillery very much. At the beginning of September the army was encamped about Fairfax Court-House, with strong outposts at Munson's and Mason's Hills, with the cavalry on their flanks. Stuart, who commanded

23 minute read

Read Chapter

IV.

In the beginning of the year, General Jackson moved from Winchester with Four brigades of infantry and a regiment of cavalry, to drive the Federal troops, then in the northern part of his district, across the Potomac. Their number being inconsiderable, he succeeded in Ten days, without serious fighting. His men suffered very much, however, from cold, and hard marches. In the distribution of the troops of the district, agreed upon by General Jackson and myself, General Loring's Three brigades wer

39 minute read

Read Chapter

V.

I assumed my new command on the 17th. The arrival of Smith's and Longstreet's divisions increased the army on the Peninsula to about Fifty-three thousand men, including Three thousand sick. It was opposed to a Hundred and thirty-three thousand Federal soldiers. Magruder's division formed the Confederate Right wing, Longstreet's the centre, D. H. Hill's the left, and Smith's the reserve. The fieldworks at Gloucester Point and Yorktown, on the left flank, and Mulberry Point, on the right, were occ

39 minute read

Read Chapter

VI.

The effects of the wounds received at Seven Pines made me unfit for active military service until about the 12th of November, when I reported for duty at the War-office. At that time General Lee's army had been reorganized, and was in high condition, and much stronger than when it fought in Maryland; but that to which it was opposed was much stronger in numbers. General Bragg had returned from his expedition into Kentucky, and was placing at Murfreesboroa the army he had received at Tupelo-outnu

34 minute read

Read Chapter

VII.

I set out for Mississippi on the First train that left Tullahoma, after the order of the Secretary of War was received. It was in the morning of the 10th of May. The intelligence of the assassination of the gallant Van Dorn had been received, and General Bragg and myself joined in recommending General Forrest as his successor. At Lake Station, in Mississippi, on the 13th, a dispatch from Lieutenant-General Pemberton, dated Vicksburg, May 12th, was sent to me from the Telegraph-office. I was info

42 minute read

Read Chapter

VIII.

About Seven o'clock in the morning of the 9th of July General Sherman, with Three corps of the Federal army, appeared before the slight line of fieldworks thrown up for the defense of Jackson by General Pemberton's orders. These works, consisting of a very light line of rifle-pits, with low embankments at intervals to cover field-pieces, extended from a point north of the town, and a little east of the Canton road, to One south of it within a short distance of Pearl River, and covered the approa

2 hour read

Read Chapter

IX.

I found in Dalton a part of the instructions promised me by the President in his telegram of the 18th of December, in the following letter from the Secretary of War, Mr. Seddon, dated the 20th: You have been instructed by the President to proceed to Dalton and take command of the army now under the charge of Lieutenant-General Hardee. You were also informed that you would there receive fuller instructions. Such I now aim, in behalf of this department, to communicate. It is apprehended the army m

32 minute read

Read Chapter

X.

As, since the President's letter of December 23d, no reference had been made to the design of recovering Middle Tennessee, I reminded him of it on the 27th, through General Bragg, who was virtually his chief staff-officer, in the following letter: Letters received from the President and Secretary of War, soon after my assignment to this command, gave me the impression that a forward movement by this army was intended to be made in the spring. If I am right in that impression, and the President's

22 minute read

Read Chapter

XI.

On the 5th, the Confederate troops were formed to receive the enemy: Stewart's and Bate's divisions, in Mill-Creek Gap, in which they had constructed some slight defensive works— the former on the right of the stream, Cheatham's on Stewart's right, occupying about a mile of the crest of the mountain; Walker's in reserve; Stevenson's across Crow Valley, its left joining Cheatham's right, on the crest of the mountain; Hindman's, on the right of Stevenson's; and Cleburne's immediately in front of D

2 hour read

Read Chapter

XII.

I was residing in Lincolnton, North Carolina, in February, 1865, and on the 23d of the month received, by telegraph, instructions from the Administration to report for orders to General Lee, recently appointed general-in-chief. A dispatch from General Lee, in anticipation of such a report from me, was received on the same day. In it he directed me to assume the command of the Army of Tennessee and all troops in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and to “Concentrate all avail

2 hour read

Read Chapter

XIII.

Much has been written and much more said of the cause of the overthrow of the Confederate States in their great contest for independence. One class, and much the largest— for it includes the people who were victorious in the war, and those Europeans who watched the struggle with interest, as well as many of the Southern people-ascribes it to the superior population and greater resources of the Northern States. Another, a class of Southern people, attributes our defeat to a want of perseverance,

11 minute read

Read Chapter

XIV.

