This Mighty Scourge

The American tradition of Thanksgiving was given to us by Abraham Lincoln.  By the Fall of 1863 the Civil War had been waging for over two years.  While the summer of 1863 had brought victories to the Federal arms at Gettysburg, and Vicksburg, the patience of the American people was wearing thin.  Very few families were not impacted by the ongoing war between the states.  Prompted by a September 28, 1863 letter, from the editor of Ladie’s Magazine, Sarah Josepha Hale, asking him to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, Lincoln issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation on October 3, 1863.  Written by Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William H. Seward, the proclamation in its entirety is given below.

October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States  of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.  To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.  In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has been prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.  Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded more abundantly than heretofore.  Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.  No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things.  They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.  It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverantly and greatfully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.  I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficient Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.  And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all of those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

A. Lincoln (Signature)

Done at the City of Washington, this Third Day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.  ABRAHAM LINCOLN

By the President:

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State(i)

I wish each of you a very blessed, safe Thanksgiving.  Please remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country - and our freedom.  God Bless the United States.

Mike Noirot

(i) Basler, Roy P., The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 6, published by Rutgers University Press in 1953, Pgs. 496-497.

I have just finished reading Joan Waugh’s new book on Ulysses S. Grant, “U.S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth.”  Released earlier this month, by The University Press of North Carolina, it has been a very interesting read.  A full review is forthcoming, but many quotes struck me as I was reading the book.  While an avid reader of Grant’s life, and having read his Personal Memoirs, more than once, I have found much new material in Waugh’s book.  The following quote is one I really enjoyed, and will put in proper context.

 

“When I look for brave, noble characters in the war, men whom death has surrounded with romance, I see them in characters like (James B.) McPherson, and not alone in Southern armies……While I would do nothing to revive unhappy memories in the South, I do not like to see our soldiers apologize for the war.”(i)

Written late in Grant’s life, this quote was directed not just to the northern public, but to the entire United States citizenry.  By the 1880’s Federal soldiers, of the recent war, were caught in a whirlpool of Southern sympathy – sympathy that was tied to the “Lost Cause.”  Grant categorically denied the “Lost Cause” tenet that both sides were fighting for equally just causes.  Robert E. Lee’s reputation, by this time, was rocketing heavenward, while the reputation of Grant, the “butcher” general, was languishing.  Worse, in Grant’s mind, was that the brave Northern soldiers were becoming apologists for the Civil War.  Grant believed that the Southern soldiers were very brave, but fought for a terrible cause.  He believed that history would provide relief for the Northern armies and felt terrible that so many of the brave Yankee soldiers were apologizing to their Southern counterparts for their part in the recent war.

(i) Waugh, Joan, U.S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth, published by The University Press of North Carolina in 2009, Pg. 191.

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Today is the 146th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln delivering a “few appropriate remarks” at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  When Lincoln received an invitation, from David Wills, to attend the dedication, he believed it was an opportunity for him to connect with the American people, providing them with an explanation for the long, bloody war and his evolving position on the dreadful conflict.  Most importantly it was his desire to honor all of the casualties of the fratricidal war.(i)

Lincoln received Wills’ invitation on November 2, 1863, leaving him less than three weeks to prepare his speech.  There is some evidence to suggest that he was aware of the upcoming invitation a full month earlier.  However, at the time, there was speculation that Wills, and Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin, had ulterior motives for inviting the president so late.  This probably was not the case, as Wills also included a personal note, with the invitation, inviting Lincoln to stay at his home.

President Lincoln left for Gettysburg on November 18.  Popular myth has it that Lincoln wrote his famous address on the back on envelope, while on the train.  This has been dispelled over the years as several early drafts of the speech were found on White House stationery.  Arriving with his Secretary of State, William H. Seward and Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, they were greeted at the Gettysburg train station with ringing bells and well wishers, as dusk settled over the quaint town.  The president’s group was escorted to the home of David Wills.  While putting the finishing touches on his speech, Lincoln was encouraged by a throng of people to come out and make a short speech.  He did not.  Instead Seward came forward and spoke for several minutes about the solemn occasion.

The president was not the keynote speaker for the dedication of the National Cemetery.  This honor was given to Edward Everett.  Everett had been Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative and Governor of Massachusetts.  Well known for his oratory skills, there was much anticipation ahead of his speech – a speech that would stretch to two hours.  Lincoln’s short address would officially set aside the ground as a National Cemetery.

At 9:30 a.m., on November 19, the dignitaries left Wills’ home.  Proceeding south to the cemetery, their group would also include six governors from the 24 northern states.  With a crowd estimated to be near 15,000 people, the events began with music by Birgfield’s Band and an invocation by Reverend T.H. Stockton.  Next, while Lincoln sat in his chair, observing the events, Everett delivered his long oration.  After Everett finished, with the crowds cheering, a hymn by B.B. French was sung.  Lincoln would slowly stand up, and walk to the podium.  While several versions of the Gettysburg Address exist, the so called Bliss version is accepted as the short speech he delivered.  Less than 300 words, the speech was said to take between two and three minutes to deliver.  In fact, it was so short that most of the crowd did not realize Lincoln had concluded until he stepped away from the podium.  As Lincoln started speaking, his high-pitched voice could be heard clearly by the gathered spectators….

