Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Judge Jacob McGavock Dickinson
Monday, July 13, 2020
Jacob McGavock Dickinson
Friday, January 5, 2018
Captain Charles Wright Wills: June 26, 1863
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Diary of Sarah Morgan: Sunday, July 20, 1862
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Diary of Sarah Morgan: [July] 12, 1862
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Ruggles' Batteries Wayside Exhibit: Shiloh National Military Park
Ruggles’ Batteries – April 6, 1862 – P.M.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Trading With The Yankees
Sunday, January 24, 2010
New Orleans
A correspondent of the Richmond (Va.) Dispatch, writing from New Orleans, says:
The Mississippi is fortified so as to be impassible for any hostile fleet or flotilla. Forts Jackson and St. Philip are armed with 175 heavy guns (68 pounders, by Barkley Britain, and received from England). The navigation of the river is stopped by a dam of about a quarter of a mile from the above forts. No flotilla on earth can force that dam in less than two hours, during which it would be within short and cross range of 170 guns of the largest caliber, many of which would be served with red hot shot, numerous furnaces for which have been erected in every fort and every battery.
In a day or two we shall have ready two iron cased floating batteries. The plates are four and a half inches thick, of the best hammered iron, received from England and France. Each iron cased battery will mount twenty 68-pounders, placed so as to skim the water, and striking the enemy’s hull between wind and water. We have an abundant supply of incendiary shells, cupola furnaces for molten iron, Congreve rockets and fireships.
Between New Orleans and the forts there is a constant succession of earthworks. At the plain of Chalmette, near Janin’s property, there are redoubts, armed with rifled cannon, which have been found to be effective at five miles range. A ditch thirty feet wide and twenty deep extends from the Mississippi to La Cypsiere.
In Forts St. Philip and Jackson there are 3,000 men, of whom a goodly portion are experienced artillerymen and gunners who have served in the navy.
At New Orleans itself, we have 32,000 infantry, and as many more quartered in the immediate neighborhood. In discipline and drill they are far superior to the Yankees. We have two very able and active Generals, who possess our entire confidence. Gen. Mansfield Lovell and Brig. Gen. Ruggles. For Commodore we have old Hollins, a Nelson in his way.
We are ready to give the Yankees a hot reception when they come. Around me all are mad excitement and rage. Our only fear is that the Northern invaders may not appear. We have made such extensive preparations to receive them that it were vexatious if their invincible armada escapes the fate we have in store for it.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 22, 1862, p. 2
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Latest from Grant’s Army
Special Dispatch to Chicago Tribune
CAIRO, April 15 – M., 1862
Auditor Dubois and Gen. John Cook, of Springfield, left Pittsburg on Saturday, by mail packet Van Patten, and arrived here this morning. General Cook is unwell and going home to recruit his health. From them and from others we learn additional particulars.
Gen. Hurlburt [sic] lost, out of 7,000 men, in killed wounded and missing 1,983. He had a splendid army, choice troops, who fought like Turks. Lieut. Col. Tupper of Decatur was killed.
Colonel Bane, of the 50th Illinois, is dangerously wounded. Lieutenant Col. Phillips is also dangerously, and Colonel Morley slightly.
When the Illinois 11th were mustered on Monday morning they could bring but 45 men into the field. The 9th Illinois (Paine’s old regiment) mustered only 200 effective men, Col. Fry’s regiment were the only Illinois boys that acted badly. They had never been in action before.
The battle was stayed on Sunday by the gunboats and heavy siege guns of Matteson’s and Silversparre’s batteries, and the arrival of part of Buell’s forces.
A council of war was held by Beauregard and 11 principal Generals of the rebel army before the attack on Pittsburgh. If successful they would follow us and try to hold the Border States. If beaten, withdraw to the Gulf States with all their forces.
Van Dorn was not in the fight.
Our Cavalry was not very effectual in following up the retreating rebels. They were hindered by underbrush.
Rebel prisoners say Gen. Prentiss’ men (prisoners) were marched into Corinth in good order.
Gen. Grant was at Savannah, 8 miles below Pittsburg, when the battle opened, and did not arrive till 10 o’clock.
When our informants left Gen. Halleck was organizing the army as fast as possible, and preparing for every emergency.
SECOND DISPATCH
9 o’clock, p.m. – The following rebel officers participated in Beauregard’s council of war: Breckenridge, Bragg, Floyd, Hardee, Cheatham, the three Johnstons (Sidney, Bushrod and the Kentucky provisional Governor.)
