The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-01-09
spirited action of the mouth of the
Mississippi between several blockaders

spirited action of the mouth of the
Mississippi between several blockaders
and the Confederate ironclad Manas
sas The ram got in stroke With
sent the Federal ships about their buSi
ness. but was 50 badly damaged her
self that she bad 70 retreat Some o.
the Federal ships grounded ana were
attacked by wooden river bouts which
the Cunfederates had converted into
warships One of the ships was aban
doned and the rest got away The
blockaders on the gulf coast were
very yigilant. About the close of the
first year they were organized into two
divisions. one called the East Gulf
squadron and the other the West Gulf
squadron.
The Warships' Attacks on the Coast.
The two successes of the navy in
battle during the year were not gained
by vessels assigned TO duty as block
aders. They were won by naval ex
petitions fitted out specially to make
conquests on the coast. On Aug. 1920
the feet commanded by Commodore
Stringham sailed up to the North Car
DINA coast at Hatteras and bombarded
| Forts Hatteras and Clark, which
guarded the channel to Pamlico sound
By a clever stroke in sailing he
brought his vessels into position so
| that they concentrated their fire upon
she forts. but escaped the missiles
which the Confederate guns hurled at
them. This was the first naval victory
| of importance in the war. 1t was also
the first success at arms of Importance
which the north could boast.
A few weeks later a still greater ex-
petition under Commodore 5. r. Du-
pont attacked the forts at the entrance
to Port Royal sound, South Carolina.
using very much the same tactics thai
won the day for Stringham at Hatteras.
Dupont so handled his ships that they
suffered very little from the guns at
the forts which they attacked. These
were two in number-Forts Walker and
| Beauregard. They stood on opposite
sides Of the very narrow channel
|
Immediately to the capture of Beau.
fort. an important seaport. From this
base Dupont explored the coast of
South Carolina and Georgia to the
south and occupied several points of
strategy which would serve the Fed
erals in future attack upon Savan-
nah
Confederate Victories on Land.
On land the Confederates easily bore
off the honors of the year in substan-
tial results from lighting excepting in
western Virginia
General Beauregard's stroke in cap
turing Fort Sumter was the beginning.
That took place in April. Two months
after that General j. B. Magruder re-
pulsed at Big Bethel. Va. Federal
force which had been sent out from
Fortress Monroe by General B. F. But,
Ter The Federals were advancing in
| the direction Of Richmond. but did not
intend to strike that point. However
Magruder wars a sort of long distance
defender of Richmond. and his victory
led to great rejoicing in the Confed
crate capital.
In a little over a month after Big
Bethel General Beauregard won anoth
err triumph which was pleasing to the
south, at Manassas 1t is true that the
Confederates did not follow up theil
advantage at Bull Run and capture
Washington. distant only twenty miles
But that was not the game which
Beauregard was playing that day. HI
was attacked by strong force which
had marched out of Washington in
tending to go straight across Virgins
to Richmond Since Beauregard hello
up this march when it was only day
old be deserved the credit for victory.
In another month at Wilson's Greek
Mo-. General Ben McCulloch with {
Confederate force defeated a Fedora
army which General Nathaniel Igor
led against him. Lyons object was t
prevent the Confederates under Nc
Culloch and General Sterling Prize
from getting a foothold in southwest
ern Missouri. Lyon made good tigh
and was himself killed in a charge
His force was outnumbered and wa
: compelled to retreat. This battle wa
/ sometimes called 1.-The Bull Run of tn
: west !"
1 In another month the affair at Bali
/ Bluff. Va. added TO the Federal dis
I asters of the year on land. There wa
nothing important at issue at Ball
5 Bluff but the stunning repulse of tn
Federal force so close to the main line
i of the Federal army and TO Washing
8 ton itself. was victory which the Cor
i federates naturally made the most of.
8 On July II the Confederates lost tn
: decisive battle for western Virginia d
/ Rich Mountain and on the 18th. Ca
/ rick Ford. These two actions virtua
4 ly gave the Federals the control {
d western Virginia throughout the war
The Armies In Winter Quarters.
The closing week of 1861 found th
II l. L - =