Forgotten Generals of the Civil War: Confederate General William H. C. Whiting

William Henry Chase Whiting was born on March 23, 1824 and was an excellent student. He was educated in both Boston and what would later become Georgetown University. Later he graduated West Point in 1845. After graduation he joined the prestigious Army Corps of Engineers and help construct seacoast defenses in both Maryland and Florida. He later served out west for several years aiding the construction of defenses on the West Coast. By 1858 he was back east improving canels and harbors when the Civil War exploded onto the public consenice.

Just a few weeks before Fort Sumter he resigned his commission and joined the Confederate service. He was appointed chief engineer under Joseph Johnston and helped the Confederates defeat northern forces at the First Battle of Bull Run. After being promoted to brigader general in April 1861 he commanded a division at Seven Pines and led some forces under Stonewall Jackson during Jackson's famed Valley Campaign. When Union General George McCellen slowly pushed his forces to Richmond, Whiting and his men traveled by rail to reinforce newly appointed Confederate General Robert E. Lee. After fighting at Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill the Confederate high command saw that Whiting's past as an engineer was far more valuable to the Confederate cause then his leadership on the battlefield. He served the defenses at Petersburg and Wilmington and was promoted to Major General in 1864.

During the Battles at Fort Fisher he was wounded and was take prisoner. Whiting died while a prisoner of war at Fort Columbus in New York Harbor on March 10, 1865. He was buried there until his widow had his body transferred to North Carolina in 1900.

Sources:

Boatner, Mark Mayo III, The Civil War Dictionary

Forgotten Generals of the Civil War: Union General Alexander Hays

Alexander Hays was born just north of present day Pittsburg on July 8, 1919. After receiving a decent education within his native state, Hays got an appointment to West Point and attended the military academy with a young man from Ohio named U.S. Grant. Never a scholar, Hays graduated 20th out of 25 students in the Academy’s class of 1844. The two remained friends for the rest of their lives.

Like so many future Civil War officers, Hays distinguished himself during the Mexican War. He resigned from the army in 1848 and attempted to make a living in the iron trade. After his business failed, Hays journeyed to California and took part in the gold rush but he failed to strike it rich and returned to Pittsburgh to act as one of the cities bridge builders. Hays was commissioned as a colonel of the 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteers and he led his men with distinction during the Battle of Seven Pines in 1862. During the Seven Days campaign he was wounded while he leading a bayonet charge at Glendale. The attack was meant to cover a Union withdrawal and Hays was forced out of action with a partially paralyzed left arm.

After taking a month off to recover Hays returned to his men and received another wound during the Second Battle of Bull Run. As his shattered leg was recovering he received word that he had been promoted to brigadier general. His new command was the third division in the Second Corps and Hays took command just two days prior to the Battle of Gettysburg. Although he was inexperienced at the brigade level, Hays knew that he had to do a good job during his first battle as a divisional commander. His timing couldn’t have come at a worse time because the Army of Northern Virginia had beaten back Union troops at Gettysburg on July 1. After a July 2 stalemate the third division lay in waiting along Cemetery Ridge just as Confederate General Robert E. Lee was planning to attack the same region. The Confederates preceded their attack with a gigantic artillery barrage and Hays men prepared four rifles each for the coming assault. General Hays moved up and down the line without flinching at the shells. He encouraged his men and instructed them to wait until the Confederates reached a fence line that lay just 200 yards away. As the rebels struggled with removing the fence Hays shouted “fire!” and the Union muskets erupted. Hays later wrote in his report that “before the smoke of our first volley had cleared away, the enemy, in dismay and consternation, were seeking safety in flight. Every attempt by their officers to rally them was vain. In less time than I can recount it, they were throwing away their arms and appealing most piteously for mercy. The angel of death alone can produce such a field as was presented.”

The attack was later known as “Picketts Charge” and it was easily beaten back by Union troops. After the assault ended, Hays jumped on his horse, grabbed a captured rebel flag and dragged it in the dirt behind him. Union General Winfield Scott Hancock praised Hays conduct as “all that could be desired in a division commander”.

After the battle, Hays continued to lead the division during fall campaigning but during the March 1864 reorganization of the army he was reduced back to a brigade command. On May 5, 1864, the first day of the Battle of the Wilderness, Hays was killed by a bullet through his head. Today, Hays is remembered by his statue at Gettysburg, a marker identifying the site of his death at the Wilderness and his gravesite. All three areas are accessible to visitors who may be surprised to find out that Hays belongs with the best of all Union heroes. Perhaps Hancock said it best when he wrote of Hays "Brig. Gen. Alexander Hays, that dauntless soldier, whose intrepid and chivalric bearing on so many battle-fields had won for him the highest renown, was killed at the head of his brigade".

The Hays monument at the Wilderness:

http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=6064

Hays Gettysburg report:

http://www.civilwarhome.com/haysgettysburg.htm


General Alexander Hays monument at Gettysburg

http://www.virtualgettysburg.com/exhibit/monuments/pages/bs017.html


His gravesite

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5842225

Forgotten Generals of the Civil War: Union General John Scholfield

He fought in all three theatres of Civil War combat (Trans-Mississippi, Western and Eastern theatres), commanded the entire United States Army in 1888, superintendent of West Point and proposed that Pearl Harbor be used as a naval base. So who was John McAllister Schofield? Today he becomes part of my Forgotten Generals of the Civil War series.

