Non-Clandestine Union Set Backs

[DanB]

Hi all.

I'd like to tap your collective brains on something if you don't mind. I'm working on a novel that features a Confederate special ops team. The story fits into the sci-fi genre, but I'm trying to root it into true history as much as possible.

I've been doing research on events that happened in the CW that could be attributed to this fictional team. I'm primarily interested in major Union set backs that were not attributed to clandestine operations (but maybe with a little imagination could of been!), but minor ones are of interest too. Haven't come up with much so far, but I thought some of you might have heard of some. Here's the two I got so far:

Destruction of the Gatling Factory (by fire, December 1862)
Damage to Springfield Armory (by fire, July 1864)

Does anyone have any other events that this fictional team might take credit for (blown up locomotives? Ships? Depots? Armories? An important figure who died by accident?) Thanks in advance!

 

[DanB]

Here's a couple more I found:

Destruction of the Allegheny Arsenal (September 1862)
Destruction of the Washington Arsenal (June 1864)

 

[tmh10]

I know this not exactly what you are looking for but you may try reading up on John Hunt Morgan. May give you some ideas.

http://www.equilt.com/morgan.html

 

[ole]

Morgan was brave and flamboyant, but far from clever enough to be considered part of a clandestine group. "Hey! Let's invade Ohio." Ya, shure. The man had more balls than brains.

Y'all were aware that he grew up close friends with General JO Shelby?

 

[tmh10]

True things didn't work out to good for him.

Group of "Morgan's Men" while prisoners of war in Western Penitentiary, Pennsylvania: (l to r) Captain William E. Curry, 8th Kentucky Cavalry; Lieutenant Andrew J. Church, 8th Kentucky Cavalry; Lieutenant Leeland Hathaway, 14th Kentucky Cavalry; Lieutenant Henry D. Brown, 10th Kentucky Cavalry; Lieutenant William Hays, 20th Kentucky Cavalry. All were captured with John Hunt Morgan in Ohio. 1863

 

[deleson1]

little bit of a stretch, but somehow saying the sinking of the Monitor was from sabatoge, not bad weather as the yankees claimed.

 

[tmh10]

little bit of a stretch, but somehow saying the sinking of the Monitor was from sabatoge, not bad weather as the yankees claimed.

I think it was weather, that craft was not ment for the open ocean, and I have been in Cape Hatterass in bad weather, and Im here to tell you it can be bad. The motel we were in had a sign on the atlantic side door that said hang on to the door and they were not kidding.

 

[deleson1]

I think it was weather, that craft was not ment for the open ocean, and I have been in Cape Hatterass in bad weather, and Im here to tell you it can be bad. The motel we were in had a sign on the atlantic side door that said hang on to the door and they were not kidding.

I know it was the weather that caused the ship to sink as I stated so in above post. He wanted a real incident that occurrecd that possibly could be caused by clandestine operations. Saying the ship was sunk by sabotage instead of bad weather would qualify would it not. After all, we only have the yankee word what sunk the ship. Different era, but to this day many will argue what sank the Maine.

 

[DanB]

little bit of a stretch, but somehow saying the sinking of the Monitor was from sabatoge, not bad weather as the yankees claimed.

Excellent. This is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for. Part of the premise is that the Yankees don't believe this team exists so blaming the destruction of something on weather or fire or negligence is exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[DanB]

I know this not exactly what you are looking for but you may try reading up on John Hunt Morgan. May give you some ideas.

http://www.equilt.com/morgan.html

There's certainly the possibility that I could work in that Morgan was used as a distraction while the covert team did the real work. Not sure exactly what that might be, but there is that possibility. Thanks, tmh!

 

[deleson1]

Excellent. This is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for. Part of the premise is that the Yankees don't believe this team exists so blaming the destruction of something on weather or fire or negligence is exactly what I'm looking for.

well thank you. How about the Sultana incident. Would make your team look bad because of the casualties turned out to be prisoners of war, but normally the Sultana was used to transport yankee troops.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

While you're at it, you could look into the real Confederate "special ops"... like the operations of the Torpedo Bureau, and the exploits of Confederate Navy officers like John Taylor Wood, John Wilkinson, and Charles "Savez" Read. Should be a lot there to give you ideas (not to mention being really interesting themselves).

 

[DanB]

While you're at it, you could look into the real Confederate "special ops"... like the operations of the Torpedo Bureau, and the exploits of Confederate Navy officers like John Taylor Wood, John Wilkinson, and Charles "Savez" Read. Should be a lot there to give you ideas (not to mention being really interesting themselves).

Alright. Thanks, Mark. I've actually looked some at the Torpedo Bureau. I'll take a look at these other fellas you mention.

 

[DanB]

well thank you. How about the Sultana incident. Would make your team look bad because of the casualties turned out to be prisoners of war, but normally the Sultana was used to transport yankee troops.

This may actually work. In the story, this team goes rogue from the Confederate government. They pay an important hand in the Lincoln Assassination. Blowing up a steamship full of former Union prisoners is something that certainly wouldn't be beneath them either. Thanks again!

 

[ole]

This may actually work. In the story, this team goes rogue from the Confederate government. They pay an important hand in the Lincoln Assassination. Blowing up a steamship full of former Union prisoners is something that certainly wouldn't be beneath them either. Thanks again!

Coal bombs!

 

[DanB]

Coal bombs!

Yeah, coal bombs, Ole.

Here's one. The U.S.S. Greyhound. Was the command ship for General "Spoons" Butler. Blew up shortly after six men were apprehended. Wasn't proven they actually did it, from what I can tell, but looks like a coal bomb did the job. Nice.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Follow-up: Read John C. Wideman's The Sinking of the USS Cairo. Despite the title, it's really about the group of men gathered around one Zere McDaniel; the Cairo was their first success, but they apparently went on to other operations, some successful, many not, and were directly connected with the City Point detonation in July (or August?) 1864. Interestingly, General Dabney H. Maury (at Mobile) worried in a letter to the Confederate War Department that "we have no guaranty that they will consider anything besides their individual interests under all circumstances, and it is probable that those of them who enter the lines of the enemy are his agents as well as our own." (quoted on p. 71) That is precisely the sort of "going rogue" idea you're talking about. McDaniel wrote a letter in rebuttal that basically said, sure, we know where you're coming from, but if we make all that we're doing public, it won't be secret... Should spark some ideas. There's a brief but interesting discussion of how to most efficiently wreck a train, for instance.

 

[matthew mckeon]

The Sultana disaster?

 

[ole]

The Sultana disaster?

There have been suggestions that the Sultana was a victim of a coal bomb, but there has been convincing evidence that it was just tired pipes.

 

[DanB]

Follow-up: Read John C. Wideman's The Sinking of the USS Cairo. Despite the title, it's really about the group of men gathered around one Zere McDaniel; the Cairo was their first success, but they apparently went on to other operations, some successful, many not, and were directly connected with the City Point detonation in July (or August?) 1864. Interestingly, General Dabney H. Maury (at Mobile) worried in a letter to the Confederate War Department that "we have no guaranty that they will consider anything besides their individual interests under all circumstances, and it is probable that those of them who enter the lines of the enemy are his agents as well as our own." (quoted on p. 71) That is precisely the sort of "going rogue" idea you're talking about. McDaniel wrote a letter in rebuttal that basically said, sure, we know where you're coming from, but if we make all that we're doing public, it won't be secret... Should spark some ideas. There's a brief but interesting discussion of how to most efficiently wreck a train, for instance.

Thanks, Mark. I'll have to take a look at that.