RE: Civil War 150th

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Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (8/30/2014 3:24:42 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: South of Atlanta, the corps that John Bell Hood had sent to block the Northerners was still having trouble finding their enemies. With very little cavalry on hand, the technique of using artillery to flush out Union presence was proving less than satisfactory. But the Confederate soldiers on the spot were more and more convinced that the Federals were in the area, and in strength: As yet it is impossible to tell of the movements of the enemy, because our cannon balls had not come back and reported any movements to us. We had always heard that cannon balls were blind, and we did not suppose they could see to find their way back. Well, our corps made a forced march for a day and a night, and passed the word back that we had seen some signs of the Yankees being in that vicinity, and thought perhaps, a small portion— about a hundred thousand—were nigh about there somewhere. Says he, "It's a strange thing you don't know; send out your feelers." We sent out a few feelers and they report back very promptly that the Yankees are here sure enough, or that is what our feelers say. Pass the word up the line. --Sam R. Watkins, "Co. Aytch" Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment For the day, at least, the Northerners were able to do their work with little interference. In addition to tearing up the railroad lines, a number found time to replenish their food supplies: I was with General Thomas that day, which was hot but otherwise very pleasant. We stopped for a short noon-rest near a little church (marked on our maps as Shoal-Creek Church), which stood back about a hundred yards from the road, in a grove of native oaks. The infantry column had halted in the road, stacked their arms, and the men were scattered about--some lying in the shade of the trees, and others were bringing corn-stalks from a large corn-field across the road to feed our horses, while still others had arms full of the roasting-ears, then in their prime. Hundreds of fires were soon started with the fence-rails, and the men were busy roasting the ears. ... our path carried us by a fire at which a soldier was roasting his corn. The fire was built artistically; the man was stripping the ears of their husks, standing them in front of his fire, watching them carefully, and turning each ear little by little, so as to roast it nicely. He was down on his knees intent on his business, paying little heed to the stately and serious deliberations of his leaders. Thomas's mind was running on the fact that we had cut loose from our base of supplies, and that seventy thousand men were then dependent for their food on the chance supplies of the country (already impoverished by the requisitions of the enemy), and on the contents of our wagons . . . watching the operations of this man roasting his corn, he said, "What are you doing?" The man looked up smilingly "Why, general, I am laying in a supply of provisions." --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (8/31/2014 6:39:17 PM)
150 Years Ago Today: In Chicago, the Democrats wrapped up their national convention for the November election. George McClellan had scored a decisive first-round ballot victory, defeating his nearest challenger by 174 votes to 38 (out of a total of 226). But the convention had also handed McClellan an embarrassing dilemma. The Democratic "platform" had been written in part by the notorious "Copperhead" Clement Vallandigham, and called for an immediate peace: Resolved, That in the future, as in the past, we will adhere with unswerving fidelity to the Union under the Constitution as the only solid foundation of our strength, security, and happiness as a people, and as a framework of government equally conducive to the welfare and prosperity of all the States, both Northern and Southern. Resolved, That this convention does explicitly declare, as the sense of the American people, that after four years of failure to restore the Union by the experiment of war, during which, under the pretense of a military necessity of war-power higher than the Constitution, the Constitution itself has been disregarded in every part, and public liberty and private right alike trodden down, and the material prosperity of the country essentially impaired, justice, humanity, liberty, and the public welfare demand that immediate efforts be made for a cessation of hostilities, with a view of an ultimate convention of the States, or other peaceable means, to the end that, at the earliest practicable moment, peace may be restored on the basis of the Federal Union of the States. Resolved, That the direct interference of the military authorities of the United States in the recent elections held in Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and Delaware was a shameful violation of the Constitution, and a repetition of such acts in the approaching election will be held as revolutionary, and resisted with all the means and power under our control. Resolved, That the aim and object of the Democratic party is to preserve the Federal Union and the rights of the States unimpaired, and they hereby declare that they consider that the administrative usurpation of extraordinary and dangerous powers not granted by the Constitution; the subversion of the civil by military law in States not in insurrection; the arbitrary military arrest, imprisonment, trial, and sentence of American citizens in States where civil law exists in full force; the suppression of freedom of speech and of the press; the denial of the right of asylum; the open and avowed disregard of State rights; the employment of unusual test-oaths; and the interference with and denial of the right of the people to bear arms in their defense is calculated to prevent a restoration of the Union and the perpetuation of a Government deriving its just powers from the consent of the governed. Resolved, That the shameful disregard of the Administration to its duty in respect to our fellow-citizens who now are and long have been prisoners of war and in a suffering condition, deserves the severest reprobation on the score alike of public policy and common humanity. Resolved, That the sympathy of the Democratic party is heartily and earnestly extended to the soldiery of our army and sailors of our navy, who are and have been in the field and on the sea under the flag of our country, and, in the events of its attaining power, they will receive all the care, protection, and regard that the brave soldiers and sailors of the republic have so nobly earned. McClellan was greatly troubled by "four years of failure", for he wanted to continue the war until the country was re-united. He was entirely willing to abandon the abolition of slavery, but not to accept the loss of the Southern states. As several other candidates have done since then, he refused to publicly endorse his own party's platform. South of Atlanta, the Confederates had found one Union army under General Oliver Howard at the town of Jonesborough. Southern commander William Hardee ordered an attack with his corps, supported by units from a second corps under Stephen D. Lee. But although Howard was new to his command, he had much experience elsewhere, and the majority of his Yankees were veteran infantry. This was bad enough for the Rebels, but there was worse: it took time to form the Confederate troops for the assault, and in that time the Federals had put up solid field fortifications and sent cavalry around to the flank. When the Southerners attacked, they were hit by deadly fire from the dismounted Union cavalry's horse artillery and Spencer repeating carbines. This was impossible to ignore; the Rebels turned to the side and charged the Northern troopers. They were repulsed twice, but the third time succeeded in forcing the Yankees to re-mount and abandon their ground. But in the meantime, the Southern infantry under Stephen Lee had attacked the main Union line and been badly defeated, losing 1,300 casualties. After more a day and a half of forced marching and now this, the Confederate troops were too exhausted for further attacks. Back in Atlanta, John Bell Hood had received reports of even more Union troops in the area, which were entirely correct. To more Union armies were also sweeping around. Hood hastily ordered the corps under Lee back to the city, leaving Hardee's corps alone. And the Federals to the north were "closing the door", cutting off the route back to Atlanta. [image]local://upfiles/4250/7DD9829C95434F55BAFBD5E30C3DBB9E.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/1/2014 4:37:15 PM)
150 Years Ago Today: At Jonesborough, Georgia, after the defeat of the Confederate attacks the day before, it was time for Sherman to counter-attack. But on this date he was unusually cautious, possibly because he was worried about the lone corps under Slocum still to the north of Atlanta. Finally his units were in position: All hands were kept busy tearing up the railroad, and it was not until toward evening of the 1st day of September that the Fourteenth Corps (Davis) closed down on the north front of Jonesboro, connecting on his right with Howard, and his left reaching the railroad, along which General Stanley was moving, followed by Schofield. General Davis formed his divisions in line about 4 p.m., swept forward over some old cotton-fields in full view, and went over the rebel parapet handsomely, capturing the whole of Govan's brigade, with two field-batteries of ten guns. Being on the spot, I checked Davis's movement, and ordered General Howard to send the two divisions of the Seventeenth Corps (Blair) round by his right rear, to get below Jonesboro, and to reach the railroad, so as to cut off retreat in that direction. I also dispatched orders after orders to hurry forward Stanley, so as to lap around Jonesboro on the east, hoping thus to capture the whole of Hardee's corps. I sent first Captain Audenried (aide-de-camp), then Colonel Poe, of the Engineers, and lastly General Thomas himself (and that is the only time during the campaign I can recall seeing General Thomas urge his horse into a gallop). --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman (Sherman conveniently left out the facts that the first assault on the Confederate position had been beaten back, and the second had succeeded only after desperate hand-to-hand fighting that won a Union general the Medal of Honor for personally leading a bayonet charge.) The attempt to surround the Confederate corps did not succeed: The corps under General David Stanley had apparently taken a wrong road, and did not arrive in full strength before dark. And in Atlanta, John Bell Hood finally had a firm grasp on the position, and realized that there was nothing for it but evacuation. Already outnumbered, he could not afford to lose a third of his army. It was necessary to pull Hardee's corps out of the trap and re-unite it with his other two corps. And the place were they were re-united could not be Atlanta; not only was the route blocked, but even if it had not been, the city could not be held with the rail lines cut. Hood gave orders to his troops to pull out, and to destroy nearly everything in the city that the Yankees might use. [image]local://upfiles/4250/FBB1DE9EAD4540A2864E34E4A5B5B5C5.jpg[/image] Hollywood movies are often inaccurate, but it is worth recording that the most famous scene in "Gone With the Wind" -- the horse and buggy race against the fire -- has a sound historical background. Along with militarily useful factories, the railroad depot was torched, with roughly 80 cars, many of which were loaded with ammunition. The result got the attention of a large number of people, including Sherman: That night I was so restless and impatient that I could not sleep, and about midnight there arose toward Atlanta sounds of shells exploding, and other sound like that of musketry. I walked to the house of a farmer close by my bivouac, called him out to listen to the reverberations which came from the direction of Atlanta (twenty miles to the north of us), and inquired of him if he had resided there long. He said he had, and that these sounds were just like those of a battle. An interval of quiet then ensued, when again, about 4 a.m., arose other similar explosions, but I still remained in doubt whether the enemy was engaged in blowing up his own magazines, or whether General Slocum had not felt forward, and become engaged in a real battle. --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman Sherman need not have feared. The scattered and demoralized pieces of the Confederate army were streaming out of their fortifications, heading east.