Posted on Mar 17, 2016
What happened on March 17 during the U.S. Civil War?
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On St Patrick’s day in the Civil War in 1862, Gen U.S. Grant prepared a campaign which would lead to the Battle of Shiloh in early April and George McClellan and his troops boarded trains as they began the Peninsular campaign.
In 1863 the six surviving members of Andrews Raiders were exchanged for Confederate soldiers – each was awarded the MOH. In 1863 a southern hero John "The Gallant" Pelham was killed at Kelly's Ford, Virginia. That battle was the high water mark of Confederate cavalry dominance.
In 1863 the six surviving members of Andrews Raiders were exchanged for Confederate soldiers – each was awarded the MOH. In 1863 a southern hero John "The Gallant" Pelham was killed at Kelly's Ford, Virginia. That battle was the high water mark of Confederate cavalry dominance.
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Civil War
Medal of Honor
Civil War Medal of Honor
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I don't know about the rest, LTC Stephen F., but I know that "the gallant Pelham" fell at Kelly's Ford on March 17, 1863. I have passed by his statue at City Cemetery in Jacksonville, AL many times. I have stayed at Pelham Place on old Fort McClellan (the north area now controlled by the ALARNG). The living room is filled with prints and books memorializing the life of John Pelham. Pelham Range (adjacent to old Fort McClellan) has state of the art training facilities, is still in use to this day, and of course, is named for "the gallant Pelham".
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St Patrick’s day in the Civil War marked the high water mark of Confederate cavalry dominance. Although Kelly’s Ford was a Union defeat, it signaled a new phase of the cavalry war in the East. In the fall of 1862 the Union cavalry fought their Confederate counterparts to a standstill at Brandy Station, Virginia and then scored a major victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1863. Prisoner exchange in 1863 showed that the Union considered the Confederacy to be a nation which would honor an exchange. [Imagine if ISIS and Al Qaeda were as honorable as the CSA.]
Since RallyPoint truncates survey selection text I am posting the full text of each survey choice below:
1. Monday, March 17, 1862 Union General Ulysses S. Grant resumes command of field forces in Tennessee, setting up his headquarters at Savannah, Tennessee. Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee is occupied by Union troops. The Battle of Shiloh is less than a month away.
Grant's Army of the Tennessee of 44,895 men consisted of six divisions, led by Maj. Gens. John A. McClernand and Lew Wallace, and Brig. Gens. W. H. L. Wallace, Stephen A. Hurlbut, William T. Sherman, and Benjamin M. Prentiss.
Of the six divisions encamped on the western side of the Tennessee River in early April, only Lew Wallace's 3rd Division was at Crump's Landing; the remainder were farther south (upriver) at Pittsburg Landing. Grant developed a reputation during the war for being more concerned with his own plans than with those of the enemy. His encampment at Pittsburg Landing displayed his most consequential lack of such concern—his army was spread out in bivouac style, with many of his men surrounding a small, log meetinghouse named Shiloh Church (Shiloh is a Hebrew word meaning "place of peace"), passing the time waiting for Buell's army with drills for his many raw troops, without establishing entrenchments or other significant defensive measures. In his memoirs, Grant reacted to criticism of his lack of entrenchments: "Besides this, the troops with me, officers and men, needed discipline and drill more than they did experience with the pick, shovel and axe. ... under all these circumstances I concluded that drill and discipline were worth more to our men than fortifications." Lew Wallace's division was 5 miles (8.0 km) downstream (north) from Pittsburg Landing, at Crump's Landing, a position intended to prevent the placement of Confederate river batteries, to protect the road connecting Crump's Landing to Bethel Station, Tennessee, and to guard the Union army's right flank. In addition, Wallace's troops could strike the railroad line connecting Bethel Station to Corinth, about 20 miles (32 km) to the south.
2. Monday, March 17, 1862 Union General George McClellan and the Army of the Potomac board trains in Alexandria, Virginia to Fort Monroe as they begin the Peninsular campaign. McClellan, confident that the Monitor could hold off any advance against his transports by the Confederate ironclad and facing Lincoln's deadline to move against the enemy, proceeded with his campaign. He began shipping his 121,500-strong army with all of its supplies and armaments to Fort Monroe on March 17, 1862, intending to move against Richmond by way of the York River. The Army of the Potomac was the largest army to conduct an amphibious operation in North America. The grand army was bigger than any city in Virginia.
Confederate prospects looked bleak as McClellan moved his massive army to the Peninsula. Brigadier General Ambrose Burnside's troops were finalizing their conquest of eastern North Carolina and Union forces appeared invincible along the Mississippi River. Many Southerners feared that if Richmond were to fall, the Confederacy might collapse. Confederate hopes were pinned on the ability of the C.S.S. Virginia to hold Hampton Roads, and Major General John Bankhead Magruder's small "Army of the Peninsula" to delay the Union juggernaut's advance toward Richmond.
3. March 17, 1863 Engagement at Kelly's Ford, Virginia. Federal cavalry under William Woods Averall crossed the ford of the Rappahannock River then ran into a Rebel line. After brief but heavy fighting, the Yankees withdrew that afternoon. Major John "The Gallant" Pelham [CS] was killed in this battle. He would posthumously be promoted to Lt. Colonel.
