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Staunton Spectator: May 12, 1863 Go To Page : 1 | 2 |

Bloody Battle and Glorious Victory
(Column a)

Summary: Item reports battle at Chancellorsville and death of Gen. Thomas L. "Stonewall" Jackson.

Full Text of Article:

The battle between the armies of Gen. Lee and Gen. Hooker, which extended in space from West of Chancellorsville, 12 miles from Fredericksburg, to East of that "old burg," and in time from Friday evening, the 1st, to Monday evening, the 4th, was one of the bloodiest and most hotly contested of the war, and resulted in one of the most glorious and decisive victories of our gallant army. The enemy had 158,000 men, whilst Gen. Lee had, we suppose, less than half that number. The enemy were confident of victory, and expected to defeat and capture the army of Gen. Lee. They have been beaten and driven back across the Rappahannock, and Lincoln has called for 500,000 more men. This fact will stand as a refutation of the strongest lying they can possibly perpetrate in reference to this battle. We give as connected an account as we have been enabled to get from the papers of the battle or series of battles.

On Thursday, Hooker's right wing had reached a point near Spotsylvania Court House, his left resting on the Rapidan at Ely's Ford, and his centre on Chancellorsville, ten miles Southwest of Fredericksburg. The hostile lines were at this time in close proximity and skirmishes were frequent. On Friday evening, about six o'clock, General Jackson attacked the enemy's right flank, and the first general battle ensued. General Rhodes, commanding D.H. Hill's old division, being on our extreme left, began the fight. The enemy had, during Thursday night, thrown up formidable breast works to resist an attack from the direction of Fredericksburg, but our forces advancing from a nearly opposite direction, they were, of course, worthless. The enemy finding himself outflanked deserted his works without resistance and fled towards Chancellorsville. Night coming on the pursuit was discontinued. During Saturday Jackson continued to press the enemy's right, whilst General Lee assailed him in front. On Sunday morning, shortly after midnight, the hostile armies occupying lines parallel with the plank road leading from Fredericksburg to Orange Court House, the enemy advanced and delivered battle. At this critical juncture General Jackson received his wounds under the following unfortunate circumstances.

At midnight, on Saturday night, his men being drawn up in line of battle, a body of troops was seen a short distance in advance of our line. It being doubtful whether they were friends or enemies, General Jackson and staff rode forward to ascertain. Whilst he was engaged in reconnoitering, his men, being unaware of his movement, mistook himself and staff for enemies and fired a volley into them, instantly killing one of his staff and severely wounding Gen. Jackson and Major Crutchfield. One bullet passed through the General's right hand, whilst another struck his left arm below the elbow, and, ranging upward, shattered the bone near the shoulder. He instantly fell to the ground. His brother-in-law, who was with him, laid down beside him to ascertain the character of his wounds. In a moment the unknown troops in front, who proved to be the enemy, advanced and captured two other staff officers who were standing over the General without noticing him. Soon after, four of our men placed him on a stretcher, and were bearing him to the rear, when they were all shot down. The injury to his right hand is severe, one of the bones having been shot away, but it is believed he will ultimately recover its use. His left arm was amputated near the shoulder by Dr. Maguire, of Winchester, and he is said to be doing as well as could be expected.

[Since the above was in type we have learned, by telegraph, the sad intelligence that Lieut. Gen. Thos. J. Jackson, the hero, patriot and christian is no more. He died of pneumonia at Guinea Station at a quarter after 3 o'clock on Sunday evening last.

This intelligence will cast a pall of gloom over the whole Confederacy. "The Lord give, and the Lord hath taken away." His is one of the "few immortal names that were not born to die."]

After one of the most desperate and bloody battles of the war, which lasted until ten o'clock on Sunday morning, Hooker was beaten at all points, and fell back towards the Rapidan at its confluence with the Rappahannock, some sixteen miles above Fredericksburg. This was the battle of Chancellorsville. Whilst it was raging, Sedgwick, with an overwhelming force, advanced from the Rappahannock below Fredericksburg, upon General Early, who, with one division held the heights of Fredericksburg. After a short but desperate resistance, Early was compelled to retire towards Chancellorsville, and Sedgwick took possession of the long coveted heights. In this fight the enemy captured a number of prisoners and five guns of the Washington Artillery battalion.

The enemy's triumph was destined to be shortlived. General McLaws being sent to General Early's assistance, in less than two hours dislodged Sedgwick and drove him into the valley of the Rappahannock. General Lee, having punished Hooker sufficiently to keep him quiet for the balance of the day, turned his troops towards Fredericksburg, determined to drive Sedgwick beyond the river and get rid of him. This he did, but as we learn, after the dearest bought victory of the day.