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/2/2014 2:37:18 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: The news of the evacuation of Atlanta spread quickly to some parts of the South, but much more slowly to others. Whenever and wherever the news was received, however, it produced deep depression. Since the beginning of May, the tremendous casualties suffered by the South had been accepted, because the North had sustained even more, and the key places in the Confederacy seemed to be holding. Now, the closing of Mobile Bay, seemingly of small import at the time, was seen as a left jab followed by a crushing right. And many now saw the fight as lost: September 2d. - The battle has been raging at Atlanta, and our fate hanging in the balance. Atlanta, indeed, is gone. Well, that agony is over. Like David, when the child was dead, I will get up from my knees, will wash my face and comb my hair. No hope; we will try to have no fear. -- Mary Boykin Chesnut, A Diary From Dixie But on this day of which I now write, we can see in plain view more than a thousand Yankee battle-flags waving on top the red earthworks, not more than four hundred yards off. Every private soldier there knew that General Hood's army was scattered all the way from Jonesboro to Atlanta, a distance of twenty-five miles, without any order, discipline, or spirit to do anything. We could hear General Stewart, away back yonder in Atlanta, still blowing up arsenals, and smashing things generally, while Stephen D. Lee was somewhere between Lovejoy Station and Macon, scattering. And here was but a demoralized remnant of Cheatham's corps facing the whole Yankee army. I have ever thought that Sherman was a poor general, not to have captured Hood and his whole army at that time. But it matters not what I thought, as I am not trying to tell the ifs and ands, but only of what I saw. In a word, we had everything against us. The soldiers distrusted everything. They were broken down with their long days' hard marching—were almost dead with hunger and fatigue. Every one was taking his own course, and wishing and praying to be captured. Hard and senseless marching, with little sleep, half rations, and lice, had made their lives a misery. Each one prayed that all this foolishness might end one way or the other. --Sam R. Watkins, "Co. Aytch" Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment The Union corps under General Slocum had been instructed to "feel forward" aggressively in case of just such an evacuation. This they did, and soon discovered there were no Rebel soldiers left in the city. They did encounter the Mayor, who tried to formally surrender the city on the condition that property be respected. But Slocum, not even being a full army commander, did not feel he had the authority to make such a pledge. As to Sherman himself, he was considerably to the south, and disappointed that he had not bagged the Rebel corps opposing him. It took some time before he was convinced of the good news: The next morning General Hardee was gone, and we all pushed forward along the railroad south, in close pursuit, till we ran up against his lines at a point just above Lovejoy's Station. While bringing forward troops and feeling the new position of our adversary, rumors came from the rear that the enemy had evacuated Atlanta, and that General Slocum was in the city. Later in the day I received a note in Slocum's own handwriting, stating that he had heard during the night the very sounds that I have referred to; that he had moved rapidly up from the bridge about daylight, and had entered Atlanta unopposed. His letter was dated inside the city, so there was no doubt of the fact. General Thomas's bivouac was but a short distance from mine, and, before giving notice to the army in general orders, I sent one of my staff-officers to show him the note. In a few minutes the officer returned, soon followed by Thomas himself, who again examined the note, so as to be perfectly certain that it was genuine. The news seemed to him too good to be true. He snapped his fingers, whistled, and almost danced, and, as the news spread to the army, the shouts that arose from our men, the wild hallooing and glorious laughter, were to us a full recompense for the labor and toils and hardships through which we had passed in the previous three months. --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman When Grant had laid out his grand strategy for the year, his primary objectives were the two Southern armies, with the cities of Richmond and Atlanta being secondary objectives. Some historians have pointed out that Atlanta was the least important of the four, which is quite true. To tip the scales in Sherman's favor, however, he had been told to "move against Johnston's army, to break it up, and to get into the interior of the enemy's country". This he had done, for the Army of Tennessee (now Hood's rather than Johnston's) was demoralized and spread apart, with only about 30,000 men still in the ranks. It would recover, but not fully, and only for a time.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/3/2014 4:10:51 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: In the area of Atlanta, the Northerners found that their telegraph wires had been disrupted. They set to work restoring the connections, and soon Sherman was able to send a famous message to an anxious Lincoln administration: As already reported, the army withdrew from about Atlanta, and on the 30th had made a break of the West Point road, and reached a good position, from which to strike the Macon road -- the right (HOWARD) near Jonesboro; the left (SCOFIELD) near Rough and Ready, and the centre (THOMAS) at Couch's. HOWARD found the enemy in force at Jonesboro, and entrenched his troops, the salient within half a mile of the railroad. The enemy attacked him at 3 P.M., but was easily repulsed, leaving his dead and wounded. Finding strong opposition on the road, advanced the left and centre rapidly to the railroad, made a good lodgment, and broke it all the way from Rough and Ready down to HOWARD's left, near Jonesboro; and by the same movement I interposed my whole army between Atlanta and the part of the enemy intrenched in and around Jonesboro. We made a general attack on the enemy at Jonesboro, on the first of September, the Fourteenth Corps, Gen. JEFF C. DAVIS, carrying the works handsomely, with ten guns and about a thousand prisoners. In the night the enemy retreated south, and we have followed him to another of his hastily constructed lines near Lovejoy's Station. HOOD, at Atlanta, finding me on his road, the only one that could supply him, and between him and a considerable part of his army, blew up his magazines in Atlanta, and left in the night-time, when the Twentieth Corps, Gen. SLOCUM, took possession of the place. So Atlanta is ours, and fairly won. Since the 5th of May, we have been in one constant battle or skirmish, and need rest. Our losses will not exceed 1,200, and we have possession of over 300 rebel dead, 250 wounded, and over 1,500 well [prisoners]. (Signed) W.T. SHERMAN, Major-Gen. The official word would not reach General-in-Chief Grant for at least another day, but he learned of the event through other channels. The pickets facing each other across the siege lines at Petersburg often exchanged news, and now the Rebel sentries "hallooed over to our men that Sherman had whipped Hood". [image]local://upfiles/4250/8DC4EC4803914FC681D1181DF787991A.jpg[/image] In the Shenandoah Valley, the stalemate between Jubal Early and Philip Sheridan showed signs of coming to an end. Though Grant had been losing more men than Lee, the Army of Northern Virginia had only Early's force left to draw reinforcements from. Early received the order to send troops south around this date, but found trouble in the way: A letter had been received from General Lee requesting that Kershaw's division should be returned to him, as he was very much in need of troops, and, after consultation with me, General Anderson determined to recross the Blue Ridge with that division and Fitz. Lee's cavalry. On the 3rd, he moved towards Berryville for the purpose of crossing the mountain at Ashby's Gap, and I was to have moved towards Charlestown next day, to occupy the enemy's attention during Anderson's movement. Sheridan, however, had started two divisions of cavalry through Berryville and White Post, on a raid to our rear, and his main force had moved towards Berryville. Anderson encountered Crook's corps at the latter place, and after a sharp engagement drove it back on the main body. Receiving information of this affair, I moved at daylight next morning, with three divisions, to Anderson's assistance, Gordon's division being left to cover Winchester. --Jubal Early, Autobiographical Sketch and Narrative of the War Between the States

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/4/2014 4:08:34 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: The "Copperheads" were dismayed, but the rest of the North erupted with joy at the news of the fall of Atlanta. Diarist George Templeton Strong wrote that "It is (coming at this political crisis) the greatest event of the war." The phrase "Atlanta is ours, and fairly won" (without the word "so" at the beginning) went into popular lore. The Republicans knew that this was the time to confront the Democrats' argument of "four years of failure" with news of success. Speeches were made, including one by Edward Everett, the man who had made a two-hour speech immediately preceding the Gettysburg Address. And since poetry was a much larger component of the writing of the day, there were poems written, such as this published in Harper's Weekly: FAIRLY WON. BRAVE Sherman! here, to many a soul, Those glorious words of thine, "Atlanta's ours, and fairly won," Come like a draught of wine. The doubting spirit gains new faith, And echoes back, "Right nobly done, Atlanta's ours, and fairly won." The nation's heart beats quick to hear The double deadly blow, Striking at once the rebel armed And the secret traitor foe. Bright shines again the Northern sun, "Atlanta's ours, and fairly won." Let this for ages be our cry, In battle or in civil strife, Whether with pen, or word, or sword, We fight the tight of life. We'll hand it down from sire to son, . "The victory's ours, and fairly won." In coming years, when smiling fields And sheaves of yellow grain, When Commerce, Arts, and Industry Surround us once again, May we proclaim with head erect, Fearful of naught, denied by none, That " Peace is ours, and fairly won." And for those who just wanted to hear some noise, Washington and other cities fired full 100-gun salutes. At Petersburg, Ulysses S. Grant found a way to improve on the idea: CITY POINT VIRGINIA, September 4, 1864 - 9 P.M. Major-General SHERMAN: I have just received your dispatch announcing the capture of Atlanta. In honor of your great victory, I have ordered a salute to be fired with shotted guns from every battery bearing upon the enemy. The salute will be fired within an hour, amid great rejoicing. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. And on this date, there was even more good news for the Union. John Hunt Morgan was the third most famous Southern cavalryman, after Forrest and Stuart. By this time he had been made a Brigadier General, but he had not managed to add much to his record since escaping from a Northern prison. [image]local://upfiles/4250/DEABBE364C4240CAA4981A50CDA836EF.jpg[/image] Now he was leading one of the three raiding forces trying to disrupt the Northern supply lines in the Western theater. But at Greeneville, Tennessee, it was Morgan that was surprised. Possibly tipped off by a Union sympathizer in town, the Federals attacked while Morgan's force had not yet roused themselves in the early morning. Morgan scrambled out of the house he had been sleeping in, but he was spotted by a Union soldier. There is a story that Morgan tried to surrender, but the Northerner recognized him as having escaped once before, and fired. Whatever the sequence of events, Morgan fell, mortally wounded. The "Thunderbolt of the Confederacy" was gone.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/7/2014 3:02:02 PM)
150 Years Ago Today: In Atlanta, William Sherman had decided to rest his men for a time. This involved better housing for them -- and what better housing could there be than the already existing houses of Atlanta? More, food now came to the city primarily through Sherman's railroad, and why should the Union Army feed a population hostile to it? Sherman had foreseen this situation, and the idea of simply expelling the citizens of Atlanta who had not already fled grew on him. On this date, he made it official: HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, September 7, 1864. General HOOD, commanding Confederate Army. GENERAL: I have deemed it to the interest of the United States that the citizens now residing in Atlanta should remove, those who prefer it to go south, and the rest north. For the latter I can provide food and transportation to points of their election in Tennessee, Kentucky, or farther north. For the former I can provide transportation by cars as far as Rough and Ready, and also wagons; but, that their removal may be made with as little discomfort as possible, it will be necessary for you to help the familes from Rough and Ready to the care at Lovejoy's. If you consent, I will undertake to remove all the families in Atlanta who prefer to go south to Rough and Ready, with all their movable effects, viz., clothing, trunks, reasonable furniture, bedding, etc., with their servants, white and black, with the proviso that no force shall be used toward the blacks, one way or the other. If they want to go with their masters or mistresses, they may do so; otherwise they will be sent away, unless they be men, when they may be employed by our quartermaster. Atlanta is no place for families or non-combatants, and I have no desire to send them north if you will assist in conveying them south. If this proposition meets your views, I will consent to a truce in the neighborhood of Rough and Ready, stipulating that any wagons, horses, animals, or persons sent there for the purposes herein stated, shall in no manner be harmed or molested; you in your turn agreeing that any care, wagons, or carriages, persons or animals sent to the same point, shall not be interfered with. Each of us might send a guard of, say, one hundred men, to maintain order, and limit the truce to, say, two days after a certain time appointed. I have authorized the mayor to choose two citizens to convey to you this letter, with such documents as the mayor may forward in explanation, and shall await your reply. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General commanding. Just how many civilians were forced to leave by this order is difficult to determine. A substantial number of the city's residents had already left, either when the shelling started or even before that. Your humble amateur historian's guess is that there were about 4,000 remaining.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/8/2014 2:15:39 PM)
