The Civil War (1990): Season 1, Episode 7 - Most Hallowed Ground (1864) - full transcript
By the summer of 1864, the Union push had been stopped. At Petersburg, Union troops had been entrenched in an intricate network trenches for two months. The key to victory lay in Sherman capturing Atlanta and on July 22, the battle began and by September, Confederate Gen. Hood abandoned the city. In Virginia, Gen. Sheridan was laying waste to the Shenandoah Valley. For Lincoln, he faced an election in the midst of a civil war, something unknown at the time. Lincoln seemed unelectable and the Democrats were running the ousted Gen McClellan as their candidate. The Democrats had as their platform the immediate cessation of all hostilities. The election became a referendum on the war itself. By November, Lincoln and his running mate won a resounding victory with 55% of the popular vote. In the South, discouragement set in with the realization that they could not win the war.
HOOFBEATS
MAN: "I REQUIRE ABLE-BODIED MEN
WITH GOOD HORSE AND GUN.
"| WISH NONE BUT THOSE WHO
DESIRE TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
"COME ON, BOYS,
IF YOU WANTA HEAP OF FUN
AND TO KILL SOME YANKEES."
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST.
BEDFORD FORREST'S GRANDDAUGHTER
LIVED HERE IN MEMPHIS.
SHE RECENTLY DIED,
AND I GOT TO KNOW HER,
AND SHE EVEN LET ME SWING
THE GENERAL'S SABER
AROUND MY HEAD ONCE,
WHICH WAS A GREAT TREAT,
AND I HAD THOUGHT A LONG TIME,
AND I CALLED HER AND SAID,
"I THINK THE WAR PRODUCED
TWO AUTHENTIC GENIUSES.
"ONE OF THEM
WAS YOUR GRANDFATHER,
AND THE OTHER
WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN."
AND THERE WASASILENCE
AT THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE,
AND SHE SAID,
"WELL, YOU KNOW, IN OUR FAMILY,
WE NEVER THOUGHT MUCH
OF MR. LINCOLN."
SHE DIDN'T LIKE MY
COUPLING HER GRANDFATHER
WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
SOUTHERNERS ARE VERY STRANGE
ABOUT THAT WAR.
NARRATOR: THERE WAS FIGHTING
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY--
AT THE SABINE CROSSROADS NEAR
THE TEXAS-LOUISIANA BORDER
AND DOWN THE RED RIVER,
ON THE LITTLE BLUE
IN MISSOURI,
AT POISON SPRING
AND JENKINS FERRY IN ARKANSAS,
AND FAR OUT
IN INDIAN TERRITORY.
BY THE SUMMER OF 1864,
THE UNION INITIATIVE
HAD GROUND TO A HALT.
DESPITE ITS POWERFUL
INDUSTRIAL MACHINE,
DESPITE INCREASING HARDSHIPS
FOR THE SOUTH,
THE NORTH WAS LOSING
CONTROL OF THE WAR.
AS THE CASUALTY LISTS
GREW LONGER,
OPPOSITION TO THE WAR
INCREASED.
WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN LOOMING,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN NOW KNEW
HE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
THAT HAD NEVER
BEEN DONE BEFORE--
SUBMIT TO A POPULAR ELECTION
DURING CIVIL WAR
AND WIN IT.
"THE STRUGGLE WITHIN
AND WITHOUT,"
AN ADVISOR TOLD LINCOLN,
"IS FOR
OUR NATIONAL EXISTENCE."
AT PETERSBURG,
ROBERT E. LEE'S ENTRENCHED ARMY
CONTINUED TO RESIST
ULYSSES S. GRANT'S
TWO-MONTH-OLD SIEGE.
TO END THE STALEMATE,
UNION TROOPS WERE DIGGING
DEEP BENEATH
THE CONFEDERATE LINES.
NORTH OF ATLANTA,
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
WOULD HAVE TO BLAST THROUGH
AN IMPENETRABLE SYSTEM
OF TRENCHES, BREASTWORKS,
AND PARAPETS
TO TAKE THE CITY,
IF HE EVER GOT THERE.
THAT SUMMER, IN THE SWELTERING
MISSISSIPPI HEAT,
CONFEDERATE GENERAL
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST
WOULD CEMENT HIS REPUTATION
AS THE MOST TERRIFYING CAVALRY
COMMANDER OF THE WAR.
MEANWHILE,
IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY,
A DIMINUTIVE UNION GENERAL,
PHIL SHERIDAN,
WOULD GLEEFULLY WRECK
EVERY FARM AND VILLAGE
HE COULD LAY HIS HANDS ON,
WHILE IN RICHMOND,
JEFFERSON DAVIS
STRUGGLED DESPERATELY
TO KEEP THE IDEA
OF THE CONFEDERACY ALIVE.
AT THE END OF THE YEAR,
UNION QUARTERMASTER
GENERAL MONTGOMERY MEIGS
WOULD LOSE A SON
AND BRING HIS GRIEF
TO THE DOORSTEP
OF ROBERT E. LEE.
BY THE SUMMER OF 1864,
PEOPLE COULD HARDLY REMEMBER
THAT THERE HAD EVER BEEN
A TIME WITHOUT WAR,
AND MANY DID NOT BELIEVE
IT WOULD EVER END.
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "DEAR MR. PRESIDENT,
"THE TIDE IS SETTING
STRONGLY AGAINST US.
"TWO SPECIAL CAUSES
ARE ASSIGNED
"TO THIS GREAT REACTION
IN PUBLIC SENTIMENT—-
"THE WANT OF MILITARY SUCCESS
AT PETERSBURG AND ATLANTA
"AND THE IMPRESSION
THAT WE ARE FIGHTING,
NOT FOR UNION, BUT FOR
THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY."
HENRY RAYMOND,
CHAIRMAN,
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
NARRATOR: THE SIEGE OF
PETERSBURG WENT ON.
MORALE HAD NEVER
BEEN LOWER.
"WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE
WARS LIKE THIS AGAIN,"
ONE UNION SOLDIER SAID.
IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS,
FROM THE WILDERNESS
TO SPOTSYLVANIA,
COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG,
GRANT HAD NEARLY
DESTROYED HIS ARMY.
"THE PEOPLE ARE WILD
FOR PEACE,"
A NEWSPAPER REPORTED.
"LINCOLN'S RE-ELECTION
IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY."
CANNON FIRES
NEVERTHELESS,
140,000 SOLDIERS
RE-ENLISTED
IN THE UNION ARMY.
PRIDE AND PATRIOTISM
HAD MUCH TO DO WITH IT
AND A DESIRE TO SEE
THE THING THROUGH,
BUT SO DID THE PROMISE
OF A MONTH'S FURLOUGH.
"3 MORE YEARS OF HELL,"
WROTE ONE SOLDIER,
"IN EXCHANGE
FOR 30 DAYS OF HEAVEN--HOME."
MAN: HARPER'S WEEKLY.
"THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
"WHICH ENDS IN THE ELECTION
OF THE 8th OF NOVEMBER
"DECIDES THE MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTION IN HISTORY.
"IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN
THE FATE OF REPUBLICS
"TO BE DESTROYED BY FACTION.
"THAT FEAR IS
NOW ABOUT TO BE CONFIRMED
OR DISSIPATED FOREVER."
NARRATOR: THE KEY,
EVERYONE KNEW, WAS ATLANTA.
IF SHERMAN COULD REACH
THE RAILROAD HUB OF THE SOUTH,
THE WAR MIGHT END AT LAST,
BUT IT WAS THE STALEMATE
IN VIRGINIA
THAT CONCERN ED
LINCOLN NOW.
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "JULY 4, 1864,
"THE GLORIOUS FOURTH
HAS COME AGAIN,
"AND WE HAVE HAD
QUITE A CELEBRATION
"WITH GUNS FIRING
SHOT AND SHELL
"INTO PETERSBURG
TO REMIND THEM OF THE DAY.
"THIS DAY MAKES
4 FOURTH OF JULYS
"THAT I HAVE PASSED
IN THE ARMY,
"THE FIRST AT CAMP CLARK,
"THE SECOND
AT HARRISON'S LANDING,
"THE THIRD AT GETTYSBURG,
AND TODAY AT PETERSBURG.
"I HAD A PARTY OF OFFICERS
TO DINE WITH ME.
"THIS WAS OUR BILL OF FARE--
"STEWED OYSTERS, CANNED,
ROAST TURKEY, CANNED,
"BREAD PUDDING,
TAPIOCA PUDDING,
"APPLE PIE MADE IN CAMP,
LEMONADE, CIGARS."
"TOMORROW, IF WE MARCH,
HARDTACK AND SALT PORK
WILL BE OUR FARE."
ELISHA HUNT RHODES.
MAN: "THE ENEMY THROW A NUMBER
OF SHELLS DAILY INTO PETERSBURG,
"BUT THEY DO LITTLE DAMAGE.
"THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN SEEM
NOT TO MIND THEM AT ALL.
"ON ONE STREET YESTERDAY WHERE
SUCH A NUMBER OF SHELLS BURST
"THAT I WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED IT
AWARM PLACE IN THE FIELD,
"WOMEN WERE PASSING ABOUT
WITH LITTLE CONCERN,
"DODGING AROUND A CORNER
WHEN THEY HEARD A SHELL COMING
"OR PUTTING THEIR HEADS
OUT OF THEIR WINDOWS
"TO SEE WHAT DAMAGE
THEY'D DONE.
"A LADY YESTERDAY SENT
WARDLAW AND MYSELF
SOME ICE CREAM AND CAKES."
HARRY HAMMOND.
BUGLE SOUNDING
NARRATOR: TO RELIEVE THE
PRESSURE ON PETERSBURG,
LEE SENT 10,000 MEN NORTH
TO PUSH UNION TROOPS
OUT OF THE SHENANDOAH
AND HARASS WASHINGTON ITSELF.
IN CHARGE
OF THE SOUTHERN FORCES
WAS A RUTHLESS
CONFEDERATE GENERAL
NAMED JUBAL EARLY.
EARLY ATTACKED FORT STEVENS,
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF WASHINGTON,
TERRIFYING THE CITY,
DESPITE THE 74 FORTS
THAT NOW MADE IT
THE MOST HEAVILY FORTIFIED
CITY ON EARTH.
CANNON FIRE
FEDERAL TROOPS,
INCLUDING ELISHA HUNT RHODES,
WERE HASTILY BROUGHT UP
FROM PETERSBURG
TO PROTECT THE CAPITAL.
MAN:"JULY12, 1864.
"WE MARCHED IN LINE OF BATTLE
INTO A PEACH ORCHARD
"IN FRONT OF FORT STEVENS,
AND HERE THE FIGHT BEGAN.
"FOR A SHORT TIME
IT WAS WARM WORK,
"BUT AS THE PRESIDENT
AND MANY LADIES WERE
LOOKING AT US,
"EVERY MAN TRIED
TO DO HIS BEST.
"WITHOUT OUR HELP,
THE SMALL FORCE IN THE FORTS
"WOULD HAVE BEEN OVERPOWERED.
"JUBAL EARLY SHOULD HAVE
ATTACKED EARLY IN THE MORNING,
BUT EARLY WAS LATE!"
NARRATOR: MEANWHILE, TO STOP
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN'S
ADVANCE ON ATLANTA,
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST
WAS ALSO ON THE MOVE.
FOOTE: YOU'RE ASKING
ABOUT, UH
THE MOST MAN
IN THE WORLD, IN SOME WAYS.
FORREST WAS A NATURAL GENIUS.
SOMEONE SAID THAT HE WAS
BORN TO BE A SOLDIER
THE WAY JOHN KEATS
WAS BORN TO BE A POET.
HE HAD SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES
THAT, WHEN YOU TRANSLATE THEM,
THEY FIT RIGHT
INTO THE ARMY MANUAL.
WHEN HE SAID, "GET THERE FIRST
WITH THE MOST MEN,"
HE'S SAYING,
"TAKE THE INTERIOR LINES
AND BRING SUPERIOR FORCE
TO BEAR."
HE HAD SOME VERY
SIMPLE THINGS.
HE USED TO SAY,
"HIT THEM ON THE END"
AND HE USED TO SAY,
"KEEP UP THE SKEER."
AND THESE ARE ALL
GOOD MILITARY PRINCIPLES
EXPRESSED IN FORREST'S
OWN WAY.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO LOOK
ATA PIECE OF GROUND
AND SEE HOW TO USE IT.
HE HAD A MARVELOUS SENSE
OF TOPOGRAPHY.
HE COULD SEE
THE KEY TO A POSITION
AND KNOW WHERE TO HIT.
NARRATOR: "FORREST,"
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
LATER SAID,
"WAS THE MOST REMARKABLE MAN
OUR CIVIL WAR PRODUCED
ON EITHER SIDE."
HE WAS THE SON
OF AN ILLITERATE BLACKSMITH.
HE MADE HIMSELF
AMILLIONAIRE
SELLING LAND, COTTON,
AND SLAVES.
IN 1861,
HE ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE,
THEN QUIT TO RAISE AND EQUIP
AN ENTIRE CAVALRY BATTALION
OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET.
BY THE END OF THE WAR,
HE HAD BECOME
LIEUTENANT GENERAL,
THE ONLY MAN ON EITHER SIDE
TO RISE SO FAR.
HE WAS THE MOST FEARED
CAVALRY COMMANDER OF THE WAR,
THE "WIZARD OF THE SADDLE,"
WOUNDED 4 TIMES
IN BATTLE
AND FAMOUS FOR HAVING HORSES
SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM.
MAN: OLD BEDFORD FORREST,
HE'S THE MOST COLORFUL MAN
IN THE WAR.
HE KILLED MORE MEN THAN ANY
OTHER GENERAL OFFICER EVER HAS,
HAD MORE HORSES
SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM
THAN ANY OTHER OFFICER
EVER HAD.
HE HAD 30 HORSES
SHOT FROM UNDER HIM
IN THE COURSE
OF THE WAR,
AND HE KILLED 31 MEN
IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT,
AND HE SAID, "| WAS
A HORSE AHEAD AT THE END."
NARRATOR: HE WAS A MASTER
OF THE LIGHTNING RAID
AND AN EXPERT AT WINNING
AGAINST LONG ODDS.
HE FOUGHT HIS BATTLES,
HE SAID, "BY EAR,"
AND HE COULD ANTICIPATE
AN ENEMY'S MOVEMENTS
WITH UNCANNY PRECISION.
FOOTE: HE WAS ONLY
SURPRISED IN BATTLE ONCE.
IT WAS A PLACE CALLED
PARKER'S CROSSROADS
UP IN TENNESSEE.
HE WAS ON A RAID,
AND HE WAS CLOSING IN
ON AN OPPONENT
AND FIXING TO
FINISH HIM OFF
WHEN HE WAS ATTACKED
IN THE REAR
BY A FORCE THAT HE
DID NOT SUSPECT
WAS WITHIN MANY MILES.
AND EVERYBODY WAS
TERRIBLY UPSET,
AND SAID, "GENERAL,
WHAT SHALL WE DO?"
AND HE SAID, "SPLIT IN TWO
AND CHARGE BOTH WAYS,"
AND DID AND GOT OUT.
NARRATOR: IN JUNE 1864,
IN AN ATTEMPT TO CUT OFF
SHERMAN'S SUPPLIES
AT BRICE'S CROSSROADS
NEAR TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI,
FORREST OUTDID EVEN HIMSELF.
THE UNION ARMY
COMING TO STOP HIM
WAS NEARLY 3 TIMES
AS STRONG AS HIS,
BUT FORREST WAS UNIMPRESSED.
FACTORING IN
THE MUD-CLOGGED ROADS
AND THE BLAZING MID-JUNE SUN,
HE PREDICTED
THE UNION CAVALRY
WOULD ARRIVE WELL AHEAD
OF THE UNION INFANTRY,
GIVING HIM TIME TO WHIP IT
ON HIS OWN TERMS.
IT ALL HAPPENED
EXACTLY AS HE SAID.
CANNON FIRE
NO ARMY, IT SEEMED,
COULD STOP HIM.
FORREST WAS FREE TO SLASH
AT SHERMAN'S FORCES,
SLOWING HIS APPROACH
TO ATLANTA.
MAN: "FORREST MUST BE
HUNTED DOWN AND KILLED
"IF IT COSTS 10,000 LIVES
AND BANKRUPTS
THAT FEDERAL TREASURY."
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN.
MAN: "WHO SHALL REVIVE
THE WITHERED HOPES
"THAT BLOOMED AT THE OPENING
OF GRANT'S CAMPAIGN?
"ALL ARE TIRED
OF THIS DAMNABLE TRAGEDY.
"EACH HOUR IS BUT SINKING US
DEEPER INTO BANKRUPTCY
AND DESOLATION."
NEW YORK WORLD.
NARRATOR: THE SUMMER OF 1864
WAS THE NORTH'S DARKEST HOUR.
GRANT'S LOSSES
HAD BEEN APPALLING.
HIS ARMY WAS STALLED
IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG,
HIS GRAND STRATEGY
APPARENTLY COME TO NOTHING.
FRANZ SIGEL'S ARMY HAD BEEN
ROUTED IN THE SHENANDOAH.
BEN BUTLER WAS BOTTLED UP
IN A LOOP OF THE JAMES RIVER
CALLED THE BERMUDA HUNDRED.
EVEN WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
WAS STALLED OUTSIDE ATLANTA.
MAN: "MR. LINCOLN
IS ALREADY BEATEN.
"HE CANNOT BE RE-ELECTED,
AND WE MUST HAVE
ANOTHER TICKET."
HORACE GREELEY.
NARRATOR: NO NATION
HAD EVER HELD AN ELECTION
IN THE MIDST
OF A CIVIL WAR.
NO PRESIDENT
SINCE ANDREW JACKSON
HAD WON A SECOND TERM.
LONG AFTER LINCOLN
WAS NOMINATED,
POLITICIANS IN HIS OWN PARTY
STILL HOPED TO RECONVENE
AND PICK ANOTHER NOMINEE.