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.  We are met on a great battle-field of that war.  We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.  It is altogether fitting and proper that we do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground.  The brave me, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.  The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.  It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take an increased devotion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

It is said, that as Lincoln walked back to his seat, he believed that his speech would not be well accepted.  As might be expected, the opposition Democrat newspapers claimed it was parochial and embarrassing.  The Republican papers, however, offered much praise for Lincoln’s address.  But, Edward Everett summed it up best in a letter to Lincoln, on November 20, “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes.”(ii)  After the speech, Lincoln provided two drafts and three copies of the speech.  One draft went to each of his secretaries, John Hay and John Nicolay.  Three copies were written for Edward Everett, historian George Bancroft and Bancroft’s stepson, Colonel Alexander Bliss.  The Hay and Nicolay drafts are located in the Library of Congress.  Everett’s copy is at the Illinois State Historical Library, in Springfield, Illinois, Bancroft’s is at Cornell University and the Bliss copy is in the Lincoln Room, at the White House.

The Gettysburg Address is considered one of the greatest speeches ever given in American history.  While it was given nearly 150 years ago, its tenets still ring true in the United States today, “Liberty,” “all men are created equal,” “freedom,” “government of the people, by the people for the people.”  These are the underpinnings that make the United States the best country in the world.  While I nearly know the Gettysburg address by heart, the words still move me – making me proud to say I am an American.  Thank you, Abraham Lincoln.

(i) The Gettysburg Address, at the Library of Congress, was used to research this article.
(ii) A Gracious Compliment, at the Library of Congress, for more information, click HERE.

As most of you are aware, I am very interested in the smaller units of the Civil War.  The volunteer infantry regiments comprised the backbone of the opposing armies of the American Civil War.  Most regiments were comprised of ten companies, with each company having approximately 100 soldiers when mustered into service.  The fighting men of each company were the private soldiers.  These heroes, who more often than not have become nameless over the generations, served selflessly to reunite our once fractured United States.  They were the fighters.  In his book, “Co. Aytch,” Sam Watkins of the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment (CSA), summed it up perfectly when he said, “I always shot at privates.  It was they that did the shooting and killing, and if I could kill or wound a private, why, my chances were so much the better.” 

So it was with the 121st New York Infantry.  Salvatore G. Cilella’s recent book, “Upton’s Regulars: The 121st New York Infantry in the Civil War,” is the story of the foot soldiers from that famous New York Volunteer regiment.  Breaking new ground, by not just studying the battle history of the 121st, Cilella’s cutting edge book explores the lives of the soldiers, before, during and after the conflict.  Made famous by their second commander, Colonel Emory Upton, the 121st New York was considered unequaled in the proud VI Corps, Army of the Potomac.  Upton drilled the men and earned their trust, respect and loyalty.  On the parade ground they operated with precision, but on the battlefield they earned their laurels by hard fighting.  During the battle of Salem Church, part of the Chancellorsville Campaign, they would be decimated by an ambush engineered by CSA Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox.  At the battle of Rappahannock Station, they would capture over 1,000 Confederate soldiers by storming their bridgehead.  In May 1864, they would arrive at Spotsylvania Court House with an effective strength of 460 soldiers, of all arms.  After Upton’s gallant charge of the Mule Shoe salient, and the fighting at the “Bloody Angle,” they would be reduced to 94 – with only four field officers left unscathed.  They would continue to cement their reputation during US Major General Phil Sheridan’s 1864 Shenandoah Campaign, with solid battlefield performances at Third Winchester, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek.  During the waning months of the war, they would fight in the trenches in front of Petersburg and perform heroically, while being flanked on two sides, at Hatcher’s Run.  Saving one of their best battlefield exploits for the Battle of Sailor’s Creek, they would capture over 1,000 Confederate soldiers, including CSA Major General George Washington Custis (G.W.C.) Lee – son of Robert E. Lee.  Arriving at Appomattox Station, on April 9, 1865, they were prepared to offer battle again – but were spared by Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant.  While their regimental battle flag proudly carried the names of the battles they fought in, four members of the regiment would earn the Medal of Honor for individual gallantry: Seymour H. Hall, Warren Dockum, Benjamin Gifford and Harris Hawthorne.  All told, 1,800 soldiers served in the 121st, with nearly 740 becoming battlefield casualties, or dying of disease.

“Upton’s Regulars” is a monumental study of these brave fighting men.  Cilella, no stranger to history, is the president and CEO of the Atlanta History Center.  His biography of the 121st New York will take you on a journey with the soldiers.  Beginning with the recruitment of the regiment and taking you through the publication of its regimental history, in 1921, his fast paced book is hard to put down.  I recently had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Mr. Cilella.  The following interview, like all of my author interviews, is divided into parts, so you can listen to it at your leisure.  This is a book that I recommend for any serious student of the Civil War, or anyone interested in what it meant to be foot soldier during the American Civil War.

