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there more rapidly than in any other part of Virginia. The proposition to erect this portion of Virginia into a new State created considerable discussion. The views of the Attorney-General of the United States, (Bates,) together with a statement of the plans of the Government relative to the seceded States, were thus expressed in a letter to a member of the Convention in Western Virginia: "The formation of a new State out of Western Virginia is an original, independent act of revolution. I do not deny the power of revolution-(I do not call it right, for it is never prescribed; it exists in force only, and has and can have no law but the will of the revolutionists.) Any attempt to carry it out involves a plain breach of both the Constitutions-of Virginia and of the Nation. And hence it is plain that you cannot take such course without weakening, if not destroying, your claims upon the sympathy and support of the General Government, and without disconcerting the plan already adopted both by Virginia and the General Government for the reorganization of the revolted States and the restoration of the integrity of the Union.

"That plan I understand to be this: When a State, by its perverted functionaries, has declared itself out of the Union, we avail ourselves of all the sound and loyal elements of the State, all who own allegiance to and claim protection of the Constitution, to form a State government as nearly as may be upon the former model, and claiming to be the very State which has been in part overthrown by the successful rebellion. In this way we establish a constitutional nucleus around which all the shattered elements of the commonwealth may meet and combine, and thus restore the old State in its original integrity.

"This, I verily thought, was the plan adopted at Wheeling, and recognized and acted upon by the General Government here. Your Convention annulled the revolutionary proceedings at Richmond, both in the Convention and the General Assembly, and your new Governor formally demanded of the President the fulfilment of the constitutional guarantee in favor of Virginia-Virginia as known to our fathers and to us. The President admitted the obligation, and promised his best efforts to fulfil it. And the Senate admitted your Senators, not as representing a new and nameless State, now for the first time heard of in our history, but as representing the good old commonwealth.'

"Must all this be undone, and a new and hazardous experiment be ventured upon at the moment when dangers and difficulties are thickening around us? I hope not; for the sake of the nation and the State I hope not. I had rejoiced in the movement in Western Virginia as a legal, constitutional, and safe refuge from revolution and anarchy-as at once an oxample and fit instrument for the restoration of all the revolted States.

"I have not time now to discuss the subject in its various bearings. What I have written

is written with a running pen and will need your charitable criticism."

The Convention in session at this time passed an ordinance creating a State. This was to be approved by the people at an election on the 24th of October. Provision was also made for the annexation to the State of any adjoining counties which might desire it. This ordinance was approved by a majority of nearly one hundred to one. It was proposed to call the new State, Kanawha. Its population would be about 282,000.

Public affairs, however, remained in the position in which they were originally placed. The new organization was regarded as representing the old commonwealth. On the 2d of December, the Legislature again assembled. The Governor recommended the repeal of the stay law, and the confiscation of the property of secessionists. He congratulated the people that they had contributed their full quota to the army of the United States, which was about 6,000 men. He added: "We have been repeatedly told that Western Virginia would soon be overrun and subjugated by the Confederate armies, our property confiscated and ourselves driven from our homes or subjected to the penalties of treason. Wise, Floyd and Lee were in their turn to accomplish this work. They have attempted it, and have owed their own safety to the rapidity with which they have retreated before our forces."

After the proclamation calling for troops by President Lincoln, military operations assumed great activity in the bordering State of Ohio. General George B. McClellan was invited from his duties in connection with the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, by the Governor of Ohio, and appointed to the chief command in the State. Under his directions the volunteers were organized, and preparations for a campaign made. Early in May, the forces were ready to cooperate with the two or three regiments organized in Western Virginia, to oppose the advance of Confederate troops. The occupation of Western Virginia, which had voted against the Ordinance of Secession, and its control, was early an object with the Confederate Government. To oppose them, General McClellan pushed forward, under the orders of the United States Government.

