Obituary of Samuel Augustus Gilbert, U.S. Coast Survey-- Part 1

From "Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey Showing the Progress of the Survey During  the Year 1868."

Assistant Samuel A. Gilbert died at St. Paul, Minnesota, on the  9th of June.  He was by brevet, a brigadier general,  for active and meritorious  services in the field in the recent war; and as a civilian, was one of the most experienced of the assistants in triangulation and topography.

The resolution passed at a meeting of his associates, a few days after his decease, well express the sterling qualities of the man, as evinced within my own knowledge during the short period of my personal acquaintance with him.

In the  hope of recovering from  the effects of hardships undergone in the military service, Assistant Gilbert left his home and his interesting family in Zanesville, Ohio, and dwelt during the greater part of the year in St. Paul.  The cessation from active duty brought some measure of personal comfort, but failed to restore strength to his powerful  frame and constitution, which finally wasted away in consumption.

--Old Secesh

Samuel Augustus Gilbert-- Part 2: Further Service and Resignation

In August 1862,  he was ordered to join  General John Pope east of the Blue Ridge and he served there until 1863, when he assumed command of a brigade in Kentucky.  

There, he dispersed a political convention in Frankfort which he considered to be plotting treason.

He continued  in Kentucky and Tennessee until  November 1863 when he became an engineer on the staff of  General John G. Foster until Confederate General James Longstreet retreated at which time he resumed command of his brigade.

Colonel Gilbert's health having deteriorated by exposure caused him to resign  on 20 April 1864.  He was brevetted to brigadier general of volunteers, 12 March 1865.

--Old Secesh

Samuel Augustus Gilbert-- Part 1: The Battle of Lewisburg, Va. (WestVirginia)

From Famous Americans.net.

GILBERT, SAMUEL AUGUSTUS, soldier, born in Zanesville, Ohio, 25 August 1825; died in St. Paul, Minnesota, 9 June 1868.  He was educated at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and then entered the U.S. Coast Survey.  He remained there until the coming of the Civil War and attained the rank next to that of superintendent.

On 11 June 1861, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 24th Ohio Volunteers, and accompanied his regiment to  western Virginia.  He was appointed colonel of the 44th Ohio Volinteers on 14 October 1861, and in May, 1862, he took part in a raid upon the Central Railroad, in which his command marched more than eighty miles in sixty hours, including all stops.

He then commanded the right flank in the Battle of Lewisburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), on 21 May 1862, and captured a Confederate battery.

--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

General Samuel A. Gilbert-- Part 1: In West Virginia Early in the War

Two posts ago, I mentioned that Gen. Charles C. Gilbert was the brother of Brig. Gen. Samuel A. Gilbert.  Another Civil War general whom I do not know.  Some more research and Wikipedia does not have an article about this man.  

But, GENi does have some information.  So, we will continue our Roadtrip Through History that started with Charles C. Gilbert.

SAMUEL AUGUSTUS GILBERT

Birthdate:  August 15, 1825

Death:  June 9, 1868  (age 42), St. Paul, Minnesota

Civil War brevet brigadier general.  Was a civil engineer in the U.S. Coast Survey service and took leave of absence during the war and appointed lieutenant colonel of the 24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and sent to what became West Virginia to defend Union positions.

On October 14, 1861, he was given command of the 44th Ohio Volunteer Infantry as colonel and later participated in the Battle of Lewisburg, West Virginia.

--Old Secesh

General Gilbert's Daughter Isabel Cass Gilbert Gresham: A Wounded Knee Connection

Charles Gilbert and his wife, Martha J. Prather Gilbert (1837-1930), had four children, two of whom survived to become adults.

His daughter, Isabel Cass Gilbert Gresham (1862-1938) married John  Chowning Gresham (1851-1926).  He was also in the U.S. Army and received a Medal of Honor during the Indian Campaigns.

Served as first lieutenant in the 7th Cavalry and received his medal for service at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota,  on December 29, 1890.

His citation reads:  "Voluntarily led a party into a ravine to dislodge Sioux Indians concealed therein.  He was wounded during this action."

This is what is known today as the Wounded Knee Massacre.  Twenty soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor at it.

