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re: 150 years ago this day...
Posted on 11/26/13 at 5:52 am to BadLeroyDawg
Posted on 11/26/13 at 5:52 am to BadLeroyDawg
Thursday, 26 November 1863
A major battle had just been fought and won yesterday on Missionary Ridge, and normal custom would be for the victors to rest, reorganize, gather and tend the wounded and bury the dead, while General Braxton Bragg led the Army of Tennessee a short distance away to do the same. General Hiram U. Grant was not a big believer in custom, however, so he sent Generals William T. Sherman and George Thomas on a major pursuit of the retreating Confederate army. It was to Bragg’s great good fortune that his rear guard was under the command of the outstanding General Pat Cleburne. At Ringgold, Georgia, he turned and fought a short but severe action. Persistence was shown by both sides and other fights occurred at Chickamauga Station, Pea Vine Valley, and Pigeon Hill, Tennessee, and Graysville, Georgia. In the end, the Federals were held off and the Southern retreat protected.
The USS James Adger, under Commander Patterson, seized the British blockade runner Ella off Masonboro Inlet, North Carolina, with a cargo of salt.
The USS Antona, Acting Master Zerega in charge, captured the schooner Mary Ann southeast of Corpus Christi with a cargo of cotton.
At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a meeting of the United States Christian Commission was held, on behalf of the National prisoners at Richmond. Bishop Potter of Pennsylvania presided, and addresses were made by Governor Brough, of Ohio, Major Boles, late from Libby Prison, G. H. Stuart, President of the Christian Commission, and others.
An engagement took place at Warm Springs, North Carolina. “It shows,” says a Confederate correspondent, “that it was a very gallant affair on the part of our men. Lieutenant Colonel Bryson, of the Twenty-fifth North Carolina troops, with a detachment of eighty men, crossed the French Broad, and was joined that night by twenty militia, under Major Haywood. Proceeding on the march, and arriving at the enemy's outpost at daylight, he was found in line of battle, having already discovered the plan. Although numbering about four hundred, the Yankees were charged and driven from the field. They came up the second time with the same result. A third time they were reenforced, perceiving which, Colonel Bryson gave the order to fall back, which was done in good order. In a hand-to-hand encounter, Sergeant Collins rushed forward and sacrificed his life to save Colonel Bryson's. The enemy's loss was thirty killed and wounded.”
By President Abraham Lincoln's proclamation, Thanksgiving day is celebrated in all of the Northern States.
The Union Army of the Potomac, under the command of Major General George Meade, advanced, crossing the Rapidan River at several points. General Robert E. Lee, commanding the Confederate forces known as the Army of Northern Virginia, noticing the movement, issued the following general order:
The enemy is again advancing upon our capital, and the country once more looks to this army for its protection. Under the blessings of God, your valor has repelled every previous attempt, and, invoking the continuance of his favor, we cheerfully commit to him the issue of the coming contest.
A cruel enemy seeks to reduce our fathers and our mothers, our wives and our children to abject slavery; to strip them of their property and drive them from their homes. Upon you these helpless ones rely to avert these terrible calamities, and to secure to them the blessings of liberty and safety. Your past history gives them the assurance that their trust will not be in vain. Let every man remember that all he holds dear depends upon the faithful discharge of his duty, and resolve to fight, and, if need be, to die, in defense of a cause so sacred and worthy the name won by this army on so many bloody fields.
A major battle had just been fought and won yesterday on Missionary Ridge, and normal custom would be for the victors to rest, reorganize, gather and tend the wounded and bury the dead, while General Braxton Bragg led the Army of Tennessee a short distance away to do the same. General Hiram U. Grant was not a big believer in custom, however, so he sent Generals William T. Sherman and George Thomas on a major pursuit of the retreating Confederate army. It was to Bragg’s great good fortune that his rear guard was under the command of the outstanding General Pat Cleburne. At Ringgold, Georgia, he turned and fought a short but severe action. Persistence was shown by both sides and other fights occurred at Chickamauga Station, Pea Vine Valley, and Pigeon Hill, Tennessee, and Graysville, Georgia. In the end, the Federals were held off and the Southern retreat protected.
