Longstreet Put No Shells Or Torpedoes Behind You

Stiles/Akin

Sergeant Major
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
As the Confederates evacuated Yorktown in May 1862, Brig. Gen. Gabriel J. Rains, buried munitions in the road to " have a moral effect in checking the advance of the enemy...."

Major Gen. Longstreet, Rains' corps commander, sent instructions to Rains: "It is the desire of the major general commanding [Longstreet] that you put no shells or torpedoes behind you, as he does not recognize it as a proper or effective method of war."

-From CONFEDERATE USE OF SUBTERRANEAN SHELLS ON THE PENINSULA in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 2,

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A pretty interesting exchange developed around this one, for sure. Longstreet was corps commander; D. H. Hill was the Division Commander; and Gabriel Rains was the Brigadier General. Here is the original dispatch:

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Seems Gabriel Rains and D H Hill were keen to continue the practice.

Rains' endorsement acclaimed the effectiveness of the device, both in alerting troops to the approach of the enemy, especially at night, and in checking advancing columns. He ended his epistle as follows:

"Believing as I do the vast advantages to our country to be gained from this invention I am unwilling to forego it, and beg leave to appeal direct to the War Department.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c​
G. J. Rains​
Brigadier General, Comd'g. Brigade in the Field, near Richmond."​

And the endorsement by Rains' Division commander, D. H. Hill:
"Respectfully forwarded.​
In my opinion all means of destroying our brutal enemies are lawful and proper.
D. H. Hill​
Major-General"​
[OR, Series I, Volume XI, Part III, Chapter XXIII, page 510.]
I believe it was appealed to the Confederate War Department, and, about a month later, Rains was transferred to river defenses, where he could use as many torpedoes as he wanted. Later he was appointed to head up a whole "Torpedo Bureau" in which position he served out the rest of the war.
 
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A pretty interesting exchange developed around this one, for sure. Longstreet was corps commander; D. H. Hill was the Division Commander; and Gabriel Rains was the Brigadier General. Here is the original dispatch:

View attachment 307845
Seems Gabriel Rains and D H Hill were keen to continue the practice.

Rains' endorsement acclaimed the effectiveness of the device, both in alerting troops to the approach of the enemy, especially at night, and in checking advancing columns. He ended his epistle as follows:

"Believing as I do the vast advantages to our country to be gained from this invention I am unwilling to forego it, and beg leave to appeal direct to the War Department.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c​
G. J. Rains​
Brigadier General, Comd'g. Brigade in the Field, near Richmond."​

And the endorsement by Rains' Division commander, D. H. Hill:
"Respectfully forwarded.​
In my opinion all means of destroying our brutal enemies are lawful and proper.
D. H. Hill​
Major-General"​
[OR, Series I, Volume XI, Part III, Chapter XXIII, page 510.]
I believe it was appealed to the Confederate War Department, and, about a month later, Rains was transferred to river defenses, where he could use as many torpedoes as he wanted. Later he was appointed to head up a whole "Torpedo Bureau" in which position he served out the rest of the war.
I always like it to see a fellow Sorrel that has made good.
 
General Dabney H. Maury had a different mindset at Blakley but he had them put in front, but then after the yankees won the battle they made the CS troops walk out first.
That is what happened at Fort McAllister also, but a grizzled old Confederate sergeant volunteered to dig them up so that no one else would be harmed. They had buried boards on top of the fuses to increase the probability of them being set off.
 
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