1865 February 11: General Butler’s Sharp and Bitter Criticism of His Superior Commanders

The following article appeared in the February 11, 1865, issue of The Polk County Press.

Butler on Generals McClellan and Grant. 

Butler’s [Benjamin F. Butler] speech at Lowel is sharp and intensely bitter on his superiors in command.  Here is a specimen :

“I understand that there are those who were among my old friends in politics, but, who, unfortunately, have lately got upon the other side, who sneer at me as the “Hero of Big Bethel and Fort Fisher.”  I accept the title.  They do me honor overmuch.  What was Big Bethel ?  It was a skirmish, in which twenty-five men were killed and wounded.  But Big Bethel was not Bull Run ;  Big Bethel was not Fair Oaks ;  Big Bethel was not Seven Pines ;  Big Bethel was not the Chickahominy.—Big Bethel was a failure, but it was no disaster.  No West Point General commanded there.  I claim credit for this, that when we of the Volunteer army of the United States make failures we do not make disasters.  Stop a moment and compare the battles I have named with Bethel.  Why, at these there were more men slaughtered and homes made desolate than there were leaves on the trees in the forest around Big Bethel—not to be numbered.

But I am the hero of Fort Fisher too.  Well, Fort Fisher was not Chancellorsville ;  Fort Fisher was not the Wilderness ;  Fort Fisher was not Coal Harbor.  A volunteer General commanded at Fort Fisher at each attack ;  one was without result but not disaster ;  the last was a success ;  all honor to Gen. Terry [Alfred H. Terry] and his brave volunteer soldiers.  Again, it is charged upon us that we did not make so big a hole in Dutch Gap Canal as we ought to have made.  It may be that we did not (although Dutch Gap Canal was a success) make so great a hole there as was made by the explosion of the mine at Petersburg last summer ;  but, thank God, neither did we fill uselessly that hole up with American dead until it ran blood.  (Renewed applause.)  I am, therefore, content, nay, I claim to be the hero of the comparatively bloodless attacks on Big Bethel and the wholly bloodles failure of Fort Fisher ;  I do not claim to be the hero of Fredericksburg, of Chancellorsville, of the Chickahominy, of Fair Oaks, of the Wilderness, of Coal Harbor, nor of that charnel-house of useless dead in the mine before Petersburg.

1865 February 11: The Army of the James “is ‘watching and waiting’ just outside the gates of the rebel Capital”

The following letter comes from the February 11, 1865, issue of The Prescott Journal.

ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.

The Campaign in Virginia.
The Armies of the Potomac and the James. 

SHERMAN’S NEW CAMPAIGN.

The Army of the James—From the Nineteenth Regiment.

Changes of Commanders—New Rules and Sys-
tems—Delay of paying the Troops—Desertions—
The Substitute System—Condition of the Regiment. 

ARMY OF THE JAMES, }
In Front of Richmond, Jan. 18, 1865. }

This army is “watching and waiting” just outside the gates of the rebel Capital, with little to disturb its quiet, or interrupt the monotony of camp life.  It had been anticipated by many, and especially by the projectors, that when the bulk-head of the Dutch Gap Canal was blown out, we would be furnished with plenty of work, and that lively times would be inaugurated hereabouts.  But that which was to have opened the James to our fleet as far at least as Fort Darling, and have enabled us to flank that stronghold, has ended in the “blowing up” of sanguine expectations, and left the door to Richmond still tightly closed in that direction.

MAJOR GENERAL GIBBON.

At one time in command of the “Iron Brigade,” and more recently commander of a division in the Army of the Potomac, has just assumed command of the 24th corps of this army—Major General Ord [Edward O. C. Ord] taking the place made vacant by the removal of General Butler [Benjamin F. Butler].  With new lords come new laws, and many thorough and radical changes are already taking place and being ordered. This morning the corps was reviewed in front of our works by Gen. Gibbon [John Gibbon], and there is a general “brushing up,” evidently preparatory to the early opening of a new campaign, and the “negotiations for peace.”

THE REMOVAL OF MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER

has produced a profound sensation throughout this army, although it might have been anticipated, and really ought not to be a matter of surprise.  The failure at Wilmington and the fiasco of the Dutch Gap, has sealed his fate as a field commander.  With great administrative ability—keen, shrewd, sagacious, quick to discern and prompt to execute, he yet had little fitness for the command of armies, and with abundant means at his disposal could not win victories.  Besides, he was unfortunate in another respect, that he transferred the iron and despotic rule which crushed out the mob at New Orleans to the camps of his soldiers, and thought to secure efficiency in discipline, and the most perfect subordination by stern and arbitrary measures and terrible punishments.  Still, Gen. Butler is not dead, nor extinguished, and those who are rejoicing over his downfall and military demise, will assuredly find that his is a power in the land, and that the sun of his renown is only in partial eclipse, not set forever in darkness.  He has won for himself a great name, and that name will be imperishable upon the brightest pages of our country’s history.

SUFFERING FOR WANT OF PAY.

The failure of the Government to meet its engagements with the army in the matter of pay, is not only subjecting officers and men to great inconvenience, but is a source of suffering to themselves and families.  A large portion of this army has been without pay for five or six months, and hundreds of soldiers have not seen the face of a Paymaster for more than eight months.  This delinquency works mischief—it discourages and demoralizes—and Government has only to persevere in it for a few months longer to break down the spirit and efficiency of the men who fight its battles.  It may be good for sutlers, but it is terribly hard on those who are obliged to go upon his books for daily food.

DESERTIONS.

These are becoming alarmingly frequent in our midst.  It has been said, and I have no doubt truly, that if an examination of the records of our armies in Virginia were to be made, our losses by desertion within the last six months would be reckoned not by thousands, but by tens of thousands.  We inflict the death penalty upon deserters, and yet the crime is common.  A regiment stationed not more than a hundred yards from where I write has been largely depleted by desertion, and none of its members can now be trusted on the picket line.  The evil has its root in our system of recruiting.  By it we gather up the scum and refuse and rascality, not only of our own country, but of other countries, and empty the whole villainous mass into our armies.  A draft is ordered, and to save ourselves the necessity of entering the ranks and fighting in person against the rebellion, we employ substitute brokers who shall buy up convicts, rowdies, men rotten with disease, and all forms of wretched and depraved humanity, with whom to fill our places in the thinned ranks of veteran heroes.  The whole thing is damnable and most ruinous.  Men thus obtained desert the very first opportunity.  They cannot be trusted anywhere.  They indeed count in the filling up of quotas, but they add nothing to the strength of our armies in the field.  It is to be hoped that our people will beware of substitute brokers in the coming draft, and that no one will be enlisted or mustered as a soldier who is not worthy and well qualified.

THE NINETEENTH.

This regiment, since the disastrous fight at Fair Oaks, has been gradually getting itself into shape again, and may now be regarded in excellent condition.  Its present effective strength is about 400.

Major Vaughn¹ is winning an enviable name as an able and efficient commander, and is well supported by staff and line officers.—The surgical department is in charge of Dr. Dodge,² of Janesville, than whom there is not a more faithful and skilled surgeon in the army.  Dr. Diefendorf [sic],³ our major surgeon, is on duty at Chesapeake Hospital.  We are comfortably hutted for the winter, and are enjoying a good degree of quiet.  Picket firing is entirely dispensed with along our lines, and only an occasional report of a gun is heard in the vicinity of Dutch Gap.  The boys, or the non-veteran portion of them, are anxiously looking forward to the time—the 19th of April next—when they shall doff the uniform of Uncle Sam and return to civil life.  And may we not all anticipate a day not far distant, when our sacrifices and sorrows on the behalf of our torn and bleeding country shall be at an end—when peace shall have been restored to our stricken land—when our national sins shall have been purged away, and every inch of American soil have been consecrated to freedom.  Then, all of disaster and suffering—all of loss and trial—all of mourning and sorrow—shall be submerged in the swelling tide of joy.

