In March 1864, William Holden and Zebulon Vance were engaged in a hotly contested gubernatorial race. Holden wanted North Carolina to make a separate peace with the North. Vance, on the other hand, demanded that independence for the other Southern states be a condition for North Carolina reentering the Union. The election hinged mostly on… Continue reading General Clingman Sounds Off: Why the South Must Never Surrender
Tag: Thomas Clingman
Brigadier General in the Confederate Army
Chaos in Command: More Information
I know, I know! I keep posting on this topic. But I found more information in the Clingman Papers about the Fifty-First’s command debacle in 1863. Summary of the Situation in January 1863 On January 6, 1863, Lieutenant Colonel William Allen, commanding the 51st North Carolina, submitted his resignation [the letter is dated January 5].… Continue reading Chaos in Command: More Information
Cover-Your-Ass Basics: Document and Escalate
Anyone who has ever tried to accomplish an assigned task and hit a bureaucratic brick wall will appreciate the following letter. Those who served in the military will especially relate to Lieutenant Maurice’s predicament. Some things never change. Ordnance Office, Clingman’s Brigade, Sullivan’s Island, S. C., Nov. 12, 1863 [To:] Capt. Wm. F. Nance, A.… Continue reading Cover-Your-Ass Basics: Document and Escalate
General Clingman’s Report to Governor Vance on Operations in Charleston
Transcript of report written by General Clingman for Governor Vance on August 4, 1863. The report appears to be a draft because of the numerous mark-throughs. [?] indicates an illegible word. Source: Clingman Papers, Folder 13, scans 3 to 15. Sullivans Island Aug 4 1863 Sir In accordance with your wishes I proceed to give… Continue reading General Clingman’s Report to Governor Vance on Operations in Charleston
Guarding the Wappoo: Lt. Watson Gets in Hot Water
The Wappo Cut is a waterway southwest of Charleston that connects the Ashley and Stono rivers. During the Civil War, traffic between James Island and Charleston had to cross the Cut. Two bridges spanned the waterway: the New Bridge and a pontoon bridge. During April 1863, the 51st North Carolina was tasked with guarding the… Continue reading Guarding the Wappoo: Lt. Watson Gets in Hot Water
Chaos in Command, Part 3: The New Field Officers
In an earlier post, “Feuding in the Officers’ Ranks,” I described the squabbling among the Fifty-First’s officers that left the regiment with only one field officer for almost four months. In this three-part series I add further details gleaned from documents contained in the NARA compiled service records of some of the officers involved during… Continue reading Chaos in Command, Part 3: The New Field Officers
Chaos in Command, Part 2: Lt. Col. Allen Resigns
In an earlier post, “Feuding in the Officers’ Ranks,” I described the squabbling among the Fifty-First’s officers that left the regiment with only one field officer for almost four months. In this three-part series I add further details gleaned from documents contained in the NARA compiled service records of some of the officers involved during… Continue reading Chaos in Command, Part 2: Lt. Col. Allen Resigns
The Turnips Were Not a Peace Offering
Gage’s Letter to McKethan Recently, I came across an interesting letter on UNC-Chapel Hill’s “The Civil War Day to Day” website. The letter was from Brigade Commissary R. S. Gage to Colonel Hector McKethan, commanding Clingman’s Brigade. Gage informs McKethan that the turnips and cabbage he recently issued to the brigade’s soldiers were not in… Continue reading The Turnips Were Not a Peace Offering
The Order Was Given to Forward, and We “Forwarded.”
One soldier’s account of the Bermuda Hundred Campaign was published in the Wilmington Journal on June 2, 1864. HEADQ’RS BEAUREGARD’S ARMY, Near Drewry’s Bluff, May 25th, 1864. Messrs. Editors: As our Regiment (the 51st NC) was made up in the Cape Fear District, a few lines relative to its whereabouts and conditions may not… Continue reading The Order Was Given to Forward, and We “Forwarded.”
War of Words: The Surgeon vs. the General
Background The 51st North Carolina arrived in Charleston on July 11, 1863. The next day, the regiment was ferried across the harbor to Morris Island, where the soldiers garrisoned Battery Wagner. Six days later, on the 18th of July, the Fifty-First fought off a furious Federal assault on the small fort. The Tar Heels left… Continue reading War of Words: The Surgeon vs. the General