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RE: Civil War 150th - 12/10/2011 6:15:46 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

A theatrical manager named John T. Ford bought a building on 10th Street in Washington D.C. from the First Baptist Church. After renovating the building into a theater, Ford opened it under the name of Ford's Athenaeum. It would be gutted by fire in 1862, and after a second renovation, Ford would rename it simply as Ford's Theater.

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Post #: 391

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/10/2011 10:31:41 PM

Titanwarrior89

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Didn't no that....interesting history.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

150 Years Ago Today:

A theatrical manager named John T. Ford bought a building on 10th Street in Washington D.C. from the First Baptist Church. After renovating the building into a theater, Ford opened it under the name of Ford's Athenaeum. It would be gutted by fire in 1862, and after a second renovation, Ford would rename it simply as Ford's Theater.

_____________________________

"Before Guadalcanal the enemy advanced at his pleasure. After Guadalcanal, he retreated at ours".

"Mama, There's Rabbits in the Garden"

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Post #: 392

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/13/2011 8:33:39 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

Confederate forces under Col. Edward Johnson occupied the summit of Allegheny Mountain to defend the Staunton-Parkersburg Pike. A Union force, about 2,000 strong, under Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy attacked the Southern camp at sunrise on December 13.

Though the skies were clear, there was a piercing cold wind, an omen of the winter to come. Milroy had split his forces to attack from two directions, but the march the night before had encountered an advance position of Rebels, and thrown the timing off. Worse, Johnson's men had advance warning of the Northern attack. After a full day of combat, it became clear there would be no breakthrough for the Union troops, and Milroy retreated to his camps at Green Spring Run near Cheat Mountain.

The losses were surprisingly close: 25 killed, 97 wounded, 23 missing for the confederates against 20 killed, 107 wounded, 10 missing for the Union. However, the outnumbered Southerners had held their ground and kept control of the pike. Both sides went into winter camp. It would be the last significant battle in Western Virginia for some time: the winter in the area would be exceptionally harsh, and discouraged either North or South from sending large numbers of reinforcements. What fighting there was would be done mostly by local partisans until 1863.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 393

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/14/2011 1:53:24 PM

parusski

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Another of those anonymous, but interesting, '10,000' battles of The Civil War.

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"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast."- W.T. Sherman

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Post #: 394

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/15/2011 6:39:33 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

A British mail steamer had brought the formal diplomatic note on the Trent affair to Lord Lyons, the British ambassador in Washington. The U.S. government was to be given one week to reply from the presentation of the note. However, Lyons sat on it for several days.

In the meantime, however, the steamer had also brought copies of the London newspapers, many of them clamoring for a full apology with release of Mason and Slidell -- or war. The suggestion was even made that Secretary of State Seward had deliberately caused the incident, hoping to seize part of Canada. These copies were now circulating around Washington.

An agitated Seward stormed into Lincoln's office while the President was taking Sunday afternoon tea with Senator Orville Browning. The Senator did not take the threat of war seriously, saying �I don�t believe England has done so foolish a thing.� Lincoln calmed the disagreement between Seward and Browning by recalling a story of an aggressive bulldog in his hometown of Springfield. While some neighbors convinced themselves the dog's bark was all bluff, one man had remarked, "I know the bulldog will not bite. You know he will not bite -- but does the bulldog know he will not bite?"

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Post #: 395

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/16/2011 1:06:12 PM

nicwb

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I wonder if the original story really had a bulldog or Lincoln simply "adpated" it as a useful metaphor for the British ? He always seemed to have a fund of useful storied to illustrate his point.

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Post #: 396

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/17/2011 4:41:32 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

The Confederates had blown up the southern end of a bridge across the Green River at Rowlett's Station, Kentucky. Colonel August Willich, commanding the 32nd Indiana Infantry, responded by moving into the area and building a pontoon bridge.

On this date, the Rebels brought a fair-sized force to destroy the new bridge. Brigadier General Thomas Hindman led Arkansas infantry, Mississippi artillery, and most prominently, a group of mounted Texas Rangers. For one of the rare times in the Civil War, the Southerners outnumbered the Northerners. (About 1,350 to 500.)