On the 26th of May, he issued the following proclamation to the people of Western Virginia, from his head-quarters at Cincinnati, Ohio: To the Union Men of Western Virginia:

VIRGINIANS: The General Government has long enough endured the machinations of a few factious rebels in your midst. Armed traitors have in vain endeavored to deter you from expressing your loyalty at the polls. Having failed in this infamous attempt to deprive you of the exercise of your dearest rights, they now seek to inaugurate a reign of terror, and thus force you to yield to their schemes and submit to the yoke of traitorous conspiracy dignified by the name of the Southern Confederacy. They are destroying the property of citizens of your State and ruining your magnificent railways.

The General Government has heretofore carefully

abstained from sending troops across the Ohio, or even from posting them along its banks, although frequently urged by many of your prominent citizens to do so. It determined to wait the result of the State election, desirous that no one might be able to say that the slightest effort had been made from this side to influence the free expression of your opinions, although the many agencies brought to bear upon you by the rebels were well known. You have now shown, under the most adverse circumstances, that the great mass of the people of Western Virginia are true and loyal to that beneficent Government under which we and our fathers lived so long.

As soon as the result of the election was known, the traitors commenced their work of destruction. The General Government cannot close its ears to the demand you have made for assistance. I have ordered troops to cross the river. They come as your friends and brothers as enemies only to armed rebels, who are preying upon you; your homes, your families, and your property are safe under our protection. All your rights shall be religiously respected, notwithstanding all that has been said by the traitors to induce you to believe our advent among you will be signalized by an interference with your slaves. Understand one thing clearly not only will we abstain from all such interference, but we will, on the contrary, with an iron hand crush any attempt at insurrection on their part. Now that we are in your midst, I call upon you to fly to arms and support the General Government; sever the connection that binds you to traitors; proclaim to the world that the faith and loyalty so long boasted by the Old Dominion are still preserved in Western Virginia, and that you remain true to the Stars and Stripes. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding.

On the same day he issued the following proclamation to his troops:

SOLDIERS: You are ordered to cross the frontier and enter on the soil of Virginia. Your mission is to restore peace and confidence, to protect the majesty of the law, and secure our brethren from the grasp of armed traitors. I place under the safeguard of your honor the persons and property of the Virginians. I know you will respect their feelings and all their rights, and preserve the strictest discipline. Remember, each one of you holds in his keeping the honor of Ohio and of the Union. If you are called upon to overcome armed opposition, I know your courage is equal to the task. Remember, that your only foes are armed traitors, and show mercy even to them when in your power, for many of them are misguided. When, under your protection, the loyal men of Western Virginia shall have been enabled to organize and form until they can protect themselves, you can return to your homes with the proud satisfaction of having preserved a gallant people from destruction.

G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding.

The instructions to General McClellan were to cross the Ohio, and, in conjunction with the forces of Western Virginia under Colonel Kelley, to drive out the Confederate force, and advance on Harper's Ferry. On the night of the 26th of May, orders were given to Colonel Kelley at Wheeling, to march on Grafton, which he proceeded to execute early the next morning with the First Virginia Volunteers. He was followed on the same day by the Sixteenth Ohio, Colonel Irvine, which had been stationed at Bellair, Ohio. These forces advanced by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. At the same time, the Fourteenth Ohio, Colonel Steadman, crossed the Ohio at Marietta, and occupied Parkersburg. These, advancing on the rail