The future general was born in Chautauqua County, N.Y. on September 29, 1831. Ironically the town of Schofields birth is just 94 miles from my hometown. His father, a Baptist clergyman, moved his family to Freeport, Ill. in 1843. After a public school education, John became a surveyor in northern Wisconsin and served as a public school teacher. In 1849 he was offered an appointment as cadet at West Point and the ambitious young man finished 7th in his class in 1853. His first assignment was at Fort Moultrie, S.C. and after a brief time there he received his commission as second lieutenant in the 1st Artillery. After monitoring Seminole Indians for a while he was ordered to West Point to serve as a professor of natural and experimental philosophy. It was during this time that Schofield married Harriet Bartlett, daughter of one of his superiors and the two would remain married until her death in 1889.

In 1860, Schofield received word that a teaching position had opened up at Washington University in St. Louis. The motivated Schofield applied, was hired and moved his family to Missouri. It was during this time period that the nation was moving towards Civil War and both North and the South began to muster regiments. Having a military background made Schofield an important commodity and he received a commission as major. His first assignment was to organize and muster the 1st Missouri Volunteer Infantry.

His standing at West Point and subsequent assignments caught the eye of General Nathaniel Lyon who made Schofield his Chief of Staff. On August 10, 1861 both Lyon and Schofield saw their first battle at Wilson’s Creek, Missouri. During the contest, General Lyon was killed. John Schofield won the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1892 for his service at Wilson’s Creek. His citation for that award reads “Was conspicuously gallant in leading a regiment in a successful charge against the enemy.”

From there Schofield moved up through the ranks, first as Captain of the 1st Missouri, then colonel and then in November 1861 he became a brigadier-general. General Schofield held various territorial commands until the autumn of 1862 when he was given command of the “Army of the Frontier”. He assignment was to monitor Confederate operations in Missouri this put Schofield in a boring, uneventful position. But soon history would call the young general into action.

After serving for a time as the commander of the Department of Missouri, Schofield was promoted to Major General in February 1864. His new assignment was commanding the XXIII Corps and the Department and Army of the Ohio. General William T. Sherman utilized Schofield and his men during his famed Atlanta Campaign of 1864. “Uncle Billy’s” men pushed Confederate General Joe Johnston to the outskirts of Atlanta and eventually whipped his replacement, John Bell Hood who later surrendered control of the city to Sherman. When Sherman began his famous “March to the Sea” he placed General George H. Thomas in command of all the troops in the west. The XXIII Corps was one of his commands.

During the Nashville Campaign, Confederate General Hood was easily defeated at Franklin and Nashville. Schofield performed brilliantly at Franklin, which badly shattered Hood’s army and inflicted over 7,000 casualties on Hoods dwindling army. John helped Thomas finally destroy Hood’s army at Nashville and was awarded a regular army promotion to Brigadier-General in November 1864. By the end of March 1865 he earned another promotion to Major General. The XXIII Corps was moved by rail to Washington and then assigned to the newly formed Department of North Carolina. With this force he occupied Wilmington, N.C.> and joined Sherman at Goldsboro, N.C. on March 23, 1865. The combined force under Sherman eventually forced the surrender of Joe Johnston and the Army of Tennessee. During the surrender, Schofield acted as commissioner for execution of the surrender. He was given command of the Department of Virginia when the area was designed under President Andrew Johnson.


After the war he served as Secretary of War under Andrew Johnson a post that he only held for a brief time. Despite the lack of time he managed to organize a famed artillery school at Fort Riley, Kansas and the United States Cavalry School. After several years of commanding the Department of Missouri and the Department of Pacific he spent three months in Hawaii. It was during this time period that he wrote a report upon the military value of the islands to the United States. It was in this paperwork that Schofield recommended the acquisition of Pearl Harbor as a naval base. The islands did become the key to the U.S. Pacific Fleet and became the target of the Japanese in 1941. The establishment of the navy in Hawaii served as our jumping off point to victory in World War II. Therefore, Schofield not only helped us win the Civil War but also aided in our victory in World War II.

From 1876 to 1881 he served as the superintendent of the United States Military Academy. While there he acted as the board president that reviewed the case of General Fitz-John Porter. General Porter was dismissed from the service by sentence of a court martial for misconduct at the battle of Second Manassas. The inquiry under John M. Schofield found that Porter was right in not committing his men to a doomed assault which Confederate General James Longstreet would have crushed. It further found that Porters actions probably saved the Army of Virginia from an even greater disaster.

Clearing Fitz-John Porters name wasn’t Schofields last contribution to history. In 1888, upon the death of Phillip Sheridan, he became the commanding General of the Army. This post was last held by Sheridan, Sherman, Grant and George Washington. In February 1895 he resigned due to his advanced age and ill health. His remaining years were devoted to a new wife Georgia Kilbourne, who he married in 1891 and publishing his memoirs Forty-Six Years in the Army. The book was published in 1897 and became one of the best military memoirs ever written. General Schofield fought and lost his last battle with death on March 4, 1906 in St. Augustine, Florida. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.


http://www.mycivilwar.com/leaders/schofield_john.htm

Brig. Gen. Albert Pike: Forgotten General of the Civil War

He is the only Confederate general who is honored with a statue in Washington D.C. The current location of this statue is in Judicial Square. He was a soldier, a writer, a Freemason and an attorney. Currently, he is mentioned in the film National Treasure 2: The Book of Secrets but who was Brigadier General Albert Pike? Todays blog will discuss another Forgotten General of the Civil War: General Albert Pike.

Albert Pike was born in Boston on December 29, 1809 and his parents would soon add five more siblings to the Pike household. He was a quick study and he would attend Harvard and eventually learn to speak in 16 languages. Being the type of person who desired to pave his own path, Pike moved west in 1831 and found a home in St. Louis. Eventually he made his way to Arkansas and and wrote for Arkansas Advocate newspaper in Little Rock. By 1835, after wisely marrying into a wealthy family he purchased the Arkansas Advocate and he even found time to write a guidebook for lawyers.

