This Mighty Scourge

I recently finished reading “The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. 1: South Mountain.”  This is the first of a two part series edited by Tom Clemens.  Clemens is a professor of history at Hagerstown Community College and received a doctorate of arts in history education from George Mason University.  An expert historian on the Maryland Campaign, Clemens’ vast knowledge of the campaign is evident in the wonderful footnotes that grace this book.

Colonel Ezra Carman was commissioned as lieutenant colonel in the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry on September 9, 1861.  He would be wounded at the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862.  Upon returning to duty, he would be promoted to colonel and would actively recruit the 13th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.  He would lead his regiment during the Maryland Campaign, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.  Carman would temporarily lead a brigade to extinguish the New York Draft Riots.  He would be transferred to the Western Theater, with the XII Corps, and would participate in the Battle of Chattanooga and the Atlanta Campaign.  He would receive brevet promotion to brigadier general on March 13, 1865.  After the war, Carman would become chief clerk of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and would be a historical expert on the Maryland Campaign.  He was the superintendent at the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Battlefield.  His first love, however, was as a historian.  His manuscript on the Maryland Campaign would occupy much of his time after the Civil War.  He would use firsthand accounts from commanders and soldiers to write his manuscript in addition to regimental histories and newspaper articles.  As Clemens told me, in our interview, the Carman manuscript would be used by other historians to write their narratives on the Maryland Campaign.  While the manuscript does contain some biases, it is still the definitive work on the subject.

Clemens did a masterful job of editing Carman’s manuscript.  His publisher, Savas Beatie, LLC, worked with him to ensure that the footnoting appears on the same page as Carman’s text.  This makes reading the book, and digesting the editor’s footnotes, a much easier experience.  I find myself often skipping footnotes, in other books, when I have to go to the end of the chapter or the notes section.  In “The Maryland Campaign of September 1862,” I read all of the footnotes in their entirety and it made Carman’s manuscript much more enjoyable to read.  I would often find myself chuckling while reading them as Clemens injected sarcasm and humor into his notes.  You will inevitably have an appreciation for Carman’s work, and Clemens’ research, when you read the book.  These footnotes alone make this book a great value.  Clemens also supports his editing of the manuscript with wonderfully unique maps.  The maps are in the front of the book and were created by cartographer Gene Thorp.  They are easy to understand and support the book well.

“The Maryland Campaign of September 1862” is intelligently organized.  The “Forward” was written by Ted Alexander, historian at Antietam National Battlefield.  Clemens’ well written “Introduction” is followed by the important section “Note on the Carman Manuscript” which provides detailed information on the manuscript and the challenges it presented Clemens during the editing process.  The chapter breakdown follows.

1. Maryland
2. The Confederate Invasion of Maryland
3. The Confederate Army Crosses the Potomac
4. General McClellan and the Army of the Potomac
5. Advance of the Army of the Potomac from Washington to Frederick and South Mountain
6. Harper’s Ferry
7. South Mountain (Crampton’s Gap), September 14, 1862
8. South Mountain (Fox’s Gap), September 14, 1862
9. South Mountain (Turner’s Gap), September 14, 1862
10. From South Mountain to Antietam
11. McLaws and Franklin in Pleasant Valley

The chapters are followed by an Appendix 1: Organization of the Armies followed by the Bibliography that makes it readily apparent how difficult Clemens editing project was.

I would highly recommend “The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. 1: South Mountain” to any serious Civil War student or enthusiast.  I’m certain you will find the book extremely interesting and enjoyable to read.

I was able to interview Tom on August 2, 2010.  As always, I have broken the 90 minute interview into multiple parts to make it easier to enjoy; you can listen to the parts at your leisure and come back to the next part when your time allows.

Details about “The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. 1: South Mountain”
Written by: Colonel Ezra Carman
Edited by: Thomas G. Clemens
Hardcover: 576 pages
Publisher: Savas Beatie, LLC
Date of First Edition: May 19, 2010
ISBN-10: 1932714812

Click HERE to order this and other excellent Civil War titles from Savas Beatie, LLC

Tom Clemens Interview – 15 Parts
“The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. 1: South Mountain”
Interview Date: August 2, 2010
Total Time: 1 hour 29 minutes 49 seconds

Part 1:

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Time: 6:08
Contents: Welcome and introductions | About Tom Clemens | Why use Ezra Carman’s manuscript? | About Carman and his famous manuscript

Part 2:

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Time: 5:59
Contents: Maryland during the Secession Crisis | Why did it take so long for Carman’s manuscript to be published in its entirety? | Tom’s research methodology and the difficulties he encountered | The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia pushes for an invasion of Maryland as early as 1861

Part 3:

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Time: 6:42
Contents: Why did Jefferson Davis finally approve the invasion of Maryland in September 1862? | Did Lee believe a victory on northern soil would lead to Confederate recognition in Europe? | Why the Confederate authorities believed they could control the Mississippi and receive support from the northwest states

Part 4:

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Time: 7:20
Contents: A discussion on Robert E. Lee’s decision to divide his Army of Northern Virginia | Carman’s belief that Harper’s Ferry was lost with the abandonment of Maryland Heights | Did the deliberate movements of US Major General William Franklin’s VI Corps make the surrender of Harper’s Ferry inevitable?

Part 5:

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Time: 8:24
Contents: A discussion on Carman’s disdain for Halleck and the eventual capitulation of Harper’s Ferry | The tactical situation in Pleasant Valley and Harper’s Ferry prior to the surrender of Harper’s Ferry | The censure of Dixon Miles and the special commission’s decision with regards to the surrender of Harper’s Ferry

Part 6:

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Time: 6:52
Contents: A discussion on Carman’s assertion that Lee could have been beaten piecemeal had Franklin’s VI Corps moved rapidly into Pleasant Valley in conjunction with a rapid movement by McClellan towards Boonsboro | How Frederick affected the movements of the Army of the Potomac

Part 7:

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Time: 4:51
Contents: Franklin’s VI Corps attacks Thomas Munford at Crampton’s Gap | Carman’s criticism of CSA Brigadier General Howell Cobb

Part 8:

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Time: 5:40
Contents: The fight for Turner’s Gap and Fox’s Gap | Tom’s description of the terrain at South Mountain and how it affected troop deployments and movements | Walking a battlefield is important to understanding the battle

Part 9:

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Time: 5:28
Contents: The death of US Major General Jesse Reno and the fight for Fox’s Gap | Carman’s criticism of CSA Brigadier General Roswell Ripley

Part 10:

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Time: 7:16
Contents: The fight at Turner’s Gap and the performance of US Brigadier General John Gibbon’s Iron Brigade | The performance of US Major General Ambrose Burnside | The other Iron Brigade from New York

Part 11:

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Time: 3:30
Contents: The other Iron Brigades (continued)

Part 12:

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Time: 7:51
Contents: Robert E. Lee orders his troops from South Mountain and Harper’s Ferry | A discussion of Carman’s criticism of McClellan’s slow movements from South Mountain

Part 13:

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Time: 5:40
Contents: A discussion about McClellan’s lost opportunities of September 15, 1862 | The arrival of the Army of Potomac at Antietam | The tactical situation on September 16 at Antietam | An assessment of McClellan’s actions in the Maryland Campaign | Tom’s opinion on Ezra Carman’s manuscripts and their balance

Part 14:

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Time: 4:28
Contents: Further discussion on the Carman manuscripts and the difficulty in researching them | Tom’s extensive database on Carman’s manuscripts

Part 15:

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Time: 3:40
Contents: The status of The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vol. 2: The Battle of Antietam | A discussion on the footnoting of Tom’s book | Wrap up and closing

Fellow Civil War blogger (Bull Runnings), Harry Smeltzer, asked me to pass along information on the Save Historic Antietam Foundation’s (SHAF) upcoming Phase I tour.  The tour is scheduled for Saturday, July 31, 2010, and will meet at 8:30 AM in the parking lot of Monocacy National Battlefield.  Proceeds from the tour will benefit SHAF and are designated for preservation and interpretation of sites associated with the Maryland Campaign.  It should be noted that Dr. Tom Clemens, editor of Ezra Carman’s “The Maryland Campaign of September, 1862, Volume 1: South Mountain,” will be one of the tour guides.  He will be assisted by National Park Service historian, Dennis Frye.  For more information check out the announcement at Bull Runnings:

SHAF Sponsored Tour of Phase I of the Maryland Campaign of September, 1862

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about Harper’s Ferry and the Battles of South Mountain and support the wonderful work that SHAF does.

Recently the Civil War Preservation Trust released its list of the most endangered Civil War battlefields.  It should be no surprise that the Gettysburg and the Wilderness battlefields lead the list –  however, there are some new additions this year.  Below is the press release that was sent out recently to CWPT members.

