Why he did not do so I cannot under Centreville towards Gainesville, closely fol- them. lowed by Reno. Meantime, shortly after stand. Our men, much worn down by hard daylight, Sykes' and Reynolds' divisions of service and continued fighting, for many preMcDowell's corps became engaged with the vious days and nights, and very short of proenemy, who was brought to a stand. Heint- visions, rested on their arms. Our horses had zelman and Reno soon after came up, when not had forage for ten days. the entire line became actively engaged. Porter marched as directed, followed by King's division, which was, by this time, joined by Rickett's division, which had been forced back from Thoroughfare Gap by the heavy forces of the enemy advancing to the support of Jackson. As soon as I found that the enemy had been brought to a halt, and was being vigorously attacked along the Warrenton turnpike, I sent orders to Gen. McDowell to advance rapidly on our left and attack the enemy on his flank, extending his right to meet Reynolds' left, and to Gen. Porter to keep his right well closed on McDowell's left, and to attack the enemy in flank and rear, while he was pushed in front. This would have made the line of battle of McDowell and Porter at right angles to that of the other forces engaged. This action raged furiously all day, McDowell, although prevlously in rear of Porter, bringing his whole corps on the field in the afternoon, and taking a conspicuous part in the operations of the day. To my surprise and disappointment I received, late in the afternoon, from Gen. Porter, a note saying that his advance had met the enemy on the flank, in some force, and that he was retiring on Manassas Junction, without engaging the enemy or coming to the assistance of our other forces, although they were engaged in a furious action, only two miles distant and in full hearing of him. A portion of his forces fell back toward Manassas, while he remained, as he afterwards informed me, where he was, looking on the enemy during the afternoon of Friday and part of the same night, passing down in plain view to reinforce the troops under Jackson, with out an effort to prevent it or assist us. One of his brigades, under Gen. Griffin, got round to Centreville, and remained there during the whole of the next day's battle, without coming on the field, though in full view of the battle which was raging; while Gen. Griffin himself spent the day in making ill-natured strictures upon the general commanding, in the presence of a promiscuous assemblage. Darkness closed the action on Friday, the enemy being driven back from his position by Heintzelman's and Reno's corps, and by a furious attack along the turnpike by King's division and McDowell's corps, the enemy leaving his dead and wounded on the battlefield. I do not hesitate to say that if the corps of Porter had attacked the enemy in flank on the afternoon of Friday, as he had my written orders to do, we should have crushed the enemy before the forces under Lee could have joined I had telegraphed and written frequently for rations and forage to be sent us; but on Saturday morning, before the action was resumed, I received a letter from Gen. Franklin, written the day previous from Alexandria, stating that he had been directed by Gen. McClellan to inform me that rations and forage for my command would be loaded into cars and available wagons as soon as I would forward a cavalry escort to Alexandria to bring them up. All hope of being able to maintain my position, whether victorious or not, vanished with this information. My cavalry was utterly broken down by long and constant service in the face of the enemy, and, bad as they were, could not be spared from the front, even if there had been time to go back thirty miles to Alexandria and await the loading of the trains. I at once understood that we must, if possible, finish whatever we had to do that day, or night would find us behind Bull Run, if we wished to save men and animals from starvation. my's large reinforcements having reached him on Friday afternoon and night, he begun to mass on his right, for the purpose of crushing our left and occupying the road leading to Centreville, in our rear. The ene His heaviest assault was made about five o'clock in the afternoon. When, after overwhelming Gen. Fitz-John Porter's forces, and driving him back on the centre and left, mass after mass of the enemy's forces were pushed against our left. A terrific contest, with great slaughter, was carried on for several hours, our men behaving with firmness and gallantry, under the immediate command of Gen. McDowell. When night closed our left was forced back about half a mile, but still remained firm and unbroken, while the right held its ground. Gen. Franklin, with his corps, arrived after dark at Centreville, six miles in our rear; whilst Gen. Sumner was four miles behind Franklin. I could have brought up these corps in the morning in time to have renewed the action, but men and horses were completely