SOURCE: Frances
Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 4
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
12th Regiment Infantry –1 Year
Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., for one year's State
service May 11, 1861. Moved to Evansville, Ind., June 11. Transferred to U.S.
service July 18, 1861. Left State for Baltimore, Md., July 23; thence moved to
Sandy Hook, Md., July 28. Attached to Abercrombie's Brigade, Banks' Dept. of
the Shenandoah, to October, 1861. Abercrombie's Brigade, Bank's Division, Army
of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Williams' 1st Division, Banks' 5th
Army Corps, to April, 1862, and Dept. of the Shenandoah to May, 1862.
SERVICE. – Duty at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., Williamsport and
Sharpsburg, Md., till March, 1862. Advance on Winchester, Va., March 1-12.
Skirmish at Stephenson's Station, near Winchester, March 11. Operations in the
Shenandoah Valley till April. Duty at Warrenton Junction, Va., April 3-May 5.
Reconnoissance to Rappahannock River and skirmish at Rappahannock Crossing
April 18. March to Washington, D.C., May 5, and mustered out May 14, 1862.
Expiration of term. Regiment lost during service 24 Enlisted men by disease.
SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War
of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1122
12th Indiana Infantry – 3 Years
Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., May 27 to August 27, 1862,
and mustered in August 17, 1862. Left State for Kentucky August 21. Attached to
Cruft's Brigade, Army of Kentucky, and moved to Richmond, Ky. Battle of Richmond,
Ky., August 30. Regiment mostly captured. Paroled and sent to Indianapolis,
Ind., for reorganization. Action at Lexington, Ky., September 2 (Detachment).
Regiment left Indianapolis, Ind., for Memphis, Tenn., November 23, 1862.
Attached to 2nd Brigade, District of Memphis, Tenn., 13th Army Corps (Old), to
December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Memphis, 13th Army
Corps, December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st
Division, 17th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade,
1st Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 15th
Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps, to
June, 1865.
SERVICE. – Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign
November-December, 1862. Action at Holly Springs, Miss., December 20, 1862.
Duty at Grand Junction and Colliersville, Tenn., guarding Memphis &
Charleston R. R. till June, 1863. Ordered to Vicksburg, Miss., June 9. Siege of
Vicksburg June 12-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of
Jackson July 10-17. Duty at Big Black till September 28. Moved to Memphis,
Tenn., thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28-November 20. Operations
on the Memphis & Charleston R. R. in Alabama October 20-29.
Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 23-25.
Missionary Ridge November 25. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November
28-December 8. Duty at Scottsboro, Ala., till May, 1864. Atlanta Campaign May
1-September 8. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Near Resaca May 13. Battle of
Resaca May 14-15. Movements on Dallas May 18-25. Battles about Dallas, New Hope
Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against
Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Brush Mountain June 15. Assault on Kenesaw June
27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Battle of Atlanta
July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Ezra Chapel, Hood's 2nd sortie,
July 28. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August
31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations against Hood in North
Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November
15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas
January to April, 1865. Reconnoissance to Salkehatchie River, South Carolina,
January 25. Salkehatchie Swamp February 2-5. South Edisto River February 9.
North Edisto River February 12-13. Congaree Creek February 15. Columbia
February 16-17. Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21. Occupation of
Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April
14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to
Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20. March and review June 24,
1865. Veterans and Recruits transferred to the 48th and 59th Indiana Infantry.
Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 92 Enlisted men
killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 193 Enlisted men by disease.
Total 295.
SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War
of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1122-3
Monday, October 27, 2014
Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Milton B. Cochran, January 5, 1863
Executive Office, Iowa,
Iowa City, Jan. 5, 1863.
M. B. Cochran, Surgeon First Regiment Iowa Cavalry,
Acting Medical Director 3d Division Army of Frontier.
