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re: 150 years ago this day...
Posted on 12/9/13 at 3:13 am to BadLeroyDawg
Posted on 12/9/13 at 3:13 am to BadLeroyDawg
Wednesday, 9 December 1863
There was no question that racism was as rampant or more so in the North as it ever was in the slaveholding south, and that certainly included a great many members of the United States military. There were a few dedicated abolitionists like Robert Gould Shaw who were proud to command units of the United States Colored Troops, but many who found it mortifying. One of these latter was in command at Fort Jackson, Louisiana, downriver from New Orleans. His loathing for this posting was translated into cruel and abusive treatment of the black soldiers under his command. Today they decided that this was behavior up with which they would no longer put, and they rose in mutiny. Other white officers at the installation managed to halt the uprising before blood was shed. This was not the first mutiny to happen at Fort Jackson, but the last one was committed by Confederate troops after Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut bypassed them to take New Orleans.
The USS Circassian, under Acting Lieutenant Eaton, seized the blockade running British steamer Minna at sea east of Cape Romain, South Carolina. The steamer was carrying cargo including iron, hardware, and powder. In addition, Eaton reported, "she has also as cargo a propeller and shaft and other parts of a marine engine, perhaps intended for some Rebel ironclad."
President Abraham Lincoln granted a pardon exempting E. W. Gantt, of Arkansas, from the penalty of treason, which he incurred by accepting and exercising the office of Brigadier General in the service of the Rebels. The pardon also reinstated General Gantt in all his rights of property, excepting those relating to slaves.
The Marine Brigade, under the Command of General Ellet, and a portion of Colonel Gresham's command, returned to Natchez from an unsuccessful expedition going after the partisan Rebels under Wirt Adams, who had mounted a battery on Ellis's Cliff.
There was no question that racism was as rampant or more so in the North as it ever was in the slaveholding south, and that certainly included a great many members of the United States military. There were a few dedicated abolitionists like Robert Gould Shaw who were proud to command units of the United States Colored Troops, but many who found it mortifying. One of these latter was in command at Fort Jackson, Louisiana, downriver from New Orleans. His loathing for this posting was translated into cruel and abusive treatment of the black soldiers under his command. Today they decided that this was behavior up with which they would no longer put, and they rose in mutiny. Other white officers at the installation managed to halt the uprising before blood was shed. This was not the first mutiny to happen at Fort Jackson, but the last one was committed by Confederate troops after Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut bypassed them to take New Orleans.
The USS Circassian, under Acting Lieutenant Eaton, seized the blockade running British steamer Minna at sea east of Cape Romain, South Carolina. The steamer was carrying cargo including iron, hardware, and powder. In addition, Eaton reported, "she has also as cargo a propeller and shaft and other parts of a marine engine, perhaps intended for some Rebel ironclad."
President Abraham Lincoln granted a pardon exempting E. W. Gantt, of Arkansas, from the penalty of treason, which he incurred by accepting and exercising the office of Brigadier General in the service of the Rebels. The pardon also reinstated General Gantt in all his rights of property, excepting those relating to slaves.
The Marine Brigade, under the Command of General Ellet, and a portion of Colonel Gresham's command, returned to Natchez from an unsuccessful expedition going after the partisan Rebels under Wirt Adams, who had mounted a battery on Ellis's Cliff.
1
Posted on 12/9/13 at 7:47 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Thursday, 10 Dec. 1863
In this day and age, when the President of the United States undergoes a mandatory physical once a year with the results widely reported in the public press, it is difficult to remember just how recently such candor about the Presidential person has developed. Even in the 1940’s a president could serve most of four terms and not have much of the public aware that he was confined to a wheelchair; in the 1860’s it was not difficult at all to hide an executive affliction from common knowledge. President Abraham Lincoln was becoming more active today, to the great relief of his family and staff. He had suffered for several weeks from an attack of varioloid. The symptoms and suffering were approximately those of adult measles or chickenpox, much worse than those of childhood particularly in the days before aspirin. The disease, in fact, was a mild form of smallpox.
Confederate troops burned the schooner Josephine Truxillo and the barge Stephany on Bayou Lacombe, Louisiana. The next day they burned the schooner Sarah Bladen and the barge Helana on Bayou Bonfouca, both in St. Tammany Parish.