150 Years Ago Today: Both John Bell Hood and the city council of Atlanta were shocked by Sherman's order. The Mayor and city council, being a civilian bureaucracy, took a few days to put together their reply. But General Hood ' s response was immediate and outraged: Major General W. T. SHERMAN, commanding United States Forces in Georgia GENERAL: Your letter of yesterday's date, borne by James M. Ball and James R. Crew, citizens of Atlanta, is received. You say therein, "I deem it to be to the interest of the United States that the citizens now residing in Atlanta should remove," etc. I do not consider that I have any alternative in this matter. I therefore accept your proposition to declare a truce of two days, or such time as may be necessary to accomplish the purpose mentioned, and shall render all assistance in my power to expedite the transportation of citizens in this direction. I suggest that a staff-officer be appointed by you to superintend the removal from the city to Rough and Ready, while I appoint a like officer to control their removal farther south; that a guard of one hundred men be sent by either party as you propose, to maintain order at that place, and that the removal begin on Monday next. And now, sir, permit me to say that the unprecedented measure you propose transcends, in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before brought to my attention in the dark history of war. In the name of God and humanity, I protest, believing that you will find that you are expelling from their homes and firesides the wives and children of a brave people. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J.B. HOOD, General Notwithstanding Hood ' s eloquence, if he was truly unaware of any crueler acts in history, he was remarkably ignorant for a West Point graduate. (True, he was ranked 44th in a class of 52.) On this date also, George McClellan formally accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party for President. What he did not accept was the party platform, which called for a cease-fire as soon as possible. "I could not look in the face of my gallant comrades of the army and navy who have survived so many bloody battles, and tell them that their labors and the sacrifices of so many of our slain and wounded brethren had been in vain", he said, but he also stated that he would continue the war only for the purpose of restoring the Union. Each Southern state, once re-admitted, was to have its "full Constitutional rights". And since since slavery was protected by the Constitution, it would continue to exist.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/11/2014 2:12:51 PM)
150 Years Ago Today: John Bell Hood was unwilling to let Sherman have the last word, and by now there was also an "intemperate correspondence" between the two, which unsurprisingly changed nothing. The evacuation of the civilian s in Atlanta began, and it proved as hard on the women and young children as the Southerners feared. Mayor James Calhoun had a letter composed to Sherman, imploring him to change his mind. Calhoun and the city council were aware that denouncing the Union commander would not accomplish anything, so the letter used appeals to his feelings instead: W. T. SHERMAN, Major-general, Commanding. September 11, stating: SIR: We the undersigned, Mayor and two of the Council for the city of Atlanta, for the time being the only legal organ of the people of the said city, to express their wants and wishes, ask leave most earnestly but respectfully to petition you to reconsider the order requiring them to leave Atlanta. At first view, it struck us that the measure would involve extraordinary hardship and loss, but since we have seen the practical execution of it so far as it has progressed, and the individual condition of the people, and heard their statements as to the inconveniences, loss, and suffering attending it, we are satisfied that the amount of it will involve in the aggregate consequences appalling and heart-rending. Many poor women are in advanced state of pregnancy, others now having young children, and whose husbands for the greater part are either in the army, prisoners, or dead. Some say: "I have such a one sick at my house; who will wait on them when I am gone?" Others say: "What are we to do? We have no house to go to, and no means to buy, build, or rent any; no parents, relatives, or friends, to go to." Another says: "I will try and take this or that article of property, but such and such things I must leave behind, though I need them much." We reply to them: "General Sherman will carry your property to Rough and Ready, and General Hood will take it thence on." And they will reply that: "But I want to leave the railroad at such a place, and cannot get conveyance from there on." We only refer to a few facts, to try to illustrate in part how this measure will operate in practice. As you advanced, the people north of this fell back; and before your arrival here, a large portion of the people had retired south, so that the country south of this is already crowded, and without houses enough to accommodate the people, and we are informed that many are now staying in churches and other out-buildings. This being so, how is it possible for the people still here (mostly women and children) to find any shelter? And how can they live through the winter in the woods with no shelter or subsistence, in the midst of strangers who know them not, and without the power to assist them much, if they were willing to do so? This is but a feeble picture of the consequences of this measure. You know the woe, the horrors, and the suffering, cannot be described by words; imagination can only conceive of it, and we ask you to take these things into consideration. We know your mind and time are constantly occupied with the duties of your command, which almost deters us from asking your attention to this matter, but thought it might be that you had not considered this subject in all of its awful consequences, and that on more reflection you, we hope, would not make this people an exception to all mankind, for we know that no such instance ever having occurredósurely never in the United Statesóand what has this helpless people done, that they should be driven from their homes, to wander strangers and outcasts, and exiles, and to subsist on charity? We do not know as yet the number of people still here; of those who are here, we are satisfied a respectable number, if allowed to remain at home, could subsist for several months without assistance, and a respectable number for a much longer time, and who might not need assistance at any time. In conclusion, we most earnestly and solemnly petition you to reconsider this order, or modify it, and suffer this unfortunate people to remain at home, and enjoy what little means they have. Respectfully submitted: James M. Calhoun, Mayor E.E. Rawson, Councilman. S.C. Wells, Councilman. The letter would fail, but it would receive a famous reply from Sherman, possibly the beginning of the well-known line "War is hell".

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/12/2014 3:49:19 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: William T. Sherman sent his reply to the city fathers of Atlanta: GENTLEMEN: I have your letter of the 11th, in the nature of a petition to revoke my orders removing all the inhabitants from Atlanta. I have read it carefully, and give full credit to your statements of the distress that will be occasioned, any yet shall not revoke my orders, because they were not designed to meet the humanities of the case, but to prepare for the future struggles in which millions of good people outside of Atlanta have a deep interest. We must have peace, not only in Atlanta, but in all America. To secure this, we must stop the war that now desolates our once happy and favored country. To stop war, we must defeat the rebel armies which are now arrayed against the laws and Constitution that all must respect and obey. To defeat those armies, we must prepare the way to reach them in their recesses, provided with the arms and instruments which enable us to accomplish our purpose. Now I know the vindictive nature of our enemy, that we may have many years of military operations from this quarter; and, therefore, deem it wise and prudent to prepare in time. The use of Atlanta for warlike purposes is inconsistent with its character as a home for families. There will be no manufactures, commerce, or agriculture here, for the maintenance of families, and sooner or later want will compel the inhabitants to go. Why not go now, when all the arrangements are completed for the transfer, instead of waiting till the plunging shot of contending armies will renew the scenes of the past month? Of course, I do not apprehend any such thing at this moment, but you do not suppose this army will be here until the war is over. I cannot discuss this subject with you fairly, because I cannot impart to you what we propose to do, but I assert that our military plans make it necessary for the inhabitants to go away, and I can only renew my offer of services to make their exodus in any direction as easy and comfortable as possible. You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than any of you to secure peace. But you cannot have peace and a division of our country. If the United States submits to a division now, it will not stop, but will go on until we reap the fate of Mexico, which is eternal war. The United States does and must assert its authority, wherever it once had power; for, if it relaxes one bit to pressure, it is gone, and I believe that such is the national feeling. This feeling assumes various shapes, but always comes back to that of Union. Once admit the Union, once more acknowledge the authority of the national Government, and, instead of devoting your houses and streets and roads to the dread uses of war, I and this army become at once your protectors and supporters, shielding you from danger, let it come from what quarter it may. I know that a few individuals cannot resist a torrent of error and passion, such as swept the South into rebellion, but you can point out, so that we may know those who desire a government, and those who insist on war and its desolation. You might as well appeal against the thunder-storm as against these terrible hardships of war. They are inevitable, and the only way the people of Atlanta can hope once more to live in peace and quiet at home, is to stop the war, which can only be done by admitting that it began in error and is perpetuated in pride. We don't want your negroes, or your horses, or your houses, or your hands, or any thing that you have, but we do want and will have a just obedience to the laws of the United States. That we will have, and, if it involves the destruction of your improvements, we cannot help it. You have heretofore read public sentiment in your newspapers, that live by falsehood and excitement; and the quicker you seek for truth in other quarters, the better. I repeat then that, by the original compact of Government, the United States had certain rights in Georgia, which have never been relinquished and never will be; that the South began war by seizing forts, arsenals, mints, custom-houses, etc., etc., long before Mr. Lincoln was installed, and before the South had one jot or title of provocation. I myself have seen in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi, hundreds of thousands of women and children fleeing from your armies and desperadoes, hungry and with bleeding feet. In Memphis, Vicksburg, and Mississippi, we fed thousands upon thousands of families of rebel soldiers left in our hands, and whom we could not see starve. Now that war comes home to you, you feel very different. You depreciate its horrors, but did not feel them when you sent car-loads of soldiers and ammunition, and moulded shells and shot, to carry war into Kentucky and Tennessee, to desolate the homes of hundreds of thousands of good people who only asked to live in peace at their old homes, and under the Government of their inheritance. But these comparisons are idle. I want peace, and believe it can only be reached through union and war, and I will ever conduct war with a view to perfect and early success. But, my dear sirs, when peace does come, you may call on me for any thing. Then I will share with you the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families against danger from every quarter. Now you must go, and take with you the old and feeble, feed and nurse them, and build for them, in more quiet places, proper habitations to shield them against the weather until the mad passions of men cool down, and allow the Union and peace once more to settle over your old homes at Atlanta. Yours in haste, W.T. Sherman, Major-General commanding. Between September 11 and 16 some 446 families, about 1,600 people, left their homes. It seems likely that a roughly equal number managed to stay behind, either by offering their services to the Union officers or by hiding. Sherman was also continuing his correspondence with General Hood. A few Union prisoners had actually managed to escape from Andersonville, and make their way to the safety of the Northern lines. They brought descriptions of the miserable conditions there, and the death rates. Clearly, as many prisoners must be brought out, and as soon as possible. Although General-in-Chief Grant had put a stop to the practice of paroling prisoners, it was still possible to exchange prisoners on a one-for-one basis in the area where they had been captured. There were no colored troops in the forward part of Sherman's forces (though he did use them to garrison forts and depots to the rear), so the problem of exchanging white prisoners for black did not arise. However, Sherman and Hood had other disagreements. Sherman wanted only those Northern prisoners who could go back into his own ranks, not those who had been captured in the Eastern theater and sent to Andersonville. For his part, Hood did not want the deserters that the Federals had rounded up (since he would probably have to shoot them), he wanted only those captured on the battlefield. Some negotiation was required between the two commanders, but by now they strongly disliked each other.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/14/2014 6:24:13 PM)
