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re: 150 years ago this day...
Posted on 9/27/14 at 8:22 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Posted on 9/27/14 at 8:22 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Wednesday, 28 September 1864
Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter had not wanted to command the Union “brown-water” forces on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Like most regular Navy men, his great preference was for “blue-water” ocean warfare. Today, he finally got his wish to transfer to command of the blockade and attack forces off Wilmington, North Carolina. He gave a farewell message to the men he was leaving: “When I first assumed command of this squadron the Mississippi was in possession of the Rebels from Memphis to New Orleans, a distance of 800 miles, and over 1,000 miles of tributaries were closed to us, embracing a territory larger than some of the kingdoms of Europe. Our commerce is now successfully, if not quietly, transported on the broad Mississippi from one end to the other.” Porter was greatly admired by his men.
Another report: Rear Admiral Porter, on his detachment from command of the Mississippi Squadron, wrote a farewell to his officers and men, in which he reflected on the far-reaching accomplishments of naval power on the western waters: "When I first assumed command of this squadron the Mississippi was in possession of the Rebels from Memphis to New Orleans, a distance of 800 miles, and over 1,000 miles of tributaries were closed against us, embracing a territory larger than some of the kingdoms of Europe. Our commerce is now successfully, if not quietly, transported on the broad Mississippi from one end to the other, and the same may almost be said with regard to its tributaries." Porter, who was to be relieved by Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee, soon proceeded to Hampton Roads, assumed command of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and turned his attention to the reduction of Wilmington.
In Missouri, Sterling Price’s Confederates continued advancing after forcing the garrison at Fort Davidson to flee last night. They fought in Polk County and Caledonia, and concern quickly grew in St. Louis.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis wired General John Bell Hood, permitting Hood to relieve General William Hardee as corps commander. Hardee was given command of the Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Davis also considered creating an overall Western Department with General P.G.T. Beauregard in command.
In the Shenandoah Valley, Philip Sheridan’s Federals withdrew toward Harrisonburg as they fought lightly with Jubal Early’s retreating Confederates.
Other skirmishing occurred in Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter had not wanted to command the Union “brown-water” forces on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Like most regular Navy men, his great preference was for “blue-water” ocean warfare. Today, he finally got his wish to transfer to command of the blockade and attack forces off Wilmington, North Carolina. He gave a farewell message to the men he was leaving: “When I first assumed command of this squadron the Mississippi was in possession of the Rebels from Memphis to New Orleans, a distance of 800 miles, and over 1,000 miles of tributaries were closed to us, embracing a territory larger than some of the kingdoms of Europe. Our commerce is now successfully, if not quietly, transported on the broad Mississippi from one end to the other.” Porter was greatly admired by his men.
Another report: Rear Admiral Porter, on his detachment from command of the Mississippi Squadron, wrote a farewell to his officers and men, in which he reflected on the far-reaching accomplishments of naval power on the western waters: "When I first assumed command of this squadron the Mississippi was in possession of the Rebels from Memphis to New Orleans, a distance of 800 miles, and over 1,000 miles of tributaries were closed against us, embracing a territory larger than some of the kingdoms of Europe. Our commerce is now successfully, if not quietly, transported on the broad Mississippi from one end to the other, and the same may almost be said with regard to its tributaries." Porter, who was to be relieved by Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee, soon proceeded to Hampton Roads, assumed command of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and turned his attention to the reduction of Wilmington.
In Missouri, Sterling Price’s Confederates continued advancing after forcing the garrison at Fort Davidson to flee last night. They fought in Polk County and Caledonia, and concern quickly grew in St. Louis.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis wired General John Bell Hood, permitting Hood to relieve General William Hardee as corps commander. Hardee was given command of the Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Davis also considered creating an overall Western Department with General P.G.T. Beauregard in command.
In the Shenandoah Valley, Philip Sheridan’s Federals withdrew toward Harrisonburg as they fought lightly with Jubal Early’s retreating Confederates.
Other skirmishing occurred in Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
1
Posted on 9/28/14 at 9:06 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Thursday, 29 September 1864
After a time of little action, the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, fairly exploded into action today. A double-pronged Federal assault started with General George Meade and more than 16,000 members of the Army of the Potomac making a move to lengthen the lines further south around the town, starting at a place called Peeble’s Farm. The aim of their maneuvers was to reach the South Side Railroad, another of the vital supply links to Petersburg and Richmond. On the other end of the line, the 10th and 18th Corps, under Generals David Bell Birney and Edward Otho Cresap Ord, looped north of the James to the outer defenses of Richmond. They captured Fort Harrison and with a change of flags turned it from a Confederate fort to a Federal one. Assaults on Fort Gilmer, however, were not nearly as successful for the Union.
Full report: On this day in 1864, Union General Hiram U. Grant attempts to break the stalemate around Richmond and Petersburg (25 miles south of Richmond) by attacking two points along the defenses of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The assault against Richmond, called the Battle of New Market Heights, and the assault against Petersburg, known as the Battle of Poplar Springs Church (or Peeble's Farm), were both failures. However, they did succeed in keeping pressure on Lee and prevented him from sending reinforcements to the beleaguered Confederate General Jubal Early, who was desperately fighting against General Philip Sheridan's overwhelming forces in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
Grant selected General Benjamin Butler's Army of the James to make the attack on New Market Heights. Butler had carefully scouted the network of Confederate fortifications and, after determining that there were weaknesses in Lee's lines, he instructed General Edward Ord to strike at Fort Harrison, a stronghold in the network, and ordered General David Birney to attack New Market Heights.
