Civil War 150th

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

The second part of Lincoln's proclamation after Fort Sumter now came into effect: a special session of Congress. To pay for the war, among other things, he knew that extraordinary measures would have to be passed, and so he had chosen an emotionally powerful date. He gave a speech to urge the emergency legislation, (though he left out the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus), for once referring to himself in the third person, and concluding:


[font="Courier New"] This is essentially a People's contest. On the side of the Union, it is a struggle for maintaining in the world, that form, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to elevate the condition of men---to lift artificial weights from all shoulders---to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all---to afford all, an unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life. Yielding to partial, and temporary departures, from necessity, this is the leading object of the government for whose existence we contend.

[center][...][/center]
He desires to preserve the government, that it may be administered for all, as it was administered by the men who made it. Loyal citizens everywhere, have the right to claim this of their government; and the government has no right to withhold, or neglect it. It is not perceived that, in giving it, there is any coercion, any conquest, or any subjugation, in any just sense of those terms.

It was with the deepest regret that the Executive found the duty of employing the war-power, in defence of the government, forced upon him. He could but perform this duty, or surrender the existence of the government. No compromise, by public servants, could, in this case, be a cure; not that compromises are not often proper, but that no popular government can long survive a marked precedent, that those who carry an election, can only save the government from immediate destruction, by giving up the main point, upon which the people gave the election. The people themselves, and not their servants, can safely reverse their own deliberate decisions. As a private citizen, the Executive could not have consented that these institutions shall perish; much less could he, in betrayal of so vast, and so sacred a trust, as these free people had confided to him. He felt that he had no moral right to shrink; nor even to count the chances of his own life, in what might follow. In full view of his great responsibility, he has, so far, done what he has deemed his duty. You will now, according to your own judgment, perform yours. He sincerely hopes that your views, and your action, may so accord with his, as to assure all faithful citizens, who have been disturbed in their rights, of a certain, and speedy restoration to them, under the Constitution, and the laws.

And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
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The full text of the speech can be found at:
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/libr ... ument=1063

An interesting note for Independence Day: a number of people in the South referred to the struggle as "The Second American Revolution". Thus, the Confederates did not generally object to the term "rebels", considering it as honorable as when it had been applied to the men of the "first" revolution. In May, a New Orleans poet had written:

[font="Times New Roman"][center]Yes, call them rebels! 'tis the name
Their patriot fathers bore,
And by such deeds they'll hallow it,
As they have done before.[/center][/font]

[parusski]

When I read the speeches/declarations during the war I am humbled by the beautiful use of the English language. Would that politicians employ such words today.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

In Missouri, Nathaniel Lyon was having problems supplying his army, so an advance force of about 1,100 men was sent forward under Colonel Franz Sigel to continue the pursuit of Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson and his State Guard. Unfortunately, Sterling Price had recovered from his illness and joined up with Governor Jackson, bringing their combined troops to about 6,000 men. (But 2,000 of them had no weapons.) The Union and Confederate forces clashed at a point ten miles north of Carthage, Missouri, in what is called either the Battle of Carthage or Dry Fork.

Sigel opened with his artillery, but though the rebels were not as well equipped, Jackson replied with a few cannons of his own. Skirmishing broke out as the Union infantry moved forward. But then Sigel spotted a good-sized enemy force (the unarmed recruits) on his left flank, and ordered a retreat. The Confederates pursued, but Sigel managed a successful rearguard action and reached the town of Carthage with his troops in good order. Casualties were fairly light: 13 Union men killed and 31 wounded against 12 Conederate killed, 64 wounded, 1 missing. The battle marks the only time a sitting U.S. State Governor has led troops in the field.

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: parusski

When I read the speeches/declarations during the war I am humbled by the beautiful use of the English language. Would that politicians employ such words today.

You know, I was thinking the same thing while reading that.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

With the clock ticking towards the expiration of enlistments, General McDowell was still reluctant to move. Of his 35,000 men, only 5,000 had what he considered adequate training. But Lincoln now sent McDowell a letter in which the President said, "You are green, it is true; but they are green also; you are all green alike." McDowell now had little choice but to move forward.