Mid-September, 1864: Around Atlanta, the rest that Sherman was giving to his troops was proving even more valuable for the Confederates. The Rebel cavalry under Joe Wheeler had finally returned from eastern Tennessee and re-joined the main army, and so had a number of "stragglers" from the infantry. Sherman and Hood had terminated their hostile exchange of letters about the expulsion of civilians, and actually managed an agreement about the exchange of prisoners. The most recently captured 2,000 soldiers on each side would be swapped, and subordinates designated by each would handle the details, since neither wanted to meet the other in person. And although the fall of Atlanta had caused many in the South to give up hope, President Jefferson Davis was not one of them. If a city could be captured, it could be re-captured, and he set off from Richmond to inspire the troops to do it. It seems on odd move, given that Yankee troops were still besieging his capital, but in fact at that point it was safe to turn his attention elsewhere. U. S. Grant had decided to take a more defensive stance in the Richmond-Petersburg area, and was ordering his fortifications to be improved while he sent troops up to the Shenandoah Valley and Philip Sheridan. He now could spare some men, for Sherman's success with Atlanta was slowly improving the recruitment situation. More men were now willing to join the ranks than dodge or pay the money to avoid service. More, those whose time was up were often re-enlisting rather than returning to civilian life -- a generous re-enlistment bonus helped considerably. With these factors, Sheridan's army had grown to about 40,000 men, more than twice the size of that under his opponent Jubal Early. Still, Sheridan did not feel that he should move just yet: ...yet, in consequence of the injunctions of General Grant, I deemed it necessary to be very cautious; and the fact that the Presidential election was impending made me doubly so, the authorities at Washington having impressed upon me that the defeat of my army might be followed by the overthrow of the party in power, which event, it was believed, would at least retard the progress of the war, if, indeed, it did not lead to the complete abandonment of all coercive measures. Under circumstances such as these I could not afford to risk a disaster, to say nothing of the intense disinclination every soldier has for such results... --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army The delay had a benefit for the Union. Jubal Early concluded that his antagonist was slow and unaggressive, which could hardly have been farther from the truth. He therefore made extra efforts to return the men that Robert E. Lee had requested to the Richmond-Petersburg siege lines. And because of a lady schoolteacher, Sheridan was not long in finding this out.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/15/2014 3:28:19 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: President Lincoln was willing to risk yet another defeat in the Shenandoah Valley, but Secretary Stanton's War Department was not. Ulysses S. Grant believed the time had come to advance, and therefore set out on an "end run" to give his orders to Philip Sheridan: On the 15th of September I started to visit General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. My purpose was to have him attack Early, or drive him out of the valley and destroy that source of supplies for Lee's army. I knew it was impossible for me to get orders through Washington to Sheridan to make a move, because they would be stopped there and such orders as Halleck's caution (and that of the Secretary of War) would suggest would be given instead, and would, no doubt, be contradictory to mine. I therefore, without stopping at Washington, went directly through to Charlestown, some ten miles above Harper's Ferry, and waited there to see General Sheridan... --The Personal Memoirs of General U. S. Grant Sheridan was already taking steps on his own. Many of the most successful spies of the Civil War were female, and it occurred to Sheridan that he might find one willing to help among the people in the Shenadoah Valley who were quietly against secession. Spying was of course a risky business, so he came up with a way to greatly reduce the odds of his potential agent being caught: I asked General Crook, who was acquainted with many of the Union people of Winchester, if he knew of such a person, and he recommended a Miss Rebecca Wright, a young lady whom he had met there before the battle of Kernstown, who, he said, was a member of the Society of Friends* and the teacher of a small private school. He knew she was faithful and loyal to the Government, and thought she might be willing to render us assistance, but he could not be certain of this, for on account of her well known loyalty she was under constant surveillance. I hesitated at first, but finally deciding to try it, despatched the two scouts to the old negro's cabin, and they brought him to my headquarters late that night. I was soon convinced of the negro's fidelity, and asking him if he was acquainted with Miss Rebecca Wright, of Winchester, he replied that he knew her well. There upon I told him what I wished to do, and after a little persuasion he agreed to carry a letter to her on his next marketing trip. My message was prepared by writing it on tissue paper, which was then compressed into a small pellet, and protected by wrapping it in tin-foil so that it could be safely carried in the man's mouth. The probability, of his being searched when he came to the Confederate picketline was not remote, and in such event he was to swallow the pellet. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army The message read: September 15, 1864. I learn from Major-General Crook that you are a loyal lady, and still love the old flag. Can you inform me of the position of Early's forces, the number of divisions in his army, and the strength of any or all of them, and his probable or reported intentions? Have any more troops arrived from Richmond, or are any more coming, or reported to be coming? You can trust the bearer. I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General Commanding. * "The Society of Friends" are more often called the Quakers. They are opposed to violence, and therefore to service in the armed forces, but they were also strongly opposed to slavery.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/16/2014 2:39:33 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: In Winchester, Rebecca Wright decided to take the risk of sending information to the Northerners. She appears to have taken the precaution of using no names in her reply. September 16, 1864. I have no communication whatever with the rebels, but will tell you what I know. The division of General Kershaw, and Cutshaw's artillery, twelve guns and men, General Anderson commanding, have been sent away, and no more are expected, as they cannot be spared from Richmond. I do not know how the troops are situated, but the force is much smaller than represented. I will take pleasure hereafter in learning all I can of their strength and position, and the bearer may call again. Very respectfully yours, ........ As scant as this information might seem, it was just what Philip Sheridan wanted. He now knew that the Confederate army facing him had been weakened. All he needed was the word to attack, and he received that word on the very same day, when he met with Grant: When Sheridan arrived I asked him if he had a map showing the positions of his army and that of the enemy. He at once drew one out of his side pocket, showing all roads and streams, and the camps of the two armies. He said that if he had permission he would move so and so (pointing out how) against the Confederates, and that he could "whip them." Before starting I had drawn up a plan of campaign for Sheridan, which I had brought with me; but, seeing that he was so clear and so positive in his views and so confident of success, I said nothing about this and did not take it out of my pocket. [...] Knowing that he, in making preparations to move at a given day, would have to bring up wagons trains from Harper's Ferry, I asked him if he could be ready to get off by the following Tuesday. This was on Friday (16th). "O Yes," he said, he "could be off before daylight on Monday." I told him then to make the attack at that time and according to his own plan; and I immediately started to return to the army about Richmond. --The Personal Memoirs of General U. S. Grant

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/17/2014 4:00:18 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: While Philip Sheridan was preparing his move in the Shenandoah Valley, his absence as Grant's cavalry commander was being felt. On this date, 3,000 Confederate horsemen easily brushed off Union attempts to intercept them and returned safely to the Southern lines around Petersburg. Led by Wade Hampton (below) they had scored one of the more impressive cavalry successes of the war. At the cost of only 10 killed, 47 wounded, and 4 missing, they had brought back 11 wagons, 304 Union prisoners, and nearly 2,500 head of cattle intended for the Union army. The problem was that live cattle need fodder, and Lee's army had none to spare. The "Great Beefsteak Raid" caused a few days of feasting for the Rebels as the herd had to be butchered as quickly as possible. Some of the beef made its way into Yankee stomachs after all, as the soldiers of the two armies traded with each other. (The Southerners were always badly short of coffee.) [image]local://upfiles/4250/10AF1E63B03244B288E4E43E84045161.gif[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/19/2014 3:42:34 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: General Sterling Price, having assembled his scratch force, entered Missouri from Arkansas. Almost at once the Confederates encountered skirmishers from the pro-Union militia, but they did not appreciably slow the Rebels, who were nearly all on horseback. In the Shenandoah Valley, Philip Sheridan attacked. It would be the largest and bloodiest battle of all those fought in the Valley. His plan for the Third Battle of Winchester, or Opequon Creek, was fairly simple: My army moved at 3 o'clock that morning. The plan was for Torbert to advance with Merritt's division of cavalry from Summit Point, carry the crossings of the Opequon at Stevens's and Lock's fords, and form a junction near Stephenson's depot, with Averell, who was to move south from Darksville by the Valley pike. Meanwhile, Wilson was to strike up the Berryville pike, carry the Berryville crossing of the Opequon, charge through the gorge or canyon on the road west of the stream, and occupy the open ground at the head of this defile. Wilson's attack was to be supported by the Sixth and Nineteenth corps, which were ordered to the Berryville crossing, and as the cavalry gained the open ground beyond the gorge, the two infantry corps, under command of General Wright, were expected to press on after and occupy Wilson's ground, who was then to shift to the south bank of Abraham's Creek and cover my left... --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army [image]local://upfiles/4250/26938A833E4B4B4A820E9F50E1F25DFE.jpg[/image] Unfortunately for the Northerners, the gorge caused a serious traffic jam, with supply wagons interfering with the movement of infantry. Much time was lost in getting all of the Sixth and Nineteenth corps through the narrow defile, Grover's division being greatly delayed there by a train of ammunition wagons, and it was not until late in the forenoon that