U.S. Grant Letter to Elihu Washburne-- Part 1: "My Going Could Do No Possible Good"

From the August 21, 2013, Galena (Ill) Gazette from the Papers of Ulysses Grant. Letter dated August 30, 1863, to Congressman Elihu Washburne from Galena. Today's date 150 years ago.

Ever since the fall of Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Union forces led by General Grant, his name had been constantly mentioned as being a likely choice to command the Union Army in the east.

Grant wrote, "My going could do no possible good. They have there able officers who have been brought up with that army and to import a commander to place over them certainly could produce no good...I can do more with the Army of the Tennessee (in the west)."

--Old Secesh

The Army Needs Your Flour-- Part 2: $30 Per Barrel Flour

"Six dollars per bushel of 60 pounds delivered at either of the Rail Road Depots will be paid for all choice white wheat. Inferior wheat in proportion to the above price. No damaged or sprouted wheat will be received. Bags will be furnished to put it in.

Thirty dollars per barrel will be paid for good superfine flour. Persons having flour or wheat will please call on me, or address me at Graham, N.C.

William H. Oliver

August 15th, 1863."

--Old Secesh

The Army Needs Your Flour-- Part 1

From the August 15, 2013, UNC Library Civil War Day By Day.

From a broadside dated 15 August 1863.

"WHEAT AND FLOUR WANTED: Wanted any quantity of Wheat and Flour for the use of our army (Confederate) in Virginia. By instructions just received it is important that a large quantity of wheat and flour should be collected immediately.

"I therefore appeal to every man who has wheat or flour on hand, to sell it to me for the use of our soldiers."

And, He'll Pay --Old Secesh

The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry: Sallie's Unit

I wrote about the pit bull Sallie who was the mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, so now will write a little about this regiment.

According to Wikipedia, it is the oldest Pennsylvania regiment in service, with men enlisting from three Pennsylvania counties as a 3-month regiment (as long as the war was expected to last) on April 26, 1861.

It received the nickname "The Bloody Eleventh" at the Battle of Falling Waters, Virginia, on July 2, 1861.

The 11th joined the Army of the Potomac and fought at Second Bull Run, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Grant's Overland Campaign, Petersburg and Appomattox.

--Old Secesh

Dogs in the Civil War-- Part 3: More About Jack

Jack stayed with his regiment for all except six months when he was held by Confederates as a prisoner dog of war. While in prison he gave great cheer to other Union prisoners. Later, he was exchanged even up for a Confederate. (I have to wonder how that man felt about being exchanged for a dog?)

Jack was in many battles and was captured one other time, but escaped in six hours. He was severely wounded at Malvern Hill and received lesser wounds at other battles.

He reportedly also understood bugle calls, searched for comrades on battlefields and would follow only the 102nd.

On December 23, 1864, at Frederick City, Maryland, he disappeared and was never seen again. Most of the 102nd believe he was killed by someone for his collar.

Lousy Thing to Do. --Old Secesh

Dogs in the Civil War-- Part 2: Jack the Dog of the 102nd Pa.

Dogs were often owned by individual soldiers, but others were adopted by a company, regiment or even a division.

Jack, the dog, joined the firehouse of the Niagara Volunteer Company on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh one day before the war began. At first, he was mistreated by some of the firemen, but he won over all when he beat a much larger stray dog in a fight to the finish.

After that, he answered every fire call and was given a very expensive silver collar ($75).

When the call for volunteers went out, most of the fire company joined along with Jack in the 102nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment.

--Old Secesh

Dogs in the Civil War-- Part 1

From the June 2012 Dog Press by Fred Lanting. It was sad that the editors chose to note that the photo of Mr. Lanting posing as a Southern Rebel was appropriate for his column. It is a sad day when we have to come to that.

The article had several photos. One shows "Irish Wolfhound sleeps beneath a Celtic Cross commemorating The Irish Brigade. Another shows the symbol of "The Grayhounds" and another of "Sallie" on the 11th Pennsylvania statue. I have already written about her.

In addition to dogs at war, the 8th Wisconsin Infantry had the eagle "Old Abe" which had been given them by an Indian.

--Old Secesh

Back to the Dogs-- Part 2: The Original "Hounds From Hell"

Some dogs were used as prison guards and weighed over 100 pounds.

