Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-08-29

been transferred from North Carolina
TO General Dix's command represented
the army. TO take observations Led
by the monitor. Sangnmon. the arm
ed ferrybOat Commodore Barney and
the steamer CohasSet smiled on the 4th
rs far as Dutch Gap. which was about
four miles in direct line below the
main river defenses Of Richmond.
The Barney attempted to 60 farther.
but was badly shaken up and disabled
by floating torpedo fired from shore
by electricity. The tiotilla started
down the river on the 9Th. having learn
ed only that the COnfederates were
alert to check any demonstrations
against the capital. Below Dutch Gap.
while the SangamOn. which was lead
ing. entered one Of the long reaches
peculiar to the James. she was fired
upon by u masked shore battery. hid
den by thickets and supported by in
fantry.
Both the monitor and the Barney re.
turned the fire. but the ferrybOat was
quickly disabled by shot through her
boiler. She drifted ashore and was
taken in tow by the Cohasset. Soon
the totilla entered another reach and
was fired upon from Il jutting point as
before. After feebly replying the TO-
tilla steamed downward again. the
Barney having been literally peppered
with musket balls and bearing more
than tbirtv v,nunds FROM, roind shot in
her hull and upper works.
With the channel planted with tor
pedoes and well protected heavy guns
OH shore the Confederates could con-
troll the James against an ordinary
naval outfit. The tOrped0es were han
died by an expert. Lieutenant Hunter
Davidson. His success in exploding.
one under the Barney was not an iso-
lated case. He had done as we'll be-
fore and repeated the feat many times
before the war closed.
Farreaching Federal Plans.
The Federal plans under considera-
ton in August. 1868. We're farreaching
Southern invasion Of the north had
been effectualIy checked in the sum-
mer campaigns. The fall Of Vicksburg
and Port Hudson had opened the Mis-
sissippi river to the sea. The northern
boundary Of the Confederacy was the
Rappahannock line from the Blue
Ridge to the Chesapeake and the Ten
nessee line. stretching also from the
Blue Ridge westward to the Missis
sippi.
Grant was at vicksburg with a
powerful army. He wanted to move
his force down the river by steamboat.
unite with the Army of the Gulf. COM
operate against Mobile. He thought the
Operations against the city on the gulf
would weaken the Confederate defense
of the Tennessee river line. where
General Braxton Bragg had taken up
strong position around Chattanooga.
Bragg depended upon the region be-
tween Chattanooga and Mobile for
army supplies.
The Mobile plan was Overruled in
Washington. and Grant was called
upon within few days to send three
corps from his army to other points
About this time rumOr stated that
Grant was to supersede General
George G. Meade at the head of the
Army of the Potomac. Meade. on his
part. had fixed upon plan to attack
Lees army In its positions along the
Rapidan and around GOrdonsville,
This was revival Of the movement
General Mcclellan had entered upon
when he was removed from command
in November, 1862.
After spanning the Rappahannock
above Fredericksburg with two pom
toon bridges and a railroad bridge
Meade pushed dis advance to and be-
yond Rapidan. even forcing the Con-
federates to give up Culpeper Court
House. a point Of strategic value. His
plan had for Its ultimate object a
march to Richmond. 1t had the ap-
prevail Of military reviewers as being
better than again attacking Freder-
icksburg. which stood across his path
to Richmond. but had twice been the
scene OF Federal disaster. Both Burn
side and Hooker had failed there. the
first In a direct attack. the latter in
a flank movement. ending ut Chancel-
iorsville.
Chattanooga the New Center.
II was for the Army Of the Cumber-
land to encompass the fall Of Chatta-
nooga as plans were developing this
time fifty years ago. 1t had once re-
pulsed. later defeated and still later
outwitted the army which had been
forced to n last stand ut Chattanooga
Its commander. General W. 5. Rose
Grams believed In strategy. where
fighting could be avoided and the END
accomplished without waste Of energy
and human life.
HAs Anh