The Rebel artillery opened well, but soon had to cease as the Texas Rangers vigorously charged the Federals, getting into the line of fire. Three times the Rangers charged, but they were mostly equipped with shotguns, which were only effective at close range. The Union troops refused to break, and did rather more damage with their rifled muskets, mortally wounding the Rangers' commander, Colonel Benjamin Terry.

(The preferred weapon for cavalry soon became revolvers, which had as great an effective range as shotguns and of course could be fired and reloaded much faster. By the end of the war, cavalry were being equipped with repeating carbines, and would dismount and fight as light infantry.)

Eventually, Colonel Willich ordered his Yankees back to a stronger position. The Confederates, knowing that strong Union reinforcements under Alexander McCook were in the region, assumed that the Northerners were simply falling back to re-group and come on stronger. Accordingly, General Hindman withdrew his men from the field. Both sides claimed victory, saying they had inflicted great casualties at little cost. Actual numbers are not well documented, but the Union losses are estimated at 40 in all, with Confederate losses put at about 90. However, the Union had kept possession of the battlefield, and preserved the bridge.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 397

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/19/2011 5:23:35 AM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

Lord Lyons, the British ambassador in Washington, officially gave Secretary of State Seward the British government's note on the Trent affair. The clock was now ticking: the U. S. government had one week to reply. If the reply was not satisfactory to Her Majesty's Government, Ambassador Lyons was to return to London, which was often the prelude to a declaration of war. Seward was now in a much calmer frame of mind, and gave Lyons a fairly long speech on the principle of freedom of the seas without actually committing to anything one way or the other.

However, once his long-winded interview had come to a close, Seward lost no time in laying the not before Lincoln. The President directed Seward to prepare a list of reasons why Mason and Slidell should be given up, while Lincoln himself would prepare a list of reasons why they should not be given up.

The tide of the war in Missouri was now favoring the Union. The Confederates had to make do with recruits from the countryside, while the Northerners could draw on men from St. Louis, the only real city in the state, plus U.S. Army units from other states. Union brigadier general John Pope had been using this advantage to march a force of 4,000 men around the state, defeating smaller rebel units.

Now Pope had learned of a recently formed regiment at Milford, or Blackwater Creek. He put together a fairly sophisticated battle plan, using cavalry to circle around and cut off the Confederate retreat while his infantry attacked across the bridge to the camp. The infantry force was commanded by the inconveniently named Colonel Jefferson C. Davis (no relation to the Confederate President). Since Davis had something to prove, his men attacked vigorously, forcing the bridge and gaining a firm position on the other side. Shortly afterwards, the Southern commander received the news that Northern cavalry had succeeded in blocking his retreat, effectively surrounding him. After a brief parley, he surrendered.

The Federals lost only two men killed and eight wounded. Pope claimed he had captured 1,300 men, but it was closer to 700. Still, the news put a serious damper on Southern recruiting in Missouri: no one wanted to enlist if they were going to be promptly captured. Equally badly for the rebel cause in the state, all of the regiment's supplies had fallen into Union hands, including 500 horses and mules, 73 fully loaded wagons, and 1,000 stand of arms, which the Southerners would find very difficult to replace.

There was one other significant capture. Among the Southern officers was a Colonel Ebenezer Magoffin, who had been previously taken prisoner and released on parole. Since he was engaged in military activity, he had violated the terms of his parole, and a Union military tribunal sentenced him to be shot. But Magoffin also happened to be the brother of Kentucky Governor Beriah Magoffin. Since Kentucky was still a sensitive area, President Lincoln intervened and requested a review of the sentence. Before the review was completed, Magoffin and several dozen other inmates would implement their own solution by tunneling out of Alton Prison and escaping.

< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 12/19/2011 8:32:14 PM >

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 398

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/20/2011 6:00:29 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

A modern army without gasoline and/or diesel fuel is essentially an army waiting to die. In the time of the Civil War, hay or other fodder for the horses and mules was almost as important. In the critical Richmond-Washington theater, both sides were preparing to go into winter quarters. But first, it was necessary to collect this vital supply.

