The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-06-13
The Fight at Philippi.


territory.
The Fight at Philippi.
On May 80 the Union troops occupied
Grafton, and on June General Nor
ris and Colonies Kelly, Dumont and
Lander after a rapid march encounter
ed the Confederates, 1000 strong, at
Philippi The attack was made in the
early morning while the foe still slept.
The Confederates, being assaulted from
two sizes at once, were compelled to
fee, leaving TOO stand of arms, ammu-
milton and other supplies. among the
rest being number of horses. Only
a few soldiers we're killed Colonel
Kelly was severely wounded. but 70
covered. This was the beginning of
the campaign that drove the Confed-
crates out of the western end of Vir-
ginia and ultimately made of that Sec
ton new state supporting the Union.
In the early part of the war much
Of the popular interest centered in
Harpers Ferry. This may have been
because Of John Browns final stand
senal or on account of the strategic
Importance of the place as station on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad COM
handing the entrance to the fertile
Shenandoah valley. Whatever the rea-
son, the cry of the north was to retake
Harpers Ferry. The Confederates evil
IDENTITY had as high an opinion of it's
4,>,. kn1 Vir,-
ginia decided to go out of the Union
than a body of state troops moved on
the place, whereupon the Federal COM
mander, with his handful of men,
burned the arsenal and retreated
L.. On May 20 several regiments Of
Pennsylvania troops started toward the
ferry, arriving on the Both at Cham
bersburg, where they halted for a
time, awaiting the bringing up of the
rest of their forces. 1t was the APP
proach of these troops and others from
Washington that two weeks later
caused the Confederates to evacuate.
Water Fight at Aqua Greek.
On May 81 and again on June sew
eral Union gunboats-the Freeborn.
Anacostia, Fawnee and Resolute-bom-
barded the Confederate batteries erect
ed at the mouth of Aqua creek, fifty
five miles below Washington This
creek flows into the Potomac. and at
it's mouth was then the terminus OF a
railroad from Richmond which formed
part of the through route from the
south to New York. Because of its
strategic position the southern troops
had gathered here in some force. On
both days the gunboats reported that
they had silenced the batteries, but
did not attempt to land troops to hold
the position. fearing that they would
be attacked in turn by superior force
from Richmond.
Davis Arrives In Richmond.
Up to this time the Confederate cap
ital had been in Montgomery. When
Virginia seeded there was an insist
ent call that the Davis government
should be removed to Richmond SO
that it could be in close touch with the
war, the 6ercest part of which would
naturally be waged along the borders
of Virginia. On May 90 Mr.. Davis ar
rived in Richmond, amid scenes of
enthusiasm that can be imagined.
Eight days later the forces of Virginia
were formally turned over to the Con
federacy, and henceforth till the end
Of the war the Virginia capital was
the seat of government. On May q
the Confederate congress adjourned to
meet in Richmond on the Goth Of July
so that Mr. Davis move was only In
obedience to that action.
The house occupied by Davis in
Richmond is still standing and is now
a war museum. 1t is only a block OF
two from the capitol building, the
Confederate congress occupying the
old Virginia statehouse. Richmond
now became not only the center of the
south's activity, but the objective Cd
the north's attack. It was probably
Greeley in the Tribune who started the
cry ION to Richmond" At this time
northern men believed it only a mat
ter of weeks until q nsrthern army
should march Into the Confederate
- ~ - ;g5T,sT q > = u So go