SSVilla
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2024
- Location
- Virginia, USA
A journal entry notes his restlessness:
<Sept 30, 1861>* The public spirit is beginning to quail under the depressing influence of our prolonged inaction. Our people are weary of being kept always and every where upon the defensive. The ardent spirit of our young men is checked and mortified because no scope is given to their enterprising boldness. We absolutely need some dashing expeditions- some victories, great or small, to stimulate the zeal of the Country, and, as I think, to keep up the credit of the Government. I hear, on pretty good authority, that the enemy is so posted at several points along the Potomac, as to command, at pleasure, the navigation of that river.
Why is this allowed ?
Is it from sheer weakness on our part?
It compromises our safety at home, and degrades our honor abroad. It isolates the Capital by closing its only outlet to the ocean, and thus makes the impression upon both parties to the contest, and especially upon foreigners, that we are both weak and timid. Are we to encounter no risk? Can war be conducted without any danger? I care not how cautious our commanders may be in securing certain important points (such as this city) which must, on no account, be put to hazard. But some gallant enterprizes are necessary to establish the prestige of the army and thus increase its positive strength. And I have no doubt that & few such enterprizes— even at the hazard of some Regiments some Brigades-would contribute largely to the general result, and accelerate our final success. It were easy to indicate several inviting theatres for such enter-prises; and our army, both oficers and men are eager for such active service."
Misspellings are all the Secretary's own. Bates, Edward. The Diary of Edward Bates, 1859-1866. Da Capo Press, 1971.
I found this kind of surprising, since he and Seward had been doves during the crisis over supplying Fort Sumter. By this though, his mind had definitely switched.
———
In looking at other things going on around this time, on Oct. 5 or 6 General Anderson would resign in Kentucky, leaving a much overwhelmed and anxious Sherman in command, who was thinking at that point that Albert Sydney Johnston, "a real general" as he puts it (as opposed to a political crony), "would unite his force with Zollicoffer, and fall on Thomas at Dick Robinson, or McCook at Nolin. Had he done so in October, 1861, he could have walked into Louisville, and the vital part of the population would have hailed him as a deliverer. Why he did not, was to me a mystery then and is now; for I know that he saw the move; and had his wagons loaded up at one time for a start toward Frankfort, passing between our two camps."
Excerpt From
Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete
William T. Sherman
This material may be protected by copyright.
Sherman was in no condition at that time to do anything. His army was still recruiting and training in the midst of Kentuck and he was at his lowest point mentally.
———————
Meanwhile, Grant had occupied Paducah on September 6, 1861, and as he describes things:
"From the occupation of Paducah up to the early part of November nothing important occurred with the troops under my command. I was reinforced from time to time and the men were drilled and disciplined preparatory for the service which was sure to come. By the 1st of November I had not fewer than 20,000 men, most of them under good drill and ready to meet any equal body of men who, like themselves, had not yet been in an engagement. They were growing impatient at lying idle so long, almost in hearing of the guns of the enemy they had volunteered to fight against. I asked on one or two occasions to be allowed to move against Columbus. It could have been taken soon after the occupation of Paducah; but before November it was so strongly fortified that it would have required a large force and a long siege to capture it."
Excerpt From
Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, Complete
Ulysses S. Grant
This material may be protected by copyright.
——————
In the East, nothing much was happening since the 90 days volunteers who had fought at Bull Run were mustered out and new army had to be raised.
A brief list of engagements in the time period:
August 10, 1861- At the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri the United States Army under General Nathaniel Lyon attacks Confederate troops and state militia southwest of Springfield, Missouri. After a disastrous day that included the death of Lyon, Confederate forces repel the Federal attack. The defeat emphasizes to US leaders the strong Confederate presence west of the Mississippi River.
August 28-29, 1861- Fort Hatteras at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, falls to United States naval forces. This begins the first Federal efforts to close Southern ports along the Carolina coast.
September 20, 1861- Lexington, Missouri falls to Confederate forces under Sterling Price.
October 21, 1861- Battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia. Colonel Edward D. Baker, senator from Oregon and a friend of President Lincoln, led troops across the Potomac River only to be forced back to the river's edge where he was killed. The ensuing Union withdrawal turned into a rout with many soldiers drowning while trying to re-cross the icy waters of the Potomac River.