EVEN LINCOLN BELIEVED
HIS RE-ELECTION UNLIKELY.
MAN: "WE CANNOT HAVE FREE
GOVERNMENT WITHOUT ELECTIONS,
"AND IF THE REBELLION
COULD FORCE US
"TO FOREGO OR POSTPONE
A NATIONAL ELECTION,
"IT MIGHT FAIRLY BE CLAIMED
TO HAVE ALREADY
CONQUERED AND RUINED US."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
MAN: "AFTER 4 YEARS OF FAILURE
TO RESTORE THE UNION
"BY THE EXPERIMENT OF WAR,
"WE DEMAND
THAT IMMEDIATE EFFORT BE MADE
"FOR A CESSATION
OF HOSTILITIES
AT THE EARLIEST
PRACTICABLE MOMENT."
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PLATFORM.
NARRATOR: THE DEMOCRATS WANTED
AN END TO THE WAR,
WITH OR WITHOUT VICTORY.
THEIR NOMINEE WAS
GENERAL GEORGE MCCLELLAN,
WHOSE AMBITION
HAD NOT SHRUNK
SINCE LINCOLN REMOVED HIM
FROM COMMAND.
MAN: "MCCLELLAN WAS
OUR FIRST COMMANDER,
"AND AS SUCH, HE WAS ALMOST
WORSHIPPED BY HIS SOLDIERS.
"THE POLITICAL FRIENDS
OF GENERAL MCCLELLAN
"WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT FACT,
"AND IT WAS A VERY CRAFTY THING
FOR THEM TO NOMINATE HIM
AS THEIR CANDIDATE
FOR THE PRESIDENCY."
NARRATOR: THE SOUTH REJOICED
AT MCCLELLAN'S NOMINATION.
"THE FIRST RAY OF REAL LIGHT,"
VICE-PRESIDENT
ALEXANDER STEPHENS SAID,
"SINCE THE WAR BEGAN."
WHEREVER IT COULD,
THE SOUTH EXPLOITED
ANTIWAR FEELING IN THE NORTH.
THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT
SENT MONEY
TO SUPPORT
THE UNION PEACE MOVEMENT
AND PAINTED LINCOLN
AS THE CANDIDATE OF WAR.
THE CAMPAIGN WAS UGLY.
DEMOCRATS CHARGED THAT
THE REAL GOAL OF OLD ABE'S WAR
WAS MISCEGENATION,
A NEW WORD FOR THE "BLENDING
OF WHITE AND BLACK."
REPUBLICANS CHARGED DEMOCRATS
WITH TREASON.
THE 1864 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
HAD BECOME A REFERENDUM
ON THE WAR ITSELF.
ALL THE WORD
FROM ALL REPUBLICANS,
EVEN ON A MOST
LOCAL LEVEL,
INDICATED THAT LINCOLN
COULDN'T POSSIBLY WIN.
THE FORTUNES OF WAR
HAD TURNED TOO BADLY,
TOO SOUR FOR THE UNION.
AT ONE REALLY POIGNANT MOMENT,
LINCOLN SAT IN THE PRIVACY
OF HIS OFFICE
CONTEMPLATING THE FACT
THAT HE PROBABLY
WASN'T GOING TO BE RE-ELECTED
AND THAT MCCLELLAN,
OF ALL PEOPLE,
WOULD REPLACE HIM
AS PRESIDENT.
MAN: "THIS MORNING,
AS FOR SOME DAYS PAST,
"IT SEEMS EXCEEDINGLY PROBABLE
THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION
"WILL NOT BE RE-ELECTED.
"THEN IT WILL BE MY DUTY
"TO 80 COOPERATE
WITH THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
"AS TO SAVE THE UNION
"BETWEEN THE ELECTION
AND THE INAUGURATION
"AS HE WILL HAVE SECURED
HIS ELECTION ON SUCH GROUND
THAT HE CANNOT POSSIBLY
SAVE |T AFTERWARD."
NARRATOR: PRESSURED
TO DROP EMANCIPATION
AS A CONDITION OF PEACE
WITH THE SOUTH,
LINCOLN REFUSED.
"THE PROCLAMATION HAD PROMISED
FREEDOM," LINCOLN SAID,
"AND THE PROMISE BEING MADE,
MUST BE KEPT."
MAN: "I SHOULD BE DAMNED
IN TIME AND IN ETERNITY
"IF I WERE
TO RETURN TO SLAVERY
THE BLACK WARRIORS
WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR THE UNION."
MAN: ATTENTION!
FIRE!
GUNSHOT
MAN: "SPY JOHNSON,
SHOT NEAR COFFIN."
NARRATOR:
EVEN BEFORE BULL RUN,
STOLEN SECRETS
AND INTRICATE CODES
STREAMED BETWEEN WASHINGTON
AND RICHMOND.
ALLAN PINKERTON RAN
THE NORTHERN SECRET SERVICE,
WHILE CONFEDERATE
MAJOR WILLIAM NORRIS
HAD A SPY NETWORK THAT EXTENDED
AS FAR NORTH AS MONTREAL.
IN 1864,
SEVERAL SOUTHERN AGENTS
EVEN INVADED VERMONT.
SPIES WERE EVERYWHERE.
WOMAN: "WOMEN WHO COME BEFORE
THE PUBLIC ARE IN A BAD BOX NOW.
"ALL MANNER OF THINGS, THEY SAY,
COME OVER THE BORDER
"UNDER THE HUGE HOOPS
NOW WORN,
"SO THEY ARE
RUTHLESSLY TORN OFF.
"NOT LEGS BUT ARMS
ARE LOOKED FOR UNDER HOOPS
AND, SAD TO SAY, FOUND."
MARY CHESNUT.
NARRATOR: ROSE O'NEAL GREENHOW,
AWASHINGTON WIDOW,
RAN A CONFEDERATE SPY RING
JUST A FEW BLOCKS
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
MUCH OF HER INFORMATION
CAME FROM AN INFATUATED SUITOR,
SENATOR HENRY WILSON,
CHAIRMAN OF THE MILITARY AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE.
IMPRISONMENT FAILED
TO STOP BELLE BOYD
FROM COAXING SECRETS OUT
OF UNION OFFICERS IN WASHINGTON
AND PASSING THEM ON
IN CODE TO RICHMOND
INSIDE RUBBER BALLS THAT
SHE TOSSED FROM HER CELL WINDOW
TOASHADOWY AGENT
SHE KNEW ONLY AS "C.H."
HER ADMIRERS CALLED HER
"LA BELLE REBELLE."
SLAVES AND FORMER SLAVES
MADE ESPECIALLY GOOD
UNION OPERATIVES,
GUIDING NORTHERN TROOPS
THROUGH SWAMPS AND FORESTS
AND REPORTING
ON THEIR MASTERS.
"AFTER ALL,"
ONE UNION OFFICER SAID,
"THEY HAD BEEN SPIES
ALL THEIR LIVES."
ONE NORTHERN AGENT,
A BLACK SERVANT NAMED
MARY ELIZABETH BOWSER,
EVEN WORKED INSIDE
THE CONFEDERATE WHITE HOUSE.
DRUM BEATING SLOWLY
IN NOVEMBER OF 1863,
A SOUTHERN COURIER,
SAM DAVIS,
WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH
AT PULASKI, TENNESSEE,
FOR SPYING.
ON THE SCAFFOLD,
DAVIS' BRAVERY PROVED SO MOVING
THAT THE COMMANDING GENERAL
WAS UNABLE TO GIVE
THE ORDER OF EXECUTION.
DAVIS FINALLY
GAVE IT HIMSELF.
GALLOWS TRAP DOOR OPENS
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "JULY 21st, THURSDAY,
IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG.
"THE MINE WHICH
GENERAL BURNSIDE IS MAKING
"CAUSES A GOOD DEAL OF TALK
"AND IS GENERALLY
MUCH LAUGHED AT.
"IT IS AN AFFAIR
OF HIS OWN ENTIRELY
AND HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE REGULAR SIEGE."
NARRATOR: FOR A MONTH,
A REGIMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA
COAL MINERS
WORKED TO DIG A 500-FOOT TUNNEL
BENEATH THE CONFEDERATE LINES
AND PACK IT WITH 4 TONS
OF GUNPOWDER.
BURNSIDE'S IDEA WAS
TO BLOWA HOLE
IN THE PETERSBURG DEFENSES,
THEN RUSH THROUGH
TO TAKE THE TOWN.
ABOVE GROUND,
NOT FAR FROM THE TUNNEL,
THE UNSUSPECTING
CONFEDERATE COMMANDER
WAS GENERAL WILLIAM MAHONE,
AVETERAN OF ALMOST
EVERY MAJOR BATTLE
FOUGHT BY THE ARMY
OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
AT DAWN ON JULY 30,
UNION SAPPERS LIT THE FUSE.
EXPLOSION
A GREAT CRATER
WAS TORN IN THE EARTH
30 FEET DEEP, 70 FEET WIDE,
250 FEET LONG.
EXPLOSION
THE STUNNED CONFEDERATES
FELL BACK.
THEN THE PLAN
BEGAN TO FALL APART.
A PRECIOUS HOUR WENT BY
BEFORE THE UNION ASSAULT FORCE
GOT STARTED,
AND WHEN IT DID,
3 DIVISIONS STORMED
DOWN INTO THE GREAT HOLE,
RATHER THAN AROUND IT.
THEIR COMMANDER,
GENERAL JAMES H. LEDLIE,
DID NOT EVEN
WATCH THE BATTLE,
HUDDLING INSTEAD IN A BOMBPROOF
SHELTER WITH A BOTTLE OF RUM.
ONCE INSIDE THE CRATER,
THE UNION SOLDIERS FOUND
THERE WAS NO WAY UP THE SHEER
30-FOOT WALL OF THE PIT,
AND NO ONE HAD THOUGHT
TO PROVIDE LADDERS.
GENERAL MAHONE ORDERED
HIS MEN BACK TO THE RIM
TO POUR FIRE DOWN UPON THEM.
SCORES OF BLACK TROOPS
WERE KILLED
WHEN THEY TRIED TO SURRENDER
AT THE CRATER,
BAYONETED OR CLUBBED
BY CONFEDERATES SHOUTING,
"TAKE THE WHITE MAN!
KILL THE NIGGER!"
BUGLE SOUNDING
MAN: "IT WAS
THE SADDEST AFFAIR
"I HAVE EVER WITNESSED
IN THE WAR.
"SUCH OPPORTUNITY
FOR CARRYING FORTIFICATIONS
I HAVE NEVER SEEN AND DO NOT
EXPECT AGAIN TO HAVE."
ULYSSES 8. GRANT.
NARRATOR: GENERAL LEDLIE
WAS DISMISSED FROM THE SERVICE.
BURNSIDE WAS GRANTED
EXTENDED LEAVE
AND NEVER RECALLED TO DUTY.
MAN: "JULY 30, 1864.
"THE WORK AND EXPECTATIONS
OF ALMOST TWO MONTHS
"HAVE BEEN BLASTED.
"THE FIRST TEMPORARY SUCCESS
HAD ELATED EVERYONE SO MUCH
"THAT WE ALREADY HAD IMAGINED
OURSELVES IN PETERSBURG,
"BUT 15 MINUTES
CHANGED IT ALL
"AND PLUNGED EVERYONE
INTO A FEELING OF DESPAIR
"ALMOST OF EVER
ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING.
"FEW OFFICERS CAN BE FOUND
THIS EVENING
"WHO HAVE NOT DROWNED
THEIR SORROWS
IN THE FLOWING BOWL."
WASHINGTON ROEBLING.
MAN: "THE DAY HAS BEEN
SO EXCESSIVELY HOT
"THAT I AM ALMOST MELTED.
"THE THERMOMETER
IN THE WARDROOM
"STANDS AT 90 DEGREES,
"WHILE ON DECK THE WEATHER
IS VERY PLEASANT,
"A FAIR BREEZE
BLOWING FROM THE EAST.
"EVERYTHING IS DIRTY,
EVERYTHING SMELLS BAD,
"EVERYBODY IS DEMORALIZED.
"HOW ARE YOU, IRONCLAD?
"A MAN WHO WOULD STAY
IN AN IRONCLAD FROM CHOICE
"IS ACANDIDATE
FOR THE INSANE ASYLUM,
"AND HE WHO STAYS FROM
COMPULSION IS AN OBJECT OF PITY.
FRESH LEAKS ARE BREAKING OUT
EVERY DAY."
ROBERT B. ELY.
NARRATOR:
FOR TWO FULL YEARS NOW,
UNION TROOPS HAD OCCUPIED
FORT PULASKI
AT THE ENTRANCE
TO SAVANNAH HARBOR,
BLOCKING CONFEDERATE SUPPLIES
AND WAITING PATIENTLY
FOR A UNION ARMY TO COME
AND SEIZE THE CITY ITSELF.
TO FILL THE TIME,
THE MEN PLAYED BASEBALL,
FAST BECOMING
THE NATIONAL PASTIME,
SOUTH AS WELL AS NORTH.
BAT HITS BALL
BUT 300 MILES AWAY,
SHERMAN WAS STUCK
IN THE HILLS OF NORTH GEORGIA.
"THE ENEMY MUST HAVE
AT LEAST 50 MILES OF
CONNECTED TRENCHES," HE WROTE.
"THE WHOLE COUNTRY
IS ONE VAST FORT."
MAN: "WELL, I THINK
THE DAMNED OLD CUSS
OF A PREACHER
"LIED LIKE DIXIE,
"FOR HE SAID THAT
GOD HAS FOUGHT ALL OUR BATTLES
"AND WON OUR VICTORIES.
"NOW, IF HE HAD DONE ALL THAT,
WHY IS IT NOT IN THE PAPERS
AND WHY HAS
HE NOT BEEN PROMOTED?"
SERGEANT ALBINUS FELL.
MAN: "IS IT POSSIBLE THAT
GOD WILL BLESS A PEOPLE
"AS WICKED AS OUR SOLDIER?
"| FEAR NOT.
"ONE UNCEASING TIDE
OF BLASPHEMY AND WICKEDNESS,
COARSENESS AND OBSCENITY."
ORVILLE C. BUMPASS.
NARRATOR:
MEN BET ON ANYTHING--
BOXING MATCHES,
HORSE RACES,
BASEBALL GAMES,
AND COCKFIGHTS.
IN UNION CAMPS,
VICTORIOUS BIRDS
NAMED "GRANT"
AND "BILL SHERMAN"
FOUGHT LOSERS CALLED
"BEAUREGARD," "JEFF DAVIS,"
AND "BOB LEE."
MAN: "THE BOYS WOULD
FREQUENTLY HAVE A LOUSE RACE.
"THE LICE WERE PLACED
IN PLATES.
"AND THE FIRST THAT CRAWLED OFF
WAS THE WINNER.
"THERE WAS ONE FELLOW
NAMED DORNIN,
"WHO WAS WINNING
ALL THE MONEY.
"WE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
"IF A FELLOW HAPPENED TO CATCH
A FlERCE-LOOKING LOUSE,
"HE WOULD CALL ON DORNIN
FOR A RACE.
"DORNIN WOULD COME
AND ALWAYS WIN THE STAKE.
"AT LAST WE FOUND OUT
DORNIN'S TRICK--
HE ALWAYS
HEATED THE PLATE. "
SAM WATKINS.
WOMAN: "RUTLAND, VERMONT.
DEAR EDWARD,
"IT WILL BE HARD
TO HAVE ALL MY SONS GO,
"BUT IF IT IS RIGHT,
I'VE NOTHING TO SAY.
"AS YOU VALUE
YOUR GOOD NAME,
"YOUR PEACE OF MIND,
"AND HAPPINESS HERE
AND HEREAFTER,
"DO KEEP ALOOF
FROM CARD PLAYING,
"FOR IMPERCEPTIBLY YOU WILL
BE LED, | FEAR, TO GAMBLING.
YOUR DEVOTED MOTHER."
NARRATOR: THERE WERE,
IN ALL, 450 BROTHELS
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
KNOWN TO STEADY CUSTOMERS
AS "FORT SUMTER,"
"MADAME RUSSELL'S
BAKE OVEN,"
AND "HEADQUARTERS, U.S.A."
MEN CALLED ATRIP THERE
"GOING DOWN THE LINE."
MAN: "I HAD A GOOD TIME
IN WASHINGTON--
"LAGER BEER
AND A HORSE AND BUGGY,
"AND IN THE EVENING,
HORIZONTAL REFRESHMENTS,
"OR IN PLAINER WORDS,
RIDING A DUTCH GAL.
HAD A GOOD TIME GENERALLY,
I TELL YOU."
PRIVATE ELI VEAZIE.
MAN: "IN THE CITY
OF NEW ORLEANS,
"WE COULD SEE SIGNS
OF SMOTHERED HATE AND PREJUDICE
"TO BOTH OUR COLOR AND PRESENT
CHARACTER AS UNION SOLDIERS,
"BUT FOR ONCE IN HIS LIFE,
"YOUR HUMBLE CORRESPONDENT
WALKED FEARLESSLY AND BOLDLY
"THROUGH THE STREETS
OF A SOUTHERN CITY,
"AND HE DID THIS
"WITHOUT BEING REQUIRED TO TAKE
OFF HIS CAP AT EVERY STEP
"OR TO GIVE
ALL THE SIDEWALKS
"TO THOSE LORDLY PRINCES
OF THE SUNNY SOUTH,
"THE PLANTERS' SONS.
"OH, CHIVALRY!
"HOW HAST THOU LOST
THY POTENT POWER AND CHARMS?
"BY WHAT MEANS, PRAY TELL ME,
HAST THOU SO DEGENERATED
"AS TO LOSE THE RESPECT
AND ADMIRATION
EVEN OF THE SABLE SONS
OF AFRICA?"
NARRATOR: THAT SUMMER, CONGRESS
FINALLY PASSED LEGISLATION
GIVING BLACK SOLDIERS
EQUAL PAY WITH WHITES.
CANNON FIRE
ON AUGUST 5, 1864,
UNION ADMIRAL DAVID FARRAGUT
LED 18 SHIPS
STORMING PAST 3 FORTS
TO ENGAGE THE CONFEDERATE FLEET
GUARDING MOBILE BAY.
