Figure 1.--
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Figure 1.-- |
HBC has biographical pages on some of the individuals involved in or assocaited with the Civil War. Many of these are in the HBC Presidential satellite site, but we hope to build more biographcal pages as well. The two central figures are of course Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. In the contrast between the two men we have one of the great imponderables of history. We have not yet begun biographies of many of the important military leaders involved in the War, but hope to eventually do so. At this time we have only limited information on their childhood, but hope to gradually add this information to the more readily available Civil War infomation.
Prince Albert, Prince Consort of Britain, was not a central figure in the Civil War. One of the last important acts before his untimely death was to help lead the British Government away from supporting the southern states in their attempt to succeed. Many important British figures held concerns against the United States. Britain and America in the 1840s had come close to war over the Oregon Territory. Had Britain assisted the South it would have had major consequences in the War. Think how the 20th century would have developed if a strong, united American Republic nit have existed.
James Buchanan was the 15th president of the United States. He has to be considered the worst president in American history. He groped for compromise as the South advanced toward secession. Tall, stately, stiffly formal in the high stock he wore around his jowls, James Buchanan was the only President who never married. Presiding over a rapidly dividing Nation, Buchanan grasped inadequately the political realities of the time. Relying on constitutional doctrines to close the widening rift over slavery, he failed to understand that the North would not accept constitutional arguments which allowed the South to extenbd slavery. Nor could he realize how sectionalism had realigned political parties: the Democrats split; the Whigs were destroyed, giving rise to the Republicans. He not only failed to prevent seccession, but he allowed subordinates to disperse Federal land and naval forces so Lincoln had few forces at his disposal upon taking office and Washington was virtually undefended.
John Joseph Klem, often refered to as Johnny Clem, was probably the most famous boy who served in the Civil War. He is known to hostory as the "Drummer Boy of Chickamauga" and also "Johnny Shiloh." He was one of the youngest, but not the youngest to do so. Like most younger boys who participated in the War, he served as a musician. The Federal Army alone had places for 40,000 muscians. Many of the boys given the turmoil of battle became involved in the actual fighting. Johhny was the most famous Union boy soldier. He became a
drummer in the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry at age 11 years. He fought in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and Atlanta. He was eventually promoted to serve as a mounted orderly on the staff of General George H. Thomas, with the "rank" of lance sergeant.
The only Confederate President Jefferson Davis led a long and eventful life. He
was a Mississippi planter, a husband, a father, West Point graduate, war hero,
Congressman, Senator, Secretary of War, and finally President of the
Confederate States of America. In many ways he was a study of contrast with
northern counterpart, Abraham Lincoln. Davis was a rich, eduacted, war hero
who did not understand the political process or have the personal skills to work
with others. Lincon had none of the backgrond of Davis, but a consumate
politician. Like Lee, Davis opposed sucession until his state left the Union.
Frederick Douglass was an influential spokesman for abolition in the years leading up to the Civil War. Douglass was a brilliant orator and with his first hand experiences, the American Anti-Slavery Society. He became famous in the North and Britain when his autobiography was publicized in 1845. His biograpohy provides a revealing look at the lives of slaves, including how slaves were dressed. It should be remembered that he was not a plantation slave in the deep South. Douglass 2 years later bagan publishing the antislavery paper, The North Star. Douglass advised President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and pushed for first abolition and then constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting
rights and other civil liberties for freed blacks. Douglass provided a stirring voice for human rights and is words are still a powerful inditement of racial bigotry and injustice.
Perhaps the Confederacy's most successful commander was Nathan Bedford Forrest. In the Western theater he achieved victories that eluded other commanders. He od course is credited with the axionm of "getting there firest with the mostest". Civil War historians generally agree that he was one of the Confederacy's mos brillint coimmanders. Many students oif the War ask why he was not given important commands. Here the reason is social prejudice. Many Federal commanders like Grant came from humble backgrounds. Southern commanders mostly came from the Plantation aristocracy. Forrest before the war had made a fortune from slave trading. While there was no stigma associated with owning slaves in the South--slave trading was a different matter. In additon Forrest was a near illiterate. Thus he was never given a major command. He was not a professional who had graduated from West Point like many major Confederate commanders (Lee, Lngstreet, and others). In additon, Forest was connected with war crimes such as the murder of African-American POWs at Fort Pillow. Forrst was a virulent racist and after the War he founded the Ku Klux Klam. As an older man he tried to dissasociate himself from the worst excesses of the Klan. [Hanson, Ripples.]
