Fighting In Arkansas

General Richard Gano

The Battle of Fort Smith was fought in western Arkansas on July 31^st 1864.

Following the failure of the Camden Expedition by the Union troops, most of Arkansas was left open to Confederate raids.  One of these many raids took place at a Union camp located near Massard Prairie on July 27^th 1864.  The ease with which Confederate General Richard Gano won this short battle emboldened him to continue raiding in the area.

On July 31^st 1864 Confederate General Douglas Hancock Cooper led his division which included Gano’s brigade and the brigade of Confederate General Stand Watie, just north of Fort Smith.  Watie moved his men against the Fort from the south, while Gano’s men held the west side of the Poteau River.

Union General John M Thayer had three brigades defending Fort Smith.  As Watie’s men moved they came up against the Union 6^th Kansas Cavalry under the command of Colonel William R Judson.  The 6^th fell back up the Texas Road letting the Union troops at the garrison know about the arrival of the Confederates.  The battle soon became an artillery duel.  Thayer’s guns were stronger and drove off the Confederate artillery in short order.  The Confederates made an orderly withdrawal, leaving a small force to cover their retreat.

If you are interested in reading more, Cooper's Attack on Fort Smith  is a very good web site.

Named For A Copper Penny

The first use of the term Copperhead in referring to Peace Democrats was in the Cincinnati Gazette on July 30^th 1862 when talking about the member of the Indiana Democratic Convention.

Anti-war Democrats became known as Copperheads during the Civil War.  They opposed the war which they blamed on abolitionist and supported those who resisted the draft.  Many of the Copperhead offered encouragement to Union soldiers leaving the war, trying to increase the rate of desertion.  There was even some talk about releasing Confederate prisoners of war.

The Democratic Party broke along regional lines during the 1860 Presidential race, which allowed Abraham Lincoln the Republican candidate to become president.  As secession became a reality, Northern Democrats felt more conciliatory toward the Southern state then the Republican did, and they began calling themselves Peace Democrats.  A large portion of these Peace Democrats were located in the Midwest, and it was during the Indiana Democratic Convention that the Cincinnati Gazette coined the named Copperheads for this group on July 30^th 1862.  The name came from the copper pennies many wore as badges.

Copperhead reached their height at the 1864 Presidential Convention when one of their leaders Clement Laird Valladigham of Ohio persuaded the party to adopt a platform which included calling the war a failure.  When the war ended so did any backing the Copperheads had enjoyed.  Most in the north felt that the Copperheads had actually made the war longer, by holding out hope to the Confederate states that northerners wanted peace.

If you would like to read more, check out the web site, Illinois Copperheads and the Civil War

The Act That Made Them Soldiers

Passed by the 37^th United States Congress on July 17^th 1862, the Militia Act of 1862 allowed African Americans to become soldiers.

The Union Army had not accepted African Americans as volunteers, but by the summer of 1862 they were beginning to consider some of the benefits of changing that stand.  The 37^th United States Congress supported the idea of black volunteers for use as laborers and as soldiers.  They passed the Militia Act of 1862 which allowed both of these on July 17^th 1862.  President Abraham Lincoln didn’t start using the Act until after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in January 1863.

If you would like to read more, check out The Militia Act of 1862

Will Be Publicly Shot To Death

Union Major General Stephen Gano Burbridge in command of Kentucky issued order Number 59, "Whenever an unarmed Union citizen is murdered, four guerrillas will be selected from the prison and publicly shot to death at the most convenient place near the scene of the outrages," on July 16^th 1864.

Stephen Gano Burbridge was born August 19^th 1831 in Georgetown, Kentucky.  He attended Georgetown College and the Kentucky Military Institute.  After graduating Burbridge became a lawyer.

