The Great Navy Cattle Drive, 1-7 October 1862.

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
Tonight I am putting magazines in protective sleeves and putting the protected magazines in to magazine boxes. The magazine boxes will go on shelves where I will probably never read then again for years. The magazine I am holding has the article, which I never read, The Great Navy Cattle Drive, 1-7 October 1862. by Chuck Veit. So sailors as cowboys? I was unaware Naval vessels were used in cattle drives. Perhaps I should set the magazine aside and read this article before the magazine gets put away for a few years.
 
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Plenty of small boat raids were made on the Louisiana and Texas coast for that very reason. Let us know what the article you found is about.
 
It should be an interesting article. After all, sailors have to eat....
 
October 1, 1862 the Sciota, Kineo, Katahdin, and the Irasca were on patrol on the Mississippi River when they observed 1,500 head of cattle being prepared to cross the river near Philadelphia Point. The Confederates drivers had brought the herd from Brazos Texas so the cattle could be given to Confederate forces near New Orleans. The standard procedure would be to destroy any animals not able to be brought aboard the boats. This seemed such a waste that "Gunboat cowboys" were landed to guard the cattle while five transports were requested to move the herd. 200 cattle were unable to load on the transports. Contraband, protected by a gunboat and a shore party, were hired to drive the reaming cattle to New Orleans. The floating herd on the transports and the gunboats were attacked on the return trip. The cattle had to be unloaded along the way to feed. Several sailor were killed in this operation.
 
From the Library of Congress Waud drawing & commentary. This is what your cattle drive would have looked like. During the famous Battle of Alatoona, where Sherman controlled the battle by signal flag from Kennesaw Mountain, had an unknown element. Along with bringing reinforcements from as far away as Rome, 50 miles away, Sherman maneuvered a herd of 5,000 cattle to keep it away from Hood's hungry men.

Cattle drive w:narrative Waud.jpg



Gen Hampton cattle raid 1864.jpeg
 
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