1862

  1862 Calendar

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March 30 1862 (Sunday)

Flag-Officer Andrew Foote strongly believes that running 'his' gunboats past the Confederate guns in and around Island #10 in the Mississippi River is too risky and dangerous. However, the commander of the gunboat Carondelet, Commodore Walke, is willing to take that risk. Accordingly, Foote gives Walke permission to run the batteries "under the first fog or rainy night." Foote further instructs Walke that should he meet with disaster to do all in his power to sink or destroy the gunboat to "prevent her from falling into the hands of the rebels."

UNITED STATES FLAG-STEAMER BENTON, Off Island No. 10, March 30, 1862. Commodore H. WALKE, Commanding Carondelet : COMMODORE: You will avail yourself of the first fog or rainy night and drift your steamer down past the batteries on the Tennessee shore and Island No. 10 until you reach New Madrid....(I)t is vitally important to the capture of this place that a gunboat should soon be at New Madrid for the purpose of covering General Pope's army while he crosses to...the Tennessee side of the river.... I must enjoin upon you the importance...of using every...precaution to prevent the rebels suspecting that you are dropping below their batteries. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. H. FOOTE, Flag-0fficer. P. S.--Should you meet with disaster...destroy the steam machinery, and, if possible to escape, set fire to your gunboat or sink her and prevent her from falling into the hands of the rebels.

Confederate deserters report about 80,000 men at Corinth, Mississippi. Discontent is described as very great and many will desert, it is said, if an opportunity occurs.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, Savannah, March 30, 1862. Capt. N.H. MCLEAN, Saint Louis, Mo.: Some half dozen deserters from Corinth came into Pittsburg to-day. One represents the number of troops there at seventy-five regiments, and the others say the whole number is usually represented at 80,000 men. They describe the discontent as being very great among the troops and rations short. Many men will desert if an opportunity occurs. U.S. GRANT, Major-General.
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March 31 1862 (Monday)

Major-General John McClernand's veteran division is ordered to Savannah, Tennessee. McClernand, a political general with ties to President Lincoln and no military experience prior to Fort Donelson, complains to General Grant about having to serve under General C.F. Smith who has thirty-six years of experience in the regular army. Both have been promoted to Major-General for service at Fort Donelson and their seniority dates are unclear. McClernand tells Grant: "I rank him as a brigadier and cannot recognize his seniority without self-degradation, which no human power can constrain me to do." Grant wires Halleck to resolve the matter. Halleck, in turn, refers to matter to the Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Saint Louis, Mo., March 31, 1862. Maj. Gen. U.S. GRANT, Commanding on Tennessee River: The question of rank between Generals Smith and McClernand has been referred to the Secretary of War, and will probably be answered to-morrow. I know nothing about it, except that General McClellan directed me to place General Smith in command of the expedition until you were ordered to join it. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General.

John C. Fremont lobbies for more troops for his command in western Virginia. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton promises Fremont that he will "vigorously urge" the President to send him General Blenker's 17,000 man division. President Lincoln has already assured General McClellan that Blenker's division will be available to him for service on the York Peninsula. Lincoln decides to send the troops to Fremont and, in doing so, further alienates the recently demoted McClellan at the beginning of his Peninsular campaign.

MARCH 31, 1862--8.50 p.m. General E. V. SUMNER, Commanding Second Corps, Warrenton Junction: By order of the President Blenker's division is to join General Fremont. I shall replace it by a division under General Mansfield. GEO. B. McCLELLAN, Major-General.

Henry Halleck nominates John Buford for Major-General for his victory at Union City, Tennessee. Buford, with one regiment of infantry and one of cavalry, "dispersed the garrison (at Union City), destroyed their tents, barracks, etc, took several prisoners with their wagons, mules, and horses."

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April 1 1862 (Tuesday)

Rifles and cartridges purchased and imported from England by Louisiana Governor Thomas Moore are seized by Florida's Governor Milton.

NEW ORLEANS, LA., April 1, 1862. President DAVIS, Richmond, Va.: I purchased eight months ago 1,880 rifles and 30,000 cartridges, and have just succeeded, after infinite trouble and over $60,000 of outlay, in having them landed on the Florida coast. They were at once seized by Governor Milton....This unpardonable and unparalleled outrage is nothing less than robbery, and just as bad. I cannot use Louisiana's money to buy arms when they are to be seized by the first freebooter that meets them. I have given out all the arms I had, expecting that these would be in the hands of my own troops. Now that thirty-seven sail of the enemy are in the river, in God's name, in the name of my State, I ask you to order them to be sent to me immediately. THO. O. MOORE.

Brigadier-General W.W. Mackall reaches his new command at Island #10.

HEADQUARTERS, Madrid Bend, April 1, 1862. Col. THOMAS JORDAN, Adjutant-General, Army of the Mississippi, Corinth: COLONEL: I reached this place yesterday morning. An hour after my arrival General Trudeau announced his intention of leaving and left.... Finding Major-General McCown preparing to leave, I asked him to remain another day. He assented, but during the afternoon again proposed to go, and finding that his company was engaging both his time and mine, I consented....Brigadier-General Gantt handed me his resignation immediately after my arrival....Brigadier-General Walker is absent sick....I sent for Colonel Steedman. He is absent in the country sick....The return of the troops handed me gives present for duty 3,475 rank and file....I venture no remarks about my prospects. I give things as they presented themselves on yesterday. Respectfully, your obedient servant, W. W. MACKALL, Brigadier-General.

An Indian uprising threatens the Humboldt Military District in northern California.

HEADQUARTERS HUMBOLDT MILITARY DISTRICT, Fort Humboldt, April 1, 1862. MAJOR: On the evening of the 25th of March an express arrived...reporting that the settlement at Angel's ranch; a place about twelve miles from Arcata, had been attacked on the 22d, 23d, 24th, and 25th ultimo by Indians, the settlers shot or driven away, their stock killed, and their houses and improvements burnt to the ground. I immediately ordered Captain Akey's, Captain Douglas', and Captain Heffernan's commands to concentrate at Angel's ranch....The next evening (the 26th) another express arrived with the news that the long-settled and valuable ranch known as Bates'...and the entire country to the north and east, had been attacked that same day by a band of thirty Indians, who killed Bates, fired a shower of bullets after the women and children, who had scattered into the woods on seeing their approach, destroyed his stock, and then burnt his house and outbuildings to the ground....The next morning (the 27th) I accompanied Captain Akey's detachment from this post to the scene of the outrages at Angel's ranch, passing by Bates'....But in the meantime a violent snow-storm had covered up all tracks that might have existed...On the 30th I returned with Captain Akey's command to this post....If the Hoopa Indians should rise they will, no doubt, carry with them the Klamath Indians, their close allies. These tribes are said to be but one degree below our Eastern Indians in warlike qualities, but a very small proportion of them are believed to have fire-arms. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRANCIS J. LIPPITT, Col. Second California Vol. Infantry, Comdg. Humboldt Mil. Dist.

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April 2 1862 (Wednesday)

Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, directs Adjutant-General Thomas and Major-General Ethan Allen Hitchcock, head of the Army board and Stanton's right-hand man, to determine if General McClellan has left enough troops for the adequate defense of Washington, D.C.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, April 2, 1862. Adjutant-General THOMAS and Major-General HITCHCOCK: GENERALS: (I) desire you to report to me whether the President's order and instructions have been complied with in respect to the forces to be left for the defense of Washington and its security and at Manassas. Yours, truly, EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

Thomas and Hitchcock concur. The city of Washington is not "entirely secure."

(W)e are of opinion that the requirement of the President that this city shall be left entirely secure, not only in the opinion of the General-in-Chief, but that of the commanders of all the army corps also, has not been fully complied with. All of which is respectfully submitted. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General. E. A. HITCHCOCK, Major-General Volunteers, U. S. Army.

Dunkards and Mennonites are exempted from military duty in the Confederate army.

APRIL 2, 1862. Supplemental report on the case of the Tunkers [Dunkards] and Mennonites....It exempts from military duty persons prevented from bearing arms by the tenets of the church to which they belong on condition of paying $500 and 2 per cent on the assessed value of their taxable property, taking an oath to sustain the Confederate Government and not in any way to give aid or comfort to the enemies of the Confederate Government, with the proviso that if the person exempted is not able to pay the tax he shall be employed as teamster or in some character which will not require the actual bearing [of] arms, and surrender any arms they possess for public use. S.S. BAXTER.

