A Deceptive Victory

[War Horse]

Stonewall Jackson made the statement "Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy." The Confederates as well as the Union armies used the art of deceptive warfare to their advantage on more than one occasion. Men like Jackson, NB Forrest, John Magruder, Beauregard to name a few were well versed in the art of deception. Quaker Guns were used on more than one occasion and creative ruse won it's share of battles.

We have a very knowledgeable membership here on CWT and I thought it might be fun to discuss the many decisive victories that were won by deception.

I'll start with Magruder's bluff at Yorktown with 13,600 men holding off McClellan's massive 55,000 man army by demonstrating the elusion of large numbers of troops and artillery. His men continually marched through gaps in the woods then retreating under the cover of forest and having the same men march through the same gaps. This plus the use of Quaker guns giving the appearance of massive artillery present froze McClellan in his tracks. McClellan thinking he was out numbered opted to bring up the siege guns instead of attacking. This allowed Magruder to slip away unscathed. One can only guess what thoughts were going through McClellan's mind when he found out the Confederates had skedaddled. Magruder was kind enough to leave a few of his Quaker Guns behind to add insult to injury.

Please feel free to add your favorite stories of Victory by Deception.

 

[Rebforever]

Stonewall made Hooker think he was leaving the field at Chancellorsville.

 

[War Horse]

Stonewall made Hooker think he was leaving the field at Chancellorsville.

He sure did. Jackson's biggest trick was his speed. He was always showing up where he wasn't suppose to be. He had Banks convinced he had left the valley altogether. Imagine Bank's surprise when it was Jackson riding away with his wagons of supplies when Banks beat feet out of Winchester in 62. Talk about egg on your face.

 

[FarawayFriend]

What an interesting topic!! And as always I only remember that I have read something like that ... All I remember at this moment were fake campfires, giving the impression of a large army encamped over night, while in truth the much smaller force had "regrouped" (I have already learned that is is never "retired", but always "regrouped") elsewhere. But where? Who was in command? North or South? No idea

I'm very much looking forward to read other member's posts, this here will be as entertaining as it will be informative!

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The natural example(s) for me to bring up are David D. Porter's various "dummy" ironclads, of which there appear to have been three; two on the Mississippi near Vicksburg, and one on the Cape Fear River during the advance on Wilmington. Their real principal intent (as opposed to the claims Porter made for them) was to draw fire and waste the opponents' ammunition.

 

[War Horse]

The natural example(s) for me to bring up are David D. Porter's various "dummy" ironclads, of which there appear to have been three; two on the Mississippi near Vicksburg, and one on the Cape Fear River during the advance on Wilmington. Their real principal intent (as opposed to the claims Porter made for them) was to draw fire and waste the opponents' ammunition.

Now that's interesting, I had never heard that before. Thanks

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The executive-summary version:

When the ram Queen of the West and then the ironclad Indianola ran south past Vicksburg, that gave someone* the idea that setting a dummy ironclad adrift down the river at night would draw fire and, with luck, cause the defenders to burst a cannon or two. So, a dummy was made to vaguely resemble the Indianola or one of her sisters. (This was the celebrated one, imaginatively named 'Black Terror' in retrospect, but in fact referred to by Porter as 'USS Wooden Dummy', that caused Confederate work parties attempting to refloat the Indianola to panic and destroy her instead.) Not long afterward, the new ironclad Lafayette joined the fleet; Porter had her show herself prominently, and then sent down a dummy resembling her (the 'Quaker Lafayette'). This one, though not resulting in quite the stir the first one had made, did draw further fire.

Either assuming that the Confederates were now wise to the trick, or perhaps lacking a further opportunity, Porter didn't do a third one on the Mississippi; but when he was commanding the naval forces advancing up the Cape Fear River and he was only assigned one monitor (USS Montauk), he made the best of it by having a dummy monitor ('Old Bogey') constructed that at a distance would resemble Montauk and divide the defending fire. The Confederate defenders knew there was a dummy but could not always accurately judge which one it was, so it was effective in that respect.

___________
* Porter, naturally, claimed full credit afterwards; but there is reason to believe it was the ironclad Cincinnati's commander, George Bache, who originated the idea-- at least, Porter called it "Bache's dummy" in one communication preserved in the Official Records.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Alright, I found my myriad of campfires, and it was P.G. T. Beauregard employing this ruse, May 28/29 before Corinth.
Here it comes:
"Following a sluggish month-long advance from Pittsburg Landing, Halleck's forces — numbering well over 100,000 — finally reached Corinth on May 28. Coming up against the enemy's fortifications, Halleck was immediately struck by the apparent strength of the bastion. Having already convinced himself that the enemy's numbers were equal if not superior to his own, he cautiously proceeded to invest the stronghold. Peering out from behind these formidable works was Beauregard's Army of Mississippi.

