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Lincoln reorganizes the military for a new initiative
Things were not going well for the Union in its effort to bring Virginia to surrender. To the contrary, the Confederates had been humiliating the Union armies in action after action. General Stonewall Jackson three times defeated the Union armies in various battles in the Shenandoah Valley. Fear even began to grow in Washington that the Confederates might attempt an attack on Washington, D.C. With McClellan's army positioned in the Virginia Peninsula, Lincoln called on General John Pope to organize a new Union army (the Army of Virginia) to help protect Washington and to press Lee from the North while Lee stood facing McClellan to the South. Lincoln in fact hoped that Pope and McClellan might engage Lee from both the North and the South in a pincer movement that might finally bring Lee to defeat. But the leadership of both Union armies again proved themselves to be overly self confident, petty in their primary concern for their public reputations, slow in action, and dead wrong in their choice of tactics. Against the highly competent Lee and Jackson were the incompetent McDowell and Banks, the haughty Sigel, the arrogant McClellan, and the confused Pope. Cedar Mountain (August 9)
As this new Union army formed, Lee sent Jackson with 24,000 troops up against the 38,000 men in Pope's army. On August 9 at Cedar Mountain, as Jackson came upon Banks and 8,000 Union soldiers who had got themselves separated from the main Union force, Jackson proceeded to destroy them. Meanwhile McClellan delayed getting on the move until August 13 – leaving Pope with no option but to wait. This gave Pope time to augment his numbers with new recruits coming from Washington so that by mid August his army was 75,000 soldiers in strength. Meanwhile he was still waiting for McClellan. Lee however was not one to wait – even though his army was only 55,000 strong. Jackson was instructed to make a wide sweep behind Pope's army. And Longstreet, commanding the rest of the Confederate troops, would move them North to draw Pope's attention. Lee (rightly) seemed unconcerned about protecting himself from an attack by McClellan now that he had turned the confederate armies to face Pope. Jackson's Raid on the Federal Supply Base at Manassas Junction
Jackson came upon Pope's army from the rear at Manassas Junction and destroyed Pope's supply base there – forcing Pope to pull back to the town of Manassas to prevent being cut off from his lines to Washington. In the meantime Lee and Longstreet hurried their troops north to join up with Jackson. Jackson was actually in a very dangerous position – and Pope knew it. But when Pope tried to move his much larger army against Jackson, the army just did not move with any speed. (Some of McClellan's officer friends were later even accused of purposeful delay in order to hold off action until McClellan could arrive on the scene to take the victory). August 28
Actually it was Jackson who struck the blow on the evening of August 28, catching McDowell by surprise from the rear near Grovetown ... destroying one third of McDowell’s army as well as Pope’s supply base there. McDowell then retreated in order to join up with Pope. Jackson’s bold move in turn forced Pope to pull back to the town of Manassas to prevent being cut off from his lines to Washington. But now Jackson found himself separated from the main body of Lee’s army and thus in a very dangerous position – and Pope knew it. But when Pope tried to move his much larger army against Jackson, the army just did not move with any speed. August 29
The next morning, Pope hoped to strike back at the bold Jackson. But McDowell's forces were still too scattered to be of any effect. Sigel was sent in against Jackson. But he proved too timid for the task. Anyway, it was at this point (late morning) that Lee's troops arrived – though they were tired and needing reorganization. Pope was unaware of their arrival – and could have struck them with good effect at this point. But he believed that he was facing only Jackson. In any case even there, Union tactics against Jackson remained disorganized and slow. In fact, McDowell simply refused to move against Jackson. All Union efforts against Jackson that day failed. In the meantime Lee was resting and organizing his troops for the coming confrontation. August 30
The next day, August 30, the armies clashed. Pope still thought he was up against only Jackson, when Longstreet struck – swinging around Pope's left flank. Pope now realized that he was in the process of being caught between two Confederate armies! Pope was hoping desperately for McClellan to arrive at the scene to help him out with Jackson and Longstreet. But that was not to be. McClellan refused to move. (Some of McClellan's officer friends were later even accused of purposeful delay in order to hold off action until McClellan could arrive on the scene to take a presumed victory). Now Pope’s strategy was simply to get out of this situation with as much of his army as he could rescue. In fact, over 14,000 Union soldiers were either killed, wounded or captured – a devastating blow. But the Confederates, even in this victory, had themselves suffered over 8,000 casualties. It was another major humiliation for the North – but a devastating action for both sides |
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Civil War: 1862
