Guarding Tracks.

[Bentonville]

To what extent were the rails protected most from attacks and possibly freeing POWs?

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

The Federals, it appears, had extensive protection for the railroads they used to transport supplies and prisoners. Confederates, on the other hand, would likely be hard pressed to find enough soldiers to provide as much protection - there was too great a demand for soldiers at the front IMO.

The following is a quote from a letter by Captain Don Carlos Newton of the 52nd Illinois, written from Pulaski, TN on March 6, 1864.

"The 7th Iowa is at Athens. They left here day before yesterday. The impression now is that we are to be stretched out on this railroad and that they intend to extend it from Decatur in the direction of Selma to reach Sherman unless he is compelled to fall back from there. Some think that we will soon go to the front but they are by far the minority of the crowd. The general impression is that the 9th Iowa & 52nd will be left as a garrison from here to Athens and at Athens. The 2nd Brigade from here to Nashville & the 3rd from Athens to Decatur…..I am really in hopes that may leave us just as we are until fall for I hate tramping in hot weather. Still I don't hardly think it would be just to the rest of the army to keep us year after year guarding communications while they do all the fighting. I am of the opinion that we ought to go to the front but still am so selfish that I would make no fuss about it if they just quietly left us alone in our glory."

 

[jackt62]

General Grenville Dodge was a proponent of constructing blockhouses to protect key railroad locations, particularly bridges.

"In the Civil War our block-houses were usually erected of logs, one and two stories high. The face of the upper story had an angle of forty-five degrees to the face of the first story, thus concentrating a direct fire upon an enemy approaching from any point of the compass. The first block-houses in the West that I know of were built by my command in July and August, 1862, when it rebuilt the Mobile and Ohio Railroad from Columbus to Humboldt. There were many important bridges on this line, and we built block-houses at the most important ones, and stockades at the others."

USE OF BLOCK-HOUSES DURING THE CIVIL WAR by Major General G. Dodge

 

[DaveBrt]

The Confederates started the war with the idea that the RR companies would take care of their own property. This led to several roads in Virginia and Tennessee posting watchmen at their bridges. Obviously one or two man watchmen would be of little real protection, though one bridge in Tennessee was saved from destruction by local bridge burners by a heroic watchman.

As cavalry raids became a problem, the army began to provide a cannon or two and a company of infantry, in a small earth fort, to protect important bridges in Virginia and other places threatened by raids. Cavalry frequently made a short attack on these works, but rarely captured defended bridges (though they sometimes managed to set fire to them).

 

[Taylin]

Sherman's supply line in the Atlanta campaign I think was probably the most thorough example.

Aside from that there were plenty of garrisons / guard post at bridges, junctions and towns pretty much during the entire war.

I know that a lot of 1862 indiana regiments that were raised for 30, 60 and 90 days were spread over a vast swath of Kentucky and bits of Tennessee with companies here and there to protect bridges and junctions.

 

[Bentonville]

Thanks. Reason I ask in I live in Pennsylvania, same town as that train wrea carry POWs to Elmyra.

The track is on our side of the river and as I understand it there were not any fortifications along the Erie RR.

A few miles down stream is Port Jervis, NY on the otherside. They have and have both a bridge and train yard with a turn table.

I've lived up here for four years now and I just noticed there is fort, accessible I the spring and summer in Port Jervis. It got me to thinking. I need to get some photos this year and post them.

 

[Rhea Cole]

'With Blood & Fire, Life Behind Union Lines in Middle Tennessee, 1864-1865.'

By: Dr Michael Bradley

'Johnsonville: Union Supply Operations on the Tennessee River & the Battle of Johnsonville, November 4-5, 1864.'
By Jerry T. Wooten

These two books were written by scholars with a deep knowledge of railroad operations in Middle Tennessee.

In order to secure a year around contact with the Tennessee, Cumberland, Ohio & Mississippi Rivers, the N&NWRR was driven 70 miles to the Tennessee River at newly created Johnsonville. Self-Liberated people worked for wages building the line. Several USCTI regiments were recruited to guard the line. Despite everything regular cavalry & banditti attacked the line 24/7. Because of the determination of the USCT the line remained open.

The only thing most have heard is the fire Forrest provoked in Nov 1864. It was an element of an East Tennessee raid that was of no strategic consequence.

Dr Bradley doesn't sugar coat the murderous campaign that protected Sherman's supply lifeline, the Nashville & Chattanooga RR.

This is grim reading. Death squads, pursuit of men & women on death lists, house burning & arbitrary destruction of property was General Milroy's iron fisted program to protect the railroad.

