The Unknown Battles

[5fish]

Originally Posted by Scribe

The Battle of Helena, Arkansas, July 4, 1863, Gen. Benj. Prentiss commanding for the Union.

Prentiss neat and near total defeat of the Confederates under T.H. Holmes got little attention at the time since on that same day there was something going on at Vicksburg.

"One of the characteristic aspects of this utterly confusing war was the general feeling, among active secessionists, that it was somehow perfidious and unnaturally evil for the Federal government to resist when warlike measures were taken against it."

Bruce Catton

Yes, the south lost more men but total defeat more like they retire from the battle...

[Borderruffian]

Originally Posted by 5fish

Yes, the south lost more men but total defeat more like they retire from the battle...

I'd say that 206 Union casulties vs 1600 + CS casulties is pretty near total victory. Especially considering they never threatened Helena again. And Helena was used as the base from which to launch the attack and capture Little Rock the next year.


How about the Battle of Carthage Mo July 5th, 1861. Missouri State Guard under Gov. C.F. Jackson forced Franz Segals column to retreat to Springfield despite the fact that a great number of Guardsmen were unarmed. Allowing the Missouri State Guard and McCullochs forces to consolidate.

Or The capture of Neosho Mo by McCullochs Brigade in July of 61. Pretty much bloodless but the high point of the 1st Invasion of the US by Confederate Forces.

[bschulte]

Originally Posted by M E Wolf

Dear BSchulte,

I highly recommend looking on the web browser on the Internet; www.ehistory.com -- Then look for the icon for "Official Records of the Rebellion" and enter into their 'search' section Jerusalem plank road,
to which there have been roughly 292 'official reports' from the Union side, and #293 is CSA General Lee's report on "Jerusalem Plank Road,"

[snip]

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

M.E. Wolf,

Great minds think alike! I've got the ORs on CD and I've been patiently going through them trying to piece together the overall narrative. The one source I did forget was an unpublished monograph by Ed Bearss on the battle. It and quite a few other Bearss monographs on the Siege are available through the National Park Service Petersburg Battlefield web site.

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members,

On May 4th, 1862 the Confederates skirmished with the 3rd Pennsylvania, 1st and 6th US Cavalry to which 2 Officers were killed and 12 men killed on the Union side, Confederate statistics show 30 Officers killed [Medical History-Official Records of the Rebellion], at the Cheese Cake Church, Virginia.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf