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re: 150 years ago this day...
Posted on 10/7/13 at 4:15 am to BadLeroyDawg
Posted on 10/7/13 at 4:15 am to BadLeroyDawg
Wednesday, 7 October 1863
Acting Chief Engineer Thomas Doughty engaged in a curious naval action today. His ship, the USS Osage, docked on the west bank of the Mississippi River. From there, Doughty led a landing party through the brush and vines and swamps overland to the Red River, a hotbed of Confederate shipping both military and civilian. They got to their destination, the steamer Argus, tied up to the bank of the river. Her crew not looking for a naval attack from the landward side, they were promptly captured along with their boat. It was the Union sea-men’s turn to be surprised when another Confederate ship, the steamer Robert Fulton came chugging down the stream. Doughty calmly ordered the vessel to “come to,” andb having no reason not to, she did and was just as promptly captured. The Argus was burned on the spot. They tried to sail the Fulton to rejoin the Union fleet on the Mississippi, but she got stuck on a bar and was also burned. Doughty, his men and their nine prisoners returned to the Osage without a casualty.
Another report: An expedition under Acting Chief Engineer Thomas Doughty from USS Osage captured and burned the steamers Robert Fulton and Argus in the Red River. Acting Lieutenant Couthouy, commanding the Osage, had ordered the operation upon learning that a Confederate steamer was tied up to the river bank. The naval force travelled overland from the Mississippi to the Red "after great labor in getting through entanglements of the bushes and other undergrowth . . . ." Doughty succeeded in capturing Argus shortly before Robert Fulton was sighted steaming downriver. He ordered her to come to. "She did so," he reported, "and I found myself in possession of 9 prisoners and two steamboats." Doughty burned Argus immediately and then destroyed Robert Fulton when he was unable to get her over the bar at the mouth of the Red River. "This is a great loss to the rebels at this moment," Rear Admiral Porter wrote, "as it cuts off their means of operating across that part of Atchafalaya where they lately came over to attack Morganza. This capture will deter others from coming down the Red River." One of the prisoners was an aid to the Confederate General Taylor, who had been sent up expressly for the last steamer.
A boat crew from USS Cayuga, Lieutenant Commander Dana, boarded and destroyed blockade runner Pushmataha which had been chased ashore and abandoned off Calcasieu River, Louisiana. Pushmataha carried a cargo of a ram, claret, and gunpowder, and had been set on fire by her crew. "One of a number of kegs of powder had been opened," reported Dana, "and a match, which was inserted in the hole, was on fire; this was taken out and, with the keg, thrown overboard by Thomas Morton, ordinary seaman..." an unsung act of heroism. Dana chased ashore another schooner carrying gunpowder which was blown up before she could be boarded.
Colonel Harrison's force of West Tennessee cavalry were attacked at Como, Mississippi, by Confederate partisan guerrillas, under Colonels Faulkner and Wilson, and was forced to hastily retreat after an engagement of two hours, with a loss of thirty-seven men. The Confederates reported great loss as well, Colonel Wilson being among the killed.
A fight took place at Farmington, Tenn., between the Union forces under General Crook and the Rebels commanded by General Wharton.
Chat
Acting Chief Engineer Thomas Doughty engaged in a curious naval action today. His ship, the USS Osage, docked on the west bank of the Mississippi River. From there, Doughty led a landing party through the brush and vines and swamps overland to the Red River, a hotbed of Confederate shipping both military and civilian. They got to their destination, the steamer Argus, tied up to the bank of the river. Her crew not looking for a naval attack from the landward side, they were promptly captured along with their boat. It was the Union sea-men’s turn to be surprised when another Confederate ship, the steamer Robert Fulton came chugging down the stream. Doughty calmly ordered the vessel to “come to,” andb having no reason not to, she did and was just as promptly captured. The Argus was burned on the spot. They tried to sail the Fulton to rejoin the Union fleet on the Mississippi, but she got stuck on a bar and was also burned. Doughty, his men and their nine prisoners returned to the Osage without a casualty.
