1862

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March 16 1862 (Sunday)

General McClellan is preparing to shift the Army of the Potomac from its winter camps near Washington D.C. to positions around Fortress Monroe which is located in Virginia on the peninsula between the James and York Rivers. To protect Washington in the absence of the Army of the Potomac, General Nathaniel Banks is ordered to post his command, currently operating in the Shenandoah Valley, in the vicinity of Manassas.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Maj. Gen. N. P. BANKS, Commanding Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac. March 16, 1862. SIR: You will post your command in the vicinity of Manassas, intrench yourself strongly, and throw cavalry pickets well out to the front....Something like two regiments of cavalry should be left in that vicinity to occupy Winchester...as well as through Chester Gap, which might perhaps be advantageously occupied by a detachment of infantry, well intrenched....Great activity should be observed by the cavalry. Besides the two regiments at Manassas, another regiment of cavalry will be at your disposal to scout towards the Occoquan, and probably a fourth towards Leesburg....The general object is to cover the line of the Potomac and Washington. The above is communicated by command of Major-General McClellan. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Generals Floyd and Pillow, relieved of command until further orders, are directed to supplement their Fort Donelson reports.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, Decatur, Ala., March 16, 1862. Brig. Gen. GIDEON J. PILLOW, Chattanooga, Tenn.: GENERAL: Under date of March 11 the Secretary of War says: The reports of Generals Floyd and Pillow are unsatisfactory, and the President directs that both these generals be relieved from command until further orders. He further directs General Johnston...[to] request them to add to their [reports] such statements as they may seem proper on the following points: 1st. The failure to give timely notice of the insufficiency of the garrison of Fort Donelson....2d. The failure of any attempt to save the army by evacuating the post....3d. Why they abandoned the command to their inferior....4th. What was the precise mode by which each effected his escape. I am, your obedient servant, H. P. BREWSTER, Assistant Adjutant-General.

General Henry Halleck, exercising his new command authority in the west, instructs General Grant not to bring on an engagement and directs General Don Carlos Buell to move his forces as rapidly as possible to the Tennessee River. Halleck wants Grant and Buell to join forces before advancing against Confederate positions near Corinth, Mississippi.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Saint Louis, March 16, 1862. General GRANT, Fort Henry, As the enemy is evidently in strong force, my instructions not to advance so as to bring on an engagement must be strictly obeyed..... General Buell is moving in this direction, and I hope in a few days to send 10,000 or 15,000 more from Missouri. We must strike no blow until we are strong enough to admit no doubt of the result. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Saint Louis, March 16, 1862. Major-General BUELL, Nashville: Move your forces by land to the Tennessee as rapidly as possible. Our troops have destroyed the railroad at Purdy, but find the enemy in strong force at Eastport and Corinth, reported 60,000. Grant's army is concentrating at Savannah. You must direct your march on that point, so that the enemy cannot get between us. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General.
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March 17 1862 (Monday)

Flag Officer Andrew Foote arrives at New Madrid to join the assault on Island #10. He commands a flotilla of seven iron-clads and ten mortar boats. Old fuses hamper Foote's bombardment of the Confederate positions.

UNITED STATES FLAG-SHIP BENTON, March 17, 1862. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Commanding Department of Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.: This morning, the 17th, some time after daylight, the mortar boats being in position, I...made an attack on the forts at the distance of 2,000 yards or more....We opened upon the upper fort on the Tennessee shore at meridian, and continued quite a brisk fire until darkness obscured the forts from view. The ten mortars in the mean time shelled the troops out of range, excepting those in the forts manning the batteries. The upper fort was badly cut up...and the men at times ran from their guns.....This place is stronger and even better adapted for defense than Columbus ever was. Each fortification commands the one above it. We can count forty-nine guns in the different batteries, where there are probably double the number, with 10,000 troops. Exhaustion, arising from continuous service and want of sleep, will excuse this incoherent, discursive report. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. H. FOOTE, Flag-Officer, Comdg. U.S. Naval Forces Western waters. P. S.— Our shells bursting prematurely, I have had to drown them before loading the guns; the fuses, many of which I am told were made before the Mexican war, ought to have been condemned.

Brigadier-General James Garfield reports on his victorious assault upon, "500 rebels intrenched at the Pound Gap" in the Cumberland Mountains.

