Destruction and Reconstruction:: Personal Experiences of the Late War

These reminiscences of Secession, War, and Reconstruction it has seemed to me a duty to record. An actor therein, accident of fortune afforded me exceptional advantages for an interior view. The opinions expressed are sincerely entertained, but of their correctness such readers as I may find must judge. I have in most cases been a witness to the facts alleged, or have obtained them from the best sources. Where statements are made upon less authority, I have carefully endeavored to indicate it by the language employed. R. TAYLOR. December, 1877. CONTENTS. PREFACE Secession. Causes of the Civil War—The Charleston Convention—Convention of Louisiana—Temper of the People. First Scenes of the War. Blindness of the Confederate Government—General Bragg occupies Pensacola—Battle of Manassas—Its Effects on the North and the South—"Initiative" and "Defensive" in War. After Manassas. General W.H.T. Walker—The Louisiana Brigade—The "Tigers"—Major Wheat—General Joseph E. Johnston and Jefferson Davis—Alexander H. Stephens. Opening of the Peninsular Campaign. McClellan as an Organizer—The James River Route to Richmond—Army of Northern Virginia moved to Orange Court House—Straggling—General Ewell—Bugeaud's "Maxims"—Uselessness of Tents—Counsels to Young Officers. The Valley Campaign. The Army moved to Gordonsville—Joseph E. Johnston as a Commander—Valley of Virginia—Stonewall Jackson—Belle Boyd—Federals routed at Front Royal—Cuirassiers strapped to their Horses—Battle of Winchester—A "Walk Over" at Strasburg—General Ashby—Battle of Port Republic. " The Seven Days around Richmond. " Clever Strategy—The Valley Army summoned to the Defense of Richmond—Battles of Cold Harbor, Frazier's Farm, Malvern Hill—Ignorance of the Topography—McClellan as a Commander—General R.E. Lee—His magnificent Strategy—His Mistakes. The District of Louisiana. General Bragg—Invasion of Kentucky—Western Louisiana—Its Topography and River Systems—The Attakapas, Home of the Acadians—The Creole Population. Operations in Louisiana and on the Mississippi. Federal Post at Bayou Des Allemands Surprised—Marauding by the Federals—Salt Mines at Petit Anse—General Pemberton—Major Brent Chief of Artillery—Federal Operations on the Lafourche—Gunboat Cotton—General Weitzel Advances up the Teche—Capture of Federal Gunboats—General Kirby Smith. Attacked by the Federals—Attempt to Relieve Vicksburg—Capture of Berwick's Bay. Federal Advance against Bisland—Retreat of the Confederates—Banks's Dispatches—Relief of Vicksburg impracticable—Capture of Federal Post at Berwick's Bay—Attack on Fort Butler—Fall of Vicksburg and of Port Hudson.