Birney began the assault, sending a division of Negro soldiers against New Market Heights. Butler proved correct about the weakness of the Richmond defenses, which were significantly undermanned since most of Lee's force was protecting Petersburg. The 1,800 Confederate defenders of New Market Heights soon realized the full scale Yankee attack threatened to overrun their position. After a brief battle, they re-entrenched closer to Richmond. At nearby Fort Harrison, Ord's troops swarmed over the walls of the fort and scattered the almost 800 inexperienced defenders.
Despite the initial success, the Union attack became bogged down. The leading units of the attack suffered significant casualties, including many officers. The Confederate defenses were deep, and the Yankees soon faced another set of fortifications. Butler instructed his men to secure the captured territory before renewing the attack. That night, Lee moved several brigades from Petersburg for an unsuccessful counterattack on 30 September.
In the end, Union soldiers bent the Richmond defenses but could not break them. Yankee casualties totaled approximately 3,300 of the 20,000 troops engaged, while the Confederates lost around 2,000 of 11,000 engaged. The stalemate would continue until the following spring.
The Steamer Roanoke, bound for New York from Havana, was captured by Confederates under Acting Master John C. Braine, CSN, just off the Cuban coast. Braine's actions caused the Richmond government concern and embarrassment, since his expedition was organized and carried out from the neutral port of Havana. The resourceful and audacious Braine had outlined his idea to Secretary Stephen Russell Mallory earlier in the year, and the Secretary had given his approval, with the stipulation that neutral rights were to be strictly observed. With that understanding, Braine was commissioned a temporary Acting Master. Instead of boarding the vessel as a passenger in New York, however, he chose to capture her on the Havana end of the voyage. With a small group of Confederates, he was able to overwhelm the ship's officers and take over the ship, steering her for Bermuda. After attempting to smuggle supplies and coal from that island, albeit unsuccessfully, he determined that the fine steamer could not be brought through the blockade to the Confederacy and she was burned off Bermuda. Braine was held by the British but subsequently released, and was to be heard from yet again.
After a time of little action, the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, fairly exploded into action today. A double-pronged Federal assault started with General George Meade and more than 16,000 members of the Army of the Potomac making a move to lengthen the lines further south around the town, starting at a place called Peeble’s Farm. The aim of their maneuvers was to reach the South Side Railroad, another of the vital supply links to Petersburg and Richmond. On the other end of the line, the 10th and 18th Corps, under Generals David Bell Birney and Edward Otho Cresap Ord, looped north of the James to the outer defenses of Richmond. They captured Fort Harrison and with a change of flags turned it from a Confederate fort to a Federal one. Assaults on Fort Gilmer, however, were not nearly as successful for the Union.
Full report: On this day in 1864, Union General Hiram U. Grant attempts to break the stalemate around Richmond and Petersburg (25 miles south of Richmond) by attacking two points along the defenses of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The assault against Richmond, called the Battle of New Market Heights, and the assault against Petersburg, known as the Battle of Poplar Springs Church (or Peeble's Farm), were both failures. However, they did succeed in keeping pressure on Lee and prevented him from sending reinforcements to the beleaguered Confederate General Jubal Early, who was desperately fighting against General Philip Sheridan's overwhelming forces in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
Grant selected General Benjamin Butler's Army of the James to make the attack on New Market Heights. Butler had carefully scouted the network of Confederate fortifications and, after determining that there were weaknesses in Lee's lines, he instructed General Edward Ord to strike at Fort Harrison, a stronghold in the network, and ordered General David Birney to attack New Market Heights.
Birney began the assault, sending a division of Negro soldiers against New Market Heights. Butler proved correct about the weakness of the Richmond defenses, which were significantly undermanned since most of Lee's force was protecting Petersburg. The 1,800 Confederate defenders of New Market Heights soon realized the full scale Yankee attack threatened to overrun their position. After a brief battle, they re-entrenched closer to Richmond. At nearby Fort Harrison, Ord's troops swarmed over the walls of the fort and scattered the almost 800 inexperienced defenders.
Despite the initial success, the Union attack became bogged down. The leading units of the attack suffered significant casualties, including many officers. The Confederate defenses were deep, and the Yankees soon faced another set of fortifications. Butler instructed his men to secure the captured territory before renewing the attack. That night, Lee moved several brigades from Petersburg for an unsuccessful counterattack on 30 September.
In the end, Union soldiers bent the Richmond defenses but could not break them. Yankee casualties totaled approximately 3,300 of the 20,000 troops engaged, while the Confederates lost around 2,000 of 11,000 engaged. The stalemate would continue until the following spring.
The Steamer Roanoke, bound for New York from Havana, was captured by Confederates under Acting Master John C. Braine, CSN, just off the Cuban coast. Braine's actions caused the Richmond government concern and embarrassment, since his expedition was organized and carried out from the neutral port of Havana. The resourceful and audacious Braine had outlined his idea to Secretary Stephen Russell Mallory earlier in the year, and the Secretary had given his approval, with the stipulation that neutral rights were to be strictly observed. With that understanding, Braine was commissioned a temporary Acting Master. Instead of boarding the vessel as a passenger in New York, however, he chose to capture her on the Havana end of the voyage. With a small group of Confederates, he was able to overwhelm the ship's officers and take over the ship, steering her for Bermuda. After attempting to smuggle supplies and coal from that island, albeit unsuccessfully, he determined that the fine steamer could not be brought through the blockade to the Confederacy and she was burned off Bermuda. Braine was held by the British but subsequently released, and was to be heard from yet again.
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