Confederate Captain Henry Wirz at Andersonville had his own dogs, known as "The Hounds From Hell." He would use them to track down escapees.

Some say one of them weighed 198 pounds, stood 38 inches and was 7 feet long.

That's A Mighty Big Dog. --Old Secesh

Back to the Dogs-- Part 1: Custer's Dog

Earlier this month I wrote about pit bulls in my Cooter's History Thing Blog and then did two entries in this blog regarding pit bulls Jack and Sallie who served with two Pennsylvania regiments.

Continuing with the dog story in the war.

From the Dec. 16, 2010, Examiner "Military dogs during the Civil War."

Dog service during the Civil War is not what they do currently in the military. They were primarily mascots and companion animals.

George Armstrong Custer is pictured with his trusty dog in one photo.

There is also the story of a Confederate dog killed at Gettysburg and given a military funeral by his regiment. 

Bow Wow. --Old Secesh

Eight Unusual Civil War Weapons

From the History Channel. I'm just listing them. The site has pictures and information. I was aware of most. (* something I didn't know much about.)

1. Hand Grenades*

2. Rockets (used by blockaders to signal the arrival of blockade-runners and to celebrate victories)

3. Machine Guns

4. Landmines (an extensive network at Fort Fisher)

5. Underwater Mines (used extensively by the Confederacy)

6. Calcium Floodlights* (I'm just learning about them.)

7. Hot Air Balloons

8. Winans Steam Gun*

Learning Stuff All the Time. --Old Secesh

Aftermath of "Gettisburg"-- Part 3

"I cannot give you the account of our loss--our Reg was 700 strong as we went on the road from have only 302 men left with us--we are resting for a few days, I do not know what will be our next move we are in bad condition the men loosing every thing they had except what they had on."

 A Hard Time Of It. --Old Secesh

Aftermath of "Gettisburg"-- Part 2: 'We Now have Only 1000'

Continued from my August 10th entry, Letter from W.T. Dickinson to Governor Zebulon Vance (N.C.) writing about the battle and requesting future placement for duty in North Carolina. Evidently, Dickinson was with the 11th North Carolina Infantry which I have since found played a big role in the Battle of Gettysburg.

"...we left many of out poor fellows killed and wounded at Gettisburg our Reg and especially our Brigade suffered severely--we passed here on our march with 3000 men we now have only 1000 (our Brigade) our company suffered severely lost killed 11--wounded and missing, 20 our Lieuts killed Sam Young.

"The 2 Burssing Ino and Wm killed on the field our beloved Col. Seanenthorpe wounded and a prisoner our Brig General Pettigrew killed his AA Gene killed...."

It Was A Bloody Battle. --Old Secesh

Pit Bulls in War-- Part 2: Jack of the 102nd Pennsylvania

The dog Jack of the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry is believed to have been part pit bull. Before the war, he was the mascot of a Pittsburgh fire department company and he went off to war with his men.

He was captured by Confederates twice during the war and even once part of a prisoner exchange along with 94 soldiers from his unit.

Jack was at Antietam, Fair Oaks, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness.

In December 1864, he disappeared, believed to have been killed for his silver collar given to him by his unit. 

The Story of a Dog. --Old Secesh

Pit Bulls in War-- Part 1: Sallie

Last week, in my Cooter's History Thing blog, I was writing about the much maligned dogs called pit bulls. I came across a pit bull who was with the 11th Pennsylvania and one with the 102nd Pennsylvania. 

SALLIE The beloved mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania was a brindle bull terrier named Sallie who went everywhere with the unit. She was said to have hated three things: Rebels, Democrats and women. Her loyalty was undying.

 At the Battle of Gettysburg, after the first day's fighting, she ambled over to where the 11th had fought and died and lay down with the dead. Weak and near death, she was found July 4th and nursed back to health. 

She was with the unit for every battle until mortally wounded at the Battle of Hatcher's Run in February 1865 and given a proper burial. A likeness of Sallie is memorialized at the 11th Pennsylvania's monument at Gettysburg.

 Quite a Dog. --Old Secesh

"I Can Consider It a Privilege to Die For My Country": Paul Jones Semmes

Before his death and knowing that he would die, Paul Jones Semmes said those words to a war correspondent.