FARRAGUT SUFFERED FROM VERTIGO
SO INTENSE
HE ORDERED HIMSELF LASHED
TO THE RIGGING OF HIS FLAGSHIP.
WHEN A MINE SANK
THE LEAD VESSEL
AND THE CAPTAINS
OF THE OTHER SHIPS HESITATED,
FARRAGUT SHOUTED,
"DAMN THE TORPEDOES,
FULL SPEED AHEAD!"
AND RAMMED AND SHELLED
THE REBEL FLEET INTO SUBMISSION.
IT WAS THE FIRST GOOD NEWS
FOR THE UNION,
AND LINCOLN, ALL YEAR.
MAN: "IN CAMP. NEAR ATLANTA.
"DEAR COMPANION,
"I SEAT MYSELF
ONE TIME MORE IN LIFE
"TO DROP YOU A FEW LINES.
"I AM WORE OUT MARCHING.
"WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING
FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER
"FOR 5 DAYS.
I MUST CLOSE, FOR IT IS
AVERY BAD PLACE TO WRITE."
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JACKSON.
NARRATOR:
BACK IN ALABAMA,
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JACKSON'S
WIFE MARTHA
AWOKE WITH A START.
A MOURNING DOVE WAS SITTING
ON HER WINDOWSILL.
SHE TOOK IT AS A SIGN
HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN KILLED
AND BEGAN TO WEEP SILENTLY
SO THAT HER FAMILY
WOULD NOT HEAR HER GRIEF
AND THINK HER SUPERSTITIOUS.
HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN
FATALLY WOUNDED THAT MORNING
IN BATTLE
WITH SHERMAN'S MEN.
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "MINE EYES HAVE BEHELD
THE PROMISED LAND.
"THE DOMES AND SPIRES OF ATLANTA
ARE GLITTERING
"IN THE SUNLIGHT BEFORE US
AND ONLY 8 MILES DISTANT."
NARRATOR: FINALLY, SHERMAN
WAS AT ATLANTA.
FOR MORE THAN TWO MONTHS,
CONFEDERATE GENERAL
JOSEPH JOHNSTON
HAD KEPT HIS ARMY INTACT,
DODGING SHERMAN'S
SUPERIOR FORCE
AND LOOKING FOR
THE RIGHT MOMENT TO ATTACK.
THE OPPORTUNITY NEVER CAME.
AN INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED
JEFFERSON DAVIS
NOW REMOVED
THE POPULAR JOHNSTON.
HIS TROOPS WERE STUNNED.
MAN: "THE NEWS CAME
LIKE A FLASH OF LIGHTNING,
"STAGGERING
AND BLINDING EVERYONE.
"FAREWELL, OLD FELLOW!
WE PRIVATES LOVED YOU BECAUSE
YOU MADE US LOVE OURSELVES."
SAM WATKINS.
NARRATOR: JOSEPH JOHNSTON'S
REPLACEMENT
WAS 33-YEAR-OLD JOHN BELL HOOD
OF TEXAS.
HIS ARM HAD BEEN MANGLED
AT GETTYSBURG,
AND HE'D LOST A LEG
AT CHICKAMAUGA,
BUT HIS RECKLESSNESS
REMAINED INTACT.
HIS MEN CALLED HIM
"OLD WOODEN HEAD."
MAN: "HOOD IS A BOLD FIGHTER.
I AM DOUBTFULAS TO
OTHER QUALITIES NECESSARY."
ROBERT E. LEE.
NARRATOR: SHERMAN WAS DELIGHTED
WITH HOOD,
SURE HE WOULD BE
ATTACKED AT LAST.
MANY OF HIS UNITS WERE NOW ARMED
WITH HENRY REPEATING RIFLES,
CAPABLE OF FIRING 15 SHOTS
WITHOUT BEING RELOADED.
OUTGUNNED REBELS COMPLAINED
THE YANKEES COULD NOW LOAD
ON A SUNDAY
AND KEEP SHOOTING ALL WEEK.
TO CUT OFF ATLANTA'S RAIL LINKS
WITH RICHMOND,
SHERMAN SENT 35-YEAR-OLD
GENERAL JAMES MCPHERSON'S ARMY
EAST OF THE CITY.
MCPHERSON WAS A SPECIAL FAVORITE
OF SHERMAN'S--
HANDSOME, WARM-HEARTED,
INTELLIGENT.
"IF HE LIVES,"
SHERMAN PREDICTED,
"HE'LL OUTDISTANCE GRANT
AND MYSELF."
NORTHERN PAPERS CHEERED
THE UNION ADVANCE
AND DAILY PREDICTED
ATLANTA'S FALL.
GUNFIRE
BUT ON JULY 22nd,
HOOD RUSHED TO COUNTER
THE NEW UNION THREAT.
THE BATTLE OF ATLANTA
HAD BEGUN.
HORSE NEIGHS
BUGLE SOUNDS
IT RAGED ALL AFTERNOON,
THE LINES FORMING,
FALLING BACK, REFORMING,
ATTACKING AGAIN.
AT 2:00,
GENERAL MCPHERSON HIMSELF
WENT TO INSPECT
THE IMPERILED UNION POSITION
AND RODE RIGHT INTO A BAND
OF REBEL SKIRMISHERS.
ORDERED TO SURRENDER, MCPHERSON
RAISED HIS HAT POLITELY,
TURNED HIS HORSE ABOUT,
AND RACED FOR THE UNION LINES.
GUNSHOTS
THE REBELS SHOT HIM
IN THE BACK.
SHERMAN COVERED
THE BODY OF HIS YOUNG FRIEND
WITH AN AMERICAN FLAG
AND WEPT.
MAN: "SHERMAN HAD
THE RARE FACULTY
"OF REMAINING CALM
UNDER GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES
"AND SCENES
OF GREAT EXCITEMENT.
"AT SUCH TIMES,
HIS ECCENTRICITIES DISAPPEARED.
"HIS MIND SEEMED NEVER SO CLEAR,
HIS CONFIDENCE NEVER SO STRONG,
"HIS SPIRIT
NEVER SO INSPIRING
"IN THE CRISIS
OF SOME FIERCE STRUGGLE,
"LIKE THAT OF THE DAY
WHEN MCPHERSON FELL
IN FRONT OF ATLANTA."
GENERAL JACOB D. COX.
CANNON FIRE
NARRATOR: CRYING "MCPHERSON
AND REVENGE, BOYS,
MCPHERSON AND REVENGE,"
THE UNION ARMY SMASHED DOWN
ON THE REBELS.
IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES,
HOOD WAS FORCED TO WITHDRAW.
AT EZRA CHURCH,
WEST OF THE CITY,
HOOD AGAIN TRIED
TO ROUT SHERMAN'S ARMY.
AGAIN HE FAILED.
1/3 OF HIS ARMY WAS GONE--
20,000 MEN,
AND HOOD FELL BACK
INTO ATLANTA.
MAN: "I CANNOT DESCRIBE IT.
"I REMEMBER I WENT IN THE REAR
OF THE BUILDING,
"AND THERE | SAWA PILE
OF ARMS AND LEGS
"ROTTING AND DECOMPOSING.
"I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION
IN MY WHOLE LIFE
OF EVER SEEING ANYTHING THAT
I REMEMBER WITH MORE HORROR."
SAM WATKINS.
NARRATOR:
BEHIND THEIR RAMPARTS,
THE CONFEDERATES WAITED
FOR SHERMAN TO ATTACK.
"THE YANKEE GENTS CAN'T GET
THEIR MEN TO CHARGE OUR WORKS,"
ATEXAN SAID,
BUT SHERMAN SAW NO NEED
TO BE SO RASH.
HE SEALED OFF
THE CITY'S SUPPLIES AND WAITED.
CANNON FIRE
FEDERAL GUNS BEGAN SHELLING
THE HEAVILY FORTIFIED
CONFEDERATE TRENCHES
AND THE CITY BEYOND.
WOMAN: "SATURDAY, AUGUST 21st.
"ANOTHER WEEK OF ANXIETY
AND SUSPENSE HAS PASSED,
"AND THE FATE OF ATLANTA
IS STILL UNDECIDED.
"IT IS SAID THAT ABOUT
20 LIVES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED
"BY THESE TERRIBLE MISSILES
"SINCE THE ENEMY BEGAN
TO THROW THEM INTO THE CITY.
"IT IS LIKE LIVING
IN THE MIDST OF A PESTILENCE.
NO ONE CAN TELL, BUT HE MAY BE
THE NEXT VICTIM."
NARRATOR: OUTSIDE ATLANTA,
THINGS WERE NO BETTER.
"THE ENEMY HOLD US
BY AN INFERIOR FORCE,"
SHERMAN ADMITTED
AS THE SIEGE DRAGGED ON.
"WE ARE MORE BESIEGED
THAN THEY."
"BOTH GRANT AND SHERMAN,"
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG
PREDICTED FROM NEW YORK,
"ARE ON THE EVE
OF DISASTER."
CORNET PLAYING
EVERY EVENING FOR A MONTH
DURING THE SIEGE,
A GEORGIA SHARPSHOOTER
PLAYED HIS CORNET SO BEAUTIFULLY
THAT MEN ON BOTH SIDES
STOPPED TO LISTEN.
FINALLY, ON AUGUST 31st,
THE SAME DAY THAT
GEORGE MCCLELLAN WAS NOMINATED
FOR PRESIDENT,
SHERMAN HURLED MOST
OF HIS ARMY
AGAINST THE MACON & WESTERN
RAILROAD
SOUTH OF THE CITY
IN ONE MORE ATTEMPT
TO BREAK HOOD'S GRIP.
IT WORKED.
ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1864,
HOOD ABANDONED ATLANTA.
SHERMAN'S TROOPS MARCHED IN
THE NEXT DAY.
MAN: "ATLANTA IS OURS
AND FAIRLY WON."
MAN: "SEPTEMBER 3, 1864.
"GLORIOUS NEWS THIS MORNING--
ATLANTA TAKEN AT LAST.
"IT IS, COMING
AT THIS POLITICAL CRISIS,
THE GREATEST EVENT
OF THE WAR."
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG.
MAN: "DEAR GENERAL SHERMAN,
"I FEEL YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
THE MOST GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING
"GIVEN TO ANY GENERAL
IN THIS WAR
"AND WITH A SKILL AND ABILITY
"THAT WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED
IN HISTORY AS UNSURPASSED,
IF NOT UNEQUALLED."
U.S. GRANT.
NARRATOR:
IN SHERMAN'S HONOR,
GRANT ORDERED
A 100-GUN SALUTE
FIRED INTO THE CONFEDERATE WORKS
AT PETERSBURG.
GUNFIRE
WOMAN: "ATLANTA IS GONE.
"THAT AGONY IS OVER.
THERE IS NO HOPE, BUT WE WILL
TRY TO HAVE NO FEAR."
MARY CHESNUT.
NARRATOR: TO AVENGE SHERMAN'S
VICTORIES IN GEORGIA,
6 CONFEDERATE AGENTS SLIPPED
INTO NEW YORK CITY
ARMED WITH PHOSPHOROUS,
INTENT UPON BURNING DOWN
THE CITY'S MOST
FASHIONABLE HOTELS.
THEY MANAGED
TO LIGHT 10 FIRES
AND SET
P.T. BARNUM'S MUSEUM ABLAZE.
FIREMEN PUT EVERYTHING OUT.
ALL BUT ONE
OF THE CONFEDERATES GOT AWAY.
"THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH
CAN'T BE ROLLING
IN WEALTH AND COMFORT,"
THE CAPTURED MAN SAID
BEFORE HE WAS HANGED,
"WHILE WE AT THE SOUTH
ARE BEARING ALL THE HARDSHIP
AND PRIVATIONS."
FROM THE FRONT,
ON HIS WEDDING ANNIVERSARY,
ROBERT E. LEE WROTE HOME
TO HIS WIFE IN RICHMOND.
MAN AS LEE: "DEAR MARY,
"DO YOU RECOLLECT
WHAT A HAPPY DAY
"33 YEARS AGO THIS WAS?
"HOW MANY HOPES AND PLEASURES
IT GAVE BIRTH TO?
"GOD HAS BEEN VERY MERCIFUL
AND KIND TO US,
"AND HOW THANKLESS AND SINFUL
I HAVE BEEN.
"| PRAY THAT HE MAY CONTINUE
HIS MERCIES AND BLESSINGS TO US
"AND GIVE US
A LITTLE PEACE AND REST
TOGETHER IN THIS WORLD."
MAN: "THAT MAN HAUPT
"HAS BUILT A BRIDGE
ACROSS THE POTOMAC CREEK
"ABOUT 400 FEET LONG
AND NEARLY 100 FEET TALL
"OVER WHICH LOADED TRAINS
ARE RUNNING EVERY HOUR,
AND THERE IS NOTHING IN IT
BUT BEANPOLES AND CORNSTALKS."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
NARRATOR: NEAR PETERSBURG,
THE UNION CAMP AT CITY POINT
ON THE JAMES RIVER
SUDDENLY FOUND ITSELF ONE
OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST SEAPORTS,
WITH BAKERIES, BARRACKS,
WAREHOUSES,
A200-ACRE TENT HOSPITAL,
MORE THAN A MILE OF WHARVES,
AND A NEW 70-MILE RAILROAD BUILT
BY HERMAN HAUPT IN RECORD TIME
TO BRING SUPPLIES
AND FRESH TROOPS
RIGHT UP
TO THE UNION TRENCHES.
"NOT MERELY PROFUSION BUT
EXTRAVAGANCE," A VISITOR WROTE,
"SOLDIERS PROVIDED
WITH EVERYTHING."
AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE
OF UNPARALLELED POWER
NOW KEPT THE WAR SUPPLIES
STREAMING TO THE FRONT.
IN CLEVELAND, OHIO,
WHEN THE WAR BEGAN,
THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE FORGE
OR FOUNDRY.
WHEN THE WAR ENDED,
THERE WERE 21,
EMPLOYING 3,000 MEN
AND TURNING OUT 60,000 TONS
OF STEEL A YEAR.
BY THEN, THE COLD SPRING FOUNDRY
OPPOSITE WEST POINT
ON THE HUDSON
WAS PRODUCING 7,000
ARTILLERY PROJECTILES A WEEK
AND THE MILITARY
TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
WAS CARRYING OVER
3,300 MESSAGES A DAY
ALONG 15,000 MILES OF WIRE.
MAN: "THE WORLD HAS SEEN
ITS IRON AGE,
"ITS SILVER AGE,
ITS GOLDEN AGE,
"AND ITS BRONZE AGE.
THIS IS THE AGE OF SHODDY."
NARRATOR: FOR SHREWD
NORTHERN BUSINESSMEN,
THERE WERE QUICK PROFITS
IN ARMY CONTRACTS.
PHILIP ARMOUR GAVE UP
GOLD MINING
TO STRIKE IT RICH
PACKING PORK FOR THE ARMY.
SAMUEL COLT OF HARTFORD
TOLD HIS MEN
TO "RUN THE ARMORY NIGHT AND DAY
WITH DOUBLE SETS OF HANDS."
JAY COOKE SOLD WAR BONDS,
RAISED MORE THAN $400 MILLION
FOR THE UNION,
AND GOT RICH
ON THE COMMISSIONS.
UNSCRUPULOUS CONTRACTORS SOLD
THE WAR DEPARTMENT RUSTY RIFLES,
BOATS THAT LEAKED,
CAPS THAT MELTED IN THE RAIN.
WHEN ONE MANUFACTURER
WAS ASKED
WHY THE SOLES OF THE SHOES
HE SUPPLIED FELL OFF
AFTER A FEW MINUTES' MARCHING,
HE EXPLAINED THEY HAD BEEN MEANT
FOR THE CAVALRY.
MAN: "YOU CAN SELL ALMOST
ANYTHING TO THE GOVERNMENT
AT ALMOST ANY PRICE
YOU'VE GOT THE GUTS TO ASK."
FOOTE: I THINK THAT
THE NORTH FOUGHT THAT WAR
WITH ONE HAND
BEHIND ITS BACK.
AT THE SAME TIME
THE WAR WAS GOING ON,
THE HOMESTEAD ACT
WAS BEING PASSED.
ALL THESE MARVELOUS INVENTIONS
WERE GOING ON.
IN THE SPRING OF '64,
THE HARVARD-YALE BOAT RACES
WERE GOING ON,
AND NOTA MAN
IN EITHER CREW
EVER VOLUNTEERED
FOR THE ARMY OR THE NAVY.
THEY DIDN'T NEED THEM.
I THINK THAT IF IT HAD BEEN
MORE SOUTHERN SUCCESSES
AND A LOT MORE,
THE NORTH SIMPLY WOULD HAVE
BROUGHT THAT OTHER ARM OUT
FROM BEHIND ITS BACK.
I DON'T THINK THE SOUTH
EVER HAD A CHANCE
TO WIN THAT WAR.
NARRATOR: OUT WEST,
BLOODY BILL ANDERSON,
A CONFEDERATE GUERRILLA
WHO RODE WITH UNION SCALPS
TIED TO HIS BRIDLE,
LED 30 MEN
INTO CENTRALIA, MISSOURI,
KILLED 24 UNARMED
FEDERAL SOLDIERS,
THEN AMBUSHED 116 MORE.
ON OCTOBER 26th,
ANDERSON HIMSELF
WAS AMBUSHED AND KILLED,
BUT ONE OF HIS CLOSE
LIEUTENANTS, JESSE JAMES,
G OT AWAY.
IN TENNESSEE,
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST'S MEN
SURROUNDED FORT PILLOW,
HELD BYA UNIT OF TENNESSEE
UNIONISTS AND BLACK TROOPS,
AND DEMANDED ITS SURRENDER.
WHEN THE UNION COMMANDER
REFUSED, THE FORT WAS OVERRUN.
AS MANY AS 300 SOLDIERS,
MOST OF THEM BLACK, WERE KILLED,
MANY AFTER THEY SURRENDERED.