Ulysses S. Grant has been derided by many Civil War authors aslacking the tactical brilliance of Lee. Thereis an element of truth in this, but Grant is not the butcher just relying on the material supperority of the North. He was one of the few Federal generals who won a battle against a superior Confederate force. None other a source than Longstreet argued that it was Grant's strategic concepts that enabled the North to win the War. He argued that Grant believed in concentratioin of force while the South desirious of defending all of its territory, created many small commands that were defeated in detail. Grant was elected the 18th United States President in 1868. He came to the Presidency a great military hero, the leading Union general in the Civil War. Paradoxically, the decisive Civil War General is viewed by many historians to have been a weak and vascilating president. Other historians dispute this view and see him an upholder of Civil Rights for blacks and a supporter of efforts to move native Americans toward citzenship. Scrupuously honest himself, the trust he placed in friends and political associates was often misplaced and he presided over one of the most corrupt asministrations.
Ritherford B. Hayes was 19th president and one of two presidents to lose in the popular
election, but still become president through a narrow victory in the electoral college. He urged badly needed civil service reform. He was an honest moderate reformer, but his administration marked the removal of federal troops from the South and thus the end of Reconstruction and the berginning of Jim Crow segregation laws. The first telephone was installed in the White House during 1879. At first it was hardly used, because there weren't many other phones in Washington to call.
No one ever questioned the bravery of Confederate General John Bell Hood, but his command of the Army of Tennessee was a disaster for the Confederacy. Hood was born in Owingsville, Kentucky during 1831. He grew up in the bluegrass region of central Kentucky near Mt. Sterling. His paternal grandfather was Lucas Hood who served in the Indian Wars under famed General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. His grandfather fought at Fallen Timbers. His maternal grandfather James French, served in the Revolutionary War. His fathe wanted him to be a doctor. Instead Hood through the assisance of an uncle, Congressman Richard French, secured an appoitment to West Point. There his academic career was average, but he awarded a large number of demerits--some by Superintendent Col. Robert E. Lee. Despite the demerits, Hood graduated 44th out of 52 in the class of 1853. Hood served in South Carolina and then with the calvary in Texas. When the Southern states seceeded, Hood was awarded a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army of Northern Virginia. He rapidly rose in rank. He was severely wounded at Gettsburg, but upon recovering joined the Army of Tennessee. Hood had priven a daring an effective commander under the command of Lee, but when given command of the Army of Tennessee he proved a disaster. After the War he fathered a large family.
One of the mythic figures of the Old West was outlaw Jesse James and his gang. During the War he served with Quantrils irregulars. Lost Cause historians hrlped turn him into a gallant figure resisting northern carpetbagers. Depictions vasried, including sn American Robin Hood take the farms of neigbor southern sympetisers. One historian dismisses these assrsments as bunk and describes him as a murderous ex-Confederaste pure and simple.
Robert E. Lee was born into two of the most prestigious families of Viurginia. His father, "Light Horse" Harry Lee was a dashing young cavalry officer in the Revolution who served under George Washington. His lack of prudence in financial matters, however, clouded the family future. As a boy, he tenderly cared for his ailing mother. His choice of a military career was virtually by his father's squandering of his inheritance. As a younger brother, there was no money to pay for college. Family connections secured his appoinment to the West Point Military Academy. He led the Cadet Corps in 1829, graduated second in his class. He was the most perfect cadet in West Point history--never receiving a single demerit. He also became one of the most popular cadets in his class. He played an important role in the Mexican War. After that War, Lee returned to the Academy as superintendent. He was one of the the most outstanding superintendents in West Point history. He was affectionately regarded by the cadets for his fairness and moral leadership. As the Southern states began to succeed, Lincoln offered Lee command of the Federal armies. Ideas of pariotism and nationlity were different in ante-bellum America and when Virginia succeeded, Lee tendered his resignation and joined the Confederate Army. Lee is regarded by many as the greatest general to emerge from the Civil War. This is an open question. He may well have been the greatest field commandr. He was known for his audacity and bold strokes. [Alexander] Lee has been questioned about his strategic concept. Even in his great victories, therecwere very substantial Condederate losses. It may have been better foir the South to have hubanded its resources rather than to carry out Lee's two failed and very costly invasions of the North.
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. In the pantheon of American presidents, Lincoln stands second only to Washington. He was the most poorly educated of all American presidents, most of whom came from affluent families. . In fact, it is difficult to imagine an American president more poorly prepared for the responsibilities of being president. Nor has any president inherited a more difficult situation on his inaguration. It is also difficult to imagine how the Federal Govenment could have won the War without Lincoln or how he could have crafted policies better suited to conduct and win the War. He was illserved by a sereies of incompetent generals until afrer Vicksburg and Gettusburgh he finally settled on Grant. Oneof the mysteries o history is how a man with such limited education could have overseen such a brilliant militry and political effort to save the Union and free the slaves.
French Eperor Louis Napoleon used the Civil War as an opportunity to install and support a European regime in Mexico--the Emperor Maximillian. One of many disastrous foreign adventures that he persued as French Emperor.
