McHenry County Civil War Round Table's Prisons Discussion 3/27/21-- Part 4: Talking About Camp Douglas Today and John Yates Beall

**  There is a Camp Douglas Restoration Foundation that has a primary mission "To provide  active leadership in the development,  delivery, and preservation of  educational and  historic information regarding  the Upper Midwest, especially Illinois and Chicago during the Civil War."

**  And then there was an interesting character by the name of John Yates Beall, who led attacks on Union shipping on the Chesapeake Bay, was captured, released, then was involved in a scheme to release Confederate officers at the prison on Johnson's Island on Lake Erie.  That failed.  But then was captured trying to derail a train near Buffalo, New York.

Jailed again, and after a questionable trial and Abraham Lincoln declining to extend leniency, was hanged at Fort Columbus on Governor's Island in New York Harbor.

**  Abraham Lincoln and Sec. of War Edwin Stanton once visited Point Lookout in Maryland to view Union black soldiers.

**  One of the people at the meeting said he had an ancestor die at the Confederate prison at Danville, Va.

**  Libby Prison was in an old tobacco warehouse.  Prisoners there experienced horrible conditions.

--Old Secesh

Black Service in the Civil War-- Part 1: The Confiscation Act, Militia Act, Emancipation Proclamation and Bureau of Colored Troops

 From the Feb. 23, 2021, U.S. Army "African American service  and racial integration   in the U.S. military" by Dr. Paul-Thomas Ferguson.

I have written about earlier service during Colonial, American Revolution, War of 1812 and Indian Wars  in my Cooter's History Thing blog this past week.

During the Civil War, the Union established and maintained regiments of black soldiers.  This became possible in 1862 the Confiscation Act, which freed slaves of rebellious slaveholders, and the  Militia Act, which authorized the president to use former slaves as soldiers.

President Lincoln was initially reluctant to recruit black soldiers.  This changed in January 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring freedom for all slaves in Confederate states.

The first black regiments to served during the war were made up of free men.    In May 1863,  the War Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops for  the purpose of recruiting black men.

--Old Secesh

Some More Comments on Union General Benjamin Butler-- Part 2: Lincoln's Man?

Continued from September 21, 2020.  To see the first post on this, click on the General Benjamin Butler label below.

These were comments made during the McHenry County Civil War Round Table's August discussion group meeting at Panera Bread in Algonquin, Illinois.

**  Benjamin Butler (BB) had seniority among all other major generals except Grant when he became lieutenant general.

**  BB was not a good field general.

**  Saved Lincoln in the early days of the war at Baltimore.

**  Had free access to the White House

**  Lincoln needed to know if Blacks could be good soldiers.  BB gave him an answer when he started two regiments of them while commanding at New Orleans.  (These were the the Louisiana Native Guard regiments.

**  While at Fortress Monroe, BB had almost all prisoner exchanges going through there.

**  BB built a major spy network (on both Union and Confederates) while at Fortress Monroe.  His Confederate spying went all the way to that country's White House.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Trust October 2018 Calendar: Port Hudson, Louisiana

PORT HUDSON, LOUISIANA

256 acres saved

The Civil War Trust has partnered with The Conservation Fund to ave 256 acres of land at Port Hudson, Louisiana, the site of the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River after Vicksburg fell.

The acreage saved by the trust includes the site of the first black assault in the Civil War, made by the 1st and 3rd Louisiana Native Guard regiments on May 27, 1863.

Hallowed Ground.  --Old Secesh

Henry Beard-- Part 4: Service in the 105th Illinois

From the Illinoisgenweb.  105th Illinois.

Henry Beard   Company A   Cook of A.D.  (African Descent)  Date of Muster  August 6, 1863.  Absent, sick at Muster Out of Regiment,

--Old Secesh

My 20 Most Significant Events Affecting the Outcome of the Civil War-- Part 1: Enlisting Black Soldiers

On July 29 our Mchenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group met at Panera Bread in Crystal Lakem, Illinois, with this as the topic of the day.

Interesting topic and some interesting ideas as to the significant events.

I took about 15-20 minutes to come up with my own list off the top of my head.

Here they are:

1.  Enlisting blacks in the Union Army/

2.  Northern industry superiority/ Southern industry's inadequacies and lack of

3.  Collapse of the Southern will to fight as the war progressed

4.  Advances in Naval architecture:  ironclads, turrets, steam power and bigger guns.

5.  Special-use warships (ferry boats and double enders) special-built blockade runners.

--Old Secesh

Meanwhile in My Civil War Naval Blog, Running the Blockade: Shaw's Sword and the Junior Reserves and Confederate Conscription

The last week I have been writing about the discovery of Col. Robert Gould Shaw's sword in my Naval blog.  He, of course, was the commander of the famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army's first black regiment who performed so honorably at Fort Wagner in Charleston Harbor in 1863.