After Sunday there was no fighting of consequence on the upper line. On Monday and Tuesday the stillness was occasionally broken by the reports of heavy ordinance, but no engagement occurred, and on Wednesday night the enemy, taking advantage of the storm, recrossed his shattered and discomfitted columns to the North bank of the Rappahannock.

Hooker owes the safety of the remainder of his defeated army to the storm which prevented Gen. Lee from falling upon him again.

It will be seen by the following General order of Gen. Hooker, issued just before the battle, that he thought "certain destruction" awaited the army of Gen. Lee, if it did not "ingloriously fly."

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Camp near Falmouth, April 30.
General Orders No. 47.

It is with heartfelt satisfaction that the Commanding General announces to the army that the operations of the last three days have determined that our enemy must either ingloriously fly or come out from behind his defences and give us battle on our own grounds, where certain destruction awaits him. The operations of the 15th, 11th and 12th corps have been a succession of splendid achievements.

By command of Maj. Gen. Hooker,
S. WILLIAMS, Ass't Adj't Gen'l.

We have not been able to learn the casualties in the regiments from this county. We understand that, in the 52d regiment there were only three slightly wounded. In the 5th regiment, we have been informed, that there were nine killed and one hundred and eleven wounded. Of these we have been furnished with the names of the following:

KILLED: Lieut. Bell, Co. C; Lieut. Green, co.G; Fleming Carroll, Co. F; --Blakely, Co. E; Sergt --Brown, Co. C; and Win Martin, Co. L.

WOUNDED: Lieut J.N. Ryan, commanding company L, right leg amputated above knee; D M Bailey, Co R, little finger off; Sergt Wm Bailey, Co. F, flesh wound in arm; John W Stover, fore arm; Win F Adkins, arm; Sergt Geo W Goodson, Co. K, left little finger off; John F Porterfield, Co. B, contusion of foot; Wm S Swartz, Co. K, severely in fore arm; John W Hodges, Co. K, slight wound in side and arm; F M Bell, Co. C. severely in head; Corporal George Bailey, Co F, gun shot wound in side of chest; D C Adams, Co C, slightly in head; M Smith co D, slightly in hand; Robt Wiseman co D, shot through hand; Wm Harris, co E, flesh wound through arm; Saml P Harris, co D, slightly in side; Jacob Runkle, co--, slightly in calf of leg; A J Miley, co C, slightly in leg; Joshua Kidd, co. C, in leg; A M Lambert, co. C, in neck; Saml Propes, co. C, slightly in thigh; James B Aires, co. C, in leg; John Thompson, co. L, big toe and ankle, slightly; Sergeant Wayland, Co. F, flesh wound in thigh; Corpl Trotter, co. E, severely in abdomen; Wm Abney, flesh wound; Edward Johns, co. F, in thigh; Sergt. John Stitzer, Co I, mortally wounded--since dead.

Staunton Artillery, Capt Garber commanding.--Sergeant C. E. Butler, knee, severely; John Sullivan, hip, slightly.

The 10th Regiment from Rockingham suffered severely, and lost about 130 killed and wounded. The following is a list of the officers killed and wounded:

Lt. Col. S. T. Walker, Maj. Stover, and Capt. Kibler, killed; Lieut. Kemper and Bob Raglan, killed; Col. Warren, Major G. Houston, Capt. Martin, Capt. Ralston, slightly wounded; Capt I. G. Coffman taken prisoner.

Lt. Kemper refused to surrender and the Yankees took his life.

John Bradly, co. E, flesh wound in leg; Jacob H. Coffman, co. H, flesh wound in thigh; Wistman, co. K, compound fracture of fore arm; J. H. Faulkner, co. A, two fingers off; Joseph Lyder, co. A, very slightly in finger; Luther Lyder, co. A, in arm; David Kennedy, co. I, right leg amputated below knee; Chas Cooper, co. I, wounded in leg; John Spitler, co.--, mortally wounded in bowels; James Cash, co. E, leg fractured; Abe Rubush, co. E, flesh wound in neck; Lt Saml Carson, co. D, flesh wound in wrist; Lt Charles Calhoun, co. F, leg amputated at knee, since dead; J B McCutchen, co. D, wounded in head; C C Cochran, co. D, in ankle; Jos T Beard, co. D, in foot; Lt Doyle, co. G, in leg; Ausbert Vanlear, co. F, leg amputated above knee; Wilkinson, co. I, in wrist; --Weaver, co. K, in finger; --Thompson, co. G, in arm; Jos Shoemake co. I, in breast with shell; James Shumake, Co. I, in breast with ball; Thomas Adams, co. I, through leg; Thos C Stringer, through neck; Harvey Wise, in foot, slight.