The cause of the Sunday repulse is not definitely ascertained. The roads are now impassable from heavy rains.
General Hurlburt [sic] has discovered one of Matteson’s six 64-pound howitzers abandoned, and called on a man near by to work it. He did so, and fired and sighted sixty-five times, mowing down the enemy terribly every fire. The man was Dr. Corning of St. Louis surgeon, and inexperienced in artillery practice. Gen. Hurlburt [sic] thought him an old artillery officer.
A Federal wounded and captured in our tents, Sunday, and afterwards left when the rebels retreated reports Beauregard making a strong speech Sunday night to his officers and men. He assured them that they would make an easy prey of us on Monday; exhorted them to be brave, cool and self possessed; bed them injure nothing they had taken as booty, for it would all be needed in the rapid marches they were about making in pursuit of the federals, who might escape. Rebels taken prisoners on Monday confirm this statement.
Brigadier Gen. Johnston [sic], rebel provisional Governor of Kentucky is killed, and his body is at Paducah.
Different accounts agree in making the rebel force at Corinth estimated from 75,000 to 130,000 of whom 65,000 to 70,000 were in action. Our forces was 45,000 in action.
The Hiawatha brought down 260 wounded to Mound City, to-day at noon. An adequate supply of transports lying at Pittsburgh have been loaded with the wounded ready to come. Some go to Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Sanitary Commission did nobly in relieving the wounded; so did those of St. Louis.
Orders were found on Gen. A. S. Johnston from Jeff. Davis to press on and attack Grant on Wednesday before Buell would join him by Thursday. Bogus Governor Johnston [sic] of Kentucky, said he did not want to live, as the Confederacy was ruined. He did not want to see it.
Gen. Ruggles was killed. Bushrod Johnston [sic] is also reported dead.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday April 19, 1862
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Late Southern News
Since the drawn battle between the Monitor and Virginia, we have made up our minds that the strength of the batteries of Fort Sumter will, within the next three months, be tested by half a score of iron-sheathed monsters. We are now doing something to get ready fro them. The gunboat fever, just now so universal among the unconquerable women of the South, seems to have awakened the Navy Department from its torpor. What is now being done at the eleventh hour, by the orders of the government, should have been done twelve months ago. Since the cumbersome floating battery, intended for the reduction of Fort Sumter, was launched, our ship carpenters, as far as war vessels are concerned, have been absolutely idle, though their services could at any have been secured by the Confederacy. But the past is past, and we must all put our shoulders to the wheel for the future.
The Norfolk Day book of the 4th inst. has the following interesting item, which may be taken for what is worth:
We have a pretty strong hint that pilots acquainted with the various harbors along the Northern seaboard will speedily be in great demand, and that their services will be handsomely remunerated. It is unnecessary for us of course to say more than this, as those, interested will easily find out where to apply for further information. As the weather is getting warm, possibly some of our Southern friends intend to get up a few pic-nic excursions to a little colder climate, and it may be that they need the services of the above pilots.
The Richmond Examiner says:
The Hon. William M. Gwin, of California, who was arrested in New York some months ago and carried to Washington by Lincoln’s minions, but afterwards released, also arrive in this city yesterday, and is stopping at the Spottswood Hotel. Dr. Gwin came from Maryland by the underground railroad. He states that the Yankees intend exhausting every means to crush out the so-called “rebellion” by the first of May. The number of mechanics in the workshops of the North has been doubled, and they are now working day and night turning out iron for gunboats, as the north believes them to be their only salvation.
The same paper says:
It is suggested that Congress will take measures to check the evils which are becoming quite perceptible from the large issue of Treasury notes, and will provide adequate means for absorbing the currency. We learn that the expenditures of the Government are at the rate of two or three millions a day, and that there is a weekly addition of that sum to the currency. We here it recommended that Congress should make all future issues of Treasury notes bear interest.
All the Generals of our army of the Mississippi are now at Corinth, including Beauregard, Sidney Johnson [sic], Bragg, Polk, Crittenden, Gladden, Ruggles, Carroll, and Kirby Smith. Gen. Jackson, of Georgia is in command at Corinth.
The Richmond Examiner of April 4 contains a leading article urging the execution of the full sentence of the law upon several persons convicted of counterfeiting rebel treasury notes. – That penalty, says the examiner, is hanging by the neck until they are dead.
The Richmond Dispatch, of the 31st, announces that it is the purpose of the Provost Marshal to interpose and regulate the prices of provisions, &c., in the markets of Richmond.
– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Thursday, April 17, 1862 & the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862