The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-19
A FAMOUS ARMY AND
ITS COMMANDER
Sketch of Army Of the Peninsula and General
Mfgfud r. soldiers the Flower Of the south
onsplcuous for Splendid Qualities
p-hi"nich Z" tho survivors Of ihc Arm.
az Tic pcnInsuIn.
BS d, Z. Dpl t.lt~

We hsFNnhlch or iuc historic llh US
az Yorktown troops OF tue CoulcJ
r'ats states army, under Major General
John Hanhhead Mugtuder. to bo known
thereafter ass Tho Army OF lie Penn
s"a." Genera! Magruder Wa not a
airanGcr TO the pcppio OF Virginia: Il
Was hos native stat. and tho record
OF di tnguishcd services rendered in
ihc M"Nican War. ia which he won two
ofcNets. nnd especial iucntiou In the re-
ports Of General Sco,,. wer. fresh IN
tho lnehory Of his people. rhoy vel
coined lin TO the command OF the con
Tolerate troops q, th:s Important POM.
Tiic Array uf Tho Peninsula" was
composed of IN. flower OF the South,
itopps from Virginia. North Carolina,
south Carol.na. Georgia Ala5uina,
tIorida, mississippi AMI Louisiana mi
80 It's ranks.
1t received It's baptism OF lire on the
uold or "Big Bethel where the FIRST
North Carolina Infantry. under Coionel
tatterward l.isutenant- GeueraD -. u.
i'il u battalion al Virginia infantry
under Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Montu-
Eur. Two companies of Virginia ar
tiilery Wichmond Howi,zersp, under
captain tditcrwaTd Colonel J, Tnump-
son Brown AMI Captain Stanard com
mhud.d hy Major tafterwatd General
George w Randolph. and "a small force
81 cavalry the old Dominion Guard.
commando by Captain JeG PHILLIPS, al
liHiupton. and tho Charles civ troop.
commanded by Captain Robert Douthat.
sll commanded by General MGgruder.
met and defeated the FcderaI army
inlor The Immediate command Of Gen
eral fierce, forming part OF General
-. f. Buffers army, then stationed at
Fortress Monroe ana Newport News
~ has been said by critiuues. that
TINS battle was a mere shirrnian. unim-
portart IN iis results. ana Il Is even
alleged that the Confederate forces re =
iir-d fi2sn lne hrid utmost IS soon ~
tho Defeated - lcrai troops.
This Is an unfair and UNREST critic
ism. The real reason, for NOT pressing
the enemy was because OF the very
small force OF General Magruder and
especially because the lack Of suficiont
cuvalry. The Confederate troops drove
the enemy from the field and held their
position retiring 10 their camps tho
day following the battle, They had
conc 10 meet the enemy, they did so
aud dcfcutcd him, although nrGely
outnumhercd. The troops had not at
that time the experience in the held
which they gained by long service
thereafter, but the Importance of win
;inS the FIRST battle OF the war was
81 great value to the Confederate
cause y granite shaft has been erect
ed by the Daughters OF the Confed-
crazy. those devote women Of viz
SlriiH, near the little church at Bethel
10 mark this historic event.
After the repulse of the Federal
army AZ "Bethei." tho Army OF the
Peninsula" was actively employed in
constructing defcnces at Gloucester
Point ana Yorktown ana along tho
line OF the Warwick River 10 Lees
min, and in watching and skirmishiNG
with the enemy, keeping him well with
IN his entrenchmentg ct Newport News
and Fort Monroe. In ono OF these
elllrmishcs the gallant Lieutenant
Colonel Charles Drew. of Louisiana,
was. killed.
The Peninsula became the drill
ground and training school for a part
or that army to become so famous as
the Army OF Northern Virginia" and
To the lessons taught II by Its able
commander may be attributed to -
large degree the distinguished career
of tho soldiers of this gallant little
army.
In the spring OF 1862. General Nc
Cieilan with his grand army. splendiiiy
organized and equipped, began his
march from Fort Monroe and Newport
News on Richmond.
The Confederate TROOPS fell back
slowly as Mcclellan advanced, until
the lines Mt Yorktown ard on the west
bank of the Warwick River, stretching
from Yorktown to Mulberry Island ON
the James River were reached The
roster of the Army of the Peninsula
BLOWS That at that time the Coutedcr-
ate force numbered about 10000 men
or all arms. and this thin gray line"
intcrposed the only barrier between
that great Federal army anu the Con
fedcrate capital at Richmond Va
Vha defence Of tho Peninsula Will DO
better understood when l statc. that
at Yorktown tho Peninsula narrows to
n strip of land about fourteen miles i'm
width between the James and York
Rivers. The little stream known as
tho Warwick River, q tributary of the
James. has It's source within less than
milo Of yorktown. and running al
most due south, emptieS into the
James River at Mulberry Island.
Along this stream there were two
grist mills (Wynn's and Lees Mills,
located about three and eight miles,
respectively. south OF Yorktown, and
which. with ponds. covered distance
OF about two miles of the defensive
line. South OF Lees mill. the Warwick
River develops into a stream of about
one hundred and fifty feet in width, and
from FIVE to ten feet In depth, with
marshes on either side affording good
defensive line. Tho defences at YORK;
town consisted of Fashioned earth
works, enveloping tho town, connected
by n covered way with two strong re-
doubts. (Nos and %. on the high
ground south OF Yorktown command
Ing the head waters of tho " Warwick
RiVer and the approach to Yorktown.
a line of rifle pits was constructed OH
tho west bank of the Warwick River
from Yorktown TO Lees mill. and two
dams located between Lees and Wynn's
mills ,wcro thrown across tho stream.