Self-Condemned
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Summary: More criticism directed at the Vindicator over John Baldwin's candidacy.

Congressional Canvass
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Summary: Item calls attention to the questions asked of Col. Baldwin by a "voter" in the last issue of the "Vidicator" and Col. Baldwin's answers to them.

Another Candidate
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Summary: Item notes that McCue has announced himself a candidate for the House of Delegates.
(Names in announcement: J. Marshall McCue)

[No Title]
(Column 3)

Summary: Item notes that Harman has declined to accept the nomiantion to run for Congress.
(Names in announcement: William H. Harman)

Questions Answered
(Column 4)

Summary: Baldwin responds to questions directed at him in the pages of the "Vindicator".

Full Text of Article:

Staunton, May 8th, 1863

"A VOTER," in the Vindicator of today, asks me a number of questions, to which I reply as follows:

First. Did you vote for the Ordinance of Secession as a member of the Convention?

Answer. I did not.

Second. Did you vote for the Ordinance of Secession at the polls?

Answer. I did, at Richmond, in presence of the Governor and Council, and I, also, signed the Ordinance in token of my willingness to follow the fortunes of Virginia wherever they might lead.

Third. In voting against the expulsion of the traitor Carlyle, singly, and alone, did you doubt his loyalty? Or was your vote based upon other grounds? This objection to you is alleged to have a peculiar significance from the fact that you and Carlyle were made the special objects of public honors by the disloyal of Richmond.

Answer. I did vote singly and alone against the expulsion of Carlyle from the Convention. From my knowledge of the man, and from the rumors which prevailed, I believed him to be disloyal, but I was called upon as a sworn judge to condemn an absent man without giving him notice of the trial, or any opportunity to make defence; and I was asked to do this without any testimony of record to which I could appeal in justification of my action. This, I refused to do, because I regarded such a proceeding as not merely affecting Carlyle, but as involving the rights of the people he represented, and as tending to establish, in the midst of all the wild excitement of a revolution, a precedent dangerous to individual right and to representative liberty. Carlyle was already a fugitive in disguise, and it would have been easy to give him a kick as he went down hill. Many a rogue has passed for an honest man by merely crying, "stop thief."

The statement that I was "made the special object of public honors by the disloyal of Richmond," is untrue. Some Union ladies of Virginia presented me with a wreath of flowers at Richmond, and the Union ladies at Staunton sent me a silver goblet. Who questions the loyalty of these ladies?

Fourth. Do you now, or have you at any time since your election to Congress, looked to, or spoken of, compromise or reconstruction as the finality of our struggle against the iniquitous assumptions of our enemies?

Answer. I do not, and have not. I was among the last to give up the old Union; but when I did so, I gave it up forever.

Fifth. Did you, about the time of taking command of the Fifty-second Regiment--eight companies of which are from the County of Augusta, in a public speech at the Court House express your solemn sense of the responsibility of your position, as the guardian of the welfare and lives of the sons and relatives of your friends and neighbors, and did you abandon that Regiment after a few brief months in the field? This is feelingly spoken of against you, by parents and friends.

Answer. I did make such a speech. The Fifty-second Regiment was enlisted for one year, and when the command was offered to me, I gave up a position in Richmond of higher rank, greater comfort, and better pay, to accept it. When I became a candidate for Congress, I stated that it was my purpose to serve with my Regiment to the end of the year. When Congress met, the House of Representatives decided that the two positions were incompatible; but, at my earnest solicitation, they gave me leave of absence to be with my Regiment to the end of the year, and I returned to it for that purpose. After my return to the Regiment, the Conscript law was passed which vacated my commission, and an order was made for the entire re-organization of the Regiment. The army had just fallen back from Shenandoah mountain under orders from General Jackson, and finding that the law allowed a postponement of the elections in the Regiment for about a month longer, I made an earnest effort to obtain such a postponement upon the express ground that the officers then in commission desired to take part in the approaching campaign in the Valley. Failing in this, I was compelled to leave the service. I was elected to Congress in November, but continued in command of my Regiment until the May following. My only furlough was spent in the publice [sic] service in Congress, and my only other absence was when sent home ill with camp fever.