CONSTANTINE.

1.  Samuel K. Vaughan (d. 1872), from Portage City, is currently the regiment’s major, but will become lieutenant colonel in April 1865. He was originally captain of Company D, then major, was named colonel in August of 1865 but never mustered, instead was brevetted colonel and then brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers.
2.  Edward F. Dodge, 1st Assistant Surgeon from January 7, 1864.
3.  Daniel B. Devendorf (1820-), from Delavan, had been with the 19th since March 18, 1862. Before that he was 2nd Assistant Surgeon with the 1st Wisconsin Infantry. “Owing to impaired health he left the East in December 1855, and settled at Delavan, Wisconsin, in the mercantile business. Finding this ill suited to his tastes, he closed it at the end of two years and resumed his profession, continuing in it till 1861, when he was commissioned assistant surgeon of the 1st Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers. After the battle of Stone River, he was commissioned surgeon of the 19th Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, then stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. With this regiment he lay before Petersburgh four months, and there was made medical inspector of the 18th Army Corps, and ordered to the office headquarters at Fortress Monroe, where he remained till 1864. He was also medical purveyor of the 18th and 19th Army Corps, stationed at Deep Bottom, Virginia. On the morning of the taking of Richmond, his regiment was on picket duty, and was one of the first to enter the city, and witnessed the great conflagration. At the close of the war he returned to his home in Delavan, and resumed his practice, and has continued it up to the present time (1876) with marked success.” From History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 1912.

1865 February 4: News Summary Includes Latest Peace News, the Denbigh, Investigation of General Butler’s Conduct

Following are the news summaries for the week ending February 4, 1865, mostly from The Prescott Journal.  The first little bit is from The Polk County Press and as we see so often in the winter months, it begins with “there is nothing of importance,” echoed by the Journal’s “there is no war news of interest”!

From The Polk County Press:

The News.

— There is nothing of importance from the different military departments.

— Peace Commissioners are said to be in Washington.

— Gold is excited and weak, fluctuating between 1.98 and 2.02.

From The Prescott Journal:

THE NEWS.

— There is no war news of interest this week.

— It seems to be certain that ALEX. STEPHENS and R. M. T. HUNTER¹ are in Washington, consulting upon conditions of peace.  [Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens]

— The amendment to the Constitution prohibiting slavery in the United States, has passed the house by a vote of 119 yeas, to 56 nays.  It will pass the Senate, and no doubt be ratified by the requisite number of States.  The Republic is moving forward in the path of duty and safety.

News Items.

Late Texas papers represent that the people are apprehensive of an attack on their coast, and promise a determined resistance.

The Richmond Whig reports a destructive fire at Augusta, Ga., on Sunday, burning over 400 bales of cotton.

Monday a fire occurred at Hamburg, opposite Augusta, burning 1,000 or 2,000 bales of cotton.

One of the Richmond papers says negroes in the prime of life will make better soldiers than white men over 50.

The committee on the conduct of the war, have completed the investigation of General Butler’s conduct in the first attack on Wilmington.  [Benjamin F. Butler]

A report was received at Havana from Key West that the blockade runner Denbigh,² one of the most successful of the fleet, had been captured and taken into that port.

The World’s Savannah correspondence says the rebels, expecting an advance on Charleston, are making preparations to evacuate that city, and have already commenced removing the government property.

Gen. Early has made an earnest protest against the discharge of the committee to inquire into his drunkeness [sic].  He challenges any one to prove he was every drunk in camp, on the march, or in battle.  [Jubal A. Early]

It is semi-officially announced that the tobacco captured at Savannah, by order of Gen. Sherman, is to be reserved for the use of the soldiers, the General remarking that their valor had won it.  The soldiers accept it with rejoicing.   [William T. Sherman]

The Charleston Courier discusses guerrilla warfare, with the purpose of showing the efficiency of that style of hostility, to which the rebel cause may soon be brought.

Richmond papers represent Hood’s army as suffering intensely until they reached the more wealthy districts, when they fared better.  It is thought he may be obliged to fall back beyond Corinth until the roads  are repaired to that place.  [John Bell Hood]

It appears from a communication of the Secretary of War that the entire subject of an exchange of prisoners is now placed in the hands of Lt. Gen. Grant and that although only partial exchanges have thus far been made, there is reason to believe a full exchange will soon be effected.  [Ulysses S. Grant]

A party of rebel cavalry made their appearance in front of the Union pickets near Newbern, N. C., on the night of the 14th.  During their stay some of them deserted to the Union lines, and on the discovery of this the remainder fell back, and pursued to near Kinston by a detachment of the 11th New York cavalry.  Rebel deserters are continually coming in at Newbern.

The bark Clifton, Capt. Gavet, has arrived here from Pernambuco.  The Captain reports that the rebel privateer Shenandoah had destroyed several American merchantmen along the coast of Brazil, in consequence of which vessels bound to the United States were obtaining British registers, so as to enable them to sail under British colors.

The Washington special to the Times, that government has been assured the Canadian authorities have determined to remove all causes of dissatisfaction on the part of this country growing out of the recent occurrences.  Judge Coursal will be removed.  This will probably lead to a speedy abrogation of the passport system.

The Herald’s Shenandoah Valley correspondence says an intelligent gentleman of Madison county, who recently visited Richmond, states that he conversed with Government officers, who told him the holding of Richmond for any considerable time was despaired of by Davis [Jefferson Davis] and Lee [Robert E. Lee].  The public archives, not neccessary [sic] for immediate use, were being sent into the interior.  Hundreds of families had removed to North Carolina and Georgia, on hints from officials.  The city is said to be in process of mining, and Davis is determined that Richmond shall not fall into our hand except as a heap of ruins.

The Press of Cincinnati gave a reception banquet Saturday night to the escaped correspondents, Richardson, Brown and Davis.  Speeches of welcome were made on behalf of the city, by Hon. Thos. H. Weasner, president of the city council, and on behalf of the press by M. Halstead, editor of the Commercial.—The guests of the evening responded in an entertaining account of their journey, and startling details about the suffering of prisoners remaining at Salisbury.  Gen. J. D. Webster, Hon. Ben. Eggleston, M. C., Col. E. H. Noyes, Col. S. J. McGroarty, Judge W. M. Dickson, and many other prominent citizens, also made speeches.  Thos. Buchanan Read said he had had the pleasure of writing “Sheridan’s Ride,” but now he found a yet more thrilling and stirring theme, “The Walk of the Journalists,” and read the first draft of a poem on the subject.

The opinion of the Solicitor of the War Department, published last August, is semi-officially re-produced as applicable to the present enrollment and quota for 800,000 men to supply deficiencies under former calls.  In that opinion the Solicitor said :  “If the number of men were taken into consideration without regard to the length of their service, it is clear that the grossest inequality would exist in the respective contributions of the different districts to the aggregate military service of the country, and at each successive call all accounts of service preceding that call are made up, and the call for quotas should be such as shall equalize the amount of service required from each district in proportion to the persons therein liable to military service.  That district which in the present draft furnishes one year men, cuts up its burden into three parts and shoulders only one part at the present year, and leaves the rest to be met at the next call.  That district which furnishes three years men now, gains at once in its account with the Provost Marshall General the same benefit on the next draft as though it had furnished three times as many men for one years service.  It is the duty of each district to furnish the full number of men designated as its quota.  These men should be received, whether for one, two or three years.  Those districts which furnish three years men now will be entitled to the full benefit of them on future calls.”