Details about “Upton’s Regulars”
Written by: Salvatore G. Cilella, Jr.
Hardcover: 586 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: June 11, 2009
ISBN-10: 0700616454

 

Salvatore G. Cilella, Jr. Interview – 14 Parts
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes, 42 seconds

Part 1:

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Time: 7:35
Contents: Introductions | Sal’s interest in history and the Civil War | Authors and historians that influenced Sal’s interest in the Civil War | Alan Nolan’s influence on “Upton’s Regulars”

Part 2:

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Time: 5:57
Contents: Discussion on “Upton’s Regulars” | Why the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry? | Otsego and Herkimer counties and the 121st New York | Recruiting the 121st New York

Part 3:

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Time: 6:12
Contents: The “three phases” on the Civil War | Lincoln’s call for 300,000 soldiers in 1862 – 50,000 quick recruits can bring the war to an end?

Part 4:

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Time: 7:39
Contents: The use of bounties to entice new recruits | A “patchwork” of bounties in New York | Mustering in at Camp Schuyler with Colonel Richard Franchot

Part 5:

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Time: 4:09
Contents: Transferring to Washington, D.C. | The Maryland Campaign – hard marching and disease | Colonel Franchot leading his men shows his limited knowledge of the military arts

Part 6:

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Time: 5:21
Contents: Franchot’s resignation and the forgotten commander – Charlie Clark | Emory Upton’s promotion to regimental command and his visits to convalescing soldiers | Clark prepares the 121st New York for command by West Pointer, Emory Upton | Cross-training the line officers of the 121st

Part 7:

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Time: 8:28
Contents: Severe level of disease in the 121st New York during its first year of service | The use of firsthand accounts and primary source material in telling the soldiers’ stories | Researching “Upton’s Regulars”

Part 8:

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Time: 6:03
Contents: Emory Upton’s drilling and training molds the 121st New York | Caught in a ambush – the 121st and its terrible losses at the Battle of Salem Church and enduring their first large scale engagement

Part 9:

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Time: 8:20
Contents: Upton’s misstep in recruiting veteran soldiers for the depleted ranks of the 121st | The trying march to Gettysburg | Pursuing Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia | Desertion and the execution of Thomas Jewett | The 5th Maine Infantry – sister regiment of the 121st New York

Part 10:

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Time: 4:53
Contents: To go into winter camp or not to? | The Battle of Rappahannock Station | Rappahannock Station a defining battle for the 121st New York

Part 11:

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Time: 4:29
Contents: Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and the Overland Campaign | Egbert Olcott assumes command of the 121st with Upton’s promotion to brigadier general | The Battle of the Wilderness | Upton’s Charge of the Mule Shoe salient at Spotsylvania Court House | Decimation at the Mule Shoe and the “Bloody Angle”

Part 12:

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Time: 5:26
Contents: The 121st arrives in Washington to protect against CSA Lt. General Jubal Early’s advance into Maryland | Serving under US Major General Philip Sheridan in the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign | The battle of Cedar Creek and Sheridan’s brilliant counter attack

Part 13:

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Time: 8:28
Contents: The terrible winter months of 1865 in front of Petersburg, Virginia | The battle of Hatcher’s Run | The collapse of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and the battle of Sailor’s Creek | The decades long controversy of who captured CSA Major General G.W.C. Lee | Harris Hawthorne receives the Medal of Honor – the controversy still smolders | The VI Corps delayed arrival in Washington D.C. after Appomattox Station and suffers through their own “Grand Review”

Part 14:

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Time: 7:42
Contents: Saving the best for last – post Civil War history of the 121st New York Volunteers | Future projects Mr. Cilella is working on | Wrap up and closing

Other Great Civil War titles from the University Press of Kansas

Details about “Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era”
Written by: Nicole Etcheson
Paperback: 370 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: December 31, 2003
ISBN-10: 0700614923

 

Details about “Citizen Sherman: A Life of William Tecumseh Sherman”
Written by: Michael Fellman
Paperback: 504 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: July 9, 1995
ISBN-10: 0700608400

 
 

Details about “Commanding the Army of the Potomac”
Written by: Stephen R. Taaffe
Hardcover: 284 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: February 23, 2006
ISBN-10: 0700614516

 

 

Details about “Guide to the Atlanta Campaign”
Written by: Jay Luvas (editor) and Harold W. Nelson (editor)
Paperback: 383 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: May 7, 2008
ISBN-10: 0700615709

 

 
Details about “Jefferson Davis, Confederate President”
Written by: Herman Hattaway and Richard E. Beringer
Paperback: 566 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: April 30, 2002
ISBN-10: 0700612939

 

 

Details about “Joseph E. Johnston and the Defense of Richmond”
Written by: Steven H. Newton
Hardcover: 278 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: November 1998
ISBN-10: 0700609210

 

 

Details about “Lincoln Seen and Heard”
Written by: Harold Holzer
Hardcover: 226 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: February 2000
ISBN-10: 0700610014

 

  

Details about “Stonewall of the West: Patrick Cleburne and the Civil War”
Written by: Craig L. Symonds
Paperback: 328 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: February 28, 1997
ISBN-10: 0700609342

 
 