Sir: — I returned from Washington on the 2nd and found your
letter of 13th December this morning. I am truly rejoiced to hear from you and
am both grateful and grieved to hear the particulars of the hard fought battle
of Prairie Grove. Iowa as usual did her share of the lighting, and did it
nobly, but also as usual lost heavily. I regret the loss of McFarland very
much. He was a noble man. How is Thompson doing? *Please write me how he is. He
is a gallant fellow. I need not impress on you the necessity of doing all that
can be done for our brave boys. Let me say one thing: Don't let them lack for
anything, “red tape” or no “red tape;” see that they have all that they need.
Please write often.
Very truly your
friend,
SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
_______________
* Wm. G., [Maj..] of the 20th Reg’t
SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of
Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 234
Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth Nealley Grimes, November 26, 1863
Boston, November 26th.
I have been to church at King's Chapel, and heard a good,
patriotic sermon (Thanksgiving-day). Judge Collamer is at Cambridgeport with
his whole family on their way to Washington.
SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes,
p. 240
Review: General Grant and the Rewriting of History
By Frank P. Varney
Just a few days before his death on July 23, 1885, former
President, Ulysses S. Grant, penned the final pages of his memoirs. Published posthumously, consisting of two
volumes, the “Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant,” was an instant best seller, and
the income derived from its royalties restored the Grant family fortune which
he had lost through several bad business decisions. Mark Twain, Grant’s publisher, lauded the
memoir as a “literary masterpiece.” The
memoirs are highly regarded by military historians and literary critics alike,
and nearly 140 years after its author’s death it has yet to go out of print.
Ulysses S. Grant parlayed his fame as the victor of the
Civil War into a political victory when he was elected the 18th President of
the United States in 1868. Periodically
historians tend to rank the Presidents from best to worst, and Grant’s lack
luster performance as President, combined with several political scandals of
those in his administration, typically leaves him ranked near the bottom, with
most historians summarizing Grant as an honest man but a poor judge of
character.
In his memoirs Grant makes several negative representations
of a few fellow Union Army generals. If Grant
was such a poor judge of character, then why do most historians take what Grant
wrote in his memoirs as the gospel truth?
If Grant could be wrong about the character of the men that he appointed
to places of high esteem during his administration, couldn’t his negative
characterizations in his memoirs be incorrect as well? Frank P. Varney, Professor of History at
Dickenson State University, has asked that very same question and his research
has led him to some startling conclusions about what we think we know about the
Civil War, and how much of it was shaped by the writings of Ulysses S. Grant.
Citing multiple historians, tracing their sources Dr. Varney
uncovered many noted historians have taken Grant at his word, using his memoirs
as a single source for various incidents of the war. Professor Varney, using multiple primary
sources, compared them to Grant’s writings to uncover striking differences
compared to what his contemporaries wrote.
And in at least one instance it appears that Grant falsified the records
of the War Department to the detriment of others.
Though several of Grant’s brothers-in-arms careers were, or
were very nearly ruined, by his unflattering assessments of their abilities,
Dr. Varney’s book, “General Grant and the Rewriting of History” focuses mainly
on William S. Rosecrans, and discusses in some depth the battles of Shiloh,
Iuka, Corinth, Stones River and Chickamauga.
Dr. Varney’s chapters are organized much like a geometric
proof. Each starts out with “The Context”
where he sets the stage for what is about to be discussed. “The Controversies” follow, first giving a
brief bullet point list of the controversies discussed in the chapter, and then
one by one discussing each controversy in depth. Varney’s “Evaluation” follows, and when
appropriate the professor discusses the historiography of the topic discussed. He compares what both Grant and other
historians have said against the primary records, and states his conclusions.
“General Grant and the Rewriting of History” is a stunning
example of the craft of history. Professor
Varney may have changed future narrative of the Civil War, and William S.
Rosecrans may at long last get credit where credit is due, for both his
triumphs and his failures.
Professor Varney’s book is well and convincingly written and
exhaustively written. Though not a book
for Civil War novices, students of the war will have their long held views of
the war challenged by this thought provoking work.
ISBN 978-1611211184, Savas Beatie, © 2013, Hardcover, 336
Pages, Photographs, Maps, Footnotes, Appendix, Bibliography & Index.
$32.95. To Purchase the book click HERE.
