Guarding Railroads

[Tennis]

As you know, often telegraph lines were part of B & O guard duty.

Both sides used RR for troop transport.

Burning cross ties and ripping up track seemed to be easy to repair

 

[Discipulus]

From the summer of 1864 to March of 1865, the Illinois 33rd Veteran Volunteer Regiment Infantry were stationed along the Opelousas-New Orleans Railroad west of New Orleans. There are about a dozen sources that I have found referencing their stay, including personal letters. From the Regimental History (Way, Virgil Gilman, History of the Thirty-Third Regiment Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War, 22nd August, 1861, to 7th December, 1865, Published 1902, Gibson City, Ill., The [Regimental] association.) --

During the summer of 1864 the companies of the 33rd were scattered along (he railroad running from Algiers, opposite New Orleans, to Brashear City. C and F were sent to Bayou Boeuf, K joining them in September; A and D to Tigerville; I to Bayou L'Ours; G to Chacahoula ; E to Terre Bonne; B to Bayou La Fourche and Bayou Des Allemandes, and H to Boutee. The headquarters were at Terre Bonne. The district was called the "District of LaFourche", and was commanded by Brig. Gen. R. A. Cameron, with headquarters at Thibadeaux. The service required of the companies was not severe. The railroad did not need much looking after, and only an occasional scout was made into the swamps. All suffered intensely from mosquitos. They were of enormous size, and the soldiers said they did not buzz, but barked. Their ferocity was beyond describing, and there was no living at night except under mosquito bars, and the savage monsters sometimes tore holes in these.

During the spring it rained every day for sixy-three consecutive days. It was not an ordinary kind of rain, but a deluge, and we lived for that time practically in the water. Many of the officers were on detail part of the time as members of farcical Courts Martial. I was a member of one of that kind for months, at Thibadeaux. Most of the trials were of citizens for various trivial transgressions of the military regulations of the district. Our findings in every case were disapproved at department headquarters and the court given a severe reprimand. The reason for that probably was that the verdict of the court in every case was hanging. Of course we knew the findings would be disapproved, but it served our purpose of breaking up the silly Court Martial business in that district. . . .

After staying at Brashear and along the railroad for nine months and thirteen days, we received the welcome order to join the expedition to operate against Mobile, on the morning of Thursday, March 2nd, 1865.

-- These were battle hardened men, it is interesting to me that they drew this duty for this long. I have researched them well. Their main assignment was to keep the railroad lines open and free of guerrillas. But they found most of their duty was acting as sort of a local police. Company A was housed in a large building belonging to a northern sympathizer.

One note of interest to my relatives. My avatar is of my gg-uncle Captain Harvey Dutton, the head of Company A. One day the soldiers decided they wanted to have a dance and invite the local southern girls. The men voted Harvey the best looking of the bunch, and the one who should go to the girls and invite them. Yes, it worked.

 

[Lubliner]

From the summer of 1864 to March of 1865, the Illinois 33rd Veteran Volunteer Regiment Infantry were stationed along the Opelousas-New Orleans Railroad west of New Orleans. There are about a dozen sources that I have found referencing their stay, including personal letters. From the Regimental History --



-- These were battle hardened men, it is interesting to me that they drew this duty for this long. I have researched them well. Their main assignment was to keep the railroad lines open and free of guerrillas. But they found most of their duty was acting as sort of a local police. Company A was housed in a large building belonging to a northern sympathizer.

One note of interest to my relatives. My avatar is of my gg-uncle Captain Harvey Dutton, the head of Company A. One day the soldiers decided they wanted to have a dance and invite the local southern girls. The men voted Harvey the best looking of the bunch, and the one who should go to the girls and invite them. Yes, it worked.

Detailed information on a topic close to your kin. Could you provide the source it was drawn from. [Edit: Regimental History, is there a link?]
I appreciate it. Thanks,
Lubliner.

 

[Seduzal]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this awesome article. Never seen this before learning something new today. Enjoyed reading it.

 

[Discipulus]

Detailed information on a topic close to your kin. Could you provide the source it was drawn from. [Edit: Regimental History, is there a link?]
I appreciate it. Thanks,
Lubliner.

I have a Genealogy blog and make sure to document citations there. I didn't realize it would be a good idea here --

Way, Virgil Gilman, History of the Thirty-Third Regiment Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War, 22nd August, 1861, to 7th December, 1865, Published 1902, Gibson City, Ill., The [Regimental] association.

 

[Lubliner]

I have a Genealogy blog and make sure to document citations there. I didn't realize it would be a good idea here --

Way, Virgil Gilman, History of the Thirty-Third Regiment Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War, 22nd August, 1861, to 7th December, 1865, Published 1902, Gibson City, Ill., The [Regimental] association.

Thank you for the actual reference. The Forum Board presses the issue fearing copyright infringement.
Lubliner.

 

[Lubliner]

I was focusing on January to the April launch of the Spring offensive in 1864 here in Chattanooga, with the Federals under General Thomas. A few things caught my attention as the men were detailed for protecting the railroads from Nashville, Knoxville, down to Bridgeport and Stevenson, centering near Chattanooga. This period of winter activity had a lot of veterans re-enlist thus drawing a furlough. This reflects a very high morale in the Federal army at this point of time in the western theater. On the other hand, the confederates who were concentrated around Dalton were deserting up to 30 men per day. The Federals were also engaged in feeding the destitute families, which I assume would have to pledge an oath of allegiance for this welfare. I have yet to read much on confederate activity during this period besides a few cavalry raids to disrupt supply lines, but most reports represent the majority of confederates of sitting and waiting moreso than any real activity. Has anyone else noticed this morale balance between the two armies?
Lubliner.