the troops intended for the attack could be got into line ready to advance. General Early was not slow to avail himself of the advantages thus offered him, and my chances of striking him in detail were growing less every moment, for Gordon and Rodes were hurrying their divisions from Stephenson's depot... --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army Sheridan's worries were all too well founded: AT light on the morning of the 19th, our cavalry pickets, at the crossing of the Opequon on the Berryville road, were driven in, and information having been sent me of that fact, I immediately ordered all the troops at Stephenson's depot to be in readiness to move, directions being given for Gordon, who had arrived from Bunker Hill, to move at once, but by some mistake on the part of my staff officer, the latter order was not delivered to General Breckenridge or Gordon. I rode at once to Ramseur's position, and found his troops in line across the Berryville road skirmishing with the enemy. Before reaching this point, I had ascertained that Gordon was not moving and sent back for him, and now discovering that the enemy's advance was a real one and in heavy force, I sent orders for Breckenridge and Rodes to move up as rapidly as possible. [...] Knowing that it would not do for us to await the shock of the enemy's attack, Gordon was directed to examine the ground on the left, with a view to attacking a force of the enemy which had taken position in a piece of wood in front of him, and while he was so engaged, Rodes arrived with three of his brigades, and was directed to form on Gordon's right in rear of another piece of woods. While this movement was executed, we discovered very heavy columns of the enemy, which had been massed under cover between the Red Bud and the Berryville road, moving to attack Ramseur on his left flank, while another force pressed him in front. It was a moment of imminent and thrilling danger, as it was impossible for Ramseur's division, which numbered only about 1,700 muskets, to withstand the immense force advancing against it. The only chance for us was to hurl Rodes and Gordon upon the flank of the advancing columns, and they were ordered forward at once to the attack. They advanced in most gallant style through the woods into the open ground, and attacked with great vigor, while Nelson's battery on the right, and Braxton's on the left, opened a destructive fire. But Evans' brigade of Gordon's division, which was on the extreme left of our infantry, received a check from a column of the enemy, and was forced back through the woods from behind which it had advanced, the enemy following to the very rear of the woods, and to within musket range of seven pieces of Braxton's artillery which were without support. This caused a pause in our advance and the position was most critical, for it was apparent that unless this force was driven back the day was lost. Braxton's guns, in which now was our only hope, resolutely stood their ground, and under the personal superintendence of Lieutenant Colonel Braxton and Colonel T. H. Carter, my then Chief of Artillery, opened with canister on the enemy. This fire was so rapid and well directed that the enemy staggered, halted, and commenced falling back, leaving a battle flag on the ground, whose bearer was cut down by a canister shot. Just then, Battle's brigade of Rodes' division, which had arrived and been formed in line for the purpose of advancing to the support of the rest of the division, moved forward and swept through the woods, driving the enemy before it, while Evans' brigade was rallied and brought back to the charge. Our advance, which had been suspended for a moment, was resumed, and the enemy's attacking columns were thrown into great confusion and driven from the field. This attacking force of the enemy proved to be the 6th and 19th corps, and it was a grand sight to see this immense body hurled back in utter disorder before my two divisions, numbering a very little over 5,000 muskets. --Jubal Early, Autobiographical Sketch and Narrative of the War Between the States In the meantime, employing loud and strong language, Sheridan had personally straightened out the jam in the gorge. More and more Union soldiers came into line: ...and just as the flank of the enemy's troops in pursuit of Grover was presented, Upton's brigade, led in person by both Russell and Upton, struck it in a charge so vigorous as to drive the Confederates back in turn to their original ground. The success of Russell enabled me to re-establish the right of my line some little distance in advance of the position from which it started in the morning, and behind Russell's division (now commanded by Upton) the broken regiments of Ricketts's division were rallied. [...] Wright was instructed to advance in concert with Crook, by swinging Emory and the right of the Sixth Corps to the left together in a half-wheel. Then leaving Crook, I rode along the Sixth and Nineteenth corps, the open ground over which they were passing affording a rare opportunity to witness the precision with which the attack was taken up from right to left. Crook's success began the moment he started to turn the enemy's left; and assured by the fact that Torbert had stampeded the Confederate cavalry and thrown Breckenridge's infantry into such disorder that it could do little to prevent the envelopment of Gordon's left, Crook pressed forward without even a halt. Both Emory and Wright took up the fight as ordered, and as they did so I sent word to Wilson, in the hope that he could partly perform the work originally laid out for Crook, to push along the Senseny road and, if possible, gain the valley pike south of Winchester. I then returned toward my right flank, and as I reached the Nineteenth Corps the enemy was contesting the ground in its front with great obstinacy; but Emory's dogged persistence was at length rewarded with success, just as Crook's command emerged from the morass of Red Bud Run, and swept around Gordon. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army With the weight of numbers pushing the Confederates back, this would give the Federals a chance for something rarely seen in the war: a decisive cavalry charge. The ground which Breckenridge was holding was open, and offered an opportunity such as seldom had been presented during the war for a mounted attack, and Torbert was not slow to take advantage of it. The instant Merritt's division could be formed for the charge, it went at Breckenridge's infantry and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry with such momentum as to break the Confederate left, just as Averell was passing around it. Merritt's brigades, led by Custer, Lowell, and Devin, met from the start with pronounced success, and with sabre or pistol in hand literally rode down a battery of five guns and took about 1,200 prisoners. Almost simultaneously with this cavalry charge, Crook struck Breckenridge's right and Gordon's left, forcing these divisions to give way, and as they retired, Wright, in a vigorous attack, quickly broke Rodes up and pressed Ramseur so hard that the whole Confederate army fell back, contracting its lines within some breastworks which had been thrown up at a former period of the war, immediately in front of Winchester. Here Early tried hard to stem the tide, but soon Torbert's cavalry began passing around his left flank, and as Crook, Emory, and Wright attacked in front, panic took possession of the enemy, his troops, now fugitives and stragglers, seeking escape into and through Winchester. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army Jubal Early took a negative view of the Northern victory in his memoirs: A skilful and energetic commander of the enemy's forces would have crushed Ramseur before any assistance could have reached him, and thus ensured the destruction of my whole force; and later in the day, when the battle had turned against us, with the immense superiority in cavalry which Sheridan had, and the advantage of the open country, would have destroyed my whole force and captured everything I had. As it was, considering the immense disparity in numbers and equipment, the enemy had very little to boast of. I had lost a few pieces of artillery and some very valuable officers and men, but the main part of my force and all my trains had been saved, and the enemy's loss in killed and wounded was far greater than mine. When I look back to this battle, I can but attribute my escape from utter annihilation to the incapacity of my opponent. --Jubal Early, Autobiographical Sketch and Narrative of the War Between the States Early conveniently did not mention prisoners, which brought the casualties a little more towards balance. The Confederates had lost 226 killed, 1,567 wounded, and 1,818 missing or captured, which meant that some 30% of Early's force were now casualties. The Union had lost 697 killed, 3,983 wounded, but only 338 missing. This was 40 % more casualties in absolute terms, but only one-eighth of Sheridan's force of almost 40,000 men. The Yankees were ready to fight some more, and Winchester, the key to further advances, was now in their hands. [image]local://upfiles/4250/0C7AB71CF83A4424B18E360C0F3948BF.jpg[/image] (The map above was created by Jedediah Hotchkiss, who was Stonewall Jackson's chief map-maker.)

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/21/2014 5:47:24 PM)
150 Years Ago Today: Some of the Southerners began to take heart again with Jefferson Davis' trip to Georgia. But diarist Mary Boykin Chesnut was not among them: September 21st. - Went with Mrs. Rhett to hear Dr. Palmer. I did not know before how utterly hopeless was our situation. This man is so eloquent, it was hard to listen and not give way. Despair was his word, and martyrdom. He offered us nothing more in this world than the martyr's crown. He is not for slavery, he says; he is for freedom, and the freedom to govern our own country as we see fit. He is against foreign interference in our State matters. That is what Mr. Palmer went to war for, it appears. Every day shows that slavery is doomed the world over; for that he thanked God. He spoke of our agony, and then came the cry, "Help us, O God! Vain is the help of man." And so we came away shaken to the depths. The end has come. No doubt of the fact. Our army has so moved as to uncover Macon and Augusta. We are going to be wiped off the face of the earth. What is there to prevent Sherman taking General Lee in the rear? -- Mary Boykin Chesnut, A Diary From Dixie That thought would not occur to Sherman for some time yet. He was, however, thinking a good deal about his next move. A variety of objectives had crossed his mind, but foremost was the city of Savannah and its harbor. Georgia Governor Brown was now openly hostile to Jefferson Davis, and had withdrawn the state militia from the Confederate Army of Tennessee to gather the harvests. With the loss of the railroads of Atlanta, the seaport of Savannah, and some bridge-burning in between, the entire state of Georgia would be cut off from Richmond and the Confederate government. But how was Sherman to get to Savannah? Already his supply line was thin and vulnerable. There seemed no way of extending it the nearly 300 miles (480 km) to the coast. But perhaps he would not need a supply line for most of the way. He had marched to Meridian and back, and Grant had circled around Vicksburg the year before, living off the land. The problem was not food, but ammunition. As he put it in a missive to Grant, “Where a million of people live my army won’t starve, but as you know, in a country like Georgia, with few roads and innumerable streams, an inferior force could so delay an army and harass it..." He therefore proposed that the Navy take the area around Savannah as they had done for Mobile Bay. With a base to give safety and re-supply from, he would not be trapped and out of ammunition at the end of the march.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/22/2014 4:29:53 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: Lincoln's re-election received a double boost. He had been contending not only with a Democratic opponent, but a more hard-line Republican candidate, John C. Frémont. For all his egotism and anger at the Lincoln administration, Frémont was strongly anti-slavery. (He had exceeded his authority and declared Emancipation in Missouri in 1861.) He was appalled at the prospect of McClellan becoming President and agreeing to a cease-fire, leaving the Confederacy and slavery still in existence. On this date, Frémont formally withdrew his name as a Presidential candidate, ending the split in the Republican Party. There is good reason to believe that in return, it was quietly agreed to dismiss Postmaster General Montgomery Blair from the Cabinet. However, the Blair family, headed by Francis Preston Blair, Sr., was a power in Northern politics, and maintained its influence. (Fans of the Steven Speilberg movie "Lincoln" will note that Blair Sr. appears in the first half, played by Hal Holbrook.) The Southern Army of the Valley under Jubal Early had fallen back from Winchester to a place called Fisher's Hill. Frontally, it was a strong position, but the Confederates did not have enough men to properly block the flanks. Philip Sheridan's cavalry had found indications of the situation, and so a plan had been created to send a force under General George Crook around to attack from the side. The going was slow, and Crook marched his men from morning through mid-afternoon, until: ... he gained the rear of the enemy's works, when, marching his divisions by the left flank, he led them in an easterly direction down the mountain-side. As he emerged from the timber near the base of the mountain, the Confederates discovered him, of course, and opened with their batteries, but it was too late—they having few troops at hand to confront the turning-column. Loudly cheering, Crook's men quickly crossed the broken stretch in rear of the enemy's left, producing confusion and consternation at every step. About a mile from the mountain's base Crook's left was joined by Ricketts, who in proper time had begun to swing his division into the action, and the two commands moved along in rear of the works so rapidly that, with but slight resistance, the Confederates abandoned the guns massed near the centre. The swinging movement of Ricketts was taken up successively from right to left throughout my line, and in a few minutes the enemy was thoroughly routed, the action, though brief, being none the less decisive. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army This time the Union had scored a clear victory in both ground gained and losses taken. The Union casualties, at 528, were less than half those of the Southerners. They had also captured a number of cannon, which the Confederates could not easily replace. Still, Sheridan was not entirely satisfied: Our success was very great, yet I had anticipated results still more pregnant. Indeed, I had high hopes of capturing almost the whole of Early's army before it reached New Market... --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army Sheridan would have some harsh words with his cavalry commanders. True, Jubal Early and his army had escaped, but they had lost another 1,234 casualties. With less than 8,500 men remaining, they were no longer able to stop the Yankees from marching down the length of the Shenandoah Valley. Map by Hal Jespersen, www.cwmaps.com [image]local://upfiles/4250/B6F3E3FD18C348D2A3A334B8BE7DADC7.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/24/2014 4:08:42 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: At Athens, Georgia, Nathan Bedford Forrest arrived with his troopers and sent a request for the surrender of the Union garrison. This was at first refused, but Forrest used his old tricks such as lighting extra campfires to make the Northerners think he had more men. Finally the fort's flag was lowered, and 500 horses and 973 men went into the bag. Forrest burned the fort, and then continued his raid. In the Shenandoah Valley, the Union army under Philip Sheridan continued to chase the Confederates south. He pushed his troops hard; he had relieved William Averell, the cavalry commander who had won a brilliant victory at Moorefield, for not being aggressive enough. But however fast Sheridan was able to move his army, the Rebels moved faster: ...at daylight on the 24th, I moved the Sixth and Nineteenth corps through Mt. Jackson to attack him, sending Powell's division to pass around his left flank, toward Timberville, and Devin's brigade across the North Fork, to move along the base of Peaked Ridge and attack his right. The country was entirely open, and none of these manoeuvres could be executed without being observed, so as soon as my advance began, the enemy rapidly retreated in line of battle up the valley through New Market, closely followed by Wright and Emory, their artillery on the pike and their columns on its right and left. Both sides moved with celerity, the Confederates stimulated by the desire to escape, and our men animated by the prospect of wholly destroying Early's army. The stern-chase continued for about thirteen miles, our infantry often coming within range, yet whenever we began to deploy, the Confederates increased the distance between us by resorting to a double quick, evading battle with admirable tact. While all this was going on, the open country permitted us a rare and brilliant sight, the bright sun gleaming from the arms and trappings of the thousands of pursuers and pursued. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army Jubal Early and the remains of his army escaped. But they were giving up fertile farmland, which was badly needed to feed Robert E. Lee's underfed defenders at Petersburg and Richmond. And the loss was further depressing other Southerners: September 24th.-These stories of our defeats in the valley fall like blows upon a dead body. Since Atlanta fell I have felt as if all were dead within me forever . . . The reserves, as somebody said, have been secured only by robbing the cradle and the grave--the men too old, the boys too young. -- Mary Boykin Chesnut, A Diary From Dixie But Northern morale, in the depths only a month before, went higher still, and New York diarist George Templeton Strong recorded "Sheridan has knocked down gold and G. B. McClellan together. The former is below 200, and the latter is nowhere." (While Confederate currency was now suffering hyperinflation, and had reached 3,000.)

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/26/2014 12:10:38 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: President Jefferson Davis had been giving speeches to rally the Confederate cause as he traveled to meet with John Bell Hood and the somewhat reduced Army of Tennessee, and work out the details of how to get the Yankees back out of Atlanta. Somewhere around this date: General J. B. Hood established his headquarters at Palmetto, Georgia, and here is where we were visited by his honor, the Honorable Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, and the Right Honorable Robert Toombs, secretary of state under the said Davis. Now, kind reader, don't ask me to write history. I know nothing of history. See the histories for grand movements and military maneuvers. I can only tell of what I saw and how I felt. I can remember now General Robert Toombs' and Hon. Jeff Davis' speeches. I remember how funny Toombs' speech was. He kept us all laughing, by telling us how quick we were going to whip the Yankees, and how they would skedaddle back across the Ohio river like a dog with a tin oyster can tied to his tail. Captain Joe P. Lee and I laughed until our sides hurt us. I can remember today how I felt. I felt that Davis and Toombs had come there to bring us glad tidings of great joy, and to proclaim to us that the ratification of a treaty of peace had been declared between the Confederate States of America and the United States. I remember how good and happy I felt when these two leading statesmen told of when grim visaged war would smooth her wrinkled front, and when the dark clouds that had so long lowered o'er our own loved South would be in the deep bosom of the ocean buried. --Sam R. Watkins, "Co. Aytch" Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment The problem was that others were listening as well, such as William T. Sherman: On the next day [26th] I telegraphed further that Jeff. Davis was with Hood at Palmetto Station. One of our spies was there at the time, who came in the next night, and reported to me the substance of his speech to the soldiers. It was a repetition of those he had made at Colombia, South Carolina, and Mason, Georgia, on his way out, which I had seen in the newspapers. Davis seemed to be perfectly upset by the fall of Atlanta, and to have lost all sense and reason. He denounced General Jos. Johnston and Governor Brown as little better than traitors; attributed to them personally the many misfortunes which had befallen their cause, and informed the soldiers that now the tables were to be turned; that General Forrest was already on our roads in Middle Tennessee; and that Hood's army would soon be there. He asserted that the Yankee army would have to retreat or starve, and that the retreat would prove more disastrous than was that of Napoleon from Moscow. He promised his Tennessee and Kentucky soldiers that their feet should soon tread their "native soil," etc., etc. He made no concealment of these vainglorious boasts, and thus gave us the full key to his future designs. --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman In the Shenandoah Valley, the Confederate army under Jubal Early had retreated to the gaps of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here they were fairly safe from Northern attacks, for the terrain was good for the defense and rendered Philip Sheridan's cavalry advantage of little use. But Sheridan was prepared for such a situation. If he could not destroy the Army of the Valley, he would destroy the usefulness of the Valley itself. With Grant's full endorsement, he ordered his troops to begin gathering up all the livestock and foodstuffs, and apply the torch to the barns and mills. The destruction would continue for almost two weeks. Map by Hal Jespersen, www.cwmaps.com [image]local://upfiles/4250/C6BD090472D6430F9CD4BC7ADF50E958.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/27/2014 3:45:19 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: Jesse James left a reputation as a sort of Western Robin Hood, stealing from banks and railroad companies and supposedly giving some of the loot to the poor. But on this date there is strong evidence that he was simply a cold-blooded killer. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson led 80 pro-southern guerrillas, including Jesse James and his older brother Frank, into Centralia, Missouri. The irregulars were on their way to join up with Sterling Price's attempted reconquest of the state. After some pillaging of the town, they stopped a train, taking it by surprise since some of them were wearing captured blue uniforms. There were 23 unarmed Union soldiers on board, heading home on furlough. One was taken as a hostage, and the remaining 22 were stripped of their uniforms and then shot. A few hours later, a Northern mounted regiment of 147 men arrived, learned what had happened, and set off in pursuit. But "Bloody Bill" had also gathered some reinforcements from the partisans in the area. The Yankees were equipped with muzzle-loading rifles, and after an initial volley, they were overwhelmed by the revolver-equipped Southern riders. This time, no prisoners were taken. Only 23 of the Union regiment escaped, and many of the 124 dead were scalped. Frank James would later state that Jesse had personally shot the Union major in command. However, the force under Sterling Price was not as successful. Price's plan was to get supplies and equipment by capturing the smaller Union forts on his way to St. Louis. But although he had 7,000 men assaulting the post at Pilot Knob, Missouri, the Yankee garrison of 1,000 held firm and inflicted 1,500 casualties on the Confederates while losing 200 men themselves. A change in Southern plans was in order. Price decided to head for the Jefferson City, the state capital. In Georgia, W. T. Sherman's reports on the visit of the Southern President drew high-level attention: WASHINGTON, D. C., September 27, 1864-9 a.m. Major-General SHERMAN, Atlanta: You say Jeff Davis is on a visit to General Hood. I judge that Brown and Stephens are the objects of his visit. A. LINCOLN, President of the United States. Lincoln suspected what Sherman had guessed: that Georgia governor Joseph E. Brown (below) was trying to pull the state out of the war. Governor Brown was a strong advocate of "States' Rights", and the Davis administration had outraged him with such moves as the conscription laws and the tax-in-kind. He had already gone so far as to order the Georgia militia out of the Confederate army after the fall of Atlanta, claiming, with some justice, that they were needed to harvest the crops in the state. There is reason to believe that Brown was thinking of calling the state legislature into special session to declare neutrality in the war. Sherman said later that he had quietly offered in return to march his troops on the main roads only and to pay for any food needed by his men, instead of the wide destructive swath that was the March to the Sea. But now Jefferson Davis was present in Georgia, and with the recovering Confederate Army of Tennessee. When Davis denounced Brown as "little better than a traitor" Governor Brown dared not act. Naturally, Brown and Davis would be hostile to each other for the rest of the war. [image]local://upfiles/4250/1DAFE69C30D0436996C273EEBDC50F53.