Diary of Private Alexander G. Downing: Monday, December 28, 1863
The commanding officers of our post here are “conscripting”
every able-bodied citizen for military duty. The order applies to blacks as
well as to whites, and aims to provide artisans for labor in connection with
the army and army posts.
Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B.,
Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 159
Diary of Private Charles H. Lynch: April 7, 1864
Arrived in New York early this morning. Crossed over to
Jersey City by ferry-boat. Soon on board train, bound for Philadelphia. Making
good time, much better than when home-bound. On arrival had another good dinner
at the Cooper Shop, after which we again boarded train for Baltimore.
Everything going well, making good time. Nothing important has taken place.
SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary,
1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 51-2
Diary of Luman Harris Tenney: November 30, 1861
Made several calls with Fannie — enjoyed them so much.
Returned to Cleveland with Ma and Theodore.
SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman
Harris Tenney, p. 4
11th Indiana Infantry – 3 Months
Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., April 21-25, 1861. Duty
picketing the Ohio River, near Evansville, Ind., till June 7. Moved to Cumberland,
Md., June 7-9. Action at Romney June 13. Seneca Mills June 14. Frankfort and
Patterson Creek June 27. March to Bunker Hill July 8 and joined Patterson's
command. Expedition to Romney July 11-13. Moved to Indianapolis, Ind., July 29.
Mustered out August 2, 1861. Regiment lost 1 Enlisted man by disease during
service.
SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War
of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1122
11th Indiana Infantry – 3 Years
Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., August 31, 1861. Moved to
Paducah, Ky., September 6, and duty there till February 5, 1862. Attached to
5th Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Tennessee, February, 1862. 1st Brigade,
3rd Division, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. Helena, Ark., District of
East Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division,
District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of the Tennessee, to January, 1863. 3rd
Brigade, 12th Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to February,
1863. 1st Brigade, 12th Division, 13th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade,
3rd Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August, 1863, and
Dept. of the Gulf to June, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Army Corps, to
August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Army Corps, Army of the
Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to January, 1865. 2nd Separate Brigade,
8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to July, 1865.
SERVICE. – Operations against Forts Henry and Heiman, Tenn.,
February 2-6, 1862. Investment and capture of Fort Donelson, Tenn., February
12-16. Expedition to Clarksville, Tenn., February 19-21. Expedition toward
Purdy and operations about Crump's Landing, Tenn., March 9-14. Battle of
Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May
30. Occupation of Corinth and pursuit to Booneville May 30-June 3. March to
Memphis, Tenn., June 3-20, and duty there till July 24. Ordered to Helena,
Ark., July 24, and duty there till April, 1863. Expedition from Helena to
Arkansas Post, Ark., November 16-21, 1862. Expedition from Helena to Grenada,
Miss., November 27-December 5. Tallahatchie November 30. Mitchell's Cross Roads
December 1. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., April 14. Movement on Bruinsburg and
turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. 14-Mile Creek May
12-13. Battle of Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July
4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10.
Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Duty at Vicksburg till August 6. Ordered to New
Orleans, La., August 6; thence to Brasher City, and duty there till October.
Western Louisiana Campaign October 3-November 30. Bayou Cortableau October 21.
Carrion Crow Bayou November 3. Regiment Veteranize January 1, 1864. Veterans on
furlough March 4 to May 8. Duty in District of LaFourche and Defences of New
Orleans, La., till May. At New Orleans, La., till July 19. Ordered to
Washington, D. C., July 19. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August
7-November 28. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill
September 22. Woodstock September 23. Mt. Jackson September 23-24. Battle of
Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley till January, 1865. Duty
at Fort Marshall, Baltimore, Md., January 7 to July 26, 1865. Mustered out July
26, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 114 Enlisted men
killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 170 Enlisted men by disease.
Total 288.
SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War
of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1122
Sunday, October 26, 2014
George William Curtis to John J. Pinkerton, February 11, 1861
North Shore, 11th February, 1861.