Pike was a regular braniac but that didn't stop him from an intense desire to serve his country. When the Mexican War started he quickly became an officer in the cavalry. After serving in the Battle of Buena Vista he and his commanding officer John Sloan had a difference of opinion. A duel was planned but their seconds convinced them to make up and move on with their respective lives.

After the war, Pike practiced law in New Orleans and he quickly became one of the cities more important citizens. As a leading advocate of slavery he became popular among slaveowners. He was against secession but when the Confederacy was formed he fave the new country his support. Pike was important because he had a good relationship with Native Americans and had negotiated several treaties between the tribes and the United States. After joining the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis put him in command of Indian Territory. Pike raised several rebel regiments from the tribes and led them during the Battle of Pea Ridge. The unit performed well until they were virtually destroyed in a Union counterattack.

After the battle, Pike's men were accused of scalping their Federal opponents. Major General Thomas Hindman accused Pike of disobedience and mishandling of supplies. Pike resigned and avoided any trial to prove or disprove Hindman's accusations. By November 11, 1861 Pike returned to Arkansas. After the war, he continued his work as a lawyer and argued several cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Since 1859 Pike was deeply involved with the Freemasons and he even served his local chapters commander. He remained in the order until his death and wrote an influential book that is still used by historians who research the Masons. Pike was later linked to the Ku Klux Klan and was said to be a Satanist, who indulged in the occult, and he apparently possessed a bracelet which he used to summon Lucifer, with whom he had constant communication. It is said that he predicted that Three World Wars would occur! He was a bit werid but some of his personal beliefs can be deeply respected. For example he once wrote "Everyone is free to reject and dissent from whatsoever herein may seem to him to be untrue or unsound. It is only required of him that he shall weigh what is taught, and give it a fair hearing and unprejudiced judgment."

Pike might have been the most inflenutial Freemason in American history. Moreover, he wrote seven major book and over a hundred poems. He continued to write until his death on April 2, 1891. In 2007 Pike resurfaced as minor character in National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets. In the film his fictional decedent, played by Ed Harris attempts to find the City of Gold.

More photos of Pike are here:

http://www.generalsandbrevets.com/sgp/pike.htm

Its all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

You've heard of the Texas Rangers right? You know that Civil War generals tended to disagree with one another during and after the guns fell silent. The death of Brig. Gen. John A. Wharton (CSA) at the hands of Colonel George W. Baylor (CSA) was a small footnote in April 1865. To set the stage our story occurs in Texas as Confederacy began to dissolve into history.The war itself was coming to an end and those who supported the Confederacy knew it. Wharton and Baylor were such men and both had served the south since the onset of hostilties. During the botched Red River Campaign Baylor blamed Wharton for needlessly sacrificing some of his men. There is some evidence to support that Wharton made some questionable decisions but that is an issue for another time. However both are caverly officers and both are involved in the 8th Texas Caverly.Once Wharton found out about Baylors attitude towards him he declined Baylors requests for leave while granting furloughs to others. Wharton made it known to everybody that he resented Baylor's criticism and I am sure had some good 19th Century "choice" words to say about Baylor. On April 6, 1865 Wharton traveled to Houston, Texas to report to General Magruder and Baylor met up with Wharton's party there. Wharton decided to place an officer that was Baylors junior in command and Baylor was not happy about it. The two met at railroad tracks and Wharton asked Baylor where his command was. Some historians state that Wharton might have asked the question in a sarcastic manner which might have placed more gasoline on Baylor's fire. Colonel Baylor told Wharton that his command was in another town and that he was in Houston on offical business. An heated argument began between the two men and the issue was pushed even further when an excited Wharton called Baylor a "damned liar." Baylor struck and Wharton but missed and he was subsquently ordered to Wharton's headquarters to await punishment. Baylor responded that he would go to Magruder instead and Wharton told him to do so, but under arrest.After arriving at Magruder's headquarters, Baylor broke down in tears and Magruder took the young man upstairs to compose himself in another room. Magruder left Baylor for a bit and went back downstairs. Wharton and another officer, expecting to find Magruder, then entered the same room and found the colonel sitting on a bed, still crying. Another argument ensued and this time General Wharton lost his cool. As he apprached Baylor with clenched fists his accompying officer stepped between the two men. Wharton managed to throw a punch but missed and it was at that time that Baylor drew his pistol. The accompying officer, named Harrison grabbed at Baylors pistol but in doing so he exposed Wharton's left side. Baylor fired and the bullet struck Wharton just below his ribs. Wharton died within moments and was buried on April 9 in Hempstead.Baylor was never tried for his crime by Confederate authorities. After the southern collapse he was finally brought to trial in 1868 but was aquitted by a jury made up of Texans. The feud was a matter of honor and it still amazes historians that Colonel Baylor never served a prison sentence. Wharton remains one of the least known Confederate cavalry generals and I will talk more about him in a future blog. Stay tuned and the left is rest to history.Sources and infomation is located at:"Testimony Before the Jury of Inquest on the Body of Gen. Wharton, Tri-Weekly Telegraph April 10, 1865.