The House Committee on Military Affairs has accumulated and is still gathering a large amount of testimony and facts relative to the frauds and abuses under the law for the collection and purchase of cotton and other products of the insurrectionary States, and will double as report a bill for the correction of the disloyal and illegal practices of mercenary speculation.

1.  Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter (1809-1887) a Confederate Senator from Virginia and President pro tempore of the Confederate Senate (1862-1865). Before that he had been the Confederate Secretary of State (1861-1862). Before the Civil War Hunter had been a U.S. Senator from Virginia (1847-1861), speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1839-1841) and member of the House from Virginia (1837-43, 1845-47). He was, at times, a caustic critic of the Davis administration. He was one of the Confederate commissioners at the Hampton Roads Conference in 1865. After the surrender of General Lee, Hunter was summoned by President Lincoln to Richmond to confer regarding the restoration of Virginia in the Union. From 1874 to 1880 he was the treasurer of Virginia, and from 1885 until his death was collector of the Port of Tappahannock, Virginia.
2.  The Denbigh was not a warship, nor was she a Confederate vessel. Like most steam blockade runners, she was a registered British merchant ship, civilian-owned, an iron-hulled blockade runner that made runs so regularly to Mobile and Galveston from Havana that she became known as “the Packet.” She made seven successful runs to Mobile and six to Galveston; approaching Galveston a seventh time on the night of May 23-24, 1865, Denbigh ran aground on a sand shoal to the north and east of Galveston, whereupon she was destroyed by shellfire from Union blockaders. The remains of the ship have been found and are presently being excavated.  The Denbigh Project is an effort by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University to identify, document, and preserve the wreck of Denbigh.

1865 January 28: The First Battle of Fort Fisher

This article comes from The Prescott Journal issue of January 28, 1865.

The First Battle of Fort Fisher took place December 23-27, 1864, outside Wilmington, North Carolina, when Benjamin F. Butler led the Union attempt to capture the fort.  Sometimes referred to as the “Gibraltar of the South,” Fort Fisher  was the last major Atlantic coastal stronghold of the Confederacy.  It had tremendous strategic value during the War, providing a port for blockade runners supplying General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  The fiasco at Fort Fisher and Butler’s disobedience of his direct orders gave General Ulysses S. Grant the excuse to relieve Butler of command of the Army of the James.

THE WILMINGTON EXPEDITION. 

General Butler’s Report and Grand Endorsement. 

We give below a full abstract of General BUTLER’s report of the Wilmington expedition.  The endorsement of Gen. GRANT on the report makes one or two revelations which throw considerable light on the cause of Gen. BUTLER’s removal from command.  It seems that he crowded himself into the Wilmington expedition without authority, when it was not intended he should accompany it, and disobeyed instructions by re-embarking the troops after a landing had been effected.

GEN. BUTLER’S REPORT.

The force composing the expedition amounted to about 6,600 men, consisting of Gen. Orme’s¹ division of the 24th corps and Gen. Paine’s² division of the 25th corps, under command of Maj. Gen. Weitzel.  [Godfrey Weitzel]

Gen. Butler states that after embarking his forces on the transports they were detained from the 9th to the 18th of December, waiting for Porter’s fleet [David D. Porter].  He joined the transport fleet off Cape Henry on the 11th, arriving at the rendezvous off New Inlet on the evening of the 15th, where they waited until the evening of the 18th, having the fairest weather possible.  On the evening of the 18th Porter came from Beaufort, to rendezvous, when the sea became rough, and on the 19th the wind sprang up, making it impossible to land the troops, and by the advice of Admiral Porter the troops were landed at Beaufort.—This was necessary, as the transports were coaled for ten days, and that time had been then consumed.

For four days the wind blew a gale, during which time the transports were coaled and watered.  At 4 o’clock P.M., on the 25th, Butler came in sight of Fort Fisher, and found the naval fleet bombarding it, the powder vessel having been exploded the morning previous.  Arrangements were made to land the troops next morning, under cover of the gunboats, as soon as the fire of the Half-moon and Flag Pond Hill batteries had been silenced, which were up the shore, two or three miles above Fort Fisher.

Porter was sanguine that he had silence Fort Fisher.  He was urged, if that were so, to run by the fort into Cape Fear river, and then the troops could land and hold the beach without fear of being shelled by the rebel gunboats, the Tallahassee being seen in the river.  Gen. Butler argued that if Porter would put his ships in the river, the army could then be supplied across the beach, and that at least the blockade of Wilmington would be thus effectual, even if they did not capture the fort.  Porter replied that he should probably lose a boat by torpedoes in an attempt to run by, and was reminded that the army might lose five hundred men by an assault, and his boat would not weigh in the balance, even in a money point of view, with the lives of these men.  Porter declined going by, and the expedition was deprived of that essential element of success.

On the noon of the 25th the batteries were reported silenced, and the transports successfully landed their troops.  Finding that the reconnoitering party landing could hold the shore, Butler determined that the land force should attempt an assault.  Curtis’ brigade was pushed within a few hundred yards of Fort Fisher, capturing the half-moon battery and its men.  This skirmish line advanced to go within seventy-five yards of the fort, the garrison being kept in their bomb-proofs by the naval fire.  When the fire of the navy ceased, the parapet was fully manned, and personal examination by Butler, within a few hundred feet of Fort Fisher, showed it to be well protected by extensive stockade bastion, fifteen feet high and fifteen wide near the west ditch, and that no material damage had been done to the fort by the navy.—Seventeen heavy guns tore up a breach.  The flag which had been cut down by a shell, was captured on the edge of the ditch, and an orderly killed about a third of a mile from the fort.  The report that any soldiers entered is a mistake.

During this time, Ames’¹ division had captured 218 men and 10 commission officers of the North Carolina Reserves.  Butler learned from these prisoners that two brigades of Hoke’s division were within two miles of the rear of his force ;  their skirmishers were actually engaged, and the remainder of Hoke’s division had arrived the night previous at Wilmington, and were on the march, thus forming a force outside the works superior to Butler’s.  [Robert F. Hoke]

Meantime the weather had become bad, the surf was rolling into the shore, so that landing had become difficult.  At this time Weitzel reported to Butler that to assault the works, in his judgement and that of experienced officers of his command, would be impossible with any prospect of success.  This opinion coincided with Butler’s, but as much as he regretted the necessity of abandoning the attempt, he yet considered his duty plain.  No works as strong as Fort Fisher, had been taken by assault during the war, and he referred to the slaughtered thousands in the assaults on Fort Hudson and Wagner.  Butler says I therefore ordered that no assault should be made, and the troops to re-embark.  While preparations to re-embark were making, the firing of the navy ceased.  The guns of the fort were fully manned, and a sharp fire of musketry, and grape and canister swept the plain over which our column must have advanced.  It was found impossible to get our troops all aboard before the sea ran so high as to render further embarkation or even the sending of supplies ashore impossible.

On the 26th, having made all proper disposition for getting the troops on board, General Butler gave orders to transport the fleet as fast as ready to sail, to Fortress Monroe, in obedience of orders from the Lieutenant General.