MAN: "IT IS HOPED THAT THESE
FACTS WILL DEMONSTRATE
"TO THE NORTHERN PEOPLE
THAT NEGRO SOLDIERS CANNOT COPE
WITH SOUTHERNERS."
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST.
MAN: "I SAID, DON'T SHOOT ME,
"AND ONE OF THEM SAID,
GO OUTAND HOLD MY HORSE.
"I MADE A STEP OR TWO,
AND HE SAID,
"TURN AROUND. I WILL HOLD
MY HORSE AND SHOOT YOU, TOO.
INO SOONER TURNED AROUND
THAN HE SHOT ME IN THE FACE."
GUNSHOT
"| FELL DOWN
AS IF I WAS DEAD.
HE SHOT ME AGAIN
AND HIT MY ARM, NOT MY HEAD."
GUNSHOT
"I LAID THERE UNTIL I COULD
HEAR HIM NO MORE,
"AND THEN I STARTED BACK.
"I GOT BACK ABOUT SUNUP
"AND WANDERED ABOUT
UNTIL A GUNBOAT CAME ALONG,
AND I CAME UP ON THAT
WITH ABOUT 10 OTHERS."
PRIVATE GEORGE SHAW, COMPANY B,
6th U.S. HEAVY ARTILLERY.
NARRATOR: IN RETALIATION
FOR FORT PILLOW,
GRANT ENDED THE SYSTEM
UNDER WHICH PRISONERS
HAD ALWAYS BEEN EXCHANGED
UNTIL THE SOUTH AGREED
TO RECOGNIZE
"NO DISTINCTION WHATEVER BETWEEN
WHITE AND COLORED PRISONERS."
DAVIS AND LEE REFUSED.
NORTH AND SOUTH,
PRISONS SOON BULGED
WITH UNEXCHANGED PRISONERS.
ALREADY INADEQUATE PRISON CAMPS
BECAME NIGHTMARES.
THE WORST
WAS THE CONFEDERATE PRISON
NEAR ANDERSONVILLE,
GEORGIA.
MEANT TO HOLD A MAXIMUM
OF 10,000 NORTHERN PRISONERS,
BY AUGUST 1864,
IT HAD 33,000--
THE FIFTH-LARGEST CITY
IN THE CONFEDERACY.
ITS COMMANDANT, A GERMAN-SWISS
IMMIGRANT NAMED HENRY WIRZ,
FORBADE PRISONERS
TO BUILD SHELTERS.
MOST LIVED IN HOLES
SCRATCHED IN THE GROUND
COVERED BY A BLANKET.
THE DAILY RATION
WAS A TEASPOON OF SALT,
3 TABLESPOONS OF BEANS,
AND HALF-PINT OF CORNMEAL.
A FOUL CREEK CALLED
SWEET WATER BRANCH
SERVED AS BOTH DRINKING WATER
AND SEWER.
MAN: "1/3 OF THE ORIGINAL
ENCLOSURE WAS SWAMPY,
"A MUD OF LIQUID FILTH,
VOIDINGS FROM THE THOUSANDS,
"SEETHING WITH MAGGOTS
IN FULL ACTIVITY.
"DEATH AT THE HANDS
OF THE GUARDS,
"THOUGH MURDER IN COLD BLOOD,
WAS MERCIFUL
"BESIDE THE SYSTEMATIC, STUDIED,
ABSOLUTE MURDER INSIDE
BY SLOW DEATH."
NARRATOR: IN ONE YEAR,
13,000 MEN DIED AT ANDERSONVILLE
AND WERE BURIED
IN MASS GRAVES.
MAN: "CAN THOSE BE MEN?
"ARE THEY
NOT REALLY CORPSES?
"THEY LAY THERE,
MOST OF THEM, QUITE STILL,
"BUT WITH A HORRIBLE LOOK
IN THEIR EYES.
"THE DEAD THERE
ARE NOT TO BE PITIED
"AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE LIVING
THAT HAVE COME FROM THERE--
IF THEY CAN
BE CALLED LIVING."
WALT WHITMAN.
MAN: "WHEN I WAS TAKEN PRISONER,
IWEIGHED 165 POUNDS,
"AND WHEN I CAME OUT,
IWEIGHED 96 POUNDS
AND WAS CONSIDERED STOUT
COMPARED WITH SOMEI SAW."
WOMAN: "MY HEART ACHES
FOR THESE POOR WRETCHES,
"YANKEES THOUGH THEY ARE,
"AND I AM AFRAID GOD WILL SUFFER
SOME TERRIBLE RETRIBUTION
"TO FALL UPON US
FOR LETTING SUCH THINGS HAPPEN.
"IF THE YANKEES SHOULD EVER
COME TO SOUTHWEST GEORGIA
"AND GO TO ANDERSON
AND SEE THE GRAVES THERE,
GOD HAVE MERCY
ON THE LAND!"
NARRATOR: WITH SHERMAN'S
VICTORY AT ATLANTA,
LINCOLN'S CHANCES OF RE-ELECTION
WERE IMPROVING.
AND NOW CAME MORE BAD NEWS
FOR THE CONFEDERACY.
PHIL SHERIDAN AND 45,000 MEN
WERE ON THE LOOSE
IN THE SHENANDOAH.
MAN: "THE WHOLE COUNTRY
"FROM THE BLUE RIDGE
TO THE NORTH MOUNTAINS
"HAS BEEN MADE UNTENABLE
FOR A REBEL ARMY.
"I HAVE DESTROYED
OVER 2,000 BARNS
"FILLED WITH WHEAT, HAY,
AND FARMING IMPLEMENTS
"AND OVER 70 MILLS.
"TOMORROW I WILL CONTINUE
THE DESTRUCTION.
"WHEN THIS IS COMPLETED,
"THE VALLEY WILL HAVE
BUT LITTLE IN IT
FOR MAN OR BEAST."
GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN.
FOOTE: HE WAS SENT THERE TO
CLEAR IT OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL.
HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE
TO STRIP IT SO CLEAN
THAT A CROW
FLYING ACROSS IT
WOULD HAVE TO CARRY
HIS OWN PROVENDER,
AND HE CAME CLOSE
TO DOING IT.
NARRATOR:
NO UNION OFFICER
WAS FONDER OF FIGHTING
THAN SHERIDAN.
NONE, SAVE SHERMAN,
WAS 80 RELENTLESS.
HIS ORDERS WERE TO FOLLOW
JUBAL EARLY "TO THE DEATH."
BEFORE DAWN ON OCTOBER 18th,
JUBAL EARLY TRIED ONE LAST TIME
TO DESTROY SHERIDAN'S ARMY
BY ATTACKING AT CEDAR CREEK,
WHILE SHERIDAN HIMSELF
WAS ASLEEP AT WINCHESTER
20 MILES AWAY.
AT FIRST IT SEEMED
EARLY HAD SUCCEEDED.
UNION FORCES WERE DRIVEN
FROM THEIR CAMPS.
SHERIDAN MOUNTED
HIS GREAT BLACK HORSE RIENZI
AND GALLOPED THROUGH
HIS RETREATING MEN,
URGING THEM TO TURN BACK.
THEY STOPPED
AND BEGAN TO CHANT HIS NAME.
"GOD DAMN YOU!"
SHERIDAN SHOUTED.
"DON'T CHEER ME. FIGHT!"
THE UNION LINES RE-FORMED
AND WON BACK THE FIELD.
CANNON FIRE
EARLY FLED, AND THE SHENANDOAH
WAS CLOSED FOREVER
TO THE CONFEDERACY.
MAN, AS LINCOLN:
"GENERAL SHERIDAN, WHEN THIS
PARTICULAR WAR BEGAN,
"I THOUGHT A CAVALRYMAN
SHOULD BE AT LEAST 6'4" HIGH,
"BUT I HAVE
CHANGED MY MIND.
5'4" WILL DO IN A PINCH."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
NARRATOR:
AT PETERSBURG,
GRANT FIRED
A SECOND 100-GUN VOLLEY
INTO THE ENEMY WORKS.
GUNFIRE
MAN: "DEAR NAT, I THINK WELL
OF THE PRESIDENT.
"HE HAS A FACE
LIKE A HOOSIER MICHELANGELO,
"SO AWFUL UGLY
IT BECOMES BEAUTIFUL,
"WITH ITS STRANGE MOUTH,
ITS DEEP-CUT, CRISSCROSS LINES,
"AND ITS DOUGHNUT COMPLEXION.
"I DO NOT DWELL
ON THE SUPPOSED FAILURES
"OF HIS GOVERNMENT.
"HE HAS SHOWN
AN ALMOST SUPERNATURAL TACT
"IN KEEPING
THE SHIP AFLOAT AT ALL.
| MORE AND MORE RELY UPON
HIS IDIOMATIC WESTERN GENIUS."
WALT WHITMAN.
STAR SPANGLED BANNER PLAYS
MAN: HARPER'S WEEKLY.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN
"AND ANDREW JOHNSON
"HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY ENORMOUS
"AND UNIVERSAL MAJORITIES
"IN ALMOST ALL THE STATES.
"THIS RESULT IS THE PROCLAMATION
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
"THAT THEY ARE NOT CONQUERED.
"THIS IS WHAT THEY CONFIRM
"BY THE RE-ELECTION
OF MR. LINCOLN.
"IN HIMSELF,
HE IS UNIMPORTANT,
"BUT AS THE REPRESENTATIVE
"OF THE FEELING AND PURPOSE
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT
IN THE WORLD."
MAN: "I GIVE THANKS
TO THE ALMIGHTY
"FOR THIS EVIDENCE
OF THE PEOPLE'S RESOLUTION.
"THIS CONTEST HAS DEMONSTRATED
TO THE WORLD
"THAT A PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT
CAN SUSTAIN A NATIONAL ELECTION
IN THE MIDST
OF A GREAT CIVIL WAR."
NARRATOR: SHERMAN'S AND
SHERIDAN'S VICTORIES
HAD CHANGED THE ODDS.
LINCOLN CARRIED 55%
OF THE POPULAR VOTE.
ONLY 3 STATES--KENTUCKY,
DELAWARE, AND NEW JERSEY--
WENT TO GEORGE MCCLELLAN.
VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE GENERAL'S
OLD COMMAND,
THE UNION ARMY
OF THE POTOMAC,
VOTED FOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
MAN: "THAT GRAND OLD ARMY
PERFORMED MANY HEROIC ACTS,
"BUT NEVER IN ITS HISTORY
DID IT DO A MORE DEVOTED SERVICE
THAN VOTE
FOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN."
MAN: "NOT THE FALL OF RICHMOND,
NOR WILMINGTON,
"NOR CHARLESTON,
NOR SAVANNAH, NOR MOBILE,
"NOR ALL COMBINED
CAN SAVE THE ENEMY
"FROM THE CONSTANT
AND EXHAUSTIVE DRAIN
"OF BLOOD AND TREASURE
WHICH MUST CONTINUE
"UNTIL HE SHALL DISCOVER
THAT NO PEACE IS ATTAINABLE
UNLESS BASED ON THE RECOGNITION
OF OUR INDEFEASIBLE RIGHTS."
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS.
NARRATOR:
IF IT HADN'T BEGUN BEFORE,
THE LOST CAUSE WAS BORN
WITH HIS WORDS.
AS DAVIS SPOKE AT RICHMOND,
HIS AUDIENCE COULD HEAR
GRANT'S GUNS AT PETERSBURG,
JUST 20 MILES AWAY.
MORE AND MORE,
IT WAS BECOMING
A CONFEDERACY OF THE MIND.
FOOTE: IT WAS A REALIZATION
THAT DEFEAT WAS FOREORDAINED.
MISS CHESNUT,
FOR INSTANCE, SAID,
"IT'S LIKE
IN A GREEK TRAGEDY,
"WHERE YOU KNOW WHAT
THE OUTCOME IS BOUND TO BE,
AND WE'RE LIVING
AGREEK TRAGEDY."
AND THINGS BEGAN TO CLOSE IN
ON THEM MORE AND MORE.
THERE WAS SCARCELY A FAMILY
THAT HADN'T LOST SOMEONE.
THERE WERE--
DISRUPTION OF SOCIETY.
THE BLOCKADE WAS WORKING.
THEY COULDN'T
GET VERY SIMPLE THINGS
LIKE NEEDLES TO SEW WITH--
VERY SIMPLE THINGS.
AND THE DISCOURAGEMENT BEGAN
TO SETTLE IN MORE AND MORE
WITH THE REALIZATION THAT THEY
WERE NOT GONNA WIN THAT WAR.
THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS
DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD,
ESPECIALLY JEFFERSON DAVIS,
TO ASSURE THEM
THAT THIS WAS
THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
AND IF THEY WOULD STAND FAST,
THEY WAY THEIR FOREFATHERS HAD,
VICTORY WAS UNQUESTIONABLY
GONNA COME,
BUT THE REALIZATION CAME
MORE AND MORE
THAT IT WAS NOT
GONNA COME,
ESPECIALLY THAT THEY
WERE NOT GONNA GET
FOREIGN RECOGNITION,
WITHOUT WHICH WE WOULDN'T HAVE
WON THE FIRST REVOLUTION,
AND ALL THOSE THINGS
CLOSED IN ON THEM.
NARRATOR: IN THE NORTH,
THE RESERVOIR OF MEN
SEEMED BOTTOMLESS.
WHOLE UNITS, LIKE THE 3rd
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
HAD STILL NEVER HEARD
ASHOT FIRED IN ANGER.
LINCOLN NOW ISSUED
A PROCLAMATION
MAKING THE LAST THURSDAY
IN NOVEMBER
A NATIONAL DAY
OF THANKSGIVING.
IN THE TRENCHES
AT PETERSBURG,
120,000 TURKEY AND CHICKEN
DINNERS WERE SERVED
TO GRANT'S HUGE ARMY.
ONLY YARDS AWAY,
THE CONFEDERATES
HAD NO FEAST,
BUT HELD THEIR FIRE
ALL DAY
OUT OF RESPECT
FOR THE UNION HOLIDAY.
LINCOLN CALLED FOR MORE MEN
TO FINISH THE WAR.
THE SOUTH HAD
NO MORE MEN TO SPARE.
AND WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
HAD BEGUN HIS MARCH TO THE SEA.
MAN: "WE LAY IN GRIM REPOSE
"AND EXPECTED THE RENEWAL
OF THE MORTAL CONFLICT.
"THE CONVICTION
EVERYWHERE PREVAILED
THAT WE COULD SUSTAIN
BUT ONE MORE CAMPAIGN."
CAPTAIN JAMES F.J. CALDWELL.
NARRATOR:
ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 25th
AT THE WINTER GARDEN THEATER
ON BROADWAY,
SHAKESPEARE'S
JULIUS CAESAR OPENED.
3 BROTHERS HAD
THE STARRING ROLES--
EDWIN, JUNIUS,
AND JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
AT ONE POINT
IN SHAKESPEARE'S PLAY,
CASSIUS SPEAKS
OF THE ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR.
"HOW MANY AGES HENCE
"SHALL THIS OUR LOFTY SCENE
BE ACTED OVER,
IN STATES UNBORN
AND ACCENTS YET UNKNOWN?"
MAN: "CAPTAIN CLAPP,
77th NEW YORK.
WOUNDED AT PETERSBURG."
"CAPTAIN SMITH, 77th NEW YORK.
WOUNDED AT WILDERNESS."
"CAPTAIN TAYLOR,
61st PENNSYLVANIA.
WOUNDED AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"CAPTAIN ORR, 77th NEW YORK.
LOST ARM AT CEDAR CREEK."
"CAPTAIN DEFOE.
EYE SHOT OUT AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"MAJOR ELLIS, 49th NEW YORK.
DIED OF WOUND AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"CAPTAIN HICKMOTT,
49th NEW YORK.
KILLED AT WILDERNESS."
"LIEUTENANT LYON, 77th NEW YORK.
KILLED AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"LIEUTENANT BELDING,
77th NEW YORK.
KILLED AT CEDAR CREEK."
"UNION OFFICERS.
ALL KILLED IN BATTLE."
MAN: "IT REALLY LOOKS
AS IF IT WOULD NEVER END."
"THE MOST INSPIRING SIGHT
"IS THE FLOCK OF BUZZARDS
CONSTANTLY HOVERING OVER US
"AND WAITING
FOR THEIR FEAST.
"THOSE BIRDS ARE
AT LEAST IMPARTIAL
BECAUSE THEY EAT
BOTH SIDES ALIKE."
"THE SAME, | SUPPOSE,
IS TRUE OF WORMS."
WASHINGTON ROEBLING.
NARRATOR:
BY THE SPRING OF 1864,
UNION DEAD COMPLETELY FILLED
THE MILITARY CEMETERIES
OF WASHINGTON
AND ALEXANDRIA.
SECRETARY OF WAR STANTON
ORDERED THE QUARTERMASTER
GENERAL, MONTGOMERY MEIGS,
TO CHOOSE A NEW SITE.
MEIGS WAS A GEORGIAN
WHO HAD SERVED UNDER LEE
IN THE PEACETIME ARMY,
BUT HE HAD DEVELOPED
AN INTENSE HATRED
FOR ALL HIS FELLOW SOUTHERNERS
WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE UNION
HE STILL SERVED.
WITHOUT HESITATION,
HE PICKED THE GROUNDS
OF ROBERT E. LEE'S
HOME AT ARLINGTON
FOR THE NEW ARMY CEMETERY,
AND ORDERED THAT THE UNION DEAD
BE LAID TO REST
WITHIN A FEW FEET
OF THE FRONT DOOR
OF THE MAN
HE BLAMED FOR THEIR DEATHS
SO THAT NO ONE COULD EVER AGAIN
LIVE IN THE HOUSE.
IN OCTOBER, MEIGS' OWN SON JOHN
WAS KILLED
BY CONFEDERATE GUERRILLAS
IN THE SHENANDOAH
AND BURIED
IN MRS. LEE'S ROSE GARDEN.
