The Civil War in Arkansas - Disptches, Events, and Newslatter Template

A TRAGEDY OF ERRORS:

Failure of the Confederate High Command in the Defense of Vicksburg

The loss of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, sealed the doom of Richmond and the fate of the Confederacy. Although Union Major-General Ulysses S. Grant deserves the accolades that have been heaped upon him by history for his victory at Vicksburg, there can be no doubt that, his success was due in part to the failure of the Confederate civil and military officials to achieve unity of command.

Terry Winschel, who has served at Vicksburg National Military Park since 1977, examines the Confederate high command and the relationship between the three men most responsible for the disaster: Jefferson Davis, Joseph E. Johnson, and John C. Pemberton. Unity of command is recognized the world over as one of the nine principles of war, yet, each of these men had a different view on how best to defend Vicksburg and the all-important line of the Mississippi River.

<>Unlike their Union Counterparts, these men failed to achieve a consensus for the defense of Vicksburg and their lack of a unified response to Federal operations in Mississippi led to the fall of the “Gibraltar of America”.

Historian Winschel will introduce you to the cast of characters in the Vicksburg drama, detail their thoughts on the defense of Vicksburg, and examine the root failure of these men to achieve unity of command. This insightful presentation will give you a greater understanding of how the campaign for Vicksburg unfolded, the workings of the Confederate high command, and the relationship between Jefferson Davis and his military commanders in the west.

Terry Winschel is a native of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Pennsylvania State University; with graduate degrees from Mississippi College. A 29-year veteran of the NPS, he has served at Gettysburg NMP, Fredericksburg NMP, Valley Forge National Historical Park, and is currently Historian at Vicksburg NMP. Terry is the 2004 recipient of the Nevins-Freeman Award by The Civil War Roundtable of Chicago.

The Arkansas monument at Vicksburg National Military Park
and below is the dedication ascribed on the monument.

Camp White Sulphur Spring

Living History

& Memorial Service, October 8- 9

Living History all day Saturday October 8 and running through Sunday afternoon October 9.

a. Company D First Arkansas Reenactors, CSA will be present and rumor has it there may be some Bushwhackers present, and a hospital tent for the wounded and the sick.

b. A Battery of Cannon will be on display to show their value to the war efforts.

c. They are working on getting the Blacksmith back again this year to hammer some more hot iron.

d. Candle light tours of the cemetery will begin at dark. Hear the history of the cemetery and Camp White Sulphur Springs as you stroll through the camp and the cemetery.

Sunday October 9th

a. Sunday morning Worship Service, conducted by the Rev, Terry Bandy of Truman, Arkansas. The service will be held outside around the campfires. The parson will bring the 19th century religion back to life.

b. The Memorial Service to be held at 2:00 PM Guest Speaker will be Sarah Jampole of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.

c. Following that service, a dedication will be made placing the Cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places and a plaque will be unveiled. <>From LR drive down I-530 all the way to Exit 39 then turn right onto Hwy. 79. Go to the next traffic light and take another right this will put you on the Sulphur Springs Road. Go about 2 or 2 1/2 miles then you will see the Historic Markers and cemetery signs on the right, take a right on to Luckwood Road there and the cemetery is on the left.

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CWRT Exhibit

During the month of September, the Civil War Roundtable of Arkansas will have an exhibit of civil war memorabilia at the Terry Library 2015 Napa Valley Dr. Little Rock. This is a part of the celebration of “If All of Arkansas Read the Same Book”. Don Hamilton Vice President CWRT and Mike Loum Chairman of the CACWRT made the project happen. Stop by and see it before October 9.

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THE OFFICERS

Randy Baldwin, President - rbaldwin63@comcast.net

Don Hamilton, Vice President - don.hamilton@lrwu.com

Brian Brown, Treasurer - BrianB1578@aol.com

Brian is still accepting dues of $15.00

Chas. Durnette, Secretary/Editor - milhistory@aristotle.net

COMING PROGRAMS

September 27, 2005 – Regular Meeting

Terry Winschel,

Historian - Vicksburg NMP –

“A Tragedy of Errors: Failure of the Confederate High Command in the Defense of Vicksburg”

October 25, 2004 –

William J. Ikerman

November 22, 2005 –

Dave Gruenewald –

Pat Cleburne's Ireland

and

Election of Officers

December 2005 –

No meeting Scheduled in December

We Who Study Must Also Strive To Save!

As was feared, Beauvoir and the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina. These two structures can and will be restored given time and funding. However, it is with great sadness that the Library pavilion (where Jefferson Davis penned "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government", the Hayes cottage, Soldier's Home Barracks replica, Confederate Soldier's Museum, Gift shop, and director's home were totally destroyed.

Artifact search and recovery has already begun, with restoration to begin soon. Replicas of those buildings totally destroyed will be built after the restoration of Beauvoir House and Presidential Library are complete.

Contribute http://www.beauvoir.org/

The Confederacy still stands and the flag waves.

Hear Ye Hear Ye

The latest news just one penny

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1863

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, January 7, 1863, p. 1, c. 1
Quantrell, the famous partisan leader of Missouri, is in our city. He looks like a cool, determined man, and is good for a host of abolitionists yet.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, January 14, 1863, p. 1, c. 1
To the Citizens of Little Rock.

