1863 Organizations of Mercy. 279 that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish forever from the earth." 35. The efforts put forth by the North to sustain the Union cause were not confined to the government and the army. The people actively showed their interest, and their sympathy with those who had engaged in it. Organizations Associations were formed to relieve the necessi- of mercy. ties of the soldiers. Of these, the Christian and Sanitary "The Sanitary Commissions did the most extensive work. Commission gathered supporters from all classes of the people-physicians, clergymen, lawyers, merchants, tradesmen, laborers, and-how was it possible that it could be otherwise?-conspicuously among all, very many women. The wealthy man gave lavishly of his means; the poor man a portion, often not an inconsiderable portion, of his earnings; the widow brought her mite. Soon the commission had ar independent transportation of its own. It had hospitals, wagons, ambulances, cars. Ingenious men devised for it inventions of better litters, better stretchers, better ambuances. It secured comfortable transportation for the wound. ed soldier from the battle-field to the hospital. On the railroad it soon had its hospital cars, with kitchen, dispensary, and a surgeon's car in the midst. 36. To the Sanitary Commission the government gave a most earnest support; the people gave it their hearts. They furnished it with more than three millions of dollars in money, of which one million came from the Pacific States, they sent it nine millions' worth of supplies. From fairs held in its interest very large sums were derived. What country, what age of the world can show such a splendid example of ' organized mercy?" The Christian Commission, emulating the noble conduct of the Sanitary Commission, aided the surgeon, helped the chaplain, followed the armies in their marches, went into the trenches and along the picket-line. Wherever there was a sick, a wounded, a dying man, an agent of the Commission was near by. It gave Christian burial whenever possible; it marked the graves of the dead. It distributed nearly five millions of dollars in money and supplies." 37. We turn to the West once more. Farragut's capture of New Orleans opened the lower part of the Mississippi; and the victory of Shiloh, with its consequences, resulted in opening all the rest that had been previously held Mississippi by the Confederates, except the portion between opened. Vicksburg and Port Hudson. It was Grant's ob ject to complete the opening of the river throughout its en The 66 1 "The Sanitary Commission was a genuine expression of the spirit of the people. It was to America in this century what the orders of chivalry were to Europe in their day."-Carlyle. 'To the end of time it will stand in history as a worthy monument of the patriotism, the humanity, and the religion of a Christian democracy."-North American Review 1863 Draft Riot in New York. 281 tire length. His first point of attack was Vicksburg, which had been so strongly fortified that it was considered impregnable. It was held by a powerful army under General Pem berton. 66 38. By a series of skillful movements, Grant seized a position suitable for operations. A number of battles took place, every day Grant's hold on Vicksburg becoming more secure. At last, on the 3d of July, Pemberton saw that he was ready to make a final and fatal assault. That afternoon he wrote to his besieger asking an armistice. To this Grant promptly replied, and an interview consequently took place between the two commanders beneath an old oak tree. Pemberton was irritable and indiscreet. Great and merciful, the conqueror bore, without an unkind remark, the petulance of his vanquished adversary, and returned him no railing reply." The next morning, July 4th, 1863, Vicksburg was surrendered. 39. "While Grant had been besieging Vicksburg, Banks had been besieging Port Hudson; and so closely had the operations been pressed that it was impossible for the place to hold out much longer. When, on the 6th of July, news came that Vicksburg had surrendered, it was needless and hopeless to continue the defense any longer." Port Hudson was accordingly surrendered on the 9th. "Thus the Western armies had accomplished their object, and the Mississippi was now open to the Gulf of Mexico. The Confederacy was cut asunder; its right zone was isolated." 40. An act of Congress empowered President Lincoln to recruit the army by drafting. As a call for three hundred thousand troops under this law was not fully responded to, a less number volunteering, it was found requisite Draft riot in New York. to resort to a draft. This excited great opposition; and, in New York, a riot broke out while the draft was in progress, which lasted four days (July 1316), and was only put down by the most determined efforts of the police and the military. Buildings were sacked and burned, and a large number of persons killed. The colored population of the city, being an object of particular hatred to the rioters, suffered severely. The war 41. As before stated, Rosecrans gained an important victory over Bragg, at Murfreesboro. After a half year's inactivity, Rosecrans again advanced against Bragg, compelling him to evacuate Chattanooga. Meanwhile, Lee, in Tennessee having reached a secure position on the Rapidan, and Georgia. in Virginia, hurried re-enforcements to Bragg, who, enjoined by the Richmond government, then turned upon his pursuers. The two armies met near Chickamauga creek, and a battle of two days ensued, the result of which was that the Federal army was partially routed. "On Thomas, who, in allusion to the events of the struggle, is often justly called 'The Rock of Chickamauga,' the weight of the battle now fell. Every thing depended on his firmness. If he, too, should be swept away, there was nothing but a flight across the Tennessee. In this supreme moment Thomas proved equal to his task. Though more than half the army had abandoned him, with inflexible resolution he held his ground. One after another the Confederate regiments surged up against him, and broke at his feet like billows of the sea. It was about sunset when they made their last charge. It was repelled, and they gave way to return no more (Sept. 19, 20)." GENERAL THOMAS. 42. The Union forces, driven behind the intrenchments of Chattanooga, with the Confederates holding the surrounding hills-Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge—their position was critical indeed. They were also in danger of starvation; and the mud was so deep," wrote one of the soldiers, "that we could not travel by the road, but we got along pretty well by stepping from mule to mule as they lay 66 1863 West Virginia and Nevada. 283 dead from starvation by the way." Still Thomas telegraphed : "I will hold fast till we starve." It was evident that something must be done at once and quickly. Re-enforcements under Hooker were therefore rushed by rail to the aid of the troops, and Grant was ordered to take the command. General Sherman, who had distinguished himself under Grant at the West, was also called to Chattanooga. 43. On the morning after his arrival Grant decided upon a plan of action. Accordingly, while Sherman began the attack in the valley, Hooker and Thomas advanced to drive the Confederates from the mountains. "All day long there had been a misty rain. The clouds which had hovered over Lookout mountain during the morning, gradually settled into the valley; and it was only from the roar of the battle, and the occasional glimpse that the troops in the valley could catch of the lines and standards that they knew of the strife and its progress. It was a battle above the clouds. All the strong positions of the Confederates were taken, and Bragg's army was completely routed (Nov. 23-25).1 West 44. The people in the western counties of Virginia were, from the beginning of the war, entirely opposed to secession. They not only refused to obey the secession ordinance passed by their legislature, but they took early measures to effect a separation from the old State, and ob- Virginia and Nevada. tain admission as a State into the Union. Their efforts were crowned with success, the State being admitted in 1863, under the name of West Virginia. Nevada, the thirty-sixth member of the Union, was admitted the next year. This was originally a part of the territory acquired from Mexico by the treaty of 1848. Its mineral wealth led to its 1 General Longstreet, who had been sent by Bragg against Knoxville, was repulsed by Burnside. In Missouri and Kansas, guerrilla bands, cooperating with the regular Confederate forces, carried on the work of plunder and destruction. A bold raid was made into Indiana and Ohio by the partisan ranger Morgan; but he was pursued day and night for a distance of nearly seven hundred miles, and his band were killed, tured, or scattered, Morgan himself was taken prisoner. cap |