A Sad Telegram-- Part 2: Survived the War

The caregiver who handled the young soldier's message apparently did not know how to spell the name and only that he lived somewhere near Atlanta, so he sent the telegram to the city's leading newspaper, the Daily Intelligencer.

Editor John Steele published the plea July 26, prefaced by a notice to readers:  "The following dispatch has been received at this office.  We do not know the residence of Mr. J.W. Neisbit, to whom it is directed, under our care, and therefore publish it. hoping some one will convey to him the information it imparts.  --ED. INT."

Apparently, no one knew where the elder Neisbit (Nesbit) lived, but the case of the wounded lieutenant, who turned 22 just ten days after his Gettysburg wound, worked out well.

On August 3, he was granted a 60-day furlough to return home.  He resigned from the Confederate Army in November 1863.

After the war, he started farming, married and raised a family north of Atlanta.  He died at the age of 83 in 1925, one of approximately 60,000 Civil War amputees.

--Old Secesh

A Sad Telegram: 'I Lost My Left Arm at Gettysburg'

From the same source as the previous post.

Twelve days after he was shot in the left arm on the second day of fighting at Gettysburg, Lieutenant William Hoyle Nesbit wrote or dictated a telegram to his father in far-away Georgia.

***********************

RICHMOND, July 14-- To Mr. J.W. Neisbit, care of the Intelligencer (Atlanta Daily Intelligencer):

Dear Father-- I am at Jordan Springs Hospital, near Winchester.  I lost my left arm at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  Come to me.  Answer by telegraph.

W.H. Neisbit

***********************

--Old Secesh

An Interesting Story: Who You Going to Draft Now?

From the Autumn 2022 America's Civil War "Rebel Beacon: The reputable Atlanta Daily Intelligencer was both news source and cheerleader for Southern readers" by Stephen Davis and Bill Hendrick.

An article about this Atlanta newspaper during the war.

I found this part of interest.

Then  there were the strikes by printers, demanding higher wages.  In the spring of 1864, after their workers walked out, Atlanta editors visited the city's conscript office and addressed the printers' status.

They were exempt from the draft while working, the editors claimed; but now, as they were on strike, the draft officer was encouraged to draft them for Confederate service.

The connscriptor liked the idea.  "Gentlemen," he said, "you are undoubtedly right.  I will go to work at once, and as you are here, I will conscript you to begin with."

"Conscript us!" exclaimed the editors.

"Certainly.  As you have no printers, you can't get out your papers.  So you no longer belong to the exempted class."

The editors raced back to their respective offices and contacted the printers' union.  In fifteen minutes, everyone was back at work.

Good Story.  You've Just Got to Have Some Incentive.   --Old Secesh

This Month in the War-- Part 2: Chickamauga, Shepherdstown, Third Winchester, Wood Lake, New Market Heights & Peebles' Farm

From the American Battlefield Trust September 2022 calendar.

SEPTEMBER 18, 1863

**  Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, begins.

SEPTEMBER 19, 1862

**   Battle of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, begins.

SEPTEMBER 19, 1864

**  Battle of Third Winchester, Virginia.

SEPTEMBER 23, 1862

**  Battle of Wood Lake, Minnesota

SEPTEMBER 29, 1864

**  Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, begins.

SEPTEMBER 30, 1864

**  Battle of Peebles' Farm, Virginia, begins.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Discussion Group Meets Saturday: Topic 'Sherman in Georgia-- Part 2, the March to the Sea'

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will meet this Saturday via Zoom and in person at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois  (US Highway 14, Northwest Highway and Main Street).

Time from 10 am CDST and 11:30.

The topic will be a follow up to last month's Atlanta Campaign, "General Sherman in Georgia, the March to the Sea."

Plenty of Room and Everyone is Welcome (members and non-members).  Where there is always good discussion and conversation and we've even been known to stay on topic on occasion.

Come On Down!!  --Old SeceshMouth

MCCWRT Presentation Tonight: Gen. John E. Smith of Illinois

The September Meeting of the McHenry (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock, Illinois Public Library.

Our speaker will be Robert Girardi and his topic is "General John E. Smith:  Galena's Forgotten General."

This will be in-person and via Zoom.

There will be a pre-meeting get-together for dinner or snack for any interested at 3 Brothers restaurant on Il-47.  It is open to all, as is the meeting, member or not.  

--Old Secesh

9/11 Commemoration at WVU

I was unable to post any blogs yesterday, so will do my annual commemoration to that day today.

From the Sptember 11, 2022, DA, West Virginia University's Independent Newspaper "WVU observes 21st anniversary of the 9/11  attacks with annual vigil" by Christina Rufo.

To commemorate the 21st anniversary  of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, West Virginia University held its annual wreath laying ceremony Sunday morning.

As part of the ceremony, cadets with the Army and Air Force ROTC will stand for a 24-hour vigil at the University's 9/11 memorial site, located at the University's 9/11 memorial site, located in front of the Downtown Campus Library.

Cadets played "Taps" and observed a moment of silence Sunday morning in recognition of the exact time that the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

The vigil will last until 8 a.m., Monday.