On the night of the 29th, many in the Federal lines were kept awake by the constant sound of trains and of men cheering as each one of these arrived. One of those sleepless Federals was John Pope, commanding the Army of the Mississippi on Halleck's left flank. Unnerved by all the commotion, Pope finally wrote Halleck, "The enemy is re-enforcing heavily, by trains, in my front and on my left. The cars are running constantly, and the cheering is immense every time they unload in front of me. I have no doubt, from all appearances, that I shall be attacked in heavy force at daylight." Perhaps Pope's anxieties had been heightened by the equally ominous sight of Rebel artillerists standing by their guns, their figures silhouetted by myriad enemy campfires. Certainly the sounding of taps and tattoo, being played all along the Confederate lines, would not have helped matters any.

Whatever misgivings Pope and Halleck may have had, these were cast aside the next morning when it was learned that the enemy had stolen away during the night. They, along with many others in the Union rank and file, had been taken in by an old-fashioned sleight of hand. In truth, the Rebel force had scarcely exceeded 50,000 fighting men, and faced with such overwhelming odds, Beauregard wasted no time in devising a plan aimed at getting his troops out of their precarious situation.

Contrary to Pope's belief, the Army of Mississippi had not been reinforced the previous night but was instead withdrawn from Corinth in a prescribed and orderly fashion. To mask the evacuation, Beauregard had arranged for an empty train to be run back and forth along the Memphis & Charleston tracks. It was also he who had instructed the men to cheer every time it rolled in, thereby giving the impression reinforcements were arriving. The sounding of taps (played by a single band that had been shifted from place to place) and the seemingly endless stream of campfires had also been nothing more than embellishments on the theme. To complete the illusion, drummers had even been left behind to beat reveille on the morning of the 30th. As for the Quaker guns, most were still manned by stuffed dummies, many bearing painted-on grins to torment the Federals all the more when discovered.

It could genuinely be said that, at Corinth, Beauregard's hand had been quicker than Halleck's eye."
From:
http://www.historynet.com/hoodwinked-during-americas-civl-war-confederate-military-deception.htm

 

[War Horse]

The executive-summary version:

When the ram Queen of the West and then the ironclad Indianola ran south past Vicksburg, that gave someone* the idea that setting a dummy ironclad adrift down the river at night would draw fire and, with luck, cause the defenders to burst a cannon or two. So, a dummy was made to vaguely resemble the Indianola or one of her sisters. (This was the celebrated one, imaginatively named 'Black Terror' in retrospect, but in fact referred to by Porter as 'USS Wooden Dummy', that caused Confederate work parties attempting to refloat the Indianola to panic and destroy her instead.) Not long afterward, the new ironclad Lafayette joined the fleet; Porter had her show herself prominently, and then sent down a dummy resembling her (the 'Quaker Lafayette'). This one, though not resulting in quite the stir the first one had made, did draw further fire.

Either assuming that the Confederates were now wise to the trick, or perhaps lacking a further opportunity, Porter didn't do a third one on the Mississippi; but when he was commanding the naval forces advancing up the Cape Fear River and he was only assigned one monitor (USS Montauk), he made the best of it by having a dummy monitor ('Old Bogey') constructed that at a distance would resemble Montauk and divide the defending fire. The Confederate defenders knew there was a dummy but could not always accurately judge which one it was, so it was effective in that respect.

___________
* Porter, naturally, claimed full credit afterwards; but there is reason to believe it was the ironclad Cincinnati's commander, George Bache, who originated the idea-- at least, Porter called it "Bache's dummy" in one communication preserved in the Official Records.

Really good Stuff Mark!!!! I had no idea fake ironclads were used.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Really good Stuff Mark!!!! I had no idea fake ironclads were used.

Nor did I. I just love the name "USS Wooden Dummy"!

I imagine this is a thread to @diane 's liking!! I'm sure she knows some stories about the "Wizard in the Saddle" fooling his enemies!

