Also Buried at Louisville's Cave Hill Cemetery-- Part 7: A Navy MoH Recipient and the Man Who Led St. Albans Raid

These people are buried where Gen. Charles C. Gilbert is.

**  There are a lot of Union generals and some Confederate officers buried there.

**  PERRY WILKES (1830-1889)

Union Navy Medal of Honor recipient.  While the pilot aboard the Union steamer USS Signal proceeding up the Red River  5 May 1864 engaged a large force of enemy shore batteries until the ship was completely  disabled.  Wilkes remained at his station the whole time with his hands on  the ship's wheel until a bursting shell destroyed it.

After the war, he became one of the best steamboat men  between Pittsburgh and New Orleans.

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

**  BENNETT HENDERSON YOUNG  (1843-1919)

Confederate Army officer and author.  As a private, he was captured in 1863 during John Hunt Morgan's Ohio raid and escaped, eventually making his way to Canada and then back to the Confederacy.  He was made a lieutenant and sent back to Canada where, on October 19,1864, he led a raid on St. Albans, Vermont.

--Old Secesh

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

More Comments on 'Beast Butler'-- Part 4: Hatteras Inlet, Cotton and Lincoln's Secret Visits

The ship Greyhound was owned by Benjamin Butler.  It was a captured blockade runner and very fast.  However, it was blown up in a mysterious explosion believed to be from a coat torpedo in an attempt to assassinate Butler.

**  Union Admiral David D. Porter and Benjamin Butler had worked together earlier in the war at Hatteras Inlet.  A hurricane had made Confederate gunpowder wet and ineffective.  

After the victory, Butler rushed to Washington, D.C. with the glorious news of victory and then went on to New York City to spread the news and take credit there as well.

**  Butler was definitely into getting as much cotton as he could, either legally or under questionable practice.

**  The Red River Campaign in 1864 was all about cotton acquisition for the Union.

**  While he was at Fortress Monroe, Butler reported to no one but Lincoln.  Not even the head of the Union Army, Winfield Scott.

**  Lincoln visited Fortress Monroe and Butler 12 times.  Butler kept those visits secret.

More.  --Old Secesh

William P. Black-- Part 5: Arkansas Post, Vicksburg, Red River

William Black also was at the capture of Arkansas Post, the Vicksburg Campaign and the Red River Expedition.  He received an honorable discharge on September 29, 1864, and returned to Danville, Illinois.

After the war, he moved to Chicago and studied law at the firm of Arrington and Dent.  He passed the Illinois bar exam in 1867 and established a successful law practice with Thomas Dent, with clientele that included the Chicago Board of Trade.

He married Hortensia Mary MacGreal of Galveston, Texas, on May 28, 1869, and they had one son.

--Old Secesh

Robert A. Cameron-- Part 3: Western Theater

On February 3, 1862, he was transferred to the 34th Indiana and fought in Missouri at New Madrid and Island No. 10.  He was involved in the capture of Memphis, Tennessee.

On June 6, 1862, he was promoted to colonel and took over command of the 34th on June 15.

He was in the Vicksburg Campaign and was slightly wounded in the Battle of Port Gibson on May 1, 1863. Promoted to brigadier general August 11, 1863.

During the 1864 Red River Campaign, he led a division of the XIII Corps.

--Old Secesh

Stephen W. Stryker-- Part 6: Battle of Yellow Bayou

Took place in Louisiana May 17-18.

The 18th's casualties for this battle were:

1 enlisted killed, 3 enlisted died.

Missing: 3 officers, 32 enlisted.  This would be Stryker's group.

Yellow Bayou was the last battle in Gen. Banks' ill-fated Red River Campaign.

Also, one officer and 23 enlisted men died in the foundering of the steamer North America on December 22, 1864.

--Old Secesh

Stephen W. Stryker-- Part 4: The 18th New York Cavalry

I came across a reason why Lt.Col. Stryker may have been dismissed from service in the 18th New York Cavalry.

From Unit History Project, the 18th NY Cavalry.

On May 11, 1863, Col. James M. Bryne received authority to raise the Corning Light Infantry.  On June 24, their designation changed to cavalry.  They organized in New York City for three years service.  After first serving in the defenses of Washington, D.C., they spent the rest of their service in the western part of the war, including the Red River Campaign, where Stryker's fate may have been sealed.

The regiment was honorably discharged and mustered out on May 31, 1866 at Victoria, Texas.

During the 18th's service:  KIA 1 officer and 8 enlisted,  mortally wounded 8 enlisted and 6 enlisted from disease and other causes.

Old Secesh

Red River Campaign Conclusion

From Wikipedia.

Strength and casualties:

Union--   30,000 with 5,500 casualties
Confederate--  6,000-15,000 with 4,300 casualties.

**  A Union failure and the campaign did not have a major impact on the war.

**  It might have prolonged the war, though because it diverted the Union effort to capture the much more important Mobile, Alabama.

