captains of the civil war-第33节
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ing through for many months； well fed； well armed； and superabundantly supplied。 The Confederates； on the other hand； were fewer in numbers； half starved； in ragged clothing； less well armed； and far less abundantly supplied in every way。 A Northerner who fell sick could generally count on the best of medical care； not to mention a profusion of medical comforts。 But the blockade kept medicines and surgical instruments out of the Southern ports； and the South could make few of her own。 So； to be very sick or badly wounded meant almost a sentence of death in the South。 Eighteen months of war had disillusioned Maryland。 The expected reinforcements never came。
Lee had again divided his army in the hope of snatching victory by means of better strategy。 On the thirteenth of September Jackson was bombarding the Federals at Harper's Ferry； Longstreet was at Hagerstown； and Stuart was holding the gaps of South Mountain。
The same day McClellan； whose whole army was at Frederick； received a copy of Lee's orders。 They had been wrapped round three cigars and lost by a careless Confederate staff officer。 Had McClellan forced the gaps immediately； maneuvered with reasonable skill； and struck home with every available man； he might have annihilated Lee。 But he let the thirteenth pass quietly； and when he did take the passes on the fourteenth it cost him a good deal； as the Confederate infantry had reinforced Stuart。 On the fifteenth Jackson took Harper's Ferry。 On the sixteenth he joined Lee at Antietam。 And on the seventeenth； when the remaining availables had also joined Lee； McClellan made up his mind to attack。 〃Ask me for anything but time；〃 said the real Napoleon。 The 〃Young Napoleon〃 did not even need the asking。
Antietam （so called from the Antietam Creek） or Sharpsburg （so called from the Confederate headquarters there） was one of the biggest battles of the Civil War； and it might possibly have been the most momentous。 But； as things turned out； it was in itself an indecisive action； spoilt for the Federals； first； by McClellan's hesitating strategy； and then by his failure to press the attack home at all costs； with every available man； in an unbroken succession of assaults。 He had over 80；000 men with 275 guns against barely 40；000 with 194 guns of inferior strength。 But though the Federals fought with magnificent devotion； and though the losses were very serious on both sides； the tactical result was a mutual checkmate。 The strategic result； however； was a Confederate defeat； for； with his few worn veterans； Lee had no chance whatever of keeping his precarious hold on a neutral Maryland。
October was a quiet month； each side reorganizing without much interference from the other； except for Stuart's second raid round the whole embattled army of McClellan。 This time Stuart took nearly two thousand men and four horse artillery guns。 Crossing the Potomac at McCoy's Ford on the tenth he reached Chambersburg that night； destroyed the Federal stores； took all the prisoners he wanted； cut the wires； obstructed the rails； and went on with hundreds of Federal horses。 Next day he circled the Federal rear toward Gettysburg； turned south through Emmitsburg； and crossed McClellan's line of communications with Washington at Hyattstown early on the twelfth。 By this time the Federal cavalry were riding themselves to exhaustion in vain pursuit； while many other forces were trying to close in and cut him off。 But he reached the mouth of the Monocacy and crossed White's Ford in safety； fighting off all interference。 The information he brought back was of priceless value。 Lee now learned that McClellan was not falling back on Washington but being reinforced from there； and that consequently no new Peninsula Campaign was to be feared at present。 This alone was worth the effort； risk； and negligible loss。 Stuart had marched a hundred and twenty…six miles on the Federal side of the Potomaceighty of them without a single halt； and he had been fifty…six hours inside the Federal lines； mostly within four riding hours of McClellan's own headquarters。
This second stinging raid roused the loyal North to fury； and by November a new invasion of Virginia was in full swing on the old ground； with McClellan at Warrenton； Lee at Culpeper； and Jackson in the Valley。
