The Colonel and Stephen Douglas' Widow-- Part 1

From the July 2021 America's Civil War magazine "Love in the Ruins."

As I said before, I sure miss this magazine.

Colonel Robert Williams, the first commander of the 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry, usually did not get along with his men.  

At the time he became the commander, it was customary for men to elect  their company and field commanders.  Williams, a strict disciplinarian-- and Virginian by birth-- was not a natural fit for the New Englanders of his regiment.  And, making matters worse, Williams was not picked by the men of the 1st.  (More on this later.)

But, he was a professional soldier and had served for a decade in the Army on the western frontier. 

Despite discord in the ranks, he stayed with the regiment during early campaigning in South Carolina and its transfer to the Army of the Potomac in August 1862.  At Antietam, however, Williams complained  that he had been the victim of an unspecified injustice.

He resigned his colonel's commission and returned to the Adjutant General's department in Washington, D.C., which had been his previous posting.

--Old Secesh

Camp Nelson National Park-- Part 3: Major Recruitment and Training Center for USCT

Camp Nelson quickly became the largest of the eight black recruitment centers in Kentucky and the third largest training camp in the whole country for United States Colored Troops (USCT).  Once all restrictions on recruitment were removed by June 1864, the number of black enlistments exploded.

These new recruits, who were formerly slaves, were able to be emancipated upon joining.

More than 500 USCT mustered in during the month of June 1864, and a record 1,370 new troops enlisted at the camp in July.  In total, eight USCT regiments organized at Camp Nelson in 1864 to 1865.  Four were infantry units (114th, 116th, 119th and 124th), two were cavalry (5th and 6th) and two were artillery (12th and 13th).

By the time the 13th Amendment was ratified in December 6, 1865, ending slavery throughout the United States, roughly 10,000 Blacks had enlisted at Camp Nelson.

--Old Secesh

General Samuel Augustus Gilbert-- Part 2: His Unit Went from an Infantry to a Cavalry Regiment

Next, he participated in skirmished in central Kentucky and eastern Tennessee, throughout 1862 and 1863.

In early 1864, his command was reorganized as the 8th Ohio Cavalry.  Because of his deteriorating health,  and the fact that his command was now a cavalry unit, Gilbert resigned his command on April 20, 1864.

On March 13, 1865, he was made a brevet brigadier general "for faithful and meritorous service during the war."

After the war, he resumed his career as an assistant to the U.S. Coast Survey.

--Old Secesh

Graves Decorated of Other Illinois Regiments in Woodstock 1903

Earlier this month I posted about Union veteran graves decorated in 1903 for Decoration Day in Woodstock, Illinois, of the 15th and 95th regiments, two units made up of many McHenry County residents.

I did not write down the names of the men in other Illinois units whose graves were also decorated  because of lack of time, but made a quick list of the unit numbers.

Here they are  (all units Illinois):

5th Artillery  (4 men)

153rd

36th (two men)

Dragoons

137th

124th (two men)

5th Battalion

92nd

53rd

1st Artillery

9th Cavalry

88th

8th Cavalry

17th Cavalry

--Old Secesh

Roadtrippin' Thru History-- Part 5: A Famous Cavalry Unit and a Massacre

Spanish-American War

A famous cavalry unit

A  massacre

10-year-olds

World War I

World War II

Cold War

A weird U.S. Air Force base

A Civil War recruiting scam

A bank scam

One big-time retribution

Well, that pretty-well covers it.  Who wants to go Roadtrippin' Thru History with me?

Ready, Set, Go.  --Old Secesh

Civil War Companies Organized in McHenry County, Illinois

From Civil War/Illinois  Gen Web.

CAVALRY

8th Regt.--  Companies  G, H, I

9th Regt.--  Company G

17th Regt.--  Company G

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

INFANTRY

15th--  Companies A,D,F  (Company D was commanded by Harley Wayne)

36th--  Company H

47th (Consolidated)--  Company E

52nd--  Company I

95th--  Companies A,C,D,E,F, H, I

141st--  Company F

147th--  Company I

153rd--  Companies B,K

--Old Secesh

Roster of the Harley Wayne GAR Post #169, Marengo, Illinois

From McHenry County, Illinois, Genealogy.

This was the roster of the Marengo, Illinois, Harley Wayne GAR Post #168.  Unfortunately, there was no date given.

The names were given, but I went through the list and recorded what units the men were in during the war.

There were 31 men listed.

These were the Illinois Infantry Regiments and how many from each one:

95th:   8  All ten companies from McHenry and Boone counties.

15th:   4   Companies A, D and F were from McHenry County.

141st:   3  Company F from McHenry and Kendall counties.

153rd:   2  Company K from McHenry County.  Company B from McHenry and Boone counties.

5th:   1

23rd:   1

36th:    1

37th:   1

65th:  1

93rd:    1

CAVALRY

9th:   1

15th:   1

OTHER STATES

125th New York:   1

10th New York Cavalry:   1

14th  Iowa

19th Michigan:    1

12th Wisconsin Artillery:    1

11th Vermont Artillery:   1

--Old Secesh

Palmito Ranch, Texas

From the American Battlefield Trust 2021 Calendar, May

PALMITO RANCH, Texas

3 acres saved.