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/29/2014 4:01:22 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: U. S. Grant knew that the Confederates facing his army at Petersburg and Richmond had to be spread thin. Robert E. Lee had requested over a division to be returned to him from the Shenandoah Valley, but after the two resounding defeats there the march had been halted while Lee decided whether they were more desperately needed back in the Valley or to defend the capital. The Northerners decided to take advantage of the hesitation. Aided by Benjamin Butler, Grant came up with a plan to strike two points of the long trench lines almost at the same time. Butler's Army of the James would would march northwards and strike near Richmond, targeting New Market Heights and perhaps the strongest Rebel fort in the lines, Fort Harrison. Meanwhile, the V Corps under Gouverneur Warren would strike towards the south, at a place called Peebles' Farm. If there was a breakthrough at that point, the vital Boydton Plank Road would be blocked, and Petersburg and Richmond would no longer be able to receive sufficient supplies. For the only time in the war, Benjamin Butler's plan was reasonably successful. There was heavy fighting at New Market Heights, but the Yankees finally seized the ground. At Fort Harrison, the attack fared even better at first: The enemy's lines were very strong and very intricate. Stannard's division of the 18th corps with General Burnham's brigade leading, tried an assault against Fort Harrison and captured it with sixteen guns and a good many prisoners. Burnham was killed in the assault. Colonel Stevens who succeeded him was badly wounded; and his successor also fell in the same way. Some works to the right and left were also carried with the guns in them--six in number--and a few more prisoners. Birney's troops to the right captured the enemy's intrenched picket-lines, but were unsuccessful in their efforts upon the main line. --The Personal Memoirs of General U. S. Grant As Grant observed, now the Northerners were not in condition to advance further. Too many leaders had been lost, and in addition there were Confederate gunboats on the James River adding their firepower to the Southern artillery. The Federals turned their efforts to strengthening Fort Harrison against the counter-attack which was sure to come the next day. They also re-named it Fort Burnham in honor of their fallen general. [image]local://upfiles/4250/60C8F7249DDD49239672270EDB28C871.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (9/30/2014 3:54:18 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: At Peebles' Farm in Virginia, Robert E. Lee had removed a number of defenders for his counter-attack near the James River. The Union V Corps mounted its planned assault, but even against the thinned Rebel troops, the Yankees made only slight progress. They captured a redoubt and a line of trenches, but the Southerners were able to scrape up reinforcements, including a division which Lee had intended for the attack further north. The Union IX Corps moved up to reinforce the first Federal wave, but a Confederate flank attack in the afternoon routed many of its units, including the capturing of a brigade. The bright side for the Northerners was that the attempt on the fort they had seized the day before was easily repelled. Although Lee had failed to regain Fort Harrison/Burnham, the position was back to stalemate for the time being. Confederate troops and engineers had hastily thrown up another line of defenses, blocking any further Yankee advance. Union losses for the two days around the fort were 391 killed, 2,317 wounded, and 649 missing or captured, while the Confederates lost 250 killed, 1,250 wounded, and 500 missing or captured. Nonetheless, the Northerners considered it a victory. The lines had been extended a little further, and the Federals now controlled a little more of the James River. Unlike the trench warfare of WWI, the Southerners could not afford to extend their lines for hundreds of miles, and also could not afford to retreat much further. [image]local://upfiles/4250/A20AFC4E18774AD29399AF7DE07042A8.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/2/2014 4:04:29 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: Around Petersburg, Virginia, the Battle of Peebles' Farm (or Poplar Springs Church) wound down. After halting the Confederate counter-attack the day before, the Northerners launched a counter-counter-attack, which seized another redoubt called Fort McCrae. The advance was stopped before it could cut the Boydton Plank road, however, and the total losses for the three days of fighting were about 1,200 for the Confederates and almost 2,900 for the Union. (Largely because of an entire brigade that had been surrounded and captured.) Still, new recruits were flowing into the Union ranks (though they would need a few months' training to truly make good the casualties). The South, on the other hand, was only getting a trickle of new men. Robert E. Lee now faced the difficult choice of whether to abandon the Shenandoah Valley and its desperately wanted food supplies, or drain his Petersburg and Richmond defenses still further and try to push Philip Sheridan's army back to the north end of the valley. Grant believed that his opponent could not take the chance of losing Richmond. He should have known from the colossal gambles Lee had taken earlier in the war. In Georgia, Sherman was also having trouble predicting his opponent John Bell Hood's next move. Though badly outnumbered, the Rebels were now free from the need to defend Atlanta, and could move to strike almost anywhere on the long rail line providing the Federals with their supplies. It was now the Southerners' turn to make "neckties" of the iron rails after ripping them up. The Northerners could salvage the rails by shipping them back to the foundries and running them through the mills, but it was easier simply to have new ones sent down. It took time, however, and in the meanwhile the Yankees chased after the Confederates -- but in vain. They were better equipped than their opponents, but that also meant they could not travel as lightly.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/4/2014 4:19:33 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: President Davis and General Hood had announced what they planned to do: destroy Sherman's supply lines and force the Northern army to retreat all the way back to Tennessee. And so far, Hood's Army of Tennessee had begun to do just that. On this date, they attacked the Union positions at at Acworth and Moon's Station, destroying the blockhouses. Sherman read his map and grew alarmed, for the Rebels were closing in on the depot at Allatoona Pass, the main storage place for his army's supplies of bread. Roughly a million rations' worth had been concentrated there, enough to revitalize the hungry Confederate soldiers and conversely make the Union troops feel the pinch. [image]local://upfiles/4250/D9FEA2C27D484461BE13D93A0041DF21.gif[/image] Sherman quickly sent out telegraphic orders to Brigadier General John M. Corse to reinforce the Allatoona garrison. But Corse did not have enough rail cars to move his entire command in one operation. He managed to bring in roughly half his brigade before the advancing Southerners blocked the line. The morrow would show whether the Yankees could hold their bread stores with what they had. In the meantime, Sherman reluctantly decided that he would have to send nearly his entire army in pursuit of the Rebel forces. He had suggested to General Halleck in Washington that it would be better if he could continue south, to Savannah or even Charleston, rather than remain on the defensive indefinitely. But to Halleck and the War Department, it was too big a gamble with the election just five weeks away. Sherman's force would have to go north for the time being, back over the ground they had taken with such effort during the summer.

ckammp -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/4/2014 9:42:33 AM)
Let's put this back ahead of the prolific spam bot.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/5/2014 1:03:45 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: AROUND ALLATOONA, October 5, 1884. Commanding Officer, United States Forces, Allatoona: I have placed the forces under my command in such positions that you are surrounded, and to avoid a needless effusion of blood I call on you to surrender your forces at once, and unconditionally. Five minutes will be allowed you to decide. Should you accede to this, you will be treated in the most honorable manner as prisoners of war. I have the honor to be, very respectfully yours, S. G. FRENCH, Major-General, Commanding forces Confederate States. Five minutes was plenty, for the Northern commander was already resolved: HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, FIFTEENTH CORPS ALLATOONA, GEORGIA, October 5, 1864. Major-General S. G. FRENCH, Confederate States, etc: Your communication demanding surrender of my command I acknowledge receipt of, and respectfully reply that we are prepared for the "needless effusion of blood" whenever it is agreeable to you. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Jno. M. Corse Brigadier General, Commanding U.S. Forces. [image]local://upfiles/4250/8E3EBCD210154FEDBDB18B883867D08B.jpg[/image] Though he was indeed surrounded and outnumbered, Corse's reply was not simply bravado. In addition to his fortifications, he had another advantage: a new repeating rifle. The Henry rifle had been submitted to the U. S. Army, but had only been issued to a few cavalry units to see if it could replace the Spencer carbine. It was found unsatisfactory, for the mechanism was liable to accidentally fire when being bounced on horseback at full gallop. The Army decided not to purchase the weapon in quantity, but a number of infantrymen saw a tremendous advantage: its tube magazine could hold a remarkable 16 rounds. The men bought the Henrys themselves using the substantial re-enlistment bonuses being offered by the Lincoln administration. [image]local://upfiles/4250/901397EBD2DD4EC5A4D540A18B01E41C.jpg[/image] The Southerners, however, had the advantage in artillery. Twelve "Napoleon" smooth-bore cannon, which could fire shell, solid shot, or canister as the gun crews chose, were by now well emplaced around the Yankee fortifications. The order to open fire was given promptly. After a suitable bombardment, the Confederate commander ordered a two-pronged infantry assault, and the fighting became intense. Reaching Kenesaw Mountain about 8 a.m. of October 5th (a beautiful day), I had a superb view of the vast panorama to the north and west. To the southwest, about Dallas, could be seen the smoke of camp-fires, indicating the presence of a large force of the enemy, and the whole line of railroad from Big Shanty up to Allatoona (full fifteen miles) was marked by the fires of the burning railroad. We could plainly see the smoke of battle about, Allatoona, and hear the faint reverberation of the cannon. --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman Sherman promptly ordered a large force to march to the rescue of the Federal garrison, but the distance was great enough that it would take most of the day to cover. Meanwhile, the Rebel attacks were checked, but both sides suffered. Union commander Corse himself took a bullet that scored one side of his face and removed part of his ear, but insisted on staying to direct the defense. At the loss rate being sustained, the Northerners would not have enough men standing by the end of the day to hold the depot against the more numerous Confederates. But a little after noon, Southern commander French received a report of Sherman's reinforcements on the move. That part of the report was accurate, but it also said that the Yankee column was considerably closer than it actually was. French decided he could not risk staying longer, and ordered his force to pull out. I watched with painful suspense the indications of the battle raging there, and was dreadfully impatient at the slow progress of the relieving column, whose advance was marked by the smokes which were made according to orders, but about 2 p.m. I noticed with satisfaction that the smoke of battle about Allatoona grew less and less, and ceased altogether about 4 p.m. --Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman Although the battle had not lasted an entire day, casualties on both sides had been high. The Union lost 142 killed, 352 wounded, and 212 missing, while the Confederates lost at least 122 killed, 443 wounded, and 234 missing. (One report puts the total Southern losses at 200 men higher.) A third of the Northern garrison was on the casualty list, but they had saved the depot and the million rations of bread.