On this day in 1863, Union cavalry attack Confederate cavalry at Kelly’s Ford, Virginia. Although the Yankees were pushed back and failed to take any ground, the engagement proved that the Federal troopers could hold their own against their Rebel counterparts.
In the war’s first two years, Union cavalry fared poorly in combat. This was especially true in the Eastern theater, where Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart boasted an outstanding force comprised of excellent horsemen. On several occasions, Stuart embarrassed the Union cavalry with his daring exploits. During the Peninsular Campaign of 1862, Stuart rode around the entire 100,000-man Union army in four days. Later that year, he made a daring raid to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and returned unmolested to Virginia after inflicting significant damage and capturing tons of supplies. In February 1863, a raid by General Fitzhugh Lee (son of Confederate commander Robert E. Lee) left the Federals running in circles in search of the enemy force.
Now, General Joseph Hooker assumed command of the Federal Army of the Potomac. He sought to bring an end to the Confederate raids by stopping Stuart’s cavalry. Hooker assigned General William Averell to attack the Rebel cavalry near Culpeper Court House, Virginia. Averall assembled 3,000 men for the mission, but left 900 behind to protect against a rumored Confederate presence near Catlett’s Station. Averell led the rest of his men towards Kelly’s Ford, a crossing of the Rappahannock River east of Culpeper Court House. Fitzhugh Lee learned of the advance and positioned his cavalry brigade, which was part of Stuart’s corps, to block the ford and dig rifle pits above the river.
On the morning of March 17, Averell’s men reached Kelly’s Ford and were welcomed by fire from 60 Confederate sharpshooters. It took four attacks for Averell’s men to capture the rifle pits and by noon the entire force was across the Rappahannock. Now, Fitzhugh Lee arrived with 800 troopers and two pieces of artillery. As the Confederates approached, the cautious Averell ordered his men to form a defensive line, thus giving the initiative to the Confederates. Lee arrived and ordered his men to attack, but Yankee fire drove them back. He attacked again and was again repulsed. Averell had a chance to score a major rout with a counterattack, but he instead withdrew across the Rappahannock River. He later said that the arrival of Stuart on the battlefield signaled the possible approach of additional Confederate cavalry.
Averell lost 78 men killed, wounded, and captured during the day’s fighting. The Confederates lost a total of 133 men. Among the Rebel dead was Major John Pelham, perhaps the best artillery officer in the Confederate army. He happened to be visiting Stuart when the battle began, and rode forward to see the action. Pelham was mortally wounded by a shell splinter as he observed the Confederate attacks in the afternoon. Although Kelly’s Ford was a Union defeat, it signaled a new phase of the cavalry war in the East. The Yankees were closing the gap with the Confederate horsemen. In the next four months, the Union cavalry fought their Confederate counterparts to a standstill at Brandy Station, Virginia, and then scored a major victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
4. March 17, 1864 William Tecumseh Sherman, meeting with Grant in Nashville, is promoted to Military Division of the Mississippi commanding the Department of the Ohio, Department of the Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland and the Department of the Arkansas. Major General James McPherson is promoted to Sherman's old position, commander of the Army of the Tennessee.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) CPT L S CW5 (Join to see) CSM Charles Hayden SFC William Swartz Jr SP6 Clifford Ward PO1 John Miller PO2 William Allen Crowder SSgt Alex Robinson SGT Randal Groover SrA Christopher Wright SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC Corbin Sayi
Since RallyPoint truncates survey selection text I am posting the full text of each survey choice below:
1. Monday, March 17, 1862 Union General Ulysses S. Grant resumes command of field forces in Tennessee, setting up his headquarters at Savannah, Tennessee. Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee is occupied by Union troops. The Battle of Shiloh is less than a month away.
Grant's Army of the Tennessee of 44,895 men consisted of six divisions, led by Maj. Gens. John A. McClernand and Lew Wallace, and Brig. Gens. W. H. L. Wallace, Stephen A. Hurlbut, William T. Sherman, and Benjamin M. Prentiss.
Of the six divisions encamped on the western side of the Tennessee River in early April, only Lew Wallace's 3rd Division was at Crump's Landing; the remainder were farther south (upriver) at Pittsburg Landing. Grant developed a reputation during the war for being more concerned with his own plans than with those of the enemy. His encampment at Pittsburg Landing displayed his most consequential lack of such concern—his army was spread out in bivouac style, with many of his men surrounding a small, log meetinghouse named Shiloh Church (Shiloh is a Hebrew word meaning "place of peace"), passing the time waiting for Buell's army with drills for his many raw troops, without establishing entrenchments or other significant defensive measures. In his memoirs, Grant reacted to criticism of his lack of entrenchments: "Besides this, the troops with me, officers and men, needed discipline and drill more than they did experience with the pick, shovel and axe. ... under all these circumstances I concluded that drill and discipline were worth more to our men than fortifications." Lew Wallace's division was 5 miles (8.0 km) downstream (north) from Pittsburg Landing, at Crump's Landing, a position intended to prevent the placement of Confederate river batteries, to protect the road connecting Crump's Landing to Bethel Station, Tennessee, and to guard the Union army's right flank. In addition, Wallace's troops could strike the railroad line connecting Bethel Station to Corinth, about 20 miles (32 km) to the south.