http://www.terrystexasrangers.org/biographies/submitted/wharton.html

http://www.terrystexasrangers.org/biographical_notes/w/wharton_ja.html

General Eppa Hunton: Another forgotten Civil War general

To some people Confederate General Eppa Hunton is just a footnote but he isn't on this blog! Hunton is one of the most important people in American History because he decided a presidential election. More on that later.
Eppa Hunton was born in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Va. on September 22, 1822. After his education at New Baltimore Academy ended, Hunton worked as a school teacher and as a lawyer. His rise to fame really began in 1843 when he was officially admitted to the bar. This allowed him to build his reputation; He was a very passionate man who wasn't good at public speaking. Hunton was able to overcome this by showing his emotions during any speech he gave. A contemporary said that Hunton "had none of the arts of the orator, except that of earnestness and candor, and a view of strong common sense in all that he said."
Just like other lawyers in the 19th Century this passion drove him to politics and as the Civil War loomed Hunton became a direct participant. He was a fierce secessionist and he showed his loyalty by joining the Virginia Militia and he immersed himself in state politics. As a slaveowner he began to worry about the political aims of the abolitionists. In 1861, he was elected to the Virginia Secession Convention as an “Immediate Secession Candidate”. The state had mixed feelings about leaving the Union but Hunton continually urged his fellow Virginias to vote for secession. Eager to fight, Hunton resigned his commission after Virginia succeeded and applied for a commission in the Confederate army. His reputation and hard work paid off by his immediate election as Colonel of the 8th Virginia Regiment. He would remain tied to this regiment for the rest of the war.
After the regiment officially organized at Leesburg it moved to and joined with rebel forces at Manassas, Virginia. On July 21, 1861 it helped end the Union assault on Henry House Hill. This decisive stand turned the tide of the battle and gave the Confederates their first major victory of the war. General P.G.T. Beauregard gave Hunton his highest praise of the war by noting in his report that Colonel Hunton “attracted by notice by their (his) soldierly ability, as with their (his) gallant commands, they restored the fortunes of the day at a time when the enemy by a last desperate onset with heavy odds had driven our forces from fiercely-contested ground around the Henry and Robinson Houses.” The Union army was subsequently routed.
Exactly three months later the Eighth Virginia and its colonel were a key part of another Southern victory. The Battle of Balls Bluff was the largest battle to take place in Loudoun County, Virginia. After the battle of First Manassas, Union General George McClellan was placed in command of the Northern army and he spent several months rebuilding its confidence. By mid-October politicians in Washington urged McClellan to attack the rebels. The ever-cautiaus McClellan, seeking to silence his critics, sent some men to capture Leesburg, Virginia. Part of this force was under the command of General Charles S. Stone. Hunton helped to check Stone’s advance and once again the Union army was routed before a Confederate army.
February 28, 1862 was an important day in the life of Eppa Hunton because both he and his famed regiment were placed within George Pickett’s Brigade. He served faithfully during McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. One of Hunton’s greatest moments came during the Battle of Gaines Mill when the 8th Virginia helped to break the Union lines after a fierce attack. It was during this contest that General Pickett was wounded and Eppa Hunton assumed command of the division. He served very well and ordered a key attack during the Battle of Glendale that helped defeat McClellan’s forces. Furthermore, he did another admirably job during the Second Battle of Manassas in August of 1862. As General Lee planned to invade the North he placed Brigade General Richard Garnett in command of the regiment despite Hunton’s good performances. General Lee wanted a person with more experience in command of Pickett’s old brigade. Meanwhile, Pickett was promoted and the 8th Virginia remained as part of Garnett’s brigade, Pickett’s division, James Longstreet Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
Throughout his life, Hunton was plagued by illness but led his men into the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. Lee’s army was defeated but Hunton noted the bravery of his men within his battle report. “It gives me great pleasure to speak in terms of high commendation of the conduct of the regiment on these two occasions. It met my fullest approbation all, officers and men, behaved very handsomely.”
On July 3, 1863 Hunton and his men participated in Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. A foot injury forced him to lead his regiment on horseback and this made him an easy target for Union troops. General Garnett was killed in the attack and Colonel Hunton didn’t come out of the battle unscathed. His horse was killed during the attack and he suffered a severe leg wound. Hunton avoided capture and was able to make his way back to Richmond during the Confederate retreat.
On August 9, 1863, Colonel Hunton became a brigadier general and was given command of Garnett’s brigade. This promotion must have been a source of pride for Hunton who had led his regiment decisively in a dozen battles despite reoccurring ill-health. As brigade commander, he continued to lead with discinction during the battles of Wilderness, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. On March 30, 1865 Hunton led one of Lee’s final attacks and one of his final victories. After a fierce struggle, Huntons men broke the Union lines during that Battle of White Oak Road. Hunton exposed himself to enemy fire and a exploding shell even bent his sword. Confederate Surgeon Mason Elizey decribed the scene: “Just then the brigade came in flushed with victory, and marching in proud array, that other grand man and war-seasoned soldier, Gen. Eppa Hunton riding at their head, the general's coat was ripped across the breast and shoulder by a fragment of shell and the scabbard of his sword bent nearly double by a minnie ball; the joy of battle lighting his noble countenance.”
The victory was short lived because on April 1, 1865 Hunton and the rest of the rebel army was defeated at the Battle of Five Forks. The brigade fought faithfully despite overwhelming odds and Hunton was again remembered for his “noble countenance” under fire. The brigade served as one of Lee’s rear guard during the Army of Northern Virginias desperate retreat. The brigade was overwhelmed on April 6, 1865, at Saylor’s Creek. Eppa was captured and spent several months as a prisoner at Fort Warren, in Boston Harbor. He was paroled in July 1865. Before he surrendered, Hunton threw away his sword so he wouldn’t have to surrender it to his captors.
After the war he resumed his law practice as if there had never been a Confederacy. The former secessionist served four terms as a member of the House of Representatives from 1873 through 1881. It was during this time that Hunton became involved in one of the most famous presidential elections. Hunton was the only southern member of the electoral commission that decided the disputed president election of 1876 between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden. Also, he fought hard for his fellow Southerners who attempted to rebuild the south after the war. The remainder of his political career was served in the U.S. Senate from 1891 through 1895. His appointment by the General Assembly was meant to fill the position vacated by Senator John Barour who had died in 1891.
In 1895 Hunton retired to private life but remained involved in political affairs in Virginia. He remained a “vigorous” old man until his death in 1908. In his obituary the NY Times reported that in his final days General Hunton was both blind and deaf. He was loved by his men and the politicians that he served with. General Hunton lived a full life in devotion to his native state and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. His autobiography was edited and published posthumously by his family.
A speech given by Rep. Hunton in 1875 is here:

