Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/108

 100 Southern Historical Society Papers,

credits them, from General Grant down to John Pope, with a degree of assinine stupidity with which the Confederates never even invested General Halleck.

While the deeds of the Confederate army are its best eulogy, it is pleasing to recall the encomiums of a brave and candid foe. Another Federal soldier writes, in the connection already referred to : " Such a force thrown into battle was almost resistless, and the question of organization or discipline in the Army of Northern Virginia needs no other answer than a reading of the roll of battles fought on Vir- ginia soil, from Bull Run to Appomattox. * * * Lee led his ill- supplied army from victory to victory, year after year, beating back with terrible losses the wonderfully organized, perfectly equipped, lavishly supplied, abundantly officered Army of the Potomac.

THE FIRST YEAR OF WAR

closed gloriously for the Confederacy, Bull Run and Ball's Bluff, in Virginia, and Belmont, Springfield and Lexington, in Missouri, had scored as many victories for its arms. These, however, were but the preluding skirmishes to the mighty shock of battle which was yet to come.

I shall not tax your patience to-night with details of battle and of siege, of advance and retreat, of alternate victory and defeat. Or note each movement of that mighty tide of war, which carried on its flow high hopes, free aspirations, proud emotions, anticipated suc- cess, peace, and left behind at its ebb shattered human wrecks, en- sanguined fields, desolated homes, stricken hearts. Over all the star of hope looked down, the banner of the Southern cross still flew, and

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1 862

crowned the Confederate arms with a series of successes which gave brilliant prospect of ultimate independence.

Jackson's immortal ** Valley Campaign" ; the "Seven Days'" wrestle of giants, by which Richmond was relieved of the presence of a great investing army, to which her spires had for weeks been visi- ble ; the second and greater victory at Manassas, which rolled the tide of invasion back across the border ; the Confederate invasion of Maryland ; the capture of Harper's Ferry ; the great battle of Sharps- burg, where thirty-five thousand Confederates divided the honors with eighty-seven thousand Federals ; Fredericksburg, from whose encir- cling hills the gallant and mighty ** Army of the Potomac" reeled