HIGHLY IMPORTANT NEWS: Harper’s Ferry Evacuated by the Rebels; Retreat of the Rebels Towards Winchester; LIFE AT FORTRESS MONROE (6/15/1861)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 6/15/1861

[Homer_J_Simpson]

WASHINGTON, Friday, June 14.

The news of the evacuation of Harper's Ferry by the rebels was received at the War Department to-day about 12 o'clock. They went away with baggage down the road to Winchester, destroying all they could not carry, and, like a steam-plow, taking up the railroad track and burning the bridges as they run.

This result I telegraphed you three weeks ago must take place. They could not stay at the Ferry, and had to run. Where they have gone is the question now. Down to Winchester by rail, thence by a march of twelve miles to Strasburg or Front Royal, and then by railroad again to Manassas Junction; and doubtless to-night they are there or thereabouts, unless the Leesburgh column has taken the liberty of burning bridges and destroying a portion of the track from the Gap to the Junction.

How long will they stay at Manassas? There is a wide difference of opinion about this point. Some see in this evacuation of Harper's Ferry, and the retreat upon Manassas, an immediate attack upon Washington. Among some of the transient visitors and the oldest inhabitants, the danger of an attack on the city is very imminent -- but, depend upon it, the rebels at Manassas will not move towards Washington. Their next movement will be another retreat -- a retreat in the direction of Richmond. They will stay at Manassas until, like locusts, they have eaten up the country, and then they will,

"Fold their tents, like the Arabs, and as quietly steal away."

There is no help for them. They must go.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum

The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.

Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3967651/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Highly Important News: Harper’s Ferry Evacuated by the Rebels – 2-3
Reports from Alexandria – 3
Harper’s Ferry Evacuated: Retreat of the Rebels and Destruction of the Bridge – 3
Life at Fortress Monroe: Private Letter from a Member of Duryee’s Zouaves– 3-4
Editorial: The Advance into Virginia-Necessity of Prudence and Economy of Life – 4-5
Something New – 5
The First Regiment Scott Life Guard– 5
From the Highland Regiment – 6
Hospital Supplies for the Army – 6
The Feeling Abroad: Loyal Americans Purchasing Cannon for the Government – 6
Editorial: Congress and the Rebel States – 6

[NohSpinZone]

Do you have a ping list going? I’d love to be added.

[BroJoeK]

Here is our listing of Civil War engagements to date:

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
April 12-14	Fort Sumter, SC	Confederate artillery, Union garrison	None	CSA
April 15	Evacuation of Fort Sumter, SC	Union garrison	Two Union soldiers killed, four wounded by accidental explosion	N.A.
April 19	Baltimore Riots, MD	MA 6th, PA 26th vs secessionist crowd	4 Union soldiers killed, 12 civilians killed, hundreds wounded	USA
May 10	St. Louis Riots, MO	Union forces vs secessionist crowd	4 Union soldiers killed, 3 prisoners, 28 civilians killed	USA
May 18-19	Sewell's Point, VA	Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery	10 total	inconclusive
May 29- June 1	Aquila Creek, VA	Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery	10 total	inconclusive
June 1	Fairfax Court House, VA	detachments from CSA & USA armies	8 on each side, 1 each killed	inconclusive
June 3	Philippi, WVA	Union Dept of Ohio (McClellan), CSA infantry	Union 4, CSA 26 (killed or wounded)	USA
June 10	Big Bethel, VA	Union: 3,500 (Butler) , CSA 1,400 (Magruder)	Union 18-killed 53-wounded, CSA: 1-K 9-W	CSA

By my count these total to about 200 casualties including 35 deaths.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Good list... But is it fair to say ‘West Virginia’ at this point?

April 17, 1861 - Richmond convention voted on the Ordinance of Secession. (17 for 30 against from the 49 delegates from the future State of West Virginia)

May 13, 1861 - First Wheeling convention. 425 delegates. 25 counties. ‘Virginia’s secession was not yet ratified’ so they delayed.

May 23, 1861 - Virginia secession ratified. (34,677 against to 19,121 for in future West Virginia)

June 11, 1861 - Second Wheeling Convention. They adopt “A Declaration of the People of Virginia” by John S. Carlile.
- declare the Secession convention illegal.
- declared the pro-secession government in Richmond void.

