Monday, November 28, 2011

The Civil War in Indian Territory

Recently, Drew Wagenhoffer mentioned on his blog that the next issue of Blue & Gray Magazine would feature the war in the Indian Territory. Today, I received the issue in the mail, and it looks like a winner! The author is Michael J. Manning, and the issue's introduction states that he "is currently Chief Ranger at Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Tennessee. He resided in Oklahoma for a long time and attended college at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah...his first job in the history field was working as an interpreter at Fort Gibson Historic Site near Muskogee."

The issue has the classic Blue & Gray treatment with lots of maps, photographs, and "The General's Tour" of significant sites. Pleasingly, this is part one of the magazine's coverage of the war in the Indian Territory. Part two will be published "near the end of the sesquicentennial period." This issue covers April 1861 to September 1, 1863. The actions discussed in this issue are Chusto-Talasah, Chustenahlah, Bayou Manard, Old Fort Wayne, 1st Cabin Creek, Honey Springs, and Devil's Backbone. Enjoy!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

An Aside

Recently I took down from my bookshelf a classic novel that I had not read in many years. Although many believe it depicts the actions of the 124th New York Infantry at Chancellorsville, The Red Badge of Courage is written in such a way that it could be about the experience of any common soldier in any large-scale battle of the war. Stephen Crane, I think, captured the emotions and experiences of Civil War soldiers in an insightful way. If you’ve never read the novel or have not read it in a long time, then I encourage you to pick up a copy. It’s a short novel, and it might make a nice break from watching football and visiting (arguing?) with family members about politics.

In the spirit of rereading old favorites, I am also enjoying John Keegan’s, The Face of Battle. The heart of the book are his depictions of three battles (Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme) from the perspective of ordinary soldiers. There are many thought provoking comments in this book, and you will get a true sense of being with the soldiers in the ranks after reading this book.

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Cold and Difficult March

Regular readers know that on occasion I highlight notable marches made by soldiers in the trans-Mississippi. While perusing Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West by William L. Shea and Earl J. Hess recently, I came across another example of a long march in a relatively short time.

In February 1862, Major General Sterling Price, well aware of a Union advance on Springfield, Missouri, decided to retreat from that area. He and his Missouri soldiers marched south on Telegraph Road and retreated toward Arkansas. At first, Union forces under Brigadier General Franz Sigel made only modest efforts to speed Price’s force on their way, but on 16 February Sigel started pressing the enemy.

Here is a brief passage from Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West that describes the ensuing march:

“The rebels hurried over the fifty miles from Crane Creek in Missouri to Little Sugar Creek in Arkansas in less than thirty-six hours. Weather, fatigue, hunger, and demoralization took a severe toll. Everyone became ‘foot sore and tired from marching over the hard and frozen ground.’ Exhaustion was a critical problem because the Missourians had not had a full night of sleep since February 11 in Springfield. Whenever the column halted for a few moments, men in the ranks dozed while leaning against one another. Soldiers even fell asleep while marching” (p. 34). Union troops also marched quickly, but they “had rested well in Springfield on February 13 and had the psychological advantage of knowing that the enemy was on the run” (p. 34-35).

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Baptism of Fire at Pea Ridge: The 9th Iowa Infantry

Since my previous posting was about the battle of Pea Ridge, I decided to feature next a regiment that experienced combat at that battle. The 9th Iowa Infantry, one of William F. Fox’s “300 Fighting Regiments,” had the unfortunate distinction of suffering higher casualties than any regiment at Pea Ridge. This gallant unit went on to serve with distinction in the Vicksburg campaign, the Atlanta campaign, and the March to the Sea. Fox’s sketch of the unit from Regimental Losses In The American Civil War, 1861-1865 (1898) is included below.

For more information about these Hawkeyes see the following:

Iowa in the Civil War: includes a history of the regiment and a partial roster

University of Iowa Libraries: a digitized copy of John C. Brown’s diary is available

“Thayer's Brigade —Steele's Division--Fifteenth Corps.

1) Col. William Vandever; Bvt. Major-Gen.

2) Col. Frank J. Herron; Major-Gen.

3) Col. David Carskaddon.

companies.

killed and died of wounds.

died of disease, accidents, in Prison, &c.

Total Enrollment.

Officers.

Men.

Total.

Officers.

Men.

Total.

Field and Staff

2

2

16

Company

A

3

13

16

20

20

122

B

1

11

12

18

18

118

C

2

14

16

27

27

118

D

15

15

32

32

130

E

2

14

16

26

26

123

F

1

9

10

31

31

133

G

2

16

18

19

19

112

H

1

19

20

16

16

124

I

17

17

16

16

120

K

14

14

25

25

113

Totals

12

142

154

2

230

232

1,229

154 killed == 12.5 per cent.

Total of killed and wounded, 571.

Battles.

K. & M. W.

Battles.

K. & M. W.

Pea Ridge, Ark.

74

Rocky Face Ridge, Ga.

1

Chickasaw Bluffs, Miss.

1

Resaca, Ga.

4

Arkansas Post, Ark.

1

Dallas, Ga.

6

Brandon Station, Miss.

1

Kenesaw Mountain, Ga.

5

Siege of Vicksburg, Miss.

13

Atlanta, Ga.

5

Assault on Vicksburg

29

Jonesboro, Ga.

2

Missionary Ridge, Tenn.

5

Bentonville, N. C.

2

Ringgold, Ga.

2

Place unknown

1

Claysville, Ga.

2

Present, also, at Sugar Creek; Jackson; Cherokee Station; Tuscumbia; Chattahoochie,; Lovejoy's Station; Griswoldville; Macon; Eden Station; Congaree Creek; Columbia.

Notes.--Mustered in at Dubuque, September 24, 1861, it left the State on the 26th, 1,007 strong, and proceeded to Benton Barracks, St. Louis. Four months of active service were passed in Missouri, and then it joined Curtis's Army of the Southwest, having been assigned to Vandever's Brigade, Carr's Division. It fought at Pea Ridge, withstanding a severe attack and sustaining the heaviest loss of any regiment on that field, its casualties amounting to 38 killed, 176 wounded, and 4 missing,--a total of 218 out of 560 engaged. The regiment arrived at Helena, Ark., in July, 1862, remaining there five months and then embarking in December, 1862, for Chickasaw Bayou, where it was under fire. The spring of 1863 was passed in camp at Young’s Point, on the Mississippi, where its ranks were sadly depleted by disease. The Ninth was actively engaged at the Siege of Vicksburg, losing there 121 killed or wounded. In the assault on Vicksburg, May 19th, it lost 4 killed and 12 wounded; in the assault of May 22d, it lost 18 killed and 60 wounded. In January, 1864, 287 men reenlisted, received the customary furlough of one month, and returned accompanied by 125 recruits. The Ninth served during the Atlanta campaign in Osterhaus's (1st) Division, Fifteenth Corps, losing in that campaign,--from May 1st to September 1st,--14 killed, 70 wounded, and 6 missing. While on the March to the Sea, it was in Stone's Iowa Brigade, C. R. Wood's (1st) Division, Fifteenth Corps” (Fox, p. 408)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

A Quick Photographic Tour of the Battle of Leetown


When I woke up yesterday, I checked the weather forecast and then decided to drive to the Pea Ridge National Military Park for the day. Before I reached the battlefield, I made a detour to Fayetteville to eat at a great restaurant: The Catfish Hole. Regrettably, I skipped the Dickson Street Bookstore—the University of Arkansas Razorbacks were hosting the South Carolina Gamecocks later in the day, and I feared that the traffic would be bad. After fortifying myself for a battlefield visit by eating catfish and hush puppies, I drove to the Pea Ridge battlefield. It had been quite some time since I last visited, and I noticed that the displays have been almost completely revamped in the visitor center; also workers have constructed several new fences on the battlefield. One major upgrade over the past few years has been the installation of new interpretive signage; these new signs, illustrated by artist Andy Thomas, are a significant improvement over the old signs.

My companion for this tour was Wilson’s Creek, Pea Ridge & Prairie Grove: A Battlefield Guide with a Section on Wire Road (2006) by Earl J. Hess, Richard W. Hatcher III, William Garrett Piston, and William L. Shea. This guidebook has served me well on visits to Wilson’s Creek and Prairie Grove; it is well organized with clear maps. In case you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West (1992) by William L. Shea and Earl J. Hess. This is an outstanding campaign history!

The battle of Pea Ridge was basically a two-part fight with action occurring near Leetown on March 7, 1862 as well as fighting near Elkhorn Tavern on March 7th and 8th. What follows are a handful of photographs of the Leetown battlefield with brief commentary.

This first photograph looks west along a fence bordering the south edge of Oberson’s Field. The view depicts the area occupied by the 22nd Indiana Infantry until they moved toward Morgan’s Woods.


Next a view looking north from the position of Captain Martin Welfley’s Independent Missouri Battery (Union). The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were positioned in the treeline in the distance. Skirmishers from the 36th Illinois Infantry killed Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch along the treeline shown on the far left of this photograph; Brigadier General James M. McIntosh met his demise along the treeline at about the 11:00 position in the photograph.


A view of Morgan’s Woods where the 3rd Louisiana Infantry and the 4th, 14th, and 15th Arkansas Infantry clashed with the 18th Indiana, the 22nd Indiana, the 37th Illinois, and the 59th Illinois. Fighting was difficult in such a tangled wood.


The cannons mark the position of Captain Peter Davidson's Peoria Battery (Battery A, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery). Parts of the 3rd Louisiana Infantry and the 4th Arkansas Infantry emerged from their fight in Morgan's Woods and charged toward this battery. A part of the 37th Illinois Infantry provided support with Captain William P. Black earning a Medal of Honor by firing a Colt revolving rifle at the advancing Confederates until he fell wounded. Captain John M. Simpson of the 4th Arkansas Infantry leaped on top of one of the cannon and then was mortally wounded as Confederates captured two of the guns.



The cannon marks the position of Captain John J. Good’s Texas Battery. Oberson’s Field is over the treeline. Before Good’s battery took position, a brief clash took place nearby at Foster’s Farm. The events there were perhaps the most controversial of the battle with allegations that Cherokee Indians had scalped Union soldiers.


Saturday, November 5, 2011

Honey Springs National Battlefield Park?

Last Saturday, I trekked to the Honey Springs Battlefield, a 1,200 acre site near Checotah maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society. If you’re ever in that area, I highly recommend a visit to this gem; there are six walking trails and many interpretive signs. The only downside is that a handful of the signs were damaged making them difficult to read.

Occurring on July 17, 1863, the battle was the largest that occurred in the Indian Territory. Not only was the battle a significant Union victory, but the units involved were unusual. The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry, the first African-American unit to see combat during the war, were heavily involved and several Indian units engaged in fighting there as well. There were also units from Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin that saw action during the battle.

It has long been a dream of the Oklahoma Historical Society that the battlefield become a unit of the National Park Service, and this week a federal report at least opened the “possibility the state’s Honey Springs Civil War site could be designated a national battlefield park” according to an article in today’s Tulsa World. This is an exciting piece of news, and I hope that Honey Springs is designated as a national battlefield.

To see photographs of the battlefield as well as additional links go to the Civil War Album.