He and his wife Isabel are both buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery.

--Old Secesh

Union Gen. Charles C. Gilbert-- Part 4: Rest of War and Afterwards

Major General William S. Rosecrans took command of the Army of the Ohio and the subsequent reorganization as the Army of the Cumberland left Gilbert without a permanent command.  He commanded the 10th Provisional Division in Tennessee at the Battle of Harpeth.  

In July 1863 he was assigned to the  East on administrative duty, serving as assistant  provost marshal  general and chief  mustering officer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later Hartford, Connecticut, for the remainder of the war.

AFTER THE WAR

Gilbert served on the frontier after the war with the 28th U.S. and 7th U.S. Infantry Regiments.

When he retired in 1986, he was commanding officer of  the 17th U.S. Infantry with the rank of colonel.

He died in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 17, 1903, amd is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

He was the brother of Union Brigadier General Samuel A. Gilbert and  uncle to Samuel's son Cass Gilbert.

--Old Secesh

Union General Charles C. Gilbert-- Part 3: At the Battle of Perryville Then Problems

Roadtripping Through History.

Gen. Gilbert was temporarily placed in charged of the corps-sized Army of Kentucky in the absence of the recovering General William "Bull" Nelson.  When the Army of Kentucky became a part of the  Army of the Ohio and redesignated the  III Provisional Corps, Gilbert remained in command.  

Just one week later, Gilbert commanded it at the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862.  There, his troops were successful in checking the last Confederate attacks and driving a Confederate brigade back through Perryville.

Even so, Gilbert was criticized for his slow action in the battle and his men generally did not like him, considered him as a martinet.

His appointment to brigadier general was not approved by the  Senate and it expired on  March 4, 1863.  Some officers in the Army, including Carlos Buell's chief of staff, James B. Fry, were surprised to find out Gilbert had not officially been promoted to major general.

Leaving the Volunteer service, Gilbert returned to the regular army and was appointed major in the  19th U.S. Infantry.  He was also brevetted to lieutenant colonel and colonel.

--Old Secesh

Roadtripping with Charles C. Gilbert-- Part 2: Civl War Service

After the Mexican War, he served in Texas for two years before returning to West Point in 1850 as  Assistant Professor of Geography, History and  Ethics and being promoted to first lieutenant on June 10, 1850.  In 1855, now a captain, he returned to Texas and fought the Indians

When the Civil War started, he commanded Fort Cobb in present-day Oklahoma.  Gilbert rejoined his regiment and fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek where he was wounded.  During the Battle of Shiloh and Siege of Corinth, he was Inspector General of the Army of the Ohio.

During the Confederate  Heartland Offensive, also known as the Kentucky Campaign which led to the Battle of Perryville, Major General  William "Bull" Nelson was wounded at the Battle of Richmond and his Army of Kentucky severely mauled.  Department commander Horatio G. Wright needed to find a replacement for Nelson.

But, the two ranking officers, Generals Charles Cruft and James S. Jackson, refused the promotion.  At their recommendation, Wright promoted Gilbert to fill the vacancy and Gilbert was elevated to acting major general pending the approval of the president.

Several days later, President Abraham Lincoln promoted Gilbert to the rank of brigadier general of U.S. volunteers.  Major General Carlos Buell appointed Gilbert to a corps commander in his Army  of the Ohio, over such generals as  Jeremiah T. Boyle, Jefferson C. Davis and Albin F. Schoeph.  Buell later  denied knowing that Gilbert had not received an official appointment.

Of course, Generals Nelson and Davis were later involved in that shooting incident.

--Old Secesh

This Month in the Civil War: Seven Days' Battles Begin

From the American Battlefield Trust June 2022 calendar.

JUNE 17, 1863

**  Battle of Aldie, Virginia.

JUNE 19,  1862

**  Lincoln signs legislation prohibiting slavery in the current and future federal territories.

JUNE  25, 1862

**  The Seven Days' Battles begin at Oak Grove, Virginia.

JUNE 27, 1862

**  Battle of Gaines Mills, Virginia (Seven Days' Battles)

JUNE 27, 1864

**  Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.

JUNE 29, 1862

**  Battle of Savage's Station, Virginia.  (Seven Days' Battles)

JUNE 29, 1864

**  The First Battle of Reams  Station, Virginia.

June 30, 1862

**  Battle of Glendale (Frayser's Farm), Virginia.  (Seven Days' Battles)

--Old Secesh

Roadtrippin' Through History-- Part 1: Well, Who Was Charles Champion Gilbert?