Palmito Ranch battlefield National Historic Landmark, Brownsville, Texas.

On the banks of the Rio Grande River, near Brownsville, Texas, Palmito Ranch looks much as it did  at the time of the battle 156 years ago.

On May 11, 1865, 300 men of the 62nd Regiment United States Colored Troops and the 2nd Texas Cavalry set out on an expedition to attack reported rebel outposts and camps, leading to what many historians consider the final land battle of the Civil War, which began the next day.

The trust's three-acre acquisition there in 2001 remains our lone victory in the Lone Star State.

--Old Secesh

December 19: The President Taunts Crowd at Augusta Visit

From the August 19, 2020, Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle.

I bet you're thinking that President Trump left the White House for one more campaign rally.  But that is not the case because the December 19 in this instance is December 19, 1898, and the president is William McKinley.

DECEMBER 19, 1898

President William McKinley came to town and he brought his sense of humor with him.  On  a damp day in the week before Christmas, the republican drew one of the largest crowds ever on Broad Street.

During a lull in the activities, an ex-Confederate who was chatting with the president pointed with pride to a large marble memorial only a few yards away  and said, "That represents what sort of soldier we were."

"Yes, and what you were," replied the president who was a Union Army sergeant at the Battle of Antietam, "for I see the soldier surmounting the column has a 'U.S.' on his cartridge box."

McKinley referred to the  figure atop the memorial, according to an account in the Baltimore Sun,  and told the old Confederate that things had really worked out for the best.

Then, he wasted little time introducing a local favorite, Gen. Joseph  Wheeler.  The Augusta native and once dashing Confederate cavalryman was now a hero of the Spanish-American conflict.

Earlier this month, an Augusta task force has recommended this memorial be removed to a cemetery.  You know why.

Back Then, Not Now.  --Old Secesh

Nebraska Troops in the War-- Part 1: Infantry, Cavalry and Scouts

From Wikipedia.

Some of these only saw action on the frontier battling the Indians.  Nebraska raised just one infantry  regiment, the 1st Nebraska which later became cavalry. Also raised were a regiment and battalion of cavalry, several militia companies and two scout companies.

1st Nebraska Infantry
1st Nebraska Militia

1st Nebraska Cavalry (created from 1st Nebraska Infantry in 1863)
1st Battalion Nebraska Veteran Volunteer Cavalry
2nd Nebraska Cavalry

Independent Company "A" Pawnee Scouts, Nebraska Cavalry
Independent Company Omaha Scouts, Nebraska Cavalry

Stuff'ts Independent Company of Indian Scouts

That's All of Them.  --Old Secesh

Nebraska in the Civil War-- Part 3: Service of the 1st Nebraska

Called to the fighting,the 1st Nebraska was with Gen. U.S. Grant in the attack and capture of Fort Donelson and earned honor.  Then they were at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.  Later, they participated in minor engagements in Missouri and Arkansas.

In October 1863, the regiment was changed from infantry to cavalry and transferred to the frontier to keep the Plains Indians in check.  It was mustered out of service in 1866.

A total of 1,370 men served in the regiment during the war.

Commanders were:

Colonel John Milton Thayer
Lt. Col.  William McCord (commanded at Shiloh)
Lt. Col. Robert Livingston (commanded at Siege of Corinth)

--Old Secesh

Colonel Lewis Merrill-- Part 1: At the University of Missouri

From Univ. of Missouri ROTC Battalion History.

During the Civil War, in 1862, The 2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, under Colonel Lewis Merrill garrisoned the school in January 1862.  They took residence on the first floor of Academic Hall.

In  August of that year, some 200 Confederate soldiers, members of the Missouri State Guard, stormed Columbia, Missouri (where the university is located), and were routed by Merrill's men.  The third floor of the Academic Hall was used to house the prisoners for a time.

During the occupancy, some Union soldiers found a box of unsigned degrees and game themselves their own commencement ceremony.

--Old Secesh

Mary Todd Lincoln's "Divided Family"-- Part 3

These were half-siblings of Mary Todd Lincoln who were Confederate.

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

MARTHA TODD WHITE

1833-1868

Accused of being a CSA spy and smuggler

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

EMILIE TODD HELM

1836-1930

Married CSA General Benjamin Helm, KIA

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

ALEXANDER HUMPHREYS TODD

1839-1864

Lieut. 1st Kentucky Cavalry, KIA

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

ELODIE TODD DAWSON

1840-1877

Married Captain Nathaniel Dawson 4th Alabama CSA

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

CATHERINE "KITTY" TODD

1841-1875

Married William Herr, 1st Kentucky Cavalry, CSA

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

--Old Secesh

Theophilus Lyle Dickey-- Part 2: Commanded the 4th Illinois Cavalry

In August 1861, the State of Illinois authorized Dickey to raise a company of cavalry which became the nucleus of the 4th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry.