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llcr&fileName=005/llcr005.db&recNum=118

http://www.8thvirginiareg.org/

Hunton, Eppa. The Autobiography of Eppa Hunton. Richmond: William Byrd Press, 1933

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf_r=1&res=9E0DEFDF103EE233A25751C1A9669D946997D6CF&oref=slogin

http://www.generalsandbrevets.com/sgh/hunton.htm

General Jesse Reno: A True American Hero

Reno, Nevada is named for him but very few people in American know who Jesse Reno was. Reno was a close friend of Thomas Jackson A.K.A. "Stonewall" and his family ties could be traced back to immigrants who came to the United States in 1700.Reno was born on June 20, 1823 in Wheeling, Virgnina (now West Virginia) to Rebecca and Thomas Reno. When Reno reached the age of 16 the family moved to Franklin, Pa. and within a few years Reno was accepted at West Point. His class at West Point was the famous class of 1846 which contained many men who would become key Civil War leaders. A.P. Hill, Thomas J. Jackson and George Pickett were the men that Reno stood next too in class and drill. Future Union generals George McClellan, John Gibbon also attended classes with Jesse. He was well liked and respected by his classmates, thanks in part to his easy going personality that stood out amongst the hard-nosed cadets that surrounded him.During the Mexican War Reno served faithfully within General Scotts army as an artillery officer. He served with distinction at the battles of Vera Criz, Cerro Gordo, and Chapultepec. The war brought even more prosperity to Reno because he recieved a brevet as captain for what was termed as for "gallant and meritorious conduct."After the war, Reno became a Professor of Mathematics at West Point and in 1853 he married Mary Blanes Cross and together they had five children between 1853-1862. After working in various military positions in Minnesota and Pennsylvania until 1857

Reno accompied future Confederate general Albert Sidney Johnston around the state of Utah as chief ordinace officer.At the start of the Civil War the north saw West Point graduates as a scarce commidity. Future Generals Grant and Sherman were promoted because of the military educations that they recieved at "the Point". Reno was no exception and on November 12, 1861 he recieved Brigadier General commission. Reno was placed in charge of the Union troops whose assignment was to take Roanoke Island in North Carolina. On February 2, 1862 the Confederate garrison surrendered and the Union had one of its first heros. Jesse recieved a promotion to Major General for his success.Placed in command of the Army of the Potomac's Ninth Corps, Reno would rise to further fame. Reno led his corps in the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 29 to 31, 1862 but that would be his last major battle as corps commander.

After his victory at Second Mannassas, Confederate General Robert E. Lee saw the opportunity to invade the Northern states. Lee divided his command during the invasion and this opened the door for McCellan the divided rebel forces. South Mountain is often overlooked by the Civil War novice, overshadowed by the atrocities of the Battle of Antietam (near Sharpsburg), which took place three days later and resulted in a loss of 23,000 men. The Battle of South Mountain broke out on September 14, 1862 in the Fox's Gap and Turner's Gap areas after rebel gunners opened fire on union troops. Future presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley participated in the battle and so did Jesse Reno. It is interesting to note that McKineley was assassinated in office on September 14, 1901, 39 years to the day of the battle. General Reno was killed almost as soon as he came up to the line occupied by his men at Fox's Gap. Reno's final words were "Tell my command that if not in body, I will be with them in spirit." and at age 39 he died.

Reno was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington D.C. Reno had two sons listed in Who's Who in America - Conrad a lawyer of Boston 1883 to 1912, author of the History of Judicial System of New England, and Jesse W. Reno, New York, engineer, did mining work in Colorado and electric expert in railway work; employed by the Edison Company. He invented the inclined elevator or moving stairway which is now known as the escalator.Reno was a great leader whose loss was felt by the Army of the Potomac and many subsquent campaigns in which his leadership could have made a difference. He is one of the many Civil War officers to die so young, so gallalently and too soon.

Some cool sources:

http://www.civilwarlibrary.com/

http://www.wvculture.org/hiStory/civilwar/renojesse03.html

Book Review: Generals at Rest

I'm not going to review the entire book but I highly recommend this text to anyone interested in Confederate generals. During the way 425 men held the post of Brig. General or better within the Confederacy and Richard & James Owen visited the gravesites of each one. The text includes pictures of every general and every gravesite. Short biographies are included but the most interesting thing about this book is the location of each officer. The only disappointing thing about the book is that every picture of the gravesites is black and white. It would have been better to use color but it does provide an good match with the generals pictures which are B & W.

Did you know that Confederate generals are buried in Mexico, New York City, Connecticut and California? Yes it is true. Major General CAmille Armand Jules Marie is the only Confederate general buried in Germany! Generals are also buried in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as well. So get this book from your library or purchase a copy from Amazon.com. It is amazing and I highly recommend it. I am sorry that this blog is so short but I will write a longer blog later.