 

[diane]

I love this thread! Better to trick 'em than shoot 'em! Yes, indeed, Forrest was most adept at trickery and sometimes had a sense of humor about it. One garrison commander was being stubborn about the surrender - he didn't believe Forrest had the forces he said he did. He was right. Forrest had used kettle drums and bugles to make his troops seem bigger. The commander wanted proof and demanded a quick inspection of Forrest's forces! Forrest stared at the written request, then stared at the garrison, then smiled. He rode to his men. "Boys, want to have some fun with that Yankee in there?" Yeah! You bet! So he agreed to the deal and out came the commander. Forrest's troops were lined up and he and the Federal went down the line...but as soon as they passed the men at the end would peel off and run behind the bushes to line up ahead! At length the commander, stopped, shoved back his hat and scratched his head. "General, you have far more men than I thought you did! Yes, I believe you are right. I will surrender!"

 

[War Horse]

Better to trick 'em than shoot 'em! Yes, indeed

Love it! It's hard to type when you're laughing. He certainly earned his nickname didn't he.

 

[Rebforever]

At the battle of II Manassas, General Stuart and his men found Porters men marching toward the battlefield.
Cutting brush and bushes etc., and dragging them on the road creating a dust cloud, created the looks of a large Confederate force causing Porter to delay his march in getting to the battlefield.

 

[NedBaldwin]

He sure did. Jackson's biggest trick was his speed. He was always showing up where he wasn't suppose to be. He had Banks convinced he had left the valley altogether. Imagine Bank's surprise when it was Jackson riding away with his wagons of supplies when Banks beat feet out of Winchester in 62. Talk about egg on your face.

At the time Banks wrote that Jackson was leaving the valley, Jackson actually was leaving the valley.
Banks was not surprised by Jackson's return -- he had predicted it and reported on Jackson's approach.

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

I love this thread! Better to trick 'em than shoot 'em! Yes, indeed, Forrest was most adept at trickery and sometimes had a sense of humor about it. One garrison commander was being stubborn about the surrender - he didn't believe Forrest had the forces he said he did. He was right. Forrest had used kettle drums and bugles to make his troops seem bigger. The commander wanted proof and demanded a quick inspection of Forrest's forces! Forrest stared at the written request, then stared at the garrison, then smiled. He rode to his men. "Boys, want to have some fun with that Yankee in there?" Yeah! You bet! So he agreed to the deal and out came the commander. Forrest's troops were lined up and he and the Federal went down the line...but as soon as they passed the men at the end would peel off and run behind the bushes to line up ahead! At length the commander, stopped, shoved back his hat and scratched his head. "General, you have far more men than I thought you did! Yes, I believe you are right. I will surrender!"

I just have to enquire as to which garrison this refers to? Forrest used noise etc. to convince Union commanders in Tennessee that his force was larger than its actual numbers. But that was a strategy to confuse an enemy talking amongst themselves via telegraph. He bluffed Abel Streight (who was not in any garrison) by recycling his artillery. But where did this other business occur?

Going back to Magruder - there's someone on this board who gave me a good thrashing on whether or not that entire "stage performance" story is true. The only source seems to be a remark recorded by Mary Chesnut which Bruce Catton turned into a rather fanciful tale. What's the source for that one, really?

Good thread this.

 

[diane]

I just have to enquire as to which garrison this refers to? Forrest used noise etc. to convince Union commanders in Tennessee that his force was larger than its actual numbers. But that was a strategy to confuse an enemy talking amongst themselves via telegraph. He bluffed Abel Streight (who was not in any garrison) by recycling his artillery. But where did this other business occur?

Going back to Magruder - there's someone on this board who gave me a good thrashing on whether or not that entire "stage performance" story is true. The only source seems to be a remark recorded by Mary Chesnut which Bruce Catton turned into a rather fanciful tale. What's the source for that one, really?

Good thread this.

This was on his third Tennessee raid but I'll have to do a little research to get the details. He took out a goodly number of these garrisons on that raid and some of them had interesting stories. One German commander was very stubborn about surrendering and Forrest got mad. "Does he want me to blow him to hell?" he exclaimed to John Morton. "All right. I'll do it! Give 'em all you've got!" Morton did. A white handkerchief almost immediately appeared, waving from the fort, but Forrest did not stop the firing. "General," said Morton, "there is a white flag." "I don't see it," growled Forrest. Morton pointed to it. "I don't see it," repeated Forrest. "They will have to be flying a sheet before I see it!" That's exactly what came out next!

 

[War Horse]

At the time Banks wrote that Jackson was leaving the valley, Jackson actually was leaving the valley.
Banks was not surprised by Jackson's return -- he had predicted it and reported on Jackson's approach.

Seems to me I recall reading Banks thought Jackson had left the valley and was in fact within 12 miles of his location.