road, were welcomed by crowds at every station. On the same night, a Confederate force of 1,500 men evacuated Grafton, and that place was occupied, on the 29th, by the Virginia and Ohio Volunteers. Here they were joined by the Seventh and Ninth India The Confederate force, in the mean time, bad retired to Philippi, where they prepared a make a stand with considerable strea Philippi is twenty-four miles from Gras and General McClellan determined to surprise the Confederate force. On the night of June 2, two divisions moved forward for this parpose. (See PHILIPPI.) The surprise was ruzplete, and the Confederate force, under Cond G. A. Porterfield, was forced to retire, doning a large amount of stores and arins, wich a loss of fifteen killed. Owing to the stor and the darkness of the night, the first dirs ion, under Colonel Kelley, was unable to arrive in the rear of the Confederate force soon enoug to cut off its retreat. This force retired to Laurel Hill, in the vicinity of Beverly, where the enemy was concentrated in a strongly fornited position, which not only commanded the road to the southern part of the State, whence the Confederate supplies were obtained, but from which an attack upon the Federal furces was constantly threatened. Laurel Hill is on the western slope of a range of the Aligh Mountains, which runs from northeast to southwest, and which is impassable for an army except at certain points. The Confederate ezcampment was on a slope which declined gralually to the valley, and was strongly for: in front, below which passed the only road to southern Virginia. The plan of General MoClellan was to occupy the attention of the ene my, by the appearance of a direct attack, wile a strong force marched round to his res to take possession of the road by which his sile came. The enemy must then either come out of his intrenchments and fight, or starve. Taking the main body of his army, composing 1 force of ten thousand men, General McClan moved to Clarksburg, and thence to Barkhannou, on the west of Laurel Hill. Previous however, and on the 7th of July, be ordered General Morris to march upon Laurel to occupy the enemy. Taking with a the Ninth Indiana, Colonel Milroy, the For teenth Ohio, the First Virginia, the Cleveland Artillery, the Sixth and Seventh India and the Sixth Ohio, in the order named mi making a force of about 4,000 men, be a early in the morning, and reached Bean in front of the enemy at eight o'clock, wita is right, having flanking parties on each side, atâ two companies of skirmishers ahead Confederate pickets fired and retreated. A slight skirmish ensued with a party of the enmy in a wood beyond the town, about two miles from the Confederate camp, which the Federal force had occupied. On the 8th a brisk skirmishing was kept up all the afternoca with the Confederates, and some were kild

on both sides. On the 9th, the skirmishing was renewed, and every outlet of the Confederate camp was watched except that back to Beverly, where General McClellan was soon expected to be. Thus the enemy was held in check on the north and occupied, while General McClellan was attempting to get in his rear. Meantime, as General McClellan reached Buckhannon, he found that the rear of the enemy was strongly fortified at a position called Rich Mountain, which was defended by one to two thousand men, under Colonel Pegram. He now formed the plan of capturing this entire force. For this purpose, General Rosecrans with about three thousand men was sent to attack his rear, while General McClellan himself made a direct attack in front. General Rosecrans with the Eighth, Tenth, Thirteenth Indiana, and Nineteenth Ohio, therefore proceeded, on the 11th, along the line of hills southeast of the enemy's intrenched camp on the Beverly road, to make an attack on the east side, while General McClellan made it on the west side, as soon as he heard from General Rosecrans. A courier, who mistook the road through the enemy's camp for the route of the troops, gave the enemy intelligence of the movement. Their position was about two miles west from Beverly, which is on the east side of what is called Rich Mountain, a gap in the Laurel Hill range, through which the southern road passes. General Rosecrans arrived in the rear of the enemy at four o'clock, and meeting a small force, immediately began the attack, to which they made a vigorous resistance, but were unable to withstand it. The effect was to alarm Colonel Pegram, and upon finding out his exposed position he silently moved off with his main body, with the hope of being able to join the camp at Laurel Hill. Meanwhile General McClellan was in position with his whole force during the afternoon ready to make an assault, but heard nothing from the other column except distant firing. Early in the morning he was about proceeding to plant cannon upon an eminence commanding a portion of the Confederate camp, and preparing to attack the whole next in front, when it was ascertained that the enemy had evacuated his position during the night, moving towards Laurel Hill, leaving only a few men in charge of the sick, cannon, and camp equipage and transportation.

The following despatch from General McClellan thus announced these movements:

RICH MOUNTAIN, Va., 9 a. m., July 12. Col. E. D. Townsend, Assistant-Adjutant General: We are in possession of all the enemy's works up to a point in sight of Beverly. We have taken all his guns; a very large amount of wagons, tents, &c.; every thing he had; and also a large number of prisoners, many of whom are wounded, and amongst whom are several officers. They lost many killed. We have lost in all, perhaps twenty killed and forty wounded,

of whom all but two or three were in the column under Col. Rosecrans, which turned the position. The mass of the enemy escaped through the woods entirely dis

organized. Among the prisoners is Dr. Taylor, formerly of the army. Col. Pegram was in command. ing and marched some eight miles through the mounCol. Rosecrans' column left camp yesterday morn tains, reaching the turnpike some two or three miles in the rear of the enemy. He defeated an advanced force, and took a couple of guns. I had a position ready for twelve guns near the main camp, and as the had retreated. I am now pushing on to Beverly-a guns were moving up I ascertained that the enemy part of Colonel Rosecrans' troops being now within three miles of that place. Our success is complete

and almost bloodless. I doubt whether Wise and Johnston will unite and overpower me. The behavior of our troops in action and towards prisoners was admirable. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding.

By the retreat of Colonel Pegram, the rear of the Confederate force at Laurel Hill was entirely exposed. On the 11th, General Garnett first learned that General McClellan was in his rear. He immediately evacuated his camp, and retired before General Morris, hoping to reach Beverly in advance of General McClellan, and thus be able to withdraw his forces by the road to southern Virginia. Upon arriving within three miles of Beverly, the fugitives of Colonel Pegram's force were met, and finding escape impossible by that route, General Garnett returned towards Laurel Hill, and took the road branching off to the northeast towards St. George, in Tucker County. His aim was now to press along the base of the mountains down the Cheat River, with the hope of finding some practicable path across the mountains into the valley of Virginia. The following despatch of General McClellan describes the precise state of affairs at this time:

To Col. E. D. Townsend:

BEVERLY, VA., July 18, 1861.

The success of to-day is all that I could desire. We captured six brass cannon, of which one was rifled; all their camp equipage and transportation, even to two hundred, and more than sixty wagons. Their their cups. The number of tents will probably reach killed and wounded will fully amount to one hundred and fifty. We have at least one hundred prisoners, ten officers killed and prisoners. Their retreat is comand more coming in constantly. I know already of plete. We occupied Beverly by a rapid march. Garnett abandoned his camp early this morning, leaving his camp equipage. He came within a few miles of Beverly, but our rapid march turned him back in great confusion, and he is now retreating on the road to St. George. I have ordered Gen. Morris to follow him up closely. I have telegraphed for the Second Pennsyl vania Regiment at Cumberland to join Gen. Hill at Rowlesburg. The General is concentrating all his troops at Rowlesburg, to cut off Garnett's retreat, if out some ten thousand troops, strongly intrenched, possible, to St. George. I may say we have driven with the loss of eleven killed and thirty-five wounded. Provision returns were found showing Garnett's force to have been ten thousand men. They were Eastern Virginians, Georgians, Tennesseans, and, I think, Carolinians. To-morrow I can give full particulars, &c. Will move on Huttonsville to-morrow and endeavor to seize the Cheat Mountain pass, where there by this time driven Wise out of the Kanawha valley. are now but few troops. I hope that Ger. Cox has In that case I shall have accomplished the object of liberating Western Virginia. I hope the General will approve my operations.

G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding. Up the mountains, through defiles, and

over rugged ridges, guided by the tents, campfurniture, provisions and knapsacks thrown away, the hot pursuit of the flying enemy was pressed. Captain Bonham led the advance, and General Morris the rear, and after fording Cheat River four times, they came up with the enemy's rear guard at Carrick's Ford, where the enemy attempted to make a stand, but were attacked on the right flank and forced to retire. At another turn in the river, about a quarter of a mile below, the enemy again at tempted to stand. General Garnett tried in vain to rally his men and gather them around him. While he was thus standing with his back to the Federal forces, he received a Minié ball on the left of the spine. It made a terrible wound, piercing the heart and coming out at the right nipple. He threw up his arm and fell dead. The Confederate rout was now complete. Only about two thousand of the troops with which General Garnett left his intrenchments, escaped. General McClellan's despatch was as follows:

HUTTONSVILLE, July 14, 1861. To Ed. Townsend: Garnett and forces routed. His

baggage and one gun taken. His army demoralized.

Garnett killed.

We have annihilated the enemy in Western Virginia, and have lost thirteen killed and not more than forty wounded. We have in all killed at least two hundred of the enemy, and their prisoners will amount to at least one thousand. Have taken seven guns in all. I still look for the capture of the remnant of Garnett's army by General Hill.

