Send Military Support

United States Secretary of State Lewis Cass under President Buchanan resigned his office December 13^th 1860 over the failure to send troops to stop the Southern states from succeeding.

Lewis Cass was born October 9^th 1782 in Exeter, New Hampshire the son of Jonathan and Molly (Gilman) Cass.  He attended the Phillips Exeter Academy in his home town, before moving with his family to Marietta, Ohio.  He read for the law and became a lawyer.  Cass was a member of the Freemasons, becoming Grand Master in 1826 of the Grand Lodge of Michigan.  He served as the Governor of the Michigan Territory from 1813 to 1831.  Cass became the Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson August 1831, and formulated and implemented Jackson’s Indian policies.  He went on to represent Michigan as a US Senator, serving as chair of the Committee on Military Affairs from 1845 to 1848.  Cass ran for President in 1848, supporting the Doctrine of Popular Sovereignty, which called for the people who lived in the territories to decide for themselves whether to or not to be slave holding areas.  His nomination caused a split in the Democratic Party.  Cass lost the election to Zachary Taylor.  He went back to the Senate, serving until 1857.

Cass began serving in 1857 as Secretary of State for President James Buchanan.  Cass resigned from his post December 13^th 1860 because of Buchanan’s failure to send troop to protect Federal interest in the southern states.  He felt the action might have helped to avert the Southern states from succeeding.

Cass died June 17^th 1866 in Detroit, Michigan.  He is buried the Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Building Pontoons Under Fire

Union engineers began before dawn December 11^th 1862 building a pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock River, so troops could be moved into Fredericksburg.

Before dawn on the morning of December 11^th 1862 Union engineers began assembling five pontoon bridges in three areas along the Rappahannock River.  Those who were putting them together across from the city came under fire from Confederate Brigadier General William Barksdale’s Mississippians.  Union artillery fired on the Confederate sharpshooters, but Barksdale’s men were well protected in the cellars of the houses along the water front.  After it became obvious that artillery wasn't working, Union infantry was sent across the river in pontoon boats to roust out the sharpshooters.  Union Colonel Norman J Hall volunteered to lead his brigade, with the 7^th Michigan spearheading the landing for the job.

Commanding Union General Ambrose E Burnside was reluctant to send the men, saying to Hall that "the effort meant death to most of those who should undertake the voyage."  Burnside relented and at 3 pm with Union artillery softening the way, 135 men from the 7^th Michigan and 19^th Massachusetts headed across the river in the small boats.  Landing, the Union troops spread out into a skirmish line, fighting the Confederates street by street as the engineers went back to building the bridge.

Some of Burnside’s troops began crossing at 4:30 on the 11^th, but most didn't get across until the next day.

A Laywer And A Soldier

Confederate Brigadier General John Carpenter Carter died December 10^th 1864 from wounds received at the Battle of Franklin.

John Carpenter Carter was born December 19^th 1837 in Waynesboro, Georgia.  He attended the University of Virginia in 1854, for two years before leaving to study law at Cumberland University under Judge Abram Carruthers.  Carter would stay at the Lebanon, Tennessee school after graduating as an instructor, and he would marry the Judge’s daughter.  He opened his own law practice in Memphis, Tennessee.

When the war started Carter became a Captain in the 38^th Tennessee, and quickly moved up to become their Colonel.  He saw action at the Battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga and the Atlanta Campaign.  During the Battle of Jonesboro on September 1^st 1864 Carter had temporary command of a division.  He was promoted to Brigadier General on July 7^th 1864.  At the Battle of Franklin on November 30^th 1864 while leading his brigade, Cater received a mortal wound, which caused his death on December 10^th 1864.  He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Columbia, Tennessee.

Death On The Creek

The Tragedy of Ebenezer Creek on December 9^th 1864 occurred when Union General Jefferson C Davis refused to let the escaped slaves following his Union Corps, cross the creek on his pontoon bridge.

Union General William Tecumseh Sherman had only twenty miles left on his “March to the Sea”, heading toward Savannah, Georgia.  Former slaves had started following his army as he began the march from Atlanta, but Sherman didn’t have the means to support them all.  With food being scarce the freedmen were encouraged to turn back, but on December 9^th 1864 there were about 640 former slaves, men, women and children following the army.