He was killed leading his men and his sword taken and later returned  to his family and then "lost" for many years until being found in a family member's attic.

Even though he was leading an Army regiment, I am writing about his sword in my naval blog because it involved a coastal fortification.

Yesterday, I also posted about the North Carolina Junior Reserves and Confederate conscription in the naval blog.  Even though this is primarily an army thing, since the Junior reserves were at Fort Fisher, I am writing about it there.

--Old Secesh

Runaway Slave Joined Union Army and Finally Receives Recognition

From the June 8, 2015, National Post "Runaway slave who joined Union fighters in the U.S. Civil War and lost leg finally received recognition."

Reno, nevada.  Received recognition June 7, 2015.

Private Scott Carnal of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry died in 1917 at around the age of 73 in Dayton, 40 miles south of Reno, was forgotten until recently.  He was severely wounded at the Battle of Honey Springs in Oklahoma on July 17, 1863.

About 200 people attended his ceremony.

He was born in Virginia and joined the Union Army in Kansas in March 1863 shortly after running away from his master in Missouri.  he was about 19 at the time.

  His brigade played a major role in the Battle of Honey Springs, a turning point in the fighting west of the Mississippir River.  The battle was fought mostly by black soldiers.

Mr. Carnal was shot in the thigh and the wound festered.  Doctors amputated it nine years later.  he was eventually given a pension.  He married after the war and had a daughter.  He headed west to mine gold and silver in Colorado and Nevada.

--Old Secesh

First African-American Medal of Honor Recipient Honored

From the Rancho Santa fe review "First African-American Medal of Honor recipient honored in a new graphic created by Rancho Santa Fe organization."

The Spirit of Liberty and Medal of Honor Foundation crated a limited edition graphic (150 copies) honoring William H. Carney who received his Medal for action with the 54th Massachusetts at Fort Wagner, Charleston, South Carolina.

The 54th's color bearer was shot and nearly dropped the flag, but Carney grabbed it and was subsequently shot twice.  However, he did not receive the Medal of Honor until 1900.

The photo in the edition shows him wearing it and also includes the Medal of Honor postage stamp with First Day Issue Cancellation, Nov. 11, 2013.

--Old Secesh

150th Anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs, Oklahoma-- Part 1

From the July 1, 2013, Duncan (Stevens County, Ok.) Banner "Preserving the history of the Civil War Battle of Honey Springs' 150th Anniversary" by Max Nichols.

At 10 AM, July 17, 1863, Confederate Brigadier General Douglas H. Cooper ordered his men to begin firing four cannons at Federal artillery near Elk Creek in Indian Territory.

His adversary, Union Major General James G. Blunt, responded with his 12 pieces of artillery. Blunt then ordered Col. James M. William to take his 1st Kansas (Colored) Infantry and capture the Confederate cannons. They defeated the Confederates.

More to Come. --Old Secesh

Union Soldiers Buried at Hampton National Cemetery in Virginia

From the Dec. 16, 2013, Hampton (Va.) Daily Press "A landmark graveyard filled with poignant stories of sacrifices and courage" by Mark St. John Erickson.

This article originally attracted my attention because of 28 German U-boat sailors buried there after their U-85 was sunk during World War II. I wrote about them in my World War II blog. I have also used Mr. Erickson's articles on the War of 1812 on several occasions in that blog. He sure gets the interesting things to write about.

Alongside the Germans are several hundred Union soldiers who died on nearby battlefields and many additional who died at the vast Hampton hospitals. In addition, some 300 Confederates who died at the hospitals are buried at the Hampton National Cemetery as well.

Six of the Civil War dead were awarded Medals of Honor, including two sailors who received their medals for action at the Battle of Mobile Bay. In addition, Sgt. Alfred B. Hilton and Pvt. Charles Veale who served in the 4th USCT who were stationed at Yorktown and killed at the Sept. 29, 1864, Battle of Chapins Farm.

A 65-foot Union monument dominates the cemetery landscape and was erected partly as a result of the actions of Clara Barton.

--Old Secesh

Florida in the Civil War

From Feb. 10, 2012, "Guest Opinion: Southwest Florida's black history found in the Civil War" by Irvin Winsboro.

Florida's Civil War experience is sometimes referred to as "a trifling affair" but it was much more complex than that.  You should check out Dale Cox's excellent Civil War Florida blog to see just how complex it was.

Some 15,000 Floridians, 11% of the population participated after the state became the third to secede.  About 5,000 died.