Confederate General Benjamin Franklin Cheatham: A forgotten Civil War General

On September 4, 1886 Confederate General Benjamin Franklin Cheatham died. The old general had served during the entire war within the army that was known as the Army of Tennessee. Cheatham rose from brigade to corps commander during the conflict and proved himself a capable commanding officer.Originally a farmer, Cheatham served with distinction during the Mexican War as colonel of the 3rd Tennessee. As the Civil War drew near he was a senior officer in the Tennessee state milita before its eventual merger with Confederate forces. After fighting at Belmont faithfully he led a division at Shiloh where he was wounded. After recovering he was promoted to major general and served in many of the remaining Army of Tennessee campaigns.Cheatham led bravely at the battles of Perryville, Murfreesboro, the Tullahoma Campaign and the fierce fighing at Chickamauga. At all of these places his division was well led and fought the Union armies hard. When General William J. Hardee left the army Cheatham took command of the corps after he led with distinction during the Atlanta Campaign. It is claimed that his troops inflicted more casualites on Sherman's attacking forces than any other Confederate unit that served during the Battle of Kenesaw Mountain. But the biggest test of Cheathams service record was during at Spring Hill, Tennessee during Hood's invasion of the state.Despite his battle performances controversy tended to follow Ben Cheatham everywhere.

He clashed with his superior officers including General Braxton Bragg with whom he fought repeadily. Historians debate feriously about Cheatham's actions near Spring Hill on November 29, 1864. Hood ordered Cheatham to head his invading coloumns but his corps failed to attack the Federals at Spring Hill or block all the escape routes. The Union army was able to slip away during the night and marched unimpeded northward where they entrenched near a town called Franklin. John Bell Hood had a short fuse to begin with and the Union escape enraged him. The two men met the following day and a verbal argument ensued which lasted until Hoods death in 1878. Hood continued to allow Cheatham to be the lead coloumn and at Franklin Cheatham's corps bore the brunt of the fighting. The unit suffered appalling casualties and Cheatham never forgave Hood for the disgrace of attacking an unattainable Union position. General Bragg even entered the fray accusing Cheatham of losing the Confederate initiative at Spring Hill. General Cheatham responded in kind and those two also had another war of words.Two weeks later Hood's army was severly defeated at Nashville and Cheatham retreated with the rest of the army. He would continue to serve with that Army of Tennessee and surrender with General Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina on April 26, 1865.After the war Cheatham farmed in Coffee County, lost an 1872 congressional race, and served as superintendent of the state prison system. He was postmaster of Nashville at the time of his death on September 4, 1886. He was a interesting character and his record was solid despite conflicts with other army officers.

Suggested Reading(s): Losson, Christopher, Tennessee's Forgotten Warriors: Frank Cheatham and his Confederate Division (1990).Connelly, Thomas Lawrence. Army of the Heartland; The Army of Tennessee, 1861-1862. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1967. Connelly, Thomas Lawrence. Autumn of Glory; The Army of Tennessee, 1862-1865. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1971. Horn, Stanley Fitzgerald. The Army of Tennessee. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1953. Horn, Stanley Fitzgerald. The Army of Tennessee. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1953. Hood, John Bell. Advance and Retreat Personal Experiences in the United States and Confederate States Armies. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996.

Confederate Generals born in Maine????

For the next blog or so I would like to update my readers on Civil War facts that they might not be aware of. There were two Confederate generals who were born in Maine but went on the serve the Confederacy. The first guy I would like to mention is Brigader General Danville Leadbetter who was born in 1811 in Leeds, Maine. Ironically, Leadbetter died in Clifton, Canada which was later renamed Niagara Falls, Canada. I grew up just 8 miles from Niagara Falls, New York not far from Leadbetter's final home.

Leadbetter went to West Point and graduated in 1836. AFter serving the United States army for 21 years he resigned and became an enginner for the state of Alabama. When the SOuth seceded in 1861 Leadbetter's expertise as a enginner was called upon by the Confederate army. I have been unable to located more infomation about his reasoning for serving the Confederacy and any other facts other than the basic stuff. According to Civil War notes Leadbetter told Longstreet to attack the Union fortications at Knoxville which ended in a Confederate defeat. Also, he constructed the rebel fortifications on Missionary Ridge that also resulted in a rebel defeat. He did serve in a few battles but his role as a battle commander are unknown to me.

I felt that Leadbetter would make a great addition to my blog and I hope you do too. I started off by saying that I wanted this blog to be a bit different and I am sorry to say that I drifted away from that a bit. Until next time America!

Sources:

http://www.mycivilwarnotes.com/?p=61

http://www.generalsandbrevets.com/ (for Leadbetter's photo)

John Sedgwick: A Forgotten Union Hero

Union General John Sedgwick was born in Cornwall Hollow, Connecticut on Sept 13, 1813. He was well educated and graduated from West Point in 1837 and ranked 24th in his class. He served faithfully in the Seminole Indian War in Florida and served with distinction in the war with Mexico. He along with future Confederate Generals James Longsreet and George Pickett helped defeat the Mexicans at the Battle of Chapultepec.Before the Civil War started he was promoted twice to replace Robert E. Lee. The second promotion came when Lee resigned from the U.S. Army.