Earl Van Dorn-- Part 2: Success at Holly Springs Then Death

After the Battle of Corinth, Van Dorn was removed from command of the army and placed instead in command of the cavalry under  General John C. Pemberton.

Van Dorn's most impressive  achievement of his career took place while in command of the cavalry.  He led his troopers in action in December 1862 against the supply depot of  Union general U.S. Grant located at Holly Springs, Mississippi.

His forces destroyed hundreds of thousand of dollars worth of supplies and disrupted Grant's operations against Vicksburg until the following year.

After the battle, Van Dorn took part in several minor cavalry skirmishes until his death in May 1863.  On May 7, 1863, George B. Peters  shot and killed Earl Van Dorn after Van Dorn had allegedly committed adultry with Peters' wife.

--Old Secesh

Earl Van Dorn-- Part 1

From the American Battlefield Trust.

Van Dorn led the Confederates on the successful raid on Holly Springs.

He graduated number 52 out of 56 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on 1842.  He served several posts in the southern United States before fighting in the Mexican War where he saw combat at  the battles of Monterrey and  Vera Cruz and received brevet  promotions to major for his participation in  in the battles of Cerro Gordo,  Mexico City, Contreras and  Churubusco.

After the war, he saw action against the Seminoles  from 1849-1850 and the Comanches from 1858 to 1859.

He was made a brigadier general in the regular Confederate Army on June 5, 1861, and major general  September 19, 1861.

His first major action of the war came when his force was defeated at the Battle of Pea Ridge.  After the defeat, he was transferred to the Army of the Mississippi and commanded troops at the Battle of Corinth where he did well in the initial phase, but misjudged the Union position and was forced to retreat.

--Old Secesh

The Holly Springs Raid Delayed Grant's General Order No. 11 That Expelled Jews from His Department

From Wikipedia.

Van Dorn's raid nearly coincided with U.S. Grant's General Orders No. 11 issued on December 17, 1862.  Thus expelled the Jews as a class from his military district within 24 houirs.  (Van Dorn's raid occurred on December 20.)

Grant believed that Jewish traders violated U.S. Treasury Department cotton trade regulations  which was the reason for the General Order.

Van Dorn's raid disrupted Union communications for weeks.  Additionally, Nathan Bedford Forrest's West Tennessee Raids, starting December 10, destroyed communications along 50 miles of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad behind Grant's front line.

The raid delayed implementation of Grant's orders, saving many Jews from possible expulsion.  It took 11 days for the orders to reach Paducah, Kentucky.  After which, many Jewish leaders appealed to President Lincoln.

At Lincoln's insistence, General-in-Chief of Union armies Henry Halleck ordered Grant to revoke General Order 11.  When Grant ran for president in 1868, this order  proved such an embarrassment that he disavowed it.

--Old Secesh

Holly Springs-- Part 7: The Aftermath

These Holly Springs enties were taken from the June 2022 presentation at the McHenry County Civil War Round Table meeting.

Van Dorn eventually covered 500 miles on his raid on Holly Springs and returned to Grenada on the 28th.   As  a result of Van Dorn's action, Grant withdrew from northern Mississippi.

In the meantime,Sherman went ahead with hisattack at Chickasaw Bayou.  With Grant's withdrawl from northern Mississippi, Confederates reinforced Chickasaw Bayou which  led to Sherman's defeat.

On his part, it wasn't too long before Van Dorn was killed by a jealous husband.

As for our hapless Colonel Robert Murphy at Holly Springs, he was mortified and sacked of his command.  He appealed all the way to Washingtn, D.C., but to no avail and after fifteen years, gave up.

He died in 1888 and is buried in the Congressional Cemetery.  In 2021 a headstone was put up for him.

--Old Sesh

Holly Springs-- Part 6: A Huge Confederate Success

On December 20, 1862, Van Dorn was just 14 miles awayfrom the Union supply depot at Holly Springs.  

When they attacked at 6 am, they hit the court house first, then the fairgrounds and by 8 am, had Holly Springs secure and started destroying supplies.  In seven hours,the Confederates had destroyed some $400,000 worth of Union assets.  Van Dorn estimated the destruction at $1.5 million.

In addition, 1500 Federal soldiers were captured and paroled.  According to Ed Bearss, Van Dorn's men became the best equipped Confederates in the South as a result.

The only casualty was a civilian.

North of Holly Springs there is Davis Mill.  Colonel William Morgan and 200 men of the Indiana regiment saved the trestle there.

Grant sent Grierson to go after Van Dorn.

--Old Secesh

This Month in the War: Chantilly, Atlanta, South Mountain, Harpers Ferry and Antietam

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 September Calendar.

SEPTEMBER 1, 1862

**  Battle of Chantilly, Virginia

SEPTEMBER 2, 1864

**  Atlanta, Georgia, falls to Federal forces

SEPTEMBER 14, 1862

**  Battle of South Mountain Gap, Maryland

SEPTEMBER 15, 1862

**  Capture of Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia)

SEPTEMBER 17, 1862

Battle of Antietam, Maryland

--Old Secesh