The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-02-24
WAR TALK.
A Paper Read by Or. y. J. Davis at
q Wilkln Post Gathering.


partment of the Potomac were fully de-
tailed up 70 July, '6l; at this point we
propose taking up the thread Of the mar
ratives, giving brief resume of opera
tions IN that department during that
month. 1t has been truthfully said that
"it Is wise TO talk with our past hours to
see how they might have been bet
tered" In this spirit we consented to
say few words tonight upon the sub
ject mentioned, not for the purpose of
reminding the fires of sectional animos-
tiles, but to try and impress upon the
minds OF the present generation, the
magnitude of the conflict, the sacrifices
made, the Importance Of the issue, and
the heritage transmitted to them.
That we may have clear conception
of the position of the contending forces
in this department at this time, we call
your attention to the following points on
this roughly drawn map of the State of
Virginia: At Fortress Monroe Gen. b. |
+. Butler was in command with about |
1900 volunteers under him, and con-
fronted on this peninsula by about equal |
numbers OF Confederates under Gents |
Huger and Magruder. Gen. Banks with |
less than 10000 Union troops was occu-
plying Baltimore and its vicinity. Gen.
Patterson with some 90 600 Union troops
mostly Pennsylvania militia-was at
Chambersburg, Penn, and confronted
by an equal number of the enemy under
Gen. Joseph T.. Johnston, at Harper's
Ferry, on the Potomac, watching him.
Johnston was the peer Of any of the
Confederate generals, but, not being in
good favor with JEFF Davis, Old not sue
coed in securing the positions and win
ming laurels his ability justly entitled
him to.
Some 10000 Union troops were in
camp about Washington, the greater
portion of them on the Virginia side,
under the immediate command of Gen.
Mcdowell. Confronting this Union
force in Virginia, at Manassas, about q
miles southwest from Washington, were
some $4,000 Confederate troops under
Gen. Beauregard. HIS success in caus-
ing the evacuation of Fort SumpGer bv
iEe little Isarrisan of half-starVed Union
soldiers, had magnified him in the eyes
of the rebellious South into the proper
tons ofa military genius of the first
order.
Gen. Scott, the veteran soldier, bur-
dened with years and the intirmities of
nature, was at the head of the u. s.
Army, and it fell to his lot to direct the
military councils at Washington, but was
lll-fitted to grapple with the tremendous
problem forced upon him. He knew
| well war and wars needs, for he had
| plucked laurels on the field of battle ere
our generation was born, but how TO
fight successful battle with the undIs-
ciplined, inexperienced and poorly or
ganiZed mass of men about Washington
was greater task than he was capable
of graphing with.
Gen. Mcdowell had been put in COM
mand of the Union forces in Virginia,
directly opposite Washington, and num-
bered 5000 men. That he had never
commanded any considerable number
OF men on the actual field of battle was
a drawback to him, but shared alike by
every other officer in the service; yet if
can be 'truthfully said of HIM that he
was a man of no mean capacity as SOL
der. Gen. Mcdowell knew perfectly
we'll the kind OF material with which he
was to work, and It's greenness and I'M
fitness to take the field; and he did his
best to improve it. This he might have
readily done, had he had to grapple
merely with this work; but his main
struggle was elsewhere, and he has left
a picture, half pathetic and half Judi
crous, of his unavailing plea for little
common sense with those whose ardol
was only equalled by their ignorance
81 wanted, says he, Every much lit
tie time-all of us wanted it. We did
not have bit of it." To his plea OF
"greenness' of his troops, the answer
more specious than well-taken, was con.
stantly returned: "You are green, it il
true, but they are green also, YOU are
green alike"
There had been no fighting or move
ments worthy of special note up to June
9TH, when Gen. Patterson advanced
from Chambersburgt to Hagerstown, Md
Gen. Johnston at once evacuated Harp.
er's Ferry and retreated upon Winchest.
er, Virginia. Subsequently Patterson
crossed the Potomac and by the 10Th Of
July got within nine miles of Winchest-
er Johnston's army; barring a
spiritless reconnaissance, he made
no further efforts, and never
succeeded in getting any nearer
the enemy. After being repeatedly or
dered to advance and engage Johnston's
army, he finally did, only to find that ii
had wrapped its tents about it and ST.
lently slipped away. Notwithstanding
the lack of preparation, as alleged by
Gen'ls Scott and Mcdowell, the order
was issued for an advance of the army
under the latter, its objective point be-
near Manassas. This advance was un-
doubtedly precipitated by articles then
appearing IN the leading journals and
public sentiment in the North Atnoon
on the 18th of July, the troops under
Gen.. Mcdowell took up their line OF
march towards the enemy, without bag
gage, carrying three days ratIons in their
haversacks. His command consisted of
four divisions, commanded by Gen'ls
Tyler, Hunter, Heintzelman and Col,
Miles, and numbered 1880. 1t must
have been grand pageant, the long col
umn of men in their clean, new blue
uniforms, with ghstening bayonets and
high-waving flags. Beauregard's army
numbered, including re-lnforcements
from Johnston and other sources, 2,672
men. l defer entering into the details
Fof the battle, leaving that to Comrades
Cannon and wilkins, who participated
in it. 1t is a rather rough experience
that now befalls the Grand Army of the
Union. All unused, as we have seen, TO
the fatigues of the march, the strife and
horrors of the conflict, are now hasten
ing back with all possible speed TO the
Potomac, dust-begrimed, footsore, brok-
en- down, exhausted by the scorching
sun and the conflict. Thus hungry,
physically and mentally Frustrated, ut
terly played out, they bivouac again on
the banks of the Potomac and fall into
restless slumber, dreaming of comrades
captured, wounded or slain, and dear
ones at homes.
Experience is an excellent teacher.
though the tuition is sometimes expen-
| slve. There was no repetition of the
scenes of the afternoon of July 81, '6l
| during the war. The lesson was a salu-
tary one. The Confederates on several
occasions had the same difficulty. At
Fair Oaks, Glendale, and Malvern Hill,
we know how greatly demoralized they
became. No troops are exempt from IL
ability of panic. Old players are not
secure from stage fright. The coolest
surgeon cannot always control his nerves.
The soldiers of the Union in the first
battle of Bull Run were not towards.
They fought resolutely. The contest was
wholly sustained from early in the
morning till about three O'Clock in the
afternoon. Their breakfast was eaten
up their line of march from Centerville
to Sudley Springs. The heat was in
tense, and they became hungry and
thirsty, yet they pushed the Confederates
back from the springs, past the turn
pike, to the hill by the Henry house.
Prior to the arrival of Johnston and re-
enforcement from his armv, which oc-
Cured about this time, there is abund-
ant evidence to prove that the Confed-
crates considered the day as lost, had
Gen. Patterson obeyed the oft-repeated
and positive. orders received from his
superior, to engage Johnston's army,
and at least keep him busy, and thereby
prevent him from forming a junction
with Reaurepard Rnt for this disoha