Though he was primarily a cavalryman, J.E.B. Stuart was given the assignment to collect forage from the countryside. He was given a sizeable force of 4,000 men, including artillery and cavalry. Not surprisingly, the Northerners learned of this movement, and sent an even bigger force, 10,000 men under General O. C. Ord, to intercept Stuart.

Ord was a cautious general, and left about half his army to secure against flank and rear attacks. The other half collided with Stuart's men near a town called Dranesville in Fairfax County, Virginia. That fight started off badly for the Confederates when they placed their cannons in an exposed position to open up on the Yankees as soon as possible. Ord was an artilleryman by training, and personally directed the placing of his own guns in a better position. After just two volleys, the Federal guns had effectively silenced their opponents.

Bad went to worse as the Southern infantry advanced to try to relieve the pressure. Emerging from cover, the 6th Carolina mistook the 1st Kentucky for Northerners (and Kentucky stayed in the Union, after all), and opened fire. The Kentuckians returned fire with a will, and serious casualties were suffered by both units. On the Union side, the 9th Pennsylvania charged towards the gunfire, but were soon driven back as the Confederates straightened out their confusion and pointed their muskets north.

The two sides blazed away for about two hours, neither wanting to risk an all-out attack. In the meantime, Stuart had been loading his wagons and getting them moving back towards the Confederate base. He then ordered a withdrawal of his main force. General Ord cautiously pursued for all of half a mile, but Stuart knew how to move troops quickly. He had even managed to save most of his artillery, though a couple of ammunition caissons were lost. Final casualties were 71 for the Union, and 230 for the Confederacy.

Since the Northerners had lost fewer men and ended in possession of the battlefield, they claimed victory. It was the first success for the Union in that area, and badly needed after Bull Run and Balls Bluff. And once again, George McClellan received credit for a victory he had had very little to do with.

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_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 399

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/21/2011 5:44:32 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

A provision for a "Medal of Honor" for the Union Navy was signed into law by President Lincoln. The medal was "to be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen, landsmen, and Marines as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry and other seamanlike qualities during the present war." A similar medal had been proposed for the Army, but General-in-Chief Scott had disapproved. Now that the Navy had one, however, the Army would eventually request one of its own, and the medals would evolve into the United States' highest military honor.

Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles directed the Philadelphia Mint to design the new medal, and below is the original:

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RE: Civil War 150th - 12/26/2011 1:38:20 AM

Capt. Harlock

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Christmas Day, 1861:

President Lincoln held an urgent Cabinet meeting on Christmas morning to discuss the Trent affair. The initial enthusiasm over the capture of Mason and Slidell had cooled, and serious concerns about war with Great Britain were being felt. Postmaster Montgomery Blair had been in favor of releasing the captives even before the meeting. But Lincoln himself was in favor of submitting the dispute to some form of arbitration, and holding the two Confederate envoys in the meantime. And the general feeling was still that apologizing to Britain would look like cowardice.

Secretary of State Seward, however, had written a detailed paper going over the events and examining the relevant laws, the only one to do so. His main point in the debate was that releasing the envoys was consistent with the traditional American position on the right of neutrals, and the public would accept it as such. An argument could be made that Captain Wilkes' stopping and searching of the Trent violated international law only because the Trent had not been seized and taken to a Union prize court. (However, this would have inflamed British public opinion to the point where war would have been virtually certain.) Therefore, although Mason and Slidell would be let go, no formal apology was necessary.

Into the meeting came Senator Charles Sumner, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Senator had become a hero to the North after a South Carolina Congressman had beaten him into a coma with his cane--on the very floor of the Senate--after Sumner's "Crime Against Kansas" speech. Sumner had traveled in England and carried on regular correspondence with many political activists in Britain. Lately, he had received very worrisome letters discussing the Britsh preparations for war. (For instance, the Duchess of Argyll, herself a strong antislavery advocate, wrote Sumner that the capture of the envoys was �the maddest act that ever was done".)

Also, there was a good possibility that France would take advantage of the situation. There might be French recognition of the Confederacy and movement into Mexico and Latin America. And in fact, a message was delivered during the meeting from French Foreign Minister Thouvenel urging that the United States release the prisoners and in so doing affirm the rights of neutrals on the seas that France and the United States had repeatedly argued against Great Britain. (Nonetheless, France would invade Mexico the following year.)

Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase and Attorney General Edward Bates were strongly influenced by the various messages from Europe. Lincoln still wanted arbitration but received no support, since it would take considerable time to agree on an arbitration panel and Britain was clearly impatient. Though no decision was made at the meeting, Lincoln indicated he wished to prepare his own paper ,and a new meeting was scheduled for the next day.

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< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 12/26/2011 1:46:28 AM >

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RE: Civil War 150th - 12/26/2011 10:27:38 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

Lincoln's cabinet met again, but Lincoln did not submit a counter-argument, telling Seward that he had found himself unable to develop a convincing rebuttal to the Secretary of State�s draft. Seward�s proposal to release the prisoners was now accepted without dissent. It was an impressive display of political mastery for Seward, who had found a way to prevent war with Britain without seeming to back down, but also for Lincoln, who had turned his one-time rival into a loyal and talented follower.

At Chustenahlah, near the Kansas border, the Confederates essentially completed the defeat of the pro-Union Creek Indians that they had begun at Chustotalasah. Though outnumbered 1,300 to 1,700, the Southerners were better equipped and better led (by Colonel James McIntosh, a West Point graduate) than Opothleyahola�s Creeks. McIntosh put together a three-pronged attack on the pro-Northern camp, and actually pulled it off. There was prolonged fighting, but finally Opothleyahola's men collapsed and scattered.

The Southerners captured 160 women and children, 20 blacks, 30 wagons, 70 yoke of oxen, about 500 horses, several hundred head of cattle, and 100 sheep. Confederate casualties were 9 killed and 40 wounded. No reliable figures are available for the Unionists; Colonel McIntosh's estimate of 250 casualties total is very likely high but the best guess available.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 402

RE: Civil War 150th - 12/31/2011 6:18:04 PM

Capt. Harlock

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End of 1861:

When George McClellan had been made both commander of the Army of the Potomac and General-in-Chief of all the Union Armies, he had assured a concerned Lincoln, "I can do it all." But at this point, he could do virtually nothing: he was gravely ill. The diagnosis was typhoid, the same diagnosis under which Prince Albert had died on December 14. At a cabinet meeting, Attorney General Edward Bates implored Lincoln to fully assume his position as commander-in-chief. Lincoln was non-committal during the meeting (causing Bates to write a depressed entry in his diary), but began to act on the principle. In the East, the armies had generally gone into winter quarters, and little action could be expected. But it might be possible to start a coordinated campaign in the West. Lincoln wrote to his commanders in Kentucky and Missouri about simultaneous moves.

However, one man who did not agree that armies should not fight in the winter was Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The bulk of his forces were at Winchester, which guarded the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley. But there was a large Union force at a small town called Romney, which might slip past Winchester to the west, and drive down the Valley. Jackson determined to capture Romney. In an early sign of the demands he would make on himself and his men, Jackson issued orders: his troops would draw food for five days, wake at 3:00 a.m. on New Year's Day, and begin to march at 6:00 a.m.

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_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 403

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/1/2012 7:29:50 PM

Capt. Harlock

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New Year's Day, 1862:

As quietly as could be managed, James Mason, John Slidell, and their two long-suffering secretaries were released from Fort Warren. They boarded the tugboat Starlight, hired for the occasion, and were conveyed to the British sloop-of-war Rinaldo at Provincetown, Massachusetts. British Ambassador Lord Lyons had given the Rinaldo its instructions, thereby giving tacit acceptance to the release of the prisoners without a formal apology.

In the Shenandoah Valley, Stonewall Jackson's force began its march at 9 a.m., three hours behind schedule. Matters did not improve from there; because the temperature had started in the fifties, many men had put their overcoats and blankets in the supply wagons. Broken country slowed the march of the men, but slowed the wagons even more. A bitter northwestern wind sprang up, and when the march halted at sundown, the day's advance had been only eight miles. Nonetheless, the troops were strung out, with the wagons caught in traffic jams to the rear. The wind made campfires almost impossible to keep going, and many men spent the night without cover, which would lead to a good deal of sickness in the ranks in the following days.