My Dear Pinkerton,
— Your letter of the 18th of January reached me in Boston while I was upon the
wing, where I have been ever since. I wanted to reply at once, but I was to
come to Philadelphia this evening, and I hoped to see you and say what was too
long to write. But it seems that I am so dangerous a fellow that no hall-owner
in Philadelphia will risk the result of my explosive words, and not a place can
be had for my fanatical and incendiary criticism of Thackeray; so I shall not see
you. Four words in Seward’s speech explain it, and especially “justify” it, as
you use the word, — “Concession short of principle.” Do you ask what and why we
should concede? Mr. Adams answers; he has learned from history and common sense
that no government does wisely which, however lawful, moderate, honest, and constitutional,
treats any popular complaint, however foolish, unnecessary, and unjustifiable,
with haughty disdain.
Those sentences of Seward and Adams furnish the key to our
position, and the wise triumphant policy of the new administration. You have no
fear of Lincoln, of course. Well, do you suppose that his secretary of state
makes such a speech at such a time without the fullest understanding with his
chief? Does any man think that the plan of the new government could wisely be
exposed in advance while the traitors had yet nearly two months of legal power?
Seward's speech indicates the spirit of the new government, a kindly spirit.
Special measures he does not mention, saying only no measure will compromise
the principle of the late victory. In his career of thirty-seven years you will
find that under every party name he has had but one central principle, — that
all our difficulties, including the greatest, are solvable under our Constitution
and within the Union. And the Union is not what slavery chooses to decree. It
is a word which has hitherto been the cry of a party which sought to rule or
ruin the government, without the slightest regard to its fundamental idea. Now
the people have pronounced for that idea, and now therefore, when a Republican
says Union, he means just what the fathers meant, — not union for union, but
union for the purpose of the union. But you say he subordinates his party to
the union. Yes, again, but why? Because (as he said two years ago, when, thanks
to Hickman and the rest, the Lecompton crime was prevented), because “the
victory is won,” the peculiar purpose of the party has been achieved, the
territories are free. Even South Carolina concedes that. The South allows that
we have beaten them in the territories, and they secede because they think we
must go on and emancipate in the District and navy yards, and then, from the
same necessity of progress to retain power, emancipate in the States. Remember
that by the bargain of 1850 New Mexico has a right to come in slave or free.
Mr. Adams proposes that she shall come now, if she wants to; that is all. And
he and Seward, and I suppose you and I, know perfectly well that she will come
free. Yet even Seward says that, while he would have no objection to voting for
such an enabling act, he is not quite sure that it could be constitutionally
done.
I shall not tire your soul out by going on, but if we could
sit for an evening in MacVeagh's office and smoke the calumet of explanation
and consideration, I am perfectly sure that I could make you feel that Seward
is greater at this moment than ever before. At least wait, wait until
something is done, before you believe that a man who is a Democrat in the only
decent sense, — who believes fully and faithfully in a popular government, who
for nearly forty years, under the stinging stress of obloquy and slander and
the doubt of timid friends, has stood cheerfully loyal to the great idea of
liberty, and has seen his country gradually light up and break into the day of
the same conviction, with the tragedies of Clay and Webster before him
perfectly comprehended by him, with a calmness and clearness of insight and a
radical political faith which they never had, — wait, I say, and do not think
that such a man has forsworn himself, his career, and his eternal fame in
history, until you have some other reason for believing it than that, when his
country is threatened with civil war, he says he will do all that he can to
avoid it except betray his principles.
All things are possible. Great men have often fallen in the
very hour of triumph. But my faith in great men survives every wreck, and I
will not believe that our great man is going until I see that he is gone.
Indeed, as I feel now, I should as soon distrust my own loyalty as Seward's,
and what can any individual say more?
Believe me, full of
faith, your friend,
George William Curtis
SOURCE: Edward Cary, George William Curtis, p.
141-4
John Brown to His Family, December 17, 1855
Monday Morning,
December 17.
The ground for the first time is barely whitened with snow,
and it is quite cold; but we have before had a good deal of cold weather, with
heavy rains. Henry and Oliver and, I may [say], Jason were disappointed in not
being able to go to war. The disposition at both our camps to turn out was
uniform. I believe I have before acknowledged the receipt of a letter from you
and Watson. Have just taken one from the office for Henry that I think to be
from Ruth. Do write often, and let me know all about how you get along through
the winter. May God abundantly bless you all, and make you faithful.
