An Outburst Of Applause

Two hundred people gathered at Four Locks, Maryland January 31^st 1861 to raise a “Union Pole, and listen to speeches made by local dignitaries.

Four Locks, Maryland was a small community located in Washington County and lying along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.  The town was on a peninsula known as Prather’s Neck.  The locks which gave the town its name were built between 1836 and 1838 to avoid a four mile long loop in the Potomac River.  As it was located about half way between Cumberland, Maryland and Washington, DC and was a frequent stop for canal boats.

With southern states moving toward secession, parts of Maryland held fast to the Union.  A pro-Union meeting was held in Four Locks, Maryland January 31^st 1861.  About 200 people there put up a 113 foot tall “Union Pole” with a banner on the top reading “The Union Forever”.  There many speaker including Lewis P Firey; a member of the Constitutional Union Party, whose speech caused “the wildest outburst of applause”.

That summer many of the residents enlisted in units that formed in the nearby town of Clear Spring, Maryland.  Four Locks was also located on the path of Confederate cavalry on their way to raid Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in 1864.  The Confederate burnt several buildings on their way through.

Carrying Out His Duties Bravely

Union Navy Landsman Richard Stout was awarded the Medal of Honor for his action on January 30^th 1863 on board the USS Isaac Smith.

Richard Stout was born 1836 in New York.

He was a Landsman serving in the Union Navy during the Civil War.  On January 30^th 1863 Stout was on the USS Isaac Smith in the Stono River in South Carolina when it was attack by a Confederate force.  As the ship was under attack Stout was wounded in action.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 16^th 1864.

Stout died August 6^th 1896 in New York.  He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Owego, New York.

His Citation reads: Serving on board the U.S.S. Isaac Smith, Stono River, 30 January 1863. While reconnoitering on the Stono River on this date the U.S.S. Isaac Smith became trapped in a rebel ambush. Fired on from two sides, she fought her guns until disabled. Suffering heavy casualties and at the mercy of the enemy who was delivering a raking fire from every side, she struck her colors out of regard for the wounded aboard, and all aboard were taken prisoners. Carrying out his duties bravely through this action, Stout was severely wounded and lost his right arm while returning the rebel fire.

A Western District

Union Colonel George Washington Bowie became the commander of the District of Arizona January 29^th 1864.

George Washington Bowie was born 1827 in Maryland.  He moved to the Iowa Territory town of Burlington, where he would be a delegate in the Second Constitutional Convention.  When America entered the Mexican American War, Bowie became a First Lieutenant in Company K of the United States 15^th Infantry.  He was brevetted Major for his action at the Battle of Churubusco.  Following his mustering out in 1848, he returned to Burlington, Iowa and his legal practice.  In 1850 Bowie immigrated to California where he was elected to the California state assembly in 1854.

When the Civil War started Bowie became the Colonel of the Union 5^th California Infantry.  The 5^th served mostly in the New Mexico Territory which was part of the military District of Arizona.  He became the commander of the District on January 29^th 1864, a position he held until November 1864 when he and the 5^th mustered out of service.  Bowie received a brevet to Brigadier General of Volunteers March 13^th 1865.

Bowie died August 11^th 1901, and is buried in the Alhambra Cemetery in Martinez, California.

To Replace The National Flag

The flag adopted by the Confederate State of South Carolina on January 28^th 1861 had a white palmetto tree on a blue background.

South Carolina has had a flag since 1765 when the opponents of the British Stamp Acts carried one in protest with three white crescents on a blue background.  In 1861 the people of the state added the palmetto tree, symbolizing the use of the tree by Moultrie during the Revolution, which with sand laid over withstood British cannons.

It was decided after many designs that the Republic of South Carolina would replace the national flag.  It would have a blue background with an upward facing crescent.  The South Carolina General Assembly added a golden palmetto tree encircled by a white background.  This flag became known as the two day flag as the gold palmetto was changed two days latter to a plain white tree on January 28^th 1861.  It was this flag which was raised over Fort Sumter April 14^th 1861 when the fort surrendered to Confederate General PTG Beauregard.

Silence Of The Press

The owner of the “Philadelphia Evening Journal, Albert D Boileau was arrested on January 27^th 1863 for allegedly printing anti-Union stories.

Albert D Boileau was the proprietor of the Philadelphia Evening Journal.  On the night of January 27^th 1863 Union military authorities arrested him under a warrant drawn up by the War Department in Washington, DC.   The charge was that he was printing anti-Union propaganda.  It centered around an editorial he had published on January 20^th 1863 entitled “Davis’ Message”.  Boileau was held for a few days at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland until he made an apology and was released.

“I, ALBERT D. BOILEAU, citizen of Philadelphia, editor and publisher of the Philadelphia Evening Journal, now confined in Fort McHenry, for the publication of an editorial article, under the title of "Davis' Message," in that newspaper, Jan. 20, 1863, and for the publication of other articles of like dangerous character, tending to the support and encouragement of the rebellion against the Government of the United States, do hereby freely and voluntarily express my regret for the publication of that article, or of any other article of like tendency or character, and distinctly disavow such-article or articles being published with my proper authority or knowledge, and declare that each publication has been made by other persons, agents or employees, without my sanction and intention, and I do hereby further give to Maj.-Gen. HOBERT C. SCHENCK, commanding the Middle Department and Eighth Army Corps, by whose order, in behalf of the Government, I have been arrested, my sacred parole of honor that upon being discharged from my present imprisonment, and the suspension of the publication of my newspaper being removed, I will not write, print, or publish, or permit others in my name to write, print, or publish, any articles having such dangerous character, or tending to the support or encouragement of the rebellion; but will demean myself in all things as true and loyal citizen of the United States, intending only to support the Government, the Constitution and the Union as a faithful citizen should; and it is to be further understood that these declarations and pledges are made as well to relate to matter hereafter to be published in the weekly newspaper called the Democratic Leader, made up from the daily Philadelphia Evening Journal itself, and to any other newspaper that may be published or controlled by me.”

Indiana Artillery

The 12^th Indiana Battery Light Artillery was mustered into Union service January 25^th 1862.

The 12^th Indiana Battery Light Artillery was organized in Indianapolis and Jeffersonville, Indiana.  It mustered into Union service January 25^th 1862 for a term of three years.  They left the same for Louisville, Kentucky.  The men took part in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi during May of 1862. The 12^th joined the Army of the Ohio in June 1862 before being moved the Defenses of Nashville in September of that year.  The 12th would also be on duty at the battles of Chattanooga, and the Battle of Nashville in 1864.

The men of the 12^th mustered out of service July 7^th 1865.  The Battery lost 24 men killed in action, and another 24 who from disease.

Blockade Runner To Blockader

The CSS Calhoun a blockade runner was captured by the USS Colorado January 23^rd 1862 off Southwest Pass, Louisiana.

The CSS Calhoun started life in 1851 as the Cuba, and was built in New York City.  She was commissioned by the Confederate Navy May 15^th 1861 for use as a blockade runner.  She was captured off the coast of Southwest Pass, Louisiana on January 23^rd 1862 by the USS Colorado.

She was commissioned into Union service as the USS Calhoun under the command of Lieutenant J E DeHaven.  She became a part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron March 19^th 1862.