General Butler states he learned from deserters and prisoners that the supposition, when the expedition was planned, that Wilmington was denuded of troops to oppose Sherman [William T. Sherman] was correct, and so at the time of the arrival of the army off Wilmington, there were less than 400 men in Fort Fisher, and less than 1,000 within twenty miles ;  but the delay of three days waiting the arrival of the navy, and the further delay by the storm of the 21st, 22d and 23d, gave time for reinforcements to arrive from Richmond.  The instructions of the Lieutenant General did not contemplate a seige [sic] ;  we had neither seige [sic] trans nor supplies for such contingencies.

Gen. Butler here says :  “The exigency of possible delay for which the foresight of the commander of the armies had provided, had arisen, to-wit :  Large reinforcement of the garrison, with the fact that the navy had exhausted their supply of ammunition in bombardment, left me with no alternative but to return with my army to the James.—The loss of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 16th, 17th, and 18th, was the immediate cause of the failure of the expedition.  It is not my province, even to suggest the blame to the navy.  For their delay of four days at Beaufort, I know none of the reasons which do or do not justify it, but it is to be presumed they are sufficient.”  Gen. Butler then refers to the excellent behavior of the troops, and the assistance afforded him by certain naval officers.

The report of Gen. Weitzel states that after getting a full survey of Fort Fisher, he frankly informed Gen. Butler that it would be butchery to order assault on that work under the circumstances.  Gen. Curtis’³ and Gen. Ames’ reports are appended, confirming all the above essential points, and copies of Gen. Grant’s telegraphic orders to Gen. Butler, conclude the document.

GEN. GRANT’S INDORSEMENT.

Gen. Grant, in his indorsement of Butler’s report, says : “It was never contemplated that Butler should accompany the expedition, Major General Weitzel being specially named as commander.”  Gen. Grant thinks the delay in the moving of the expedition can be charged to waiting for the gunpowder boat to be prepared.  Grant says :  “Butler is in error in stating that the embarkation of troops was by his instruction, as his instruction never contemplated a withdrawal after a landing had been effected.”

The following is the letter of instructions from Gen. Grant to Butler, which is appended to Butler’s report of the Wilmington expedition :

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, }
CITY POINT, Dec. 6, 1864. }

To Maj. Gen. Butler, Commanding Army of the James :

GENERAL :  The first object of the expedition under Gen. Weitzel is to close to the enemy the port of Wilmington.  If successful in this, the second will be the capture of Wilmington itself.  There are reasonable grounds to hope for success if advantage can be taken of the absence of the great part of the enemy’s forces now looking after Sherman in Georgia.  The directions you have given for the number and equipment of the expedition are all right except in the unimportant ones of where they embark and the amount of entrenching tools to be taken.

The object of the expedition will be gained by effecting a landing on the main land between Cape Fear River and the Atlantic, north of the north entrance to the river.  Should such landing be effected, whether the enemy hold Fort Fisher or the batterys [sic] guarding the entrance to the river there, the troops should entrench themselves and by co-operating with the navy effect the reduction and capture of those places.  These in our hands the navy could enter the harbor, and the port of Wilmington by a forced march and surprise.  If time is consumed in gaining the first object of the expedition, the second will become a matter of after consideration.  The details for the execution are entrusted to you and the officer immediately in command of the troops.  Should the troops under Gen. Weitzel fail to effect a landing at or near Fort Fisher, they will be returned to the army operating against Richmond without delay.

(Signed,)   U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.

1.  William Ward Orme (1832-1866) contracted tuberculosis in Mississippi and resigned April 20, 1864. The 2nd Division (24th Corps) of the Expeditionary Corps of the Army of the James was led by Adelbert Ames (1835-1933). Ames entered West Point in 1856 and graduated in 1861, after the Civil War started. He participated in the First Battle of Bull Run (received the Medal of Honor), the Peninsula Campaign, seeing action at Yorktown, Gaines’ Mill, and Malvern Hill. In 1862 he became colonel of the 20th Maine Infantry and fought in the Maryland Campaign. Ames volunteered as an aide-de-camp to Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, and was promoted to brigadier general in May 1863. Ames performed well under difficult circumstances at the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1864, Ames’s division, now part of the X Corps of the Army of the James, served under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg. In the future, he would become Butler’s son-in-law. He led the successful assault in the Second Battle of Fort Fisher and received a brevet promotion to major general in the Union Army for his role in the battle.
After the War, Ames served as the 27th governor of Mississippi (1868-1870), U.S. senator from Mississippi (1870-1874), and 30th governor of Mississippi (1874-1876). In 1898 he served as a U.S. Army general during the Spanish-American War.
2.  Charles Jackson Paine (1833-1916) made a considerable fortune in railroads before the Civil War. When the War started he volunteered and was a captain in the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry. In October 1862 he was promoted to colonel of the 2nd Louisiana Infantry and during the siege of Port Hudson (May 24-July 8, 1863) he commanded a brigade. In July 1864 he became a brigadier general and led a division ob black troops at New Market Heights. Paine participated in both expeditions against Fort Fisher, but his troops played only a minor role. His division was more actively engaged during the following battle of Wilmington (February 11-22, 1865). After the War, he served briefly as the district commander at New Berne and in January 1866, he was brevetted as a major general of Volunteers.
3.  Newton Martin Curtis (1835-1910) stood an impressive 6′ 7″ tall and it became an issue of concern to his family when the Civil War began as they felt he would surely be an easy target for enemy bullets. On May 15, 1861, Curtis volunteered in the Union Army as a captain in Company G of the 16th New York Infantry. He fought in the Peninsula Campaign and was wounded in a minor engagement at West Point, Virginia. On October 23, 1862, he transferred to the 142nd New York Infantry, serving as a lieutenant colonel until his promotion to colonel on January 21 of the next year. As commander of the 142nd, he fought in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign of May 1864. He took command of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, X Corps, during the Siege of Petersburg. Curtis received a brevet promotion to brigadier general on October 28, 1864, for his actions at the Battle of New Market Heights. His brigade became part of the expedition against Fort Fisher in December 1864. Curtis’ brigade was among the few troops to go ashore. He also took part in the second attack in January 1865, in which his brigade played a key role in the Union victory and he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He remained in the army until January 1866, receiving a brevet to major general of Volunteers. After the War, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1891-1897).

1864 February 27: The Battle of Okolona and Other War News

The Battle of Okolona took place on February 22, 1864, in Mississippi. Union General William S. Smith¹ commanding over 7,000 cavalry was defeated by Confederate forces under General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Smith, having disobeyed orders from General William T. Sherman, was forced to fight an eleven-mile running battle before retreating across the state line into Tennessee.  Smith was criticized for putting Sherman’s Meridian Expedition in danger.

From The Prescott Journal:

News Items.

A private letter from Vicksburg 8th, from an eye witness, says McPherson’s [James B. McPherson] corps crossed the Big Black 15 miles east of Vicksburg on the 7th.  Hurlbut’s [Stephen A. Hurlbut] took a parallel route from Vicksburg and crossed at Messenger’s ford, 5 miles above McPherson’s, on pontoons.  Each column was 14 miles long.  The force sent up the Yazoo was to prevent a flank movement to cut off our trains.  The ironclads will try to reach Grenada to co-operate with Smith’s cavalry and drive Forrest’s command towards Canton where Bishop Polk’s [Leonidas Polk] conscripts are.  Jackson is said to be fortified with cotton bales.

There are but forty-one daily papers published in what rebels call the Southern Confederacy.