Details about “The Confederacy’s Greatest Cavalryman: Nathan Bedford Forrest”
Written by: Brian Steel Wills
Paperback: 457 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: April 1998
ISBN-10: 0700608850

 
 

Details about “The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat”
Written by: Earl J. Hess
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: September 9, 2008
ISBN-10: 0700616071

 
 

Details about “The War Within the Union High Command”
Written by: Thomas Joseph Goss
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Date of First Edition: August 2003
ISBN-10: 0700612637

 

 
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Seymour “Hiram” Hall was born in Barkersville, New York on September 26, 1835.  Little is known of Hiram’s early life.  With the outbreak of the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln’s call for 75,000 state militia volunteers on April 15, 1861, Hiram would begin recruiting soldiers for the 27th New York Infantry.  On May 21, 1861 he would be commissioned second lieutenant of Company G and be mustered into Federal service on June 15, 1861 in Elmira, New York.  On April 25, he would be promoted to captain.  He would lead his company at First Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg.  The 27th New York would officially muster out of Federal service on May 31, 1863.  The three year soldiers in the 27th would be assigned to the 16th New York Battalion, commanded by Hall.(i)

The 121st New York Infantry, often called Upton’s Regulars after their second commander, Emory Upton, had been decimated during the Chancellorsville Campaign while fighting in US Major General John Sedgwick’s VI Corps, at Salem Church.  Upton, desiring to fill out his regiment requested all the able bodied three year men he could obtain.  Knowing of the 16th New York Battalion, Upton petitioned VI Corps headquarters for the men.  The men of the 16th were given the option of joining a Massachusetts battery, a Federal battery of the 121st.  Most of the men chose the 121st.  On June 16, 1863, Hall took command of Company F, 121st New York.  While the VI Corps saw little action in the Battle of Gettysburg, they were engaged in the pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia during his retreat from Gettysburg.  Seeing action during the Bristoe Campaign, from October 9–22, they would find themselves facing the Army of Northern Virginia, on opposite sides of the Rappahannock River, as winter approached. 

Many of the soldiers believed Army of the Potomac commander, US Major General George Gordon Meade, would enter the winter months with no additional fighting.  However, Meade had different ideas.  Believing he could out maneuver Lee along the Rappahannock River line, he determined to push across the river.  During the upcoming battle, Hiram Hall would provide his most valuable service to his country.

Robert E. Lee had constructed a strong bridgehead at Rappahannock Station with two artillery redoubts and connecting trenches, on the north bank.  CSA Major General Jubal Early’s 2d Corps Division manned the works, with the rest of Lee’s army south of the river commanding all the major fords.  He believed that any significant attack, by Meade, would require him to divide his forces.  Lee’s plans proved quite prescient.  On November 6, Meade ordered the I, II and III Corps to cross the Rappahannock River at Kelly’s Ford, while the V and VI Corps would push across at Rappahannock Station.  They were ordered to move on the morning on November 7.  Major General William French would command the left wing, while Sedgwick would command the right wing.  Meade’s tactical plan was to have French’s wing push across the river, at Kelly’s Ford, in an effort to divert Lee’s attention from the main attack by Sedgwick.(ii)  Once across, they would push west to join the rest of the army that had crossed at Rappahannock Station.  From there, the Army of the Potomac would push south towards Brandy Station.

On the morning of November 7, the 121st New York, with the rest of the V and VI Corps pushed south from Warrenton.  Emory Upton was commanding the Second Brigade of US Brigadier General Horatio Wright’s First Division.  With Sedgwick commanding the right wing, Wright commanded the VI Corps and US Brigadier General David Russell commanded the First Division.  Opposing them at Rappahannock Station were two brigades commanded by CSA Brigadier Generals Robert F. Hoke and Harry Hays.  Hays’ Louisianans had earned the moniker, “Louisiana Tigers,” for their fighting prowess.  Both brigades were seasoned veterans of the Army of Northern Virginia.  Once Sedgwick had his forces in place he began to pound Early’s Confederates with artillery.  He maintained this fire throughout the afternoon, causing much consternation, and many casualties at the bridgehead.  Meanwhile, Upton’s brigade, consisting of the 121st New York, 5th Massachusetts, 95th and 96th Pennsylvania were joined by US Colonel Peter Ellmaker’s Third Brigade, consisting of the 6th Maine, 5th Wisconsin, 49th and 119th Pennsylvania.  Commanded by David Russell, they were assigned the unenviable task of carrying the works manned by Hays’ “Louisiana Tigers” and Hoke’s North Carolinians.  With dusk beginning to blanket the field, Russell’s division pushed out of the woods and towards the bridgehead.  Partially protected by the railroad embankment, the division was able to get very close to the fortifications before they were engaged by Hays’ soldiers.  Upton would detach companies B and D, as skirmishers.  They were commanded by Captain John Fish.  Upton was very clear in his orders to Fish, “When the line advances upon your right, you will advance – you will drive the enemy off that crest, you will use your judgment and act as if you had a separate command: but remember one thing – I want my brigade line to get there as soon as any of them.”(iii)  Clinton Beckwith described the action, “We moved forward briskly and soon discovered the Rebel skirmish line.  They waited a good while, an age I thought, before they fired on us, and I knew someone would get hit.  Finally they let go and we started on a run after them, and they skedaddled.  One fellow waited until Jack Marden, one of our boys, got close to him, and then fired and hit Jack.  But the ball, striking something in Jack’s pocket, glanced off.  The Rebel shouted, ‘I surrender,’ but Jack shot and wounded him badly….The artillery in the fort was now firing rapidly and the cannon shots flew over us and went after our fellows who were coming up behind.  The Reb skirmishers kept falling back, but kept up a sharp fire.”(iv)  Soon, Fish and his skirmishers, along with the rest of the 121st New York, were upon the works.

Hiram Hall’s Company F was part of the attacking column.  Upon reaching the Rebel works, he was able to reform his lines.  The fighting became hand-to-hand, with several casualties coming from bayonet wounds.  With darkness quickly covering the battlefield, the action is described in “Upton’s Regulars,” by Salvatore Cilella: “(the Louisiana brigade remained) sanguine and defiant….Upton could see their colors in the gathering night, inscribed with “Cedar Run,” “Manassas Second,” “Winchester,” “Harpers Ferry,” “Sharpsburg,” “Fredericksburg,” “Chancellorsville,” and “Gettysburg.”  Without waiting for Russell for further instructions, Upton sent Capt. Seymour Hall to tell Russell that he had accomplished his mission and had reformed his lines parallel to the rifle pits that were still crawling with rebel soldiers.  He intended to attack again.”(v)  Upton had advised his men, “Boys, or rather Old 121st, I am with you again.  We are going to make a charge, and some of you will fall, but you will all go to heaven.  And I am going with you over the works.”  With that, Hall’s Company F, and the rest of the 121st New York stormed the rifle pits, performing a left face they rolled up the flank of the 6th, 54th and 57th North Carolina regiments.  Many of the Confederates surrendered and the 121st New York was able to capture a regimental flag.  All told, with the 5th Maine at their side, the 121st New York was able to capture seven Confederate flags, 103 officers, 1,300 enlisted men and 1,200 weapons.  One captured Rebel asked how many corps were involved in the attack.  When he was told only two regiments carried out the assault the “mortification” was “extreme.”  After the battle Upton reported, “The success at Rappahannock had a most electrifying effect throughout the army.”(vi)

Hall would continue to lead Company F, 121st New York Infantry, through some of the most bloody battles of the Eastern Theater: The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, the North Anna and Cold Harbor.  In April 1864, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 43d United States Colored Troops.  He would lead these men at the Battle of the Crater, Weldon Railroad, Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run and the Appomattox Campaign.  He would receive a brevet promotion to brigadier general on March 13, 1865.

After the war, Hall would move with his wife, Augusta, to Carrollton, Missouri and finally to Kansas.  She bore him five children: Clarence, Harry, John, Mabel and Augusta.  Seymour H. Hall would die on July 1, 1908 in Kansas City, Kansas and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas.

For his bravery, and gallant leadership, Hall would receive two Medals of Honor on August 17, 1891 – one for his actions at Gaines’s Mill and the other for his heroism at Rappahannock Station.  The official citation reads:

Although wounded at Gaines Mill, Va., he remained on duty and participated in the battle with his company.  At Rappahannock Station, Va., while acting as an aide, rendered gallant and prompt assistance in reforming the regiments inside the enemy works.(vii)

Captain Seymour Hall is a true American HERO.

(i) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 184.
(ii) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 235.
(iii) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 237.
(iv) Best, Isaac O., History of the 121^st New York State Infantry, published by Lieut. Jas. H. Smith in 1921, Pgs. 100–101.
(v) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 240.
(vi) Cilella, Salvatore G., Upton’s Regulars: The 121^st New York Infantry in the Civil War, published by the University Press of Kansas in 2009, Pg. 243.
(vii) R.J. (Bob) Pfoft, Editor, United States of America’s Medal of Honor Recipients, Fifth Edition, Pg. 883.

Armistice Day

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the first Armistice Day in the United States.  Originally instituted by President Woodrow Wilson, on November 11, 1919, the celebration would be called Armistice Day to commemorate world peace, after World War I.  On June 4, 1926, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution requesting that the president issue another proclamation to observe Armistice Day, November 11, 1826, with appropriate ceremonies.  On May 13, 1938, Congress passed an Act that would observe Armistice Day, each November 11, and make it a national legal holiday, “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’”(i)

 

Civil War Reunions

While Civil War veterans did not receive the honor of a national holiday, by 1866 many Civil War regiments began to honor their fallen members at organized reunions.  In many cases these reunions would include mock battles, artillery demonstrations and honorary guests.  These reunions would continue to grow through the 1880’s with many of the regimental engagements happening each year.  One of the largest reunions was the Gettysburg 50th anniversary reunion in 1913.  At this reunion soldiers from both sides slept in traditional tents on the Gettysburg battlefield.  The event was memorialized by the picture on the right.