Your affectionate
husband and father,
John Brown.1
_______________
1 Soon after this “Wakarusa war,” and perhaps in
consequence of his service therein, Brown became the owner of one small share
in the Emigrant Aid Company, as appears by this certificate: —
No. 638.
Boston, Jan. 15, 1556.
This is to certify that John Brown,
Lawrence, K. T., ls proprietor of one share, of the par value of twenty dollars
each, in the capital stock of the New England Emigrant Aid Company,
transferable on the books of said Company, on the surrender of this certificate.
John M. S. Williams, Vice-President.
Thomas
H. Webb, Secretary.
This paper is indorsed, in John Brown's handwriting,
"Emigrant Aid Co., Certificate," and was found among his papers after
his death. He derived no profit from it, as indeed was the case with the other
shareholders; but it perhaps gave him some standing among his Kansas neighbors
to have even this connection with a corporation supposed to be very rich.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of
John Brown, p. 221
Review: Smithsonian Civil War, Inside the National Collection
by Smithsonian
Institution,
Edited by Neil Kagan,
Edited by Neil Kagan,
Photography by Hugh
Talman.
Established in 1846, The Smithsonian Institution has often
been described as “the nation’s attic.”
Stored within its many museums and research facilities are 137 million
items, the treasures of the United States.
Its facilities contain items from every era of American History,
including the 1903 Wright Flier, and Archie Bunker’s chair from the television
series “All in the Family.”
One Hundred Fifty years have passed since the end of the
Civil War, and the Smithsonian’s collection of items related to the war began
during the war and continues to grow today.
The very best of the Smithsonian’s collection has been gathered together
in a lush “coffee table” book, “Smithsonian Civil War: Inside the National
Collection.”
Issued to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil
War, “Smithsonian Civil War,” contains 150 brief chapters, each dedicated to
some aspect of the war, its participants, or items in the Smithsonian’s collections. Its article by article narrative begins with
the antebellum era, works its way through the war and ends with reconstruction. It also spans the breadth of those who
experienced the war, from Secessionist “Fire-Eaters,” abolitionists, The Union,
the Confederacy and also African-Americans; men, women and children.
Contained within its covers are hundreds of photographs,
sepia toned, black and white, and lush color photographs of the items within
the institutions vast collections. Among
the items featured are a slave ship’s cargo manifest, flags of the Confederacy,
soldier’s uniforms, weapons and accoutrements, camp equipage, period
photographs of many of the war’s participants, letters, drawings and paintings,
Major-General Phil Sheridan’s mounted horse “Winchester,” Mary Lincoln’s purple
velvet dress and Varina Davis’ jewelery, Abraham Lincoln’s pocket watch and
stove-pipe hat, the chairs from Wilmer McClean’s parlor in which Ulysses S.
Grant and Robert E. Lee sat and the table on which Lee’s surrender of the
Army of Northern Virginia was signed, the cuff from Laura Kean’s dress stained
with Lincoln’s blood, the hoods that covered the faces of the men accused in
the Lincoln assassination conspiracy, just to name but a few.
“Smithsonian Civil War” is a fantastic book, its contents
will provide many hours of page turning pleasure for both the Civil War
enthusiast, scholar and novice alike.
ISBN 978-1588343895, Smithsonian Books, © 2013, Hardcover,
368 pages, 9.7 x 1.1 x 11.3 inches, 4.4 pounds, Photographs &
Illustrations, Object List & Index. $40.00. To purchase a copy
of this book click HERE.
Charles Russell Lowell to Anna Jackson Lowell, June 19, 1861
Washington, June 19, '61.
