Milk and Water Spirit
From the editor: The approach taken by the Confederate high command to the war effort is irrevocably changed by the papers found upon Ulric Dahlgren's dead body. The unwritten message in the documents is clear. This is to be a war without quarter and without standards. Whatever illusions that may have remained of the 18th century rules of warfare left after John Pope's infamous address in 1862, the shelling of Charleston on Christmas Day 1863, and Sherman's fiery raid on Meridian last month, disappeared with the words: "Destroy & burn the hateful City & do not allow the Rebel Leader Davis and his traitorous crew to escape." The capture of President Davis was a stated goal of Benjamin Butler's aborted raid last month, but the President, as the commander of the Rebel armies, is a legitimate military goal; political assassination is not. It is no coincidence that within five months of the raid an actor named John Wilkes Booth was recruited by the Confederate Secret Service to help kidnap President Lincoln. The entire Kilpatrick-Dahlgren operation bears the fingerprints of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. George Meade makes a halfhearted effort to disavow any official sanction of the Dahlgren papers, but the claim of forgery is made mainly for the consumption of the Northern public. In December 1865, Stanton covers his tracks for good when he dispatches an aide to bring all the original documents to his office. They have not been seen since. However, the legacy remained as expressed by the editors of the Richmond Sentinel: "If the Confederate capital has been in the closest danger of massacre and conflagration; if the President and Cabinet have run a serious risk of being hanged at their own door, do we not owe it chiefly to the milk-and-water spirit in which this war has hitherto been conducted?"
February 28 1864 (Sunday)
Eager to begin his next campaign, Army of the Tennessee commander William T. Sherman boards a steamer and heads for New Orleans to confer with Department of the Gulf commander Nathanial Banks about the upcoming Red River expedition. He writes: "[Ulysses S. Grant's] orders are silent, but I infer that if Banks makes the expedition we are to be auxiliary, in which event I propose to send … [Stephen Hurlbut's 16th Corps] ...; but to make matters clear I will take a fleet steamer and run down to Red River to see [Admiral David D. Porter] and thence to New Orleans." ‘Cump’ Sherman also leaves orders for his army, still in the field at Canton, Mississippi, to return to Vicksburg to get ready for the expedition. "The chief quartermaster of the department will collect a number of steamboats suitable for the Red River of a capacity to transport 10,000 men, with artillery, ordnance, and subsistence stores for thirty days' operations, to be ready at Vicksburg by March 7." The first breakdown in the combined operation is Department of Arkansas commander Frederick Steele's assertion that his troops are not needed for the success of the project. Steele writes to Banks: "It is my opinion that if you and Sherman move up Red with what force, you can muster…they will run to Texas."
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Little Rock, Ark., February 28, 1864.
Maj. Gen. N.P. BANKS, Commanding Department of the Gulf: I did not anticipate being called upon to move at so early a day…. Several of my veteran regiments are on furlough and several others demand that the promises under which they enlisted shall be fulfilled. An election for State officers is ordered…and the President is very anxious it should be a success. Without the assistance of the troops to distribute the poll-books, with the oath of allegiance, and to protect the voters at the polls, it cannot succeed.... If I should move by way of Monroe…it would leave Missouri open to another cavalry raid, and I think the rebels would certainly take advantage of it…. The rebel troops are becoming more demoralized every day than they were the day previous. Their officers have no confidence in them, and I believe they will desert to us by the thousand the first opportunity. I have ordered out a cavalry scouting party in considerable force, with orders to distribute 3,000 copies of the amnesty proclamation among them…. Very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,
FRED'K STEELE, Major-general.
Army of the Potomac commander George Meade informs his corps commanders that Judson Kilpatrick will begin his cavalry raid on Richmond tonight. "General Kilpatrick will...cross the Rapidan at the lower fords, and turning the enemy's right flank operate in his rear…. He will withdraw all the supports and reserves of his picket-line, but will leave his pickets." At 11:00 p.m., Kilpatrick's troopers cross the Rapidan River. He reports: "My advance captured the picket and reserve of the enemy at Ely's Ford…. It was a complete surprise. No alarm has been given. The enemy does not anticipate our movement. My command is crossing in good order." Leading the advance is twenty-one year old Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, the son of Admiral John A. Dahlgren. Although he has no command experience, Dahlgren did distinguish himself at Gettysburg where he suffered wounds which resulted in the amputation of his right leg.
Report of Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, U.S. Army, commanding expedition.
Sir: I left my camp at Stevensburg at 7 o'clock Sunday evening..., with 2,375 men and [Captain Dunbar R. Ransom's U.S. Horse Artillery] (six pieces), and detachments from the First and Second Cavalry Divisions.... My advance, consisting of 460 men, under Colonel Dahlgren, reached Ely's Ford at 11 p.m., crossed, surprised, and captured the enemy's picket, consisting of 2 officers and 14 men. Colonel Dahlgren was then ordered to move rapidly forward, by way of Spotsylvania Court-House, to Frederick's Hall, on the Virginia Central Railroad, and thence to a point above Goochland, on the James River, cross the river, move down the opposite bank, and, if possible, be in position to seize the main bridge that led to the city of Richmond, at 10 o'clock Tuesday, March 1.... Very respectfully,J. KILPATRICK, Brigadier-General.
Other Union activity reported on this date:
1. G.A. Custer reports he left Pony Mountain and “marched to the vicinity of Madison Court-House [Virginia],” where he bivouacked for the night.
Other Confederate activity reported on this date:
1. John Bell Hood takes command of a corps in the Army of Tennessee, composed of the division of T.C. Hindman, C.L. Stevenson, and A.P. Stewart divisions.