Another report: An expedition under Acting Chief Engineer Thomas Doughty from USS Osage captured and burned the steamers Robert Fulton and Argus in the Red River. Acting Lieutenant Couthouy, commanding the Osage, had ordered the operation upon learning that a Confederate steamer was tied up to the river bank. The naval force travelled overland from the Mississippi to the Red "after great labor in getting through entanglements of the bushes and other undergrowth . . . ." Doughty succeeded in capturing Argus shortly before Robert Fulton was sighted steaming downriver. He ordered her to come to. "She did so," he reported, "and I found myself in possession of 9 prisoners and two steamboats." Doughty burned Argus immediately and then destroyed Robert Fulton when he was unable to get her over the bar at the mouth of the Red River. "This is a great loss to the rebels at this moment," Rear Admiral Porter wrote, "as it cuts off their means of operating across that part of Atchafalaya where they lately came over to attack Morganza. This capture will deter others from coming down the Red River." One of the prisoners was an aid to the Confederate General Taylor, who had been sent up expressly for the last steamer.
A boat crew from USS Cayuga, Lieutenant Commander Dana, boarded and destroyed blockade runner Pushmataha which had been chased ashore and abandoned off Calcasieu River, Louisiana. Pushmataha carried a cargo of a ram, claret, and gunpowder, and had been set on fire by her crew. "One of a number of kegs of powder had been opened," reported Dana, "and a match, which was inserted in the hole, was on fire; this was taken out and, with the keg, thrown overboard by Thomas Morton, ordinary seaman..." an unsung act of heroism. Dana chased ashore another schooner carrying gunpowder which was blown up before she could be boarded.
Colonel Harrison's force of West Tennessee cavalry were attacked at Como, Mississippi, by Confederate partisan guerrillas, under Colonels Faulkner and Wilson, and was forced to hastily retreat after an engagement of two hours, with a loss of thirty-seven men. The Confederates reported great loss as well, Colonel Wilson being among the killed.
A fight took place at Farmington, Tenn., between the Union forces under General Crook and the Rebels commanded by General Wharton.
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1
Posted on 10/8/13 at 5:56 am to BadLeroyDawg
Thursday, 8 October 1863
President Jefferson Davis speaks in Atlanta making a short address from the train platform expressing his gratitude "...at the stand Georgia had always occupied..." and complimenting the state for "...her soldiers having done their duty on every field." He also thanked Governor Joseph Brown for having received "...his earnest promise of co-operation."
Confederate Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin writes to President Jefferson Davis that the Cabinet was of "...opinion that as soon as such an offensive encroachment on the sovereignty of the Confederacy had been made public..." because of Great Britain's unwillingness to announce recognition of the new American country that "...the British consular agents should be expelled from the Confederacy..."
Stephen D. Yancey wrote to Henry E. McCulloch..."A staff officer for the Confederate District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona writes to the commander of the Northern Sub-District of Texas at Bonham that, according to intelligence received, 30,000 Union troops have embarked from Berwick Bay. Based on the fact that they have not shown up on the Texas coast, General Magruder believes they have headed eastward. If so, he will send reinforcements to northern Texas."
Last night the garrison at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, were alarmed by an attack, and the cavalry and two regiments of infantry started out to meet the enemy. Near Charlestown, a force of over three hundred cavalry, commanded by Imboden, were posted. The Confederates had a large portion of their force dismounted and in ambuscade. Captain Somers, with his company of cavalry, had advanced to hunt up the enemy. He met a company of Rebel cavalry, who charged upon him and were repulsed. They purposely retreated, Captain Somers and his company pursuing until they entered the fatal ambuscade. At the first fire Captain Somers and ten men were killed, as many more wounded, and nearly all the others captured. The few who escaped carried the information into camp, and the rest of the cavalry started back out in pursuit, but were unable to come up with the Southerners.
