Big Mistake

[1950lemans]

What do you think was the single, biggest non-military mistake the Confederacy made? It's repercussion were felt throughout the war and contributed, in some way, to their defeat.

 

[AndyHall]

Diplomatically, it was counting on European intervention in the case of a long, dragged-out conflict. King Cotton proved to be a monarch without much influence beyond his own realm.

 

[FarawayFriend]

As a beginner, I go (once more) with Gen. Longstreet ... or better with the character of Gen. Longstreet from the film "Gettysburg" who said:
"We should have freed the slaves, then fired on Ft. Sumter".

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

What do you think was the single, biggest non-military mistake the Confederacy made? It's repercussion were felt throughout the war and contributed, in some way, to their defeat.

This is of course "military" but I feel a major mistake early on.

The 1st Conscription Act in April, 1862.

 

[Blessmag]

Southern pride and stubbornness. (non-military you stated. )

 

[cash]

As a beginner, I go (once more) with Gen. Longstreet ... or better with the character of Gen. Longstreet from the film "Gettysburg" who said:
"We should have freed the slaves, then fired on Ft. Sumter".

Had they freed the slaves, they would no longer have a need to be independent and would no longer need to fire on Fort Sumter.

 

[IcarusPhoenix]

Seceding in the first place...

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

As a beginner, I go (once more) with Gen. Longstreet ... or better with the character of Gen. Longstreet from the film "Gettysburg" who said:
"We should have freed the slaves, then fired on Ft. Sumter".

In November, 1895, While speaking in Atlanta, Georgia on the subject "The Negro as a Soldier," Medal of Honor winner, Christian A. Fleetwood spoke of what he perceived to be the Confederacy's failure at arming black freemen, and emancipating slaves who would in turn volunteer. Stating it "was not his purpose" to speculate on what might have been, "the immense addition to the Confederate fighting force, the quick recognition of them by Great Britain, to which slavery was the greatest hindrance, and the fact that the heart of the Negro was with south, but for slavery, and one could make the case for a different outcome of the war." Source: "Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865." by Noah A. Trudeau.

Christian A. Fleetwood

Residence was not listed; 23 years old.

Enlisted on 8/11/1863 at Baltimore, MD as a Sergeant.

On 9/1/1863 he mustered into "G" Co. US CT 4th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 5/4/1866


Promotions:
* Sergt Major


Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
* from company G to Field & Staff


Other Information:
born 7/21/1840 in Baltimore, MD
died 9/28/1914 in Washington, DC
Buried: Harmony Memorial Park, Landover, MD

Medal of Honor Information:
He was awarded the Medal of Honor
for action on 9/29/1864 at New Market Heights, VA.
(Seized the colors and bore them nobly through the fight)

Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:

- Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-65
- Deeds of Valor. How our Soldier-heroes won the Medal of Honor
- Medal of Honor Recipients 1863-1994
- Congress Medal of Honor Legion of the United States
(c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @ www.civilwardata.com


Christian A. Fleetwood, Alexander Kelly
New Market Heights, VA
09/29/64

THOUGHT ONLY OF SAVING THE FLAG

THE attack upon the rebel works at New Market Heights, Va.,
September 29, 1864, one of the most stubborn in the history of
the war, was delivered by the Fourth and Sixth U. S. Colored
Troops, who lost more than half their men in that bloody charge.
An account of the occurrence is given by Sergeant-Major Christian
A. Fleetwood of the Fourth U. S. Colored Troops, as follows:

" Our regiment lined up for the charge with eleven officers and
350 enlisted men. There was but one field officer with us, Major
A. S. Boernstein, who was in command. Our adjutant, George
Allen, supervised the right, and I, as sergeant-major, the left.
When the charge was started our color-guard was complete. Only
one of the twelve came off that field on his own feet. Most of
the others are there still. Early in the rush one of the
sergeants went down, a bullet cutting his flag-staff in two and
passing through his body. The other sergeant, Alfred B. Hilton,
of Company H, a magnificent specimen of manhood, over six feet
tall and splendidly proportioned, caught up the other flag and
pressed forward with them both.

" It was a deadly hailstorm of bullets, sweeping men down as
hailstones sweep the leaves from the trees, and it was not long
before he also went down, shot through the leg. As he fell he
held up the flags and shouted: 'Boys, save the colors ! '

" Before they could touch the ground, Corporal Charles Veal, of
Company D, had seized the blue flag, and I the American flag,
which had been presented to us by the patriotic women of our home
in Baltimore.

" It was very evident that there was too much work cut out for
our regiments. Strong earthworks, protected in front by two
lines of abatis and one line of palisades, and in the rear by a
lot of men who proved that they knew how to shoot and largely
outnumbered us. We struggled through the two lines of
abatis, a few getting through the palisades, but it was sheer
madness, and those of us who were able I had to get out as best
we could. Reaching the line of our reserves and no commissioned
officer being in sight, I rallied the survivors around the flag,
rounding up at first eighty-five men and three commissioned
officer. During the day about thirty more men came along-all
that was left.

" I have never been able to understand how Veal and I lived under
such a hail of bullets, unless it was because we were both such
little fellows. I think I weighed then about 125 pounds and Veal
about the same. We did not get a scratch. A bullet passed
between my legs, cutting my bootleg, trousers and even my
stocking, without breaking the skin."

