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Posted on 9/22/13 at 6:46 am to BadLeroyDawg
Tuesday, 22 September 1863
President Abraham Lincoln mourns the death of his brother-in-law this morning in Washington, DC-killed at Chickamauga-Confederate General Ben Hardin Helm.
General Braxton Bragg orders an attack on Federal positions below Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga; the troops reach the area only to find the enemy ready to "...receive and entertain us...we expected to be flung against the forts to certain destruction." Realizing the Federals have now firmly dug in, Bragg cancels the attack. By failing to pursue the Union retreat before it can organize, Bragg has missed his second great opportunity to destroy the Army of the Cumberland. Now, as his forces occupy the commanding heights of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, his third and final opportunity materializes into shape. A few days after having thought they were chasing the Confederates to Atlanta, the Yankees find themselves defeated, besieged and confused.
While the cleanup continued after the bloody Union defeat at Chickamauga, this Rant historian's attention turns to a lesser-known nautical incident. It seems a few days ago, Acting Master David Nicols of the Confederate States Navy set out on his small cutter Teaser from Mobile, Alabama, and sailed to the Southwest Pass, one of the channels at the mouth of the Mississippi River. There, Nichols and his 19 crewmen worked their way through the marshlands to a Federal coal depot, where rested the recently refueled and restocked USS Leviathan, a tugboat. Nichols and his men pulled the cutter into the marshes and made their way on foot to the coal wharf where they simply stole the tugboat, described by Captain Walker as "...a new and very fast screw steamer, amply supplied with coal and provisions for a cruise..." before dawn and headed back to Mobile. Awe at his creativity did not prevent the depot supervisors from giving the alarm. Shortly thereafter, Commodore Bell ordered Navy ships in pursuit.and 40 miles offshore the USS De Soto, under Captain W. M. Walker, intercepted the vessels, repossessing one and capturing the other. Nichols and his crew were likewise taken into custody.
Flag Officer Tucker assigned Lieutenant William T. Glassell, CSN, to command CSS David, "with a view of destroying as many of the enemy's vessels as possible Glassell, who had arrived in Charleston on 8 September from Wilmington on "special service," would take the torpedo boat against USS New Ironsides two weeks later.
An expedition under Acting Master George W. Ewer from the USS Seneca destroyed the Hudson Place Salt Works near Darien, Georgia. Ewer reported that the works, producing some 10 or 15 bushels of salt a day, were now "completely useless."
The USS Connecticut, Commander Almy in charge, seized the blockade running British steamer Juno off Wilmington with a large cargo of cotton and tobacco.
The Battle of Blountville, sometimes called the Battle of Blountsville, was fought this morning in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The fight occurred during a Union expedition into East Tennessee led by Major General Ambrose Burnside, commander of the Department of the Ohio, with the objective of clearing the roads and gaps to Virginia and securing the salt-works in southwestern Virginia. On September 22, Union Colonel John W. Foster, with his cavalry and artillery, engaged Colonel James E. Carter and his troops at Blountville. Foster attacked at noon and in the four-hour battle shelled the town and initiated a flanking movement, compelling the Confederates to withdraw. Blountsville was the initial step in the Union’s attempt to force Confederate Major General Sam Jones and his command to retire from East Tennessee. The Sullivan County courthouse in Blountville was gutted by a fire that broke out during the shelling.
A small body of Confederate cavalry crossed into Upper Maryland, a few miles from Rockville, but had not proceeded far before they were met by a portion of Scott's “Nine hundred” cavalry and an infantry force. A fight ensued, and thirty-four Rebels were killed and wounded. Among their killed was Captain Frank Kilgore, (of Maryland,) the commander of the enemy's forces. The Southerners, finding they were contending with superior numbers, retreated.
Chat Discussion
President Abraham Lincoln mourns the death of his brother-in-law this morning in Washington, DC-killed at Chickamauga-Confederate General Ben Hardin Helm.
General Braxton Bragg orders an attack on Federal positions below Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga; the troops reach the area only to find the enemy ready to "...receive and entertain us...we expected to be flung against the forts to certain destruction." Realizing the Federals have now firmly dug in, Bragg cancels the attack. By failing to pursue the Union retreat before it can organize, Bragg has missed his second great opportunity to destroy the Army of the Cumberland. Now, as his forces occupy the commanding heights of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, his third and final opportunity materializes into shape. A few days after having thought they were chasing the Confederates to Atlanta, the Yankees find themselves defeated, besieged and confused.
While the cleanup continued after the bloody Union defeat at Chickamauga, this Rant historian's attention turns to a lesser-known nautical incident. It seems a few days ago, Acting Master David Nicols of the Confederate States Navy set out on his small cutter Teaser from Mobile, Alabama, and sailed to the Southwest Pass, one of the channels at the mouth of the Mississippi River. There, Nichols and his 19 crewmen worked their way through the marshlands to a Federal coal depot, where rested the recently refueled and restocked USS Leviathan, a tugboat. Nichols and his men pulled the cutter into the marshes and made their way on foot to the coal wharf where they simply stole the tugboat, described by Captain Walker as "...a new and very fast screw steamer, amply supplied with coal and provisions for a cruise..." before dawn and headed back to Mobile. Awe at his creativity did not prevent the depot supervisors from giving the alarm. Shortly thereafter, Commodore Bell ordered Navy ships in pursuit.and 40 miles offshore the USS De Soto, under Captain W. M. Walker, intercepted the vessels, repossessing one and capturing the other. Nichols and his crew were likewise taken into custody.
Flag Officer Tucker assigned Lieutenant William T. Glassell, CSN, to command CSS David, "with a view of destroying as many of the enemy's vessels as possible Glassell, who had arrived in Charleston on 8 September from Wilmington on "special service," would take the torpedo boat against USS New Ironsides two weeks later.
An expedition under Acting Master George W. Ewer from the USS Seneca destroyed the Hudson Place Salt Works near Darien, Georgia. Ewer reported that the works, producing some 10 or 15 bushels of salt a day, were now "completely useless."
The USS Connecticut, Commander Almy in charge, seized the blockade running British steamer Juno off Wilmington with a large cargo of cotton and tobacco.
The Battle of Blountville, sometimes called the Battle of Blountsville, was fought this morning in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The fight occurred during a Union expedition into East Tennessee led by Major General Ambrose Burnside, commander of the Department of the Ohio, with the objective of clearing the roads and gaps to Virginia and securing the salt-works in southwestern Virginia. On September 22, Union Colonel John W. Foster, with his cavalry and artillery, engaged Colonel James E. Carter and his troops at Blountville. Foster attacked at noon and in the four-hour battle shelled the town and initiated a flanking movement, compelling the Confederates to withdraw. Blountsville was the initial step in the Union’s attempt to force Confederate Major General Sam Jones and his command to retire from East Tennessee. The Sullivan County courthouse in Blountville was gutted by a fire that broke out during the shelling.
A small body of Confederate cavalry crossed into Upper Maryland, a few miles from Rockville, but had not proceeded far before they were met by a portion of Scott's “Nine hundred” cavalry and an infantry force. A fight ensued, and thirty-four Rebels were killed and wounded. Among their killed was Captain Frank Kilgore, (of Maryland,) the commander of the enemy's forces. The Southerners, finding they were contending with superior numbers, retreated.
Chat Discussion
This post was edited on 9/22/13 at 6:50 am
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