PIKETON, KY., March 17, 1862. Capt. J. B. FRY, A. A. G., Chief of Staff. CAPTAIN: I have just returned from an expedition of four days to the Pound Gap. I took with me 600 infantry and 100 cavalry. (A)ttacked 500 rebels under Maj. J. B. Thompson, intrenched at the Pound Gap, on the summit of the Cumberland Mountains. After a fight of less than twenty minutes the rebels were totally routed. They abandoned everything. We occupied their camp that night, and the next morning burned their quarters, consisting of 60 log huts and their three large buildings for quartermaster and commissary stores and hospital.....There were no casualties on our side. The enemy lost 7 killed and wounded. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. A. GARFIELD, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

"Cump" Sherman's troops disembark at sunrise and occupy positions around Shiloh Church approximately one mile from Pittsburg Landing. General Stephen Hurlbut's troops follow later in the day.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, Pittsburg Landing, March 17, 1862. Capt. WILLIAM McMICHAEL, Assistant Adjutant-General. SIR: (I) have placed McDowell's brigade to our right front guarding the pass of Snake Creek, Stuart's brigade to the left front to watch the pass of Lick Creek...General Hurlbut's division will be landed to-day, and the artillery and infantry disposed so as to defend Pittsburg, leaving my division entire for any movement by rail or water. As near as I can learn there are five regiments of infantry at Purdy, at Corinth, and distributed along the railroad to Iuka are probably 30,000 men, but my information from prisoners is very indistinct. Every road and path is occupied by the enemy's cavalry, whose orders seem to be to fire a volley, retire, again fire and retire....I am satisfied we cannot reach the Memphis and Charleston Road without a considerable engagement, which is prohibited by General Halleck's instructions, so that I will be governed by your orders of yesterday to occupy Pittsburg strongly. I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, W T SHERMAN, Brigadier-General, Commanding First Division.

Jefferson Davis shuffles his cabinet appointing erstwhile Secretary of War Judah Benjamin to the vacant post of Secretary of State, and nominating George Wythe Randolph as Benjamin's successor. Randolph is the grandson of Thomas Jefferson and was born at the Jefferson homestead in Monticello. This tie between the Second American Revolution and the First is seen to auger well for the Confederacy.

RICHMOND, VA., March 17, 1862. The SENATE OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES: I nominate for the advice of the Senate the following-named officers, viz: For Secretary of State, J.P. Benjamin, of Louisiana; for Secretary of the Treasury, C. G. Memminger, of South Carolina; for Secretary of War, G. W. Randolph, of Virginia; for Secretary of the Navy, S. R. Mallory, of Florida; for Attorney-General, Thomas H. Watts, of Alabama; for Postmaster-General, John H. Reagan, of Texas. JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The United State Senate debates on whether to censure General George McClellan due to his prolonged inactivity. By a narrow margin the proposal is defeated. "Little Mac", attempting to get away from this "fire in the rear", decides to lead the first contingent of the Army of the Potomac, scheduled to depart tomorrow, to the Virginia Peninsula.

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March 18 1862 (Tuesday)

General U.S. Grant arrives to take command of the Savannah expedition. Grant is alarmed to discover his army is dangerously divided. Three divisions are camped on the west bank of the Tennessee River (at Crump's and Pittsburg Landings) and two divisions are on the east bank near Savannah, Tennessee. Relying on "Cump" Sherman's advice, Grant immediately moves the two divisions in Savannah to Pittsburg Landing, thus concentrating his army on the west bank of the river. This disposition of troops places the Tennessee River between Grant and Buell's reinforcing army currently slogging through the mud in Middle Tennessee. More importantly, it places Grant's army on the same side of the river as the growing Confederate army in Corinth, Mississippi.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, Savannah, March 18, 1862. Maj. Gen H. W. HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.: I arrived here last evening, and found that Generals Sherman and Hurlbut's divisions were at Pittsburg, partially debarked; General Wallace at Crump's Landing, 6 miles below, same side of the river; General McClernand's division at this place, encamped, and General Smith's...also here. I immediately ordered all troops...to Pittsburg, and to debark there at once....There is no doubt a large force is being concentrated at Corinth and on the line of the railroad. Troops of cavalry are all over the State impressing men into the service, most of whom would rather serve with us....I have not been here long enough to form much idea of the actual strength of the rebels, but feel satisfied that they do not number 40,000 armed effective men at this time. I will make you a report, probably to-morrow. U.S. GRANT, Major-General.