In the Shenandoah Valley, General Joseph Johnston decided to pull back his force a little further from General Patterson's larger Union force. Colonel Thomas Jackson was unhappy; after Hoke's Run he felt that his men could beat the Yankees even against odds. But when the Confederates reached the town of Winchester, Jackson received the welcome news of his promotion to brigadier general. They were also now in a better position to take advantage of the railroads in the area, and Patterson no longer had a clear idea of their position.

[parusski]

I never ceased to be amazed at how "green" American Civil War soldiers were. Yet the men on both sides were still capable of standing in those tightly packed formations and braving the hell of modern weapons. I wonder if that kind of fighting could be done today.

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: parusski

I never ceased to be amazed at how "green" American Civil War soldiers were. Yet the men on both sides were still capable of standing in those tightly packed formations and braving the hell of modern weapons. I wonder if that kind of fighting could be done today.

And on top of that it was literally relative against relative.

[parusski]

How could I forget that. And there was so little retribution after the war(comparatively speaking). If Lincoln had lived I have no doubt his "let them up easy" attitude toward the south would have been more adhered to.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

After the rout at Philippi, the Confederates reconstructed their army in western Virginia at a place called Beverly. The Union built up its forces much faster, however, and soon General McClellan had over 12,000 men against General Robert S. Garnett's 4,500. More, Garnett was forced to split off some of his forces to guard the various approaches to Beverly. William S. Rosecrans, McClellan's subordinate, learned of a force of about 1,300 men led by Colonel John Pegram encamped at Rich Mountain, southwest of Beverly, and received McClellan's approval to attack.

Although a Union sympathizer showed Rosecrans a trail to flank Colonel Pegram's position, the Northerners did not march quietly enough and failed to achieve surprise. Hard fighting ensued. The sound of the guns reached McClellan at the head of the main body of Union troops. He now had the opportunity to attack the divided Confederate forces, and relieve the pressure on Rosecrans' men, but he over-estimated the size of the Confederate army and wavered, a pattern he would demonstrate on several occasions. After two hours, Rosecrans' superiority in numbers prevailed, and Pegram's force was split in two. Half escaped to Beverly, but Pegram and the remainder were trapped.

General Garnett now had to evacuate the main body of Confederates from Beverly, since he risked being surrounded. Although Rosecrans had done the planning and the fighting, McClellan received most of the credit for this success, which gave the Union control of most of what today is West Virginia. The plan for creating the new state could go forward.

[ilovestrategy]

Ahhhh, McClellan and his lost chances. 

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

The Choctaw and Chickasaw nations signed a treaty of alliance with the Confederacy. The Southerners had appointed a remarkable individual by the name of Albert Pike, a former newspaper publisher, lawyer, and poet, to act as their agent in the Indian Territories. Pike negotiated a generous treaty which, among other things, gave the Choctaw and Chickasaw a Representative in the Confederate Congress.
(further details of the treaty can be found at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_wit ... Chickasaws )

Other nations would also ally with the Confederacy, but they were often deeply divided. Men from the Creek nation, especially, could be found on both sides of the fighting in the West.

[ilovestrategy]

Dang, I never knew that.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

The two Senators from the "Restored government of Virginia" were accepted, and took their seats in the U.S. Senate.

The effects of the battle of Rich Mountain continued. After holding out for two days, Colonel John Pegram and over 600 men surrendered to General Rosecrans.

Meanwhile, General Robert Garnett continued the retreat with the main body of Confederates, who were even more badly outnumbered now. George McClellan sent some of his men, again under a subordinate (Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Morris), in pursuit.

After morning heavy rain had cleared up, the Union troops overtook Garnett's rear guard at Corrick's Ford on the Cheat River, and attacked. Garnett personally directed the rear guard of the Confederates in the running skirmish, but eventually, a Union bullet felled him. The Confederates fled, abandoning their dead commander, one cannon, and nearly 40 wagons. McClellan decided to halt the pursuit, and the remaining Southerners reached safety at Monterey, Virginia, two days later. Still, McClellan's popularity rose yet higher.

