*Old geezer Charlie Wooster told me to repost this fer some reason or he'd leave the horseshoe out of my next pot of coffee.. Crazyguy, *It's allmost like he's talking to himself! -=A=-
A- CSS Alabama This famious naval raider began life as "Hull No.290" in a Liverpool shipyard and was built under secret contract with the Confederate Navy to run blockades and delever supplies to the South. 220 feet long and 31 feet wide she was commishioned a crusier and powered by a single shaft engine and could sail at speeds of 13 knots. Her crew of 145 Officers and men manned 6 cannons on each side and a pivot gun fwd and aft. The CSS Alabama took 69 prizes in naval fights before being sank by the Federal ship *Kersarge off the coast of France June 19th 1864 B- Battle of BULL RUN The great question of where the two armies would first fight was answered just 100 miles from Washington DC on the banks of a creek called "Bull Run" near the town of Manassas Junction Virginia July21 1861. Many had thought that this would be the first and last battle of the war, and had come out on holiday to watch the event! Both sides were soon to learn that it would not be a short war after all. It was a decisive victory for the Confederacy and gave the South a gigantic boost in moral. The was the first apperance of a quiet southern military accademy instructor who "Stood his ground like a STONEWALL" and later became Gen Stonewall Jackson. *Later in the war a second battle would be held on the very same ground as it guarded the approches to the Federal Capitol in Washington. That battle was called: MANASSES or 2nd Bull Run. C- The CONFEDERCY *After decades of political debate and all compromises and concessions were thru.. the debate over southern nationalisum boiled over in 1860. The Democratic party, that for generations had been the upholder of southern rights split into two factions..*different opinions and presented two presidential nominiess.. The Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln an opponent of slavery. The South could not agree to meet the challenge behind a single candidate and the election was held with Mr.Lincoln not recieveing a single southern vote! Angered by the results of the election.. *as news arrived southern politicians held state conventions to discuss secession, and led by the state of South Carolina.. they announced: "The Union is herby disolved." The South could not stand to be goverened by a Federal executive they had not elected, and felt it a moral duty to object. Soon ten 10 other states joined the secession and on Feb. 8th 1861 adopted a constitution for the new Confederated States of America. The next day..they choose Senator Jefferson Davis of Mississippi to be the new President. Davis was in office 2 weeks before Lincoln, and his election sealed that confrontation between the two section would be inevitible. D- Jefferson Davis *president of the Confederated States of America. Davis was a firey secessionest senator from Mississippi who spoke openly of "States Rights" and the Unity of the "south" not haveing equal say in the governence of it's affairs. As the south was swept into nationalistic fever, they turned to this former Army officer who had fought in the recent Mexiacan war along side many of the comming wars Generals... Davis had been a Cavalry man.. and fromed early a core of generals from the Souths elete class that would exploit the horse mounted soldiers and exude a style of grace, and attitude of chivalry... The Capitol was moved to Richmond for the war and as the blockade became effective, a nobel cause began to suffer from lack of resources and treasure. *Decisions made to prolong the rebellion cost a gerneartion of Americans the loss of life, and tore apart the fabric of our country. In the end Jefferson davis was driven from office and sought to flee the country under the guise or costume of a woman.. He was killed while fleeing. E- The Emancipation proclimation- This document was issued to free all slaves held under terms of the south or in rebel controlled land. President Lincoln had looked for a way to find a "Moral High Ground" against the many set-back the Federals had faced, and as Emancipation was a strongly held belief in the northern states.. He used it to gather encreaseing support for the defete of the Confedercy. The majority of southern soldiers did not in fact own slaves, but that fact was forgotten in the haste to "fight for Freedom" *Following the war, many former slaves found they did not have the resources to leave, or to create farms for them selves.. and stayed where they were to "sharecrop" and continue the tradition of oppression of a people based on race. This document however led the way for a people to seek full partnership in building Americal and was central to the cause of civil rights for all americans. F- General Nathan Bedford FORREST Rare is it that a man of humble or poverty could rise so quickly to powerfull status in any organization... but that is the history of N.B.Forrest. Born to poverty and deprived of all education opportunities, NB Forrset went to work to build a life with his two hands.. along the way, he begane to trade in goods and property.. and