Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/278

 270 Southern Historical Society Papers.

sketch, with the names of the volunteers of the Eighth Virginia, who participated in this hazardous and gallant enterprise.

NUMBERS ENGAGED IN THE BATTLE.

The Federal forces, under Baker, in the battle not counting Gorman's 2,250 at Edwards' Ferry comprised the Fifteenth Massachusetts, 600; the Twentieth Massachusetts, 340; the Forty- second New York (Tammany), 360; the First California (Baker's own), 600. To these must be added the men attached to the two howitzers of the First Rhode Island Battery, and the rifle cannon of the First United States Artillery, about 60 more, making in all, 1,960. The Federal losses, as officially reported, were 49 killed, 158 wounded and 714 missing 912. The number drowned were never reported.

A COMPLETE VINDICATION.

A complete vindication of the conduct of the Confederate officers (who had repeatedly called upon the routed Federals to surrender, in order to prevent unnecessary bloodshed) at the landing and in the river is to be found in this extract from the report of Colonel Devens, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts: "It was impossible," said he, "longer to continue to resist, and I should have had no doubt, if we had been contending with the troops of a foreign nation, injustice to the lives of men, it would have been our duty to surrender; but it was impossible to do this to rebels and traitors, and I had no hesitation in advising men to escape as they could, ordering them in all cases to throw their arms into the river rather than give them up to the enemy."

EXPLANATIONS OF THE DISASTER.

There have been many attempted explanations of this memorable Federal disaster, at the time and since it occurred. General McClellan sought to allay the popular wrath and clamor which it caused throughout the North by a general order, in which he said: "The gallantry and discipline there displayed deserved a more fortunate result; but situated as these troops were cut off alike from retreat and reinforcements, and attacked by an overwhelming force, 5,000 against 1,700 it was not possible that the issue could have been successful."

A secret service agent named Buxton, who seems to have been