Major General Hiram U. Grant, from his headquarters at Chattanooga, Tennessee, issued the following congratulatory order to his army: “The General commanding takes this opportunity of returning his sincere thanks and congratulations to the brave armies of the Cumberland, the Ohio, the Tennessee, and their comrades from the Potomac, for the recent splendid and decisive successes achieved over the enemy. In a short time you have recovered from him the control of the Tennessee River from Bridgeport to Knoxville. You dislodged him from his great stronghold upon Lookout Mountain, drove him from Chattanooga Valley, wrested from his determined grasp the possession of Missionary Ridge, repelled with heavy loss to him his repeated assaults upon Knoxville, forcing him to raise the siege there, driving him at all points, utterly routed and discomfited, beyond the limits of the State. By your noble heroism and determined courage, you have most effectually defeated the plans of the enemy for regaining the possession of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. You have secured positions from which no rebellious power can drive or dislodge you. For all this the General commanding thanks you collectively and individually. The loyal people of the United States thank and bless you. Their hopes and prayers for your success against this unholy rebellion are with you daily. Their faith in you will not be in vain. Their hopes will not be blasted. Their prayers to Almighty God will be answered. You will yet go to other fields of strife; and with the invincible bravery and unflinching loyalty to justice and right, which have characterized you in the past, you will prove that no enemy can withstand you, and that no defenses, however formidable, can check your onward march.”
General Quincy Adams Gillmore again shelled Charleston, South Carolina, throwing a number of missiles into different parts of the city. The Rebel batteries opened fire, and a heavy bombardment ensued for several hours.
The steamers Ticonderoga, Ella, and Annie left Boston, Massachusetts, in pursuit of the Chesapeake.
The new volunteer fund of New York City reached seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
In this day and age, when the President of the United States undergoes a mandatory physical once a year with the results widely reported in the public press, it is difficult to remember just how recently such candor about the Presidential person has developed. Even in the 1940’s a president could serve most of four terms and not have much of the public aware that he was confined to a wheelchair; in the 1860’s it was not difficult at all to hide an executive affliction from common knowledge. President Abraham Lincoln was becoming more active today, to the great relief of his family and staff. He had suffered for several weeks from an attack of varioloid. The symptoms and suffering were approximately those of adult measles or chickenpox, much worse than those of childhood particularly in the days before aspirin. The disease, in fact, was a mild form of smallpox.
Confederate troops burned the schooner Josephine Truxillo and the barge Stephany on Bayou Lacombe, Louisiana. The next day they burned the schooner Sarah Bladen and the barge Helana on Bayou Bonfouca, both in St. Tammany Parish.
Major General Hiram U. Grant, from his headquarters at Chattanooga, Tennessee, issued the following congratulatory order to his army: “The General commanding takes this opportunity of returning his sincere thanks and congratulations to the brave armies of the Cumberland, the Ohio, the Tennessee, and their comrades from the Potomac, for the recent splendid and decisive successes achieved over the enemy. In a short time you have recovered from him the control of the Tennessee River from Bridgeport to Knoxville. You dislodged him from his great stronghold upon Lookout Mountain, drove him from Chattanooga Valley, wrested from his determined grasp the possession of Missionary Ridge, repelled with heavy loss to him his repeated assaults upon Knoxville, forcing him to raise the siege there, driving him at all points, utterly routed and discomfited, beyond the limits of the State. By your noble heroism and determined courage, you have most effectually defeated the plans of the enemy for regaining the possession of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. You have secured positions from which no rebellious power can drive or dislodge you. For all this the General commanding thanks you collectively and individually. The loyal people of the United States thank and bless you. Their hopes and prayers for your success against this unholy rebellion are with you daily. Their faith in you will not be in vain. Their hopes will not be blasted. Their prayers to Almighty God will be answered. You will yet go to other fields of strife; and with the invincible bravery and unflinching loyalty to justice and right, which have characterized you in the past, you will prove that no enemy can withstand you, and that no defenses, however formidable, can check your onward march.”
General Quincy Adams Gillmore again shelled Charleston, South Carolina, throwing a number of missiles into different parts of the city. The Rebel batteries opened fire, and a heavy bombardment ensued for several hours.
The steamers Ticonderoga, Ella, and Annie left Boston, Massachusetts, in pursuit of the Chesapeake.
The new volunteer fund of New York City reached seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
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