Union Brigadier General Jefferson C Davis, the leader of the XIV Corps made a decision to rid himself of theses 640 souls.  Davis had the pontoon bridge laid out across Ebenezer Creek.  He ordered his troops to cross first telling the former slaves to wait for their own safety, in case there was fight in the front.  Once the Union troops were across the bridge Davis ordered the 58^th Indiana to cut the line holding the pontoon, and the current moved the bridge about thirty-five yard away from the bank.  This left the former slaves trapped on the far side of the icy water.

At just about the same time Confederate cavalry under the command of Major General Joseph Wheeler arrived at Ebenezer Creek where the former slave had been left.  Many of the trapped men and women went into the river trying to swim across and were drowned, other were killed during the skirmish with Davis men on the other side of the river.  The Confederates left to find another way around the river, but they came back later to round up any of the former slaves left behind.

The First Dragoons Form

The Prattville Dragoons were organized December 8^th 1860 in Autauga County, Alabama.

The original idea for forming a company was made by Samuel D Oliver of Robinson Springs, Alabama.  The Prattville Dragoons were organized December 8^th 1860 in the parlor of George L Smith at Prattville, Alabama.  Each member of the company was presented with a cavalry uniform, made of black broadcloth with gold trim.  Their first Captain, as voted by the men was Jesse Cox of Mobile, Alabama.  There were 18 officers, 82 privates and 2 black cooks.  The men formed for their send off at the Prattville Academy, where they were presented with a silk flag, hand sown by the ladies of the town.

The Dragoons moved to camp in Pensacola, Florida were they were placed under Confederate General Braxton Bragg.  The men were issued arms and became a mounted unit, Company I of the 7^th Alabama Infantry.  They took part in the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.  In June 1862 most of the men reenlisted, becoming part of Company H of the 3^rd Alabama Cavalry.  They saw action throughout the rest of war particularly at Barmlet’s Station and the Battle of Perryville.

The regiment reduced by heavy losses surrendered in North Carolina on April 26^th 1865, as a part of Confederate General Joseph E Johnston army.

They Withdrew In The Night

A tactical stalemate, the Battle of Prairie Grover which was fought December 7^th 1862 ensured the Union hold on northwest Arkansas.

Confederate Major General Thomas C Hindman moved his Army of the Trans Mississippi between two Union forces under the command of Brigadier Generals James Blunt and Francis Herron.  At dawn on December 7^th 1862 Hindman moved first on Herron’s cavalry, however running into the Union infantry he lost ground.  The Confederates established a line northeast of Prairie Grove Church on a high wooded ridge.  Union artillery opened on Hindman’s line, setting up two failed Union attacks.  Confederate attacks were halted in the face of Union canister fire.  At the moment it looked as though Hindman would be successful in his attack against Harron’s troops, Blunt arrived on his left flank.

With the coming darkness of night, both side still held their part of the field.  They called a truce so that the dead could be gathered and the wounded tended to.  Hindman had blankets wrapped around the wheels of his cannon and silently withdrew during the night, giving control of northwest Arkansas to the Union troops.  The battle ended with about 1,250 Union casualties, and 1,300 Confederate.

Towing Other Ships

The USS Owasco a Union gunboat was delivered to the Navy December 6^th 1861; she was named for the Owasco Lake one of the New York Finger Lakes.

The USS Owasco was launched at Mystic, Connecticut after being built by Charles Mallory.  She was a 691 ton Unadilla class screw steamer.  She was delivered to the Union Navy at the New York Navy Yard on December 6^th 1861, and commissioned under the command of Lieutenant John Guest.  Leaving New York on February 5^th 1862 the Owasco joined Commodore David G Farragut’s flotilla at Key West, Florida.  She captured two Confederate schooners on March 16^th 1862 while on route to Ship Island, Mississippi.

The Owasco was one of seven steamers used to tow Union schooners safely in the current of the Mississippi.  When Farragut’s ships ran past Forts Jackson, and St Philip, taking the port of New Orleans in April 1862, one of the Owasco’s own, Quartermaster Edward Farrell was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.  She was with Farragut again when he moved up the river to just below Vicksburg, Mississippi.  On October 3^rd 1862 the Owasco took part in the bombing of Galveston, Texas.  She continued blockading duty taking part in the capture of Brazos Santiago, Texas on November 3^rd 1863.  The Owasco captured an English schooner carrying supplies for Confederate General John B Magruder on April 19^th 1864.

The Owasco was decommissioned July 12^th 1865 at the New York Navy Yard and sold off at auction.  She would be renamed the Lulu and was still sailing as a commercial ship in 1885.