In this process Dickey  and Illinois Governor Richard Yates over commissions of officers.  Both wanted to appoint the officers.  The governor especially liked to have  political patronage of those he would appoint.  In the end, Dickey got to appoint the officers.  (Usually the men in regiments voted on officers.)

Theophilus Dickey became the regiment's commander with the rank of colonel and its organization completed and mustered in September 26, 1861.

He commanded the regiment during Grant's advance on Fort Henry where it served as scouts and screening force and then again led the advance on Fort Donelson.  The regiment was then shipped to Pittsburg Landing where it participated in the Battle of Shiloh.

After the war as assistant attorney general for the United States and often argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.  In 1875, he was elected a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, a position he held until his death in 1885.

--Old Secesh

4th Kentucky Cavalry: Col. Green Clay Smith's Short Command

Continued from November 13, 2018 blog entry.

Green Clay Smith was the commander of this regiment for a short time in 1862.  Its first commander was Colonel Jesse Bayles.

While in Tennessee, Colonel Green Clay Smith took command in May 1862.    While he commanded the regiment, they were involved in several engagements with with Confederate cavalry in Tennessee.

Lebanon, Tennessee, was an especially hard fought engagement with the Confederates under John Hunt Morgan.  For gallant service, Smith was made a brigadier general the same month he took command.

--Old Secesh

Clays of Ky.-- Part 5: Green Clay Smith Became Union General

His maternal grandfather was Green Clay.  His uncles on his mother's side were also politicians and had involvement in the Civil War, Brutus J. Clay and Cassius M. Clay.   I'll be writing about them next.

As a young man he was a second lieutenant in the First Regiment of Kentucky Volunteer Infantry in the Mexican War.

Was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863.    On April 4, 1862, he was commissioned colonel of the Fourth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry and then was appointed brigadier general of volunteers on June 12, 1862.

Like his uncles, Brutus and Cassius Clay, he joined Kentucky's Unionist Party.

--Old Secesh

Defense of Fayetteville and the Arsenal-- Part 1: Wilmington Evacuation Puts Fayetteville a Major Target

From Civil War North Carolina by Wade Sokolosky.

Braxton Bragg's withdrawal from Wilmington, N.C. on Feb. 21, 1865, made Fayetteville an even bigger target with the link between the two cities with the Cape Fear River.

Bragg was well aware of the straits Fayetteville was in and advised Lt.Col.  Frederick L. Childs, in command at the arsenal to evacuate his "most valuable stores, especially ammunition for small arms." and procure wagons to transport them to the nearest rail depot.  They would be needed for the defense of North Carolina.

Childs had worried about a Union attack since he assumed command at the arsenal in 1863.  At first, he feared an attack by cavalry from Union-held New Bern.  When he first arrived, he noticed there were no prepared defensive works to protect the city.  Also, his force at the arsenal had no cavalry to warn him of approaching enemy forces.

--Old Secesh

"Fighting Guy" Henry-- Part 2: His Medal of Honor

Continued from Tuesday, September 12, 2017.

He was in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and later in Puerto Rico, alongside of General Nelson Miles and is buried at Arlington Narlational Cemetery.

Guy Henry's Medal of Honor came while commanding the 40th Massachusetts at Cold Harbor on June 1, 1864 where he led assaults of his brigade upon the enemy's works.  he had two horses shot out from under him.

He had a son named Guy Vernor Henry, Jr. (1875-1967).  he became the third member of the family to graduate from West Point in the Class of 1898.  He earned a Silver Star in the Spanish-American War, was in the Puerto Rico Campaign, Philippines and in both world wars.  He spent a lot of time in the cavalry and even won a bronze medal in the Olympics.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Companies Organized in McLean County, Illinois-- Part 1

This site lists 4,349 as having served.  I am unable to find the census for the county in 1860 to get some idea as to the percentage of people living there at the time.

CAVALRY UNITS

1st--  Co. H
3rd--  Co. I
4th--  Cos. G and L
5th  Co. C

INFANTRY

8th (3 months)--  Co. K
8th (three years)--  Co.K
20th--  Co. C
24th--  Co. B
26th--  Co. K
33rd--  Cos. A, C, and G

More.  --Old Secesh

Mort Kunstler's June Calendar Page-- Part 2: The Charge At Trevilian Station

"Charge them, my brave boys, charge them," he ordered, and courageously led the attack.  Around him, the troops surged toward the enemy through a haze of smoke and dust.

Bolstering Hampton's veterans was a force of newly-arrived South Carolinians that included the Cadet Rangers --  Company F of the 6th South Carolina Cavalry -- which had been organized at The Citadel.

Typically, Hampton led with his saber -- then, in hand-to-hand combat, switched to his revolver.  Saddles were emptied on both sides and Hampton single-handedly took down three adversaries.

The battle shifted to other fields and continued the next day.  It was finally decided when a bold Confederate counterattack shattered the Federal line.  On June 13th, Sheridan and his troops retreated without destroying the railroad.  Hampton had driven back the enemy -- and had demonstrated his ability to assume J.E.B. Stuart's mantle of leadership.

Lee Had His New Cavalry Commander.  --Old Secesh