AT ONE POINT THAT YEAR,
THE UNION ARMY WAS SENDING BACK
2,000 WOUNDED, MAIMED, AND DYING
MEN A WEEK TO WASHINGTON.
NOW THE MEN GRANT WAS SENDING
TO FIGHT ROBERT E. LEE
WERE BEING BURIED
IN LEE'S OWN FRONT YARD.
AND THAT YARD BECAME
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY,
THE UNION'S
MOST HALLOWED GROUND.
MAN: "I REQUIRE ABLE-BODIED MEN
WITH GOOD HORSE AND GUN.
"| WISH NONE BUT THOSE WHO
DESIRE TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
"COME ON, BOYS,
IF YOU WANTA HEAP OF FUN
AND TO KILL SOME YANKEES."
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST.
BEDFORD FORREST'S GRANDDAUGHTER
LIVED HERE IN MEMPHIS.
SHE RECENTLY DIED,
AND I GOT TO KNOW HER,
AND SHE EVEN LET ME SWING
THE GENERAL'S SABER
AROUND MY HEAD ONCE,
WHICH WAS A GREAT TREAT,
AND I HAD THOUGHT A LONG TIME,
AND I CALLED HER AND SAID,
"I THINK THE WAR PRODUCED
TWO AUTHENTIC GENIUSES.
"ONE OF THEM
WAS YOUR GRANDFATHER,
AND THE OTHER
WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN."
AND THERE WASASILENCE
AT THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE,
AND SHE SAID,
"WELL, YOU KNOW, IN OUR FAMILY,
WE NEVER THOUGHT MUCH
OF MR. LINCOLN."
SHE DIDN'T LIKE MY
COUPLING HER GRANDFATHER
WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
SOUTHERNERS ARE VERY STRANGE
ABOUT THAT WAR.
NARRATOR: THERE WAS FIGHTING
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY--
AT THE SABINE CROSSROADS NEAR
THE TEXAS-LOUISIANA BORDER
AND DOWN THE RED RIVER,
ON THE LITTLE BLUE
IN MISSOURI,
AT POISON SPRING
AND JENKINS FERRY IN ARKANSAS,
AND FAR OUT
IN INDIAN TERRITORY.
BY THE SUMMER OF 1864,
THE UNION INITIATIVE
HAD GROUND TO A HALT.
DESPITE ITS POWERFUL
INDUSTRIAL MACHINE,
DESPITE INCREASING HARDSHIPS
FOR THE SOUTH,
THE NORTH WAS LOSING
CONTROL OF THE WAR.
AS THE CASUALTY LISTS
GREW LONGER,
OPPOSITION TO THE WAR
INCREASED.
WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN LOOMING,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN NOW KNEW
HE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
THAT HAD NEVER
BEEN DONE BEFORE--
SUBMIT TO A POPULAR ELECTION
DURING CIVIL WAR
AND WIN IT.
"THE STRUGGLE WITHIN
AND WITHOUT,"
AN ADVISOR TOLD LINCOLN,
"IS FOR
OUR NATIONAL EXISTENCE."
AT PETERSBURG,
ROBERT E. LEE'S ENTRENCHED ARMY
CONTINUED TO RESIST
ULYSSES S. GRANT'S
TWO-MONTH-OLD SIEGE.
TO END THE STALEMATE,
UNION TROOPS WERE DIGGING
DEEP BENEATH
THE CONFEDERATE LINES.
NORTH OF ATLANTA,
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
WOULD HAVE TO BLAST THROUGH
AN IMPENETRABLE SYSTEM
OF TRENCHES, BREASTWORKS,
AND PARAPETS
TO TAKE THE CITY,
IF HE EVER GOT THERE.
THAT SUMMER, IN THE SWELTERING
MISSISSIPPI HEAT,
CONFEDERATE GENERAL
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST
WOULD CEMENT HIS REPUTATION
AS THE MOST TERRIFYING CAVALRY
COMMANDER OF THE WAR.
MEANWHILE,
IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY,
A DIMINUTIVE UNION GENERAL,
PHIL SHERIDAN,
WOULD GLEEFULLY WRECK
EVERY FARM AND VILLAGE
HE COULD LAY HIS HANDS ON,
WHILE IN RICHMOND,
JEFFERSON DAVIS
STRUGGLED DESPERATELY
TO KEEP THE IDEA
OF THE CONFEDERACY ALIVE.
AT THE END OF THE YEAR,
UNION QUARTERMASTER
GENERAL MONTGOMERY MEIGS
WOULD LOSE A SON
AND BRING HIS GRIEF
TO THE DOORSTEP
OF ROBERT E. LEE.
BY THE SUMMER OF 1864,
PEOPLE COULD HARDLY REMEMBER
THAT THERE HAD EVER BEEN
A TIME WITHOUT WAR,
AND MANY DID NOT BELIEVE
IT WOULD EVER END.
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "DEAR MR. PRESIDENT,
"THE TIDE IS SETTING
STRONGLY AGAINST US.
"TWO SPECIAL CAUSES
ARE ASSIGNED
"TO THIS GREAT REACTION
IN PUBLIC SENTIMENT—-
"THE WANT OF MILITARY SUCCESS
AT PETERSBURG AND ATLANTA
"AND THE IMPRESSION
THAT WE ARE FIGHTING,
NOT FOR UNION, BUT FOR
THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY."
HENRY RAYMOND,
CHAIRMAN,
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
NARRATOR: THE SIEGE OF
PETERSBURG WENT ON.
MORALE HAD NEVER
BEEN LOWER.
"WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE
WARS LIKE THIS AGAIN,"
ONE UNION SOLDIER SAID.
IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS,
FROM THE WILDERNESS
TO SPOTSYLVANIA,
COLD HARBOR TO PETERSBURG,
GRANT HAD NEARLY
DESTROYED HIS ARMY.
"THE PEOPLE ARE WILD
FOR PEACE,"
A NEWSPAPER REPORTED.
"LINCOLN'S RE-ELECTION
IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY."
CANNON FIRES
NEVERTHELESS,
140,000 SOLDIERS
RE-ENLISTED
IN THE UNION ARMY.
PRIDE AND PATRIOTISM
HAD MUCH TO DO WITH IT
AND A DESIRE TO SEE
THE THING THROUGH,
BUT SO DID THE PROMISE
OF A MONTH'S FURLOUGH.
"3 MORE YEARS OF HELL,"
WROTE ONE SOLDIER,
"IN EXCHANGE
FOR 30 DAYS OF HEAVEN--HOME."
MAN: HARPER'S WEEKLY.
"THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
"WHICH ENDS IN THE ELECTION
OF THE 8th OF NOVEMBER
"DECIDES THE MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTION IN HISTORY.
"IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN
THE FATE OF REPUBLICS
"TO BE DESTROYED BY FACTION.
"THAT FEAR IS
NOW ABOUT TO BE CONFIRMED
OR DISSIPATED FOREVER."
NARRATOR: THE KEY,
EVERYONE KNEW, WAS ATLANTA.
IF SHERMAN COULD REACH
THE RAILROAD HUB OF THE SOUTH,
THE WAR MIGHT END AT LAST,
BUT IT WAS THE STALEMATE
IN VIRGINIA
THAT CONCERN ED
LINCOLN NOW.
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "JULY 4, 1864,
"THE GLORIOUS FOURTH
HAS COME AGAIN,
"AND WE HAVE HAD
QUITE A CELEBRATION
"WITH GUNS FIRING
SHOT AND SHELL
"INTO PETERSBURG
TO REMIND THEM OF THE DAY.
"THIS DAY MAKES
4 FOURTH OF JULYS
"THAT I HAVE PASSED
IN THE ARMY,
"THE FIRST AT CAMP CLARK,
"THE SECOND
AT HARRISON'S LANDING,
"THE THIRD AT GETTYSBURG,
AND TODAY AT PETERSBURG.
"I HAD A PARTY OF OFFICERS
TO DINE WITH ME.
"THIS WAS OUR BILL OF FARE--
"STEWED OYSTERS, CANNED,
ROAST TURKEY, CANNED,
"BREAD PUDDING,
TAPIOCA PUDDING,
"APPLE PIE MADE IN CAMP,
LEMONADE, CIGARS."
"TOMORROW, IF WE MARCH,
HARDTACK AND SALT PORK
WILL BE OUR FARE."
ELISHA HUNT RHODES.
MAN: "THE ENEMY THROW A NUMBER
OF SHELLS DAILY INTO PETERSBURG,
"BUT THEY DO LITTLE DAMAGE.
"THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN SEEM
NOT TO MIND THEM AT ALL.
"ON ONE STREET YESTERDAY WHERE
SUCH A NUMBER OF SHELLS BURST
"THAT I WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED IT
AWARM PLACE IN THE FIELD,
"WOMEN WERE PASSING ABOUT
WITH LITTLE CONCERN,
"DODGING AROUND A CORNER
WHEN THEY HEARD A SHELL COMING
"OR PUTTING THEIR HEADS
OUT OF THEIR WINDOWS
"TO SEE WHAT DAMAGE
THEY'D DONE.
"A LADY YESTERDAY SENT
WARDLAW AND MYSELF
SOME ICE CREAM AND CAKES."
HARRY HAMMOND.
BUGLE SOUNDING
NARRATOR: TO RELIEVE THE
PRESSURE ON PETERSBURG,
LEE SENT 10,000 MEN NORTH
TO PUSH UNION TROOPS
OUT OF THE SHENANDOAH
AND HARASS WASHINGTON ITSELF.
IN CHARGE
OF THE SOUTHERN FORCES
WAS A RUTHLESS
CONFEDERATE GENERAL
NAMED JUBAL EARLY.
EARLY ATTACKED FORT STEVENS,
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF WASHINGTON,
TERRIFYING THE CITY,
DESPITE THE 74 FORTS
THAT NOW MADE IT
THE MOST HEAVILY FORTIFIED
CITY ON EARTH.
CANNON FIRE
FEDERAL TROOPS,
INCLUDING ELISHA HUNT RHODES,
WERE HASTILY BROUGHT UP
FROM PETERSBURG
TO PROTECT THE CAPITAL.
MAN:"JULY12, 1864.
"WE MARCHED IN LINE OF BATTLE
INTO A PEACH ORCHARD
"IN FRONT OF FORT STEVENS,
AND HERE THE FIGHT BEGAN.
"FOR A SHORT TIME
IT WAS WARM WORK,
"BUT AS THE PRESIDENT
AND MANY LADIES WERE
LOOKING AT US,
"EVERY MAN TRIED
TO DO HIS BEST.
"WITHOUT OUR HELP,
THE SMALL FORCE IN THE FORTS
"WOULD HAVE BEEN OVERPOWERED.
"JUBAL EARLY SHOULD HAVE
ATTACKED EARLY IN THE MORNING,
BUT EARLY WAS LATE!"
NARRATOR: MEANWHILE, TO STOP
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN'S
ADVANCE ON ATLANTA,
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST
WAS ALSO ON THE MOVE.
FOOTE: YOU'RE ASKING
ABOUT, UH
THE MOST MAN
IN THE WORLD, IN SOME WAYS.
FORREST WAS A NATURAL GENIUS.
SOMEONE SAID THAT HE WAS
BORN TO BE A SOLDIER
THE WAY JOHN KEATS
WAS BORN TO BE A POET.
HE HAD SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES
THAT, WHEN YOU TRANSLATE THEM,
THEY FIT RIGHT
INTO THE ARMY MANUAL.
WHEN HE SAID, "GET THERE FIRST
WITH THE MOST MEN,"
HE'S SAYING,
"TAKE THE INTERIOR LINES
AND BRING SUPERIOR FORCE
TO BEAR."
HE HAD SOME VERY
SIMPLE THINGS.
HE USED TO SAY,
"HIT THEM ON THE END"
AND HE USED TO SAY,
"KEEP UP THE SKEER."
AND THESE ARE ALL
GOOD MILITARY PRINCIPLES
EXPRESSED IN FORREST'S
OWN WAY.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO LOOK
ATA PIECE OF GROUND
AND SEE HOW TO USE IT.
HE HAD A MARVELOUS SENSE
OF TOPOGRAPHY.
HE COULD SEE
THE KEY TO A POSITION
AND KNOW WHERE TO HIT.
NARRATOR: "FORREST,"
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
LATER SAID,
"WAS THE MOST REMARKABLE MAN
OUR CIVIL WAR PRODUCED
ON EITHER SIDE."
HE WAS THE SON
OF AN ILLITERATE BLACKSMITH.
HE MADE HIMSELF
AMILLIONAIRE
SELLING LAND, COTTON,
AND SLAVES.
IN 1861,
HE ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE,
THEN QUIT TO RAISE AND EQUIP
AN ENTIRE CAVALRY BATTALION
OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET.
BY THE END OF THE WAR,
HE HAD BECOME
LIEUTENANT GENERAL,
THE ONLY MAN ON EITHER SIDE
TO RISE SO FAR.
HE WAS THE MOST FEARED
CAVALRY COMMANDER OF THE WAR,
THE "WIZARD OF THE SADDLE,"
WOUNDED 4 TIMES
IN BATTLE
AND FAMOUS FOR HAVING HORSES
SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM.
MAN: OLD BEDFORD FORREST,
HE'S THE MOST COLORFUL MAN
IN THE WAR.
HE KILLED MORE MEN THAN ANY
OTHER GENERAL OFFICER EVER HAS,
HAD MORE HORSES
SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM
THAN ANY OTHER OFFICER
EVER HAD.
HE HAD 30 HORSES
SHOT FROM UNDER HIM
IN THE COURSE
OF THE WAR,
AND HE KILLED 31 MEN
IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT,
AND HE SAID, "| WAS
A HORSE AHEAD AT THE END."
NARRATOR: HE WAS A MASTER
OF THE LIGHTNING RAID
AND AN EXPERT AT WINNING
AGAINST LONG ODDS.
HE FOUGHT HIS BATTLES,
HE SAID, "BY EAR,"
AND HE COULD ANTICIPATE
AN ENEMY'S MOVEMENTS
WITH UNCANNY PRECISION.
FOOTE: HE WAS ONLY
SURPRISED IN BATTLE ONCE.
IT WAS A PLACE CALLED
PARKER'S CROSSROADS
UP IN TENNESSEE.
HE WAS ON A RAID,
AND HE WAS CLOSING IN
ON AN OPPONENT
AND FIXING TO
FINISH HIM OFF
WHEN HE WAS ATTACKED
IN THE REAR
BY A FORCE THAT HE
DID NOT SUSPECT
WAS WITHIN MANY MILES.
AND EVERYBODY WAS
TERRIBLY UPSET,
AND SAID, "GENERAL,
WHAT SHALL WE DO?"
AND HE SAID, "SPLIT IN TWO
AND CHARGE BOTH WAYS,"
AND DID AND GOT OUT.
NARRATOR: IN JUNE 1864,
IN AN ATTEMPT TO CUT OFF
SHERMAN'S SUPPLIES
AT BRICE'S CROSSROADS
NEAR TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI,
FORREST OUTDID EVEN HIMSELF.
THE UNION ARMY
COMING TO STOP HIM
WAS NEARLY 3 TIMES
AS STRONG AS HIS,
BUT FORREST WAS UNIMPRESSED.
FACTORING IN
THE MUD-CLOGGED ROADS
AND THE BLAZING MID-JUNE SUN,
HE PREDICTED
THE UNION CAVALRY
WOULD ARRIVE WELL AHEAD
OF THE UNION INFANTRY,
GIVING HIM TIME TO WHIP IT
ON HIS OWN TERMS.
IT ALL HAPPENED
EXACTLY AS HE SAID.
CANNON FIRE
NO ARMY, IT SEEMED,
COULD STOP HIM.
FORREST WAS FREE TO SLASH
AT SHERMAN'S FORCES,
SLOWING HIS APPROACH
TO ATLANTA.
MAN: "FORREST MUST BE
HUNTED DOWN AND KILLED
"IF IT COSTS 10,000 LIVES
AND BANKRUPTS
THAT FEDERAL TREASURY."
WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN.
MAN: "WHO SHALL REVIVE
THE WITHERED HOPES
"THAT BLOOMED AT THE OPENING
OF GRANT'S CAMPAIGN?
"ALL ARE TIRED
OF THIS DAMNABLE TRAGEDY.
"EACH HOUR IS BUT SINKING US
DEEPER INTO BANKRUPTCY
AND DESOLATION."
NEW YORK WORLD.
NARRATOR: THE SUMMER OF 1864
WAS THE NORTH'S DARKEST HOUR.
GRANT'S LOSSES
HAD BEEN APPALLING.
HIS ARMY WAS STALLED
IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG,
HIS GRAND STRATEGY
APPARENTLY COME TO NOTHING.
FRANZ SIGEL'S ARMY HAD BEEN
ROUTED IN THE SHENANDOAH.
BEN BUTLER WAS BOTTLED UP
IN A LOOP OF THE JAMES RIVER
CALLED THE BERMUDA HUNDRED.
EVEN WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
WAS STALLED OUTSIDE ATLANTA.
MAN: "MR. LINCOLN
IS ALREADY BEATEN.
"HE CANNOT BE RE-ELECTED,
AND WE MUST HAVE
ANOTHER TICKET."
HORACE GREELEY.
NARRATOR: NO NATION
HAD EVER HELD AN ELECTION
IN THE MIDST
OF A CIVIL WAR.
NO PRESIDENT
SINCE ANDREW JACKSON
HAD WON A SECOND TERM.
LONG AFTER LINCOLN
WAS NOMINATED,
POLITICIANS IN HIS OWN PARTY
STILL HOPED TO RECONVENE
AND PICK ANOTHER NOMINEE.
EVEN LINCOLN BELIEVED
HIS RE-ELECTION UNLIKELY.
MAN: "WE CANNOT HAVE FREE
GOVERNMENT WITHOUT ELECTIONS,
"AND IF THE REBELLION
COULD FORCE US
"TO FOREGO OR POSTPONE
A NATIONAL ELECTION,
"IT MIGHT FAIRLY BE CLAIMED
TO HAVE ALREADY
CONQUERED AND RUINED US."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
MAN: "AFTER 4 YEARS OF FAILURE
TO RESTORE THE UNION
"BY THE EXPERIMENT OF WAR,
"WE DEMAND
THAT IMMEDIATE EFFORT BE MADE
"FOR A CESSATION
OF HOSTILITIES
AT THE EARLIEST
PRACTICABLE MOMENT."