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/7/2014 3:40:52 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: The CSS Alabama was gone, but she was not the only British-built commerce raider to wreak havoc on Union merchantmen. Built in Liverpool under the name of Oreto, another such ship had been sailed to the Bahamas in 1863 and converted into the armed cruiser CSS Florida. She had taken 22 Northern ships, and then done what even Alabama had not been able to do: receive a refit at Brest, France. Going back to sea in February 1864, she had taken eleven more prizes. On this date, she had docked in the neutral harbor of Bahia, Brazil. Her skipper, Charles Morris, and many of the crew were enjoying shore leave, thinking themselves safe. But rules of international law were not a priority for the captain of the USS Wachusett, Napoleon Collins (below). He decided to attack and sink the Southern raider. The Wachusett entered the harbor after dark, and was not spotted by either the Brazilian harbor forts or the Florida until they were within musket range. [image]local://upfiles/4250/4D9C3F90B3564E6295B4CAB83DFB1DDC.jpg[/image] The Confederate cannon were not loaded, since she was in a neutral harbor, so the Florida's men opened up with small arms. The Wachusett answered with her own muskets and pistols, followed by a main gun broadside, then demanded surrender. The call was not answered, so Captain Collins ordered the Wachusett to ram the Rebel ship. His order was promptly executed. Though Wachusett was the larger ship, it was immediately apparent that the damage was not serious. Captain Collins quickly decided on another approach: he ordered his men to board and capture the Florida. This they did without much trouble, for there was less than half the Confederate crew left on the ship. No story could cover such an act in a neutral port, so, taking their prize under tow, the Yankees headed back out to sea. The outraged Brazilian coast guard gave chase, but even pulling another ship, the Wachusett managed to out-run the pursuit. [image]local://upfiles/4250/C77585E326C14C3497730FA8EFCE485A.jpg[/image] This was, of course, a serious international incident. At this point in history, Brazil was officially an empire, had not yet abolished slavery, and so was already not sympathetic to the Union. The government would strongly protest the Union action, and formally demand redress. Captain Morris would also protest, but he was now "on the beach", and would have to serve as a Confederate agent abroad for the rest of the war. In the Shenandoah Valley, Philip Sheridan's forces had completed their work of destroying the southernmost part of the valley's food supplies. Now the troops were on a "retrograde movement" back towards the north, burning as they went. On this date, Sheridan reported to U. S. Grant "I have destroyed over 2,000 barns, filled with wheat, hay, and farming implements, over 70 mills, filled with flour and wheat; have driven in front of the army over 4,000 head of stock, and have killed and issued to the troops not less than 3,000 sheep. . . tomorrow I will continue the destruction of wheat, forage, &c., down to Fisher’s hill. When this is complete the Valley, from Winchester up to Staunton, ninety-two miles, will have but little in it for man or beast.” It was no idle boast; a year later, an English traveler to the area would describe it as "standing empty as a moor." But while the destruction lasted, the Confederates were determined to stop it. Already the infantry under Jubal Early had come out of its fortified positions in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and more infantry plus cavalry was on the way from Lee's army.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/9/2014 3:28:46 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: In Georgia, Sherman and his forces were still in pursuit of the Confederates, and not having much luck. John Bell Hood's army was smaller but faster. Worse, Nathan Bedford Forrest was raiding further north, and seemed unstoppable. Sherman managed to find a telegraph line the Rebels had not cut, and used it to argue with Grant for the idea of turning to go south of Atlanta. He included a memorable phrase: "It will be a physical impossibility to protect the roads, now that Hood, Forrest, Wheeler, and the whole batch of devils, are turned loose without home or habitation. I think Hood's movements indicate a diversion to the end of the Selma & Talladega road . . . I propose that we break up the railroad from Chattanooga forward, and that we strike out with our wagons for Milledgeville, Millen, and Savannah. Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless for us to occupy it; but the utter destruction of its roads, houses, and people, will cripple their military resources. By attempting to hold the roads, we will lose a thousand men each month, and will gain no result. I can make this march, and make Georgia howl!" In the Shenandoah Valley, the Confederate cavalry reinforcements had quickly made their presence known to the Northerners. A division led by Thomas Rosser had been harassing the rear-guard of the Union army as it marched back towards Winchester, continuing its work of destruction: The cavalry as it retired was stretched across the country from the Blue Ridge to the eastern slope of the Alleghanies, with orders to drive off all stock and destroy all supplies as it moved northward. The infantry preceded the cavalry, passing down the Valley pike, and as we marched along the many columns of smoke from burning stacks, and mills filled with grain, indicated that the adjacent country was fast losing the features which hitherto had made it a great magazine of stores for the Confederate armies. During the 6th and 7th of October, the enemy's horse followed us up, though at a respectful distance. This cavalry was now under command of General T. W. Rosser, who on October 5 had joined Early with an additional brigade from Richmond. As we proceeded the Confederates gained confidence, probably on account of the reputation with which its new commander had been heralded, and on the third day's march had the temerity to annoy my rear guard considerably. Tired of these annoyances, I concluded to open the enemy's eyes in earnest, so that night I told Torbert I expected him either to give Rosser a drubbing next morning or get whipped himself, and that the infantry would be halted until the affair was over; I also informed him that I proposed to ride out to Round Top Mountain to see the fight. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army (Brevet Major General Alfred Torbert was the commander of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Shenandoah. Torbert decided to use nearly his entire force, including the division led by George Armstong Custer.) About 7 in the morning, Custer's division encountered Rosser himself with three brigades, and while the stirring sounds of the resulting artillery duel were reverberating through the valley Merritt moved briskly to the front and fell upon Generals Lomax and Johnson on the Valley pike. Merritt, by extending his right, quickly established connection with Custer, and the two divisions moved forward together under Torbert's direction, with a determination to inflict on the enemy the sharp and summary punishment his rashness had invited. The engagement soon became general across the valley, both sides fighting mainly mounted. For about two hours the contending lines struggled with each other along Tom's Brook, the charges and counter charges at many points being plainly visible from the summit of Round Top, where I had my headquarters for the time. The open country permitting a sabre fight, both sides seemed bent on using that arm. In the centre the Confederates maintained their position with much stubbornness, and for a time seemed to have recovered their former spirit, but at last they began to give way on both flanks, and as these receded, Merritt and Custer went at the wavering ranks in a charge along the whole front. The result was a general smash-up of the entire Confederate line, the retreat quickly degenerating into a rout the like of which was never before seen. For twenty-six miles this wild stampede kept up, with our troopers close at the enemy's heels; and the ludicrous incidents of the chase never ceased to be amusing topics around the camp-fires of Merritt and Custer. In the fight and pursuit Torbert took eleven pieces of artillery, with their caissons, all the wagons and ambulances the enemy had on the ground, and three hundred prisoners. --Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army A more formal count of the casualties was, Confederates 20 killed, 50 wounded, 280 missing or captured; Union, only 10 killed and 47 wounded. The "Woodstock Races" was yet another debacle for the South in the Shenandoah Valley, which had produced so many victories in years before. Besides the loss of the troopers, the Rebels could not easily replace the dozens of cannon that the Yankees had captured since Sheridan had begun his campaign. But Jubal Early was still determined to get revenge for his defeats. Map by Hal Jespersen, www.cwmaps.com [image]local://upfiles/4250/ED72260C59F443B6930F4E14E6E27EEC.jpg[/image]

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/11/2014 3:44:33 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: Sterling Price's Missouri expedition was not going well. His scouts informed him that Jefferson City was too well defended for his force, which was nearly all cavalry and irregulars. He skirted around to the west, and seized the town of Boonville instead. There, his under-equipped troops proceeded to loot the town, turning the initially pro-southern population against him. A Union brigade attempted to take the town back, but was easily beaten back by the Rebels. This action is noteworthy because it was the fourth battle fought over the luckless town during the Civil War. It also gave the Federals in Missouri time to bring larger forces against Price. At about the same time, "Bloody Bill" Anderson and his troop of guerrillas arrived in Boonville to join up with Price's army. Anderson and others in his group had Union scalps dangling from their mounts. Price ordered Anderson to remove the grisly trophies, refusing to speak to him until it was done. Anderson obeyed, but Price seems to have decided he could not use the "bushwackers" as part of his regular force. Instead, he ordered them to ride north and break up the North Missouri Railroad. Other pro-southern partisans in Missouri were joining up with Price's scratch army, but not in the numbers he had hoped for and needed. It is estimated that Price picked up about 6,000 extra men, bringing his total to 18,000. With militia, the Northerners would be able to field almost twice that number.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Civil War 150th (10/12/2014 3:25:59 AM)
150 Years Ago Today: In Washington, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, author of the shameful "Dred Scott" decision, died of old age at 87. He was born in Maryland, and had supported the institution of slavery all his life, though he had freed his own slaves and stayed loyal to the Union. The war years had not been kind to him; his estate in Maryland had been devastated, his authority had been largely ignored under war-time powers, and his health had declined. Modern scholars hold that he was a competent administrator; he had been Secretary of the Treasury, Attorney General, and briefly Acting Secretary of War before going to the Supreme Court. His record there would have been one of the finer Justices -- if not for the appalling decision that had done much to bring on the Civil War. [image]local://upfiles/4250/AF3332B980C947A2AFEBA73457D019DE.jpg[/image] Only a few months before, President Lincoln had mentioned that deposed Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase would make a good Chief Justice. Now the question could be put to the test. The reports that Ulysses S. Grant was receiving at his headquarters tallied with what Philip Sheridan was discovering in the Shenandoah Valley: in spite of the drubbing given to the Confederate cavalry at Tom's Brook, the Southerners were sending more troops to beat Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah and win the valley back. Since the southern part of the valley had already been devastated, Grant saw no reason to shed more of his soldiers' blood on the attack, and wired instructions to Sheridan to hold himself on the defensive around the mid-point of the valley. However, Henry Halleck and the War Department had other ideas. As Grant later wrote; "But this order had to go through Washington where it was intercepted; and when Sheridan received what purported to be a statement of what I wanted him to do it was something entirely different." WASHINGTON, October 12, 1864, 12 P.M. MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN: Lieutenant-General Grant wishes a position taken far enough south to serve as a base for further operations upon Gordonsville and Charlottesville. It must be strongly fortified and provisioned. Some point in the vicinity of Manassas Gap would seem best suited for all purposes. Colonel Alexander, of the Engineers, will be sent to consult with you as soon as you connect with General Augur. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General. In Grant's words, "Sheridan objected to this most decidedly". Grant would have to try to straighten matters out himself. In Georgia, John Bell Hood's force was speedily marching north, visiting many of the same places that had been fought over on Sherman's way south just a few months before. On this date, the Confederates arrived at Resaca. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE IN THE FIELD, October 12, 1861. To the officer commanding the United States Forces at Resaca, Georgia. SIR: I demand the immediate and unconditional surrender of the post and garrison under your command, and, should this be acceded to, all white officers and soldiers will be parolled in a few days. If the place is carried by assault, no prisoners will be taken. Most respectfully, your obedient servant, J. B. HOOD, General. The Union commander was a Colonel named Clark R. Weaver. Though he had only a brigade against an army, Weaver was much of the frame of mind as John Corse, who had led the successful defense of Allatoona a week before: HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH CORPS RESACA, GEORGIA, October 12, 1884. To General J. B. HOOD: Your communication of this date just received. In reply, I have to state that I am somewhat surprised at the concluding paragraph, to the effect that, 'if the place is carried by assault, no prisoners will be taken'. In my opinion I can hold this post. If you want it, come and take it. I am, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, CLARK R. WEAVER, Commanding Officer. With Sherman's army hot on his trail, Hood decided he could not afford the casualties, and even more, the time required to take Resaca. His army moved on to Dalton, which would not fare so happily.

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