exhausted for the want of sufficient food. I accordingly retired to Centreville that night, in perfect order. Neither on Sunday or Monday did the enemy make any advance upon us. On Monday I sent to the army corps commanders for their effective strength, which, all told, fell short of 60,000 men. The enemy, during Monday, again began to move slowly around to our right, for the purpose of possessing Fairfax Courthouse, and thus turning our rear. A portion of Sumner's division had been left there, and I sent General Hooker, on Monday afternoon, to take com- no loss for which they did not exact full retrimand and post himself at or in front of Ger- bution. mantown; at the same time directing McDowell to take position along the turnpike from Centreville to Fairfax Courthouse, about ten miles west of the latter place. Heintzelman was directed to post himself in the rear and support of Reno, who was pushed north of the road at a point about three miles east of Centreville, and to cover the road. Among the officers whom I feel bound to mention with especial gratitude for their most hearty, cordial and untiring zeal and energy, are Generals Hooker, Kearney, McDowell, Banks, Reno, Heintzelman, and many others of inferior rank, whom I shall take great pleasure in bringing to the notice of the gov ernment. The troops have exhibited wonderful patience and courage, and I cannot say too much for them. JOHN POPE, Major General Commanding. It was my purpose in the course of the night to mass my command on the right, in the direction of Germantown, where I felt convinced the next attack of the enemy would be made. Late in the afternoon on Monday the On Sept. 4th, Gen. Pope was assigned to enemy made his demonstration upon German- the command of the Department of the Northtown, but was met by Hooker at that place, west, consisting of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisand by Reno, reinforced by Kearney, further consin, and after a brief sojourn with his west. The battle was very severe, though of short duration, the enemy being driven back one mile, with heavy loss, leaving his dead and wounded. In this short action we lost two of our most valuable and distinguished officers, Generals Kearney and Stevens. By morning the whole of my command was massed behind difficult creeks, between Flint Hill and the Warrenton turnpike, with the advance under Hooker in front of Germantown. With the exception of Gen. Sumner, the commanders of the army of the Potomac had continued to inform me that their commands had been demoralized ever since they had left Harrison's Landing; that they had no spirit and no disposition to fight. This latter statement their conduct in the various actions fully contradicted. But the straggling in those corps was distressing. I received orders on Tuesday afternoon to retire to the entrenchments near Washington, which was accordingly done, in good order and not the slightest loss. Gen. Banks, who had been left with the railroad trains, cut off at Bristow, by the burning of the bridge, was ordered to join me on Monday at Centreville, which he did on the afternoon of that day. This brief summary will explain sufficiently in detail the entire operations of the forces under my command, during sixteen days of continuous fighting by day and marching by night, to confront a powerful enemy with greatly inferior numbers. To fight him by day without the loss of the army; to delay and embarrass his movements, and to force him, by persistent resistance, to adopt long and circuitous routes to his destination, are the duties which have been imposed upon me. They are, of all military operations, the most difficult and the most harassing, both to a commander and to his troops. How far we have been successful, I leave to the judgment of my countrymen. The armies of Virginia and the Potomac have been united in the presence and against the efforts of a wary and vigorous enemy, in greatly superior force, with family in Cincinnati, proceeded to his new field, arriving at St. Paul and establishing his headquarters there, Sept. 16th, 1862. In passing through Chicago, Gen. Pope was serenaded, when he made his appearance on the balcony of the hotel, and, after the most vociferous applause from the assembled thousands, spoke as follows: "My friends-I am glad to see you to-night. I am glad to be back to breathe again the pure air of the State of Illinois. It has been for many years my home, and I am glad to return to it. God Almighty only knows how sorry I am I ever left it. The State of Illinois has poured forth men to this war in a noble way, that has been attested by the bones of her children who have perished upon the battlefield. I am proud of them; I cannot express to you how proud I feel of the noble conduct of the men of Illinois. It is in keeping with the past history of the State. It was with great regret I left the noble army in the West, which was not long since under my command. They were brave men and gallant soldiers. wanted no higher position. I