The USS James Adger, under Commander Patterson, seized the British blockade runner Ella off Masonboro Inlet, North Carolina, with a cargo of salt.
The USS Antona, Acting Master Zerega in charge, captured the schooner Mary Ann southeast of Corpus Christi with a cargo of cotton.
At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a meeting of the United States Christian Commission was held, on behalf of the National prisoners at Richmond. Bishop Potter of Pennsylvania presided, and addresses were made by Governor Brough, of Ohio, Major Boles, late from Libby Prison, G. H. Stuart, President of the Christian Commission, and others.
An engagement took place at Warm Springs, North Carolina. “It shows,” says a Confederate correspondent, “that it was a very gallant affair on the part of our men. Lieutenant Colonel Bryson, of the Twenty-fifth North Carolina troops, with a detachment of eighty men, crossed the French Broad, and was joined that night by twenty militia, under Major Haywood. Proceeding on the march, and arriving at the enemy's outpost at daylight, he was found in line of battle, having already discovered the plan. Although numbering about four hundred, the Yankees were charged and driven from the field. They came up the second time with the same result. A third time they were reenforced, perceiving which, Colonel Bryson gave the order to fall back, which was done in good order. In a hand-to-hand encounter, Sergeant Collins rushed forward and sacrificed his life to save Colonel Bryson's. The enemy's loss was thirty killed and wounded.”
By President Abraham Lincoln's proclamation, Thanksgiving day is celebrated in all of the Northern States.
The Union Army of the Potomac, under the command of Major General George Meade, advanced, crossing the Rapidan River at several points. General Robert E. Lee, commanding the Confederate forces known as the Army of Northern Virginia, noticing the movement, issued the following general order:
The enemy is again advancing upon our capital, and the country once more looks to this army for its protection. Under the blessings of God, your valor has repelled every previous attempt, and, invoking the continuance of his favor, we cheerfully commit to him the issue of the coming contest.
A cruel enemy seeks to reduce our fathers and our mothers, our wives and our children to abject slavery; to strip them of their property and drive them from their homes. Upon you these helpless ones rely to avert these terrible calamities, and to secure to them the blessings of liberty and safety. Your past history gives them the assurance that their trust will not be in vain. Let every man remember that all he holds dear depends upon the faithful discharge of his duty, and resolve to fight, and, if need be, to die, in defense of a cause so sacred and worthy the name won by this army on so many bloody fields.
1
Posted on 11/27/13 at 6:09 am to BadLeroyDawg
Friday, 27 November 1863
The Mine Run Campaign was, in a way, the last gasp of a string of events that had started at Gettysburg, when the Army of Northern Virginia had withdrawn at their own pace from the field. U.S. General George Meade had first been hailed as the savior of the Union, but his failure to follow and crush General Robert E. Lee's forces soon made him the target of intense pressure from President Abraham Lincoln. Thus, the continued pursuit in this venture when most armies were already in winter camp. Meade was heading for a small valley called Mine Run. Lee knew this and fortified it heavily. Union General William Henry French's corps was vital to Meade's attack, but they took the wrong road and ran into General Jubal Early's men, which occupied most of the day. Meade later blamed French's mistake for the failure of the entire project.
The USS Two Sisters, under Acting Master Charles H. Rockwell, seized the Confederate blockade running schooner Maria Alberta near Bayport, Florida.
