Oddities of the War

[thea_447]

During the first winter of the war, patriotic Quaker ladies in Pennsylvania attempted to do something for the boys in blue by providing some "non-lethal" supplies in the form of mittens, which, alas, were of only marginal use since the good ladies refrained from putting trigger fingers on them.

No one knows whether it was a Yank or a Reb who made one of the most monumental discoveries of the war, but the troops of both sides very quickly learned that the barrel of a musket could hold nearly a pint of whiskey.

[thea_447]

Allen Pinkerton, head of intelligence for the Army of the Potomac, is said to have evaluated the suitability of women to serve as agents by means of phrenology.

To provide for the enormous number of troops in Washington in the early months of the war a huge bakery was installed under the west front terrace of the Capitol where 16,000 loaves of bread were baked each day in mid-1861.

[thea_447]

When some Southern militia regiments went to war in 1861 the "gentlemen privates" were accompanied by their slave menservants, often wearing the same uniforms as their masters; the 3rd Alabama marched off with about a thousand white rank and file plus "several hundred" black servants.

While on picket duty during the West Virginia campaign a German volunteer in Confederate service chanced to hear his native tongue coming from the Union lines; venturing a call in German, he heard in reply, "From what part do you come, countryman?" He responded "Bavaria," which elicited a rifle ball in his direction, sectionalism by no means being an exclusively American problem.

[thea_447]

Artillery pieces were in such short supply in the Confederacy in 1861 that some batteries received British 3-pounders, and 9-inch howitzers captured in the War of 1812.

It is said that after a particularly wearing march shortly before the first battle of Bull Run his men were so exhausted that Thomas J.Jackson posted only one sentry for his brigade, the "Gallant Jackson" himself.

(Message edited by thea_447 on October 24, 2004)

[thea_447]

The Union officers holding Ft. Sumter were supplied with cigars and claret through the courtesy of Confederate Brig. Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard, who was in command of the investing forces.

Confederate gunners bombarding Ft. Sumter are reported to have cheered each time the defenders got off a shot in reply.

[thea_447]

The first battle of Bull Run is the only occasion in history on which the United States Marine Corps left the field in precipitous haste.

On the outbreak of the WBTS the Confederacy had 3,549 miles of coastline, with 189 ports, harbors and other navigable inlets.

[thea_447]

When the 55th Illinois mustered into Federal service in 1861 there were 91 pairs of brothers among its 1,056 men; in four years of service, 58 of the brothers died in battle, amounting to over a third of the regiment's combat deaths.

Of the 10 Union officers in Ft. Sumter, 6 became major generals, 3 others, including 1 who resigned after the surrender to "go South," were killed in action early in the war, and one became a colonel.

[thea_447]

Told by William Tecumseh Sherman that he had only requested a colonelcy upon rejoining the army, Irvin McDowell expressed surprise, saying, "What? You should have asked for a brigadier general's rank. You're just as fit for it as I am," to which Serman replied, "I know it."

Between Lincoln's call for volunteers in mid-April and the end of 1861 over 50 regiments were raised in New York City.

[thea_447]

Nearly one-third of the 2,952 Union men killed or injured at First Bull Run were from New York City.

The only Regular Army officer born in the Deep South to remain loyal to his oath was Capt. Benjamin Franklin Davis, a Mississippian, who went on to command the 1st California Cavalry and later the 8th New York Cavalry with considerable ability until killed in action at Brandy Station on 9 June 1863.

[thea_447]

When a pompous young lieutenant answered his challenge by calling out "<font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font>" a sentry is said to have responded, "Advance, <font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font>, and give the countersign."

As a result of Union Maj. Gen. George McClellan's Peninsula campaign, the Confederate Army acquired some 60,000 Yankee overcoats.