Vessels of every kind are arriving in Alexandria, Virginia and neighboring ports. The cost to the U.S. government for chartering the 113 ships to be used today is $24,300. In the next three weeks, 389 vessels will deliver 121,500 men, 14,592 animals, 1,224 wagons, 44 artillery batteries, and "the enormous quantity of equipage etc. required for an army of such magnitude" to the Virginia Peninsula. "Prince John" Magruder has approximately 10,000 Confederate troops available on the Peninsula to face the upcoming Union onslaught.

At Coote's store in Shenandoah County, Company B of the 17th Battalion of Ashby's Brigade is guarding some prisoners who are accused of spying for the Union.

March 18, 1862. Moorefield, Virginia. They were kindly treated by our party; and when a squad of Co. A, of Ashby's command, made a dash to take them from our guards...Captain Harness and the writer and one guard, Jim Cunningham, had bullets to pass through our clothing, and a man named Mason of Co. A, one of the attacking party, was badly wounded in the foot. This Co. A recognized two of the prisoners as members of a gang that had killed one of their men. T.K. Cartmell, Co. B, 17th Batt., Ashby's Brigade.

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March 19 1862 (Wednesday)

General McClellan outlines his proposed operations for the Army of the Potomac once it has been successfully transported to the Virginia Peninsula.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Theological Seminary, Va., March 19, 1862. SIR: The proposed plan of campaign is to assume Fort Monroe as the first base of operations, taking the line of Yorktown and West Point upon Richmond as the line of operations, Richmond being the objective point. It is assumed that the fall of Richmond involves that of Norfolk and the whole of Virginia; also that we shall fight a decisive battle between West Point and Richmond, to give which battle the rebels will concentrate all their available forces, understanding, as they will, that it involves the fate of their cause. It therefore follows--1st. That we should collect all our available forces and operate upon adjacent lines, maintaining perfect communication between our columns. 2d. That no time should be lost in reaching the field of battle. The advantages of the Peninsula between York and James Rivers are too obvious to need explanation I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. B. McCLELLAN, Major-General.

General Franz Sigel's behavior prior to the Pea Ridge battle is questioned by General Halleck.

SAINT LOUIS, March 19, 1862. General CURTIS, Commanding Army of the Southwest: GENERAL: I was by no means surprised at General Sigel's conduct before the battle of Pea Ridge. It was precisely in keeping with what he did at Carthage and Wilson's Creek....I anticipated that he would try to play you a trick by being absent at the critical moment. I wished to forewarn you of the snare, but I could not then give you my reasons. I am glad that you prevented his projects and saved your army....I do not believe he has been made a major-general. If so, I shall ask to have him sent to some other department. Yours, in haste, H. W. HALLECK, Major-general.

William Quantrill and his band of guerrilla's are active, once again, in Johnson County, Kansas.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH REGIMENT KANS. VOLS., Leavenworth, March 19, 1862. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Commanding Department of the Mississippi SIR: I have the honor to report that...I received intelligence that the rebel Quantrill had with his band entered Johnson County, in this State, and murdered several citizens at Aubrey...and carried away quite an amount of property....Two days after a skirmish took place near Aubrey....I learn that it resulted in the retreat of Quantrill, with a loss of 2 killed and several wounded....On his retreat Quantrill drove a family from their home and burned their house. I am fully satisfied that I cannot, as provost-marshal-general, protect the State from guerrilla parties from without and the depredations of the horde of jayhawkers within with the present scattered condition of my regiment without several companies of cavalry. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, R. H. GRAHAM, Colonel Eighth Kansas Regiment, Provost-Marshal-General.

Captain John H. Morgan makes another daring raid in Tennessee. His objective is Gallatin where he wants to intercept mail, destroy rolling stock, take prisoners, and obtain useful information.

SHELBYVILLE, TENN., March 19, 1862. Maj. Gen. W. J. HARDEE, Commanding Division SIR: At about 4 o'clock p.m. on the 15th instant, with Colonel Wood and a detachment of 40 men, I left Murfreesborough for Gallatin, having learned that no Federal forces remained at that place. The chief objects of the expedition were to intercept the mail, to destroy the rolling stock on the road, to make prisoners, and to obtain information of interest to the service....Leaving the command just outside the town, Colonel Wood, myself, and the men, disguised as Federals, entered and took possession. The colonel, myself, and 2 men galloped to the depot and secured the telegraph operator, his instruments, books, &c....We secured also...an engine and tender....Upon securing the engine we at once commenced to accumulate all the rolling stock (a large quantity) on the main track preparatory to burning. When this was completed the fire was applied, and in the course of an hour all except the engine was rendered permanently useless....The next morning we destroyed the water tank, and taking the engine...proceeded some miles up the road with a view of discovering any approach of the enemy or the mail train....The mail train being some hours behind time, and learning that our presence might have become known, we concluded to withdraw and return to Murfreesborough. ...The whole country through which we passed turned out in masses to welcome us. Very respectfully, yours, JOHN H. MORGAN, Commanding.

