U.S. Presidents with Union Ties

Same source as the presidents with Confederate ties.

Some of the ex-presidents still alive during the Civil War, including Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan, were vocal supporters of Lincoln and the Union cause.

Charles Francis Adams was the son of one president and grandson of another and was minister of Great Britain under Lincoln.  (John Quincy Adams and John Adams)

Lincoln's second vice president, Andrew Johnson, was a Tennessee senator who had remained loyal to the Union.  This helped present a united ticket in the 1864 election.  Johnson became president after Lincoln's assassination.

Five future U.S. presidents:  Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison and McKinley, all fought for the Union.

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Not a Union Tie

Robert E. Lee's wife Mary was the granddaughter of George Washington's stepson.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Events in November: Knoxville, Gettysburg Address, Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain, Franklin

1863

NOVEMBER 17

Siege of Knoxville, Tennessee begins.

1863

NOVEMBER 19

President Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the Pennsylvania battlefield.

1863

NOVEMBER 23

Battle of Orchard Knob, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1863

NOVEMBER 24

Battle of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.

1864

NOVEMBER 30 

Battle of Franklin, Tennessee

--Old Secesh

Captain Harley Wayne-- Part 1

From the Find-A-Grave site.

CAPT. HARLEY WAYNE

BIRTH:  1823  Maryland, New York

DEATH:  6 April 1862 (aged 38-39), South Pittsburg, Marion County, Tennessee.  Killed at the Battle of Shiloh.

BURIAL:  Marengo City Cemetery  Marengo, Illinois

Originally from New York, he lived well by pre-Civil War standards.

--Old Secesh

James Bolin, Helen Jackson's Husband (The Last Civil War Widow)-- Part 1

From Find-A-Grave.

PVT. JAMES BOLIN

BIRTH:  23 March 1843, Tennessee

DEATH:  18 June 1939, Nianagua, Webster County, Missouri

BURIAL:  Niangua Cemetery, Niangua, Missouri

14th Missouri Cavalry

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

SPOUSES

ELIZABETH DAVENPORT BOLIN

HELEN VIOLA JACKSON BOLIN

He and Elizabeth had six children.  Three are buried at Niangua Cemetery in Missouri.  One is buried in California, one in Kansas and one in Nebraska.

--Old Secesh

Fort Donelson

From the American Battlefield Trust 2021 calendar, February.

FORT DONELSON,  Tennessee

370 acres saved.

Ulysses S. Grant received a promotion to major general for his success at capturing Forts Henry and Donelson in February of 1862.

To save land at Fort Donelson and other Tennessee battlefields, the Trust has gratefully drawn upon the Tennessee Civil War Sites Preservation Fund, the state's own dedicated, annually recurring source of grant funding for battlefield preservation.

Thank You Tennessee.  --Old Secesh

George W. Bell-- Part 2: Former Slave, 40th USCT and Waukegan Resident

From Find A Grave.

GEORGE WASHINGTON BELL

Birth   16 October 1816, Tennessee

Death:  6 December 1910, Waukegan, Illinois

Burial:  Oakwood Cemetery, Waukegan, Illinois

Has a Union veteran headstone.

George W. Bell was born a slave in Tennessee.  He was out with his master during the Civil War and both captured by Union troops.  Given a chance to fight for the North, he joined Company B of the 40th  United States Colored Troops.

--Old Secesh

Monument for Nebraska Soldiers Proposed for Fort Donelson-- Part 1

From the March 23, 2020, Omaha (Neb) World Herald  "Monument proposed for Nebraska soldiers who helped  win a crucial Civil War battle" by Mia Azizah.

A picture of Colonel John M. Thayer, who led the 1st Nebraska Volunteer Infantry at the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862.  Thayer would later be governor of Nebraska and represent the state in the U.S. senate.

Sounds a lot like Francis E. Warren in Wyoming.

Nebraska was only a territory during he warm but her soldiers were instrumental in a major Union victory at Fort Donelson, which led to the fall of Nashville, Tennessee, the first capital to fall.

Senator Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln thinks they should be honored with a monument and has introduced Legislative Bill 850, which would create a monument to honor the 1st Nebraska at Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Tennessee.