These two books detail two very different & successful rail road protection campaigns.

Note: Jerry Wooten was the Johnsonville Tennessee State Historic Park director. I know him personally. He supervised a comprehensive renovation of the park. He is the real deal.

 

[Union_Buff]

One of my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Granduncles, Private Josiah Preble, was with the Cass County Home Guard, Missouri Cavalry (Union) from June 1861 to February 1862, and spent his eight-month enlistment protecting railroads and bridges from Confederate guerrillas.

 

[USS ALASKA]

To what extent were the rails protected most from attacks...

Sir, from the Union side, single points of failure could be heavily defended with static positions and troops like the Thomas Viaduct - https://thomas-viaduct-relay-maryland.blogspot.com/2014/06/civil-war-history-of-thomas-viaduct.html - and the Howard Tunnel - https://www.northerncentralrailway.com/howard-tunnel/

For a more mobile option, the line itself could have armored trains / cars to discourage attacks... https://civilwartalk.com/threads/armored-train-car.143419/

Ironclads on rails: American Civil War rail road weapons, 1861-1865 - https://www.proquest.com/docview/304202076

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

 

[Rhea Cole]

Sir, from the Union side, single points of failure could be heavily defended with static positions and troops like the Thomas Viaduct - https://thomas-viaduct-relay-maryland.blogspot.com/2014/06/civil-war-history-of-thomas-viaduct.html - and the Howard Tunnel - https://www.northerncentralrailway.com/howard-tunnel/

For a more mobile option, the line itself could have armored trains / cars to discourage attacks... https://civilwartalk.com/threads/armored-train-car.143419/

Ironclads on rails: American Civil War rail road weapons, 1861-1865 - https://www.proquest.com/docview/304202076

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

Beginning in 1861, the entire length of the L&CRR / N&CRR was fortified. At every bridge , culvert & vulnerable point blockhouses of a set design were constructed. The small garrisons were impervious to anything short of a battery of artillery.

An example of how hard a nut they were to crack is Stewart's Creek blockhouse north of Stones River NB. Built on commanding ground between the Nashville Pike & the L&CRR, 14 men held off Bate's division in Nov 1864. It was not until Forrest arrived with artillery support that the tiny garrison was forced to surrender.

 

[DixieRifles]

To what extent were the rails protected most from attacks and possibly freeing POWs?

I dont quite understand the connection of the two.

The Union forces took contol of most of west Tennessee by June of 1862 and realized the importance of the Memphis-Charleston RR even though it ran East/West.
They built earthen forts all along the RR from Memphis to Corinth, which became their 2 major hubs of operation. They garrisoned a regiment and more at each location. They also had cavalry regiments patrolling the tracks and had cavalry encampments between the forts. Some have told me they had a patrolled camped out every 3 miles of the track.
The OR includes a Confederate report of the number of Union troops and the regiments' identity who were garrisoned along that stretch of track.
If you are interested, I can post that OR when I get back to my desktop Puter.

 

[Rhea Cole]

I dont quite understand the connection of the two.

The Union forces took contol of most of west Tennessee by June of 1862 and realized the importance of the Memphis-Charleston RR even though it ran East/West.
They built earthen forts all along the RR from Memphis to Corinth, which became their 2 major hubs of operation. They garrisoned a regiment and more at each location. They also had cavalry regiments patrolling the tracks and had cavalry encampments between the forts. Some have told me they had a patrolled camped out every 3 miles of the track.
The OR includes a Confederate report of the number of Union troops and the regiments' identity who were garrisoned along that stretch of track.
If you are interested, I can post that OR when I get back to my desktop Puter.

In support of DixieRifles is what happened when Wheeler passed between Murfreesboro & Nashville… nothing. Due to the defenses described above all Wheeler could do was tear up some tracks & then run for his life.

Wheeler's fictional report detailing all the bridges burned grossly misinformed his commander.

 

[Bentonville]

I dont quite understand the connection of the two.

The Union forces took contol of most of west Tennessee by June of 1862 and realized the importance of the Memphis-Charleston RR even though it ran East/West.
They built earthen forts all along the RR from Memphis to Corinth, which became their 2 major hubs of operation. They garrisoned a regiment and more at each location. They also had cavalry regiments patrolling the tracks and had cavalry encampments between the forts. Some have told me they had a patrolled camped out every 3 miles of the track.
The OR includes a Confederate report of the number of Union troops and the regiments' identity who were garrisoned along that stretch of track.
If you are interested, I can post that OR when I get back to my desktop Puter.