asked none, than to be at the head of the gallant army, upon whose banner were engraved the names of New Madrid, Island 10, of Donelson and of Shiloh. I could have wished that I might have been permitted to have remained with them. I "My friends, I could tell a sad story to you to-night, of recent events, but it is wiser and better that I should not tell it. I am a soldier and recognize a soldier's duty. My services and my life are at the disposal of the Government, and God knows how gladly I will render up both in its behalf. I have but little to say to-night. I have no desire to speak of the past. Whatever wrong may have been done me, I make no complaint. This is not the place to correct. My record is before the people. The popular voice is the best judge, and with them I am willing to leave it." home. GEN. HURLBUT. Major Gen. STEPHEN A. HURLBUT was born t Charleston, S. C., November 29, 1815. His ather was a Unitarian clergyman, and from im he received his education. He read law n the office of James L. Pettigrew, of Charleson, and practiced in that city for some time. Upon the breaking out of the Florida war, he enlisted in a South Carolina regiment, and was lected Adjutant, in which position he served hrough the campaign, but was not in any very great battle. In 1845, he removed to Illinois, and engaged in the practice of his profession n Belvidere, Boone county, which is still his He was a prominent member of the Constitutional Convention of Illinois in 1847, and has several times represented his county with great ability in the Legislature. He was appointed a Brigadier General by President Lincoln, in May, 1861, and was commandant of the post of Fort Donelson for a time after its capture. When Gen. Grant's army moved up the Tennessee river, Gen. Hurlbut was placed in command of the 4th division, comprising twelve regiments of infantry, six. companies of cavalry and three batteries of artillery, and with his division was the first to land at Pittsburgh Landing, and for a week held it alone. His division was posted parallel with the river, one mile and a half inward, the flanks resting on ravines, with a battery of artillery on either flank and in the centre, with a reserve of cavalry and two regiments of infantry, which position it maintained unil that fierce battle began. When additional roops came, they were pushed miles further to the front, Gen. Prentiss' division of green troops occupying the extreme front of our army; and if there be any fault of a surprise, it in no manner rested upon Gen. Hurlbut, or the gallant soldiers or officers under his command. The following description, from the pen of one of the General's aids, gives a graphic account of the part taken by him and his division in the desperate battle of Shiloh: "On Sunday morning, the 6th inst., at about 8 o'clock, it was first known that Gen. Hurlbut's headquarters that there were any signs of an attack by the enemy upon our lines, and in five minutes more a courier came post haste, stating that Gen. Prentiss was engaging the enemy. Gen. Hurlbut immediately * * * * ordered the long beat in his division, and within ten minutes the whole division was ed, and an order to send one brigade to the under arms, the General and his staff mountsupport of Gen. McClernand, which was despatched, and the two other brigades led in person by Gen. Hurlbut, with six companies of Gen. Prentiss. The column had not adof cavalry and two of artillery, to the support vanced above half a mile on the march out before it met the entire division of General Prentiss drifting in upon us in full retreat. artillery was turned about by Gen. Hurlbut, * One battery of Gen. Prentiss' and given a splendid position to play upon the advancing columns of the enemy, but after one fire, the whole battery, cannoneers and the wildest confusion. The boys of Mann's postillions, left guns and horses, and fled in battery, in Gen. Hurlbut's division, left their battery and spiked the guns so deserted, cut the horses loose, and broke the coupling to tiss, a brave officer, who, at the request of the gun carriages. Here we met Gen. PrenGen. Hurlbut, led up one of his brigades, and Gen. Hurlbut the other, forming a line of batof Gen. Prentiss tried with only partial suctle to stop the advancing foe, while the staff cess to rally his division in a line behind ours, and in our support. Our batteries were soon playing upon the enemy, and theirs upon us, and shot and shell flew thick and fast, the their cannoneers evidently understanding their enemy firing from superior rifled guns, and business well. Mann's battery was served with superior skill, and did most terrible exefor musket range, and the enemy boldly adcution. Their columns were soon close enough vancing, a terrible fire of small arms was opened along the whole line, while the artillery poured grape and canister into their ranks, the enemy stoutly resisting, emboldened by their previous success in driving the division of Gen. Prentiss, after their surprise. Gen. Hurlbut, mounted