Feeling Out The Lines

The Battle of Dallas, part of the Atlanta Campaign happened on May 28th 1864.

Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman learned on May 24th 1864 that his Confederate equivalent General Joseph E Johnston was forming a defensive line along the south side of Pumpkinvine Creek. Johnston’s army fell back during a series of skirmishes, first to Allatoona Pass, and then to the Dallas, Georgia area where they entrenched. Sherman’s army also entrenched while feeling out the Rebel line. The Battle of Dallas on May 28th 1864 began with Confederate Lieutenant General William J Hardee’s Corps made a probe into the Union defensive line held by Union Major General John A Logan, looking for weaknesses. Fighting occurred at several different points, with the Confederates being driven off after suffering high casualties.

Sherman vacated his position at Dallas on June 5th 1864 and moved to the railroad at Allatoona Pass, where he could get supplies and men by train. Johnston followed shortly after.

A New Flag

Confederate Secretary of Navy Stephen Russell Mallory presented the Confederate Naval flag May 26th 1863.


The Confederate Navy had thirty ships in February 1861, only fourteen of them were seaworthy. Before the end of the war this number would increased to one hundred one. Half way through the war the Secretary of the Navy of the Confederacy Stephen Russell Mallory instituted a new Naval flag on May 26th 1863. The end of the Confederate Navy came on November 6th 1865 when “The CSS Shenandoah” surrendered in Liverpool England.

A Pro-Slavery Sheriff

The Sacking of Lawrence, Kansas on May 21st 1856 was led by Sheriff Samuel J Jones.

Samuel J Jones was born about 1820 in Virginia, he moved his family west in the fall of 1854. First going to Westport, Missouri [now Kansas City Missouri] which was on the border of the newly open Kansas Territory. Shortly after he settled in the area he was appointed Postmaster. Jones led a group of pro-slavery men during the first election of the Kansas’ Territorial Legislature, breaking up a ballot box at Bloomington, Kansas. He was appointed the first Sheriff of Douglas County August 27th 1855 by then acting Governor Daniel Woodson. Jones used his new job to quash the rights of Free-Stater’s in his jurisdiction.

The “Herald of Freedom” a Free-State newspaper published by George W Brown in Lawrence Kansas was a source of hatred for pro-slavery supporters. On May 21st 1856 Jones lead a party of pro-slavery men; acting as his posse, to Lawrence Kansas to destroy the office of the “Herald of Freedom” and another Free-State newspaper the “Kansas Free State”. The raid that followed known as the “Sacking of Lawrence”, destroyed the newspaper offices, burned down the Free State Hotel, and looted other Lawrence businesses.

In 1857 Jones resigned as sheriff over issues of how to incarcerate a Free-State prisoner. He moved to New Mexico where he accepted the job of Collector of Customs at Paso del Norte. He would later buy a ranch near Mesilla, where he died in 1879-80.

Freed Up Troops To Fight

The Battle of Ware Bottom Church took place on May 20th 1864.

Confederates under the command of General PGT Beauregard on May 20th 1864 attacked near Ware Bottom Church advancing on Union Major General Benjamin F Butler’s Bermuda Hundred line. After driving Butler’s pickets back, the Confederate troops formed the Howlett Line. This line for all practical purposes stopped up the Union forces at Bermuda Hundred. This move freed Beauregard to send reinforcements to General Robert E Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in time for the fighting at the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia. The battle left about 1,500 casualties on both sides.

Nullify

Passed by Congress on May 19th 1828 the Tariff of 1828 was labeled the Tariff of Abominations by southerners.

Following the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars, European blockades led English manufacturers to sell goods in America for price much less then American manufactures could sell for. So the United State passed a series of protective tariffs. Southern states felt the tariffs were unconstitutional, but the new Western and New England states favored them. A majority of New England Congressmen saw national benefits in the 1828 Tariff, as it would strengthen the countries manufacturing industry. This National benefit was stuck to even after the Democrats added in high import duties on raw wool which was essential to the New England textile industry.

Although he knew it would hurt him politically, President John Quincy Adams signed the 1828 Tariff. [The 1828 Presidential election was a land slide for Andrew Jackson.] Finding a reduced market for their goods, the British reduced the amount of cotton bought from the United States, which hurt the southern growers. John C Calhoun then the Vice-President strongly opposed the tariff and urged South Carolina to nullify the act. In November 1832 the state held a convention which overwhelmingly passed an ordinance declaring the tariff unenforceable in South Carolina. President Andrew Jackson threatened to send Federal troops into South Carolina to regain control.

The GOP Choice

United States Representative Abraham Lincoln was nominated at the National Republican Convention May 16th 1860.


At the second ever National Convention of the Republican Party held on May 16th 1860 at the Wigwam in Chicago Illinois, Abraham Lincoln was nominated for President of the United States. Senator Hannibal Hamlin of Maine was nominated for Vice President. This convention is notable as every person who was nominated would eventually become a member of Lincoln’s cabinet, including William H Seward of New York, Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania, Salmon P Chase of Ohio and Edward Bates of Missouri. It took three votes before Lincoln received enough votes to get the conformation, finally happening on May 18th 1860. The final count was 364 votes out of 466 votes cast.

The Lincoln / Hamlin ticket defeated three other tickets in 1860’s election.

Another good web site with more information about this subject
Mr Lincoln and New York

Laid To Rest

Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was laid to rest on May 15th 1863.


While reconnoitering during the battle of Chancellorsville on May 2nd 1863 Confederate General Thomas Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot. He was shot by “friendly fire” coming from the 18th North Carolina Infantry. Hit in the arm; Jackson was taken to a field hospital on the battlefield, and his left arm was amputated. He was moved to the home of Thomas and Mary Chandler about thirty miles from the battlefield on May 4th 1863. Although Jackson’s wound was healing well, pneumonia set in and he died on May 10th 1863. His funeral was held in Lexington Virginia where his home had been while he was a Professor at Virginia Military Institute on May 15th 1863. Cadets of VMI carried his body into his old classroom where he lay state while a battery fired salutes. He was buried in the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery. Jackson’s wife Mary Anna Morrison Jackson never remarried.