The brave sergeant-major and his no less brave comrades, Sergeant
Alfred B. Hilton, of Company H, and Corporal Charles Veal, of
Company D, were awarded the Medal of Honor.

At the same battle First Sergeant Alexander Kelly, of Company F,
Sixth U. S. Colored Troops, also distinguished himself and was
awarded with the medal for saving the flag of his regiment after
the color-bearer and most of the company had been either killed
or wounded.


Source: Deeds of Valor, p. 434

 

[Pat Young]

Not taking up Cleburne's emancipation proposal in 1864.

 

[John Winn]

I'm going with blowing it regarding European powers and holding their cotton so as to somehow make the Europeans more desperate.

However, if we're allowed to step back a bit, then I'd say not trying to secede in some legally recognized fashion rather than just stomping out in a huff, taking federal holdings, and shooting at a federal installation. If nothing else, they could have spent the time while they played the political/legal game better preparing for the war that was almost guaranteed if they just walked out without trying the legal route first.

As we've debated many times, secession might have been accepted under some circumstances so it was certainly worth a try. Why the big rush ?

 

[roberts]

Giving up its political power in the House and Senate, judiciary, military, etc through resignation before getting recognition of their new state.

 

[John Davison]

What do you think was the single, biggest non-military mistake the Confederacy made? It's repercussion were felt throughout the war and contributed, in some way, to their defeat.

Going to war before they were fully prepared and equipped. Like the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the South thought they could strike a knockout blow to the Union before the manpower and superior industrial strength of the North could be mobilized. My opinion, of course, and they probably would have lost anyway but the war would have lasted longer. Perhaps if they had been stronger in the beginning they might have gotten France or England to throw in with them.

 

[cash]

The first thing I thought of when I saw the title of this thread:

It's hard to pin down the biggest nonmilitary mistake. Might be in the way they handled their finances.

 

[James N.]

Seceding in the first place...

Like Icarus says; when I finally got around to reading Bruce Catton's first volume in his Civil War Centennial Series ( long after the Centennial was over! ) The Coming Fury I couldn't believe the rush to disaster in '60 - '61 like so many lemmings!

 

[28thNewYork]

Waiting on an outside political solution to occur, which at some points influenced the military progress--i.e., British recognition, the outcome of the 1864 Presidential election...

 

[Billy Yank]

Personally, I feel the moving of the capital from Montgomery, Ala. to Richmond, VA was a huge mistake. Until Lincoln finally persuaded his AoP commanders that the ANV was the objective and not Richmond, the southern capital (Richmond) always seemed to be within reach. 799 miles away vs. 108. I believe if Davis and his cabinet were operating from Montgomery, they would have felt more breathing room. Operating out of Richmond must have been very tense.

 

[1950lemans]

We got some very interesting points here.

EMOTIONALISM fueled by propaganda (1860 style). In the 1830s South Carolina attempted to nullify Federal laws in their state they deemed as counter-productive to their well being. Andy Jackson put a stop to that but more importantly cooler heads in other slave states would not join but preferred to work within the Federal system to retain power. roberts mentioned that they just threw it (legislative, judicial, military) all away in 1860. Who knows what would've happened if they stuck it out like they did 30 years before.

CONSCRIPTION ACT: though military related but passed by Congress seemed to create a class divide amongst the people. I think the "class divide" issue contributed to desertions among other issues. Why? If the government couldn't take care of their own people then the soldiers had to leave and take care of their own.

BLACK SLAVE SOLDIERS is a "Catch22" situation I think. If the Confederacy enlisted them sooner we could only speculate what would happen, e.g. would the slave soldiers kill their officers and desert en masse? Even if they would have fought, how would the Confederacy be able to financially compensate the slave owners? Then again if you made slaves into soldiers with freedom as the bonus, why fight a war?

So lack of MANPOWER seems to be an issue.

MONEY, MONEY & MONEY looms large. The failed "King Cotton" diplomacy did not cause any other nation to recognize or worse, become involved with, an American spat. King Cotton then became collateral for loans which in turn made finances shaky (do I hear the word "blockade" mentioned). Nobody likes taxes, especially Southerners during the war, so there wasn't any money coming in domestically to finance the war.

MANPOWER & MONEY. Maybe they should have grown food with the available slave manpower they had? But weren't planters more interested in the higher profit margins on cotton and tobacco?

Interesting points. Thanks.

 

[JerseyBart]

Seizing federal property and imprisoning federal soldiers, seceding and then staring at the cannon that fired the first shot on Ft. Sumter asking themselves if they should load and fire it or not.

 

[TinCan]

I agree with Billy Yank. Had they stayed in Montgomery they would have been in a more centralized location to deal with both the eastern and western areas and perhaps one area would not have suffered at the expense of the other.

 

[John Davison]

Like Icarus says; when I finally got around to reading Bruce Catton's first volume in his Civil War Centennial Series ( long after the Centennial was over! ) The Coming Fury I couldn't believe the rush to disaster in '60 - '61 like so many lemmings!

A friend gave me a first edition of Catton's book. It's in beautiful shape and I love books, nevertheless I'm now going to read it. My library consists of only of reading copies -- no matter what the condition!