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< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 1/1/2012 8:00:39 PM >

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 404

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/2/2012 5:57:10 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

For the first time anywhere, machine guns were deployed with troops in the field. Back in June 1861, a remarkable weapon had been presented to President Lincoln which fired up to 120 rounds a minute from a hopper of paper .58 cal. cartridges. Understandably, Lincoln had nicknamed it the "coffee mill gun", though officially it was named the Union Repeating Rifle. (It was invented by Edward Nugent or William Palmer, both of whom patented the weapon and ended up fighting over it for years.) After much prodding to the War Department, ten guns had been built and two of them were now issued to the 28th Pennsylvania, guarding the Potomac opposite Harpers Ferry.

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_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 405

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/4/2012 8:25:26 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

In the Shenandoah valley, Stonewall Jackson's army moved on the town of Bath. The Union officers quickly realized they were badly outnumbered, and evacuated hastily but in reasonably good order. Jackson had anticipated this and sent a force to block the route of retreat. Unfortunately, the troops sent were the militia part of his force, and they scattered at the first encounter with the Union soldiers. Casualties on both sides were minimal, and Jackson had to content himself with occupying the town and firing a number of shells across the Potomac into Maryland.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 406

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/5/2012 12:10:29 AM

planner 3

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Capt. Harlock, First I'd likt to say I've been a real fan of this Civil War History. NOw I'm going to stick my neck out......If Bath, Va is in Bath County, Va. which is on the now border of West (by god) Virginia, in the Western part of Va. then I can't understand why with such artillery the South lost ANY BATTLE, boy the range, clear across the state from West to East. Am I out-on-a-limb ?

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Post #: 407

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/5/2012 8:41:00 PM

Capt. Harlock

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quote:

If Bath, Va is in Bath County, Va. which is on the now border of West (by god) Virginia, in the Western part of Va.

More than you ever wanted to know: according to Wikipedia, Bath is better known as Berkeley Springs, because the latter is the name of its post office. It is located at 39�37′32″N 78�13′37″W in what is now West Virginia. The town lies in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia 26 miles NW of Martinsburg, West Virginia and 36 miles W of Hagerstown, Maryland. Berkeley Springs is the county seat of Morgan County.

The town was named after the city of Bath in England, because it has a spring which was rumored to promote good health when bathed in. And yes, George Washington bathed there:

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Post #: 408

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/6/2012 2:38:27 AM

planner 3

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AHA ! I said I was sticking my neck out. I've been to Berkley Springs many times but I never knew it was known as "Bath". Always willing to say "I learnt something today". Strange having lived in Frederick County and Washington County Maryland I should have known that. Besides I spend some of my summer in WVa (Falling Waters) and visited the battlefields in the area. Mea culpa Capt. and tanks for setting an old man straight. Lesson learned. Please keep the series coming, they are enjoyable.

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Post #: 409

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/7/2012 1:12:27 PM

nicwb

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With that New Years Day entry - its interesting to hear that Jackson didn't always have his "foot cavalry".

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Post #: 410

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/7/2012 4:39:35 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

Stonewall Jackson had hoped to cross the upper Potomac river and capture the town of Hancock, Maryland. But the Northerners were guarding all the available fords, and the minimal artillery bombardment he had been able to deliver had not cowed the town or Union General Frederick Lander into surrender. In fact, the impertinent Yankees had brought up a few cannons of their own and replied. Neither side did much damage: combined casualties over two days of firing were about 25, with no reports of fatalities.

(Sheer speculation on the part of your humble amateur historian: the weather had turned bitterly cold, and the roads were icy. Both sides may have been able to move only their light guns in those conditions. It is recorded that Jackson had to order his horses to be "roughshod", that is, fitted with small spikes projecting from their horseshoes for more traction.)

Jackson also received the unwelcome news of a counter-attack. The Union commander of the garrison at Romney had sent out cavalry and overrun a Confederate outpost at Hanging Rock. Now, the way was opening for an attack on Jackson's base camp back at Winchester. Since the best defense was a good offense, Jackson ordered his men back on the march towards Romney.

