Rudely Awaken

Union Brigadier General Edwin Henry Stoughton was captured while sleeping March 9^th 1863 at Fairfax Court House by Confederate Colonel John S Mosby.

Edwin Henry Stoughton was born June 23^rd 1838 in Chester, Windham, Vermont the son of Henry Evander and Laura (Clark) Stoughton.  He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated with the class of 1859 placing 17 out of a class of 22.  Stoughton served with the United States 4^th Infantry until 1859, when he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and transferred to the United States 6^th Infantry.

Stoughton resigned his commission in March 1861 with start of the Civil War.  In September 1861 he was appointed to the 4^th Vermont Infantry as their Colonel.  Stoughton led the 4^th through the Peninsula Campaign.  They saw action at the Battles of Williamsburg and Savage Station.  He was appointed to Brigadier General in November 1862; the youngest General in the Union Army at that time, and was placed in command of the 2^nd Vermont Brigade, replacing Colonel Asa P Blunt.

Stoughton held a party for his visiting mother and sister on March 8^th 1863 at the home of Antonia Ford.  Ford was a Confederate spy.  When Stoughton left the party he retired to his headquarters located in the town of Fairfax Court House.  Confederate Colonel John S Mosby captured Stoughton at 2am on March 9^th 1863, while he slept.  The story is that Stoughton was woken rudely and shouted out, "Do you know who I am?"  To this Mosby said, "Do you know Mosby, general?" "Yes! Have you got the rascal?" "No but he has got you!"  Stoughton spent two months in Libby Prison before being exchanged.  His appointment was not confirmed by the Congress and Stoughton resigned from the Union Army in May 1863.

Following the war Stoughton worked as an attorney in New York City.  He died December 25^th 1868 in New York City.  Stoughton is buried in the Immanuel Cemetery in Rockingham, Windham, Vermont.

Died While The Ironclad Attacked

Union Navy Lieutenant Joseph B Smith was killed while commanding the USS Congress March 8^th 1862, when attacked by the CSS Virginia.

Joseph B Smith was born in Belfast, Maine in 1826, the son of United State Commodore Joseph Smith.  He received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 1841 as midshipman and was part of the graduating class on 1847.  After graduation Smith served at the Washington Navy Yard on the USS Mississippi and took part in the United States Coastal Survey.  He was promoted in 1855 to Lieutenant and assigned the USS Merrimack, a steam frigate.  In 1857 Smith was given ordnance duty at the Washington Navy Yard in DC.

As the Civil War approached Smith was ordered to the USS Congress as Executive Officer.  On March 8^th 1862 when the Confederate ironclad the CSS Virginia attacked and destroyed the USS Congress, Smith was the acting commander.  He was killed during the battle.  The USS Congress surrendered and was destroyed when her powder magazine exploded.

A Great Man Of Texas

Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch of Texas was killed during the Battle of Pea Ridge March 7^th 1862.

Benjamin McCulloch was born in Rutherford County Tennessee the son of Alexander and Frances Fisher (LeNoir) McCulloch.  The family was part of old Virginia planter stock, but McCulloch’s father moved the family west often.  They settled finally in Dyersburg, Tennessee were McCulloch’s neighbor was David Crockett.  In 1835 when Crockett went to Texas, McCulloch and his brother Henry head for the state.  Because of Ben contracting measles the brothers had to hold up for a few weeks, and were saved from being in the Alamo when it fell.

McCulloch fought for Texas under Sam Houston as part of the artillery.  He received 960 acres of land for his service.  He took up land surveying for the Republic of Texas, before joining the Texas Rangers as a lieutenant under Captain John Coffee Hays.  In 1839 McCulloch was elected to the Texas House of Representatives.  By 1842 McCulloch was back fighting Indians and Mexican with the Texas Rangers.  During the Mexican American War he was appointed Chief of Scouts under United States General Zachary Taylor with the rank of Major.  When gold fever struck in 1849 McCulloch traveled to California, where he would become a sheriff in Sacramento.  He was back in Texas by 1852.

