Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-02

a twelve FOUNDER rife and a 100 pound
er rife and had proved q match for
the best gunboats in the Confederate
mosquito feet" by running down and
sinking its flagship, the Sea Bird. in
battle in February, 1853. Flusser took
her for his flagship.
The object Of Confederate enterprise
south Of James river in the spring Of
1868 was TO recover all that had been
lost the year before. Plymouth. on
Roanoke river; Washington, on Tar
river, and Newbern, on the Seuse,
were the principal port towns inviting
recanture. Washington lies about thir-
y miles south Of Plymouth, with no
water connection except by circuitoUs
route through two rivers and Pamlico
and Albemarle sounds. New Berne is
thirty-six miles south Of Washington,
but has shorter water connection with
that point than has Plymouth.
The Federals controlled the waters
in the spring Of 1868, but the Confed-
crates controlled railroads running
from the great military centers Of
both Virginia and North Carolina TO
within reasonable marching distance
OF all three places.
Longstreet's Big Enterprise.
OPP TO this date fifty years ago the
two principal armies contending for
the mastery in Virginia had never met
without General James Longstreets
presence on the Confederate side.
From Bull Run TO Fredericksburg
LongstPeets brigade or divisions or
corps had given hard blows to some
opposing unit in the Army Of the Pc
tomac In February, 1853, two divi-
sions Of the corps which he then COM
manded disappeared from Lees win
/ ter quarters on the Rappahannock.
/ Rumors spread throughout the north
/ placed Longstreet at various points
/ other than where he was. Kentucky
/ and Tennessee were said to be ii dan
| ger Of invasion by his renowned leg
| ions. Not until he was heard from
| south Of James river in March could
/ # he supposed that Lee had spared his
"old warehouse" for any project not
/ bearing directly on his own campaign
| in northern Virginia.
The fact was that Lee supposed that
! Hooker would transfer his army from
the Rappahannock to the James river
and try to attack Richmond on the
south side" route. He sent Long
street to Petersburg to prepare TO meet
such move. When Longstreet learned
that the region to the south Of him was
fat In army supplies he ordered the
. troops to make a general advance and
get possession Of them.
Siege of Washington, N. C.
4 division Of Confederates led by
General J. J. Pettigrew had attacked
Newbern on March II without sue
cess. The move appeared 70 be a fein1
10 cover a more formidable operation
against Washington, conducted by Gen
eral y. II. Hill Pettigrew marched
from Newborn 70 Washington. which
was garrisoned by only 300 Fede-als
The troops for this campaign ha(
marched c-om GoIdsborOugh, ffty-sev.
en- miles distant.
The Federal commander of the de
partment. General J. G. Foster. KEPT
. MS heaCGuarerS NJ NeWDerN. Hear
Ing Of the Confederate move on Wash
ing-on. he started by water 20 re-en
force the slender garrison and duec
the defense. His vessel ran aground
in Tar river and delayed the expedition
until it was too late to forestaN Hill
Hills force surrounded III" town oI
March 30 and during the next tire,
days planted batteries Oh the rive
bank at different points 10 repeI tn
advance Of Federal gunboats. With tit
aid oS @urboat fire Fosters ship go
through the blockade Of batteries. ar.
the general was able 20 prepare
strong defense.
General Hi was not cathuaistic Il
this particular crisis. He delayed AZ
.ack until the Federal position wa