But McClellan's own last chance had gone。 Late at night on the seventh he was sitting alone in his tent； writing to his wife； when Burnside asked if he could come in with General C。P。 Buckingham； the confidential staff officer to the War Department。 After some forced conversation Buckingham handed McClellan a paper ordering his supersession by Burnside。 McClellan simply said： 〃Well； Burnside； I turn the command over to you。〃 The eighth and ninth were spent in handing over； and on the tenth McClellan made his official farewell。 Next day he was entraining at Warrenton Junction when the men； among whom he was immensely popular； broke ranks and swarmed round his car； cursing the Government and swearing they would follow no one but their 〃Old Commander。〃 McClellan； with all his faults in the field； was a good organizer； an extremely able engineer； a very brave soldier； a very sympathetic comrade in arms； and a regular father to his men； whose personal interests were always his first care。 The moment was critical。 McClellan； had he chosen； might have imitated the Roman generals who led the revolts of Praetorian Guards。 But he stepped out on the front platform of the car； held up his hand； and； amid tense silence； asked the men to 〃stand by General Burnside as you have stood by me。〃 The car they had uncoupled to prevent his departure was run up and coupled again； and then； amid cheers of mournful farewell； they let him go。
General Ambrose E。 Burnside was expected to smash Lee； take Richmond； and end the war at once。 He was a good subordinate； but quite unfit for supreme command； which he accepted only under protest。 Moreover； he was not supported as he should have been by the War Department； nor even by the Headquarter Staff。 While changing his position from Warrenton to Fredericksburg he was hampered by avoidable delays。 So when he reached Falmouth he found Lee had forestalled him on the opposing heights of Fredericksburg itself。
The disastrous thirteenth of December was dull； calm； and misty。 But presently the sun shone down with unwonted warmth； the mists rolled up like curtains； and there stood 200；000 men； arrayed in order of battle： 80；000 Confederates awaiting the onslaught of 120；000 Federals。
On came the solid masses of the Federals； eighty thousand strong； with forty in support； amid the thunder of five hundred attacking and defending guns。 The sunlight played upon the rising tide of Federal bayonets as on sea currents when they turn inshore。 The colors waved proudly as ever； and to the outward eye the attack seemed almost strong enough to drive the stern and silent gray Confederates clear off the crest。 But the indispensable morale was wanting。 For this was the end of a long campaign； full of drawn battles and terrible defeats。 Burnside was an unpopular substitute for McClellan； he was not in any way a great commander； and he was acting under pressure against his own best judgment。 His army knew or felt all this； and he knew they knew or felt it。 The Federals； for all their glorious courage； felt； when the two fronts met at Fredericksburg； that they were no more than sacrificial pawns in the grim game of war。 After much useless slaughter they reeled back beaten。 But they could and did retire in safety； skillfully 〃staffed〃 by their leaders and close to their unconquerable sea。
Lee could make no counterstroke。 The Confederate Government had not dared to let him occupy the far better position on the line of the North Anna； from which a vigorous counterstroke might have almost annihilated a beaten attacker； who would have been exposed on both flanks； beyond the sure protection of the sea。 Thus fear of an outcry against 〃abandoning〃 the country between Fredericksburg and the North Anna caused the Southern politicians to lose their chance at home。 But without a decisive victory they could not hope for foreign intervention。 So losing their chance at home made them lose it abroad as well。
Burnside was dazed by his defeat and the appalling loss of life in vain。 But after five weeks of most discouraging inaction he tried to surprise Lee by crossing the Rappahannock several miles higher up。 On the twentieth and twenty…first of that miserable January the Federal army ploughed its dreary way through sloughs of gluey mud under torrents of chilling rain。 Then； when the pace had slackened to a funereal crawl； and the absurdly little chance of surprising Lee had vanished altogether； this despairing 〃Mud March〃 came to its wretched end。 Four days later Burnside was superseded by one of his own subordinates； General Joseph Hooker； known to all ranks as 〃Fighting Joe Hooker。〃
Fredericksburg； the spell of relaxing winter quarters beside the fatal Rappahannock； and then the fatal 〃Mud March；〃 combined to lower Federal morale。 Yet the mass of the men； being composed of fine human material； quickly recovered under 〃Fighting Joe Hooker；〃 who knew what discipline meant。 Numbers and discipline tell。 Bu