The Creation of Veterans Day

In 1953, Al King, a proprietor from Emporia, Kansas, decided that Armistice Day should not only be a celebration for the veterans of World War I, but for all veterans.  With the Emporia Chamber of Commerce supporting King’s proposal, they quickly received congressional support from U.S. Representative Ed Rees.  Rees’ bill would quickly be pushed through Congress with President Eisenhower signing the bill into law on May 26, 1954.  Later the same year, Congress amended the original Act, renaming Armistice Day as Veterans Day, on November 8, 1954 – again a legal holiday with observance being each November 11.(ii)

In 1971, the Federal government changed the date of Veterans Day in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.  With this change Veterans Day would be observed on the fourth Monday of October.  In 1978, the date was returned to November 11 due to its historical significance.

The Meaning of Veterans Day for Me

I can trace my family’s devotion to the U.S. Armed Forces back to by great great grandfather, Francis Herman, who fought as a New York Volunteer during the American Civil War.  He would serve in the Eastern Theater, participating in many of the most bloody battles.  Inevitably, if I were to trace my uncles and cousins, from the Civil War period, many more of my family members would have fought in the war between our states.

More recently, two of my uncles, Joseph and Robert Noirot, fought in World War II, where uncle Joe would be seriously inured.  My father Francis “Frank” Noirot was in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War conflict, serving as a fireman on the USS Mississippi.  Skipping a generation in the family, as I did not serve in the armed forces, my daughter, Jamie Noirot, continued our family tradition by serving in the Air Force, in Anchorage, Alaska.  I am very proud of my family’s commitment to the Armed Services of the United States.

Today is a day that we all must solemnly remember those soldiers who fought to preserve and protect our great country.  Whether they served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq or Afghanistan they deserve our respect and honor for what they have done – protecting us from enemies within our borders, abroad or for acts against our allies - they have done their duty and are HEROES.

(i) Veterans Day, on Wikipedia.com, was used to research this article.
(ii) According to Wikipedia, if Veterans Day falls on Sunday, it will be observed on the following Monday, November 12.  If it falls on Saturday, that day can be used, or the previous Friday, November 10.

The Battle of Belmont, Missouri is an often overlooked battle.  While the number of casualties were modest, compared to subsequent battles in the western theater, it was newly commissioned Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant’s first battle as an independent commander.  While the battle was nearly disastrous for his troops, Grant clearly demonstrated his ability to quickly respond to changing battlefield circumstances and act quickly to preserve his troops and salvage victory from disaster.  This maturation as an independent commander would serve him well at the battles of Fort Donelson, and Shiloh, in the coming new year.  At both battles, Grant would find himself separated from the fighting and return to chaos.  In both cases he would take advantage of the confusion the Confederate forces experienced after an initial success, and snare victory from defeat.  At Fort Donelson he would capture an entire army.

The following narrative is from my other Civil War website, BattlefieldPortraits.com.

For a complete photographic essay, on the Battle of Belmont, visit my Flickr site by clicking HERE.

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Battle of Belmont

Location: Belmont, MO
Date: November 7, 1861
Union Commander: Ulysses S. Grant, Brigadier General
Confederate Commander: Gideon J. Pillow, Brigadier General

Battle Summary:
Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to brigadier general on August 7, 1861.  His first assignment would be to command the garrison at Cairo, Illinois – the junction of the Mississippi, and Ohio Rivers.

CSA Major General Leonidas Polk commanded Department No. 2 of CSA General Albert Sidney Johnston’s Western Department.  In September 1861 Polk’s Confederate detachment occupied Columbus, Kentucky building an impressive fort that commanded the Mississippi River from the high bluffs. Considered by many to be the “Gibraltar of the West,” the fort was very impressive.  Polk had 17,000 Confederate troops and close to 150 heavy guns under his command.  With the incursion of Polk’s Confederates into the neutral state of Kentucky, Grant quickly positioned himself as a liberator of the state when he entered Paducah, in a bloodless affair.

Grant would quickly have an opportunity to prove himself as an independent commander.  Holding garrisons at Cape Girardeau, Cairo and Paducah he set his sights on Columbus, Kentucky.  Aware that CSA Brigadier General Meriwether “Jeff” Thompson was on the run in the “boot heel” area of Missouri, Grant formulated his strategy.  He would send two columns of troops from Cairo, and Paducah, to demonstrate against Columbus, while he would command the main attack force of 3,000 troops going downriver, to the Belmont area, to stop Thompson.

On November 7, Grant’s troops disembarked at Hunter Farm marching back east to the Confederate encampment at Belmont.  With his troops hidden in the woods, he prepared to attack Camp Johnston.  There awaiting him were CSA Brigadier General Gideon Pillow’s Confederate detachment.  Grant would move through a cornfield to attack Pillow.  The Confederates would counter with a terrific bayonet charge.  Pillow’s position was untenable and the entire Rebel line would collapse.

