Mr. Stanton Finds a Job
From the Editor: After being banished to Siberia by President Lincoln, Simon Cameron is on his way to his new post as Minister to Russia. Lincoln wastes little time in casting about for a successor and decides upon Edwin McMasters Stanton, who had been Cameron's legal advisor. In addition to bringing boundless energy to the job, Stanton is also unswervingly honest and open in his handling of military contracts. Unfortunately, until recently he referred to Lincoln as "that long-armed creature," "the original gorilla," and “a low cunning clown,” and it remains to be seen how well he can fit in with Lincoln's official family. (1) Lincoln himself said that Stanton reminded him of an old Methodist preacher who got so wrought up in his prayers that his congregation was obliged to put bricks in his pockets to hold him down. He quipped, "We may have to serve Stanton the same way, but I guess we'll let him jump a while first." (2) Stanton brings fire and bombast to Lincoln's cabinet, but it is his relentless efficiency that becomes his most important imprint on the war. In the West, Confederate Albert Sidney Johnston, who has been in command for the last nine months, has cobbled together a defensive front that covers over 300 miles--from the Mississippi River to the Cumberland Gap. Yet, all his efforts are hanging from a thread, and that thread is Felix Kirk Zollicoffer. An ex-newspaperman, Zollicoffer brings his own brand of fiery zeal which, unfortunately, is intertwined with a complete lack of military training. He had been ordered to Mill Springs, Kentucky, but instead crossed the Cumberland River and set up camp at Beech Grove. Ordered to retreat to the south side of the river, Zollicoffer demurs until he can make his case to his commander George Crittenden in person. However, that may be too late as Union General George Thomas is on the move.
January 12, 1862 (Sunday)
The Union Army shows increasing signs that it is waking from its self-imposed slumber and it is only a matter of time before they begin to challenge the Confederate defenses in Kentucky and Tennessee. Colonel Benjamin Hardin Helm, First Kentucky Cavalry, and President Lincoln’s brother-in-law, reports: “I have [learned] that from 2,500 to 3,000 of the enemy have left Columbia for Burkesville; that two or three more regiments have left the same place with the intention of marching to some point on the Cumberland River above the position occupied by General [Felix] Zollicoffer.” Raising the alarm even further, Helm continues: “I understand that General Zollicoffer's force is at Mill Creek, about...20 miles above Burkesville. If such is the case, the enemy have gone to Burkesville for the purpose of cutting off his supplies up the Cumberland River.”
HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT, Columbus, Ky., January 12, 1862.
General A. SIDNEY JOHNSTON, Commanding Western Department, Bowling Green, Ky.: I think it proper to say to you that the preparations of the enemy which have been so long on foot for an attack on this place seem now to have been completed, and I am advised of his purpose to make that attack in the next three or four days.... My information is that they intend to move on New Madrid with one column, on Union City, via Feliciana, with another, and on this place with a third.... This information I believe is reliable.... My own force...amounts to about 12,800 men ready for duty. You will see we require support. If you could give it, it would be timely and acceptable. Respectfully, your obedient servant,
[Leonidas] POLK, Major-General, Commanding. [First Division, Western Department].
Leonidas Polk, commanding at Columbus, Kentucky, grows increasingly worried about his position. He writes: “The time for the enemy's attack on this post, for which he has been making such formidable preparations, is at hand. I have reason to believe he will attack by land and water in a few days.” Ulysses S. Grant, District of Cairo, is also interested in the Confederate defenses at Columbus. He writes to his commander Henry Halleck, Department of the Missouri: “I have just learned...that seven regiments have left Columbus recently for Bowling Green. I am now inclined to believe that the garrison of Columbus is now weaker than it has been for several months back.” To counter the threats to his front, Albert Sidney Johnston is forced to shift troops from one command to another to counter shifting Union pressure. However, when Colonel Winfield Statham, 15th Mississippi, requests a transfer from Beech Grove to Bowling Green, Kentucky, his request is denied.