in short time aquired a welth he had never dreamed possible. As the war started he was hit by a passion to serve and enlisted as a Pvt. in the Tennessee mounted rifles. An encounter with the Govenor, brought attention to Forrest who had sold the leader some real estate... and NB Forrst was recomended for promotion to head a new calvery unit from Tennessee. His performance in battle, at Shilo and Murfeesboro July 1862 was successful and he was soon promoted. He continued to win the field often with remarkable creativity! In one enguagement he was surrounded in a valley by two opposing forces of superior federal striength, as they approched.. NB Forrest ordered his unit to split into two and *Charge in BOTH directions with a furry that both opposeing armies with drew and allowed the escape of Forrest's men. Brigider general July 1862 Major General December 1863 Lt.General Febuary 1865 *His dispatches were famious for their misspelled words and phrases that defied comprehension by senior staff members.. G- Ulyssess Simpson GRANT US Grant- Commander of the US Army at the time of victory and twice president of the United States was born in 1822 and served without distinction in the us army as a brevet second lt.and served in the Mexican war. As the Civil war stalemated in the east.. US Grant began to win victories in the west against the south. At the battle of Vickburg the action ended with a flag of truce and a request for "terms" of surrender.. Grant refused, saying the "only terms gentalmen is Unconditional Surrender" and suddenly President Lincoln had found a man he could trust to lead the great army of the Potomaic. The war went on and on.. and *mistakes were made.. but the General stood and advanced despite the loss of thousands of men.. By sheer numbers and determination and abundent resources... Gen. US Grant recieved the surrender of the Army of Virginnia with the command of Gen RE Lee at appomattox court house april 9th 1865 *He is buried in "Grants TOMB in NewYork city" and is know today for his picture on a 50 dollar bill. H- William J. Hardee At the time of the Civil war.. No one had writen or thought of up-dateing battlefield tactics from the Noplolionic wars of Europe earlier in the century.. William J. Hardee was scholar of military science and in 1853 at the request of the US secretary of war- Jefferson davis of Mississippi.. Hardee was commissioned to develop new tactics for infantry and batlefield management. *So successful was it that the manual was used on both sides of the conflict.. tho Hardee himself crossed over to the south and serve as an Officer. The North mearly removed his name from the same book and continued to issue it as their own. Tall felt hats that held feathers and shortly drooped at the fist rain were called "hardee hats" and became a favorite of all troops on horse or afoot... I- IRONCLADS The naval blockade of the south forced rebel raiders to run the standing Federal crusiers at night and cloked by weather.. to maintain command at sea both sides began an attempt to build armor on the hulls of ships to repell the cannon fire of the blockade.. Two ships were made famious- The Monitor a Union steam powered battleship that was flat with a "cheesebox" on top battled the southern navy's MERRIMAC iron clad from 8 am to 12 point blank and sometimes touching each other! They continued untill the MERRIMAC retired and the Monitor returned un-damaged. The face of naval warfare changed that day. J- Gen.T.J "Stone wall"Jackson The boys of the Virginia Military Institute considered their philosophy and artillery professor to be professional tho somewhat "intresting" in his behavior. TJ Jackson had a carreer in the US Army and distinguished himself under fire in the Mexican war and for a time was harbor master of New York.. But from time to time he would stop and raise an arm skyward.. to "balance the blood" He became know as a fearless commander at first Bull Run where he recieved his title "Stone wall" He was later successful in many enguagements and a trusted ally to Gen.RE Lee. He would raise his left hand when addressed.. and under fire would not react to any disruption.. *when asked about this he replied: "My faith in God will preserve me thru all as if I am as safe as I am in bed at home..God himself has appointed the time of my death, and untill he informs me to prepare I will abide in peace.." TJ Jackson was mounted and came back thru unfamilliar lines of his own troops and was shot 3 times, and continued to issue orders.. He died following week with a case of pneumonia... His last words were: No no, let us pass over the river to rest in the shade of the trees" K- Kempi hat- This cap was the standard issue head wear for troops of the North and South.. Light and easy to wear.. it was made of many shdes and colors to denote rank and position as well as membership in what regiment or core you served. Red hats denoted artillery units and braid said you were a Sargent or above. Uniforms among the south were hapahzard for re-supply was allmost non-exisitant and a solier had to "forrage" what he could find for a uniform. By the end of the war many southern troops had little issue gear left to them. L-