Don't let any one blame Governor Andrew — he is good and
thoughtful, and if he is sometimes misled by good nature, he is never hampered
by ulterior personal aims; all the faculty of ways and means in the
world, if so hampered, is a curse to the country. At least I am sometimes
tempted to say so.1
_______________
1
As for our good and great War-Governor, the doubts concerning him when
elected, his early unpopularity, and his triumphant record, I quote the words
of that admirable citizen, the late Colonel Henry Lee of his staff: —
“Meeting
the Governor just after his election, at a political levee, I refrained from
joining in the congratulations generally expressed because I was afraid he
might be one-sided and indiscreet, deficient in common sense and practical
ability. . . . I unexpectedly received a
summons to a position upon his staff. .
. . Work began at once. But it is needless to repeat the hundred-times-told
tale of Governor Andrew’s military preparations, the glory whereof has since
been comfortably adopted by Massachusetts as her own — by right of eminent
domain, perhaps — whereas in fact nearly all Massachusetts derided and abused
him at the time, and the glory was really as much his individual property as
his coat and hat.
“The war had begun, and Massachusetts,
that denounced State which was to have been left out in the cold, had
despatched within one week five Regiments of Infantry, one Battalion
of Riflemen, and one Battery of Artillery, armed, clothed, and equipped. Behind
every great movement stands the man, and that man behind this movement was the
ridiculed, despised fanatic, John A. Andrew. As the least backwardness on the
part of Massachusetts, whose sons had done more than all others to promote the ‘irrepressible
conflict,’ would have endangered the Union and exposed us to the plottings and
concessions of the Conservatives and ‘Copperheads,’ so her prompt response, in
consequence of the courage and foresight of her Governor, strengthened the
timid, rebuked the disaffected, cemented the Union, fused the whole country
into one glow of patriotism.
“Saint
Paul was not more suddenly or more thoroughly converted than were many of those
who had, up to that week, been loudest in their lamentations, or denunciations
of the Governor. Rich men poured in their gifts. . . . Conservatives and Democrats rushed to
pay their respects and to applaud the very acts which they had so deplored and
ridiculed.” (Memoir of Henry Lee, by John T. Morse, Jr. Boston:
Little & Brown, 1905.)
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 212, 403-4
Diary of Josephine Shaw Lowell: October 17, 1861
Letter to Father from Rob. They have very stormy weather and
the tents are not of the most comfortable under such circumstances. Cousin
Annie Greenough wrote to Aunt Katie that Dr. Sargeant (2d Mass. Vol. Reg.) has
just come up and left Rob with a very bad cough. He advised him to ask for a
furlough, but our dear soldier would not, considering, I suppose, that his duty
required his presence, and I like it much better that he should realize the
responsibility of his position.
SOURCE: William Rhinelander Stewart, The
Philanthropic Work of Josephine Shaw Lowell, p. 21
Review: Civil War 360
Ashley Judd, Trace Adkins and Dennis Haysbert lead viewers
on a journey 150 years back in time to learn about America’s greatest conflict
in a Smithsonian Channel three part documentary, “Civil War360,” now available
on DVD.
The documentary delves deep into the archives of the
Smithsonian Institution to explore the war from three differing
perspectives. Ashley Judd hosts part one
of the documentary, The Union; Grammy-nominated country singer Trace Adkins
follows up with the documentary’s second segment, The Confederacy; and Dennis
Haysbert heads the documentary’s final installment, Fight For Freedom, which
traces the African-American experience and view of the war. Each of the documentary’s three hosts have
ancestors who were greatly affected by the war. Lincoln’s Washington at War,
narrated by Barry Zate, is included on the DVD as a bonus feature.
Each of the documentary’s episodes bring insights and
stories of the war to life through dramatic recreations, analysis by a long
list of noted Civil War historians and scholars, and the Smithsonian
Institution’s vast collection of treasured artifacts (including one of Abraham
Lincoln’s stove-pipe hats).
Through its varied perspectives “Civil War 360” gives its
viewers a panoramic view of the war’s events and those who participated in
them. It is a terrific addition to any
history lover’s video library; it is a perfect introduction to the Civil War to
those who are just beginning to learn about the war; and it presents sometimes
overlooked stories of the war that students of the war may want to go back and
revisit.