A delegation of Cherokees, headed by Captain Smith Christy, acting Chief, and including Thomas Pegg, a leading Indian, and William P. Ross, with Reverend J. B. Jones as interpreter, went in state to pay their respects to General McNeil, the district commander at Fort Smith, Arkansas, by order of an act of their National Council. The act recited the sufferings, and asked additional protection to the nation and authority to raise an Indian cavalry regiment. After the presentation of their credentials, Chief Christy arose and said that their national council had instructed them to call and pay their respects to the Commanding General, express their confidence in his ability and bravery, and to state the condition and wants of their suffering people. He then recapitulated the contents of the documents they were preparing to present. The greatest annoyance was from roving banditti, who desolated their homes and murdered their people. Their lives and those of their families were not safe away from the military fort. They desired stringent measures to change this state of things. They wished carried into successful practice a plan of Colonel Phillips, to form districts allotted for settlement, which should be adequately protected in order that the families camped in the vicinity of Fort Gibson might remove to more comfortable homes. From their present condition of suffering and disease, they thought the patriotic acts and sacrifices of their nation had not been sufficiently appreciated.
General McNeil replied that it gave him very great pleasure to receive this token of respect of the Cherokee nation. Among the responsibilities of the command to which he had been assigned, there was none greater than his duty toward their suffering people. One of his first acts on assuming command was to represent the condition of the Indian tribes, and he had recommended some measures for the improvement of their condition. The Government is very desirous that you should make a crop this spring, and such a disposition of troops will be made that you can do it in safety.
Mr. Ross.--If white troops will keep away our white enemies, the loyal Indian troops can protect themselves.
General McNeil.--I ask if I may assure the Government that the Cherokees will not make civil war on their tribes except in self defense.
Chief Christy.--You may.
The Mine Run Campaign was, in a way, the last gasp of a string of events that had started at Gettysburg, when the Army of Northern Virginia had withdrawn at their own pace from the field. U.S. General George Meade had first been hailed as the savior of the Union, but his failure to follow and crush General Robert E. Lee's forces soon made him the target of intense pressure from President Abraham Lincoln. Thus, the continued pursuit in this venture when most armies were already in winter camp. Meade was heading for a small valley called Mine Run. Lee knew this and fortified it heavily. Union General William Henry French's corps was vital to Meade's attack, but they took the wrong road and ran into General Jubal Early's men, which occupied most of the day. Meade later blamed French's mistake for the failure of the entire project.
The USS Two Sisters, under Acting Master Charles H. Rockwell, seized the Confederate blockade running schooner Maria Alberta near Bayport, Florida.
A delegation of Cherokees, headed by Captain Smith Christy, acting Chief, and including Thomas Pegg, a leading Indian, and William P. Ross, with Reverend J. B. Jones as interpreter, went in state to pay their respects to General McNeil, the district commander at Fort Smith, Arkansas, by order of an act of their National Council. The act recited the sufferings, and asked additional protection to the nation and authority to raise an Indian cavalry regiment. After the presentation of their credentials, Chief Christy arose and said that their national council had instructed them to call and pay their respects to the Commanding General, express their confidence in his ability and bravery, and to state the condition and wants of their suffering people. He then recapitulated the contents of the documents they were preparing to present. The greatest annoyance was from roving banditti, who desolated their homes and murdered their people. Their lives and those of their families were not safe away from the military fort. They desired stringent measures to change this state of things. They wished carried into successful practice a plan of Colonel Phillips, to form districts allotted for settlement, which should be adequately protected in order that the families camped in the vicinity of Fort Gibson might remove to more comfortable homes. From their present condition of suffering and disease, they thought the patriotic acts and sacrifices of their nation had not been sufficiently appreciated.
General McNeil replied that it gave him very great pleasure to receive this token of respect of the Cherokee nation. Among the responsibilities of the command to which he had been assigned, there was none greater than his duty toward their suffering people. One of his first acts on assuming command was to represent the condition of the Indian tribes, and he had recommended some measures for the improvement of their condition. The Government is very desirous that you should make a crop this spring, and such a disposition of troops will be made that you can do it in safety.
Mr. Ross.--If white troops will keep away our white enemies, the loyal Indian troops can protect themselves.
General McNeil.--I ask if I may assure the Government that the Cherokees will not make civil war on their tribes except in self defense.
Chief Christy.--You may.
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