A friend in the Union Army recovered Garnett's body after the battle. He was the first general to be killed in the Civil War, but it was just the beginning of a long list: at least 124 general officers are known to have died in the conflict.

[andym]

As a Brit i find the paralells between the US Civil War and the English Civil War quite close.Family members on each side,great loss of life.One thing i find fascinating with the American Civil War are the photographs.Even thought the first Photo journalism happened in the Crimean War,the ACW photos bring the brutality and futility of the conflict home massively.I would love to see some photos accompanying these great Posts.The ACW is a fascinating part of history and so well documented as well,its just a shame we dont learn from previous wars.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

Nearly a month after the Confederates pulled out of Harpers Ferry, Union troops under General Robert Patterson occupied it. This marked the second of eight times the town would change hands. It might have been better if the Northerners had stayed out, however, for from this point Patterson seems to have lost sight of his primary objective: to pin down Joseph Johnston's army. Harpers Ferry was virtually surrounded by higher ground, making it very hard to defend and equally hard to see distant enemy forces.

[andym]

It looks so idyllic and peacefull in the photo.Looks a highly strategic position to be holed up in.

[Hanny]

ORIGINAL: andym

It looks so idyllic and peacefull in the photo.Looks a highly strategic position to be holed up in.

No, the heights around it preclude it from being able to defend itself from attack, which was why Federal garrisons were crushed in several instances.

Photos are easy enough to find on the net.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html

[Hanny]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

150 Years Ago Today:

The second part of Lincoln's proclamation after Fort Sumter now came into effect: a special session of Congress. To pay for the war, among other things, he knew that extraordinary measures would have to be passed, and so he had chosen an emotionally powerful date. He gave a speech to urge the emergency legislation, (though he left out the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus), for once referring to himself in the third person, and concluding:

Not so, all done without Congress in session.

Lincoln on those measures.
"These measures, whether strictly legal or not, were ventured upon under what appeared to be a popular demand and public necessity, trusting then as now that Congress would readily ratify them."

In his 8 April 1864 letter to Albert G. Hodges, an attorney from Frankfurt, Kentucky, he expressed the same sentiment: "I felt that measures, otherwise unconstitutional, might become lawful by becoming indispensable to the preservation of the Constitution through the preservation of the Union."

[font="Courier New"] This is essentially a People's contest. On the side of the Union, it is a struggle for maintaining in the world, that form, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to elevate the condition of men---to lift artificial weights from all shoulders---to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all---to afford all, an unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life. Yielding to partial, and temporary departures, from necessity, this is the leading object of the government for whose existence we contend.

Constitution authorises no such thing for POTUS to perform.
Lincoln
"Every man thinks he has a right to live and every government thinks it has a right to live. Every man when driven to the wall by a murderous assailant will override all laws to protect himself, and this is called the great right of self-defense. So every government, when driven to the wall by a rebellion, will trample down a constitution before it will allow itself to be destroyed. This may not be constitutional law, but it is fact."

Lincoln

Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well-wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution never to violate in the least particular the laws of the country, and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of '76 did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, and so to the support of the Constitution and laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor — let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his fathers, and to tear the charter of his own and children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap; let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in primers, in spelling books, and in almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation.

[center][...][/center]
He desires to preserve the government, that it may be administered for all, as it was administered by the men who made it. Loyal citizens everywhere, have the right to claim this of their government; and the government has no right to withhold, or neglect it. It is not perceived that, in giving it, there is any coercion, any conquest, or any subjugation, in any just sense of those terms.

Government was not being threatened, membership of the Union was the issue, and the men who made it had just secccded from the Articles of Confederation and before that secedded from the UK Crown. Loyal citizens of what?, each state had citizens who as citizens of that state pwed that state fealty and obiediance in law, no US Citizen existed without first beinga citizen of a state. New loyalty oaths were brought in in late 61, and only 90k of the states citizens who fought would post war agree to take them.

