Civil War 150th

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

The Trent finally made port in England. There was no television, radio, or Internet, but there were telegraph lines and afternoon newspaper editions. By the end of the day, the news was all over London, and spreading fast to the rest of Britain. Captain Moir was a civilian, but Commander Williams (the same man who may have hidden the Confederate dispatches) was ordered to the Admiralty forthwith to give a report.

The reaction was almost universal anger. Taking the envoys from the deck of an English ship was held to be almost as bad as if they had been kidnapped from English soil. Or, as the cartoon below illustrates, as if the Yankees had picked the pockets of John Bull.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

Confederate soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia received their new battle flags in ceremonies at Centreville and Manassas, Virginia. This was the flag that would eventually be thought of as the "Confederate Flag", although to be strictly accurate, it was not the official flag of the Confederacy. And, it did not yet have thirteen stars, because Kentucky had not yet been formally approved as a member state.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

British Foreign Secretary Russell met with U.S. Ambassador Adams over the capture of the Confederate envoys from the Trent. The key point of their discussion was whether Captain Wilkes had acted on his own, or under orders from higher up. If Wilkes had been doing the bidding of the U.S. government, it would mean war. Adams could not confirm or deny, since his instructions from Secretary of State Seward had not yet reached him.

There was a good chance of war in any event. At an emergency Cabinet meeting in London, Prime Minister Lord Palmerston is reported to have begun by throwing his hat on the table and declaring, "I don't know whether you are going to stand this, but I'll be damned if I do." The Law officers' report was read, concluding that Wilkes’ actions had been illegal. Also, reports from the British ambassador to Washington Lord Lyons described the excitement in America in support of the capture, and described the difficulty that the United States might have in releasing Mason and Slidell. Lyons recommended a show of force including sending troops to Canada.

[Capt. Harlock]

End of November, 1861:

In London, the British Cabinet decided on a stern response to the Trent affair. Ten thousand troops were to be sent to Canada, with more following when they could be mobilized. A formal note was drawn up to be sent to U.S. Secretary of State Seward, demanding the return of Mason and Slidell plus a formal apology. Seward was to be given one week to reply. The general agreement among historians is that the note demanded more than the Lincoln administration was willing to give. If nothing changed, the Union and Great Britain would go to war.

But there was a formality to be observed. The British monarch already had little actual legal power, but Queen Victoria still held enormous social influence. (The British government was and still is referred to as "Her Majesty's Government", many members of that government were Lords, and being an officer in the British armed forces was referred to as "holding the Queen's Commission".) The diplomatic note was submitted to Queen Victoria for her approval.

The Queen in turn set great store in the judgement of her husband, Prince Albert. He was gravely ill with what was then diagnosed as typhoid fever (but may have been kidney failure), and in fact would die in just two weeks.

But when Victoria gave him the note to review, the Prince realized it would mean war. He therefore made some changes, including:

[font="Times New Roman"]The Queen … should have liked to have seen the expression of a hope that the American captain did not act under instructions, or, if he did that he misapprehended them [and] that the United States government must be fully aware that the British Government could not allow its flag to be insulted, and the security of her mail communications to be placed in jeopardy, and Her Majesty’s Government are unwilling to believe that the United States Government intended wantonly to put an insult upon this country and to add to their many distressing complications by forcing a question of dispute upon us, and that we are therefore glad to believe … that they would spontaneously offer such redress as alone could satisfy this country, viz: the restoration of the unfortunate passengers and a suitable apology.[/font]

Especially important was the phrase "suitable apology" rather than a formal apology. This would give Secretary Seward an opening -- if he could spot it and use it.

[martok]

Wow, I didn't realize things with GB were truly that dicey. Thank goodness for Victoria & Albert!

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

The U.S. Senate voted unanimously to expel John C. Breckinridge, one of the Senators from Kentucky. Breckinridge had been one of the four candidates for President in the election of 1860, and after losing to Lincoln had been appointed Senator by the Kentucky legislature. (He had also served as the youngest Vice President in U.S. history, inaugurated at the age of 36.) His allegiance to the South had become obvious the previous month when he became a brigadier general in the Confederate army.

[ilovestrategy]

Dang, 10,000 troops were sent to Canada. I bet that was  wake up call. 

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

On the Potomac River, Dam No. 5 was used to build up water levels for the C & O canal, which in turn was used to transport supplies for the Union. Stonewall Jackson decided to do something about this, and brought a large force backed by artillery, to destroy the Virginia side of the dam. His men had been working away for the previous day, and the Northerners on the Maryland side found they could do little about it.

But on this morning, a company from the 13th Massachusetts showed up. The reinforcements were armed with rifled Enfields, and they began firing on Jackson's army from across the river. In an early showing of the accuracy of rifled weapons, a number of the Southern artillerymen found that their cannon were not as effective as the rifles, and retreated. Having destroyed his side of the dam, Jackson withdrew most of his men and returned to Winchester. (During the night the Rebel cannoneers returned to the spot and retrieved their guns.)

[nicwb]

It's incredible to think that there was a time when infantry weapons were more effective than artillery. I guess you sort of forget a lot of the infantry weapons and artillery for the Civil War were smooth bores.

Once again Capt Harlock thanks for this day by day calendar of a fascinating conflict.

[Capt. Harlock]

150 Years Ago Today:

A fair-sized battle was fought in Indian Territory (modern-day Tulsa County, Oklahoma). Over a thousand pro-Union Creek and Seminole Indians, led by the Creek chief Opothleyahola, were heading northeast for safety from the pro-Confederate Cherokee and other nations. But Colonel Douglas Cooper and a scratch force of 1,300 Texans and Indians had no intention of letting them get away, and possibly return later with Northern reinforcements. Cooper attacked Opothleyahola's camp at Chusto-Talasah, leading to a pitched battle lasting over four hours. After taking substantial losses, the surviving pro-Union Indians abandoned the camp, but managed to escape when Cooper's force ran low on ammunition. The Confederate side lost 15 killed and 37 wounded with rather more missing: a number of Cherokee deserted and made themselves scarce. Cooper estimated his enemies' losses at 500 killed and wounded, which is likely an exaggeration but there are no more accurate numbers available.

In Washington D.C., Congress established the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, comprising four Senators and four Congressmen. Ohio Senator Benjamin Wade was to preside. The first order of business would be to find scapegoats for the Union defeats at Bull Run and Ball's Bluff.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[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.

[Titanwarrior89]

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

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.

[Capt. Harlock]

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.

[parusski]

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

[Capt. Harlock]

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?"

[nicwb]

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.

[Capt. Harlock]

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.

[Capt. Harlock]

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.

[Capt. Harlock]

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.