The rebel Congress has passed and Jeff. Davis approved a bill prohibiting the importation of luxuries.  [Jefferson Davis]

The old regiments are recovering from their thirty days’ visit to their homes with an average of 140 new recruits each.

It is quite probable that the Secretary of the Treasury will in a few days advertise the ten-forty loan.  [Salmon P. Chase]

By orders of the War Department, no volunteer will be rejected on accounts of his height, who is at least five feet.

The 1st Minnesota Regiment having re-enlisted for the war has gone home on furlough.  They reached St. Paul on the 13th and were received with great enthusiasm.

The total funded and fundable debt of the United States on the 29th of January was $1, 446,371,507.  The interest of $756,717,809 is payable in gold.

The Herald’s Washington dispatch says the policy of extending the President’s amnesty to colonels is much talked of.  Rebel prisoners and refugees state that this would cause whole regiments to desert.

Sixty thousand veteran troops have already en-listed.  All the regiments in the Army of the Potomac, whose terms of service expire this year have re-enlisted, or about to do so.

An emancipation meeting was held at Covington, Ky., on the 14th, to elect delegates to the emancipation convention at Louisville, on the 24th.  Among the speakers was J. R. Grant, father of Gen. Grant [Ulysses S. Grant].

JOHN S. BURNS, the only citizen of Gettysburg who joined the army and fought in the battle in July last, has been put on the pension roll at the rate of $8 a month.  He fought with the 7th Wisconsin and is an old man.

Gen. John [Hunt] Morgan and his two staff officers who escaped with him have been made the recipients of a grand ovation and testimonial from the State of South Carolina.  The testimonial consists of a magnificent horse to each, and seven sets of elegant and costly caparisons.

The steamer Mill Boy was sunk on the 1st inst., 8 miles below Jacksonport, on White river, laden with Government stores for the troops at Batesville.  A part of the cargo was saved.  The boat was valued at $14,000 and was a total loss.

The Richmond Examiner of the 10th inst. has an editorial denouncing the Virginia Legislature for attempting to interfere with State and war matters, by the passage of an act requesting JEFF DAVIS to remove the outlawry against Gen. BUTLER, to facilitate an exchange of prisoners.  [Benjamin F. Butler]

The Richmond Enquirer also contains a long editorial bitterly denouncing the Virginia Legislature for its chicken hearted course in recommending the acknowledgement of the beast BUTLER, and yielding to terms for an exchange of prisoners in secret session.  It urges DAVIS to remain firm, and declares there will be no exchange of prisoners till they get more than we have.

The Washington correspondent of the Chicago Tribune states that it has the highest authority for saying that Gen. Grant has within a few days formally, peremptorily and in the most decisive terms, rejected direct offers made to him lately by leading Democratic politicians to secure his nomination for the Presidency by their National Convention.

The Times’ Washington special says that Gen. Butler has issued an order forbidding the sale of liquor to be drank on the premises in his department, under penalty of fine and imprisonment at hard labor. also, in order that all estates in his Department, abandoned or occupied by rebels, be taken possession of by the Superintendent of negro affairs.

The Secretary of War [Edwin M. Stanton] has decided that the term three-fourths, used in connection with veteran regiments, means three-fourths of the organization serving together, and does not include men absent in prisons, hospitals, &c.  Men who have not served two years will be allowed to go on furlough with their regiments, provided it goes as an organization, and they agree to re-enlist as soon as they come within the limits of re-enlistment.

Very near one hundred and ten thousand new recruits have been formally mustered into the service since the 1st of November last, and many more thousand are known to be enlisted, although not yet mustered in.  The last two weeks the enlistments have averaged 1,800 a day.  Of the number formally mustered into the service, New York has furnished about 16,000, Ohio 16,000, Indiana and Illinois 12,000 each, Missouri about 7,000 and Pennsylvania only the same number.

From The Polk County Press:

The U. S. steamers Wyoming and Jamestown have blockaded the pirate Alabama at Aboy China, and it is thought that her career is ended.

A large number of our prisoners who were confined at Richmond, recently made their scape by tunneling themselves out from under the walls of Libby prison.  They were fifty-one days in getting out.  Twenty-six of them have arrived in safety at Fortress Monroe, and among them the notorious Col. Straight, whom the rebels once held as hostage for John Morgan.

It is reported that the rebels are preparing to make a raid into Ohio, by way of West Virginia.

No news from the seat of war of any importance.

1.  William Sooy Smith (1830-1916) graduated from West Point and was a career military officer and engineer renowned for bridge construction. When the Civil War started, he joined the 13th Ohio Infantry and was soon commissioned colonel. Smith was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers during the Battle of Shiloh. After the Meridian Expedition he served as chief of cavalry for Grant in the Department of Tennessee and for Sherman in the Military Division of Mississippi. He resigned from the Army later in 1864 because of ill health.

1864 January 30: News Items from the Southern Press

Lacking much Union war news, The Prescott Journal published on January 30, 1864, a column of news items taken from Southern newspapers.

Items from Rebel Journals

The following items are from the latest files of Richmond papers received at Washington, which come down to the 15th inst.

— The Army correspondent of the Atlanta Intelligener, says:

“On Dec. 28^th, two corps of the enemy left Chattanooga en route to Virginia, to reinforce Meade.”  [George G. Meade]

“A division of infantry has gone towards Nashville, so be distributed to guard the railroad.

“The Federal brigade at Stephenson is in winter quarters, and there is a large force at Bridgeport, where the enemy is accumulating large supplies.

“There is a Federal regiment at Trenton, Tenn., and 150 cavalry near the State line of Georgia and Tennessee, twelve miles from Trenton, who are scouting day and night on Sand Mountain, from opposite Bellefonte to Bridgeport.”

— Seven thousand copper pennies were sold in Chesterfiele, Va., on the 13th inst., at $47 per hundred.

— A dispatch from Abingdon, Southwest Virgina, reports the capture of “400 of the Yankees infesting that country.”

— The Ashville (N. C.) News reports an engagement with 300 “tories” in Cook county, Tenn.

— The fruits of Lee’s and Ross’¹ recent raid towards the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad are claimed to be 500 cattle, 300 horses, 30 wagons, 320 mules, and about 100 Yankees.

— The Raleigh Journal says that “Lincoln gold is being freely used in North Carolina to betray the Southern people into the hands of the Yankees,” and suspects that prominent persons and newspapers are engaged.

— The Atlanta Appeal of the 8th says: “In the late cavalry fight near Charlestown, Tennessee, our troops were stampeded.  A large portion of our loss was occasioned by the stampede, our men and horses running over, killing and wounding each other in their fright.  Our loss is variously estimated as from 65 to 200 men, and the same number of horses.

— A bill passed the Rebel Congress on the 20th, making appropriations “for the support of the government of the Confederate States of America, ” for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1864, as follows :  For compensation and mileage of the members of the Senate and House, $297,00 ;  President, 12,500 ;  Treasury Department, $476, 000 ;  interest on the public debt, $20,000,000 ;  engraving Treasury notes and bonds, $80,000 ;  rent of President’s house, $15,000 ;  for expenses of keeping and transporting coin belong to New Orleans $509 ;  War Department, $240,000 ;  Commissioner of Indian Affairs, $2,125 ;  Quartermaster’s Department, for pay of army, &c., $313,745 ;  support of prisoners of war, $1,000,000 ;  Commissary Department, $5, 798,800 ;  Ordinance Department, $1,000,000 ;  Medical, $16,820,000 ;  Navy, $112,495 for construction for cruisers, of the class of the Alabama and Florida, in the Confederate States, $2, 000,000.  Appropriations in keeping with the shore are also made for the Departments of State, Justice, Postoffice [sic] and Indian Affairs.