Sixth. Did you, since your election to Congress, declare positively in the town of Staunton, in the hearing of soldiers and others, after the disasters at Roanoke and Donelson, that it was useless to disguise the fact that we were whipped--that we were a conquered people?

Answer. I never thought so, or said so, in Staunton or elsewhere, in public or private, to soldier or citizen. On the contrary, I have always thought, and still think, that the success of our cause is as certain as anything in the future.

And Seventh. As the result of this belief, did you, by deed, divest yourself of your property for the benefit of female relatives?

Answer. I did not. I had agreed to sell my house and furniture to some orphan girls, members of my family, as a means of securing to them a home when deprived of my protection. The property was valued by George M. Cochran, Wm. W. Donaghe and Benjamin Crawford, and the papers were all prepared, but the arrangement was never consummated, and I am still the owner of the property I had at the beginning of the war, but of nothing more.

I have thus answered all the questions put by "A Voter," and it cannot but have struck all who have read the questions and answers that not one of them has any relation to my public conduct as the Representative from this district. The attempt to associate me with Carlyle in the public estimation approaches the sublime of impudence. I have not been ignorant of the fact that here, in the community where I was born, and where I have spent my whole life, there has been for some time past a systematic effort to deprive me of the public confidence, and that, for this purpose, slander has been organized, and my whole conduct, public and private, has been subjected to malignant criticism and misrepresentation. I am a patient man and slow to seek controversy with any one; but assailed as I am by a gang of scoundrels, I feel that it is time to let it be known that I am prepared to meet them with utter defiance.

If "A Voter" belongs to the gang he will understand me, if he is only one of their tools, I feel for him mere contempt and pity.

JOHN B. BALDWIN.
District papers copy one time.

Trailer: John B. Baldwin

A Card
(Column 5)

Summary: Baldwin asks his friends in the Army to help stem the tide of slanders that have been uttered against him.
(Names in announcement: John B. Baldwin)

Trailer: John B. Baldwin

For the Spectator
(Column 5)

Summary: Harman withdraws from the Congressional race.
(Names in announcement: William H. Harman)

For the Spectator. Camp of 52nd Regiment.
(Column 5)

Summary: Lt. Dold refutes Isaac Airy's contention that he was never a member of Dold's company. Dold mainains that Airy is indeed a deserter.
(Names in announcement: Isaac W. Airy, Lt. James A. Dold, James Croft, Gen. Imboden)

For the Spectator
(Column 5)

Summary: Writer endorse Howe Peyton for Congress.
(Names in announcement: Howe Y. Peyton)

Trailer: A Voter

Rogues About!
(Column 5)

Summary: Writer complains that food stores are being stolen from smokehouses and insists that the Government should take measures to stop the theft.

Camp near Moss Neck, VA
(Column 5)

Summary: Letter wishes to recruit John Cupp to run for Congress.
(Names in announcement: John J. Cupp)

Religious Notice
(Column 5)Announcements
(Column 6)

Summary: John D. Imboden announces his candidacy for Lt. Governor.
(Names in announcement: John D. Imboden)

Appointments of Commissioners and Officers of Election
(Column 7)

Summary: Item lists election officers by District.
(Names in announcement: F. M. Young, William Peyton, A. J. Garber, C. T. Cochran, Benjamin Crawford, R. W> Stevenson, William R. Dulap, Samuel A. Kerr, William Thompson, James R. Grove, E. Hogshead, William Bell, Robert Young, John Newton, John Merrit, Benjamin Stuart, Jacob Van Lear, William Van Lear, Henry Darnall, William Chapman, Franklin McCue, John Hamilton, John G. Guthrie, Samuel McCune, William Caldwell, George Antrim, George C. Roberts, Jacob Coffman, James Gentry, Nathaniel Kerr, John C. Myers, James W. Crawford, Joseph D. Craig, James A. Patterson, Benjamin Craig, John C. McCue, William Crawford, Thomas Burke, C. K. Hyde, Theophilous Gamble, D. N. Van Lear, A. R. Bell, John G. Fulton, Joseph F. Hertel, James Wilson, H. B. Seig, John C. Bell, Jacob Baylor, J. Christian, Lightner, James Henry, Samuel D. Nelson, Peter Steele, William Guy, William Montgomery, Reuben Padget, S. A. Hunter, Walter Lewis, James J. Martin, William Smiley, John McChesneyDr., A. W. Anderson, A. S. Turk, James Byers, Martin Whitmer, A. Huffman, Chesley Kinney, Thomas S. Hogshead)