Creating The Greenback

President Abraham Lincoln signed the “First Legal Tender Act” February 25^th 1862, authorizing the issue of United States Notes for Legal Tender.

A private meeting, held between President Abraham Lincoln and Colonel Edmund Dick Taylor on January 16^th 1862 led to the issuance of “greenbacks”.  Buffalo banker and Congressman Elbridge G Spaulding prepared a bill to speed its issue he introduced it to Congress in early February to permit the Unites States Treasury to issue $150 million in legal tender notes.  There was controversy in Congress over the bill being un-Constitutional, but Spaulding argued that the notes were a “necessary means of carrying into execution the powers granted in the Constitution 'to raise and support armies,' and 'to provide and maintain a navy.”  President Lincoln signed the First Legal Tender Act into law February 25^th 1862 authorizing the issue of paper currency.

Hung As A Confederate Spy

John Yates Beall was hung in New York City February 24^th 1865 as a Confederate spy.

John Yates Beall was born January 1^st 1835 on his family’s farm; Walnut Grove, in Jefferson County, Virginia the son of George Brooke and Janet (Yates) Beall.  He began the study of law at the University of Virginia, but after his father’s death in 1855 he left school to take up farming.  Beall joined the militia company known as “Bott’s Grays”.  They would be present at the hanging of John Brown December 2^nd 1859.

When the Civil War started “Bott’s Grays” became Company G of the 2^nd Virginia Infantry.  Beall was wounded in chest at the Battle of First Manassas, and deemed unfit for service.  Beall then took up the roll of privateer.  He tried to talk the Confederate government into giving him a commission to operate on the Great Lakes, but they declined fearing its effect on relations with England.  So with two boats and 18 men as crew he operated on the Potomac River and in the Chesapeake Bay.  Beall was captured in November of 1863 and after being exchanged in May 1864, he moved to the north shore of Lake Erie in Canada where he plotted to release Confederate Prisoners of War being held on Johnson’s Island.

When that plan failed Beall moved onto a plan to free some Confederate officers by derailing a train they were on.  This time Union authorities captured him and his companion George S Anderson at Niagara, New York on December 16^th 1864.  Anderson agreed to testify against Beall for a lesser sentence.  Union General John Adams Dix ordered Beall’s trail to begin on January 17^th 1865.  He was found guilty of guerrilla activities and spying against the Union by the military commission on February 8^th 1865, and transported to Fort Columbus on Governors Island in the New York Harbor.  Appeals were made to save his life all the way up to Abraham Lincoln but no stay of execution was coming Beall’s way.  He was hung February 24^th 1865.  He is buried in the Zion Episcopal Churchyard, in Charlestown, West Virginia.

Joining The Confederacy

Voters in Texas passed the Ordinance of Secession on February 23^rd 1861, joining the Confederacy.

When the election of Abraham Lincoln set off the secession movement with South Carolina and then five other Deep Southern states, Texas opened a convention to consider joining them in leaving the Union.  The State Convention opened on January 28^th 1861 in Austin, Texas with Oran Roberts as convention president.  On February 1^st 1861 the convention voted 166 to 8 in favor of the Ordinance of Secession.  Texas voters approved the Ordinance on February 23^rd 1861, allowing Texas to become a part of the Confederacy by a margin of 46,129 to 14,697.

Texas would go on to send men and equipment to support the Confederate fight.  They were also the key to bypassing the Union blockade, using their long border with Mexico for trade; it was sometimes called the “backdoor of the Confederacy”.  The last battle to be fought in the Civil War occurred at Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, Texas on May 12^th and 13^th 1865.

If you would like to read The Texas Ordinance of Secession is a good web site.

He Has No Marker

Union Captain George Nicholas Bascom was killed February 21^st 1862 in the Battle of Val Verde.

George Nicholas Bascom was born about 1837 in Owingsville, Bath, Kentucky.  He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy, where he graduated next to last in his class of 1858.  Bascom’s first posting was at Camp Floyd in Utah, and then in Arizona at Fort Buchanan where he was the 2^nd Lieutenant on the United States 7^th Infantry.  The Bascom Affair at Apache Pass in January 1861 is named for him.  He sent 54 troopers to look into a kidnapping of rancher John Ward’s stepson, and he had Cochise and some other Chiricahua Apache arrested and held as hostages.  It was that event that brought on the 1861 – 1872 Apache War.

When the Civil War started Bascom received a promotion to Captain of the United States 16^th Infantry.  Before he could join his new regiment the 7^th Infantry was moved to Fort Craig in the New Mexico Territory.  It was there on February 21^st 1862 that Bascom was killed in action during the Battle of Val Verde.  He was buried at the post cemetery in Fort Craig.  After the fort was closed in 1885, his body was moved to the Santa Fe National Cemetery, but he has no marker.

A Short Fight

Gen George Dibrell

As the Civil War wore down the Battle of Congaree Creek was fought February 15^th 1865 in Richland County, South Carolina.

The Battle of Congaree Creek fought February 15^th 1865 just south of Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina, lasted just four hours.  It was fought between a force of the Confederate and Union’s Army of Tennessee.  The two side meet along an earthwork built near the Old State Road Bridge where it crosses the Congaree Creek.

Confederate General George Dibrell manned the earthworks with artillery, infantry and dismounted cavalry.  Union General Charles Woods, commanding the First Division of the XV Corps, pushed out skirmishers along the front, while he sent a brigade upstream to try to turn the Confederates right flank.  Dibrell was forced to pull out of the earthworks.  He retreated to Columbia, but not before setting the Old State Road Bridge on fire.

The Union troops were able to put the fire out on the bridge.  Union General William T Sherman advance and on February 17^th 1865 the city of Columbia surrendered to him.

If you would like to read more, check out The Battle of Congaree Creek

What To Do With Federal Employees

The Confederate States Department of Treasury assumed the transfer of employment of Federal custom agents on February 14^th 1861.

The Confederate States Department of the Treasury a department that handled the collecting of taxes, issuing of debt, and printing money, and led by the Secretary of the Treasury who was Robert Augustus Toombs.  It was created by the Provisional Confederate Congress in 1861.  The Department of the Treasury was not explicitly established by the Confederate Constitution.

One of the first acts handled by the Department was to assume the employment of Federal custom officials working in customs houses in Confederate held territory on February 14^th 1861.  They were also authorized in early February 1861 by the Congress to print Confederate paper treasury notes up to the amount of one million dollars.

Farewell My Friends

Abraham Lincoln maybe his Farewell Address to his fellow citizens of Springfield, Illinois February 11^th 1861.

The president elect Abraham Lincoln left Springfield, Illinois February 11^th 1861 to travel to Washington, DC for his inauguration.  Several thousand of Lincoln’s fellow citizens gathered to send him on his way.  In response to this gathering Lincoln gave a Farewell Address from his railroad car at the Great Western Railroad Station, just before departing.

Shortly after the train got underway, Lincoln was asked to put the speech on paper.  The last few lines of the address were copied for Lincoln by his personal secretary John Nicolay.  A newspaper in Springfield published a second version of the speech a few days later.

"My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell."

There are two versions of this speech, if you would like to see both Lincoln's Farewell Address in Springfield  is a good place to start.