Reason I asked I have an ancestor who was captured at Port Hudson, took to Johnson Islsnd. Then to Point Lookout by train. Then to Fort Delaware of all places.

(EDIT: I should not type when I'm tired. What disaster that post must have looked like. See I fixed it. Aren't I great? [Big self pat on back])

 

[DixieRifles]

In support of DixieRifles is what happened when Wheeler passed between Murfreesboro & Nashville… nothing. Due to the defenses described above all Wheeler could do was tear up some tracks & then run for his life.

That may be but General Sherman realized the waste of manpower and ordered these troops to head towards Chattanooga & Atlanta.

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

If you read a regimental history, memoirs, etc from any western unit, there's a good chance you'll find reference to guarding rail lines. It was incredibly important with so much more distance to cover, and not doing so successfully could bring things to a halt pretty quickly. A good portion of at least a brigade was busy repairing the South Tunnel in TN when it was blown up by John Morgan's men in August 62, and they were kept busy repairing it and guarding the area, causing them to miss Stones River.

So the effect of not guarding could be quite significant.

 

[Rhea Cole]

That may be but General Sherman realized the waste of manpower and ordered these troops to head towards Chattanooga & Atlanta.

Have you read Dr Michael R. Bradley's "With Blood & Fire: Life Behind Union Lines in Middle Tennessee, 1863 - 1865."?

If not, there is the reason why Sherman would not be sending troops to Tennessee to counter an attack on the RR by Forrest. People who attacked the RR or harbored them were ruthlessly hunted down & killed. Houses, mills & smithies were burned. Any house near where banditti harbored were burned.

Wheeler left Chattanooga with a force much larger than Forrest ever had. He barely made it across the Tennessee with 10% of his men. He did no significant damage to the railroad.

The USCT regiments that guarded the N&NW RR kept the line running despite near 27/7 attacks.

There were plenty of forces in Tennessee that were tasked with keeping the trains running.

 

[leftyhunter]

To what extent were the rails protected most from attacks and possibly freeing POWs?

Railroads are very resilient to attack. Yes trains can be derailed and rail road tracks can be destroyed but they can be quickly repaired. From what I understand the Confederates had great difficulties in repairing and maintaining their rail roads with British Colonel Arthur Freemantle commenting on that when he busted the Confederacy in 1863 per his book about his travels to the Confederacy. The Union could and did quickly repair and damage to its railroads or at least much quicker then the Confederates. During the siege of Chanoogoa from late September to mid or so November of 1864 the Union Army could receive supplies to Chattanooga via rail roads that ran through to Bridgeport, Alabama. The Confederates could not cut the rail lines nor could they cut it to supply Union troops in Georgia.

Three Months in the Southern States,... book by Arthur James Lyon Fremantle

Leftyhunter

 

[USS ALASKA]

Sirs, please see...

University of Iowa Libraries Publishing
USE OF BLOCK-HOUSES DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
BY MAJ. GEN. GEENVILLE M. DODGE

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=eccc0aa92d03ce96JmltdHM9MTcwOTg1NjAwMCZpZ3VpZD0wMjY1YmRhYS1iNTI3LTY3MTYtMGEwMi1iMjAxYjQzNTY2NzImaW5zaWQ9NTE5NQ&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=0265bdaa-b527-6716-0a02-b201b4356672&psq=use+of+block-houses+during+the+civil+war+pdf&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9wdWJzLmxpYi51aW93YS5lZHUvYW5uYWxzLW9mLWlvd2EvYXJ0aWNsZS9pZC8xMjk5Mi9kb3dubG9hZC9wZGYv&ntb=1

The author's name seems familiar - I think he knew a little about railroads...

Thanks to @jackt62 for the point-out!

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

 

[Rhea Cole]

A funny fact:

I reread parts of Wooten's Nashville & North Western RR / Johnsonville book this morning. There was an incident worth noting.

The 70 miles of the N&NWRR were under attack by some particularly violent & industrious banditti. A novel technique was to pull the spikes & leave the rails in place. The unsuspecting hogger would make no attempt to avoid the inevitable derailment… that was the idea anyways.

In a scene right out of a Buster Keaton movie the banditti lurked in anticipation as a train chuffed over the loosed rails & off down the line to Nashville. It was a single track line, you can imagine the blank look on their faces when the return to Johnsonville click-clacked on past as well. The whole point was to derail the train without damaging the valuable cargo. In truth, rail road piracy was the real point of the thing.

You can't make stuff like this up. Risking engagements with the 13th USCTI shouting, "Fort Pillow, No Quarter!" was no joke only to have their loose rail trick not work.

Anyways, I thought this incident was too amusing not to share.