Crossing the Ohio River

I'm not really sure how to approach this idea that popped into my head today, but it seems like a good idea or question to mention here and maybe help me think about it or about how to approach it. This will probably be kind of a stream-of-consciousness post as I figure out what to say or how to explore it.

I live in northern Kentucky and work in Cincinnati, so I cross the Ohio River every day, along with thousands (or tens of thousands) of others, some going north like me, but many heading south. It's not a big deal; I've even walked home from work many times, a distance of about 2.5 miles.

150+ years ago, however, even that short distance was much longer than it seemed, at least for many African-Americans. The Ohio River was an unofficial border between the slave state of Kentucky and the free state of Ohio (as well as Indiana and Illinois - check out a map - Kentucky has a long northern border along the Ohio.)

If a slave tried to run away, oftentimes reaching the Ohio River, with stations on the Underground Railroad along its banks, north and south, was a major goal and milestone. It did not guarantee safety - Cincinnati was not the most progressive city regarding racial relations (some people even today say Cincinnati is like part of Kentucky, while others claim Northern Kentucky is more like Cincinnati than the rest of the state) and if escaping slaves could cross the river, so could slave catchers.

Nonetheless, it was an important boundary between North and South, free and slave, and it made cities like Cincinnati and Louisville into important trading ports. The border along the Ohio River was a key reason Abraham Lincoln considered keeping Kentucky in the Union to be so important. If the Confederates could set up defenses along the lower banks of the river, they could devastate Union trade in the west, prevent Union forces from penetrating the Deep South in the West (think Vicksburg, Shiloh, Corinth, Nashville among the key southern cities in this theater) and perhaps have a launching pad for attacking the Illinois, Indiana, Ohio or other Northern states with more than an occasional John Hunt Morgan raid.

Despite this, I cross this river twice a day and until today never really thought about it in a historical context. Does it make sense for me to try to picture escaping slaves (like Margaret Garner for one famous, though unsuccessful, example) while I'm in an air-conditioned (in the summer, heated in the winter) bus? Should it help me appreciate my good fortune or to understand better the differences between now and the past? How many African Americans would have absolutely loved to have safe, reliable transportation from my beloved Kentucky into Ohio or another northern state?

To me, the Ohio River is just a piece of everyday life, nothing really special or noteworthy, except for an occasional flood. Historically, however, this was a key border, a major crossing point, a place of hope for people to try to reach freedom, to escape bondage, to try to have some control over their lives. It is not a famous battlefield of dozens or hundreds of acres, with monuments and gift shops and tourists taking pictures. It is simply a wonder of Nature that human mapmakers once used as a separation point of what we call states, and which continues to flow southwards, just as it did 150 years ago. It has no mind or desires or other human emotions, but steadfastly flows until it reaches the mighty Mississippi. Yet this river, one of many throughout the country, even as constituted in 1865 and before, was very important, as a border into potential freedom and as a goal, to countless people who wanted to better their lives.

I often wonder what it would be like to live near a really famous battlefield like Gettysburg or Antietam or Shiloh. My appreciation for Perryville grows as I understand it more, but even that is a couple of hours away.

Yet here is an important place, just a few minutes from my home, that absolutely played a role in 19th century America and in the slavery controversy that at least contributed (though I believe caused) the bloody Civil War.

This is a perspective I had not considered before. I'm sure I'll think about it more often now, as I routinely cross this border so frequently and easily.

The above is a picture I took in April 2009 from downtown Cincinnati, with a brief view of the river separating the states.

System of recruiting

After issuing General Order 18, as noted in my previous entry, Kentucky's Adjutant General of Volunteers John W. Finnell published a system of recruiting troops to help fill this call.

This also comes from the Covington Journal of July 19, 1862. It is nothing earth-shattering, but I liked the breakdown of the officers. Most of it is familiar, but I have never been full certain of the numbers or types of sergeants.

(Warning: This is a long entry)

Head-quarters Kentucky Volunteers
Adjutant General's Office, 
Frankfort, July 8, 1862.

