Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-21

could not fly over or go under the
| state they would have to cross It. The
/ famous Seventh New York spent days
/ OF arduous labor IN rebuilding the rail
| road from Annapolis and finally
| reached Washington, marching up
| Pennsylvania avenue IN fine form. to
! the prodigious cheering Of the citizens.
| Henceforth this route was used with
out further difficulty. Soon afterward
General Butler took charge in Balti-
more, and the uprising in favor Of the
south subsidized.
Lyon and Mcclellan.
In Missouri the governor and many
of the state officials were on the side
Of the south and were active in the
efforts to take the state out Of the
Union. They were defeated only by
the activity OF league headed by
Frank P. Blair and Captain Nathaniel
Lyon. Governor Jackson established
camp in st. Louis named in honor OF
himself. On May 10 Captain Lyon de-
scended on Camp Jackson and cap
tured it without bloodshed. He then
followed Jackson and General Price,
N~LC0AAAS IhSA Ill SSNSIdl cnSdSS-
ments. only to lose his own life in the
battle of Wilson's Creek on Aug. 10.
1t was costly sacrifice. Lyon being
one of the most promising officers de-
veloped in the early part Of the war,
but it kept Missouri in the Union, and
this fact was unquestionably infuen-
tial in holding Kentucky.
The winning of West Virginia
brought General George 3. Mcclellan
to the front. Mcclellan Joined the
army in Ohio and WIS sent across the
Ohio river with several regiments early
IN the year. The Virginians west Of
the Allegheny mountains had never
been in close political sympathy with
those of the eastern part of the state
and voted almost solidly against Sc
cession. Under the protection of the
Union troops a convention was called
and on June 10 its members practiced
q little secession on their own hook,
formally separating from the remain
der of the state on June 10. The next
day q governor was elected. and
month later new state was erected.
which was admitted in 1853. Mean
while Mcclellan and his generals had
won succession of victories in the
vicinity of Grafton and had driven the
opposing troops out of the new state
Mcclellan was not the only officer
afterward conspicuous who participat-
ed in the fighting in 1861. Colonel Rob-
ert E. Lee. his great opponent. while
opposing secession, went out with his
state and resigned from the United
- ~ Of a-d
being placed at the head of the Vir-
ginia troops. "Stonevalf' Jackson also
made his first appearance in 1861. as
did General Sherman. Grant also won
his first battle, though late in the year.
The Death Of Ellsworth.
An event that served to arouse the
north almost as much as did the firing
on Sumter or the Baltimore riot was
the assassination of Colonel E. Elmer
Ellsworth on May "a. Ellsworth was
the colonel Of the famous zouaves re
cruited from the New York 1remen.
When ordered to Alexandria his first
act was to remove with his own hands
a Confederate flag floating from n
hotel that had long been an offense to
Washington. since on clear days 1t was
in sight of the capitol. While descend
ing with the flag wrapped about his
body Ellsworth was shot by the pro-
prietor of the house.
The first actual battle OF the war be-
tween organized troops was that at
Big Bethel, Va, fought on June 10.
Bull Run came only eleven days later
Volumes have been written to explain
the outcome OF this battle. In the light
OF subsequent investigations it does
not appear the rout at first reported
1t was a well planned action and. con-
sidering the unseasoned condition OF
the troops, was well fought. In the
forenoon the Onion men had all the
best Of the fighting. but the arrival Of
Johnston's fresh troops from winches-
ter in the afternoon turned the tide. |
It was the release Of this army from |
the vicinity OF Harpers Ferry. where /
they had been engaged by General |
Patterson, that unquestionably decided /
the fate Of the day. General Beaure- |
gard commanded for the Confederates I
The engagement served at least one 1
useful purpose. IT aroused the north 1
TO the seriousness Of the struggle,
Most OF the battles Of 1861. especial /
~ In the east. were Union reyerses. /
One Of the most lamentable was the |
g ~