**  It effectively ended Union General Nathaniel Banks' military career.

**  The presence of cotton speculators and use of military boats to remove the cotton plagued his political career in later years.

**  Admiral Porter and the Navy seized a whole lot of cotton and made a lot of money.

**  The Confederacy lost two very able generals in Green and Mouton.

**  The Confederacy suffered casualties it could afford to lose.

**  It really wasn't a pressing military objective because with the fall of Vicksburg and Union control of the Mississippi River, the area was already cut off.

--Old Secesh

The Red River Campaign's Objectives

From Wikipedia.

1.  Destroy Richard Taylor's Confederate Army.

2.  Capture Shreveport, Louisiana, Confederate headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department.

3.  Control of the Red River.

4.  The occupation of East Texas.

5.  Confiscate as many as 100,000 bales of cotton from plantations and warehouses along the Red River.

6.  Organize a pro-Union government in the region.

There are some historians who also believe the presence of 25,000 French troops in Mexico and Emperor Maximillian also had something to do with it.

--Old Secesh

Bailey's Dam at Alexandria, Louisiana

From Wikipedia.

In the last post I wrote about Bailey's Dam which resulted in the saving of Admiral Porter's fleet during the Red River Campaign when it raised the river's water level high enough for the ships to pass through some very shallow water.

The site was listed on the NRHP in 1976.  Remnants of it could be seen at low water until 1987 when the United States Corps of Engineers completed the John Overton Lock and Dam downstream which flooded the site.

Before flooding it, however, the Corps sponsored archaeological excavations of it.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting-- Part 8: Red River Campaign-- Bailey and the Dam

On April 23, 1864, there was an engagement at Monett's Ferry and banks was able to get away to safety.

In the meantime, Admiral Porter's Union fleet was in dire straits at Alexandria as the Red River was too low for his ships to pass there.  It was six feet lower than usual and the gunboats were stranded.  The Union faced the serious possibility of having to destroy its entire fleet.

Enter Joseph Bailey who suggested temporary dams to raise the water level and enable the ships to pass over the shallows.  The first dam broke, but the USS Lexington and some ships did manage to get through to safety before the river got too shallow again.

It was rebuilt, along with wing dams upriver.  It was opened May 13 and all of Porter's ships got through this time.

Then on May 20th, the Union Army was unable to cross the Atchafalaya River because of high water.  It was Bailey to the rescue again when he had steamers line up, placed planks across them and a temporary bridge made.

For his efforts, Bailey was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Some Kind of Engineer, That Joseph Bailey.  --Old Secesh

Nov. MCCWRT Meeting, the Red River Campaign-- Part 7: Confederate General Green Loses His Head

The shallowness of the Red River had become a major problem for Porter's gunboats and in addition, Confederate troops and artillery began attacking the Union ships from the river banks.  Porter began going back down the river.

One of the best generals on the Confederate side, Thomas Green, was decapitated by a shot from the USS Osage that was directed by a periscope, one of the first time this devise was used in battle.  His loss hurt the Confederate side badly.

The USS Eastport hit a torpedo and eventually the Union force had to blow it up to prevent its capture.

At this time, Richard Taylor lost many of his troops who were taken to fight the Union advance from Little Rock.On April 23rd, there was an engagement at Monett's Ferry, but Banks was getting away.

--Old Secesh

Nov. MCCWRT Meeting-- Part 6: The Red River Campaign Union Wins Battle of Pleasant Hill, Porter Continues Up the River

On April 5, 1864, the Battle of Pleasant Hill was fought.  It was not really a hill, but more of a small rise.  The Union forces won this battle even though they had possibly one of the sorriest defensive positions ever during the war.

Even with the win, Banks did not go on the offensive.

In the meantime, Union Admiral Porter was continuing up the Red River, despite the low water level.  He was still expecting to rendezvous with Banks upriver.  The Confederates had sunk the steamer New Falls City across the channel to impede his progress.Near Shreveport, the Confederates had also blown up a dam and further diverted some 75% of the Red River's flow into a nearby bayou.

--Old Secesh

Nov. MCCWRT-- Part 6: Red River Campaign-- The Battle of Mansfield

The Union forces now veered inland to follow a road at Grand Ecore, about half way between Alexandria and Shreveport.

In the meantime, Confederate General Richard Taylor had been reinforced and now had enough men to fight Smith.  In addition, he also now had cavalry to serve as his eyes on Union movements.

The Union forces were heading toward Mansfield, but Taylor set up a defensive position at Sabine's Crossroads and a battle took place there on April 4, 1864.  It goes by two names, the Battle of Mansfield and the Battle of Sabine's Crossroads.

The Confederates had a numerical advantage at this battle, 8,000 to 4,400.  Confederate officers rode their horses into battle and many were killed or wounded, but the Union line was forced back.  Banks lost 2200 men and Confederates 1,000.

--Old Secesh

Nov. MCCWRT Meeting-- Part 5: Red River Campaign, CSA-USN and Low Water

Cotton was a major factor in the drive to Shreveport.  The U.S. Navy got to Alexandria, Louisiana, first and immediately set about "procuring" as much cotton as they could get their hands on.  This was cotton money that would go to the Navy, not the Army..