June 14, 1861 - Today.

June 19, 1861 - They passed an act for the reorganization of the government.
- Francis H Pierpont named governor of “Restored Government of Virginia’
- elected other officers
- adjourned.

I think it would be fair to say that the mountain formed the boundary between the two sides.

But we have a few more years before this portion of Virginia officially becomes West Virginia. President Lincoln admitts them into the Union effective June 20, 1863.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restored_Government_of_Virginia

[Pikachu_Dad]

So what was the maneuvering for?

Wheeling to Fairmont:

“On May 26, McClellan, in response to the burning of bridges on the Baltimore & Ohio near the town of Farmington, ordered Col. Benjamin Franklin Kelley of the (Union) 1st West Virginia Infantry[4] with his regiment and Company A of the 2nd West Virginia Infantry, to advance from Wheeling to the area and safeguard the important bridge over the Monongahela River at Fairmont, a distance of about 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Wheeling.

Kelley’s men were supported by the 16th Ohio Infantry under Col. James Irvine.

After securing Fairmont, the 1st West Virginia advanced again and seized the important railroad junction of Grafton, about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Fairmont, on May 30.”

[Pikachu_Dad]

and also

PARKERSBURG to GRAFTON:

“Meanwhile, the 14th Ohio Infantry Regiment, under Col. James B. Steedman, was ordered to occupy Parkersburg

and then proceed to Grafton, about 90 miles (140 km) to the east.

By May 28, McClellan had ordered a total of about 3,000 troops into Western Virginia and placed them under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Morris, commander of Indiana Volunteers.”

[Pikachu_Dad]

Confederate forces retreat:

“As the Union columns advanced,

Porterfield’s poorly armed 800 recruits retreated to Philippi, about 17 miles (27 km) south of Grafton.

Philippi was the county seat of Barbour County, which had voted in favor of Virginia’s secession ordinance.

A palmetto secession flag had been flying above the courthouse since January, 1861.[5]

At Philippi, a covered bridge spanned the Tygart Valley River and was an important segment of the vital Beverly-Fairmont Turnpike.”

[Pikachu_Dad]

Union attacks:

“Col. Kelley devised a two-prong attack against the Confederate force in Philippi, approved by Gen. Morris on his arrival in Grafton on June 1.”

PRIMARY WING:
The principal advance would be 1,600 men led by Kelley himself, and would include six companies of his own regiment, nine of the 9th Indiana Infantry Regiment under Col. Robert H. Milroy, and six of the 16th Ohio Infantry.

In order to deceive the enemy into thinking the objective was Harpers Ferry, they departed by train to the east.

They disembarked at the small village of Thornton and marched south on a back road on the same side of the river as Philippi, intending to arrive at the rear of the town.”

SECOND WING:
“Meanwhile, the 7th Indiana under Col. Ebenezer Dumont were sent to Webster, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of Grafton. They would unite with the 6th Indiana under Col. Thomas T. Crittenden and the 14th Ohio under Col. Steedman.

The column, with a total of 1,400 men under Col. Dumont (with the assistance of Col. Frederick W. Lander, volunteer aide-de-camp to Gen. McClellan), would march directly south from Webster on the Turnpike.

In this way, the Union force would execute a double envelopment of the outnumbered Confederates.”

[Pikachu_Dad]

Probably one of the more important early victories.

“The Union attackers began firing their artillery, which awakened the Confederates from their slumber. Those who were armed fired a few shots at the advancing bluecoats, then Southerners broke and began running to the south, some still in their bed clothes.

This caused Union journalists to refer to the battle as the “Races at Philippi”.

Dumont’s soldiers entered the town from the bridge (Col. Lander’s ride down the steep hillside through heavy underbrush was considered such a feat of horsemanship that Leslie’s Weekly gave an illustrated account of it shortly afterward[8]), but Kelley’s column had arrived from the north on the wrong road and were unable to block the Confederate retreat.

Kelley himself was shot while pursuing some of the retreating Confederates, but Col. Lander chased down and captured the man who shot Kelley.

The Confederates retreated to Huttonsville, about 45 miles (72 km) to the south.”