In the last post,I mentioned this man's name.  Even though he was a West Point graduate and Union general, not many people know of him.  I didn't.  That why it was our "Frank" question.  I like to Roadtrip Thru History where I start with one thing and see where it takes me, much like finding a road and seeing where you end up.

So, we're going to Roadtrip Charles Gilbert.

And, what better place to start in the unknown than with good ol' Wikipedia?

CHARLES CHAMPION GILBERT

(March 1, 1822 to January 17, 1903)

United States  Army officer during the Mexican War and Civil War.

Born in Zanesville, Ohio,  and graduated from West Point in the famed Class of 1846, finishing 21st of 59 students.

His classmates included twenty future Civil War generals, including  George B. McClellan,  Stonewall Jackson,  George Stoneman,  and George Pickett.

During the Mexican War he served in the  3rd U.S. Infantry and 1st U.S. Infantry and fought at Veracruz and Mexico City.

Do You Know Me Now?--  Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Round Table Discussion Group: The Perryville Campaign

Opening Questions continued.

6.  What were the reasons for Bragg's invasion of Kentucky?

7.  Bragg started from what Tennessee city?

8.  Who's July Raid through Kentucky served as a factor in Confederate plans that led to the Battle of Perryville?

FRANK QUESTION  (These are generally impossible to answer, but in honor of our good buddy Frank who is out of state these days.)

One of the main Union commanders at the Battle of Perryville was born in Zanesville, Ohio, and a member of the West Point class that included 20 future Civil War generals.  What was his name?   (Also, what class from the USMA had all those generals and how many members were in it?)

Answers below.

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

6.  Gain support of Confederate symphatizers.  Draw Union Gen. Carlos Buell back across the Ohio River.

7.  Chattanooga

8.  John Hunt Morgan

FRANK QUESTION:  Charles Champion Gilbert.  Class of 1846.  59 members.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Discussion Group of 10/23/21:The Kentucky Campaign Aug-Oct 1862 & the Battle of Perryville

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) held its October 2021 discussion group meeting at Panera Bread Co.in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

As usual, we opened with a quiz.  As always, these quizzes pertain to the day's subject.

1.  The Battle of Perryville is also known as the _______ __ _________ ____.

2.  On what date was it fought?

3.  This was a campaign and battle fought over what strategic state?

4.  What famous Northern woman came from the Lexington, Kentucky, area?

5.  Strangely or not strangely enough, many of this woman's relatives were what during the war?

ANSWERS BELOW

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

1.  Battle of Champlin Hill

2.  October 8, 1862

3.  Kentucky

4.  Mary Todd Lincoln

5.  They were Confederate officers

--Old Secesh

American Battlefield Trust's Vicksburg Battlefield Preservation

From the June 2022 American Battlefield Trust calendar.

VICKSBURG, Mississippi

46 Acres Saved

Consuming the entire month of June 1863, the 47-day siege of Vicksburg came to an end on July 4.  Approximately 30,000 Confederates surrendered the firtress city, giving Union forces, commanded by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, full control of the Lississippi River for the first time.

This feat helped turn the tide of the Civil War in favor of the North.  (Well, in addition to the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863.)

The Trust and its partners, including the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, have saved 46 acres at Vicksburg.

--Old Secesh

 

In Case You're Wondering About Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle

On the last post, I wrote about Jerry Allen's presentation to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table this coming Tuesday at the Woodstock (Illinois) Public Library.  His talk will be about "Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle: The Holly Springs Raid."

In case you aren't sure, or forgot, Murphy's Law refers to the old adage "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

The Peter Principle is what happens when members of a hierarchy are promoted until they reach the  level at which they are no longer competent.

So, evidently these two things had something to do with the Holly Springs raid. 