Excited with their win, the Federal troops quickly went about looting the camp.  Leonidas Polk observing the collapse of Camp Johnston dispatched two infantry regiments, under the command of CSA Brigadier General Frank Cheatham.  After arriving from Columbus, Cheatham would unite with the disorganized remnants of Pillow’s troops.  Once Pillow was reinforced by Cheatham, Polk unleashed the river guns in Columbus.  Federal troops quickly were caught in a crossfire from the big siege guns of Columbus, and a surprise flank attack by Cheatham.  Quickly surrounded, the Union line collapsed.  Grant would finally bring some order to his lines and fight his way out.  The Federal troops marched back to Hunter Farm, all the while being harrassed by the Confederates, and would make their escape aboard the USS Tyler gunboat.  U.S. Grant would be the last soldier to embark on the gunboat.

Campaign: Grant’s Campaign of the Confluence of the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers – 1861

Outcome: U.S. Victory

Troop Strengths (estimated):
Union: 3,000
Confederate: 5,000

Casualties:
Union: 498 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)
Confederate: 966 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)

Battle Aftermath:
Belmont was U.S. Grant’s first battle as a general officer.  While technically not a complete victory, it did prove Grant thrived under pressure.  After returning to Cairo, Grant set his eyes on other targets – the forts on the Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers.  Learning that Fort Henry was lightly defended, Grant received permission from his commander, Henry W. Halleck, to attack the fort.  Fort Henry would be captured by Grant on February 6, 1862, with Fort Donelson falling on February 16, 1862.  These were stunning Union victories that launched Grant into celebrity status.

With the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson, department commander, CSA General Albert Sidney Johnston would determine his position in Kentucky was untenable.  Johnston would retreat from Kentucky, through Tennessee, consolidating his army near Corinth, Mississippi.  With this retreat, Nashville, and Memphis, would remain in Union possession for the remainder of the war.

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The Maryland Campaign has always been one of my favorite campaigns  in the eastern theater.  CSA General Robert E. Lee’s first incursion on northern soil was designed to take advantage of the momentum the Army of Northern Virginia experienced after defeating US Major General John Pope’s Army of Virginia at Second Manassas.  Lee believing the northern armies were badly demoralized, disorganized and suffering from a broken command structure felt confident of his success.  Additionally Lee, and the Confederate government, believed that a decisive victory on northern soil would impact the fall elections, giving the Peace Democrats more control in the Federal legislature and foreign recognition from France and England.  With the hope of adding new recruits to his battered army, he anticipated adding many loyal Marylanders to his army.  Crossing the Potomac River, in early September, he would remove the combatants from Northern Virginia bringing some relief to the citizens of Virginia and allowing him to feed his army from the fields of Maryland.

John David Hoptak, a National Park Service Ranger at Antietam, brings his terrific knowledge of the Maryland Campaign to his new book, “Our Boys Did Nobly: Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Soldiers at the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam.”  Hoptak provides a wonderful narrative of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam – many details which I have never read before.  While not a complete narrative of these battles, “Our Boys Did Nobly,” provides many new details from these battles that were gathered during years of research.  Much of the new information is primary source material, from the soldiers, that  has previously been untapped.  Hoptak’s book focuses on the soldiers from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania who fought in the 48th Pennsylvania, 96th Pennsylvania and two companies of the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry.  By the fall of 1862 most of the soldiers in these regiments had seen active service in the Carolinas and Virginia.  The young men came from farms, coal mines, dry goods stores and colleges.  They would fight bravely and many would pay the ultimate sacrifice, for their beloved Country, at Fox’s Gap, Crampton’s Gap and the fields along Antietam Creek.  The 48th and 50th Pennsylvania would be assigned to US Major General Ambrose Burnside’s IX Corps and would fight at Fox’s Gap and in Burnside’s attack on the Southern sector of Antietam.  Many of the young men would not muster out until the end of the Civil War, participating the the final Grand Review in May 1865.  The 96th Pennsylvania would fight in US Major General William Franklin’s VI Corps and were severely punished at Crampton’s Gap.  They would muster out of service during US Major General Philip Sheridan’s 1864 Shenandoah Campaign.

For those of you, like me, that have an unquenchable thirst for the Maryland Campaign, this book will be a fascinating page turner, from an expert on Lee’s first invasion of the North.  For novice Civil War enthusiasts, the book is written in such a way that is easy to follow, and understand.  Written in terrific prose, the book is both fun to read and very detailed.  The epilogue provides Hoptak’s report card on the commanding generals and details of McClellan’s missed opportunities.  I would definitely recommend that you purchase this book as it will make an excellent addition to your Civil War library.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with John, who being from Schuylkill County, is very passionate about the soldiers from his home.  Hoptak provides insights into his research, stories of the soldiers during the Maryland Campaign and his assessment of the overall campaign.  As with all of my interviews, I’ve separated it into multiple parts so you can easily listen to them, at your leisure, and come back to the next part when you are ready.