This is actually the first I've ever heard of Nebraska military units in the Civil War.

Completely in Favor of a Monument for Them.  --Old Secesh

What Lexington Cemetery and the Battle of Kingsport Have in Common-- Part 5: A Complete Confederate Rout

The Confederates were routed, according to Union General  Alvan Gillem's report, "This movement completely surprised them,  and after a feeble resistance, considering the advantage of their position, fled in confusion, and were pursued for seven miles.  The pursuit only ended when  the enemy, losing all semblance of organization, scattered through the woods for safety."

Among those taken prisoner at Kingsport was Colonel Morgan.

The Battle lasted less than a day.  By the evening of December 13, 1864, Union cavalry had pushed through Blountville, overran Bristol on Dec. 14 and was skirmishing outside Abingdon the next day.

The Confederate command at Kingsport was made up of family and friends.  And, even though they were separated during the battle, they are now all buried together in Lexington cemetery.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Battle of Shiloh Quiz

Continuing with the quiz.

Side Question, there was a Confederate Army and a Union Army both with the name Tennessee.  How could you tell them apart (and don't say uniforms).  Hint:  The name.

3.  In what intermediate direction would Shiloh be in the state of Tennessee?  (Hint:  Not E,S,W, or N)

4.  What was the objective of Confederate General Johnston?  (to strike Grant before what?)

5.   What was the name given to the sunken road where the very fierce fighting took place?

6.  Where was Johnston's base of operations?

7.  Who were the two Union division commanders named Wallace?

FRANK QUESTION:  (THAT MEANS REALLY HARD):  One of the Wallace's had two middle names,  what were they?  (Hint:  The letters were H.L.)

WAIT, ONE MORE FRANK QUESTION:  Besides the same last name, both Wallaces had commanded the 11th regiment of their respective states.  What were the two states?

Good Luck.  Answers in the Next Post.  --Old Secesh

MCCWRT Discussion Group, Jan. 26, 2019: Hood's 1864 Tennessee Campaign / Frank's Six-- Part 1

So far this has been the 15th Illinois' month, starting from the first day.  But back to the discussion group meeting now.

One other off-topic thing we discussed (there is a whole lot of  off-topic discussion in the group for some reason) was that Frank Crawford sent in another six trivia questions; evidently not satisfied with the difficulty of his last trivia questions from December.  This time on specific people.  Well, at least I knew the first one, but that was from his Fort Fisher involvement.  But Frank had him in for something else.

FRANK'S SIX

1.  Who was Adelbert Ames?

2.  Who was Edward Kerrigan?

3.  Who was Sergeant Harry Reese?

4.  Who was C.C. Banks?

5.  Who was Elizabeth Quesenberry?

6.  Who was Martin Reuben Merritt Wallace?

Do You Know?  Answers Tomorrow.   --Old Secesh?

MCCWRT Trivia-- Part 2: Who Was Lucy Hale?

More things I learned:  (Answers below)

**  Who was Lucy Hale?  (A Frank C. question.)

**  How many Illinois regiments were at the Battle of Gettysburg?

**  Who was the only woman commissioned as an officer in the war?

**  Why was Ducktown, Tennessee, so important to the Confederacy?

ANSWERS

Lucy Hale was/might have been the girlfriend of John Wilkes Booth

There were three regiments from Illinois at Gettysburg:  82nd Inf., 8th Cav., 12th Cav.

Sally Tompkins

Ducktown was the only source of copper in the new country.

--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

August Civil War Trust Calendar: Fort Donelson

FORT DONELSON, Tennessee, 355 acres saved.

One of Tennessee's most storied Civil War sites, the Trust has preserved 355 acres at this key battlefield, including 45 acres whose acquisition was made possible by the state's pioneering Civil War or War Between the States Site Preservation Fund.

Tennessee's program is the first in the nation to guarantee dedicated annual funding for battlefield preservation.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Trust 2017 Calendar-- Part 11, November: Franklin, Tennessee

FRANKLIN, TENN.  178 acres saved.

Battle of Franklin -- November 30, 1864.  Photo of Carnton Plantation.

