Oct. 20, 1861: Gen. Nathan "Shanks" Evans of the Confederate Army is ordered to position his brigade in a strong position just south of the Potomac River in a way to cover the two main ford over the river near Leesburg, Virginia. Across the river, General Charles Stone, USA, is order by General McClellan to engage in a "slight demonstration" (alluded to by Meade on Oct. 18) to prod the Rebels at Leesburg into some kind of action, either to reveal their strength there or to shift their position. On this date, Stone’s troops advance to this area and then withdraw after having no significant engagement with the enemy.
Mary Boykin Chestnut, a high-born woman of South Carolina, writes in her diary:
Mercury [Charleston newspaper] today says that Carolinians were sold in the convention [at Richmoned]. It was utterly exasperating in its taunts and abuse of the Confederate government. Simply atrocious. Could they not wait one year? There are the Yankees to abuse. If our newspapers would only let loose their vials of wrath upon them–or pour out, to use the right word–and leave us, until the fight is over, a united people.
It is our only hope. We have élan enough and to spare. If we only had patience and circumspection. If we were horses that could stay. The idea is that in pluck and dash our strength lies. . . . Now, to think the newspapers are trying to take the heart out of us.
No comments:
Post a Comment