The Rebellion: Its Authors and Causes-- Part 4: About That Proclamation and an American Irish Attack on Canada

The French definitely wanted there to be an American civil war as they had plans on taking over Mexico which the U.S. could not oppose if they were deep into a war.

Lincoln was also involved with his Emancipation Proclamation.  He was also pro toward American infrastructure as in his transcontinental railroad.  His major goal was to keep European countries from recognizing the Confederacy.  The Emancipation went a long way toward that.

The Emancipation was actually the very first Executive Order.  It was, however, very important to have the 13th Amendment pass to insure that it would stand.  Otherwise it could be negated.

What did Lincoln do to stop Britain from getting involved?

A  big part of his plan was the blockade.

The Red River Campaign was primarily to obtain cotton.

The Irish in the United States were going to invade Canada after the war.  There were only 12,000 British troops there.

--Old Secesh

President Taylor's Grandsons Fought for the Confederacy-- Part 3: John Taylor Wood

Zachary Taylor's daughter, Ann Mackall Taylor Wood, married Robert Crooke Wood, who remained with the Union during the war.  They had two sons and a daughter, Robert Crooke Wood Jr, who I wrote about in the last two posts.  Also there was a daughter, Sarah Knox  Wood (1835-1915).

John Taylor Wood led quite a life and compiled a remarkable record as a Confederate Navy officer during the Civil War.  I will write more about his service in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.

A  short synopsis is here.

Served in U.S. Navy after graduating from the USNA in 1853.  Resigned his commission, but U.S. Navy dismissed him.  His family relationship with Jefferson Davis (his aunt was the first wife of Davis and the fact he was the grandson of a former president) gave him great influence in the Confederacy.

Was a second lieutenant on the CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads and fight against the USS Monitor.  Led surprise attacks on Union ships in the Chesapeake Bay area.  Commanded the CSS Tallahassee on a commerce raiding expedition along the American coast and captured and destroyed 31 union ships, captured the Union warship USS Underwriter at New Bern, N.C..

He was also with Jefferson Davis at his capture in Georgia.  Escaping to Cuba, he then went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and lived there the remainder of his life.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table Discussion-- Part 6: Prisons, Ernie Griffin and the Sultana Tragedy

**  The Civil War marked when the United States went from relatively small armies to really big ones.  At the same time, the number of prisoners boomed right along with it..  Neither side was prepared to handle this influx of prisoners.

**  For many years, Ernie Griffin operated a funeral home near the Camp Douglas  grounds.  He had a museum of sorts to the camp.  What was surprising was that Mr. Griffin was a black man.

I was at a re-enactment in Wauconda, Illinois, several years back and a man came up to me and wanted to know if anyone in the SCV would be interested in some Confederate items from Mr. Griffin's collection.

**  Montreal, Canada, was a hub for Confederate espionage operations.   Some of them involved freeing prisoners up North.

**  There was discussion about the SS Sultana tragedy in which so many just-released Union prisoners from Andersonville and Cahaba prisons were on their way back home when the ship sank.

**  The Union officer who caused the ship to be so overloaded in order to line his pockets with money was one Ruben Hatch.  He was a man who never missed a chance to enrichen himself.  He had friends and connections with Abraham Lincoln which saved his hide.

Grant knew Ruben Hatch and wanted him court martialed, but couldn't because of those connections.

--Old Secesh

Last Time 'Insurgents' Got This Close to Capitol-- Part 5: 'Scared Abe Lincoln Like Hell'

Early ordered his troops to stay in place and continue to look menacing and after darkness fell on July 12, sometime  after 10 p.m., he ordered a withdrawal into Virginia.  And, thus, no Confederate flag made it to within six miles of the U.S. Capitol, that is until January 6, 2021, when one not only got within six miles but was also carried into the Capitol by the infamous "Confederate Flag Guy."

"Although he failed to capture the National Capital, the campaign apparently pleased him," as recounted by Major Henry Kyd Douglas," said the National Park Service , which maintains the partially restored Fort Stevens in the Brightwood  neighborhood of northwest Washington.

"On the evening of July 12, after deciding to withdraw from Washington, General Early called his staff together and declared: 'Major, we haven't taken Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell.' "

Early was later relieved from command in March 1865, and following the war, fled to Mexico, then Cuba, then Canada, before returning -- promise of amnesty in hand -- to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he resumed his prewar occupation as an attorney and helped  in "crafting the narrative of the Lost Cause," the National Park Service said.

--Old Secesh

Col. Lewis Merrill-- Part 6: "Cleaning Up" South Carolina and Louisiana

Eight days after the attack on Hill, Merrill met with community leaders in York County and demanded change.  But the violence continued into the summer.

