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Civil War On This Day

@CivilWarOTD

Mar 13

The confederate congress, at the request of Robert E. Lee, narrowly passed a bill #OTD in 1865 allowing Black men to serve in their army. The bill did not grant the men freedom if they volunteered, and required the consent of their “master” in order to enlist. #CivilWar

To that point, Black men had only done manual labor for the southern army, or acted as servants to their white owners who served as officers. They had been specifically prohibited from even being enlisted into the army, let alone serving in combat roles.

The bill had no impact. Passed less than a month before Lee surrendered, the few Black men who were enlisted never saw combat. In the years since, there has been an effort to revise this history and insist that thousands of Black troops served the confederacy.

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Civil War On This Day

@CivilWarOTD

Mar 12

Rear Admiral John Lorimer Worden, who commanded the USS Monitor during her historic duel against the confederate ironclad Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads during the #CivilWar, was born #OTD in 1818. He was wounded in the face and briefly blinded during the battle.

@NavalAcademy

After the war, Worden held several commands and served as Superintendent of the @NavalAcademy. He retired as a Rear Admiral in 1886, and passed away in 1897 at the age of 79.

The Tiffany & Co. sword that Worden was given by his home state of New York to celebrate his command of the Monitor was donated to the Naval Academy by his family after his death. It was stolen in 1931, and remained lost for over six decades until recovered by the FBI in 1998.

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Civil War On This Day

@CivilWarOTD

Mar 12

@Pinkerton

Timothy Webster, an agent for the @Pinkerton National Detective Agency and spy for the U.S., was born #OTD in 1822. Shortly after the #CivilWar began, Webster and a female agent, Hattie Lawton, were sent by into southern Maryland and @RichmondNPS to spy on the confederacy.

Posing as husband and wife, Webster and Lawton gained the trust of confederate officers, learning valuable information that they sent north to Allan Pinkerton. Webster fell ill in early 1862 and could not send reports, prompting Pinkerton send two other agents to look for him.

Those men, Pryce Lewis and John Scully, were recognized and captured, and gave information that led to the arrests of Webster and Lawson. Lewis and Scully were released, and Lawson was imprisoned before being exchanged, but Webster was sentenced to death by hanging.

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Civil War On This Day

@CivilWarOTD

Mar 11

@USArmy

Edmund Kirby was born #OTD in 1840, in Brownville, NY. The town was named for his maternal grandfather, Major General Jacob Brown, who was the first man to hold the title of Commanding General of the @USArmy. Kirby's father was also an Army officer.

@WestPoint_USMA

Following family tradition, Kirby attended @WestPoint_USMA & graduated in the Class of 1861. With the #CivilWar already raging, he was quickly commissioned as an artillery officer & promoted. He saw action at the Battles of First @ManassasNPS, Ball's Bluff, and @Antietamnps1862.

During the Battle of Chancellorsville in May, 1863, Kirby took over command of the 5th Maine Battery, part of John Reynolds' I Corps, when all of the battery's officers had been killed or wounded. Kirby was struck in the thigh, but insisted the guns be removed before he was.

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Civil War On This Day

@CivilWarOTD

Mar 11

@WestPoint_USMA

General William Rosecrans died #OTD in 1898 at the age of 78. A graduate of @WestPoint_USMA, he secured several critical victories for the @USArmy in the Western Theater of the #CivilWar, including the Battles of Iuka, Corinth, and @StonesRiverNPS.

@ChickamaugaNPS

Unfortunately, he was most known for being in command during the disastrous rout of the Army of the Cumberland during the Battle of @ChickamaugaNPS. His confusing order had created a gap in his lines, through which a confederate corps attacked.

As his troops retreated, Rosecrans also elected to abandon the field, ordering General George Thomas to take command of any remaining troops and withdraw, while Rosecrans himself rode to Chattanooga. Thomas conducted a stoic defense and withdrew the army in good order.

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Civil War On This Day

@CivilWarOTD

Mar 10

@USArmy

William H.C. Whiting, a former @USArmy officer and engineer who had joined the confederacy, led a division, and later commanded the Military District of Wilmington, NC, died #OTD in 1865. He had been wounded two months earlier and captured at the fall of Fort Fisher.

tshaonline.org/handbook/entri…

mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/willia…

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