Come on by Tuesday and find out.

--OldMurphyandPeter

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday: Topic is ''Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle, the Holly Springs Raid'

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table is hosting their monthly meeting and presentation this Tuesday, June 14 (Flag Day) at the Woodstock Public Library (Woodstock, Illinois) both in person  at 414 W. Judd Street and via Zoom.

The meeting starts at 7 pm. 

The $1000 scholarship for the Dr. Witt Essay Contest will be presented.

The presentation will by by Jerry Allen:

"Murphy's Law and the Peter Principle:  The Holly Springs Raid."

You do not have to be a member to attend or use Zoom.

See you there.

--Old Secesh

First Memorial Day in U.S. Plaque in Charleston, S.C.

From the same article as the previous four blog entries on Memorial Day.

FIRST MEMORIAL DAY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, May 1, 1865.

At the time of the Civil War, Hampton Park was the site of the Hampton Racecourse, which was owned by the South Carolina Jockey Club and was one of the most famous racetracks  of the antebellum  South.  In late  1864, this site became a large open-air prison for thousands of Union troops evacuated from Andersonville, GA. prison in advance of Sherman's March to the Sea.

Before Charleston fell in February 1865, several hundred of the prisoners died and were buried in mass graves.  In an effort led by African-American churches in April 1865, the dead were reinterred in orderly graves enclosed by a picket fence.  Over the gate was written: "Martyrs of the Racecourse."

In May 1, 1865, a parade in honor of the prisoners of war who died here took place with ten thousand participants, according to contemporary sources.  Nearly 3,000 were school children from the new Freedman's Bureau Schools.

The children led the parade, carrying armloads of flowers  and singing patriotic songs.  They were followed by  women's organizations, church leaders, Unionists, recently emancipated  slaves and Union troops, including members of the 54th Massachusetts.

The soldiers were late buried at Beaufort and Florence National Cemeteries or in their hometowns.  

Annual events to honor the dead of both sides of the Civil War eventually became known as Memorial Day.  The event that occurred in what is now Hampton Park is acknowledged by most historians to be  the first Memorial Day  in the United States of America.

--Old Secesh

Why Do We Commemorate Memorial Day?-- Part 4: Why is Memorial Day in May?

Veterans Day (originally called Armistice Day) is observed on November 11 to signify the armistice ending World War I  After World War II,   Armistice Day's purpose was expanded and in 1954,  changed to recognize all who have served in America's wars.

WHY IS MEMORIAL DAY IN MAY?

The days that we  celebrate Memorial Day is believed to have been influenced by Illinois U.S. Representative (and Civil War general) John A. Logan, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1858, and had served also as an officer in the Mexican War.

It is said that he was a staunch defender of the Union and wanted Memorial Day to happen when flowers were in full bloom across the country.

Congress passed an act making May 30 a holiday in the District of Columbia in  1888.

Now, Memorial Day is observed the last Monday in May.

In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance was signed and encourages all to pause at 3 pm local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence-- was signed into law by Congress and the President.

I Didn't Know About the Moment of Silence.  --Old Secesh

Why Do We Commemorate Memorial Day?-- Part 3: Who Had It First?

At least 25 places in the North and South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day.  Some of the states that claim the honor are Illinois, Georgia, Virginia  and Pennsylvania.

Despite conflicting claims,  the U.S. Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo,  New York, as the "Birthplace" of Memorial Day in May  30, 1966,  after Governor Nelson Rockefeller's declaration that same year.  This New York community formally honored  local veterans on May 5, 1866,  by closing businesses and lowering flags to half mast.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERANS DAY?

Memorial Day and Veterans Day both honor the sacrifices made by U.S. veterans, but serve different purposes.

Veterans Day, originally called "Armistice Day," is a younger holiday established  in 1926 as a way to commemorate all those who had served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I.  Memorial Day honors all those who have fallen.

--Old Secesh

Why Do We Commemorate Memorial Day?-- Part 2: The Role of the GAR

One of the first Decoration Days was held in Columbus, Mississippi,  on April 25, 1866, by women who decorated graves of Confederate soldiers who perished at the Battle of Shiloh who perished at the Battle of Shiloh, with flowers.