The troops defeated are the crack regiments of Eastern Virginia, aided by Georgians, Tennesseans, and Carolinians.

Our success is complete, and secession is killed in this country.

G. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General Commanding. Meantime Colonel Pegram, hearing of the retreat of General Garnett, surrendered the remnant of his force to General McClellan, (see BEVERLY,) who now issued the following address to his soldiers:

WESTERN VIRGINia, Beverly, Va., July 19, 1861. Soldiers of the Army of the West:

I am more than satisfied with you. You have anni. hilated two armies, commanded by educated and experienced soldiers, intrenched in mountain fastnesses

and fortified at their leisure. You have taken five guns, twelve colors, fifteen hundred stand of arms, one One of the second commanders of the rebels is a thousand prisoners, including more than forty officers. prisoner, the other lost his life on the field of battle. You have killed more than two hundred and fifty of the enemy, who has lost all his baggage and camp equipage. All this has been accomplished with the loss of twenty brave men killed and sixty wounded on your part.

You have proved that Union men, fighting for the preservation of our Government, are more than a match for our misguided and erring brothers. More You have made long and arduous marches, with inthan this, you have shown mercy to the vanquished. sufficient food, frequently exposed to the inclemency of the weather. I have not hesitated to demand this of you, feeling that I could rely on your endurance, patriotism, and courage. In the future I may have still greater demands to make upon you, still greater sacrifices for you to offer. It shall be my care to provide for you to the extent of my ability; but I know now that, by your valor and endurance, you will accomplish all that is asked.

Soldiers! I have confidence in you, and I trust you have learned to confide in me. Remember that discipline and subordination are qualities of equal value with courage. I am proud to say that you have gained. the highest reward that American troops can receive -the thanks of Congress and the applause of your GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, fellow-citizens. Major-General.

The disaster at Bull Run occurred at this time, and General McClellan was called to the active command of the Army of the Potomac. On the 1st of August he undertook the reformation and reorganization of a defeated army.

The gaps of the Cheat Mountain formed the key to Western Virginia, and they were now held by a strong Federal force. No further attempts were made by the Confederate Gov ernment to recover the country, until later in the year, when their forces reappeared under Floyd; and although many skirmishes took General Wise, and subsequently under General place, no material success was obtained, and finally, at the approach of winter, both generals had retired, the former to Southeastern Virginia and North Carolina, and the latter to Middle Tennessee, and Fort Donelson in Ken tucky.

W

WARD, JAMES HARMAN, commander in the United States navy, son of Colonel James Ward of Hartford, Conn.; born in that city, in 1806, killed in the attack on Matthias Point, June 27, 1861. He was educated at the Vermont Military Academy at Norwich, and from thence entered Trinity College, Hartford. On the 4th of March, 1823, he received an appointment as midshipman on board of the Constitution, commanded by Commodore McDonough; rose to the rank of lieutenant on the 3d of March, 1831, and was attached to the Mediterranean squadron. For several years he was on the coast of Africa, and while there compiled his

"Manual of Naval Tactics," published in 1858. In 1842-'3, he delivered in Philadelphia a popular course of lectures on Gunnery He urged upon the Government the necessity of establishing a Naval School, and upon the opening of the school was appointed one of the professors, and gave a series of lectures, subsequently published under the title of "Elementary Instruc tions on Naval Ordnance and Gunnery:" a work which has accomplished much in its effects upon naval science.

