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October, 1861: Federal
MAY, 1862.
5-The battle of Williamsburg, Va., was fought, between the Confederates, reinforced by General Joseph E. Johnston, and General Hooker on the Federal side. Hooker, with his division, held his ground for nine hours, when, on the arrival of other troops, Williamsburg was evacuated, and the enemy was pursued to within seven miles of Richmond.
11-Fort Pulaski, near Savannah, surrendered to the Union troops. Port Royal, since its capture, had been the base of naval operations against Georgia and Florida, and the reduction of Fort Pulaski closed the Port of Savannah. JUNE, 1862.
6-After the desperate battle of Shiloh, the Federal gunboats went down the Mississippi, defeated the Confederate iron-clad fleet, took possession of Memphis, and seized the Memphis and Charleston railroad. This resulted in detaching Kentucky and western Tennessee from the Confederacy, and giving the Union army a line running from Memphis nearly to Chattanooga, toward which General Buell was marching. General Grant took command of this army, General Halleck having been called to Washington.
8-The battle of Cross Keys, Va., was fought between Gen. Fremont, and Gen. Stonewall Jackson. The latter having been reinforced by Ewell's division of ten thousand men went down the Shenandoah Valley after Gen. Banks. The Federal forces, by a tremendous effort, "marched thirty-five miles in a single day," and succeeded in crossing the Potomac. So great was the consternation in Washington, President Lincoln took military possession of the railroads, and called on the Governors of the Northern States to send the militia to the defense of the Capital. Fremont, Banks, and McDowell were ordered to move from their respective positions at Franklin, Harper's Ferry and Fredericksburg and capture Jackson. That dashing general threw off Fremont at Cross Keys, and repulsed Gen. Shields, the next day at Port Republic, and escaped from the valley, having burned the bridges behind him.