Sedgwick rose from the rank of Lt. Colonel to lead a corps during the Civil War and he was among the small number of men from either side to do so. On July 4, 1862 he was awarded the rank of major general becoming one of the few men in American military history to rise so fast and so far. His command was the Union Sixth Corps and it was a position that he would maintain until his untimely death. In September of 1862 he was wounded three times during the Battle of Antietam and missed three weeks of the war to recover from these wounds. Until his death this would be the only war time that John Sedgewick would miss.After serving in the heavy fighting at Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville. During the Second Battle of Fredricksburg, Sedgwick led the forces that pushed the Confederates off of Mayre's Heights. After Hooker was whipped by Lee at Chancellorsville, President Lincoln offered the command of the Army of the Potomac to General Sedgwick. Both he and fellow corps commander John F. Reynolds refused to take command and opted to remain in command of their corps. Another corps commander named George Meade took the offer and the rest is history. Sedgwick furthered his legend by his timely arrival at Gettysburg during the wars bloodiest battle. His corps was held in reserve but his troops were in position to prevent any penetration by the Army of Northern Virginia.After the Gettysburg campaign, Sedgwick's Corps marched with a new commander named U.S. Grant.

After leading his men during the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864 his corps marched south to engage the Confederates at Spotsylvania Court House. While he placed his men into position a Confederate sharpshooter shot him dead. Just moments before Sedgwick was warned by his troops to take cover but he stated that "they couldn't hit a elephant at his distance". Well John must have grown a trunk because the rebel bullet wounded him just under his left eye. He died within minutes. The general was buried in his home town.The love that Sedgwicks men had for him was evident at Spotsylvania when many of them wept when they learned of his death. After the war several momuments and memorials were created in his honor including one at West Point. Also, Sedgwick is honored with statues at Spotsylvania near where he fell and on the battleground at Gettysburg. Today, General John Sedgwick remains virtually unknown to the average American.

He served in three wars and postive things always seemed to surround him. He was loved and respected by the troops under his command and his superior officers. So why don't more people know about John Sedgwich? Perhaps it is because he was a guy who just got the job done, didn't flaunt himself and since he didn't outlive the war he didn't make himself larger than life within his writings. Without a doubt, General Sedgwick deserves to be remembered as a great general and a great man. Its a shame that he isn't as revered as Sherman, Lee, Grant and Jackson.

Some great articles are here:http://www.sedgwick.org/na/families/robert1613/B/2/9/2/B292-sedgwick-john1813.html

Sources used:http://www.sedgwick.org/na/families/robert1613/B/2/9/2/B292-sedgwick-gen-john-article.htmlhttp://www.civilwarhome.com/sedgwickbio.htm

Further Reading:

Winslow, Richard Elliott. General John Sedgwick, the Story of a Union Corps Commander. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1982.

Sedgwick, John, George William Curtis, and Gary W. Gallagher. Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General. Army of the Potomac series, v. 24. Baltimore, MD: Butternut and Blue, 1999.

Connecticut, and Dwight C. Kilbourn. Dedication of the Equestrian Statue of Major-General John Sedgwick. Hartford: Pub. by the state, 1913.

George G. Meade: The "No respect General"

Last night as I continued my research on the 4th Alabama I came across a few lines about George Meade that caught my eye. It wasn't a fact that I was unaware of but have you ever been reminded of something and it clicked some information within your mind? General George G. Meade has never received his just due in history. Few historians rank him as a top General of the Civil War even though he commanded the Army of the Potomac longer than anybody and he defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg.

Meade took command of the Army of the Potomac in June of 1863 under extraordinary circumstances. The Army of Northern Virginia had just whipped the Union army at Fredericksburg in December 1862 and at Chancellorsville in May 1863. In fact, Lee had defeated or fought to a draw every Northern general to cross his path since taking command in June of 1862. So Meade had to face down the invincibility that Robert E. Lee had assumed in the the eyes of the public and foreign nations. Moreover, Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania was underway so he had the added pressure of beating an army that his forces had be unable to contain for nearly twelve months.

History tells us that Meade overcame these obstacles and Robert E. Lee was defeated on July 1-3 at Gettysburg. However, when you ask the common layman about the great generals of the Civil War they tend to mention Lee, Grant and Sherman. Meade is the forgotten man of the group, a great warrior and a tough soldier who doesn't get the credit that he so richly deserves. It should be noted that when Grant took command of all Union forces in 1864 he traveled with the Army of the Potomac to face Lee. General Grant kept Meade in command of the army but pulled all the strings. U.S. Grant's presence overshadowed Meade and helped make him a forgotten general.

Meade's military career was extraordinary because he served in three wars during his lifetime. During the Civil War he rose through the ranks from brigade command to army command in just two years. Meade had a terrible temper which earned little respect from the men serving in the ranks but amongst his fellow generals he was fairly respected. Many historians have accused Meade's lack of aggression but he preferred to calculate the risks and then make a decision. In many ways, Meade was the exact opposite of Robert E. Lee because he took his time and didn't over commit his forces. This lack of "aggression" emphasized Meades finest qualities as a commander which is the ability to adapt tactics.

I would argue that Meade was able to change with the times. During the Civil War the weapons had advanced warfare beyond the old style tactics that many officers still used. Just take a look at Picketts Charge and you will see Robert E. Lee using a strategy that was fairly outdated. The weapons were way ahead of the tactics. Military educators failed to emphasized Meade's unwillingness to attack fortified positions with frontal assualts as an intelligent decision. This could have been used during World War I when millions of Europeans and Americans were killed in attacks on fortifications.

Perhaps the thing that hurt Meade's image was his short lifespan after 1865. Meade died in 1872 after serving faithfully in various commands. These included; Military Division of the Atlantic, the Department of the East, and the Department of the South. Gettysburg didn't entrench itself within the national conscience until after Lee (who died in 1870) and Meade passed on into the next world. Therefore, Meade and his reputation didn't enjoy the celeberity that many Gettysburg heroes benefited from. Despite these facts there is one thing that the world cannot change and that is George G. Meade commanded the army that defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg and that victory helped pave the way for the defeat of the Confederacy. Meade might have summed up his own legacy in history when he discussed warfare itself by stating "War is very uncertain in its results, and often when affairs look most desperate they suddenly assume a more hopeful state." I hope that Meade's uncertainity in history has passed and that history will continue to view Meade in a postive light. I think it will.