2. L.S. Ross, Texas Brigade, reports “gunboats and transports” are “coming up the Yazoo River” near Yazoo City.
February 29 1864 (Monday)
John Sedgwick's Sixth Corps and George Custer's cavalry brigade provide a diversion for Judson Kilpatrick's raiders. Sedgwick reports: "General Custer, with his command, moved forward at 2 o'clock this morning. The enemy, it appears, have no infantry on this side of the Rapidan, and very little if any cavalry. I have sent another brigade across the river." With little opposition, Kilpatrick makes good time on his approach to Richmond. He reports: "I pressed rapidly forward with the main column, passed Spotsylvania Court-House at daylight, reached and destroyed Beaver Dam Station at 1 p.m., and after destroying the road to a considerable extent, moved rapidly forward in the direction of Richmond, and went into camp early in the evening 9 miles from Ground Squirrel Bridge, over the South Anna." Colonel George H. Sharpe of the Bureau of Military Intelligence finds a suitable guide for Colonel Dahlgren; a slave from a nearby plantation named Martin Robinson. He writes: "At the last moment I have found the man you want; well acquainted with the James River from Richmond up…. Question him five minutes, and you will find him the very man you want." Dahlgren's 500 troopers then peel away from Kilpatrick's column, for a wide swing to the west, aiming for the James River twenty-five miles above Richmond. Captain Joseph Gloskoski, 29th New York, reports: "We moved as fast as our horses could walk, making halts of fifteen minutes twice every twenty-four hours…. Colonel Dahlgren with his command took [a] direct road toward Frederick's Hall, while we moved to Beaver Dam Station."
Report of Capt. Joseph Gloskoski, Twenty-ninth New York Infantry, Acting Signal Officer.
CAPTAIN: [The] first night of our march was beautiful. Myriads of stars twinkled in heaven, looking at us as if in wonder why should we break the laws of God and wander at night instead of seeking repose and sleep. The moon threw its silvery light upon Rapidan waters…and it seemed as if the Almighty Judge was looking silently upon our doings.... By the time we reached Beaver Dam Station it grew dark and rain began to fall…. Now it stormed in earnest. Sharp wind and sleet forced men to close their eyes. The night was so dark that even the river in front could not be seen and trees on the roadside could not be distinguished. So complete darkness I never saw. Men depended entirely on the instinct of their horses, and the whole command on a negro to guide them. Stopping for a short time I sent up by order of General Kilpatrick several rockets, but of course received no reply. No rockets could be seen for any distance on such a night as that.... Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. GLOSKOSKI, Captain and Acting Signal Officer.
The first reports of the Union raid reach Wade Hampton's Cavalry Division headquarters at 11:30 a.m. He forwards the information to cavalry commander J.E.B. Stuart: "Last night Kilpatrick received marching orders; three days' rations. Passed Sheppard's, near Madden's. Supposed to be coming to Ely's Ford.... Whole army seems in motion." George Custer's raid on Charlottesville holds the Rebel cavalry in place until 10:30 p.m., when Hampton sends another message. "Enemy were at Beaver Dam at 7 o'clock. North Carolina brigade has moved down with artillery. Have ordered Maryland cavalry to join me." Hampton hastily gathers all the cavalry in the vicinity and heads toward Mount Carmel Church.
Report of Capt. L.B. Anderson, North Anna Home Guards.
DEAR SIR: Returning...from visiting a patient [I heard] that the vandals were at Beaver Dam Depot. I pushed on home, collecting my men as I went, and at 9 o'clock I moved off with 17 men.... Ascertaining at 10 o'clock at night that the enemy had moved from Beaver Dam, in what direction the pickets, who were stationed 4½ miles below, could not tell, we moved through woods, plantations, &c., avoiding all roads, though the night was intensely dark and rainy, until we saw the camp-fires of the foes. Leaving the horses and the men, three of us marched on foot through dense forest and morass and gained a position from which we had a view of the whole line of encampment.... The signals for preparation and marching having been thrown up, we discovered the whole line in motion. Returning to our horses we rapidly moved across three farms and gained a position on the Fork Church road, leading directly toward South Anna railroad bridge. Two men were placed immediately on the road and the remainder drawn up a few paces in their rear. In five minutes the head of the column reached our position. The men were anxious to fire into the enemy, but were prohibited on the ground that they were marching into a trap from which it was scarcely possible for any to escape. The utmost caution was observed in retiring from our position, in order that the enemy might not know that their movements were observed.... Pardon me for this long and rough report of the doings of the noble little band which has honored [me] as their commander.
L.B. ANDERSON, Capt. North Anna Home Guards, now known as Mounted Rifles.
Other Union activity reported on this date:
1. The U.S Congress passes an Act “reviving the grade of lieutenant-general in the United States Army.”
2. Franz Sigel is “assigned to the command of the Department of West Virginia.”
2. Colonel A.I. Root, 15th New York Cavalry, leads an expedition to Petersburg to destroy the saltpeter-works near Franklin, West Virginia. He reports: “[I] completely destroyed the buildings and all the materials for carrying on the works.”
Other Confederate activity reported on this date:
1. J.E. Johnston rewards the gallant conduct of Private Charles Renig, 15th Tennessee, who held off “200 disorderly soldiers” who threatened to “seize the stores” of a depot in Dalton, Georgia. Johnston writes: “He kept them at bay until a guard sent to disperse the crowd arrived and drove them off.”
2. Alfred Iverson is ordered to Dalton, Georgia, to take command of a brigade of cavalry in W.T. Martin’s cavalry division.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to This Week in the Civil War to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.