on his grey horse, with shabrack, sash, uniform and trappings, backward and forward along the line, entirely a prominent mark for the enemy's fire, rode heedless of the storm of bullets that he was drawing about himself, encouraging his men and directing their movements. When cautioned that his prominent appearance was drawing the enemy's fire, he only remarked, Oh, well, we Generals must take our chances with the boys.' The enemy soon found they had new troops to encounter, and, falling back, planned their attack more skilfully, bringing to their assistance more batteries of artillery. Wherever a new battery opened, there rode Gen. Hurlbut, directing the planting of a new battery to meet its fire. Occasionally, under the fire of some battery, a terrible assault with musketry would come from the enemy upon some supposed weak point of our lines, to be met by the steady, stern resistance of the brave troops under his command, and for five hours Gen. Hurlbut, with those two light brigades, and without support, not only stopped the enemy, flushed with victory, but successfully held him in check, checkmating his generalship, and driving him back wherever he chose to assault our lines, and only fell back at last when the enemy by his superior numbers was enabled to outflank on either side and place bim within the range of three fires; and even in the falling back giving him as good as he sent, forming new lines of battle on every position that the ground made favorable, and contesting his advance inch by inch. Gen. Hurlbut formed his last line about 4 o'clock P. M., flanking the large siege guns, planted about half a mile from the river bank, and planting his light artillery and all he could pick up in three different positions, so as to open a cross fire from three ways upon the enemy, he determined to stand by those as his last hope. Scarcely were his preparations ready when the enemy appeared above the brow of the hill, but was quickly driven back by the concentrated fire of those screaming batteries, and each time as he advanced, it was only to retire again under that murderous storm of iron missiles. The gunboats getting the range of the enemy's lines, chimed in with their heavy booming, a music that was joy to our boys, and with their massive shells, sent havoc into the enemy's lines. Night soon closed in upon the scene, and by order of Gen. Grant, Gen. Hurlbut moved forward his line of battle about three hundred feet, into the ravine in front of the batteries, where the order was given to lay upon their arms all night, sending out skirmishers-prepared at any moment to resist an attack by the enemy, while the gunboats kept up their fire with their heavy guns, throwing shells alternately of 12 and 20 second fuse up the ravine and in front of our lines, and effectually keeping the enemy from making any advance. Too much credit cannot be given these iron clad monsters of the river, that send terror into the ranks of the 'secesh' wherever their heavy voices are heard, as well by the loud noise they make, as by the terrible execution they do. During the night, Gen. Lew. Wallace, with his entire division, reinforced us from Crump's Landing, and Gen. Buell crossed over to our assistance. These new troops took the advance in the morning, Gen. Wallace on the right and Gen. Buell on the left, and steadily drove the enemy before them, with the assistance of the troops yet left, by the most desperate and heroic bravery ever evinced by any army. Gen. Hurlbut got his division in fighting trim early after breakfast, and I rode along in front of the lines with him. Many familiar faces had gone since the morning before. Col. Ellis and Maj. Goddard, of the 15th Illinois, killed An order dead upon the field, and that gallant regiment, led by Capt. Kelly, only about two hundred strong. The 3d Iowa had all of its field officers killed or wounded, and all its captains killed, wounded, or missing, and less than two hundred strong, were in command of a first lieutenant as ranking officer. soon came to Gen. Hurlbut to support McClernand's right, and Gen. Hurlbut put his division in motion, himself at its head, and pushing forward was met by an aid of Gen. McClernand and directed to his left, where the enemy was flanking Gen. McClernand's division, and arrived just in time to save his left flank from being turned. The writer was in the engagement at Fort Donelson, and supposed that he had passed through as terrible a fire as it was possible to do and escape, but he has to confess that the assault of the rebels in their last efforts upon our lines was the most recklessly desperate of which the imagination can conceive. It seemed as if the inspiration of devils was infused into the ranks of both armies. Some of the ground in this vicinity was fought over as often as six times, so desperately determined were each to maintain it. Gen. Hurlbut, as was also Gen. McClernand, was always to be found where the fire was hottest, directing the movements, and lending