General Shields division reaches Strasburg, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. Stonewall Jackson's smaller force withdraws further up the valley to Mt. Jackson.

WINCHESTER, March 19, 1862. General MARCY: In obedience to instructions from General Williams, commanding, General Shields' division moved out yesterday on road to Strasburg. At Middletown, 13 miles, his advance encountered small party of enemy, who fled, and burned behind them the fine bridge across Cedar Creek, 3 miles north of Strasburg....Information this moment received is that Jackson's force...was on Monday night, 17th, 14 miles north of Mount Jackson, where railroad terminates. D. D. PERKINS.

Brigadier-General R.C. Gatlin is relieved of command after losing New Berne to Union forces commanded by Ambrose Burnside.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, March 19, 1862. General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.: GENERAL: I have turned over the command of this department to Brig. Gen. J. R. Anderson, C. S. Army....My being relieved at this particular juncture would lead to the belief that it was done in consequence of the fall of New Berne. If such is the case, or if any blame is attached to me for our misfortunes in that quarter, I desire that an investigation be had at the earliest day practicable. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. C. GATLIN, Brigadier-General.

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March 20 1862 (Thursday)

President Jefferson Davis is concerned about the, "great destruction of property" that is alleged to have occurred during Joe Johnston's retreat from Manassas.

HEADQUARTERS, CAMP BARTOW, VA, March 20, 1862. Major-General HOLMES, Commanding Aquia District, Virginia. GENERAL: The President requests that I should inform you that unofficial reports have reached him of great destruction of property--burning tents, destruction of ammunition, &c.--in the division commanded by General Whiting in the recent retrograde movement of the army, and he desires that you will require of General Whiting a detailed report on the subject. I am, your obedient servant, J.P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War.

Father Mullon of Saint Patrick's Church in New Orleans offers their church bell to General Beauregard, if needed, to be recast as a weapon of war.

JACKSON, TENN., March 20, 1862. Father MULLON, Saint Patrick's Church, New Orleans, La.: DEAR FATHER: Your favor of March 14 has just been received. The call which I made on the planters of the Mississippi Valley to contribute their bells from their plantations to be cast into cannon is being so promptly met, that I am in hopes of being spared the necessity of depriving our churches of any of their sacred appendages. Our wives and children have been accustomed to the call, and would miss the tones of "the church-going bell ;" but if there is no alternative we must make the sacrifice, and should I need it I will avail myself of your offer to contribute the bell of Saint Patrick's Church, that it may rebuke with a tongue of fire the vandals who in this war have polluted God's altar. I remain, very truly yours, G.T. BEAUREGARD, General, Commanding.

Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt, the leading American steamship owner, offers the use of his speedy side-wheeler "Vanderbilt" to Flag Officer Goldsborough's new ramming squadron. The ramming squadron has been established to attack and sink the C.S.S. Virginia which seems impervious to naval gun fire.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, March 20, 1862. C, VANDERBILT, Esq., New York City, N.Y.: SIR: The President desires to turn to the utmost account your patriotic and generous gift to the Government of the great steamship Vanderbilt, and to use and employ that ship for protection and defense against the rebel iron-clad ship Merrimac...And to that end...he authorizes and directs me to receive her into the service of the War Department....Instructions will be given to the Quartermaster-General to furnish you with supplies, and to treat and recognize the Vanderbilt, her officers and crew, as in the Government service and under the special orders of this Department. By order of the President: EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

General Orders No. 27, issued today by the War Department, establishes the items which sutlers can sell to officers and soldiers.