General Lee wrote that Semmes had "died as he lived, discharging the highest duty of a patriot with devotion that never faltered and courage that shrank from no danger."
'
A Brave, Brave Man. --Old Secesh

Brigadier General Paul Jones Semmes, CSA-- Part 2: Mortally Wounded at Gettysburg

From Wikipedia.

Paul Jones Semmes was born in Wilkes County, Georgia, June 4, 1815, and died July 10, 1863. He attended the University of Virginia and became a plantation owner in Columbus, Georgia. From 1846 to 1861, he was a Georgia militia captain.

 At the onset of war, he was appointed colonel of the 2nd Georgia Infantry and promoted to brigadier general March 11, 1862. He served in the Peninsular Campaign, South Mountain, Antietam and Chancellorsville.

 At the Battle of Gettysburg, he was mortally wounded in the thigh at the Wheat Field on the second day, dying eight days later in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

 He is buried at Linnwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.

-- Old Secesh

Brigadier General Paul Jones Semmes, CSA-- Part 1: It's All Relative

From Wikipedia. Back on July 27th, I mentioned the death of this man in conjunction with the Battle of Gettysburg.

 At the time, I wondered if he was related to the famous commander of the CSS Alabama, Raphael Semmes. It turns out he was a cousin of Semmes, as was Union Navy Captain Alexander Alderman Semmes who served mostly in the Gulf of Mexico during the war and also commanded a Union monitor.

Definitely A war That Tore Families Apart.   --Old Secesh.

Aftermath of "Gettisburg"-- Part 1

From the July 28, 2013, UNC Library Civil War Day By Day. An excellent resource of primary source materials. This is from a letter written by W.T. Dickinson to North Carolina's Governor Zebulon Vance:

"Camp Near Brandy Station VA July 28 1863

Gov. Z.B. Vance

Dear Sir,

Our troops arrived here a few days since from our trip to Pa much worn down with fatigue & consequent upon our long and muddy tromp for it rained nearly all the time while we were gone. I stood the trip very well as I had a horse to ride all the time. I could not of stood, what many of our poor fellows who took much less like standing hardships than myself did, we left many of our poor fellows killed and wounded at Gettisburg..."

 Dickinson was with the 11th NC.

Old Secesh

The Dials Obviously Didn't Much Like Capt. Hunter

A bit of raw emotion here in the letter (there was additional comments on the back side). These men who claim to be Unionists and not willing to fight for the Confederacy (western NC and eastern Tennessee were hotbeds of Unionists) say that they will kill Hunter if he comes looking for them again.

Plus, they are extremely upset that Hunter has issued an order to have them killed if found.

--Old Secesh

"i will put lead..."-- Part 2

"Capt Quill Hunter if yo ever hunt for us a gin i will put lead in yo god dam your hell fired soll yo have give the people orders to Shoot us down when they find us and if yo dont take your orders back i will Shoot yo If

"Sutch men as yo is christians of heaven i want to know who is the hippocrits of hell we have never done yo any harms for yo to hunt for us we will give yo something to hunt for heareafter here after when any body sees us i will know where to watch for yo the Secessions needent to degrudge what we steel for we are the United Staes Regulars

"Wils. Dial. Jim. Dial. Cal. Dial."

--Old Secesh

"...i will put lead in yo god dam your hell fired soll..."-- Part 1

I found this in the July 29, 2013, UNC Library This Day in the Civil War."

Quite interesting and showing a part of the war that is not usually reported. It was a letter dated July 29, 1863, from Wilse Dial, James Dial and Calvin Dial, three Unionists, probably in the mountains of Tennessee or North Carolina.

It is addressed to Captain Quil Hunter, possibly a Confederate conscription officer, threatening retaliation against attempts to find them. I lefty the spelling just as it was written.

--Old Secesh

Not Publishing Because of Loss of Compose Button

I haven't published any entries the last two weeks in the Civil War and Roadlog blogs because of the loss of the ability to type in the compose blog entry site.

All I have is html and that does not allow use of paragraphs evidently. I will be making some short entries until I get this problem figured out.

--Old Secesh

I have been going back here in 2018 and redoing my blog entries for this period of time.