encouragement by their presence. About this time Gen. Hurlbut's grey horse was shot, and he mounted a bay, and the writer confesses he was glad of it, for the General's sake, for the grey seemed to be a special mark. The enemy's effort seemed specially directed to flanking us, and he was ever attempting it, under the cover of the many hills and ravines; and at one time, within one hour, our line of battle changed front three times. So confident were the enemy of victory on the night previous, when in possession of our tents, that they did not destroy them, being certain to keep them for his own use, and it is a well ascertained fact that Gen. Beauregard had his headquarters that night in the large office tent of Gen. Hurlbut, but save the holes torn by the bullets, it was uninjured, and occupied by Gen. Hurlbut on the following night. though the enemy stoutly resisted, he was all the time driven back on Monday, and by 4 o'clock P.M., his fire entirely ceased along our whole line, and our cavalry and artillery pursuing him in his flight. Gen. Hurlbut was struck by a spent musket ball on his left arm, but save that received no injury. He had many narrow escapes. The writer saw a rifle shot strike a tree within a few feet of his head, eliciting the remark from him, They have our range pretty well.' At another time a shell burst within ten feet of him, but he was not scratched by it. His courage and coolness under fire, and his entire disregard for his personal safety, were remarked by all under him, and by his bravery and skill in this engagement, he has won the love and confidence of the brave troops of his command." AI For a long time, Gen. Sherman in command, 300 prisoners, two full batteries, and nearly and Gen. Hurlbut with his division, have been 100 stand of small arms. at Memphis. Quite recently, Gen. H., with his troops, moved to reinforce Gen. Grant, and is now leading his "fighting" 4th division near Bolivar, Tennessee. Gen. Hurlbut was recently promoted to a Major General, his commission to date from Sept. 17, 1862, and given for meritorious service at the battle of Shiloh. At the battle of the Hatchie, fought Oct. 6, Gen. Hurlbut, being in command of a large Union force, after seven hours' hard fighting, drove the rebels back five miles, capturing In a private letter to the author, a correspondent, who is well acquainted with Gen. Hurlbut, and who has been in the "cloud and lightning of battle" with him, says: "He is one of the most worthy men in the service. Not an officer or private in his whole division, that went through the fight in those fierce days of battle at Pittsburgh Landing with him, that doubts bis military abitity or his courage, or that has not learned to love the General like a brother, and would risk life to defend his reputation from the least reproach." GEN. PALMER. Brigadier General JOHN MCCAULEY PALMER was born in Christian county, Kentucky, September 13, 1817. His education, which was extremely limited, was derived chiefly, not from teachers and schools, but from books, for which in his early life he displayed a strong love. He removed to Madison county, Illinois, in 1832, and in 1839, settled in Carlinville, his present residence. Here he commenced the study of law, and was admitted to practice early in the year following. He was married, December 20, 1842, to Miss Malinda A. Neeley. In 1847, Mr. Palmer was elected a delegate to the State Constitution Convention, and in 1852 was elected to the State Senate to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Franklin Witt, and was an active member of that body during the sessions of 1852-3-4. In the autumn of 1854, he was re-elected to the same position for another year. In 1856, he was a delegate from Illinois to the National Republican Convention which convened at Philadelphia, and was one of the electors of the State at large to the Republican Convention which met at Chicago in 1860 and nominated Mr. Lincoln. In Janu ary, 1861, Mr. Palmer was appointed by the Governor one of the five commissioners to the Conference Convention which met at Washington, D. C., February 4, 1861, in consequence of the preamble and resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia. April, 1861, he was unanimously elected to the Colonelcy of the 14th Regiment Illinois Volunteers, and received his commission May 18th. Col. Palmer was with his regiment in Missouri during the summer and autumn of 1861, and was with Gen. Fremont in his expedition to Springfield, Mo. December 18th, he was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers, and was attached to Gen. Pope's command at Commerce. He was with that General at the capture of New Madrid and Island No. 10, and accompanied him in his march to Corinth. Being in command of the 1st brigade, 1st division of the army of the Mississippi, he took an active part in the battle of Farmington. He is now with Gen. Grant's army, and still in command of the same brigade, but acting temporarily as commander of the division. |