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EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL
10:00 a.m. EDT, May 13, 2010

For more information, contact:
Mary Koik, CWPT, (202) 367-1861 x7231
Beth Newburger, Epoch, (571) 436-0887

Civil War Preservation Trust Releases Annual Report on Nation’s Most Endangered Battlefields

Best-Selling Author Jeff Shaara Joins Trust to Unveil “History Under Siege” Report

(Washington D.C.) – The iconic Pennsylvania battlefield synonymous with American valor, now facing a second attempt to bring casino gambling to its doorstep; a Virginia crossroads where a single marching order set the Union army on the road to victory, now proposed for a monstrous commercial development; and a rocky Arizona spire where Confederate and Union forces fiercely faced off, now jeopardized by state budget cuts; are some of the nation’s most endangered Civil War battlefields.

At a news conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) unveiled its annual report on the status of the nation’s historic battlegrounds.  The report, entitled History Under Siege™: A Guide to America’s Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields, identifies the most threatened Civil War sites in the United States and what can be done to save them.

“All across the country, our nation’s irreplaceable battlefields – these tangible links to our shared history – are threatened by inappropriate development, misguided public policy, limited financial resources and, in some cases, simple apathy,” said CWPT President James Lighthizer at the report’s unveiling.  “Next year marks the Sesquicentennial of the bloodiest conflict in our nation’s history, and as we prepare for that seminal moment, it is an opportune time to shine a spotlight on the places that tell America’s story.”

Joining Lighthizer at the news conference was best-selling author Jeff Shaara, who also serves on the CWPT Board of Trustees.  The author of nine New York Times bestsellers, Shaara’s novels, including the Civil War-themed Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, have been praised by historians for their painstaking research.  His  only non-fiction work, Jeff Shaara’s Civil War Battlefields,  is a unique and personal tour across ten of America’s most hallowed battlegrounds.  In testament to his commitment to historic preservation, Shaara donated the entire advance from the project toward battlefield protection efforts.

“Nothing creates an emotional connection between present and past like walking in the footsteps of our Civil War soldiers,” said Shaara.  “I hope that by drawing attention to endangered Civil War battlefields, Americans will this see hallowed ground in a new way and understand that these sites must be preserved for future generations to experience.”

Also taking the podium at the news conference was Dr. Mark Snell, director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War at Shepherd University.  A Civil War scholar and retired army officer, Snell was appointed to the West Virginia Sesquicentennial of the Civil War Commission last summer by Governor Joe Manchin, and was subsequently elected vice-chairman.

“Particularly on the eve of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary, there is no more fitting commemoration of American valor than respectfully protecting the land where our soldiers fought and bled,” said Snell.

For three days in the summer of 1863, 160,000 men in blue and gray fought the Civil War’s largest and bloodiest battle around the crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 2006, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board rejected a proposal to build a slots parlor near Gettysburg’s East Cavalry Field, citing widespread public opposition to the plan. However, earlier this year the same chief investor rolled the dice again and announced plans for another Gettysburg casino.  Although smaller than the previous proposal, this casino would be only one half-mile from Gettysburg National Military Park.

In May 1864, Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s bloody Overland Campaign began in a tangled mass of second-growth trees and scrub known as the Wilderness, Virginia.  When portions of Grant’s army attacked elements of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s army on May 5, 1864, it was the first time the two legendary commanders met in battle.  In August 2009, the Orange County, Va. Board of Supervisors approved a massive commercial center featuring a Walmart and four retailers at the gateway to the historic battlefield.  A lawsuit to block the project is pending.

While most of the battles of the Civil War took place on southern soil, Confederate and Union forces engaged in their westernmost struggle at Picacho Pass, Arizona, on April 15, 1862.  Confederate Capt. Sherod Hunter raised his flag in the small, frontier settlement of Tucson, hoping to take another step toward the Pacific and the creation of an ocean-to-ocean Confederacy.  The Confederate rangers were met by a detachment of Union cavalry under the leadership of Lt. James Barrett near Picacho Peak, a rocky spire 50 miles northwest of Tucson.  Although Picacho Peak State Park is a popular tourist destination, it will close to the public on June 3, 2010, due to drastic cuts in the state budget – less than one year before the sesquicentennial of the war.

The Civil War Preservation Trust is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promoting appreciation of these hallowed grounds through education and heritage tourism.  History Under Siege is composed of two parts; one identifying the 10 most endangered battlefields in the nation, and a second section lists 15 additional “at risk” sites also confronted by serious threats.  Sites discussed in the report range from the famous to the nearly forgotten, but at least part of each site is in danger of being lost forever.  Battlefields were chosen based on geographic location, military significance, and the immediacy of current threats.