The Hospitals in this city, are greatly in need [of] cooking utensils of all kinds—plates, cups and of saucers, knives and forks. Cannot every family spare something of the kind, for the benefit of our sick and wounded men, now so much in want of them. All donations went to the Purveyor's office, will be gratefully received.

E. Silverberg, Little Rock, Man. 13, '63. Med. Pur.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, January 14, 1863, p. 1, c. 4

Among the many dispatches by the grapevine line, to the Chattanooga Rebel, we clip the following:
"A late dispatch from Nashville, states that the Yankee soldiers have abandoned the custom of combing their heads—consequently vermin is on the increase in the Yankee camp. An insect of doubtful name, and of unusually large size, was discovered in that city the other day with

U. S.

marked on its back and a canteen swung around its neck."

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, February 25, 1863, p. 1, c. 1
We have received the first number of "the War Times," published at Arkadelphia, W. A. Trigue and N. P. Moor. It is a neat patriotic sheet, is situated at a point when the earliest news can be obtained by telegraph, and is offered at $2.50 a year. We have put it on our exchange list and wish the proprietors success.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, February 25, 1863, p. 1, c. 3
During the month of January, a great many southern ladies driven from Baltimore, Washington and other cities, arrived in Richmond. They had to come by way of Suffolk. At that point they found they had to be searched, and the person to examine their clothing was a vile old hag, who took every opportunity of insulting them. This old vixen is Mrs. Brown, the wife of old John Brown, who was hung in Virginia. Even in such small matters as the appointment of female inspectors, Lincoln shows his malicious meanness.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, February 25, 1863, p. 1, c. 6
A Female Soldier—Among the strange, heroic and self-sacrificing acts of woman in this struggle for our independence, we have heard of none which exceeds the bravery displayed and hardships endured by the subject of this notice, Mrs. Amy Clarke. Mrs. Clark volunteered with her husband as a private, fought through the battles of Shiloh, where Mr. Clark was killed; she performing the rites of burial with her own hands. She then continued with Bragg's army in Kentucky, fighting in the ranks as a common soldier, until she was twice wounded—once in the ankle and then in the breast, when she fell a prisoner into the hands of the Yankees. Her sex was discovered by the Federals, and she was regularly paroled as a prisoner of war, but they did not permit her to return until she had donned female apparel.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, March 4, 1863, p. 2, c. 3
The following is a recipe which answers every purpose in dyeing copperas color: Half pint vinegar, half pint syrup or molasses, three gallons of water. Put the above into an iron pot with nails or other rusty iron, and let it stand twenty days. It is of no use to buy copperas for dyeing, at one dollar per pound, when this will answer every purpose.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, March 25, 1863, p. 2, c. 3-4
Summary: Long list of deserters in the Consolidated Regiment commanded by Col. O. P. Lyles, at Port Hudson (14th, 18th and 23d)--$30 reward for each

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, April 1, 1863, p. 2, c. 5
Summary: List of Arkansas and Texas dead at Camp Douglas, February 24-27

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, April 8, 1863, p. 2, c. 1
Summary: The Fall of Arkansas Post—a new version of the affair—the surrender accomplished through the treachery of a Texas soldier (someone in 24th Texas)

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, April 15, 1863, p. 1, c. 4-5
Summary: A more complete account of the drill competition of Shelby's Brigade on March 12 at Batesville, including the girls on horseback

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, May 13, 1863, p. 1, c. 3
The federals not content with destroying ploughs and hoes and stealing provision in the northern part of this State, actually broke up the spinning wheels, and cut up the side saddles.

[LITTLE ROCK] ARKANSAS TRUE DEMOCRAT, July 8, 1863, p. 1, c. 1
Suspension.—We shall be compelled, by want of paper, to suspend the issues of the True Democrat for a short time. Over two months since, Mr. Yerkes started for

Georgia

for paper. He procured it and reached Natchez on his return, but the protracted sieges of Vicksburg and Port Hudson kept him on the wrong side of the river.

It is possible that we may resume publication in a week or two; it may be several weeks. Of course our subscribers will receive the same number of papers, the lost time not being counted against them. Our issue is so large, amounting to 10,000 a week, that it is impossible to borrow or to purchase a sufficient quantity of paper elsewhere than at the manufactories.

We have a small quantity of paper, not enough for a regular issue, on which we will print bulletins of such interesting dispatches as may be received.

[This comes from original research
by Vicki Betts, Professional Librarian
Cataloging and Reference
The University of Texas at Tyler]

After his triumphant capture of Atlanta in the fall of 1864, Union General William T. Sherman mobilized

62,000 of his veteran troops and waged destructive war across

Georgia

, from Atlanta to Savannah. Unhappy with the killing and maiming of Union and Confederate soldiers in combat blood baths, he decided on purposeful destruction, hoping to insure fewer casualties while helping end the war as quickly as possible. He repeatedly promised southerners that he would wage a hard war but would tender a soft peace once they stopped fighting. He was true to his word on both counts.

In studying a main element of the Lost Cause view of the Civil War, award-winning author John F. Marszalek recounts the March's destructive details, analyzes William T. Sherman's strategy, and describes white and black southern reaction. The result is a gripping tale which demonstrates both how the March affected the Confederacy's last days and how it continues to influence Americans at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

JOHN F. MARSZALEK is Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at Mississippi State University. The author of twelve books and numerous articles, his most recent book is Commander of All Lincoln's Armies, A Life of Henry W. Halleck (2004).

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GOD BLESS AMERICA