2. Monday, March 17, 1862 Union General George McClellan and the Army of the Potomac board trains in Alexandria, Virginia to Fort Monroe as they begin the Peninsular campaign. McClellan, confident that the Monitor could hold off any advance against his transports by the Confederate ironclad and facing Lincoln's deadline to move against the enemy, proceeded with his campaign. He began shipping his 121,500-strong army with all of its supplies and armaments to Fort Monroe on March 17, 1862, intending to move against Richmond by way of the York River. The Army of the Potomac was the largest army to conduct an amphibious operation in North America. The grand army was bigger than any city in Virginia.
Confederate prospects looked bleak as McClellan moved his massive army to the Peninsula. Brigadier General Ambrose Burnside's troops were finalizing their conquest of eastern North Carolina and Union forces appeared invincible along the Mississippi River. Many Southerners feared that if Richmond were to fall, the Confederacy might collapse. Confederate hopes were pinned on the ability of the C.S.S. Virginia to hold Hampton Roads, and Major General John Bankhead Magruder's small "Army of the Peninsula" to delay the Union juggernaut's advance toward Richmond.
3. March 17, 1863 Engagement at Kelly's Ford, Virginia. Federal cavalry under William Woods Averall crossed the ford of the Rappahannock River then ran into a Rebel line. After brief but heavy fighting, the Yankees withdrew that afternoon. Major John "The Gallant" Pelham [CS] was killed in this battle. He would posthumously be promoted to Lt. Colonel.
On this day in 1863, Union cavalry attack Confederate cavalry at Kelly’s Ford, Virginia. Although the Yankees were pushed back and failed to take any ground, the engagement proved that the Federal troopers could hold their own against their Rebel counterparts.
In the war’s first two years, Union cavalry fared poorly in combat. This was especially true in the Eastern theater, where Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart boasted an outstanding force comprised of excellent horsemen. On several occasions, Stuart embarrassed the Union cavalry with his daring exploits. During the Peninsular Campaign of 1862, Stuart rode around the entire 100,000-man Union army in four days. Later that year, he made a daring raid to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and returned unmolested to Virginia after inflicting significant damage and capturing tons of supplies. In February 1863, a raid by General Fitzhugh Lee (son of Confederate commander Robert E. Lee) left the Federals running in circles in search of the enemy force.
Now, General Joseph Hooker assumed command of the Federal Army of the Potomac. He sought to bring an end to the Confederate raids by stopping Stuart’s cavalry. Hooker assigned General William Averell to attack the Rebel cavalry near Culpeper Court House, Virginia. Averall assembled 3,000 men for the mission, but left 900 behind to protect against a rumored Confederate presence near Catlett’s Station. Averell led the rest of his men towards Kelly’s Ford, a crossing of the Rappahannock River east of Culpeper Court House. Fitzhugh Lee learned of the advance and positioned his cavalry brigade, which was part of Stuart’s corps, to block the ford and dig rifle pits above the river.
On the morning of March 17, Averell’s men reached Kelly’s Ford and were welcomed by fire from 60 Confederate sharpshooters. It took four attacks for Averell’s men to capture the rifle pits and by noon the entire force was across the Rappahannock. Now, Fitzhugh Lee arrived with 800 troopers and two pieces of artillery. As the Confederates approached, the cautious Averell ordered his men to form a defensive line, thus giving the initiative to the Confederates. Lee arrived and ordered his men to attack, but Yankee fire drove them back. He attacked again and was again repulsed. Averell had a chance to score a major rout with a counterattack, but he instead withdrew across the Rappahannock River. He later said that the arrival of Stuart on the battlefield signaled the possible approach of additional Confederate cavalry.
Averell lost 78 men killed, wounded, and captured during the day’s fighting. The Confederates lost a total of 133 men. Among the Rebel dead was Major John Pelham, perhaps the best artillery officer in the Confederate army. He happened to be visiting Stuart when the battle began, and rode forward to see the action. Pelham was mortally wounded by a shell splinter as he observed the Confederate attacks in the afternoon. Although Kelly’s Ford was a Union defeat, it signaled a new phase of the cavalry war in the East. The Yankees were closing the gap with the Confederate horsemen. In the next four months, the Union cavalry fought their Confederate counterparts to a standstill at Brandy Station, Virginia, and then scored a major victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
4. March 17, 1864 William Tecumseh Sherman, meeting with Grant in Nashville, is promoted to Military Division of the Mississippi commanding the Department of the Ohio, Department of the Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland and the Department of the Arkansas. Major General James McPherson is promoted to Sherman's old position, commander of the Army of the Tennessee.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) CPT L S CW5 (Join to see) CSM Charles Hayden SFC William Swartz Jr SP6 Clifford Ward PO1 John Miller PO2 William Allen Crowder SSgt Alex Robinson SGT Randal Groover SrA Christopher Wright SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC Corbin Sayi
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