They even went so far as to stamp CSA on the cotton to make it o.k. to take.  The Army had a put-down joke concerning such bales as this that they came across, stamped with both CSA and USN.  The letters, they said, stood for Cotton Stealing Association of the United States Navy.

A major problem, other than the rivalry to get the cotton, but one more of a threat to mission success was the low level of the Red River.  The expedition was planned during the spring to take advantage of high water, but 1864, the spring flooding that might be expected did not come.  There were some major shallows at Alexandria that proved to be time-consuming and hard work to get over.

The largest Union warship, the USS Eastport really got stuck and took an extreme lot of effort to get it refloated and past the shallows.  After more effort, the Navy managed to get 13 gunboats over it.

--Old Secesh

Nov. MCCWRT Meeting: The Red River Campaign-- Part 4: A Two-Pronged Assault

Union General Banks had 25,000 troops overall, but his main general, Andrew J. Smith, and he didn't get along well.  The Confederates opposing them were under the overall command of Edmund Kirby Smith, but his subordinate, Gen. Richard Taylor was in tactical command.

Taylor had some 7,000 men and no cavalry to screen his movements or scout the enemy.

The Union plan called for a two-pronged movement against Shreveport.  The main one was to go up the Red River while a smaller one would approach from Little Rock, Arkansas.

Union forces captured Fort DeRussy and the overwhelmed Taylor began falling back up the Red River.

--Old Secesh

Nov. MCCWRT Meeting-- Part 3: The Red River Campaign

In early 1864, the Red River Expedition was launched with Shreveport, Louisiana, as its objective.  The overall Union general in charge, Nathaniel Banks, was a political general who had been moved out west after being embarrassed and thoroughly trounced by Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.

He was a powerful Massachusetts politician and had been moved in 1863 and made head of the Department of the Gulf.

For the campaign, Banks had a total of 25,000 troops overall along with the Mississippi Squadron under Admiral David D. Porter which consisted of 30 gunboats, many transports and the Marine Brigade.

One of Banks' generals was Andrew W. Smith, who accompanied Porter's fleet up the Red River.  Smith and Banks did not like each other at all.

--Old Secesh

November MCCWRT Meeting-- Part 2: The Red River Campaign

Pat McCormick was this evening's keynote speaker and talked about the Union's ill-fated Red River Campaign, summing it up as a textbook example of how not to conduct a campaign and one that was really not necessary.

Overall, it took place because of Texas, even though it took place in Louisiana.    It was hoped that it would get the cotton-raising non-slave-owning Germans there as well as many pro-Unionists to break away from the Confederacy.

And, another big reason was for cotton and cotton speculation..  Politicians in New England were putting pressure on Lincoln to get Texas because of the cotton needed for their textile factories.

Another reason to worry about Texas was because of the increasing French presence in Mexico as well as Confederate supplies coming across the Rio Grande River between Matamoras and Brownsville, Texas.

An earlier attempt to invade Texas had been stopped by Dick Dowling and his force at Fort Griffin at the Battle of Sabine Pass.

--Old Secesh

Talking About Those Bad Generals-- Part 3: Sickles and Van Doren

Continued from March 11th.

Some other bad generals:

**  Sickles at Gettysburg

**  Earl Van Dorn--  Failed at Pea Ridge and Corinth

**  Beauregard

There was a break and some talk about how cold it got on the MCCWRT trip to the Red River Campaign back in 2014.  It was 80 degrees the first day and a cold 40s after that.

They were told to bring along boots because of the fire ants they might encounter in hiking to sites.  One member said he figured to always be the first in line as it is the second guy who gets bitten..

Then we got to talking about Stonewall Jackson already being a dead man even before he was shot as he was showing symptoms of pneumonia.

Not That This Group Occasionally Get Off Topic.  --Old SeceshStayOfftheFireAnts

McHenry County, Illinois, in the Civil War-- Part 2

The 95th Illinois Infantry was mostly from McHenry County. Its US and regimental flags are preserved in the Illinois National Guard Militia Historical Society Museum in Springfield.

They organized at Camp Fuller in Rockford, Illinois September 4, 1862. A total of 1,324 volunteers served in it during the course of the war and they traveled 9,960 miles.

Service Record:

VICKSBURG-- May 18 and 22, 1863
MERIDIAN EXPEDITION-- Feb. 14, 1864
RED RIVER CAMPAIGN-- March 9 to April 22, 1864
BRICE'S CROSSROADS
SHERMAN'S Campaign Against Atlanta-- June 24 to September, 1864
NASHVILLE-- Dec. 15, 1864
SPANISH FORT-- April 8, 1865
BLAKELY FORT-- April 9, 1865

I found out that John Hatch is buried in Marengo Cemetery. He died January 30, 1924, and was in Co. E, 95th Illinois.

A Bit of Local History. --B-Runner