— The Petersburg (Va.) Express of the 14th, says: “The Yankees are concentrating a large force at Portsmouth.  There are now there about 1,000 negroes, infantry, besides a battalion of mounted men.  It is supposed that a raid is contemplated towards the Blackwater.  No Yankees have recently visited Suffolk, but pickets are still at Jericho Run, two miles below the town, and a camp of cavalry is kept at Bernard’s Mills.”

— In reference to the exchange of prisoners, the Richmond Enquirer of the 15th says: “Butler [Benjamin F. Butler] is an outcast, and never can be recognized as entitled to the privileges accorded to a foe taken in lawful warfare; yet it may become a question whether our government should not consult the feelings of the Confederate soldiers now lingering in Northern dungeons, and take the earliest practicable opportunity of releasing them.  Treating with Butler should not release the pitiful wretch from the ban of outlawry pronounced against him ;  but catching is before hanging.  He could, however, be executed, and doubtless will be by the Confederate officer in whose hands he may chance to fall.”

— The Enquirer, speaking of the announcement of the re-enlistments of so many Federal troops for the war, says: “The action of the enemy in this matter is important to us.  The preservation of their organization shows that they intend to move forward at the earliest practicable moment in the spring.  If they will not sacrifice an organization which has stood the ordeal of two years campaigning, can we afford to hazard the experiment of opening the spring campaign under officers recently organized, with companies unaccustomed to association, and men strangers to each other?  We shall need every energy of national defense for the spring campaign.  Richmond will, in all probability, be approached from the Rappahannock, as well as from the Blackwater.  In Northern Georgia the fate of Atlanta, and in South Carolina that of Charleston and Savannah, and in North Carolina that of Wilmington, all must be decided in the spring.”

— The Atlanta Confederacy of the 5th, says:  “Gen. Armstrong’s² and Martin’s³ divisions of Gen. Wheeler’s [Joseph Wheeler] corps are at Bean’s Station, East Tennessee, where they are continually having heavy skirmishes with the enemy.  Four or five days ago, a squad of our men captured a lot of Yankee clothing, and were in the act of draping themselves in the captured property, when they were recaptured by the Yankees, who, finding them in Yankee clothing, contrary to their published orders, led them out for the purpose of shooting them.  Just at this time the 4th and 7th Alabama regiments of cavalry arrived upon the spot, and charged them, but not in time to save our men, who were shot down in cold blood.  The ruthless villains escaped.  A few days afterward the regiments above alluded to caught fifteen or twenty Yankees, and shot them in retaliation.”

1.  Lawrence Sullivan Ross (1838-1898) was a Texas Ranger before the Civil War and in 1860 led troops in the Battle of Pease River. When Texas seceded, he joined the Confederate State Army and became one of the youngest Confederate generals. He participated in 135 battles and skirmishes. After the War, he participated in the 1875 Texas Constitutional Convention, was a state senator, and in 1887 became the 19th Texas governor (1887-1891). After leaving office he became president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M).
2.  Frank Crawford Armstrong (1835-1909) was a captain in the regular army by the time the Civil War began and he led a company of Union cavalry at the First Battle of Bull Run. He then resigned his commission and joined the Confederate Army. In 1863 Armstrong was elected colonel of the 3rd Louisiana Infantry Regiment; was given command of General Sterling Price’s cavalry; and was promoted to brigadier general. He commanded a cavalry division under General Nathan B. Forrest at the Battle of Chickamauga. In February 1864, Armstrong transferred to the command of General Stephen D. Lee and he was assigned command of a brigade of Mississippi cavalry.  Armstrong and his men served in the Atlanta Campaign, before participating in General John B. Hood’s disastrous campaign. He saw action during the campaign against Murfreesboro, and led much of Forrest’s rear guard after the Hood’s defeat at the Battle of Nashville. In March, Armstrong was assigned to the defenses of Selma, Alabama, one of the Confederacy’s last remaining industrial centers, and on April 2, 1865, his troops participated in efforts to defend the town against a much larger Union force under General James H. Wilson. Armstrong was captured later that day. After the Civil War, because of his frontier and military experience, he served as United States Indian Inspector (1885-1889), and was the Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs (1893 to 1895).
3.  William Thompson Martin (1823-1910) was a lawyer in Mississippi before the Civil War. He opposed secession, but still raised a cavalry troops for the Confederacy. He quickly rose to colonel and then brigadier general, serving in the Western Theater. He was cavalry commander under James Longstreet at Knoxville and after Longstreet’s return to the east, Martin was promoted to major general. He led a division under Joseph Wheeler at Atlanta and rose to command of the military district of Northwest Mississippi by the time the war ended. After the War he returned to his law practice, served in the Mississippi state senate, and was the president of the Natchez, Jackson, and Columbus railroad.

1863 June 20: Polk County is “in out of the draft,” Plus Several Obituaries of Local Soldiers

Following are the small items from our June 20, 1863, newspapers.  The first item includes Burnett County, which we have not heard much about so far.

From The Polk County Press:

— Enrolment officers have been appointed for this and Burnett counties.

— The Polk County Rifles will meet at the Fair Ground for the purpose of drill at one o’clock to-day, (Saturday.)

— An enrolling officer by the name of DOUGLASS, while performing his duties in Dodge county, this state, was shot through the back by some cowardly villian [sic] who was concealed in some bushes.  The wound is said to be fatal.  Owing to this occurrence company A 30th, Capt. SAM. HARRIMAN, has been sent down into Dodge, to enforce the laws and prevent anything else of the kind occurring.

RESISTANCE TO THE DRAFT.—It is said that the government has decided that the twenty-fifth section of the Conscription Act relative to the arrest of persons resisting the draft, shall be strictly adhered to.  It provides that if any person shall obstruct any officer in the performance of his duty under it, he shall be subject to summary arrest by the Provost Marshal, and be forthwith delivered to the civil authorities, where upon conviction, he shall suffer fine and imprisonment.

— We have received a call from Dep. Provost Marshal, JOHN L. DALE, who passed through our town on his way to Superior.  JOHN says Polk county is all right, sound, patriotic and loyal, and her people “in out of the draft” and wishes he could say as much of other counties in the state.  We have heard that JOHN was in a decline, owing to army rations, and hard times generally, at Madison, but to see is to believe, in some cases, and having seen him we pronounce him in “good condition.”

THE 4TH WISCONSIN— COL. BEAN KILLED.—The 4th Wisconsin was in the fight at Port Hudson, and bore itself gloriously, as is the wont of our brave Wisconsin boys.  Out of 300 that went into the fight 70 were killed or wounded.  Col. Sidney A. Bean is among the killed.  Col. Bean was formerly a professor in Carrol College at Waukesha.  He was a young man of fine talents and great promise—Madison Journal.

— We are informed by John L. DALE, that EDWARD A. CLAPP, of Hudson, member of Gen. SHERMAN’S staff [William T. Sherman], and who is well known to many of our citizens, being the law partner of ALLAN DAWSON, Esq., of Hudson, and who enlisted in the Hudson City Guards at the outbreak of the rebellion, was killed in the recent battle at Port Hudson, La.  He was a brilliant lawyer, a loyal true man, a brave unflinching soldier and died a hero, at the head of an advancing column.  He entered the ranks as a private, and by his integrity and brave conduct was promoted a lieutenant, and placed on Gen. SHERMAN’s staff.