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

Apparently it's not the Elk River blockhouses

O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME XXXIX/1 [S# 77]
SEPTEMBER 16---OCTOBER 10, 1864.--Forrest's raid into Northern Alabama and Middle Tennessee.
No. 3.--Report of Lieut. Albert Kramer, Sixty-eighth New York Infantry, Assistant Inspector of Block-Houses.
[ar77_507 con't]

OFFICE OF ASSISTANT INSPECTOR OF BLOCK-HOUSES,
Columbia, Tenn., October 3, 1864.
I have the honor herewith to submit my report of damages to fortifications in my section during the recent raid of General Forrest.
On Saturday, 1 p.m., came General Forrest and staff with flag of truce to Block-houseNo. 5, which was in command of Second Lieut. E. Nixon, <ar77_508> Company E, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and demanded a surrender of the block-house with garrison, which demand Second Lieut. E. F. Nixon complied with without firing a gun. Lieutenant Nixon, who was in command of Block-houses Nos. 3, 4, and 5, ordered the sergeants in command to surrender. Sergt. A. Frohn, Company L, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, in command of Block-house No. 4, Bridge No. 4, and Sergt. W. Rhinemiller, Company M, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, was in command of Block-house No. 3, Bridge No. 3. Sergt. W. Rhinemiller refused three times to comply. Lieut. E. F. Nixon then threatened to place him in arrest; he also fired on the flag. Lieut. E. F. Nixon rode with Forrest's adjutant to First Lieut. J. F. Long, Company B, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanding Block-house No. 6, Bridge No. 5, and tried to induce him to surrender, which [he] refused to do, and ordered Lieutenant Nixon, with the adjutant of General Forrest, away from his block-house. First Lieutenant Long fought him from 2 p.m. until 12 m.; killed 10 rebels and wounded several; but they succeeded in destroying his bridge; his command and block-house were uninjured. During the truce, the rebels under cover of the railroad bank, succeeded in firing the bridge with turpentine; one end was burned, and the whole fell in. Block-houses Nos. 3, 4. and 5 are burned to the ground; also Bridges Nos. 3 and 4. It is learned Carter's Creek Station, the water-tank, and saw-mill, and the railroad destroyed from there to Spring Hill. Rumor says Lieutenant Nixon surrendered for a bribe of $10,000. The rebels had no artillery, and his three blockhouses were double cased up to the top log of the loop-holes. The garrisons of the three block-houses and water-tanks and saw-mill were taken prisoners, except 1 man escaped. Block-house No. 3 was garrisoned with thirty-two men, Block-house No. 4 with twenty-two men, Block-house No. 5 with thirty-one men. Thirty men garrisoned the water-tank and saw-mill. Altogether 115 men captured. Rumor says they have all been paroled, and arrived this day at Franklin. Sunday morning at 8 our pickets were driven in at Duck River bridge, but we succeeded in driving them off without any damage to the works, or loss of life. Sunday morning our pickets were attacked on four different roads, Pulaski, Bigbyville, Mount Pleasant, and Hampshire. Fights and skirmishes continued until 6 o'clock in the evening, when the enemy withdrew in the direction of Mount Pleasant, and encamped on General Pillow's plantation, moving next morning in the direction of Waynesborough. Forrest's force is reported at 2,500 men. The railroad is open from here to Pulaski. These are the whole facts as far as I have been able to ascertain. Will report further information as soon as I get it. Have no laborers nor carpenters to build these three blockhouses. Please inform me what I shall do.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. KRAMER,
First Lieut., 68th New York Regt., Asst. Insp. of Block-Houses.

 

[War Horse]

I just have to enquire as to which garrison this refers to? Forrest used noise etc. to convince Union commanders in Tennessee that his force was larger than its actual numbers. But that was a strategy to confuse an enemy talking amongst themselves via telegraph. He bluffed Abel Streight (who was not in any garrison) by recycling his artillery. But where did this other business occur?

Going back to Magruder - there's someone on this board who gave me a good thrashing on whether or not that entire "stage performance" story is true. The only source seems to be a remark recorded by Mary Chesnut which Bruce Catton turned into a rather fanciful tale. What's the source for that one, really?

Good thread this.

The Magruder story came from memory also but I did look it up online and found a reference to refresh my memory. I could probably find the link if you like. Maj.Gen.Meade what does "Good Thread this" mean?


https://books.google.com/books?id=F...ts Jackson is no longer in the valley&f=false

 

[NedBaldwin]

Seems to me I recall reading Banks thought Jackson had left the valley and was in fact within 12 miles of his location.

In late April Banks reported that Jackon was leaving the valley; at the time Jackson was in fact leaving the valley to shelter in the Blue Ridge.
In May Bank reported on Jackson's movements including telling HQ that Jackson was approaching to attack him.