Headquarters Western Department Bowling Green, January 12, 1862. Col W.S. Statham, Comdg. Fifteenth Regt. Miss. Vols.
Hdqrs. Gen Zollicoffer, Upper Cumberland: Your application for the removal of your regiment to this place has been received by General Johnston. Fully appreciating both the past hardships of your regiment and the motives which induced the application he cannot comply at this time. The position of General Zollicoffer is too important and too exposed to permit of any reduction of force, particularly so great a reduction as the removal of your regiment would be. The general is satisfied that you will soon have an opportunity under General Z. of contributing to turn back the invaders of the South. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
[William] W. Mackall, Assistant Adjutant-General
From Springfield, Missouri, Sterling Price, commanding the Missouri State Guard, writes directly to Henry Halleck to complain about the use of capital punishment on captured Confederate guerilla fighters. “It is necessary that we understand each other and have some guiding knowledge of that character of warfare which is to be waged by our respective governments.... Do you intend to regard members of this army as persons deserving death whenever and wherever they may be captured or will you extend the recognized rights of prisoners of war by the code of the civilized world?”
HEADQUARTERS MISSOURI STATE GUARD, Camp at Springfield, January 12, 1862.
Maj. Gen. H.W. HALLECK, Commanding U.S. Forces in the Western Department: I have received information that...officers and privates--belonging to this army have been taken prisoners on the Kansas border and…have been shot. In some cases I have learned that my discharged soldiers have been seized...and that they have been...forced into a servitude unknown to international and civilized usages in such cases. I have obtained information that individuals and parties of men specially appointed and instructed by me to destroy railroads, culverts and bridges by tearing them up, burning, &c., have been arrested and subjected to a general court-martial for alleged crimes which all the laws of warfare heretofore recognized by the civilized world have regarded as distinctly lawful and proper. I have learned that such persons when tried, if convicted of the offense or offenses as stated, are viewed as lawful subjects for capital punishment. This understanding should be given at once.... No man deplores the horrors of war more than I do; no one will sacrifice more to avert its desolating march.... It remains with you to decide the question with that frankness which attends your official communications. I await your reply. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
STERLING PRICE, Major-General, Commanding Missouri State Guard.
Other Union activity reported on this date:
1. From Camp Baker (MD), on the lower Potomac River, Jos. Hooker reports “the Pensacola passed the batteries about 5 o’clock this morning unharmed.”
2. U.S. Grant reports “three of the enemy’s gunboats came up to reconnoiter” Fort Jefferson (KY), but “did not venture near enough to see our position.”
3. Colonel E. Siber, 37th Illinois, leads an expedition to Logan Court-House and the Guyandotte Valley (VA). Siber is after a gang called the Black Striped Company, “which may number about 60 or 70 men” of the “poorest class.”
4. From Fort Taylor, in Key West (FL), Captain E.B. Hunt, Corps of Engineers, requests “100 to 200 able-bodied contrabands” to “labor on the fort.” According to Hunt, there are “thousands of confiscated and derelict negroes” at Fort Monroe (VA).
Other Confederate activity reported on this date:
1. Secretary Benjamin informs Florida Governor Milton no arms can be sent “unless there be indications of an expedition against your State.” He explains, “I must give preference to points actually attacked over those that are only exposed to attack.”
2. J.E. Johnston “regrets” to inform D.H. Hill, commanding at Leesburg (VA), he is unable to send a “suitable engineer” as “there is only one officer of engineers on duty.”
3. According to information received from C.S. spies, “the Pensacola frigate; armed with the largest Dahlgren guns, is under orders to proceed down the Potomac, with other gunboats, to force the batteries on the Virginia side.”