John Pope is losing hope that Andrew Foote will agree to send the gunboat Carondelet past Island #10.

NEW MADRID, April 2, 1862. Major-General HALLECK: I have no hope of Commodore Foote. He has postponed trying to run any of his gunboats past Island No. 10 until some foggy or rainy night. The moon is beginning to make the nights light, and there is no prospect of fogs during this sort of weather. We must do without him. I will give you details of the manner I intend to cross by mail. JNO. POPE, Major-General, Commanding.

A small cavalry detachment led by Captain G.A. Scott discovers that Buell's army has crossed the Duck River and is in motion to Savannah, Tennessee. Scott sends this information to Generals Beauregard and A. S. Johnston who hold a council of war in which it is decided to attack Grant's forces at Pittsburg Landing before Buell's army can join them. Corps commanders are directed to have their troops, "in hand and ready to advance" by 6 o'clock tomorrow morning.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Corinth, Miss., April 2, 1862. GENERAL: The commander of the forces directs that you hold your command in hand ready to advance upon the enemy in the morning by 6 a.m., with three days' cooked rations in haversacks, 100 rounds of ammunition for small-arms and 200 rounds for field pieces. Carry two days' cooked subsistence in wagons and two tents to the company. Respectfully, your obedient servant, THOMAS JORDAN, Assistant Adjutant-General.

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April 3 1862 (Thursday)

Albert Sidney Johnston issues a general address to his troops to be delivered on the eve of battle.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Corinth, Miss., April 3, 1862. Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi: I have put you in motion to offer battle to the invaders of your country....Remember the precious stake involved; remember the dependence of your mothers, your wives, your sisters, and your children on the result; remember the fair, broad, abounding land, the happy homes, and the ties that would be desolated by your defeat. The eyes and the hopes of eight millions of people rest upon you. You are expected to show yourselves worthy of your race and lineage; worthy of the women of the South, whose noble devotion in this war has never been exceeded in any time. A. S. JOHNSTON, General.

P.G.T. Beauregard, using the opening section of Napoleon's Waterloo plan as a guide, prepares the march instructions and order of battle for the upcoming attack. The writing, copying and distribution of the order takes considerable time. In the interim, Beauregard calls Hardee and Bragg to his room to explain the march routes using a crude hand drawn map on the camp table.

SPECIAL ORDERS No. 8. HDQRS. ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Corinth, Miss., April 3, 1862. I. In the impending movement the corps of this army will march, assemble, and take order of battle in the following manner....The Third Corps, under Major-General Hardee, will advance as soon as practicable on the Ridge road from Corinth to what is known as the Bark road....The head of this column will bivouac, if possible, to night at Mickey's house, at the intersection of the road from Monterey to Savannah....At 3 o clock a.m. to-morrow the Third Corps, with the left in front, will continue to advance by the Bark road until within sight of the enemy's outposts or advanced positions, when it will be deployed in line of battle, according to the nature of the ground, its left resting on Owl Creek, its right toward Lick Creek....II. The Second Corps, under Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg, will assemble on Monterey, and move thence as early as practicable, the right wing, with left in front, by the road from Monterey to Savannah, the head of column to reach the vicinity of Mickey's house, at the intersection of the Bark road, before sunset....The left wing of this corps will advance at the same time, also left in front, by the road from Monterey to Purdy, the head of the column to reach by night the intersection of that road with the Bark road. This wing will continue the movement in the morning as soon as the rear of the Third Corps shall have passed the Purdy road, which it will then follow. The Second Corps will then form the second line of battle about 1,000 yards in rear of the first line.... III. The First Corps, under Major-General Polk...will take up its line of march by the Ridge road, hence to Pittsburg, half an hour after the rear of the Third Corps shall have passed Corinth, and will bivouac to-night in rear of that corps, and on to-morrow will follow the movements of said corps with the same interval of time as to-day. When its head of column shall reach the vicinity of the Mickey house it will be halted in column or massed on the line of the Bark road, according to the nature of the ground, as a reserve.... IV. The reserve of the forces will be concentrated by the shortest and best routes at Monterey as soon as the rear of the Second Corps shall have moved out of that place. By command of General A. S. Johnston: THOMAS JORDAN, Assistant Adjutant-General.