In the winter of 1866-67, I learned in Jackson, Mississippi, that a paper had been seen by my Three or Four friends there, purporting to be a message from the President of the Confederacy to the two Houses of Congress, explaining why his Excellency could not conscientiously restore me to military command. This explanation was, ostensibly, a narrative of my military service to the time of my removal from the command of the Army of Tennessee, with comments. My friends endeavored, but unsuccessfull

48 minute read

Read Chapter

Letters Confidential

The following order is published for the information of division and brigade commanders: 1st. Brigadier-General Ewell's brigade will march Via Union Mills Ford, and place itself in position of attack upon the enemy. It will be held in readiness, either to support attack upon Centreville, or to move in the direction of Sangster's Cross-roads, according to circumstances. The order to advance will be given by the Commander-in-chief. 2d. Brigadier-General Jones's brigade, supported by Colonel Early'

3 hour read

Read Chapter

Telegrams

If it be true that General Taylor has joined General Gardner and routed Banks, you will endeavor to draw heavy reinforcements from that army, and delay a general engagement until your junction is effected. Thus, it is hoped, the enemy may yet be crushed, and the late disaster be repaired. Send by telegraph a list of the general and staff officers who have come out on parole from Vicksburg, so that they may be exchanged immediately. As soon as practicable, let the lists of regiments and other org

6 minute read

Read Chapter

Memorandum For Major-General S. D. Lee

Collect about Twenty-five hundred of the best troops of Chalmers's, Ferguson's, and Ross's brigades, with Owens's battery, for the expedition into Middle Tennessee, for which, at Oxford on the 29th ult., you were desired to prepare, to break the railroad in rear of Rosecrans's army. It is important to move as soon as possible-and by the route least likely to meet the enemy— to the points on the railroad where most injury can be done with the least exposure of our troops. The bridges over the bra

1 minute read

Read Chapter

Memorandum For Colonel Browne, Aide-De-Camp Telegrams

The effective total of the army (infantry and artillery), Thirty-six thousand one hundred and eleven. At the end of December it was Thirty-six thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, which, during the month, was reduced by the transfer of Quarles's and Baldwin's brigades (Twenty-seven hundred). The present brigades of the army, therefore, were increased by Nineteen hundred and eighty-five effectives during January. We have a few unarmed men in each brigade. About half are without bayonets. Many b

9 minute read

Read Chapter

Consolidated Summaries In The Armies Of Tennessee And Mississippi During The Campaign Commencing May 7, 1864, At Dalton, Georgia, And Ending After The Engagement With The Enemy At Jonesboroa And The Evacuation At Atlanta, Furnished For The Information Of General Joseph E. Johnston

Consolidated Summary of Casualties of the Armies of Tennessee and Mississippi in the Series of Engagements around and from Dalton, Georgia, to the Etowah River, for the Period commencing May 7, and ending May 20, 1864: Consolidated Summary of Casualties of the Armies of Tennessee and Mississippi in the Series of Engagements around New Hope Church, near Marietta, Georgia: Consolidated Summary of Casualties of the Armies of Tennessee and Mississippi in the Series of Engagements around Marietta, Ge

4 minute read

Read Chapter

Memoranda Of The Operations Of My Corps, While Under The Command Of General J. E. Johnston, In The Dalton And Atlanta, And North Carolina Campaigns

At the beginning of the campaign my corps consisted of Cheatham's, Cleburne's, Walker's, and Bate's divisions (about Twenty thousand muskets), and Four battalions of artillery. Cheatham's and Bate's divisions sent to report to Hood, and put in position at and to the right of Mill Creek Gap, where they were constantly skirmishing till night of 12th. Cleburne's division moved to Dug Gap, and assisted Grigsby's cavalry to repel attack of part of Hooker's corps. Walker had to be sent to Resaca, and

15 minute read

Read Chapter

Report Of Hon. L. T. Wigfall In The Senate Of The Confederate States, March 18, 1865

Mr. Wigfall, chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, returned the correspondence between the President and General Johnston, and recommended that it be printed. Mr. Wigfall also returned the report of General Hood, and said: Mr. President: I return the report of General Hood, with a recommendation from the Committee on Military Affairs that it be printed. I am instructed by the committee to say that this recommendation would not have been made had the house not already ordered it to be pu

25 minute read

Read Chapter

Origin Of The Confederate Battle-Flag

After the Battle of Manassas, in 1861, it was observed by the principal officers of the Army of Northern Virginia that it was difficult to distinguish, in the field, the Confederate from the United States colors. I attempted to get rid of this inconvenience by procuring for each regiment its State colors. In this I was unsuccessful, except as to the Virginia regiments. Governor Letcher had the State colors made for each of them, brought them to the army himself, and delivered them to the troops

58 minute read

Read Chapter