January 13, 1862 (Monday)
Ambrose E. Burnside's fleet reached Cape Henry two days ago and has continued to sail southward to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Just as the fleet is trying to pass into Hatteras Inlet, it is hit by a fierce nor’easter. Some ships are able to enter the inlet in comparative safety; some put out to sea to ride out the storm, and others use double anchors and full chains to prevent grounding in the swirling storm. Several ships are lost in the storm including the City of New York, which is loaded with ammunition, The Grapeshot, a floating battery, the army gunboat Zouave and the schooner T.P. Larned. The storm is expected to last for several days.
Report of Brig. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, Commanding Expedition.
GENERAL: We left our anchorage at Annapolis… and after a protracted passage, owing to dense fogs, arrived at Fort Monroe Friday night at 12 o'clock. Leaving Fort Monroe on Saturday at 10 pm we proceeded at once to sea, but owing to fogs on Sunday and Sunday night our progress was very slow.... The weather cleared; but a very heavy wind and rough sea caused many of our vessels to labor very heavily, and some were obliged to cut loose from the vessels they were towing. Most of them, however, came over the bar and anchored inside the harbor...just in time to escape the severe gale of Monday night…. The channel to the sound is very crooked and shallow, there being on the bar at full tide only 8 feet, while many of our vessels are drawing from 8 to 10 when not loaded. I confess to having been deceived as to the depth of water in the channel and on the bar, and had supposed that any vessel in the fleet could easily pass over, but, on the contrary, it has taken every vessel that has gone over from one to two days to cross, and some it will be entirely impossible to get over. It is positively necessary that we have sent us at once powerful tug-boats, drawing not over 6 or 6½ feet. The strength of the tide and the heavy winds that prevail here incessantly render it impossible to accomplish anything without these boat…. I am, general, your very obedient servant,
A.E. BURNSIDE, Major-General.
Other Union activity reported on this date:
1. E.M. Stanton is appointed by President Lincoln to be the new Secretary of War.
2. G.B. McClellan writes to D.C. Buell, Dept. of the Ohio: “You have no idea of the pressure brought to bear here upon the Government for a forward movement. It is so strong that it seems absolutely necessary to make the advance on Eastern Tennessee at once.”
3. H.W. Halleck reports he is “quite sick with camp measles,” but will not “let the public service suffer.”
4. “After two days of the hardest work,” G.H. Thomas reports he has reached Webb’s Cross Roads (KY) “with the advance brigade” of his division. He informs A.F. Schoepf, commanding at Somerset, “heavy rains have injured the roads so much that it will be impossible to say now when I can be in your vicinity.”
5. R.H. Milroy, 2nd Brig., Cheat Mountain Dist., reports “a million dollars’ worth of Government property” at the “four posts of Beverly, Huttonsville, Elk Water, and Cheat Mountain (VA).
6. A.E. Burnside assumes official command the Dept. of North Carolina
7. Upon learning the paymaster has been “detained,” and no funds will be sent to the Dept. of New Mexico until next spring, Colonel E.R.S. Canby warns “the consequences will be in the highest degree injurious.”
8. Lt. J.L. Warden, U.S.N., is ordered to take command of the U.S.S. Monitor, nearing completion in New York harbor.
9. The D'Epineuil Zouaves, aboard the sailing bark John Trucks, are towed down the Chesapeake Bay to Fort Monroe (VA) after running aground at Cove Point.
Other Confederate activity reported on this date:
1. Secretary Benjamin makes “arrangements” for “running in the cargo of arms and ammunition now on board the Gladiator.” He asks R.E. Lee, Dept. of S.C., to place a “couple of moderate sized guns” at New Smyrna (FL), “to protect the landing.”
2. Alabama Governor Shorter writes to Secretary Benjamin after a recent visit to the “forts and encampments” near Mobile: “[I] deem it my duty [to report] the great need of munitions for the defense of our coast.”
3. Ben. Huger, Dept. of Norfolk, assures Dist. of the Albemarle commander H.A. Wise his “requisition for means to carry on all necessary work at Roanoke Island will be approved.” Huger instructs Wise to establish batteries at the marshes on the south end of the island and writes: “Guns at these marshes [will] prevent any landing.”
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