November 1, 1861- President Lincoln appoints General George B. McClellan as General-in-Chief of all United States armies.
www.nps.gov
<Sept 30, 1861>* The public spirit is beginning to quail under the depressing influence of our prolonged inaction. Our people are weary of being kept always and every where upon the defensive. The ardent spirit of our young men is checked and mortified because no scope is given to their enterprising boldness. We absolutely need some dashing expeditions- some victories, great or small, to stimulate the zeal of the Country, and, as I think, to keep up the credit of the Government. I hear, on pretty good authority, that the enemy is so posted at several points along the Potomac, as to command, at pleasure, the navigation of that river.
Why is this allowed ?
Is it from sheer weakness on our part?
It compromises our safety at home, and degrades our honor abroad. It isolates the Capital by closing its only outlet to the ocean, and thus makes the impression upon both parties to the contest, and especially upon foreigners, that we are both weak and timid. Are we to encounter no risk? Can war be conducted without any danger? I care not how cautious our commanders may be in securing certain important points (such as this city) which must, on no account, be put to hazard. But some gallant enterprizes are necessary to establish the prestige of the army and thus increase its positive strength. And I have no doubt that & few such enterprizes— even at the hazard of some Regiments some Brigades-would contribute largely to the general result, and accelerate our final success. It were easy to indicate several inviting theatres for such enter-prises; and our army, both oficers and men are eager for such active service."
Misspellings are all the Secretary's own. Bates, Edward. The Diary of Edward Bates, 1859-1866. Da Capo Press, 1971.
I found this kind of surprising, since he and Seward had been doves during the crisis over supplying Fort Sumter. By this though, his mind had definitely switched.
———
In looking at other things going on around this time, on Oct. 5 or 6 General Anderson would resign in Kentucky, leaving a much overwhelmed and anxious Sherman in command, who was thinking at that point that Albert Sydney Johnston, "a real general" as he puts it (as opposed to a political crony), "would unite his force with Zollicoffer, and fall on Thomas at Dick Robinson, or McCook at Nolin. Had he done so in October, 1861, he could have walked into Louisville, and the vital part of the population would have hailed him as a deliverer. Why he did not, was to me a mystery then and is now; for I know that he saw the move; and had his wagons loaded up at one time for a start toward Frankfort, passing between our two camps."
Excerpt From
Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete
William T. Sherman
This material may be protected by copyright.
Sherman was in no condition at that time to do anything. His army was still recruiting and training in the midst of Kentuck and he was at his lowest point mentally.
———————
Meanwhile, Grant had occupied Paducah on September 6, 1861, and as he describes things:
"From the occupation of Paducah up to the early part of November nothing important occurred with the troops under my command. I was reinforced from time to time and the men were drilled and disciplined preparatory for the service which was sure to come. By the 1st of November I had not fewer than 20,000 men, most of them under good drill and ready to meet any equal body of men who, like themselves, had not yet been in an engagement. They were growing impatient at lying idle so long, almost in hearing of the guns of the enemy they had volunteered to fight against. I asked on one or two occasions to be allowed to move against Columbus. It could have been taken soon after the occupation of Paducah; but before November it was so strongly fortified that it would have required a large force and a long siege to capture it."
Excerpt From
Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, Complete
Ulysses S. Grant
This material may be protected by copyright.
——————
In the East, nothing much was happening since the 90 days volunteers who had fought at Bull Run were mustered out and new army had to be raised.
A brief list of engagements in the time period:
August 10, 1861- At the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri the United States Army under General Nathaniel Lyon attacks Confederate troops and state militia southwest of Springfield, Missouri. After a disastrous day that included the death of Lyon, Confederate forces repel the Federal attack. The defeat emphasizes to US leaders the strong Confederate presence west of the Mississippi River.
August 28-29, 1861- Fort Hatteras at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, falls to United States naval forces. This begins the first Federal efforts to close Southern ports along the Carolina coast.
September 20, 1861- Lexington, Missouri falls to Confederate forces under Sterling Price.
October 21, 1861- Battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia. Colonel Edward D. Baker, senator from Oregon and a friend of President Lincoln, led troops across the Potomac River only to be forced back to the river's edge where he was killed. The ensuing Union withdrawal turned into a rout with many soldiers drowning while trying to re-cross the icy waters of the Potomac River.
November 1, 1861- President Lincoln appoints General George B. McClellan as General-in-Chief of all United States armies.
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