The following order was issued at Richmond, Virginia, by the Confederate Adjutant General Cooper: “The Chief of the Nitre and Mining Bureau is directed, through the officers of his bureau, to impress copper, coal, and such other minerals as may be needed for the use of the government.”
A fight occurred near Salem, Mississippi, between almost four thousand Confederates, under General S. D. Lee, and over five thousand Federals, under McCullis and Phillips, resulting in the defeat of the Rebels with a loss of fifteen killed and wounded.
Another Draft Riot occurred as a mob at Jackson, New Hampshire, surrounded and burned the hotel where the Deputy Provost-Marshal was stopping while serving notices on drafted men.
Carthage, Missouri, was burned by the Confederate partisan troops.
A party of about one hundred partisan Confederate guerrillas, under command of Captain Richardson, at two o'clock this afternoon, placed obstructions on the track of the Lebanon Branch Railroad, at New Hope, Kentucky, twenty miles from the junction, threw the train off the track, and fired into it, but did no damage to the passengers. They then captured the train, burned two passenger cars, baggage and express cars, destroyed the locomotive, robbed the passengers of money and clothing, and decamped.
Chat
President Jefferson Davis speaks in Atlanta making a short address from the train platform expressing his gratitude "...at the stand Georgia had always occupied..." and complimenting the state for "...her soldiers having done their duty on every field." He also thanked Governor Joseph Brown for having received "...his earnest promise of co-operation."
Confederate Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin writes to President Jefferson Davis that the Cabinet was of "...opinion that as soon as such an offensive encroachment on the sovereignty of the Confederacy had been made public..." because of Great Britain's unwillingness to announce recognition of the new American country that "...the British consular agents should be expelled from the Confederacy..."
Stephen D. Yancey wrote to Henry E. McCulloch..."A staff officer for the Confederate District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona writes to the commander of the Northern Sub-District of Texas at Bonham that, according to intelligence received, 30,000 Union troops have embarked from Berwick Bay. Based on the fact that they have not shown up on the Texas coast, General Magruder believes they have headed eastward. If so, he will send reinforcements to northern Texas."
Last night the garrison at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, were alarmed by an attack, and the cavalry and two regiments of infantry started out to meet the enemy. Near Charlestown, a force of over three hundred cavalry, commanded by Imboden, were posted. The Confederates had a large portion of their force dismounted and in ambuscade. Captain Somers, with his company of cavalry, had advanced to hunt up the enemy. He met a company of Rebel cavalry, who charged upon him and were repulsed. They purposely retreated, Captain Somers and his company pursuing until they entered the fatal ambuscade. At the first fire Captain Somers and ten men were killed, as many more wounded, and nearly all the others captured. The few who escaped carried the information into camp, and the rest of the cavalry started back out in pursuit, but were unable to come up with the Southerners.
The following order was issued at Richmond, Virginia, by the Confederate Adjutant General Cooper: “The Chief of the Nitre and Mining Bureau is directed, through the officers of his bureau, to impress copper, coal, and such other minerals as may be needed for the use of the government.”
A fight occurred near Salem, Mississippi, between almost four thousand Confederates, under General S. D. Lee, and over five thousand Federals, under McCullis and Phillips, resulting in the defeat of the Rebels with a loss of fifteen killed and wounded.
Another Draft Riot occurred as a mob at Jackson, New Hampshire, surrounded and burned the hotel where the Deputy Provost-Marshal was stopping while serving notices on drafted men.
Carthage, Missouri, was burned by the Confederate partisan troops.
A party of about one hundred partisan Confederate guerrillas, under command of Captain Richardson, at two o'clock this afternoon, placed obstructions on the track of the Lebanon Branch Railroad, at New Hope, Kentucky, twenty miles from the junction, threw the train off the track, and fired into it, but did no damage to the passengers. They then captured the train, burned two passenger cars, baggage and express cars, destroyed the locomotive, robbed the passengers of money and clothing, and decamped.
Chat
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