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PLATFORM.
NARRATOR: THE DEMOCRATS WANTED
AN END TO THE WAR,
WITH OR WITHOUT VICTORY.
THEIR NOMINEE WAS
GENERAL GEORGE MCCLELLAN,
WHOSE AMBITION
HAD NOT SHRUNK
SINCE LINCOLN REMOVED HIM
FROM COMMAND.
MAN: "MCCLELLAN WAS
OUR FIRST COMMANDER,
"AND AS SUCH, HE WAS ALMOST
WORSHIPPED BY HIS SOLDIERS.
"THE POLITICAL FRIENDS
OF GENERAL MCCLELLAN
"WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT FACT,
"AND IT WAS A VERY CRAFTY THING
FOR THEM TO NOMINATE HIM
AS THEIR CANDIDATE
FOR THE PRESIDENCY."
NARRATOR: THE SOUTH REJOICED
AT MCCLELLAN'S NOMINATION.
"THE FIRST RAY OF REAL LIGHT,"
VICE-PRESIDENT
ALEXANDER STEPHENS SAID,
"SINCE THE WAR BEGAN."
WHEREVER IT COULD,
THE SOUTH EXPLOITED
ANTIWAR FEELING IN THE NORTH.
THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT
SENT MONEY
TO SUPPORT
THE UNION PEACE MOVEMENT
AND PAINTED LINCOLN
AS THE CANDIDATE OF WAR.
THE CAMPAIGN WAS UGLY.
DEMOCRATS CHARGED THAT
THE REAL GOAL OF OLD ABE'S WAR
WAS MISCEGENATION,
A NEW WORD FOR THE "BLENDING
OF WHITE AND BLACK."
REPUBLICANS CHARGED DEMOCRATS
WITH TREASON.
THE 1864 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
HAD BECOME A REFERENDUM
ON THE WAR ITSELF.
ALL THE WORD
FROM ALL REPUBLICANS,
EVEN ON A MOST
LOCAL LEVEL,
INDICATED THAT LINCOLN
COULDN'T POSSIBLY WIN.
THE FORTUNES OF WAR
HAD TURNED TOO BADLY,
TOO SOUR FOR THE UNION.
AT ONE REALLY POIGNANT MOMENT,
LINCOLN SAT IN THE PRIVACY
OF HIS OFFICE
CONTEMPLATING THE FACT
THAT HE PROBABLY
WASN'T GOING TO BE RE-ELECTED
AND THAT MCCLELLAN,
OF ALL PEOPLE,
WOULD REPLACE HIM
AS PRESIDENT.
MAN: "THIS MORNING,
AS FOR SOME DAYS PAST,
"IT SEEMS EXCEEDINGLY PROBABLE
THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION
"WILL NOT BE RE-ELECTED.
"THEN IT WILL BE MY DUTY
"TO 80 COOPERATE
WITH THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
"AS TO SAVE THE UNION
"BETWEEN THE ELECTION
AND THE INAUGURATION
"AS HE WILL HAVE SECURED
HIS ELECTION ON SUCH GROUND
THAT HE CANNOT POSSIBLY
SAVE |T AFTERWARD."
NARRATOR: PRESSURED
TO DROP EMANCIPATION
AS A CONDITION OF PEACE
WITH THE SOUTH,
LINCOLN REFUSED.
"THE PROCLAMATION HAD PROMISED
FREEDOM," LINCOLN SAID,
"AND THE PROMISE BEING MADE,
MUST BE KEPT."
MAN: "I SHOULD BE DAMNED
IN TIME AND IN ETERNITY
"IF I WERE
TO RETURN TO SLAVERY
THE BLACK WARRIORS
WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR THE UNION."
MAN: ATTENTION!
FIRE!
GUNSHOT
MAN: "SPY JOHNSON,
SHOT NEAR COFFIN."
NARRATOR:
EVEN BEFORE BULL RUN,
STOLEN SECRETS
AND INTRICATE CODES
STREAMED BETWEEN WASHINGTON
AND RICHMOND.
ALLAN PINKERTON RAN
THE NORTHERN SECRET SERVICE,
WHILE CONFEDERATE
MAJOR WILLIAM NORRIS
HAD A SPY NETWORK THAT EXTENDED
AS FAR NORTH AS MONTREAL.
IN 1864,
SEVERAL SOUTHERN AGENTS
EVEN INVADED VERMONT.
SPIES WERE EVERYWHERE.
WOMAN: "WOMEN WHO COME BEFORE
THE PUBLIC ARE IN A BAD BOX NOW.
"ALL MANNER OF THINGS, THEY SAY,
COME OVER THE BORDER
"UNDER THE HUGE HOOPS
NOW WORN,
"SO THEY ARE
RUTHLESSLY TORN OFF.
"NOT LEGS BUT ARMS
ARE LOOKED FOR UNDER HOOPS
AND, SAD TO SAY, FOUND."
MARY CHESNUT.
NARRATOR: ROSE O'NEAL GREENHOW,
AWASHINGTON WIDOW,
RAN A CONFEDERATE SPY RING
JUST A FEW BLOCKS
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
MUCH OF HER INFORMATION
CAME FROM AN INFATUATED SUITOR,
SENATOR HENRY WILSON,
CHAIRMAN OF THE MILITARY AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE.
IMPRISONMENT FAILED
TO STOP BELLE BOYD
FROM COAXING SECRETS OUT
OF UNION OFFICERS IN WASHINGTON
AND PASSING THEM ON
IN CODE TO RICHMOND
INSIDE RUBBER BALLS THAT
SHE TOSSED FROM HER CELL WINDOW
TOASHADOWY AGENT
SHE KNEW ONLY AS "C.H."
HER ADMIRERS CALLED HER
"LA BELLE REBELLE."
SLAVES AND FORMER SLAVES
MADE ESPECIALLY GOOD
UNION OPERATIVES,
GUIDING NORTHERN TROOPS
THROUGH SWAMPS AND FORESTS
AND REPORTING
ON THEIR MASTERS.
"AFTER ALL,"
ONE UNION OFFICER SAID,
"THEY HAD BEEN SPIES
ALL THEIR LIVES."
ONE NORTHERN AGENT,
A BLACK SERVANT NAMED
MARY ELIZABETH BOWSER,
EVEN WORKED INSIDE
THE CONFEDERATE WHITE HOUSE.
DRUM BEATING SLOWLY
IN NOVEMBER OF 1863,
A SOUTHERN COURIER,
SAM DAVIS,
WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH
AT PULASKI, TENNESSEE,
FOR SPYING.
ON THE SCAFFOLD,
DAVIS' BRAVERY PROVED SO MOVING
THAT THE COMMANDING GENERAL
WAS UNABLE TO GIVE
THE ORDER OF EXECUTION.
DAVIS FINALLY
GAVE IT HIMSELF.
GALLOWS TRAP DOOR OPENS
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "JULY 21st, THURSDAY,
IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG.
"THE MINE WHICH
GENERAL BURNSIDE IS MAKING
"CAUSES A GOOD DEAL OF TALK
"AND IS GENERALLY
MUCH LAUGHED AT.
"IT IS AN AFFAIR
OF HIS OWN ENTIRELY
AND HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE REGULAR SIEGE."
NARRATOR: FOR A MONTH,
A REGIMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA
COAL MINERS
WORKED TO DIG A 500-FOOT TUNNEL
BENEATH THE CONFEDERATE LINES
AND PACK IT WITH 4 TONS
OF GUNPOWDER.
BURNSIDE'S IDEA WAS
TO BLOWA HOLE
IN THE PETERSBURG DEFENSES,
THEN RUSH THROUGH
TO TAKE THE TOWN.
ABOVE GROUND,
NOT FAR FROM THE TUNNEL,
THE UNSUSPECTING
CONFEDERATE COMMANDER
WAS GENERAL WILLIAM MAHONE,
AVETERAN OF ALMOST
EVERY MAJOR BATTLE
FOUGHT BY THE ARMY
OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
AT DAWN ON JULY 30,
UNION SAPPERS LIT THE FUSE.
EXPLOSION
A GREAT CRATER
WAS TORN IN THE EARTH
30 FEET DEEP, 70 FEET WIDE,
250 FEET LONG.
EXPLOSION
THE STUNNED CONFEDERATES
FELL BACK.
THEN THE PLAN
BEGAN TO FALL APART.
A PRECIOUS HOUR WENT BY
BEFORE THE UNION ASSAULT FORCE
GOT STARTED,
AND WHEN IT DID,
3 DIVISIONS STORMED
DOWN INTO THE GREAT HOLE,
RATHER THAN AROUND IT.
THEIR COMMANDER,
GENERAL JAMES H. LEDLIE,
DID NOT EVEN
WATCH THE BATTLE,
HUDDLING INSTEAD IN A BOMBPROOF
SHELTER WITH A BOTTLE OF RUM.
ONCE INSIDE THE CRATER,
THE UNION SOLDIERS FOUND
THERE WAS NO WAY UP THE SHEER
30-FOOT WALL OF THE PIT,
AND NO ONE HAD THOUGHT
TO PROVIDE LADDERS.
GENERAL MAHONE ORDERED
HIS MEN BACK TO THE RIM
TO POUR FIRE DOWN UPON THEM.
SCORES OF BLACK TROOPS
WERE KILLED
WHEN THEY TRIED TO SURRENDER
AT THE CRATER,
BAYONETED OR CLUBBED
BY CONFEDERATES SHOUTING,
"TAKE THE WHITE MAN!
KILL THE NIGGER!"
BUGLE SOUNDING
MAN: "IT WAS
THE SADDEST AFFAIR
"I HAVE EVER WITNESSED
IN THE WAR.
"SUCH OPPORTUNITY
FOR CARRYING FORTIFICATIONS
I HAVE NEVER SEEN AND DO NOT
EXPECT AGAIN TO HAVE."
ULYSSES 8. GRANT.
NARRATOR: GENERAL LEDLIE
WAS DISMISSED FROM THE SERVICE.
BURNSIDE WAS GRANTED
EXTENDED LEAVE
AND NEVER RECALLED TO DUTY.
MAN: "JULY 30, 1864.
"THE WORK AND EXPECTATIONS
OF ALMOST TWO MONTHS
"HAVE BEEN BLASTED.
"THE FIRST TEMPORARY SUCCESS
HAD ELATED EVERYONE SO MUCH
"THAT WE ALREADY HAD IMAGINED
OURSELVES IN PETERSBURG,
"BUT 15 MINUTES
CHANGED IT ALL
"AND PLUNGED EVERYONE
INTO A FEELING OF DESPAIR
"ALMOST OF EVER
ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING.
"FEW OFFICERS CAN BE FOUND
THIS EVENING
"WHO HAVE NOT DROWNED
THEIR SORROWS
IN THE FLOWING BOWL."
WASHINGTON ROEBLING.
MAN: "THE DAY HAS BEEN
SO EXCESSIVELY HOT
"THAT I AM ALMOST MELTED.
"THE THERMOMETER
IN THE WARDROOM
"STANDS AT 90 DEGREES,
"WHILE ON DECK THE WEATHER
IS VERY PLEASANT,
"A FAIR BREEZE
BLOWING FROM THE EAST.
"EVERYTHING IS DIRTY,
EVERYTHING SMELLS BAD,
"EVERYBODY IS DEMORALIZED.
"HOW ARE YOU, IRONCLAD?
"A MAN WHO WOULD STAY
IN AN IRONCLAD FROM CHOICE
"IS ACANDIDATE
FOR THE INSANE ASYLUM,
"AND HE WHO STAYS FROM
COMPULSION IS AN OBJECT OF PITY.
FRESH LEAKS ARE BREAKING OUT
EVERY DAY."
ROBERT B. ELY.
NARRATOR:
FOR TWO FULL YEARS NOW,
UNION TROOPS HAD OCCUPIED
FORT PULASKI
AT THE ENTRANCE
TO SAVANNAH HARBOR,
BLOCKING CONFEDERATE SUPPLIES
AND WAITING PATIENTLY
FOR A UNION ARMY TO COME
AND SEIZE THE CITY ITSELF.
TO FILL THE TIME,
THE MEN PLAYED BASEBALL,
FAST BECOMING
THE NATIONAL PASTIME,
SOUTH AS WELL AS NORTH.
BAT HITS BALL
BUT 300 MILES AWAY,
SHERMAN WAS STUCK
IN THE HILLS OF NORTH GEORGIA.
"THE ENEMY MUST HAVE
AT LEAST 50 MILES OF
CONNECTED TRENCHES," HE WROTE.
"THE WHOLE COUNTRY
IS ONE VAST FORT."
MAN: "WELL, I THINK
THE DAMNED OLD CUSS
OF A PREACHER
"LIED LIKE DIXIE,
"FOR HE SAID THAT
GOD HAS FOUGHT ALL OUR BATTLES
"AND WON OUR VICTORIES.
"NOW, IF HE HAD DONE ALL THAT,
WHY IS IT NOT IN THE PAPERS
AND WHY HAS
HE NOT BEEN PROMOTED?"
SERGEANT ALBINUS FELL.
MAN: "IS IT POSSIBLE THAT
GOD WILL BLESS A PEOPLE
"AS WICKED AS OUR SOLDIER?
"| FEAR NOT.
"ONE UNCEASING TIDE
OF BLASPHEMY AND WICKEDNESS,
COARSENESS AND OBSCENITY."
ORVILLE C. BUMPASS.
NARRATOR:
MEN BET ON ANYTHING--
BOXING MATCHES,
HORSE RACES,
BASEBALL GAMES,
AND COCKFIGHTS.
IN UNION CAMPS,
VICTORIOUS BIRDS
NAMED "GRANT"
AND "BILL SHERMAN"
FOUGHT LOSERS CALLED
"BEAUREGARD," "JEFF DAVIS,"
AND "BOB LEE."
MAN: "THE BOYS WOULD
FREQUENTLY HAVE A LOUSE RACE.
"THE LICE WERE PLACED
IN PLATES.
"AND THE FIRST THAT CRAWLED OFF
WAS THE WINNER.
"THERE WAS ONE FELLOW
NAMED DORNIN,
"WHO WAS WINNING
ALL THE MONEY.
"WE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
"IF A FELLOW HAPPENED TO CATCH
A FlERCE-LOOKING LOUSE,
"HE WOULD CALL ON DORNIN
FOR A RACE.
"DORNIN WOULD COME
AND ALWAYS WIN THE STAKE.
"AT LAST WE FOUND OUT
DORNIN'S TRICK--
HE ALWAYS
HEATED THE PLATE. "
SAM WATKINS.
WOMAN: "RUTLAND, VERMONT.
DEAR EDWARD,
"IT WILL BE HARD
TO HAVE ALL MY SONS GO,
"BUT IF IT IS RIGHT,
I'VE NOTHING TO SAY.
"AS YOU VALUE
YOUR GOOD NAME,
"YOUR PEACE OF MIND,
"AND HAPPINESS HERE
AND HEREAFTER,
"DO KEEP ALOOF
FROM CARD PLAYING,
"FOR IMPERCEPTIBLY YOU WILL
BE LED, | FEAR, TO GAMBLING.
YOUR DEVOTED MOTHER."
NARRATOR: THERE WERE,
IN ALL, 450 BROTHELS
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
KNOWN TO STEADY CUSTOMERS
AS "FORT SUMTER,"
"MADAME RUSSELL'S
BAKE OVEN,"
AND "HEADQUARTERS, U.S.A."
MEN CALLED ATRIP THERE
"GOING DOWN THE LINE."
MAN: "I HAD A GOOD TIME
IN WASHINGTON--
"LAGER BEER
AND A HORSE AND BUGGY,
"AND IN THE EVENING,
HORIZONTAL REFRESHMENTS,
"OR IN PLAINER WORDS,
RIDING A DUTCH GAL.
HAD A GOOD TIME GENERALLY,
I TELL YOU."
PRIVATE ELI VEAZIE.
MAN: "IN THE CITY
OF NEW ORLEANS,
"WE COULD SEE SIGNS
OF SMOTHERED HATE AND PREJUDICE
"TO BOTH OUR COLOR AND PRESENT
CHARACTER AS UNION SOLDIERS,
"BUT FOR ONCE IN HIS LIFE,
"YOUR HUMBLE CORRESPONDENT
WALKED FEARLESSLY AND BOLDLY
"THROUGH THE STREETS
OF A SOUTHERN CITY,
"AND HE DID THIS
"WITHOUT BEING REQUIRED TO TAKE
OFF HIS CAP AT EVERY STEP
"OR TO GIVE
ALL THE SIDEWALKS
"TO THOSE LORDLY PRINCES
OF THE SUNNY SOUTH,
"THE PLANTERS' SONS.
"OH, CHIVALRY!
"HOW HAST THOU LOST
THY POTENT POWER AND CHARMS?
"BY WHAT MEANS, PRAY TELL ME,
HAST THOU SO DEGENERATED
"AS TO LOSE THE RESPECT
AND ADMIRATION
EVEN OF THE SABLE SONS
OF AFRICA?"
NARRATOR: THAT SUMMER, CONGRESS
FINALLY PASSED LEGISLATION
GIVING BLACK SOLDIERS
EQUAL PAY WITH WHITES.
CANNON FIRE
ON AUGUST 5, 1864,
UNION ADMIRAL DAVID FARRAGUT
LED 18 SHIPS
STORMING PAST 3 FORTS
TO ENGAGE THE CONFEDERATE FLEET
GUARDING MOBILE BAY.
FARRAGUT SUFFERED FROM VERTIGO
SO INTENSE
HE ORDERED HIMSELF LASHED
TO THE RIGGING OF HIS FLAGSHIP.
WHEN A MINE SANK
THE LEAD VESSEL
AND THE CAPTAINS
OF THE OTHER SHIPS HESITATED,
FARRAGUT SHOUTED,
"DAMN THE TORPEDOES,
FULL SPEED AHEAD!"