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< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 1/8/2012 4:36:35 PM >

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 411

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/8/2012 5:04:00 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

In Missouri, one of the most active recruiters for the Confederacy was Colonel John Poindexter. The Northerners were anxious to put a stop to his activities, but had not been able to find him. Now information reached the Unionists that Poindexter was encamped at Silver Creek, Randolph County, with about 800 new recruits. Major W. G. M. Torrence gathered 450 Union cavalry and moved in, producing the Battle of Roan's Tan Yard.

Poindexter had chosen his campsite well, and the Rebel pickets sighted the Yankees and hurried back to warn the camp. A brisk fire began between the two sides. Knowing they were outnumbered and against a prepared defensive position, the Union troopers used the advantage of their horses and delivered a spirited cavalry charge. The inexperienced Confederate recruits scattered before the attack.

Major Torrence had posted some of his men to cut off the Rebel retreat, but fog and gathering darkness allowed most of the Southerners to escape. Final casualties were Union: 6 killed, and 19 wounded, Confederate: 40 killed, 80 wounded, and 28 captured. Colonel Poindexter got away, but Confederate recruiting in the area came to an end.

More bad news for the Confederate cause in Missouri came with a letter from President Jefferson Davis to pro-Southern Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson. Jackson had complained that men from the Missouri State Guard were being taken into the Confederate Army, and then posted elsewhere, at a time when Jackson felt that more men should be put into Missouri to take more of it back from the Yankees. Davis' reply was completely unsympathetic, pointing out that Jackson himself was enjoying a comfortable exile in New Orleans.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 412

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/10/2012 4:31:03 AM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

At the White House, President Lincoln had a meeting with some of his Cabinet members and top commanders. Absent was George McClellan, still recovering from typhoid fever. Impatient with the Army of the Potomac's not going anywhere, Lincoln remarked, "If McClellan is not going to use the Army anytime soon, I would like to borrow it."

In the Shenandoah Valley, Union General Benjamin Kelley learned that Stonewall Jackson was advancing on his garrison at Romney. Kelley had 5,000 men, while Jackson had almost twice that number. Kelley quickly began evacuating his troops.

In eastern Kentucky, Confederate Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall had brought a small force to recruit pro-Southern Kentuckians. By this date, he had a force of almost 2,500 men, although he did not have enough guns for all of them. Nonetheless, the Northerners decided it was high time to put a stop to this. Colonel (and future President) James Garfield led a force of about 2,100 men and found the rebels at Middle Creek. A sharp fight ensued, lasting most of the afternoon until Union reinforcements arrived just in time to block a Confederate attempt to turn the Union left. The Southerners retired, and Union control of Kentucky grew a bit stronger. Casualties were fairly light: about 27 for the Union and 65 for the Confederates.

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Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 413

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/11/2012 8:22:49 PM

Capt. Harlock

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150 Years Ago Today:

In 1861, Secretary of War Simon Cameron Had ferreted out corruption and mismanagement in General John Fremont's handling of the army in Missouri. Now Cameron himself was showing serious inefficiency in his handling of the massive expansion of the Union Army and Navy. (A part of why the Confederate cavalry in the East was head and shoulders better than the Union cavalry arm was that Cameron's agents kept buying aged or sick horses.) Cameron himself was partly aware of his shortcomings: he hated to keep notes, and memory alone could not cope with the vast operation the War Department was becoming.

On this date, President Lincoln finally wrote:

My dear Sir
As you have, more than once, expressed a desire for a change of position, I can now gratify you, consistently with my view of the public interest. I therefore propose nominating you to the Senate, next Monday, as minister to Russia.
Very sincerely
Your friend
A. Lincoln

(This was not quite as bad an exile as it might seem, for Russia was the European power most friendly to the Union.)

To replace Cameron, Lincoln selected Edwin Stanton. Again, Lincoln showed his ability to turn one-time opponents into allies, for Stanton had been Attorney General during the administration of James Buchanan.