President Lincoln, disturbed that McClellan has left only 20,000 men to guard Washington, orders General Irwin McDowell's corps to "remain in front of Washington." "Little Mac", left with only 100,000 men on the Peninsula, complains to Lincoln that he doesn't have enough men to fulfill his plan of battle.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, April 3, 1862. The Secretary of War will order...the corps of General McDowell...(to) remain in front of Washington until further orders from the Department, to operate at or in the direction of Manassas Junction, or otherwise, as occasion may require; that General McClellan commence his forward movements from his new base at once, and that such incidental modifications as the foregoing may render proper be also made. A. LINCOLN.

The War Department in Washington issues General Orders # 33 to secure decent interment of those who fall in battle.

GENERAL ORDERS No. 33. WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, April 3, 1862. In order to secure...the decent interment of those who have fallen, or may fall, in battle, it is made the duty of commanding generals to lay off lots of ground in some suitable spot near every battle-field...to cause the remains of those killed to be interred, with headboards to the graves bearing numbers, and, where practicable, the names of the persons buried in them. A register of each burial ground will be preserved, in which will be noted the marks corresponding with the headboards. By order of the Secretary of War: L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General.

The United States Senate votes 29-14 to abolish slavery in Washington, D.C.

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April 4 1862 (Friday)

The U.S.S. Carondelet, in a fierce thunderstorm, successfully runs Island #10 passing through a savage barrage from Rebel batteries and reaches John Pope's army at New Madrid. With the protection of a gunboat, Pope can now safely plan to cross the Mississippi River and take the Confederate defenses at Island #10 from the rear.

UNITED STATES FLAG-STEAMER BENTON, Off Island No. 10, April 4, 1862. Maj. Gen. JOHN POPE, Commanding Army at New Madrid, Mo.: GENERAL: The gunboat Carondelet, Commander Walke, left her anchorage this evening at 10 o'clock in a heavy thunder-storm, for the purpose of running the fire of the batteries on Island No. 10 and those lining the Tennessee shore, to join your forces at New Madrid....I am therefore so exceedingly anxious to hear the fate of the noble officers and men who so readily were disposed to attempt the hazardous service, that I beg you will immediately inform me by bearer if Commander Walke has arrived with his vessel and the condition in which you find her and her officers and men. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. H. FOOTE, Flag-Officer.

"Bad roads, inefficient transportation" and complex marching orders conspire to bog down the Confederate march to Pittsburg Landing. The attack is postponed and the march is scheduled to resume at 3 o'clock Saturday morning.

HDQRS. 1ST CORPS, ARMY OF THE MISS., Corinth, Miss., April 4, 1862. You are hereby ordered to move with your division precisely at 3 o'clock to-morrow morning on the road to Pittsburg. The movement must be promptly made, as the success of an attack upon the enemy depends on the punctual execution of this order....The address of the commanding general of April 3 must be read to each regiment before it marches. By order of Major-General Polk: GEORGE WILLIAMSON, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Don Carlos Buell's army is near Waynesborough, Tennessee. Buell expects to be in Savannah Saturday with the van of his army.

CAMP THREE MILES WEST OF WAYNESBOROUGH, April 4, 1862. General GRANT, Savannah: I shall be in Savannah myself to-morrow with one, perhaps two, divisions. Can I meet you there? Have you any information for me that should affect my movements? D.C. BUELL, Commanding.

George McClellan's slowly advancing Peninsular army is within five miles of Yorktown, Virginia. Facing "Little Mac" is "Prince John" Magruder with a force of 20,000 troops. Joe Johnston is directed to move his army immediately to the Peninsula to reinforce Magruder.