AND RAMMED AND SHELLED
THE REBEL FLEET INTO SUBMISSION.
IT WAS THE FIRST GOOD NEWS
FOR THE UNION,
AND LINCOLN, ALL YEAR.
MAN: "IN CAMP. NEAR ATLANTA.
"DEAR COMPANION,
"I SEAT MYSELF
ONE TIME MORE IN LIFE
"TO DROP YOU A FEW LINES.
"I AM WORE OUT MARCHING.
"WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING
FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER
"FOR 5 DAYS.
I MUST CLOSE, FOR IT IS
AVERY BAD PLACE TO WRITE."
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JACKSON.
NARRATOR:
BACK IN ALABAMA,
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JACKSON'S
WIFE MARTHA
AWOKE WITH A START.
A MOURNING DOVE WAS SITTING
ON HER WINDOWSILL.
SHE TOOK IT AS A SIGN
HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN KILLED
AND BEGAN TO WEEP SILENTLY
SO THAT HER FAMILY
WOULD NOT HEAR HER GRIEF
AND THINK HER SUPERSTITIOUS.
HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN
FATALLY WOUNDED THAT MORNING
IN BATTLE
WITH SHERMAN'S MEN.
CANNON FIRE
MAN: "MINE EYES HAVE BEHELD
THE PROMISED LAND.
"THE DOMES AND SPIRES OF ATLANTA
ARE GLITTERING
"IN THE SUNLIGHT BEFORE US
AND ONLY 8 MILES DISTANT."
NARRATOR: FINALLY, SHERMAN
WAS AT ATLANTA.
FOR MORE THAN TWO MONTHS,
CONFEDERATE GENERAL
JOSEPH JOHNSTON
HAD KEPT HIS ARMY INTACT,
DODGING SHERMAN'S
SUPERIOR FORCE
AND LOOKING FOR
THE RIGHT MOMENT TO ATTACK.
THE OPPORTUNITY NEVER CAME.
AN INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED
JEFFERSON DAVIS
NOW REMOVED
THE POPULAR JOHNSTON.
HIS TROOPS WERE STUNNED.
MAN: "THE NEWS CAME
LIKE A FLASH OF LIGHTNING,
"STAGGERING
AND BLINDING EVERYONE.
"FAREWELL, OLD FELLOW!
WE PRIVATES LOVED YOU BECAUSE
YOU MADE US LOVE OURSELVES."
SAM WATKINS.
NARRATOR: JOSEPH JOHNSTON'S
REPLACEMENT
WAS 33-YEAR-OLD JOHN BELL HOOD
OF TEXAS.
HIS ARM HAD BEEN MANGLED
AT GETTYSBURG,
AND HE'D LOST A LEG
AT CHICKAMAUGA,
BUT HIS RECKLESSNESS
REMAINED INTACT.
HIS MEN CALLED HIM
"OLD WOODEN HEAD."
MAN: "HOOD IS A BOLD FIGHTER.
I AM DOUBTFULAS TO
OTHER QUALITIES NECESSARY."
ROBERT E. LEE.
NARRATOR: SHERMAN WAS DELIGHTED
WITH HOOD,
SURE HE WOULD BE
ATTACKED AT LAST.
MANY OF HIS UNITS WERE NOW ARMED
WITH HENRY REPEATING RIFLES,
CAPABLE OF FIRING 15 SHOTS
WITHOUT BEING RELOADED.
OUTGUNNED REBELS COMPLAINED
THE YANKEES COULD NOW LOAD
ON A SUNDAY
AND KEEP SHOOTING ALL WEEK.
TO CUT OFF ATLANTA'S RAIL LINKS
WITH RICHMOND,
SHERMAN SENT 35-YEAR-OLD
GENERAL JAMES MCPHERSON'S ARMY
EAST OF THE CITY.
MCPHERSON WAS A SPECIAL FAVORITE
OF SHERMAN'S--
HANDSOME, WARM-HEARTED,
INTELLIGENT.
"IF HE LIVES,"
SHERMAN PREDICTED,
"HE'LL OUTDISTANCE GRANT
AND MYSELF."
NORTHERN PAPERS CHEERED
THE UNION ADVANCE
AND DAILY PREDICTED
ATLANTA'S FALL.
GUNFIRE
BUT ON JULY 22nd,
HOOD RUSHED TO COUNTER
THE NEW UNION THREAT.
THE BATTLE OF ATLANTA
HAD BEGUN.
HORSE NEIGHS
BUGLE SOUNDS
IT RAGED ALL AFTERNOON,
THE LINES FORMING,
FALLING BACK, REFORMING,
ATTACKING AGAIN.
AT 2:00,
GENERAL MCPHERSON HIMSELF
WENT TO INSPECT
THE IMPERILED UNION POSITION
AND RODE RIGHT INTO A BAND
OF REBEL SKIRMISHERS.
ORDERED TO SURRENDER, MCPHERSON
RAISED HIS HAT POLITELY,
TURNED HIS HORSE ABOUT,
AND RACED FOR THE UNION LINES.
GUNSHOTS
THE REBELS SHOT HIM
IN THE BACK.
SHERMAN COVERED
THE BODY OF HIS YOUNG FRIEND
WITH AN AMERICAN FLAG
AND WEPT.
MAN: "SHERMAN HAD
THE RARE FACULTY
"OF REMAINING CALM
UNDER GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES
"AND SCENES
OF GREAT EXCITEMENT.
"AT SUCH TIMES,
HIS ECCENTRICITIES DISAPPEARED.
"HIS MIND SEEMED NEVER SO CLEAR,
HIS CONFIDENCE NEVER SO STRONG,
"HIS SPIRIT
NEVER SO INSPIRING
"IN THE CRISIS
OF SOME FIERCE STRUGGLE,
"LIKE THAT OF THE DAY
WHEN MCPHERSON FELL
IN FRONT OF ATLANTA."
GENERAL JACOB D. COX.
CANNON FIRE
NARRATOR: CRYING "MCPHERSON
AND REVENGE, BOYS,
MCPHERSON AND REVENGE,"
THE UNION ARMY SMASHED DOWN
ON THE REBELS.
IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES,
HOOD WAS FORCED TO WITHDRAW.
AT EZRA CHURCH,
WEST OF THE CITY,
HOOD AGAIN TRIED
TO ROUT SHERMAN'S ARMY.
AGAIN HE FAILED.
1/3 OF HIS ARMY WAS GONE--
20,000 MEN,
AND HOOD FELL BACK
INTO ATLANTA.
MAN: "I CANNOT DESCRIBE IT.
"I REMEMBER I WENT IN THE REAR
OF THE BUILDING,
"AND THERE | SAWA PILE
OF ARMS AND LEGS
"ROTTING AND DECOMPOSING.
"I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION
IN MY WHOLE LIFE
OF EVER SEEING ANYTHING THAT
I REMEMBER WITH MORE HORROR."
SAM WATKINS.
NARRATOR:
BEHIND THEIR RAMPARTS,
THE CONFEDERATES WAITED
FOR SHERMAN TO ATTACK.
"THE YANKEE GENTS CAN'T GET
THEIR MEN TO CHARGE OUR WORKS,"
ATEXAN SAID,
BUT SHERMAN SAW NO NEED
TO BE SO RASH.
HE SEALED OFF
THE CITY'S SUPPLIES AND WAITED.
CANNON FIRE
FEDERAL GUNS BEGAN SHELLING
THE HEAVILY FORTIFIED
CONFEDERATE TRENCHES
AND THE CITY BEYOND.
WOMAN: "SATURDAY, AUGUST 21st.
"ANOTHER WEEK OF ANXIETY
AND SUSPENSE HAS PASSED,
"AND THE FATE OF ATLANTA
IS STILL UNDECIDED.
"IT IS SAID THAT ABOUT
20 LIVES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED
"BY THESE TERRIBLE MISSILES
"SINCE THE ENEMY BEGAN
TO THROW THEM INTO THE CITY.
"IT IS LIKE LIVING
IN THE MIDST OF A PESTILENCE.
NO ONE CAN TELL, BUT HE MAY BE
THE NEXT VICTIM."
NARRATOR: OUTSIDE ATLANTA,
THINGS WERE NO BETTER.
"THE ENEMY HOLD US
BY AN INFERIOR FORCE,"
SHERMAN ADMITTED
AS THE SIEGE DRAGGED ON.
"WE ARE MORE BESIEGED
THAN THEY."
"BOTH GRANT AND SHERMAN,"
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG
PREDICTED FROM NEW YORK,
"ARE ON THE EVE
OF DISASTER."
CORNET PLAYING
EVERY EVENING FOR A MONTH
DURING THE SIEGE,
A GEORGIA SHARPSHOOTER
PLAYED HIS CORNET SO BEAUTIFULLY
THAT MEN ON BOTH SIDES
STOPPED TO LISTEN.
FINALLY, ON AUGUST 31st,
THE SAME DAY THAT
GEORGE MCCLELLAN WAS NOMINATED
FOR PRESIDENT,
SHERMAN HURLED MOST
OF HIS ARMY
AGAINST THE MACON & WESTERN
RAILROAD
SOUTH OF THE CITY
IN ONE MORE ATTEMPT
TO BREAK HOOD'S GRIP.
IT WORKED.
ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1864,
HOOD ABANDONED ATLANTA.
SHERMAN'S TROOPS MARCHED IN
THE NEXT DAY.
MAN: "ATLANTA IS OURS
AND FAIRLY WON."
MAN: "SEPTEMBER 3, 1864.
"GLORIOUS NEWS THIS MORNING--
ATLANTA TAKEN AT LAST.
"IT IS, COMING
AT THIS POLITICAL CRISIS,
THE GREATEST EVENT
OF THE WAR."
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG.
MAN: "DEAR GENERAL SHERMAN,
"I FEEL YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
THE MOST GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING
"GIVEN TO ANY GENERAL
IN THIS WAR
"AND WITH A SKILL AND ABILITY
"THAT WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED
IN HISTORY AS UNSURPASSED,
IF NOT UNEQUALLED."
U.S. GRANT.
NARRATOR:
IN SHERMAN'S HONOR,
GRANT ORDERED
A 100-GUN SALUTE
FIRED INTO THE CONFEDERATE WORKS
AT PETERSBURG.
GUNFIRE
WOMAN: "ATLANTA IS GONE.
"THAT AGONY IS OVER.
THERE IS NO HOPE, BUT WE WILL
TRY TO HAVE NO FEAR."
MARY CHESNUT.
NARRATOR: TO AVENGE SHERMAN'S
VICTORIES IN GEORGIA,
6 CONFEDERATE AGENTS SLIPPED
INTO NEW YORK CITY
ARMED WITH PHOSPHOROUS,
INTENT UPON BURNING DOWN
THE CITY'S MOST
FASHIONABLE HOTELS.
THEY MANAGED
TO LIGHT 10 FIRES
AND SET
P.T. BARNUM'S MUSEUM ABLAZE.
FIREMEN PUT EVERYTHING OUT.
ALL BUT ONE
OF THE CONFEDERATES GOT AWAY.
"THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH
CAN'T BE ROLLING
IN WEALTH AND COMFORT,"
THE CAPTURED MAN SAID
BEFORE HE WAS HANGED,
"WHILE WE AT THE SOUTH
ARE BEARING ALL THE HARDSHIP
AND PRIVATIONS."
FROM THE FRONT,
ON HIS WEDDING ANNIVERSARY,
ROBERT E. LEE WROTE HOME
TO HIS WIFE IN RICHMOND.
MAN AS LEE: "DEAR MARY,
"DO YOU RECOLLECT
WHAT A HAPPY DAY
"33 YEARS AGO THIS WAS?
"HOW MANY HOPES AND PLEASURES
IT GAVE BIRTH TO?
"GOD HAS BEEN VERY MERCIFUL
AND KIND TO US,
"AND HOW THANKLESS AND SINFUL
I HAVE BEEN.
"| PRAY THAT HE MAY CONTINUE
HIS MERCIES AND BLESSINGS TO US
"AND GIVE US
A LITTLE PEACE AND REST
TOGETHER IN THIS WORLD."
MAN: "THAT MAN HAUPT
"HAS BUILT A BRIDGE
ACROSS THE POTOMAC CREEK
"ABOUT 400 FEET LONG
AND NEARLY 100 FEET TALL
"OVER WHICH LOADED TRAINS
ARE RUNNING EVERY HOUR,
AND THERE IS NOTHING IN IT
BUT BEANPOLES AND CORNSTALKS."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
NARRATOR: NEAR PETERSBURG,
THE UNION CAMP AT CITY POINT
ON THE JAMES RIVER
SUDDENLY FOUND ITSELF ONE
OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST SEAPORTS,
WITH BAKERIES, BARRACKS,
WAREHOUSES,
A200-ACRE TENT HOSPITAL,
MORE THAN A MILE OF WHARVES,
AND A NEW 70-MILE RAILROAD BUILT
BY HERMAN HAUPT IN RECORD TIME
TO BRING SUPPLIES
AND FRESH TROOPS
RIGHT UP
TO THE UNION TRENCHES.
"NOT MERELY PROFUSION BUT
EXTRAVAGANCE," A VISITOR WROTE,
"SOLDIERS PROVIDED
WITH EVERYTHING."
AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE
OF UNPARALLELED POWER
NOW KEPT THE WAR SUPPLIES
STREAMING TO THE FRONT.
IN CLEVELAND, OHIO,
WHEN THE WAR BEGAN,
THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE FORGE
OR FOUNDRY.
WHEN THE WAR ENDED,
THERE WERE 21,
EMPLOYING 3,000 MEN
AND TURNING OUT 60,000 TONS
OF STEEL A YEAR.
BY THEN, THE COLD SPRING FOUNDRY
OPPOSITE WEST POINT
ON THE HUDSON
WAS PRODUCING 7,000
ARTILLERY PROJECTILES A WEEK
AND THE MILITARY
TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
WAS CARRYING OVER
3,300 MESSAGES A DAY
ALONG 15,000 MILES OF WIRE.
MAN: "THE WORLD HAS SEEN
ITS IRON AGE,
"ITS SILVER AGE,
ITS GOLDEN AGE,
"AND ITS BRONZE AGE.
THIS IS THE AGE OF SHODDY."
NARRATOR: FOR SHREWD
NORTHERN BUSINESSMEN,
THERE WERE QUICK PROFITS
IN ARMY CONTRACTS.
PHILIP ARMOUR GAVE UP
GOLD MINING
TO STRIKE IT RICH
PACKING PORK FOR THE ARMY.
SAMUEL COLT OF HARTFORD
TOLD HIS MEN
TO "RUN THE ARMORY NIGHT AND DAY
WITH DOUBLE SETS OF HANDS."
JAY COOKE SOLD WAR BONDS,
RAISED MORE THAN $400 MILLION
FOR THE UNION,
AND GOT RICH
ON THE COMMISSIONS.
UNSCRUPULOUS CONTRACTORS SOLD
THE WAR DEPARTMENT RUSTY RIFLES,
BOATS THAT LEAKED,
CAPS THAT MELTED IN THE RAIN.
WHEN ONE MANUFACTURER
WAS ASKED
WHY THE SOLES OF THE SHOES
HE SUPPLIED FELL OFF
AFTER A FEW MINUTES' MARCHING,
HE EXPLAINED THEY HAD BEEN MEANT
FOR THE CAVALRY.
MAN: "YOU CAN SELL ALMOST
ANYTHING TO THE GOVERNMENT
AT ALMOST ANY PRICE
YOU'VE GOT THE GUTS TO ASK."
FOOTE: I THINK THAT
THE NORTH FOUGHT THAT WAR
WITH ONE HAND
BEHIND ITS BACK.
AT THE SAME TIME
THE WAR WAS GOING ON,
THE HOMESTEAD ACT
WAS BEING PASSED.
ALL THESE MARVELOUS INVENTIONS
WERE GOING ON.
IN THE SPRING OF '64,
THE HARVARD-YALE BOAT RACES
WERE GOING ON,
AND NOTA MAN
IN EITHER CREW
EVER VOLUNTEERED
FOR THE ARMY OR THE NAVY.
THEY DIDN'T NEED THEM.
I THINK THAT IF IT HAD BEEN
MORE SOUTHERN SUCCESSES
AND A LOT MORE,
THE NORTH SIMPLY WOULD HAVE
BROUGHT THAT OTHER ARM OUT
FROM BEHIND ITS BACK.
I DON'T THINK THE SOUTH
EVER HAD A CHANCE
TO WIN THAT WAR.
NARRATOR: OUT WEST,
BLOODY BILL ANDERSON,
A CONFEDERATE GUERRILLA
WHO RODE WITH UNION SCALPS
TIED TO HIS BRIDLE,
LED 30 MEN
INTO CENTRALIA, MISSOURI,
KILLED 24 UNARMED
FEDERAL SOLDIERS,
THEN AMBUSHED 116 MORE.
ON OCTOBER 26th,
ANDERSON HIMSELF
WAS AMBUSHED AND KILLED,
BUT ONE OF HIS CLOSE
LIEUTENANTS, JESSE JAMES,
G OT AWAY.
IN TENNESSEE,
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST'S MEN
SURROUNDED FORT PILLOW,
HELD BYA UNIT OF TENNESSEE
UNIONISTS AND BLACK TROOPS,
AND DEMANDED ITS SURRENDER.
WHEN THE UNION COMMANDER
REFUSED, THE FORT WAS OVERRUN.
AS MANY AS 300 SOLDIERS,
MOST OF THEM BLACK, WERE KILLED,
MANY AFTER THEY SURRENDERED.
MAN: "IT IS HOPED THAT THESE
FACTS WILL DEMONSTRATE
"TO THE NORTHERN PEOPLE
THAT NEGRO SOLDIERS CANNOT COPE
WITH SOUTHERNERS."
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST.
MAN: "I SAID, DON'T SHOOT ME,
"AND ONE OF THEM SAID,
GO OUTAND HOLD MY HORSE.