From poster child for the concept of "lost" battlefield to a thriving heritage tourism destination based around a growing community-supported park, Franklin's preservation renaissance has been nothing short of remarkable.

Acre by acre, preservation advocates have secured once-developed parcels at the heart of the battlefield and pursued an ambitious course of landscape restoration.

Way to Go Franklin!!  --Old Secesh

Ten Fascinating Civil War Artifacts From Tennessee-- Part 4: A Tintype and Doctor's Kit

7.  PIRKLE FAMILY LIVES ON--  A tintype image of brothers Elijah and Jesse Pirkle in uniform.  They joined the Union Army in July 1863.  Two months later and within 15 days of each other, Elijah was shot and hospitalized and Jesse was captured and imprisoned.

8.  DOCTOR'S KIT--  The doctor's kit was found in Gallatin and was owned by Confederate Dr. Thomas Morris Woodson, who died in 1907.  It contains, among other things, a menacing looking tooth extractor and trepanning drills used to bore into a skull to release pressure.

I feel A Bit Light-Headed.  --Old Secesh

Ten Fascinating Civil War Artifacts from Tennessee-- Part 3:

Continued from November 4, 2016.

5.  LINCOLN'S NOTE--  Union soldier Henry Jenks and a friend dug their way out of Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, and made it back to Union lines.  Once there, he posed for a tintype photo and got a letter signed by Lincoln permitting him to return to their regiments.

6.  CONFEDERATE SOLDIER'S DIARY--  Roysdon Robertson Etter, 16th Tennessee.  One of his entries, dated November 30, 1864, is about the disastrous Battle of Franklin.  One of his statements:  "The ground could not be seen because of the crush of dead soldiers."

Love Those Artifacts.  --Old Secesh

Ten Fascinating War Artifacts From Tennessee-- Part 2:Button and a Spy Map

3.  UNION BUTTON--  Tony Guin holds a collection of Union buttons discovered at a construction site off the Charlotte Pike.  Almost 200 buttons found in what had been a Civil War burn pile which was part of a field hospital for small pox victims.  No doubt they were from burned uniforms,

4.  SPY MAP OF NASHVILLE--  A hand-drawn Confederate map made in pencil showing downtown Nashville, gun positions along the Cumberland River, fortifications around the State Capitol building, a military graveyard and Fort Negley.

It also recommends approaches to the city.  A lot of spying going on around Middle Tennessee.

--Old Secesh

Ten Fascinating War Artifacts From Tennessee-- Part 1: A Half Boot and a Drum

From the Nashville Tennesseean.

The Looking Back Project in Tennessee, sponsored by the State Library and Archives has sent teams of archivists and conservators across the state to document artifacts in the possession of every day Tennesseeans.

Some 4,000 of them have been documented over the last four years.

1.  HALF BOOT--  Customized by a Union cobbler for injured and hospitalized a Confederate soldier named David Dotson, who was wounded at the Battle of Franklin in Tennessee.

2.  UNION DRUM--    Union bass drum with writing on it around the drumhead with the names of the battles of Shiloh, Chickamauga and Stone's River.

--Old Secesh

Tennessee in the Civil War-- Part 3: Preparing for War

For Confederates, the summer and autumn of 1861 were times of celebration and optimism. Young men rushed to join the army units forming in their counties and towns.  The soldiers elected their company officers, and, after being feted by their neighbors and families, set off to Confederate training camps like Camp Trousdale in Sumner County.

For Union sympathizers, these months were ones of harassment from Confederates.  Many Union men fled to Kentucky where they enlisted in federal units.  Eventually some 31,000 of them joined.  This is more troops fighting for the Union than all of the other Confederate states combined.

--Old Secesh

Tennessee in the Civil War-- Part 2: A Big Vote to Secede, East Tennessee Wants to Secede from the State

To validate their action, the legislature called for another referendum on June 8, 1861.  Some 105,000 Tennesseeans voted for secession and only 47,000 against.  East Tennesseans voted almost two-to-one to stay with the Union.  There was a tremendous anti-secession, anti-Confederate area there.

Even as the state seceded, several East Tennessee counties were meeting with the intention of seceding from the state.  The rest of Tennessee decided to occupy the rebellious counties.

--Old Secesh