Soon after the introduction of steam into the navy, he gave the result of his observations in s work entitled "Steam for the Million," subse

quently republished by Van Nostrand, New York. In 1853 he was made commander, and in 1857 was appointed to the command of the receiving ship North Carolina, lying at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. At the commencement of the hostilities resulting in the present war, Captain Ward was summoned to Washington to aid the Government by his counsels. Here he remained and organized the Potomac flotilla, to the command of which he was appointed on the 16th of May, 1861. On the 31st of May he, with the Freeborn, Anacosta and Resolute, cannonaded the Confederate batteries at Acquia Creek, silencing three of them, and only retiring when his ammunition became exhausted. The next day, aided by the Pawnee, he resumed the attack, and succeeded in silencing the guns. On the 26th of June, upon discovering that a battery was being erected at Matthias Point by the Confederates, he sent to the Pawnee for aid to throw up breastworks; when completed, as the men were returning to the boats for the guns, a destructive fire was opened upon them by the enemy in ambush. The crew hastened to the steainer, the Freeborn covering their retreat. Captain Ward gallantly stood at his post sighting one of the guns, when he was struck by a Minié ball and almost instantly killed. His body was carried with due honor to New York, where it was received and laid in state on the North Carolina. After many testimonials of respect and affection, it was conveyed to Hartford and, after appropriate funeral honors, was buried by the side of his parents.

WASHINGTON, the political capital of the United States, is situated on the left bank of the Potomac River, between two small tributaries-the one on the east called the East Branch, and the one on the west called Rock Creek, the latter separating it from Georgetown. It is 38 miles south-southwest of Baltimore, and 122 miles north of Richmond, Virginia.

The Constitution of the United States provides that the Federal Government shall have exclusive jurisdiction over a territory 10 miles square, in which shall be located the capital of the nation. Quite a strife arose in the early sessions of Congress relative to the location of the seat of Government. Many places were proposed, as Trenton in New Jersey, Philadelphia and Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, Wilmington in Delaware, and Baltimore and Georgetown in Maryland. The measure finally became combined with what was called the "Assumption Bill." This bill proposed that the Government should assume the debts of the several States, which were contracted during the revolutionary war. This bill, and the one to locate the seat of Government, had failed in Congress by small majorties. There was a strong sectional party in favor of each, but not a majority. The Eastern and Middle States were for the assumption, and the Southern States against it; the latter desired the location of the seat of Government on the bank of the Potomac; the former upon the

Susquehannah. The discontent was extreme on each side at losing its favorite measure. At last the two plans were combined. Two members from the Potomac, who had voted against the assumption, agreed to change their votes; a few from the Eastern and Middle States who had voted against the Potomac, agreed to change in its favor. Mr. Jefferson gives the following account of it: "This measure (the assumption) produced the most bitter and angry contest ever known in Congress before or since the union of the States. I arrived (from France) in the midst of it; but a stranger to the ground, a stranger to the actors in it, so long absent as to have lost all familiarity with the subject, and as yet unaware of its object, I took no concern in it. The great and trying question, however, was lost in the House of Representatives. So high were the feuds excited on this subject that, on its rejection, business was suspended. Congress met and adjourned from day to day without doing any thing, the parties being too much out of temper to do business together. The Eastern members threatened secession and dissolution. Hamilton was in despair. As I was going to the President's one day I met him in the street. He walked me backwards and forwards before the President's door for half an hour. He painted pathetically the temper into which the Legislature had been wrought-the disgust of those who were called the creditor States-the danger of the secession of their members, and of the separation of the States. He observed that the members of the Administration ought to act in concert-that, though this question was not of my Department, yet a common duty should make it a common concern-that the President was the centre upon which all administrative questions ultimately rested, and that all of us should rally around him, and support, with joint efforts, measures approved by him; and that the question having been lost by a small majority only, it was probable that an appeal from me to the judgment and discretion of some of my friends, might effect a change in the vote, and the machine of government, now suspended, be again set in motion. I told him that I was really a stranger to the whole subject; that not having yet informed myself of the system of finances adopted, I knew not how far this was a necessary sequence; that, undoubtedly, if its rejection endangered a dissolution of the Union at this incipient stage, I should deem that the most unfortunate of all consequences, to avert which all partial and temporary evils should be yielded. I proposed to him, however, to dine with me the next day, and I would invite another friend or two, bring them into conference together, and I thought it impossible that reasonable men, consulting together coolly, could fail, by some mutual sacrifices of opinion, to form a compromise which would save the Union. The discussion took place. I could take no part in it but an exhortatory one, because I was a stranger to the circumstances which

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