Lincoln
Indiana State legislature on 12 February 1861: "What is 'invasion'? Would the marching of an army into South Carolina, without the consent of her people, and with hostile intent toward them be 'invasion'? I certainly think it would, and it would be 'coercion' also if South Carolinians were forced to submit.

It was with the deepest regret that the Executive found the duty of employing the war-power, in defence of the government, forced upon him. He could but perform this duty, or surrender the existence of the government. No compromise, by public servants, could, in this case, be a cure; not that compromises are not often proper, but that no popular government can long survive a marked precedent, that those who carry an election, can only save the government from immediate destruction, by giving up the main point, upon which the people gave the election. The people themselves, and not their servants, can safely reverse their own deliberate decisions. As a private citizen, the Executive could not have consented that these institutions shall perish; much less could he, in betrayal of so vast, and so sacred a trust, as these free people had confided to him. He felt that he had no moral right to shrink; nor even to count the chances of his own life, in what might follow. In full view of his great responsibility, he has, so far, done what he has deemed his duty. You will now, according to your own judgment, perform yours. He sincerely hopes that your views, and your action, may so accord with his, as to assure all faithful citizens, who have been disturbed in their rights, of a certain, and speedy restoration to them, under the Constitution, and the laws.

War powers no one else had ever found or used, and the US AG Black advised the outgowing POTUS he could not use as they did not exist to be used for coercion.

Post war they were all denied to POTUS and a a real War Powers act intead introduced.
"These rebels are violating the Constitution to destroy the Union; I will violate the Constitution if necessary, to save the Union; and I suspect, Chase, that our Constitution is going to have a rough time of it before we get done with this row."

And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
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Lincoln was of course forgetting he had directed Scott to prepare to hold and retake all federal property lost, as soon as he took office.

Lincoln 12 December 1860
"Please present my respects to the general, and tell him, confidentially, I shall be obliged to him to be as well prepared as he can to either hold or retake the forts, as the case may require, at and after the inauguration."

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

After a delay caused by the need to gather enough wagons to haul supplies, Irvin McDowell finally started his march from Washington towards Manassas Junction. There was no hope of keeping the movement secret: Washington still had a number of Southern sympathizers, in particular Rose O’Neal Greenhow, who provided information to the Confederacy.

Still, the Union advance was a striking example of slowness and lack of discipline. Men fell out of ranks to pick blackberries along the way, and the troops took two full days to cover a distance of only twenty-five miles. (Forty kilometers for the international readers.)

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:


One response from the special session of Congress was the Act of July 17, 1861 which allowed for $250,000,000 to be borrowed on the credit of the United States. Of this sum, up to $50,000,000 was authorized as non-interest bearing Treasury Notes, payable upon demand. These were called "Demand Notes" to distinguish them from the interest-bearing Treasury Notes then in use. The green ink used on the backs of the Demand Notes would lead to them being called "greenbacks".

In West Virginia, Union forces under General Jacob Cox had begun a push up the Kanawha Valley from Ohio. Opposing them were a few thousand men commanded by General Henry A. Wise. Battle occurred when several Union regiments came into contact with a Confederate outpost. Captain George S. Patton (grandfather of the famous George S. Patton) commanded a line behind Scary Creek, several miles from the main Confederate camp. A heated firefight took place in which Captain Patton was wounded. But after several Union attempts to charge across the bridge over the creek failed, the Union troops pulled back.

For a time, the Confederates thought that Union reinforcements were arriving, and also retreated. The Southerners realized their mistake, however, and returned to claim the battlefield. The battle of Scary Creek had been fought fiercely, but casualties were light. The Union lost 14 killed, approximately 30 wounded, and several missing. The Confederates lost no more than five killed, and six wounded.

As happened on several occasions in the Civil War, the greatest importance was the decisions taken after the battle. General Wise decided to withdraw back up the Kanawha Valley toward his supply bases. This resulted in most of the Kanawha Valley going under Union control.