Not Rated, Region 1, Widescreen, 1 Disc, 184 Minute Run
Time. To purchase this DVD click HERE.
Diary of Major Rutherford B. Hayes: Sunday August 25, 1861
Beverly. — A cold night. Clear but foggy this A. M.
No orders to march yet. Good! Provisions and provender, i. e. rations and
forage, scarce and poor. Captain Qark, a spirited German (Prussian) officer of
the "Greys," dined us yesterday at Widow What's-her-name’s hotel, Got
letters here from Lute, Uncle, and Mother, with a Testament from Mother. Shall
read it “in course” — through I mean; begin now.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 76
Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Lyman to Elizabeth Russell Lyman, November 15, 1863
Headquarters Army Of Potomac
November 15,
1863
Yesterday the General made a start at six A.M. for
Washington, taking with him Major Biddle, Captain Meade, and Captain Mitchell,
and suppose he will perhaps get back to-morrow. A little before one o'clock
came a telegraph that four officers of the "Ghords" were coming in
the train, and that we were to send an officer, with ten men, also four led
horses, to bring them up. So Major Barstow asked if I would go, whereat, there
being nothing to do, I said I would. It is about eight miles to Bealton, the
nearest place the railroad runs to, and, by making haste a little, we got there
by two o'clock, and the train came a few minutes after. And there, sure enough,
were four gents, much braided and striped, who were the parties in question:
viz., Lieutenant-Colonel Earle, and Lord Castle Cuff (Grenadier Guards),
Captain Peel and Captain Stephenson (Scotch Fusiliers). This was the best lot
of Bulls I have seen for a long time. The nobile Lord is, I should say, about
sixteen, and, with his cap off, is as perfect a specimen of a Pat as you ever
saw; but he is manly, and not so green as many I have seen of double his age.
Colonel Earle is extremely quiet and well mannered, and was down here in
Burnside's time. Captain Stephenson is in the beefy style, and Captain Peel
(son of Sir Robert) is of the black order; but both have free use of their legs
and tongues, a remarkable phenomenon in a Bull. We put them on horses, where
they were well at home, except they would persist in trying to rise to the trot
in a McClellan saddle, which is next to impossible. We had to cross the river,
close to the railroad, where I showed them the work they took last Saturday; at
which they remarked: “Oh! Ah! A nasty place, a very nasty place!” Then
we rode to Headquarters, just in time to avoid a heavy rain, which continued
much of the night. To-day we have lain quiet; but this evening we took them
over to see Captain Sleeper, 9th Massachusetts Battery. The Colonel was very
inquisitive about artillery, whereupon the enthusiastic Sleeper had a newly
contrived shell, which was loaded, suddenly brought into the tent! The great
improvement in the shell seemed to be that it was bound to go off, somehow; so
that there was a marked nervousness about him of the Guards, as the Captain poked
and twisted the projectile, to illustrate its manifold virtues! . . .
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 48-9
Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, June 6, 1864
Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, June 6, 1864.
Do not be deceived about the situation of affairs by the
foolish despatches in the papers. Be not over-elated by reported successes, nor
over-depressed by exaggerated rumors of failures. Up to this time our success
has consisted only in compelling the enemy to draw in towards Richmond; our
failure has been that we have not been able to overcome, destroy or bag his
army.
His success has been in preventing us from doing the above,
and in heading us off every time we have tried to get around him. In the
meantime, both sides have suffered great losses, probably proportionate to our
original relative strength, and it is highly probable that both sides have
repaired their losses by reinforcements, so that we stand now in the same
relative proportion, three to two, with original numbers. The great struggle
has yet to come off in the vicinity of Richmond. The enemy have the advantages
of position, fortifications, and being concentrated at their centre. We shall
have to move slowly and cautiously, but I am in hopes, with reasonable luck, we
will be able to succeed.
I am sorry, very sorry, to hear what you write of Sergeant,1
but God's will must be done, and we must be resigned.
I am trying to collect some trophies from our recent
battle-fields to send you for your fair.
_______________
1 Son of General Meade.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 201-2
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