Attachment (2)

< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 1/11/2012 8:23:09 PM >

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 414

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/14/2012 4:11:26 PM

Capt. Harlock

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From: Los Angeles
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150 Years Ago Today:

Stonewall Jackson and the Stonewall Brigade marched into Romney. The Union garrison had fled, but had left behind much of their supplies. (An attempt to burn them had failed in the rough January weather.) The Southern troops were happy with what had been won, but Jackson was not. Though the Shenandoah Valley was now virtually clear of Northern troops, Jackson had inflicted few casualties, and the Yankees could return at any time. Jackson sent a message to the War Department in Richmond, requesting more troops to allow him to push on.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 415

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/19/2012 6:13:09 AM

Capt. Harlock

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From: Los Angeles
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150 Years Ago Today:

Union General George H. Thomas and Confederate General George B. Crittenden faced each other in eastern Kentucky with roughly 6,000 men apiece. One of Crittenden's brigades under General Felix Zollicoffer was incautiously advanced north of the Cumberland river. After some attempts to move it back, Crittenden decided on an aggressive stance, concentrated his forces and went on the attack.

At first, the battle went well for the Southerners, who had greater numbers at the point of contact. However, General Zollicoffer mistakenly approached the Union 4th Kentucky regiment, believing they were Confederate troops, and was killed. Then General Thomas arrived on the Northern side and began to display the genius on the defensive that would mark him as one of the finest Union generals. (To be fair, he was helped by rain. Many Southerners were equipped with flintlocks, which were more vulnerable to the wet than percussion-cap muskets.) After about three hours of hard and close-range fighting, the 9th Ohio managed to turn the Rebel left flank. The Confederates retreated, losing order, 12 cannons, 150 wagons, and more than 1,000 horses and mules.

Although the Northerners had been outnumbered 4,400 to 5,900 on the field, they lost only 39 killed and 207 wounded. The Southerners lost 125 killed, with 404 wounded and missing. General Crittenden's military career was finished (it was rumored he had been drunk during the battle), but Thomas would go on to greater things. (To Civil War scholars, his name is instantly recognizable as "The Rock of Chickamauga".)

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Capt. Harlock -- 1/19/2012 8:30:54 PM >

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 416

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/19/2012 12:57:49 PM

nicwb

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Joined: 4/26/2010
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quote:

At first, the battle went well for the Southerners, but General Zollicoffer mistakenly approached the Union 4th Kentucky regiment, believing they were Confederate troops, and was killed.

Apparantly (and quite unfortunately) Gen Zollicoffer was dreadfully nearsighted although to be fair neither the Federal or the Confederate armies of the time had standard uniforms.

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 417

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/24/2012 8:23:17 PM

parusski

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From: Jackson Tn
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Capt. Harlock, I just want you to know this is my favourite all time Matrix thread.

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Post #: 418

RE: Civil War 150th - 1/24/2012 8:32:32 PM

Capt. Harlock

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From: Los Angeles
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Late January, 1862:

Unhappiness with generals was growing on both sides. President Lincoln now regretted giving George McClellan full leeway in deciding when to move against Richmond, for McClellan showed no sign of moving at all. To be fair, January has poor campaigning weather in that area, and McClellan was still recovering from serious illness. But the hard-line members of Congress were applying great pressure for action. An army is an expensive thing to maintain, and money was pouting out of the Treasury much faster than it was coming in.

Things were even worse south of the Potomac river. The town of Romney was clearly not big enough to hold all of Stonewall Jackson's army for long. Disease was now running through his troops like wildfire, with up to two-thirds of the men on the sick list in the hardest-hit regiments. Jackson therefore took about half his force, including his favorite Stonewall Brigade, and marched back to Winchester. General William W. Loring was left in command of a garrison force, and rapidly came to believe he had been abandoned. He wrote to the Richmond War Department for permission to evacuate. The resulting quarrel would cause Jackson to submit his resignation.

Another quarrel had broken out between General P. G. T. Beauregard, the victor of Fort Sumter and First Bull Run, and President Davis himself. Beauregard had submitted a long report after Bull Run / Manassas blaming Davis for not allowing a pursuit of the fleeing Northerners. Davis was incensed -- he was never tolerant of criticism -- and eventually decided to kick Beauregard sideways to a subordinate position under General Albert Sidney Johnston in the western part of the Confederacy.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to nicwb)

Post #: 419