— The “Herald” says Gen. Butler [Benjamin F. Butler] will be brought out by the war Democrats for the Governorship of Massachusetts.  If he consents to run, Republicans will probably endorse him, and Gov. Andrew will be set aside.

— The telegraph reports a fearful decimation of the 4th Wisconsin, in the late fight at Port Hudson.  Its loss in killed is more than one in five—a mortality very rarely experienced in the deadliest battle.  Besides the Colonel killed, three other commissioned officers are reported as badly wounded.

THE UNION AND THE WAR.— The cause of the Union is the cause of peace, of civilization, and of liberty.  The cause of the rebellion is the cause of war, of barbarism, and of tyranny.  Let all who prefer peace and civilization and liberty, to war, and barbarism and tyranny, work and pray that the Union cause may speedily triumph.

THE LOUISIANA COLORED REGIMENTS.—A correspondent at Baton Rouge, under date of May 21st writes:  “There are already five regiments of colored troops organized in this department and credited to Louisiana.  It is expected that, in all, twenty-eight regiments will be organized at once in the department of Gen. Banks.”

From The Prescott Journal:

  Judge CLAPP, of Hudson, Lieut. in the Hudson Guards, 4th Wis., was killed in the attack of Port Hudson.—He was acting as aid to Gen. Sherman.  Judge CLAPP led a lucrative business, and enlisted as a private at the first call for volunteers.  He has fallen a victim to the slaveholder’s rebellion.  Honor to the fallen brave!

WARREN KNOWLES, of River Falls, was acting as Gen. Sherman’s Orderly; had a horse shot under him.

HARD ON ENROLLING OFFICERS.—The women particularly seem to have an antipathy against this class of men,—wherever they go the tender sex loses its customary timidity and the amizon [sic] breaks forth at once.  Such is the case in Dubuque county just now, where the enrolling officers encounter much trouble.  As the ladies in Pierce county are all for Union, friend [C. P.] Barnard will not be molested in his official duty.

  Every negro soldier enlisted and sent into the field diminishes by one the number of white men to be to be drafted.—Any squeamish fellow who objects to having fighting done by a “nigger,” should at once report himself to the nearest recruiting officer, and volunteer.

  Gen. Grant has sent flve [sic] thousand prisoners to Island No. 10, in the Mississippi, where they will be detained until the fate of Vicksburg is decided.

D I E D,

In the Hospital at Grand Gulf, Miss., May 11th, 1863, William Gray, son of Mr. Ryan Gray of Oak Grove, aged 25 years.  He was wounded May 1st at Port Gibson, and died from the effects of his wound, after lingering ten days.

COLORED TROOPS.—The Anglo African, inn its last issue, in an article on the colored element and the war, says:¹

	Adjt. General Thomas had two weekage under arms	11,000
	Gen. Banks	3,000
	Kansas regiment	1,000
	Gen. Hunter, about	3,000
	Gen. Foster	3,000
	Gen. Rosecrans, about	5,000
	Navy	5,000
	Gen. Curtis	2,000
	Massachusetts regiments	1,200
	District of Columbia	800
	Total,	35,000

ARRIVAL OF REBEL PRISONERS AT PHILADELPHIA.

Twenty-one hundred rebel prisoners captured at Haines’ Bluff on the Mississippi, arrived at Philadelphia last week, on their way to Fort Delaware.  The Press says :

“A more miserable looking set of men we have ever seen.  They were ragged and filthy.  Many were hatless and shoeless, and all of them seemed to be perfectly lame.  They were entirely submissive; not an insulting remark was made against them.  They were asked by some of the lookers-on if they were hungry and they replied no, that they have had as much as they could eat since they have been prisoners of the war, larger in quantity and better in quality than they had at any one time during the past six months.

“Some were free in their conversation and said that at Haines’ Bluff they were on half rations before the attack was made.  They said it was entirely impossible to stand the Federal fire, and there was no alternative left them but to surrender.”

“Some express a willingness to take the oath of allegiance. Others said that Gen. Pemberton [John C. Pemberton] was whipped as soon as the attack was made by the land forces; but he does not stand in very good repute, and that, to save himself from disgrace, must hold out.  They say that the supply of provisions at Vicksburg must be very limited by this time.—They talk as though Vicksburg must fall.  Many of the rebels said they were tired of the war, that it was pretty well plaid [sic] out, and if not stopped pretty soon there will be a grand revolt.

“Quite a number of the men are sick looking, with scarcely ten pounds of muscle or flesh ot [sic] give shape to their persons.  A few hard pieces of ingrain carpeting on their soldiers, which they used in place of blankets.[“]

1.  Several other newspapers from the time do not include this chart, but rather follow “the colored element and the war, says” with this: “the negro troops now in the service number thirty-five thousand, not including those acting as pioneers for Banks and Grant. It says these will doubtless swell the number to fifty thousand.”

1863 April 2: “Our troops here made a dash over the head of the lake a few days since and were successful in capturing the town of” Ponchatoula

It rather looks like Jerry has written 1862 instead of 1863 on this letter, but we know from what he talks about that it is 1863.  On March 21, 1863, General Nathaniel P. Banks sent the 6th Michigan Infantry to destroy a bridge at Ponchatoula,¹ Louisiana, and they spent several days getting there and sacking the town before burning a railroad bridge near Ponchatuala on March 25.  Although Jerry mentions that “our troops” captured “a large amount of rebel cotten [sic] and army stores,” according to historian John D. Winters in his book The Civil War in Louisiana, Colonel Thomas S. Clark of the 6th Michigan was “disappointed to find no cotton in Ponchatoula.”  He did gather all the mules, wagons, turpentine and resin, along with the plunder from the village, and loaded it aboard waiting schooners.²

The original letter is in the Jerry E. Flint Papers (River Falls Mss BN) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, University Archives and Area Research Center.

Camp Parapet La.
Apr. 2^nd 1863

My Dear Mother ;

                                      I feel a little lonesome to night — so I have made up my mind to have a short chat with you.  I presume that it will not be very interesting, for I have not the faculty of enjoying this silent mode of communication well enough to arouse in me the spirit of conversation.  I can however let you know that I am at present in very good health, and trying still to do my duty faithfully as a soldier.

The prospect of crushing this rebellion sometimes looks dark and it seems as though we made but little progress.  Still I am not yet willing to doubt our final success.  If our people at the north were half as united against the rebels as they are against us, I should be out of this hot southern climate in less than six months.

As far as I am concerned I have stood this climate uncommonly well, and but for the Fever and Ague which has a strong hold of my system I would be as well as ever in my life.  I have a spell of this once in about three weeks.  My chills are not very hard but the fevers are awful.  They make me almost crazy.  The doctor has given me a solution of Arsenic and some thing else I don’t know what.  I have taken so much quinine that it don’t have much effect.

I was very glad to hear that you had taken a trip to Dover.  I have no doubt you had a splendid visit with Aunt Persis.  I would like to hear from Berridge and Bunyan.  I hope they have enlisted.

Our troops here made a dash over the head of the lake a few days since and were successful in capturing the town of Ponchitowla [sic]¹ and a large amount of rebel cotten [sic] and army stores.  We hear rumors that Gen. Butler [Benjamin F. Butler] is to be sent again to this department.  I hope it is true as do all of his old troops.  With him would come confidence and a new and energetic spirit to the army here.  When he issues an order the rebels in New Orleans know that it must be obeyed.  As for Banks they care no more for him than they do for a street urchin.

