The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-29

victory in the west, and Shiloh
had been fought New Orleans had
been taken. and Butler was in pos
session of the city. Mcclellan was on
the peninsula, and on May 80 John
ston started the movement against
him that on the two following days re-
suited in the battle of Seven Pines
or Fair Oaks. The battle had been
| fought between the Monitor and Mer-
rimac, and early in May the Merrimac
had been sunk by her own crew.
"StonewalP' Jackson had made his In
cursion into the Shenandoah, fought
an action with Banks at Winchester
! forcing Banks to retreat, and on May
80 was retreating back up the valley
/ himself. Following Shiloh. Halleck
had laid siege to Beauregard at Cor
inth, and on May 30 it was found
that the Confederate general had evac-
uated during the night.
The dispute about the battle of Shi-
loh has not ended to this day. The
claim of one faction is that only the
arrival of Buell. saved Grants army
from destruction. The reply Of Cen
eral Grant and his friends has been
that the advance of the Confederates
on the first day was checked prac-
tically without any help from Buell.
and that, with the assistance Of Cen
eral Lew Wallace's recruits, who be-
longed to his own army, Grant could
have won the battle on the second
day even without Buell.. The facts
! 20 No hot hn 9
forced back practically one mile on
April 6 and when the fighting ceased
late that night was in a dangerous po-
sition in the bend of the river, but that
toward the end the Union troops raj
lied and held off their foes, and that
without any material assistance from
the re-enforcements. What would have
happened on April without Buell. is
all a matter of speculation. The facts
are that with Lew Wallace's fresh
troops on one wing and Buells on the
other the Union army steadily forced
back the enemy and won the victory.
Possibly it could have been won with
Wallace's aid alone. But who knows?
Evacuation of Corinth.
After Shiloh General Halleck went
to the front, practically supplanting
Grant, who asked to go to Memphis,
where he remained until Halleck was
called to Washington. Much fault has
been found with the Union army for
its failure to pursue the enemy after
Shiloh. Part Of the responsibility be-
longed to Grant, but he was preparing
81 .I.n,, IIn1 IL 4
took command. The pursuit did go on
after a time, but meanwhile Beaure-
gard had been able to recruit his army
and to fortify himself at Corinth.
Here Halleck faced him early in May
and drove in his outposts after series
Of skirmishes. The Federal army at
..Hn-iis tine amounted to about 100000
men and the Confederates to some
thing less. The northern generals ex-
pected another great battle at Corinth,
but on May 80 1t was discovered that
Beauregard had evacuated his works
and retreated toward Mobile.
The fall OF Cortnth was in effect a
Union victory and left much of Mis-
sisstppi In control of the nationals.
General Mitchell already held north
ern Alabama; Tennessee was in Fed
eral hands, Andrew johnson having
been made military governor Of the
state, and altogether the aspect OF the
Union cause was very bright In the
west To add to the good fortune New
Orleans had fallen but shortly before
and was then under the control Of
General Benjamin f. Butler, much to
the indignation Of the citizens.
Capture Of Now Orleans.
The story Of the taking of New Or
leans will be told as long as history
is written. II was the heaviest blow
yet received by the confederacy, at
least barring the defeat at Shiloh, and
led soon to the practical abandonment
Of the Mississippi valley as base of
supplies for the Davis government.
The running OF the formidable forts
below the city by the Federal gun
boats will make the name Of Farragut
famous for all time 1t was this gal
liant and daring action that doomed
New Orleans. To prevent such cstas-
trophe a chain had been stretched
across the river between Ports Jackson
and St Philip In imitation. perhaps, of
the chain across the Hudson IN the
time Of the Revolution. The Missfssip-
pi chain had been disarranged by high
water, however. and 1t was possible
for the Union boats 10 dtslodge the Oh
stacles sufficiently to permit passage.
Before the attempt to run by the
forts was made bombardment OF sev-
eral days was carried on by tho Union
feet against the forts, but without sp-
parent effect. II seemed that ths Oon-
federate boast as 10 the impregnahnty
OF the defenses Of New Orleans WIS to
be made good. Abandoning this meth-
cd of attack, Commodore Farragut then
boldly decided TO run past tho forts.
Placing a line Of boats on etther ssde
the river TO engage these stronghOsds.
Farragut In the Hartford he'd dash a.
the middle Of the stream. AS soon as
the forts discovered this movement