Of Confederate troops, most fought elsewhere, but 2,500 stayed within the state.

Another 2,000 whites and blacks joined Union forces

Twenty-nine of the 65 Union regiments posted in the state were black.  Of the 1,044 Florida blacks mustered into Union service, most served in the United States Colored Troops and 255 joined the Navy.  Blacks participated in at least 32 skirmishes, scouting expeditions and battles in the state.

A Little-Known Part of the War.  --Old Secesh

Interesting Conference on the Civil War from a Black Perspective

This weekend, a conference will take place at the historically black Norfolk State University in Virginia. Of interest, the state's governor, Bob McDonnell, will speak at it, just a few months after the big to-do about his declaring April Confederate History Month with no mention of slavery.

There will be quite a creditable list of speakers:

Slavery, Freedom, and the Union Navy-- James McPherson (I would especially like to see this one with my interest in all things naval about the war.)

How, When, Where and Why Emancipation Happened-- David Blight
The Role of the Underground Railroad as a Cause of the Civil War-- Spencer Crew
The Myth of Black Confederates-- Bruce Levine (another one of interest)
The Quest for Black Rights in the Midst of War-- Edna Medford
African American Soldiers and the Struggle for Equality-- Ira Berlin

And, there will be other speakers as well.

The conference is called Race, Slavery and the Civil War: The Tough Stuff of American History and Memory. Definitely one that I would like to attend.

Mighty Interesting Conference. --B-R'er

Susie King Taylor: Remarkable Woman

Here is the story about a woman who, despite huge odds, overcame them.

SUSIE KING TAYLOR (1848-1912)

Nurse, educator, domestic

She was born a slave on the Isle of Wight off the coast of Georgia and was taught to read and write by white school children and slave neighbors. She used her skills to endorse counterfeit passes for other slaves.

During the Civil War, she became free when her uncle took her to Saint Catherine Island, South Carolina, which was under Union control. Her talent soon became evident and at age 14, she was teaching black children to read and write by day and adults at night.

In 1862, she joined the 33rd United States Colored Troops under Lt. Col. C.T. Trowbridge where she served as a nurse, laundress, teacher and cook. She later married Sgt. Edward King of the regiment.

After the war, she wrote a book "Reminiscences of My Life with the 33rd United States Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Volunteers."

The story of a remarkable woman.

I'm Impressed. --B-R'er

New Bern, NC's "Remembering the War" Features Role of Black Soldiers

From the May 7th New Bern Sun-Journal.

Most history texts give little information about the role blacks played in the Civil War. The Civil War Days program in New Bern over this past weekend featured a three-day US Colored Troops National Symposium. Members of the US Colored Troops Living History Association from all across the country were expected to attend as well.

Han Jones, curator of the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, DC, was one of the scheduled speakers. He has done extensive research on military intelligence in Eastern North Carolina, much of it from blacks which led to Federal successes in the area.

Also, David Cecelski, author of a book on Abraham Galloway, a Wilmington-native who later lived in New Bern. he was a fugitive slave and considered a top black Union spy in the Civil War. he fought at Harper's Ferry with John Brown and also spent time in Haiti. Galloway was also instrumental in the formation of the First African Brigade and the 5th Ohio.

An Under-Reported Aspect of the War. --Old B-Runner

Second Annual Black and Blue Civil War Living History Camp

An absolutely great name for an event featuring blacks who fought in the Union military during the war.

This event will be held this Saturday at Jefferson College in Natchez.

It will feature the story of Wilson Brown, a slave who escaped from the Carthage Plantation and joined the Union Navy where he was sent for training in New Jersey and won a Medal of Honor at the Battle of Mobile Bay. He is buried in the Natchez National Cemetery.

This is put on by the Friends of the Forks of Roads Society whose purpose is educating the public about the enslaved and free blacks in Mississippi who joined the Union Army and Navy.

There will be lots of other activities going on as well.

Great Name. --B-R'er

Black North Carolina Regiments

The March 22nd WNCT of Greenville, NC, reported that a black group from the Kinston Cultural Heritage Museum, dressed in Civil War soldier and civilian attire, laid a wreath at the Civil War Trails marker at Greenville Common honoring the three regiments of black soldiers raised in the state during the war.

Most were escaped slaves from eastern North Carolina.

Leader Malcolm Beech said, "The kids need to know that their ancestors were strong and courageous and that they fought for their freedom. They didn't wait for someone to come and free them."

They have also told the story to kids at two Kinston charter schools.

Former slaves enlisting to fight for the Union also risked horrible treatment if they were ever captured by Confederate forces.

Some Very Valiant Men. --Old B-R