When the Civil War started Burbridge joined the Union army, forming a regiment; the 26^th Kentucky, which he was the Colonel of.  He was promoted to Brigadier General on June 9^th 1862.  He saw action at several battles including Shiloh, and the Vicksburg Campaign.  In June of 1864 he succeeded Union General Jeremiah T Boyle in command of the District of Kentucky which had a problem with Confederate guerrilla fighting.  He was given a brevet to Major General after repulsing Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s raid on Kentucky on July 4^th 1864.  One July 16^th 1864 Burbridge issued Order Number 59, which said, "Whenever an unarmed Union citizen is murdered, four guerrillas will be selected from the prison and publicly shot to death at the most convenient place near the scene of the outrages."  Do to the outrage of the population and civil authorities of Kentucky, Burbridge was relieved of his command in January 1865.

After the war Burbridge moved to Brooklyn, New York where he died December 2^nd 1894.  He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

For more information about Burbridge’s Order # 59, I recommend Four Confederate Soldiers Martyred at Pleasureville

False Information And A Moving Fight

On the Cheat River in what is now West Virginia the Battle of Corrick’s Ford was fought on July 13^th 1861.

Some of Union Major General George B McClellan’s men defeated a part of Confederate Brigadier General Robert Selden Garnett’s force at the Battle of Rich Mountain on July 11^th 1861.  Garnett moved his remaining 4,500 men around about midnight, falling back toward Beverly, Virginia.  They received false information indicating that Union occupied the town, and so Garnett crossed the Cheat Mountain, moving into the Cheat River Valley.

As Garnett moved his men they were being followed by Union Brigadier General Thomas A Morris’ men.  About noon on July 13^th 1861 the Union soldiers moved in on the Confederate rear guard at Corrick’s Ford.  Garnett took personal command of the rear action setting up skirmisher to delay the Union attack.  It was during this slow retreat that Garnett was killed.  After Garnett’s death the Confederates ran, leaving 1 cannon, 40 wagons, and the body of their commander.

For more information about CORRICKS FORD BATTLEFIELD I recommend this web site.

A Boston Irishman

Union Colonel Thomas Cass died July 12^th 1862 from wound he received eleven days earlier at the Battle of Malvern Hill.

Thomas Cass was born about 1821 in Farmly, Queen, Ireland.  He came to America with his parent, who settled in the North End of Boston.  Cass attended a local school before learning the trade of currier.  He joined his father in business.  Cass was a member of the Columbian Artillery and was Captain of Company B.

When the Civil War started Cass became a Colonel in the 9^th Massachusetts Infantry on June 11^th 1861.  The 9^th was mostly made up of Irish Americans and started off bivouacked at Boston’s Faneuil Hall.  They moved to the Washington, DC area on June 30^th 1861, where they built forts for the protection of the city and performed picket duty.  Cass and the 9^th saw some of their first combat at the Battle of Mechanicsville, and Gaines Mill.

On July 1^st 1862 at the Battle of Malvern Hill Cass received a head wound.  Following the battle Cass was moved to his home in Boston, MA, where he died from his wounds July 12^th 1862.  He is buried at the Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston, MA.

If you are looking for more information, take a look at STATUE OF COL. THOMAS CASS.; Unveiled at Boston Yesterday to Replace One Removed

We Scared Abe

A part of Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Anderson Early’s  Valley Campaign, on July 11^th and 12^th 1864 the Battle of Fort Stevens was fought just outside of Washington, DC with President Abraham Lincoln watching.

Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal A Early’s troops arrived on the outskirts of Washington, DC near Sliver Springs on July 11^th 1864.  His men had been on the march since June 13^th 1864.  He sent out a skirmish line about 3 pm to feel out the Union fortifications in his front.  The Fort was being held by Union soldiers who has been convalescing in Washington hospitals, clerks and Home Guard under the command of Union Brigadier General Martin D Hardin.  The Union VI Corps arrived in the city during the night by transport ships.

On the morning of July 12^th 1864 Early had his men in position, but was repulsed by the Veteran Union troops.  That afternoon the VI Corps drove the Confederates from their position in front of Fort Stevens and Fort DeRussy.  President Lincoln was at Fort Stevens watching the battle.  Early withdrew his troop that night giving up any thought of moving on Washington, DC.  Early said of the invasion, “We didn’t take Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like Hell.”