With the coming of the Civil War, Texas seceded from the Union on February 1^st 1861 and on the 14^th McCulloch received a commission from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to Colonel.  McCulloch met with Union General David E Twiggs on the morning to February 16^th 1861 and demanded his surrender.  McCulloch was promoted to Brigadier General.  He put together the Confederate Army of the West with men from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Indians from the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw nations.  Their first action was at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek on August 10^th 1861, where they defeated Union General Nathaniel Lyon.

McCulloch was in command of the Confederate right wing at the Battle of Pea Ridge.  His troops, after much maneuvering over took a Union artillery battery on March 7^th 1862.  The fight continued through the morning and McCulloch who was riding out in front to scout positions was shot out of his saddle.  He died instantly.  He was buried on the field at Pea Ridge, but was later moved to the battle cemetery in Little Rock.  McCulloch’s remains would be moved finally to the State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

They Defended The Tallahassee

On March 6^th 1865 the Battle of Natural Bridge was fought near Tallahassee in the town of Woodville, Florida.

Union Major General John Newton moved a force against Confederate troops in the Cedar Keys and Fort Myers area.  The Union Navy was supposed to also engage the Confederates, but they couldn’t get up the St Marks River.  Newton’s men however advanced and just before sunrise on March 6^th 1865 approached the river at the Natural Bridge.

The Union troops pushed the Confederates under Brigadier General William Miller, but couldn’t move them away from the bridge.  Miller’s soldiers; made up mostly of old men and teenagers from the nearby Florida Military and Collegiate Institute [now Florida State University], had built and were protecting the breastworks defending the approaches to the Natural Bridge.  The Battle at Natural Bridge went on for most of the day and the Confederates stood up to three charges.

Newton’s men retreated back to the safety of the Navy.  This battle kept the Union from capturing the Florida State capital of Tallahassee.  The Union saw heavy casualties of 148 men, while the Confederates only lost 26.

For more information check this web site, The Defense of Tallahassee

Navy At The Cannon

Union Seaman William Joseph Franks received a Medal of Honor for his actions at Yazoo City, Mississippi on March 5^th 1864.

William Joseph Franks was born about 1830 in Pittsboro, North Carolina.  He enlisted in the United States Navy September 16^th 1863.  While serving on the USS Marmora on March 5^th 1864 Franks and his shipmates James Stoddard and Bartlett Laffey landed a 12 pound howitzer with its crew at Yazoo City, Mississippi.  The city was under attack by a strong Confederate force.  Franks and his group found themselves in the middle of the fighting, but refused to leave the cannon.  Their action helped to hold the Union position.

Franks would receive the United States Medal of Honor for his action at Yazoo City.  He would also be promoted to Acting Master’s Mate.

The 16th President

Abraham Lincoln became the 16^th President of the United States on March 4^th 1861.

Abraham Lincoln was elected president on November 6^th 1860, between then and his inauguration on March 4^th 1861 four states had seceded from the Union.  Lincoln began traveling to Washington, DC by train on February 11^th 1861 with his wife Mary and their three sons.  During the next 10 days the train made numerous stops, ending with late night train through Baltimore, Maryland to avoid an assassination plot.

The outgoing President James Buchanan arrived at the Capital just before 1 pm.  Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B Taney administered the presidential oath of office to Abraham Lincoln shortly after one on March 4^th 1861.

An Act Of Civil Rights

The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was signed into law on March 1^st 1875 by President Ulysses S Grant.

The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was a federal law proposed by Republican Representative Benjamin Franklin Butler and Senator Charles Sumner.  The last biracial United State Congress of the 19^th century, passed the law in February 1875, and President Ulysses S Grant signed it into law March 1^st 1875.  The Act promised that everyone, irrespective of color, past condition of bondage, or race was entitled to equal treatment in “public accommodations”.  “Public accommodations” included services on juries, public transportation, restaurants and theaters.

The law was hardly ever enforced.  The Supreme Court declared in the 1883 Civil Rights Cases that the 1875 Act was unconstitutional.  It stated that the 14^th Amendment prohibited discrimination by states, but did not give power to the government to stop private individuals from discriminating.

If you’re interested in reading the original law as passed this web site, Civil Rights Act of 1875  is a good place to start.