Not to be denied, Merrill's efforts eventually led to the dismantling of the Ku Klux Klan.  Opposition leader J. Rufus Braxton, however, escaped to Canada to avoid prosecution for his role in the deaths.  He lived there for several years and never was prosecuted for his role.

Merrill succeeded so well in defusing the situation that he received the thanks of the War Department.  When a similar situation arose in the Red River area of Louisiana, Lewis Merrill was dispatched there in 1875 and by the following year he had it cleared up as well.

As a consequence of that,  he received nomination for the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Regular Army, but that was held up for several years by Southern sympathizers in the Senate.  But it was finally confirmed in 1886, the same year Merrill retired from the Army.

--Old Secesh

Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword-- Part 5: Coming Home

Michael martin had much difficulty "alienating" Col. Charles Tew's sword, but stayed true to his purpose and this past March got the go ahead to return the sword.

Not much is known for sure about how the sword got from the Antietam battlefield to the Blythe family.  But evidence shows that it was likely acquired by Captain Francis J. Sauter of the 55th Ohio who might have had it shipped home before he was killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville in March 1863.

On Wednesday, the Citadel will send 9 cadets, 4 faculty members and other supporters to the Antietam battlefield to receive the sword from Canada.

The sword will eventually go to the Citadel's Daniel Library for display where it will be reunited with Tew's silver cup.  The library also has Tew's diploma, some of his letters and other documents.

--Old Secesh

Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword to Citadel-- Part 4: Sword in Canada

A New York native by the name of Amelia Blythe had moved to Ottawa, Canada, in 1963 and donated the sword to the 763 Communications Regt. of the Canadian Army, now the 33 Signal Regt..

Caroline Sloan, of Portland, Oregon, the colonel's great-great granddaughter.  Her father, Edward Sloan graduated from the Citadel in 1950 and started his own search for the sword.  He got a precise description of the sword and began distributing it and received responses.  Then came the internet.

For a generation, the  sword had been on display inside the Mess at Wallis House, a landmark building in Ottawa that eventually fell into disrepair.  The sword's nameplate read "The Cadets of the Arsenal Academy to Capt.  C.C. Tew, November 25, 1858."  The regiment had the sword and other items appraised in 2009 when they were moving to a new home.

Genuine Civil War swords like it sell for between $20,000 to $30,000, but its connection to Charles Tew made it even more valuable.

Michael Martin,chairman of the 33 Signal Regt. Foundation worked to have it "alienated" from Canada as not having any value to the country.  This was necessary before it could be returned.

--Old Secesh

Springfield, Mass. October 1864-- Part 3: St. Albans Raid Shocks New England

Continuing with news for the month from the town's Republican newspaper.

Among the people moving to Springfield were more Catholics.  Two Catholic churches were under construction.

Springfield and Western Massachusetts was very shocked to read on October 20th of the Confederate raid that had taken place on St. Albans, Vermont, the day before.  Confederates had attacked the town.  Several townspeople were reportedly shot in early reports: two fatally, and there banks robbed of $153,000.  The raiders had then fled back to Canada on 20 stolen horses.

This was the first time that the war had come to New England.

The next day, Oct. 21, it was reported that ten of te raisers had been captured by authorities in Canada and that only one St. Albans resident had died.

--Old Secesh

First Canadian Civil War Monument

From the Feb. 20, 2014, Seaway News (Canada) "First-ever U.S. Civil War monument going up to memorialize Canada's contribution."

In Cornwall, Canada. More than 50,000 Canadians fought on both sides of the war. The new memorial will be located in Ault Park on County Road 2 by the Lost Village Historical Society.

It will consist of a 14-foot-high black granite obelisk and 8-foot black granite side stones.

They hope to have it completed by the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation on July 1, 2017.

Men from Quebec, Ontario and te Maritime Provinces enlisted on both sides. Some 34 Canadians on the Union side received Medals of Honor.

I Did Not Know That So Many Canadians Fought. --Old Secesh

St. Albans Raid

From the March 12th St. Albans (Vt) Messenger.

Preparations are underway to mark the 150th anniversary of the famed St. Albans Raid which took place October 19, 1864. It is considered the northern-most action of the war.

Warren Hamm, a retire US Navy Rear Admiral believes the city has "been remiss by not pushing this for the past 50 to 60 years.

On October 19, 1864, Bennett Young led 21 Confederate soldiers into St. Albans from Canada with intentions to kill and rob banks. They held hostages on the city green and robbed $208,000 from three banks before fleeing back into Canada where authorities determined Young's group were acting on military orders and refused to extradite them back to the US.

Canadian courts ruled that the Confederates were not criminals, but the $88,000 they had on them was not returned to St. Albans.

Wonder What Happened to the Other $120,000? --Old B-Runner