MCCWRT Discussion Group Today: The Navy at Vicksburg, the Canal

Grant's campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, will be the topic today of the McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table's discussion group meeting at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois, at 10 a.m..  I will write more about it in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog today.

But one aspect of the campaign involved some 3,000 troops and something they did with water in an attempt to bypass the Confederate batteries guarding the town.  That was the construction of a canal, which is now called Williams' Canal and Grant's Canal, as both Union generals were involved with its construction at different times.

This took place June 27 to July 24, 1962.

During the summer of 1862, Farragut's fleet bombarded Vicksburg's defenses with little success.  It was decided to build a canal to accomplish a bypass.  Three thousand Union troops under Brigadier General Thomas Williams were put to work on it.

They suffered hugely from disease and eventually called the effort off.

Then, in January 1863, Grant took another shot at building that canal, but that too failed.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT: The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal-- Part 3: Capture of Generals Kelley and Crook

One way of disabling the canal was to breach it.  This meant putting a hole in a side of it and letting the water out.

After it was determined that Maryland was not going to join the Confederacy, frequent raids were made on it.

Union Brigadier General Benjamin Franklin Kelley and Major General George Crook were captured along the canal by a small group of Confederate partisans near the end of the war, on February 21, 1865.  They were taken to Richmond but were released by a special exchange on March 20.

His Army career didn't last long after that as he resigned on June 1.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT October Meeting: Charlie Banks on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal-- Part 1

This important canal was located along the Potomac River and was a major target of Confederate raids during the war.  Let's just say, parts of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) were destroyed at times.

It was built and ran alongside the Baltimore & Ohio Rail Road.

As important as this canal was, it is surprising that the North did not do more to protect it.  It was a major supply route to Washington, D.C..   Nor did they do much to defend the Northern Railway from Baltimore to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The C&O Canal dates to the American revolution.  The Point of Rocks section of it was a particularly narrow spot along the Potomac River.

Charlie Banks used a slide presentation to make his points.  They included source photos and ones he had taken himself.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Round Table October Meeting

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table meeting was held Tuesday October 9 at the Woodstock Library in Woodstock, Illinois,   We meet here every second Tuesday of every month except January and February.

Elections to be held at next month's meeting.

Again we will be offering a $1,000 scholarship to students from McHenry County   They will be writing an essay on a Civil War-related theme.  Volunteers needed for a committee which will have two meetings.

The discussion group topic for October will be "Divided Loyalties" about families who sent soldiers to both sides.  I have been doing research on the Clay family in Kentucky which is one of those families.

Our Christmas party will be held December 2 at the Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley.  It will be a buffet which a special appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.

Charlie Banks gave a presentation on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal during the war.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday Oct. 9: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in the Civil War

This Tuesday, October 8, 2018, the McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will hold its monthly meeting at the Woodstock, Illinois, Public Library located at 414 West Judd Street, just off the historic Woodstock Square.

This month's presentation will be by Charlie Banks and will be about the "Chesapeake and Ohio canal in the Civil War."

All are welcome to attend.

See You There.  --Old Secesh

The C&O Canal Really on the Border During the War

From the Dec, 6th Washington Post, by Carolyn Reader.

The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal followed the Potomac River along the Maryland shore, putting it right in the path of both armies during the conflict. During the war, Union forces were routinely camped along the canal to keep Confederates from disrupting it.

There was a big fear that the banks would be cut and water drained out or the canal boats sunk as obstructions. The canal stretched 184 miles from Cumberland, Maryland to Georgetown. Boats carrying coal to be used on Union warships was carried in the canal boats as well as grain for horses and bread.

During December 1861, Confederate forces under Stonewall Jackson tried several times to destroy it by bombardment and even wading into the cold water to hack at it.

From Wikipedia. The C&O operated from 1831 to 1924 and used 74 locks to enable boats to travel the 605-foot elevation change. In addition, 150 culverts were constructed for smaller streams and 11 aqueducts for rivers (10 remain).

Something You Don't Think Of. --Old B-Runner