On May 5, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War,  the tradition of placing flowers on veterans' graves was continued by the  establishment of Decoration Day by an organization of former Union veterans, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).

General Ulysses S. Grant presided over the first large observance of the day,  when a crows of  about 5,000  people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 30, 1873.  The orphaned children of soldiers and sailors killed during the war placed flowers and small American flags atop both Union and Confederate graves throughout the whole cemetery.

This tradition continues to this day.

Until World War I,  Civil War soldiers were the only ones so honored on this day.  Now, all American military who died are honored.

--Old Secesh

Why Do We Commemorate Memorial Day?-- Part 1: It's a Civil War Thing

From May 27, 2022, USA Today "Why do we observe  Memorial Day?  Here's the true history of the holiday" by Camille Fine.

It was originally called Decoration Day and honors all soldiers who have died during service to the nation.

It was declared a  national holiday  through an Act of Congress in 1971, and its roots date back to the Civil War era.

The origins can be traced back to local observances for soldiers with neglected gravesites from the Civil War.

Some historians believe the very first observance  of what would become our Memorial Day took place in Charleston, South Carolina, at the site of a horse racing track that Confederates had turned into a prison for captured Union troops.  Blacks in the city organized a burial of deceased prisoners and built a fence around the site.

Then, on May 1, 1865,  they held an event, including a parade including Blacks who had served as soldiers in the Union Army, spiritual readings and songs, and picnicking.  A commemorative marker was erected there in 1810.

--Old Secesh

Ten Facts Battle Ball's Bluff-- Part 10: Making a Preserved Battlefield

10.  The American Battlefield Trust saved three acres at the Ball's Bluff Battlefield.

In 2013, the Trust had the opportunity to save three critical acres at Ball's Bluff, including the Jackson House.

On the morning of October 21, 1861, troops from the  15th Massachusetts posted on the Jackson property engaged with a company of the  17th Mississippi.  The Mississippians drove the Federals from the property and then halted there while preparing for their afternoon assaults.

After the acquisition of the Jackson House, NOVA Parks and the town of Leesburg coordinated their respective land holdings to create continuity between the main part of Ball's Bluff Battlefield and the Jackson House.

The house itself is not is not currently  open to the public but will be considered as part of the future plans for Ball's Bluff and the adjoining Veterans Park in Leesburg.

--Old Secesh

Ten Facts About the Battle of Ball's Bluff-- Part 9: 'A Preservation Success Story'

FACT #9:  The Ball's Bluff Battlefield has been called by historian  Jim Morgan, a "preservation success story."

Despite the fact  that the site of the early morning skirmishing took place on October 21, 1861, has been lost to development,  a portion of the battlefield remains well preserved today.  The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) owns 223 acres of the original battlefield along with the Ball's Bluff Battlefield National Cemetery, all of which has become Ball's Bluff  Battlefield Regional  Park.

NOVA Parks has cleared trees  to give the battlefield much the same appearance as it would have been 158 years ago, and new improvements, including interpretive trails, guided tours,  and updated signs have made it a significant preservation site.

In addition,  Ball's Bluff Battlefield Park  has begun the practice of commemorating the battle annually in October by holding by holding  battlefield illuminations.

In 1984,  the U.S. Department of the Interior designated 76 acres around the battlefield as a National Historic  Landmark.  In 2017,  the boundaries of   that landmark designation were expanded  to include over  3,300 acres of waterfront land on both sides of the Potomac River and including Harrison Island, Maryland.

--Old Secesh

This Month in Civil War History: Lee Appointed to Command ANV, Battle of Memphis, Battle of Brandy Station

From the June American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

JUNE 1, 1862

  **  General Robert E. Lee appointed commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.

JUNE 6, 1862

**  Battle of Memphis, Tennessee

JUNE 8, 1862

**  Battle of Cross Keys Virginia

JUNE 9, 1863

**  Battle of Brandy Station, Virginia

JUNE 10, 1864

**  Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi

JUNE 11, 1864

**  Battle of Trevilian Station, Virginia, begins

JUNE 15, 1864

**  Petersburg Campaign begins

--Old Secesh