Southern States, and,
although deeply disappointed with the failure of Lee's invasion of the
North, the only result was to incite them to greater exertions and
sacrifices. In the North an act authorizing conscription was passed in
1863, but the attempt to carry it into force caused a serious riot in
New York, which was only suppressed after many lives had been lost and
the city placed under martial law.

While the guns of Gettysburg were still thundering, a Federal army of
18,000 men under General Gillmore, assisted by the fleet, had laid siege
to Charleston. It was obstinately attacked and defended. The siege
continued until the 5th of September, when Fort Wagner was captured; but
all attempts to take Fort Sumter and the town of Charleston itself
failed, although the city suffered greatly from the bombardment. In
Tennessee there was severe fighting in the autumn, and two desperate
battles were fought at Chickamauga on the 19th and 20th of September,
General Bragg, who commanded the Confederate army there, being
reinforced by Longstreet's veterans from the army of Virginia. After
desperate fighting the Federals were defeated, and thirty-six guns and
vast quantities of arms captured by the Confederates. The fruits of the
victory, however, were very slight, as General Bragg refused to allow
Longstreet to pursue, and so to convert the Federal retreat into a rout,
and the consequence was that this victory was more than balanced by a
heavy defeat inflicted upon them in November at Chattanooga by Sherman
and Grant. At this battle General Longstreet's division was not present.

The army of Virginia had a long rest after their return from Gettysburg,
and it was not until November that the campaign was renewed. Meade
advanced, a few minor skirmishes took place, and then, when he reached
the Wilderness, the scene of Hooker's defeat, where Lee was prepared to
give battle, he fell back again across the Rappahannock.

The year had been an unfortunate one for the Confederates. They had lost
Vicksburg, and the defeat at Chattanooga had led to the whole State of
Tennessee falling into the hands of the Federals, while against these
losses there was no counterbalancing success to be reckoned.

In the spring of 1864 both parties prepared to the utmost for the
struggle. General Grant, an officer who had shown in the campaign in the
West that he possessed considerable military ability, united with
immense firmness and determination of pu