Phillip H Sheridan had a meteoric rise in the Federal army. He was the acclaimed Federal cavalry commander of the War. Like Sherman, his passification efforts made him a hated figure in the South. He appears to have been born in New York during 1831. He was also a West Point graduate, although it took him 5 yers instead of te expected 4 years. He began the War as a second lieutenant in the infantry and yet rose to be the third most important Federal commander. He slowly built a solid military reputation in the western campasigns. When Grant was given command of the Federal armies in 1863, he appointed Sheridan to command the Army of the Potomac's calvary. Until this, the Confederat calvary had consistently outperormed their Fedral counterparts. Sheridan assisted with ample equipment and proivisioins built the Fedral calvary which showed at Brandy Station that it was no longer outclassed by Confederate forces. Confederate calvary commander was mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern. Sheridan was close to Grant, but had difficulties with other Federal commanders like Duffie, Meade, Stevenson, and Warren. This was interestin because Sheridan had the exact opposite tempermant of Grant, he was excitable as Grant was calm. [Hayes] Concerned by Earlys attack on Washington in 1864, Grant ordered Sheridan to command a new offensive into the Shenandoah Valley which was supporting Confederate forces. His victory in this offensive earned him the rank of major general. He burned his way through the Valley, ensuring that it could o longer provide provisions to Confederate fvorces. Rejoining Grant before Richmond, he penetrated the Confederate lines at Five Forks, necessitating the evacuation of both Petersburg and Richmond. He was forceful it cutting Lee off from joining Johnston in North Carolina and thus forcing his surrender at Appomatox. After the War he participated in a postwar show of force against the French-supported Emperor Maximilian in Mexico. He then headed the Reconstruction government of Texas and Louisiana. His severe administration resulted in his recall after only a half year. He reamined in the Army and was active in the actions agains the Plains Indians. He was appointed to command the Army in 1884.
William T. Sherman is one of America's great army commanders. Like Grant, he was born in Ohio and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Sherman grduated in 1840. He is perhaps the most controversial of the major military commanders. Sherman like Grant had left the Army, but after the sucession was commissioned as an infantry colonel. His first battle was in the east in the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in July 1861. He soon joined Grant in the West. He was with Grant at Shiloh and witnessed Grant's legenbdary coolness under fire. Sherman was promoted to brigadier general in July 1863 and named commander of the Army of the Tennessee. He played a major role and played an important role in the Federal victory at Chattanooga. Sherman persued the Confederate forces into Georgia, but it was to be months before he succeeded in taking Atlanta. Sherman on May 5, 1864, a massive army of nearly 100,000 men back into Georgia. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston fought off Sherman with a much smaller force for 3 months. In desperation as Sherman edged closer to Atlanta, Davis replaced Johnston on July 17 with Texan John Bell Hood who engaged in aggressive tactics resulting in horrendous losses. The Confederate forces weree so weakened that after 6 weeks, Confederate casualties had doubled, and on September 1 Sherman entered Atlanta. The victory rose spirits in the North and were a great was a great help to President Lincoln's reelection bid. Sherman then launched his army on March to the Sea with 60,000 men. Removed from Federal supply lines, Sherman's army foraged and cut a swath of destruction across the heart of Georgia aimed at destroyong thge South's ability to wage war. Sherman entered the Atlantic coast port of Savanah where he could once again be supplied on December 23. Sherman's march through Georgia became a symbol of Federal brutality in the post-war years. It was not just the destruction, but Sherman sought to destroy the basis of plantatioin society which he saw as the root cause of the war. [Hanson, Soul] He then procedded in a similar march across South and North Carolina, moving north to hook up with Grant at Richmond and Pettersburg. . Before this occurred, Lee surrender at Appomattox. Johnston 2 weeks later was compeled to surrender in North Carolina on April 26, 1865. Excepted for small scattered forces, the Confederacy ceased to exist. Johnston would many years later serve as a pallbearer at Sherman's funeral and die soon after.
HBC has received numerous requests from HBC readers for help in finding information about their relatives that were involved in the Civil War. We have little such information on our site. The National Park Service (NPS) maintains many Civil War battlefield sites, including military cemetaries woth the remains of Civil War soldiers are burried. The NPS has an excellent site which will help readers find information about their relatives. I believe its a work in progress, with names being added on a regular basis. It is sensitive to spelling, however: for example, if you put in Johnny Clem, you get no hits. If you put in John Clem you get several. There is not a lot of information on each individual, but it does give you regiment, company, rank in and out and the film number.
Alexander, Edward Porter. "Lee at Appomattox," The Century Magazine April 1902. Alexander ws the commander of artillery in Longstreet's corps.
Hayes, Ruthorford B. "Grant's Stoicism and Sheridan's Enthusiasm," The Ohio Soldier, September 17, 1888. Hayes was a brigade and division commander in the Federal Army and suceeded Grant as president of the United States.
Hanson, Victor Davis. Ripples of War.
Hanson, Victor Davis. The Soul of Battle (1999).
McPherson, James M. The Mighty Scourge: Perspectives of the Civil War (Oxford Univesity Press: 2007), 260p.
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