About “Our Boys Did Nobly”
Author: John David Hoptak
Paperback: 358 pages
Distributed by: Ten Roads Publishing, LLC
ISBN-10: 0557088968

 

 

 

 

John David Hoptak Interview – 10 Parts
Total Time: 54 minutes, 53 seconds

Part 1 

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Time: 4:44
Contents: Welcome and introductions | About John Hoptak | Becoming a Park Ranger at Antietam | Background on “Our Boys Did Nobly” | Distribution by Ten Roads Publishing

Part 2 

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Time: 5:05
Contents: George B. McClellan – delusional while at Antietam? | The changing view of McClellan over 14 decades

Part 3 

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Time: 5:22
Contents: The men of Schuylkill County at South Mountain | Redemption of Colonel Henry Cake

Part 4 

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Time: 5:17
Contents: The 96th loses Captain Lewis Martin and Lt. John Doherty and eight color bearers at Crampton’s Gap | Severe losses of the 96th at Crampton’s Gap | The 48th and 50th Pennsylvania at Fox’s Gap | The loss of US Major General Jesse Reno

Part 5 

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Time: 6:45
Contents: The maturation of the boys from Schuylkill County | South Mountain a tactical Union victory? | Researching “Our Boys Did Nobly” | New primary source material

Part 6  

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Time: 6:59
Contents: The 48th Pennsylvania’s surprise after crossing Burnside Bridge | Ambrose Burnside at Antietam

Part 7 

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Time: 6:29
Contents: Diversion or assault for the IX Corps | Tactical issues involving the IX Corps’ approach to Burnside Bridge | Bravery of the Schuylkill County boys

Part 8 

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Time: 5:52
Contents: The last charge at Antietam | The forgotten sector of Antietam Battlefield | Robert E. Lee: To fight or not to fight?

Part 9 

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Time: 6:05
Contents: Army of Northern Virginia faced destruction at Antietam | George B. McClellan’s lost opportunities

Part 10 

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Time: 2:15
Contents: Future plans and what’s in the works | Wrap up and closing

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As a follow up to my recent article, “Gettysburg National Military Park – A Study In Contrasts,” I received an update today on the ongoing battlefield rehabilitation efforts at Gettysburg National Military Park.  Sent to me by Katie Lawhon, of the Gettysburg National Park Service staff, it provides a glimpse into the goals of their extensive rehabilitation efforts.  The National Park Service should be commended for their efforts to restore the Gettysburg Battlefield to its wartime appearance.  Thank you Katie for providing this update to This Mighty Scourge.

The following is an outline of the goals of their rehabilitation project.

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GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
BATTLEFIELD REHABILITATION GOALS

One of the most important purposes of Gettysburg National Military Park is to preserve the topographic, landscape, and cultural features that were significant to the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg.  However, many of these features have been obscured or changed over the years, as the natural processes have been allowed to take over.  As just one example, fields that have not been farmed over the past 65 years have become forests.  In many cases, the lack of an accurate understanding of these historic topographic features and their significance has led to their loss.  That loss, in turn, meant that neither visitors nor historians could fully understand the Battle of Gettysburg.

The National Park Service (NPS) is bringing back missing features that affected the fighting of the Battle of Gettysburg, a multi-year project with historical benefits and environmental benefits as well.  The goals of the project are:

Restoring Gettysburg’s historic integrity – Changes to the landscapes have occurred over time including the growth of trees, changing field sizes, and missing fences, orchards, and farm lanes.  These changes obscure the key terrain, avenues of approach, and fields of fire that affected the outcome of the battle.  As a result, some portions of the battlefield have changed physically.  They can no longer convey to people today what it was like for the soldiers who fought here.

The project is being phased and includes the replacement of historic fencelines, orchards, and farm lanes as well as the return of grasslands, farmlands, orchards and woodlands that played important roles in the battle.

Enhancing visitor opportunities and understanding – Restoring the integrity of key battle areas contributes to improved educational experiences, and an overall greater understanding of the events as they unfolded on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863.  Battlefield rehabilitation is allowing visitors to have a more accurate understanding of obstacles faced by those on the field as well as the command decisions made by both armies.  Over time, the project will offer new opportunities for visitors to see the battlefield through the soldiers’ eyes.

Creating a sustainable historic environment by improving wetlands, water quality and wildlife habitat – Since the time of the battle, non-native species, hardwood stands, and changing agricultural landscapes have had a negative effect on the historic terrain.  If left alone, the environment will continue to change and potentially obscure more historic lands.

The historical benefits of the battlefield rehabilitation are obvious to many but there are clear environmental benefits as well.  The project calls for reestablishing grasslands, restoring wetlands, and replanting orchards.  Long term improvements to the environment include restoration of up to 100 acres of wetlands; fencing cattle from streams to improve water quality; and increasing habitat for grassland species, ground nesting birds and native plants.  The plan is in compliance with the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Federal Water Pollution Act and Water Quality Act, floodplain management, protection of wetlands, and all other applicable laws and policies that protect the environment.

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The following table provides an update on the progress of the battlefield rehabilitation project at Gettysburg.

This morning, I am leaving for a work conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.  I am not a gambler.  I do not bet on horse, baseball, football or anything else for that matter.  I’m staying at one of the best properties in Vegas -Mandalay Bay.  Unfortunately, I am just not into the whole Vegas scene.  I hate the noise, I hate the smoke and I’m not even a “people watcher.”  Yippee!  I can hardly wait to get there.

The redeeming factor for me is that I have several blog articles I plan on finishing over the next several days.  A campaign essay, an author interview and review and a couple other special things.

So, are there any Civil War attractions in Las Vegas??  Have a great week everyone!