 

[uaskme]

AOT was in transition during this period. Johnson takes over and is rebuilding the Army. AOT has lost most of the T. Morale is low after the debacles of Missionary Ridge, low before that with Braggs' generalship or rather lack thereof. Johnson is going to execute 16 or so for desertion At Dalton. Many of those from the 58th NC. Loss of East TN diminished the buffer for Western NC. Execution don't change much. They still desert. It will take Johnson 5 months to develop a fighting force. Not a easy task, remarkable they were able to carry on. AOT don't have the capacity to operate very far from their supply lines. Certainly not for a distance from Dalton to even Ringgold. Federals have the north side of Tunnel Hill. So, you have harassing Calvary Raids. That is about it.

Federals are building up Chattanooga. They have Ringgold and Cleveland. Prob the Confederates. Plan for the Spring Campaign. Grant gets his promotion. Grant gives Sherman the Western Army. Thomas is shuffled again. Won't be the last time. Lincoln has his plan to retain the Veterans. Other enlistment schemes. So, morale is better in Blue.

 

[Lubliner]

Foster was in charge of East Tennessee for a time, facing off Longstreet. That winter of 1863-1864 was harsh and the Union men were being used up with marches, while the mules were dying off from lack of fodder. Foster advised Halleck that these men needed a break in action. The best bet for awhile would be to let Longstreet stay put, and keep him in place. If either side advanced they ran too high a risk of disaster. The advice was sound in allowing the Union men to conserve their strength for the coming Spring Campaign.
Speaking of Longstreet, Foster says; "On the other side, he had suffered from desertions at the rate of 20 a day, and had allowed 5 per cent of his force to go home on furlough, ranging from 25 to 35 days each."
[O. R., Series 1, Volume 32, Part 1, page 47]
Lubliner.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Lubliner & uaskme have raised an important point. 23,000 desertions was the accepted post war record of the Union army. The actual number of Confederate army desertions is unknowable. North Carolina troops probably did not desert at a rate all that different from other CS states. What NC did have was a singularly murderous war within. What has struck me are the number of men who went home for a couple of weeks to take in crops & were welcomed back into the ranks. At random times, CS officials would kill one of those men as an example. The result is, of necessity, only known anecdotally. The executions appear to have been counter productive. I keep running into personal accounts of men who would have returned to their units that swallowed the dog & either went home safely behind Union lines or joined the Union army or joined anti-CS groups because of the executions. I just read an article on the NC Our State site that included the hunting down & killing of members of the homeward who had hanged a man & his two sons. Compare that with the Veteran Volunteers, furloughs for men who reenlisted, etc that were happening on the other side.

 

[steamman]

Lubliner & uaskme have raised an important point. 23,000 desertions was the accepted post war record of the Union army. The actual number of Confederate army desertions is unknowable. North Carolina troops probably did not desert at a rate all that different from other CS states. What NC did have was a singularly murderous war within. What has struck me are the number of men who went home for a couple of weeks to take in crops & were welcomed back into the ranks. At random times, CS officials would kill one of those men as an example. The result is, of necessity, only known anecdotally. The executions appear to have been counter productive. I keep running into personal accounts of men who would have returned to their units that swallowed the dog & either went home safely behind Union lines or joined the Union army or joined anti-CS groups because of the executions. I just read an article on the NC Our State site that included the hunting down & killing of members of the homeward who had hanged a man & his two sons. Compare that with the Veteran Volunteers, furloughs for men who reenlisted, etc that were happening on the other side.

That is something not covered much.

 

[Lubliner]

From Volume 32, Part 1, Series 1, page 55 of the Official Records I came across a report by confederate Col. John M. Hughs of the Twenty-fifth Tennessee Infantry from Middle Tennessee on April 28, 1864. He had been separated from the Army at Dalton and was attempting to reunite his command. He says cold weather did not permit active operations on any large scale so his time was 'occupied in hunting down the bushwhackers and tories' along with Major Bledsoe of the Fourth Tennessee Cavalry that had been separated from Wheeler's command. They had split up among themselves and were killing in White and Overton counties.

About April 2nd he again attempted to return to his regiment with 55 officers and men, that was all that were willing to attempt it with him. The army had left the locality of Morristown, East Tenn. so he had turn about. They then decided to try small squads of from 20 to 30 men to get through the Union lines. About April 15th to the 26th he was successful. His command fluctuated between 85 to 300 men, and he says 'proper discipline could not be enforced, the men came and went pretty much at will...there were numbers of deserters from the infantry in the country who would willingly have rejoined the service as cavalrymen.'
Hughs was not given authority to press these men into service. A large portion of this country was filled with gangs of robbers and bushwhackers.
About is own command finally returning, he says; 'Some have made their way out since and many refused to come out at all, preferring to remain and take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government.'

Lubliner.

 

[Lubliner]

Col. Hughs may have been part of Wheeler's command when he raided East Tennessee. Hughs was responsible for tearing up the track of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad on March 16th, capturing a train of freight cars heavily laden with supplies for the Federal Army at Chattanooga. He says 60 soldiers were captured and '20 Yankee negroes killed. The train and supplies were burned and the engine destroyed.' [page 56]. Also on Feb. 26th he capture Washington, East Tennessee [Cottonport vicinity].
Accordingly it was a productive time for the confederates in his command, accounting for the Union loss; 'Many engagements not mentioned in this report occurred with the enemy; something over 400 of them were killed, including a great many of the worst tories in the country; many were wounded and from 600 to 700 were captured and paroled, and I am confident that my command destroyed for the enemy over half a million dollars' worth of Government stores, besides capturing and destroying 3,000 or 4,000 stands of small-arms.'

Lubliner.