More infomation on Meade can be found at http://www.civilwarhome.com/meadebio.htm

This is my 25th post. I hope that you have enjoyed all of my writings up to this point. More on the way.

The forgotten general of the Confederacy: Daniel H. Hill

General Daniel Harvey Hill (1821-1889) was the brother-in-law of "Stonewall" Jackson and served in the Confederate armed forces for the entire war. He was a brilliant man who taught mathematics at the college level. During the Mexican War, Hill served with distinction by earning two brevets before the conflict ended. Hill is a forgotten General in Civil War literature because he was transferred around due to his ability to "offend many and conciliate none." Confederate officer E. Porter Alexender said that Hill "had done as much hard fighting as any other general." Like more famous brother-in-law, Hill was extremely religious and "earnest in his Puritan beliefs." Hill led by example, often leading attacks at the front of his men and risking his life as much as his soldiers were risking theirs. At times Hill was known to shoulder a musket and fight in the ranks with his soldiers.

This uncommon bravery inspired hope, fortitude and courage among the common ranks of his soldiers who seemed willing to follow him to the death. Ordinary soldiers wrote frequently of Hills bravery in battle, a Texas soldier marveled at Hill's "true bravery and nerve" in combat. Major James N. Edmondson observed that Hill "in action & under fire he commands the admiration & respect of everyone." Another soldier wrote that Hill was "a determined bulldog fighter...a fighter from way back." These postive comments, though wonderful, do not fully explain the reasoning behind Hill's exclusion from talk about top Civil War commanders.

D.H. Hill's courage, zeal and heroism in battle did not guarantee him a place amongst the pantheon of Civil War heroes. His fighting prowess was rarely questioned but his sarcastic negativity towards fellow officers and situations put him at odds with a lot of people who later became responsible for a large portion of post-war Civil War literature. Hill was temperamental and G. Moxley Sorrel, an good judge of character who wrote a lot about the personality of Lee's generals wrote that Hill had a "marked and peculiar character." James Longstreet backed Sorrel's statements by stating that Hill lacked some backbone because when he could see that his attacks or criticisms were destined to fail he would give up if "unrewarded" initially. Robert E. Lee wrote that Hill was "an excellent executive officer" who when left to himself "seems embarrassed and backward to act."

The head of the Confederate ordinance department, Josiah Gorgas wrote that Hill was "harsh, abrupt, often insulting in the effort to be sarcastic." Therefore, Daniel Hill made enemies easily due to his often critical analysis of those in power above him. During the war a friend wrote that Hill was destroying "with his pen the reputation the reputation he has won with his sword." Hill's tendency to deliver pessimistic opinions caused him problems with such leaders as President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee. Hill had a disagreeably ability to pick a fight with the wrong people when he felt that he was personally and morally right. Throughout Hill was moved around because he quarreled or criticized the leaders above him but avoided total censure because of his marvelous fighting prowess.

During the conflict Hill moved up that officer ladder quickly by earning a commission as colonel of the 1st North Carolina. After his regiment, fought at Big Bethel, Virginia he was awarded the rank of brigadier general on July 10, 1861. This rank place him in the armies defending the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia and Hill would remain here for over a year. After serving faithfully during the Peninsular campaign, Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, Malvern Hill, South Mountain and Antietam. Historian Gary Gallagher feels that Hill's sharp criticism of Robert E. Lee during these campaigns is what caused his transfer out of the Army of Northern Virginia. He states that the battle would have been a complete victory if the artillery and infantry fought "in detail" and his attack failed because of "the want of concert with the infantry divisions." Furthermore, Hill called Lee's management of the Malvern Hill battle as "blundering." Lee's direct response to the criticism is unknown but after the Sharpsburg campaign Hill was transferred away from Virginia and he served in the North Carolina defenses. This would not be the last time that Hill was pushed out of a military position and face a new assignment.

During the Gettysburg campaign, Hill was recalled to help in the defense of Richmond as Robert E. Lee moved north. After a promotion he served with General Braxton Bragg's Army of the Tennessee during the Battle of Chickamauga. He later recommended Bragg's removal because Hill felt that his commanding general was incompetent. This placed it at odds with Confederate President Jefferson Davis who supported Bragg and removed Hill from command. This quarrel with Davis would later come back to haunt Hill as his opportunity to become a Lt. General went unapproved by the Confederate Congress with which Davis had influence over. Hill was moved again, this time back to North Carolina where he was given a small command in Bentonville. He would surrender with General Joseph Johnston and the Army of Tennesse to Union General William T. Sherman in 1865. After the war he ran a newspaper and magazine in North Carolina, wrote two marvelous articles in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War and also contributed to algebra and religious literature. He also served as a college administrator becoming the first president of the University of Arkansas. Hill died on September 24, 1889 and is buried in North Carolina at the Davidson College Cemetery.

General Daniel Harvey Hill was a great leader who easily found ways to get into trouble with his superiors. One wonders how far Hill's fame would have risen had he been able to keep his mouth and pen quiet. But he was a man who stood by his beliefs despite the ideas of those around him. Perhaps he summed up his attitudes best when he wrote "It is unfortunate to have views different from the rest of mankind. It secures abuse."

The above information was take from these three sources:

Boatner, Mark Mayo, Allen C. Northrop, and Lowell I. Miller. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: D. McKay Co, 1959.

Bridges, Hal., Lee's Maverick General. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. 1991.

http://www.cmhpf.org/personalities/DHHill.html