History Under Siege™ also includes:

Camp Allegheny, W.Va., December 15, 1861: Early in the war, North and South both strove to gain control over the western counties of Virginia, meeting in a number of engagements among the peaks and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.  Today, the scenic beauty of Camp Allegheny, West Virginia stands to be compromised by a field of 40-story-high wind turbines — 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty — to be built within view of the battlefield.

Cedar Creek, Va., October 19, 1864: In the fall of 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan marched up the fertile Shenandoah Valley, stripping the countryside bare to starve out Confederate forces.  After a daring Confederate surprise attack at Cedar Creek, Union forces launched a crushing counterattack, extinguishing the South’s last hope of recovering the Valley.  In 2008, the Frederick County Board of Supervisors approved a massive expansion of the mine operating adjacent to Cedar Creek, which would destroy nearly 400 acres of battlefield land crucial to telling the story of this decisive struggle.

Fort Stevens, Washington, D.C., July 11-12, 1864: Fort Stevens was part of an extensive ring of fortifications surrounding Civil War Washington, but in July 1864 those defenses were vulnerable to a direct attack by Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Jubal Early.  President Abraham Lincoln, watching the action from Fort Stevens, came under fire from sharpshooters.  Last year, a church adjacent to the fort applied for a zoning exemption to build an immense community center complex.  The new construction would tower over the fort, significantly degrading the visitor experience.

Pickett’s Mill, Ga., May 27, 1864: The Battle of Pickett’s Mill was one of the most stinging Union defeats of the 1864 Atlanta Campaign and the first serious check on Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s momentous campaign against this Confederate transportation center.  Although Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site is widely regarded as thoroughly preserved and interpreted, the park was forced to reduce its hours significantly due to budget cuts, and last autumn it was inundated by floodwaters that destroyed footbridges and a portion of the historic mill.

Richmond, Ky., August 29-30, 1862: Confederate Maj. Gen. Kirby Smith’s newly-dubbed “Army of Kentucky”—a bearded, shoeless band of rebel soldiers — marched north in the soaring heat of August 1862 and encountered a hastily-formed Union force led by Maj. Gen. William Nelson.  The ensuing battle became one of the most decisive Confederate victories of the Civil War.  Although the battlefield has been well protected to date, future preservation efforts will be complicated by the addition of a new highway interchange, paving the way for significant commercial growth in an area that has previously experienced little development pressure.

South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862: In early September 1862, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee launched an audacious invasion of the North.  But when a copy of his orders was discovered by Union soldiers in a field, wrapped around cigars, federal commanders were able to move quickly against the vulnerable Confederates at the Battle of South Mountain.  In December 2008, Dominion Power purchased 135 acres of battlefield land for a proposed $55 million natural gas compression station, a plan that has been subsequently suspended with an option to re-file.

Thoroughfare Gap, Va., August 28, 1862: Although a relatively small engagement, the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap was of immense strategic significance, setting the stage for the battles of Second Manassas and, ultimately, Antietam.  In February, consultants began seeking comments from the preservation community regarding a proposal to build a 150-foot-tall communications tower within the core battlefield area at Thoroughfare Gap.  Although construction of Interstate 66 in the 1960s saw portions of the mountain gap widened, the area retains much of its rural, scenic beauty.

With 55,000 members, CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds.  CWPT has preserved more than 29,000 acres of battlefield land across the nation. CWPT’s website is www.civilwar.org.

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(For additional materials, visit us online at http://www.civilwar.org/historyundersiege)

After 100 plus years, the first full length analysis of Ezra Carman’s 1,800 page history of the Maryland Campaign will be released. Published by my friends at Savas Beatie, LLC, it will inevitably become the most authoritative work on the campaign. Edited by Thomas G. Clemens, it will be released in two volumes. I have just started to review the galley of the first volume, “The Maryland Campaign of 1862: Vol. 1: South Mountain.” Watch for a review in the near future.

Additionally, I have started an analysis on the controversy of the capture of G.W.C. “Custis” Lee at Sailors Creek. While the Federal forces swept up thousands of Confederate prisoners two separate regiments claimed to have captured the major general: the 121st New York Volunteers and the 37th Massachusetts Volunteers. I will try to uncover the truth in my less than scientific analysis. Stay posted!

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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