"I MADE A STEP OR TWO,
AND HE SAID,
"TURN AROUND. I WILL HOLD
MY HORSE AND SHOOT YOU, TOO.
INO SOONER TURNED AROUND
THAN HE SHOT ME IN THE FACE."
GUNSHOT
"| FELL DOWN
AS IF I WAS DEAD.
HE SHOT ME AGAIN
AND HIT MY ARM, NOT MY HEAD."
GUNSHOT
"I LAID THERE UNTIL I COULD
HEAR HIM NO MORE,
"AND THEN I STARTED BACK.
"I GOT BACK ABOUT SUNUP
"AND WANDERED ABOUT
UNTIL A GUNBOAT CAME ALONG,
AND I CAME UP ON THAT
WITH ABOUT 10 OTHERS."
PRIVATE GEORGE SHAW, COMPANY B,
6th U.S. HEAVY ARTILLERY.
NARRATOR: IN RETALIATION
FOR FORT PILLOW,
GRANT ENDED THE SYSTEM
UNDER WHICH PRISONERS
HAD ALWAYS BEEN EXCHANGED
UNTIL THE SOUTH AGREED
TO RECOGNIZE
"NO DISTINCTION WHATEVER BETWEEN
WHITE AND COLORED PRISONERS."
DAVIS AND LEE REFUSED.
NORTH AND SOUTH,
PRISONS SOON BULGED
WITH UNEXCHANGED PRISONERS.
ALREADY INADEQUATE PRISON CAMPS
BECAME NIGHTMARES.
THE WORST
WAS THE CONFEDERATE PRISON
NEAR ANDERSONVILLE,
GEORGIA.
MEANT TO HOLD A MAXIMUM
OF 10,000 NORTHERN PRISONERS,
BY AUGUST 1864,
IT HAD 33,000--
THE FIFTH-LARGEST CITY
IN THE CONFEDERACY.
ITS COMMANDANT, A GERMAN-SWISS
IMMIGRANT NAMED HENRY WIRZ,
FORBADE PRISONERS
TO BUILD SHELTERS.
MOST LIVED IN HOLES
SCRATCHED IN THE GROUND
COVERED BY A BLANKET.
THE DAILY RATION
WAS A TEASPOON OF SALT,
3 TABLESPOONS OF BEANS,
AND HALF-PINT OF CORNMEAL.
A FOUL CREEK CALLED
SWEET WATER BRANCH
SERVED AS BOTH DRINKING WATER
AND SEWER.
MAN: "1/3 OF THE ORIGINAL
ENCLOSURE WAS SWAMPY,
"A MUD OF LIQUID FILTH,
VOIDINGS FROM THE THOUSANDS,
"SEETHING WITH MAGGOTS
IN FULL ACTIVITY.
"DEATH AT THE HANDS
OF THE GUARDS,
"THOUGH MURDER IN COLD BLOOD,
WAS MERCIFUL
"BESIDE THE SYSTEMATIC, STUDIED,
ABSOLUTE MURDER INSIDE
BY SLOW DEATH."
NARRATOR: IN ONE YEAR,
13,000 MEN DIED AT ANDERSONVILLE
AND WERE BURIED
IN MASS GRAVES.
MAN: "CAN THOSE BE MEN?
"ARE THEY
NOT REALLY CORPSES?
"THEY LAY THERE,
MOST OF THEM, QUITE STILL,
"BUT WITH A HORRIBLE LOOK
IN THEIR EYES.
"THE DEAD THERE
ARE NOT TO BE PITIED
"AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE LIVING
THAT HAVE COME FROM THERE--
IF THEY CAN
BE CALLED LIVING."
WALT WHITMAN.
MAN: "WHEN I WAS TAKEN PRISONER,
IWEIGHED 165 POUNDS,
"AND WHEN I CAME OUT,
IWEIGHED 96 POUNDS
AND WAS CONSIDERED STOUT
COMPARED WITH SOMEI SAW."
WOMAN: "MY HEART ACHES
FOR THESE POOR WRETCHES,
"YANKEES THOUGH THEY ARE,
"AND I AM AFRAID GOD WILL SUFFER
SOME TERRIBLE RETRIBUTION
"TO FALL UPON US
FOR LETTING SUCH THINGS HAPPEN.
"IF THE YANKEES SHOULD EVER
COME TO SOUTHWEST GEORGIA
"AND GO TO ANDERSON
AND SEE THE GRAVES THERE,
GOD HAVE MERCY
ON THE LAND!"
NARRATOR: WITH SHERMAN'S
VICTORY AT ATLANTA,
LINCOLN'S CHANCES OF RE-ELECTION
WERE IMPROVING.
AND NOW CAME MORE BAD NEWS
FOR THE CONFEDERACY.
PHIL SHERIDAN AND 45,000 MEN
WERE ON THE LOOSE
IN THE SHENANDOAH.
MAN: "THE WHOLE COUNTRY
"FROM THE BLUE RIDGE
TO THE NORTH MOUNTAINS
"HAS BEEN MADE UNTENABLE
FOR A REBEL ARMY.
"I HAVE DESTROYED
OVER 2,000 BARNS
"FILLED WITH WHEAT, HAY,
AND FARMING IMPLEMENTS
"AND OVER 70 MILLS.
"TOMORROW I WILL CONTINUE
THE DESTRUCTION.
"WHEN THIS IS COMPLETED,
"THE VALLEY WILL HAVE
BUT LITTLE IN IT
FOR MAN OR BEAST."
GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN.
FOOTE: HE WAS SENT THERE TO
CLEAR IT OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL.
HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE
TO STRIP IT SO CLEAN
THAT A CROW
FLYING ACROSS IT
WOULD HAVE TO CARRY
HIS OWN PROVENDER,
AND HE CAME CLOSE
TO DOING IT.
NARRATOR:
NO UNION OFFICER
WAS FONDER OF FIGHTING
THAN SHERIDAN.
NONE, SAVE SHERMAN,
WAS 80 RELENTLESS.
HIS ORDERS WERE TO FOLLOW
JUBAL EARLY "TO THE DEATH."
BEFORE DAWN ON OCTOBER 18th,
JUBAL EARLY TRIED ONE LAST TIME
TO DESTROY SHERIDAN'S ARMY
BY ATTACKING AT CEDAR CREEK,
WHILE SHERIDAN HIMSELF
WAS ASLEEP AT WINCHESTER
20 MILES AWAY.
AT FIRST IT SEEMED
EARLY HAD SUCCEEDED.
UNION FORCES WERE DRIVEN
FROM THEIR CAMPS.
SHERIDAN MOUNTED
HIS GREAT BLACK HORSE RIENZI
AND GALLOPED THROUGH
HIS RETREATING MEN,
URGING THEM TO TURN BACK.
THEY STOPPED
AND BEGAN TO CHANT HIS NAME.
"GOD DAMN YOU!"
SHERIDAN SHOUTED.
"DON'T CHEER ME. FIGHT!"
THE UNION LINES RE-FORMED
AND WON BACK THE FIELD.
CANNON FIRE
EARLY FLED, AND THE SHENANDOAH
WAS CLOSED FOREVER
TO THE CONFEDERACY.
MAN, AS LINCOLN:
"GENERAL SHERIDAN, WHEN THIS
PARTICULAR WAR BEGAN,
"I THOUGHT A CAVALRYMAN
SHOULD BE AT LEAST 6'4" HIGH,
"BUT I HAVE
CHANGED MY MIND.
5'4" WILL DO IN A PINCH."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
NARRATOR:
AT PETERSBURG,
GRANT FIRED
A SECOND 100-GUN VOLLEY
INTO THE ENEMY WORKS.
GUNFIRE
MAN: "DEAR NAT, I THINK WELL
OF THE PRESIDENT.
"HE HAS A FACE
LIKE A HOOSIER MICHELANGELO,
"SO AWFUL UGLY
IT BECOMES BEAUTIFUL,
"WITH ITS STRANGE MOUTH,
ITS DEEP-CUT, CRISSCROSS LINES,
"AND ITS DOUGHNUT COMPLEXION.
"I DO NOT DWELL
ON THE SUPPOSED FAILURES
"OF HIS GOVERNMENT.
"HE HAS SHOWN
AN ALMOST SUPERNATURAL TACT
"IN KEEPING
THE SHIP AFLOAT AT ALL.
| MORE AND MORE RELY UPON
HIS IDIOMATIC WESTERN GENIUS."
WALT WHITMAN.
STAR SPANGLED BANNER PLAYS
MAN: HARPER'S WEEKLY.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN
"AND ANDREW JOHNSON
"HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY ENORMOUS
"AND UNIVERSAL MAJORITIES
"IN ALMOST ALL THE STATES.
"THIS RESULT IS THE PROCLAMATION
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
"THAT THEY ARE NOT CONQUERED.
"THIS IS WHAT THEY CONFIRM
"BY THE RE-ELECTION
OF MR. LINCOLN.
"IN HIMSELF,
HE IS UNIMPORTANT,
"BUT AS THE REPRESENTATIVE
"OF THE FEELING AND PURPOSE
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT
IN THE WORLD."
MAN: "I GIVE THANKS
TO THE ALMIGHTY
"FOR THIS EVIDENCE
OF THE PEOPLE'S RESOLUTION.
"THIS CONTEST HAS DEMONSTRATED
TO THE WORLD
"THAT A PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT
CAN SUSTAIN A NATIONAL ELECTION
IN THE MIDST
OF A GREAT CIVIL WAR."
NARRATOR: SHERMAN'S AND
SHERIDAN'S VICTORIES
HAD CHANGED THE ODDS.
LINCOLN CARRIED 55%
OF THE POPULAR VOTE.
ONLY 3 STATES--KENTUCKY,
DELAWARE, AND NEW JERSEY--
WENT TO GEORGE MCCLELLAN.
VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE GENERAL'S
OLD COMMAND,
THE UNION ARMY
OF THE POTOMAC,
VOTED FOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
MAN: "THAT GRAND OLD ARMY
PERFORMED MANY HEROIC ACTS,
"BUT NEVER IN ITS HISTORY
DID IT DO A MORE DEVOTED SERVICE
THAN VOTE
FOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN."
MAN: "NOT THE FALL OF RICHMOND,
NOR WILMINGTON,
"NOR CHARLESTON,
NOR SAVANNAH, NOR MOBILE,
"NOR ALL COMBINED
CAN SAVE THE ENEMY
"FROM THE CONSTANT
AND EXHAUSTIVE DRAIN
"OF BLOOD AND TREASURE
WHICH MUST CONTINUE
"UNTIL HE SHALL DISCOVER
THAT NO PEACE IS ATTAINABLE
UNLESS BASED ON THE RECOGNITION
OF OUR INDEFEASIBLE RIGHTS."
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS.
NARRATOR:
IF IT HADN'T BEGUN BEFORE,
THE LOST CAUSE WAS BORN
WITH HIS WORDS.
AS DAVIS SPOKE AT RICHMOND,
HIS AUDIENCE COULD HEAR
GRANT'S GUNS AT PETERSBURG,
JUST 20 MILES AWAY.
MORE AND MORE,
IT WAS BECOMING
A CONFEDERACY OF THE MIND.
FOOTE: IT WAS A REALIZATION
THAT DEFEAT WAS FOREORDAINED.
MISS CHESNUT,
FOR INSTANCE, SAID,
"IT'S LIKE
IN A GREEK TRAGEDY,
"WHERE YOU KNOW WHAT
THE OUTCOME IS BOUND TO BE,
AND WE'RE LIVING
AGREEK TRAGEDY."
AND THINGS BEGAN TO CLOSE IN
ON THEM MORE AND MORE.
THERE WAS SCARCELY A FAMILY
THAT HADN'T LOST SOMEONE.
THERE WERE--
DISRUPTION OF SOCIETY.
THE BLOCKADE WAS WORKING.
THEY COULDN'T
GET VERY SIMPLE THINGS
LIKE NEEDLES TO SEW WITH--
VERY SIMPLE THINGS.
AND THE DISCOURAGEMENT BEGAN
TO SETTLE IN MORE AND MORE
WITH THE REALIZATION THAT THEY
WERE NOT GONNA WIN THAT WAR.
THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS
DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD,
ESPECIALLY JEFFERSON DAVIS,
TO ASSURE THEM
THAT THIS WAS
THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
AND IF THEY WOULD STAND FAST,
THEY WAY THEIR FOREFATHERS HAD,
VICTORY WAS UNQUESTIONABLY
GONNA COME,
BUT THE REALIZATION CAME
MORE AND MORE
THAT IT WAS NOT
GONNA COME,
ESPECIALLY THAT THEY
WERE NOT GONNA GET
FOREIGN RECOGNITION,
WITHOUT WHICH WE WOULDN'T HAVE
WON THE FIRST REVOLUTION,
AND ALL THOSE THINGS
CLOSED IN ON THEM.
NARRATOR: IN THE NORTH,
THE RESERVOIR OF MEN
SEEMED BOTTOMLESS.
WHOLE UNITS, LIKE THE 3rd
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
HAD STILL NEVER HEARD
ASHOT FIRED IN ANGER.
LINCOLN NOW ISSUED
A PROCLAMATION
MAKING THE LAST THURSDAY
IN NOVEMBER
A NATIONAL DAY
OF THANKSGIVING.
IN THE TRENCHES
AT PETERSBURG,
120,000 TURKEY AND CHICKEN
DINNERS WERE SERVED
TO GRANT'S HUGE ARMY.
ONLY YARDS AWAY,
THE CONFEDERATES
HAD NO FEAST,
BUT HELD THEIR FIRE
ALL DAY
OUT OF RESPECT
FOR THE UNION HOLIDAY.
LINCOLN CALLED FOR MORE MEN
TO FINISH THE WAR.
THE SOUTH HAD
NO MORE MEN TO SPARE.
AND WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
HAD BEGUN HIS MARCH TO THE SEA.
MAN: "WE LAY IN GRIM REPOSE
"AND EXPECTED THE RENEWAL
OF THE MORTAL CONFLICT.
"THE CONVICTION
EVERYWHERE PREVAILED
THAT WE COULD SUSTAIN
BUT ONE MORE CAMPAIGN."
CAPTAIN JAMES F.J. CALDWELL.
NARRATOR:
ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 25th
AT THE WINTER GARDEN THEATER
ON BROADWAY,
SHAKESPEARE'S
JULIUS CAESAR OPENED.
3 BROTHERS HAD
THE STARRING ROLES--
EDWIN, JUNIUS,
AND JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
AT ONE POINT
IN SHAKESPEARE'S PLAY,
CASSIUS SPEAKS
OF THE ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR.
"HOW MANY AGES HENCE
"SHALL THIS OUR LOFTY SCENE
BE ACTED OVER,
IN STATES UNBORN
AND ACCENTS YET UNKNOWN?"
MAN: "CAPTAIN CLAPP,
77th NEW YORK.
WOUNDED AT PETERSBURG."
"CAPTAIN SMITH, 77th NEW YORK.
WOUNDED AT WILDERNESS."
"CAPTAIN TAYLOR,
61st PENNSYLVANIA.
WOUNDED AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"CAPTAIN ORR, 77th NEW YORK.
LOST ARM AT CEDAR CREEK."
"CAPTAIN DEFOE.
EYE SHOT OUT AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"MAJOR ELLIS, 49th NEW YORK.
DIED OF WOUND AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"CAPTAIN HICKMOTT,
49th NEW YORK.
KILLED AT WILDERNESS."
"LIEUTENANT LYON, 77th NEW YORK.
KILLED AT SPOTSYLVANIA."
"LIEUTENANT BELDING,
77th NEW YORK.
KILLED AT CEDAR CREEK."
"UNION OFFICERS.
ALL KILLED IN BATTLE."
MAN: "IT REALLY LOOKS
AS IF IT WOULD NEVER END."
"THE MOST INSPIRING SIGHT
"IS THE FLOCK OF BUZZARDS
CONSTANTLY HOVERING OVER US
"AND WAITING
FOR THEIR FEAST.
"THOSE BIRDS ARE
AT LEAST IMPARTIAL
BECAUSE THEY EAT
BOTH SIDES ALIKE."
"THE SAME, | SUPPOSE,
IS TRUE OF WORMS."
WASHINGTON ROEBLING.
NARRATOR:
BY THE SPRING OF 1864,
UNION DEAD COMPLETELY FILLED
THE MILITARY CEMETERIES
OF WASHINGTON
AND ALEXANDRIA.
SECRETARY OF WAR STANTON
ORDERED THE QUARTERMASTER
GENERAL, MONTGOMERY MEIGS,
TO CHOOSE A NEW SITE.
MEIGS WAS A GEORGIAN
WHO HAD SERVED UNDER LEE
IN THE PEACETIME ARMY,
BUT HE HAD DEVELOPED
AN INTENSE HATRED
FOR ALL HIS FELLOW SOUTHERNERS
WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE UNION
HE STILL SERVED.
WITHOUT HESITATION,
HE PICKED THE GROUNDS
OF ROBERT E. LEE'S
HOME AT ARLINGTON
FOR THE NEW ARMY CEMETERY,
AND ORDERED THAT THE UNION DEAD
BE LAID TO REST
WITHIN A FEW FEET
OF THE FRONT DOOR
OF THE MAN
HE BLAMED FOR THEIR DEATHS
SO THAT NO ONE COULD EVER AGAIN
LIVE IN THE HOUSE.
IN OCTOBER, MEIGS' OWN SON JOHN
WAS KILLED
BY CONFEDERATE GUERRILLAS
IN THE SHENANDOAH
AND BURIED
IN MRS. LEE'S ROSE GARDEN.
AT ONE POINT THAT YEAR,
THE UNION ARMY WAS SENDING BACK
2,000 WOUNDED, MAIMED, AND DYING
MEN A WEEK TO WASHINGTON.
NOW THE MEN GRANT WAS SENDING
TO FIGHT ROBERT E. LEE
WERE BEING BURIED
IN LEE'S OWN FRONT YARD.
AND THAT YARD BECAME
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY,
THE UNION'S
MOST HALLOWED GROUND.