GENERAL ORDERS No. 27. WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, March 21, 1862. (T)he following articles...may be sold by sutlers to the officers and soldiers of the volunteer service, to wit: Apples, dried apples, oranges, figs, lemons, butter, cheese, milk: sirup, molasses, raisins, candles, crackers, wallets, brooms, comforters, boots, pocket looking-glasses, pins: gloves: leather, tin wash basins, shirt buttons, horn and brass buttons, newspapers, books, tobacco, cigars, pipes, matches, black-ing, blacking brushes, clothes brushes, tooth brushes, hair brushes, coarse and fine combs, emery, crocus, pocket handkerchiefs, stationery, armor oil, sweet oil, rotten stone, razor strops, razors, shaving soap, soap, suspenders, scissors, shoe strings, needles, thread, knives: pencils, and Bristol brick.

Especially in Alabama and Georgia, the lack of salt is a growing concern for the Confederacy.

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Montgomery, Ala., March 20, 1862. General DUFF C. GREEN, Quartermaster-General, Mobile: GENERAL: The salt question is hourly increasing in magnitude and importance. The people of the Confederate States require full 6,000,000 bushels at the lowest calculation, and unless they are absolutely forced to it not 1,000,000 will be made, assuming of course that the blockade is to continue. They can only be forced to the manufacture of the article by having to pay an enormous price, or finding that they cannot get it on easy terms. Salt is in very great demand here, and every artifice and fraud is resorted to by speculators both in this State and Georgia. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEORGE GOLDTHWAITE, Adjutant and Inspector General, Alabama.

[Sunday] [Monday] [Tuesday] [Wednesday] [Thursday] [Friday] [Saturday]

March 21 1862 (Friday)

Brigadier-General John Pope, still unable to crack the Confederate defenses at Island #10 on the Mississippi River, attempts to cut a canal through Cyprus Swamp to get below the fortifications.

NEW MADRID, March 21, 1862. Major-General HALLECK: Have found place for canal across peninsula. Two bayous head near together, one running into the Mississippi at Island 8, the other about 2 miles above New Madrid. A canal 500 yards long through Cypress Swamp will connect them....Gunboats have made no impression and I think will not. Commodore Foote positively declines to run any of his gunboats past enemy's batteries. They are firing at long range, with only enemy's artillerists in sight. JNO. POPE, Brigadier-General.

Brigadier-General Williams division begins preparations to leave Winchester, Virginia and take up new positions near Manassas. In conjunction with Williams' move, General Shields, currently occupying Strasburg, Virginia, begins withdrawing down the valley to cover Winchester.

WINCHESTER, March 21, 1862---3.30 p.m. General MARCY: The Shenandoah bridge is completed and the First Division moves to-morrow. Heavy rains to-day and river swollen. General Shields has driven the enemy to Mount Jackson, 20 miles south of Strasburg. He fled before our troops, burning the bridges in his march. Scouting parties of cavalry are observed on the line of the Manassas road, but not in strength. N. P. BANKS, Major-General.

Secretary of War Edwin Stanton contemplates raising a regiment of black troops in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, March 21, 1862. WILLIAM A. ADAIR, Pittsburg, Pa.: If a regiment of colored men can be raised in Pittsburg I will authorize them to have their own officers. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

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March 22 1862 (Saturday)

John C. Fremont, the 1856 Republican presidential nominee, is plucked out of retirement by President Lincoln and given command of the newly created Mountain Department in western Virginia. "The Pathfinder", has proven he is a poor administrator and is given specific instructions as to how his 25,000 men are to be utilized.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 22, 1862 Maj. Gen. JOHN C. FREMONT, U.S. A., Commanding Mountain Department: SIR: You will regard it as a special duty to protect from all injury from the public enemy so much of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as falls within your district. For this purpose, unless some manifest reason should render it inexpedient, you will commit this service to General Kelley. Your attention will next be directed to the railroad between Knoxville and Richmond, some one point of which within your command you will seize and hold with the troops under your command....You will enter without delay upon your command and lose no time in commencing active operations. Frequent and full report of your operations, in progress or contemplated, will be expected.....You will notify the Department if new instructions or additional forces may at any time be required. By order of the Secretary of War: L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General.

The Congress of Confederate States appropriates 1.2 million dollars to bolster the defenses at Mobile Bay that which protect the port city of Mobile, Alabama.

AN ACT to provide for the further defense of the Bay of Mobile and the Alabama River.

The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the sum of $1,200,000 is hereby appropriated for the further defense of the Bay of Mobile and the Alabama River, to be expended, at the discretion of the President, by the Secretary of the Navy; and that the disbursement of said money shall be made in the manner provided by law for appropriations for the Navy.

And thats the way it was 136 years ago this week.

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