FROM RICHMOND, April 4, 1862. General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON: The movement of the troops directed from your line must immediately be made to this place. Enemy advancing in force from Old Point. By order of the President:

Two new military departments are created by President Lincoln. The Department of the Shenandoah under Major-General Nathaniel Banks and the Department of the Rappahannock commanded by Major-General Irvin McDowell.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 4, 1862. (Sent 2.30 p.m.) Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, Fort Monroe: Two new departments have this day been created: one called the Department of the Shenandoah, under the command of Major-General Banks, comprising that portion of Virginia and Maryland lying between the Mountain Department and the Blue Ridge; the other to be called the Department of the Rappahannock, under the command of Major-General McDowell, comprising that portion of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge and west of the Potomac and the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad, including' the District of Columbia and the country between the Potomac and Patuxent. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General,

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April 5 1862 (Saturday)

George Brinton McClellan begins operations against Yorktown on the York Peninsula.

HDQRS. BATTERY C, FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, April 5, 1862. Capt. CHARLES GRIFFIN, Chief of Artillery, Porter's Division CAPTAIN: On the reconnaissance this morning by your order I moved to the front: and went into battery in an open field to the right of the road. Commenced firing at about 10.30 a.m., throwing the first shots fired on the defenses of Yorktown....After firing several rounds moved forward 150 yards and fired on the intrenchments, distant 1,800 to 1,900 yards. At 5.30 p.m. I was relieved by Allen's battery and moved to rear. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. B. WEEDEN, Captain, Commanding.

It is a good day for Major-General U.S. Grant. General "Bull" Nelson's Fourth Division, the leading element of Buell's army, arrives at Savannah. The rest of Buell's army is expected to arrive shortly. In addition, Grant receives a dispatch from Henry Halleck officially granting promotion to Major-General to three generals in Grant's army: McClernand, C.F. Smith, and Lew Wallace. At Pittsburg Landing, across the Tennessee River, General "Cump" Sherman reports: "I have no doubt that nothing will occur today more than some picket firing. The enemy is very saucy, but got the worst of it yesterday." Grant, confident of his position, reports to Halleck, "I have scarcely the faintest idea of an attack being made upon us."

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, Savannah, April 5, 1862. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Commanding Department of the Mississippi, Saint Louis, Mo. GENERAL: [N]otes from Generals McClernand and Sherman were received, stating that our outposts had been attacked by the enemy, apparently in considerable force. I immediately went up, but found all quiet....I have scarcely the faintest idea of an attack (general one) being made upon us, but will be prepared should such a thing take place. General Nelson's division has arrived. The other two of General Buell's column will arrive to-morrow and next day....I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, U.S. GRANT, Major-General.

The Confederate attack is again delayed. The roads leading into and out of Mickey's, the critical junction of the two main roads leading to Pittsburg Landing are completely jammed. By the time A.S. Johnston gets the roads cleared it is 2 o'clock. Johnston, fearing that the element of surprise is lost, is further annoyed to learn that Generals Polk's and Breckenridge's troops have yet to be brought forward. Later in the afternoon Johnston gathers his corps commanders to determine if the attack should continue. Albert Sidney Johnston ends the meeting by proclaiming: "Gentlemen, we shall attack at dawn."

CORINTH, MISS., April 1862. General G. T. BEAUREGARD SIR: The whole army was under orders to move forward at 3 am...and form a line of battle in advance of the divergence of the Bark and Pittsburg roads....During the night there was a heavy fall of rain. Soon after light the clouds began to break, and before sunrise General Johnston and yourself...moved forward along the road leading by the Mickey house. As we approached this latter place it was evident, from the large number of troops found drawn up on each side of the road, that it would be impossible to form all the different divisions in battle array at an early hour....[I]t was ascertained that Major-General Hardee's corps was drawn up in line of battle on the right and left of the Pittsburg road....Knowing that you were not far from the camp of the enemy, there was a momentary expectation of a conflict....About this time General Hardee came forward and pressed you to ride along his line....You accepted his invitation, and after reviewing his whole line you returned with your staff to your temporary headquarters and awaited the coming up of the Reserve Corps, commanded by General Polk. The whole army did not reach their respective positions till past 3 o'clock, when, upon consultation, it was determined to postpone a further forward movement until morning. The troops slept on their arms, and the front lines were allowed no fires, although the night was quite chilly. With great respect, your obedient servant, J. THOMPSON, Aide-de-Camp.

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

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