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.
Movement to the Red River—Campaign against Banks.
The Confederate Losses at Vicksburg and Port Hudson—Federals beaten at Bayou Bourbeau—Trans-Mississippi Department, its Bureaux and Staff—A Federal Fleet and Army ascend Red River—Battle of Pleasant Hill—Success of the Confederates—Perilous Situation of Banks's Army and the Fleet.
Escape of Banks and Porter.
The Fleet descends Red River to Grand Ecore—Banks concentrates his Army there—Taylor's Force weakened by General Kirby Smith—Confederates harass Rear of Federal Column—The Federals cross the River at Monette's Ferry and reach Alexandria—Retreat of the Fleet harassed—It passes over the Falls at Alexandria.
East of the Mississippi.
The Mississippi controlled by the Federals—Taylor assigned to the Command of Alabama, Mississippi, etc.—Forrest's Operations—General Sherman in Georgia—Desperate Situation of Hood—Remnant of his Army sent to North Carolina.
Closing Operations of the War—Surrender.
Fall of Mobile—Last Engagement of the War—Johnston-Sherman Convention—Taylor surrenders to General Canby—Last Hours of the "Trans-Mississippi Department."
Criticisms and Reflections.
Gettysburg—Shiloh—Albert Sidney Johnston—Lack of Statesmanship in the Confederacy—"King Cotton"—Carpet-Baggers.
Reconstruction Under Johnson.
Interceding for Prisoners—Debauchery and Corruption in Washington—General Grant—Andrew Johnson—Stevens, Winter Davis, Sumner—Setting up and pulling down State Governments—The "Ku-Klux"—Philadelphia Convention.
Reconstruction under Grant.
Demoralization at the North—a Corrupt Vice-President—a Hypocritical Banker—a Great Preacher profiting by his own Evil Reputation—Knaves made Plenipotentiaries—A Spurious Legislature installed in the Louisiana State House—General Sheridan in New Orleans—An American Alberoni—Presidential Election of 1876—Congress over-awed by a Display of Military Force.
Conclusion.
The Financial Crisis—Breaches of Trust—Labor Troubles—Destitution—Negro Suffrage fatal to the South.