I would send you some money but if I had it but we have not been paid off for nearly four months so that of course I am strapped.  I shall expect a letter from Phineas by the next steamer.

Do you ever hear anything from Whitefield.  I feel anxious to know where he is, though I suppose that he cares little whether we know anything of him or not.  Give my love to all the folks.

Yours Truly,

P.S.  I forgot to tell you that six of us had built us a small shantie [sic] 10×12 and are now living in it.  It is much more comfortable than tents.

1.  Ponchatoula is located half way between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Jerry seems to be spelling it phonetically.
2.  The Civil War in Louisiana, by John D. Winters, [Baton Rouge]: Louisiana State University Press, 1963. The incident at Pontchatoula is described on pages 219-20. This book is available in the UWRF Library (E 565 .W54).

Jerry Flint letter of April 2, 1863, from the Jerry E. Flint Paper (River Falls Mss BN) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls University Archives & Area Research Center

 

1863 February 18: War News Items

The following news items are from The Prescott Journal of February 18, 1863.

NEWS ITEMS.

– The average weekly receipts at the Bureau of Internal Revenue are about $1,500,000.

– Gen. Stoneman [George Stoneman] is re-appointed Chief of Cavalry of the army of the Potomac.  He held the position during a portion of the time McClellan [George B. McClellan] was in command of the army.

– The figures at the War Department show that we are now discharging, from our armies in the field, disabled soldiers at the rate of 1,000 a week.

– Messrs McINDOE [Walter D. McIndoe] and Sloan of this State voted for the bill authorizing the employment of colored soldiers and soilors [sic].  Mr. Potter’s name does not appear in the list of Ayes and Noes.¹

– Three rebel young ladies, in their enthusiasm for the war, announce thro’ the columns of the Raleigh (N. C.) Standard, that they will provide clothes for three soldiers as long as the war continues, if the soldiers whom they select will consent to marry them when the war is over.

– Gen. Butler [Benjamin F. Butler] closed a recent speech in reply to a serenade at Boston, with the following strong statement of his hatred of the rebellion :  “Rather than not have it quelled, I for one am ready to begin over again, with a ship load of emigrants at Plymouth and Jamestown, and start fair again if we have so far mistaken our road, and anything short of that would be treason to the country, treason to the world, and treason to liberty forever.”

– The English Census shows that the rebel States lost only 458 fugitive slaves during the ten years from 1850 to 1860.  South Carolina, which began this unholy war, lost 58 slaves in that time or one in 17,501 of her whole number.  No other specie of property in the United States was ever so safe and so well protected as that in human beings ;  and yet the slave-owners rebelled.  Can any judgment be too severe against the disturbers of a nation’s peace.

– Four iron clads are ordered to be prepared for sea at once, and from the activity prevailing in the Navy Department, it is judged that important events are at hand.

– General Butler has not yet accepted the command of the Department of the Gulf, though it is understood that he has the subject under consideration.

– A Washington letter writer says that the Army of the Potomac has been in winter quarters since the middle of November.  Hooker [Joseph Hooker] has fire, impetuosity, courage, and ambition.  He would move if [sic: if] it were possible, but it is not possible.  He would drill his men if that were possible, but it is not.  “Stuck in the mud,” is the record placarded all along the south bank of the Rappahannock by the rebels, and they have added in derision, the words of the President’s Proclamation, posted in big black letters on sign boards.

– A rather important step on the subject of slavery has been taken by the Spanish Government.  An order has been published in the official Gazette, Dated Madrid, December 11, 1862, by which it is decreed that slaves going with their Cuban masters to the United States North, or to any free country, become thereby free, the same as if they had gone to Spain.

– The Governor of Michigan² has issued an order for the draft in that State, and about three thousand men will be thus obtained for military purposes.  The press of the State does not seem to regard the prospect with any satisfaction.

– Adjutant General Thomas [Lorenzo Thomas] names and notifies ninety-five army officers that unless they successfully defend themselves against certain specifications within ten days, they will be dismissed from the service.

– Gen. Hunter [David Hunter], now in command of the Department of the South, has notified the Express Companies that all crinoline and wearers of it are henceforth contraband.  Officers’ wives will be sent North.

– Gen. Butler has charged himself in account with the War Department, with one million and eighty-eight thousand dollars, as having been received by him from military assessments and confiscations.

– The select Committee on Emancipation in the House, in a few days, will report a bill for the establishment of a Bureau of Emancipation.

1.  Andrew Scott Sloan (1820-1895), a U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin from March 1861 to March 1863.  John Fox Potter (1817-1899), U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin from March 1857 to March 1863. Potter served as chairman of the important House Committee on Public Lands, but gained fame largely because of his personal quarrel in 1860 over the slavery question with Virginia’s fiery Congressman, Roger Pryor.
2.  Austin Blair (1818-1894) was the 13th governor of Michigan. He was a a strong opponent of slavery and secession.

1862 January 31: Will General Butler Resume Command in New Orleans?

The following summary of the week’s war news comes from the January 31, 1863, issue of The Polk County Press.

The Latest News.

Richmond refugees who have arrived at Washington report that there was great excitement at Richmond, owing to the report that a force of eighty thousand Federals were marching on Weldon, that fifteen thousand of Jackson’s division, passed through Richmond last week on their way South.

The California legislature has not yet succeeded in electing a U.S. Senator and are looking for a compromise candidate.

The subject of reorganizing the 38 New York Regiments, whose terms of enlistment expire next summer is being agitated in that State.

The new Governor of Delaware expresses strong Union and Emancipation sentiments in his inaugural.¹

It is reported that the rebel troops have been removed from Mobile, except three thousand now garrisoning Forts Gaines and Morgan.

Gen. Buckner [Simon Bolivar Buckner] says that he will burn the city [Mobile, Alabama] rather than surrender to the United States forces.

Advices from Memphis say that Gen. Gorman [Willis A. Gorman], with most of his force moved in some direction unknown, and that good news may be expected from him soon.

Mound City, Arkansas, a guerrilla rendezvous, was burned on the 21stinst. by our troops.

It is positively stated that General Butler [Benjamin F. Butler] will resume command of the Gulf Department again, his headquarters first to be New Orleans, and soon at a higher point on the Mississippi.  This determination in regard to his was arrived at immediately after his departure from Washingtion for the North.  It was the inevitable result of his conference with the President and Heads of Departments.

A despatch from Memphis says that on Thursday, a detachment of the 22d Missouri, carrying dispatches from Helena to Clarendon, were attacked by rebels.  Seventeen of the latter were captured after a smart skirmish.  We killed a rebel Lieutenant and six of his men.

The Confederates made a raid into Holly Springs on last Monday.  A large number of negroes left behind by the Federals were attacked, and several killed.  The rest were sent South to be again sold into slavery.

Last Sunday, the 3d Michigan cavalry skirmished and drove Richardson’s² cavalry across the South Hatchie river, with a loss of six men.

Daily Skirmishes occur near Corinth, and an attack is constantly looked for.

1.  William Cannon (1809-1865) was the 40th governor of Delaware, serving from January 20, 1863 until his death on March 1, 1865.
2.  Robert Vinkler Richardson (1820-1870) was a lawyer in Memphis, Tennessee, before the Civil War. Early in the War, he served under Gideon J. Pillow and was the colonel of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry.  He participated in the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth. In 1863 he will be promoted to brigadier general.