CIRCULAR
The system of recruiting for the regiments to be raised under the late call will be as follows:

Second Lieutenants will be appointed at once and mastered into the service of the United States by a mustering officer. They will draw pay from the date of muster\, and will be assigned to recruiting stations. They will be entitled to transportation for their recruits and to a limited extent for themselves. They will be authorized at once to muster their men into service, provide subsistence at a rate not to exceed thirty cents pr day, and will be furnished clothing on their requisition. 

Any persons reporting here within fifteen days from the date hereof, and furnishing this department with certificates of good moral character, sober habits, and of their qualification for command from well known loyal citizens, and their own certificates on honor that they have thirty men enlisted who will consent to be immediately mustered into service under them, will be appointed Second Lieutenant, and so mustered. Should they fail within one week thereafter, to report at least that number of men in such camp as they may be ordered into, then they (illegible line) of sixty men or over, thus presented will be entitled to two Lieutenants, and full companies to a full set of officers.  Squads thus received will be combined into companies, and organized without delay. The appointment to the Lieutenancy, though it will secure the appointee the pay of his rank during the time he is engaged in recruiting, will of course be conditioned upon his being able to recruit a Lieutenant's command within the time specified in his letter of appointment -- and he will be expected, in the event of his failure to recruit the required number, within the specified time, to report such as he may have recruited to such camp as may be designated by his department. All proper blanks and instructions in detail will be furnished. 

The plan of organization is as follows:
Company Organization
Infantry
1 Captain
1 First Lieutenant
1 Second Lieutenant
1 First Sergeant
4 Sergeants
8 Corporals
2 Musicians
1 Wagoner
64 Privates, to 82 
--
83 Aggregate, to 101

Regimental Organization
Infantry
1 Colonel
1 Lieutenant Colonel
1 Major
1 Adjutant (A Lieutenant)
1 Regimental Q.M., (A Lieutenant)
1 Surgeon
1 Assistant Surgeon
1 Sergeant Major
1 Regimental Q. M. Sergeant
1 Regimental Com. Sergeant
1 Hospital Steward
2 Principal Musicians

Pay, Advance Pay, and Bounty
The officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, will, in all respects, be placed on the footing, as to pay  and allowances, of similar corps in the Regular army. Their allowances for clothing shall be $3.50 per month.

Every volunteer, non-commissioned officer, private, musician, and artificer who enters the service of the United States under this plan, shall be pain at the rate of fifty cents in lieu of subsistence for every twenty miles of travel from his place of enrollment to the place of muster, the distance to be measured by the shortest usually traveled routes, and when honorably discharged an allowance at the same rate from the place of his discharge to his place of enrollment and, in addition, thereto, the sum of one hundred dollars.

Any volunteer who may be received into the service of the United States under this plan, and who may be wounded or otherwise disabled in the service, shall be entitled to the benefits which have been or may be conferred on persons disabled in the regular service, and the legal heirs of such as die or may be killed in the service, in addition to all arrears of pay and allowance, shall receive the sum of one hundred dollars.

 A premium of two dollars shall be paid for each accepted recruit. Every volunteer who enlists for three years or during the war shall receive his first month's pay in advance upon the mustering of his company into the service of the United States; and shall in addition thereto, receive in advance twenty five dollars of the one hundred dollars bounty above specified, which shall be pain when the company has been raised to the minimum number. 

By order
John W. Finnell
Adj. Gen. Ky. Vols.

A Response to Lincoln's Call for 300,000 Troops

In response to Abraham Lincoln's July 1862 call for 300,000 more troops from the states for the Union army, the Adjutant General's Office, Headquarters Kentucky Volunteers, issued this directive, as published in the July 19, 1862 Covington Journal.

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 18
The President of the United States, acting upon a request from the Governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virgina, Michigan, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, ,Minnesota Illinois, Wisconsin and the President of the Military Board of Kentucky, has called into the service an additional force of three-hundred thousand men. Of this force, Kentucky is expected to furnish, as early as practicable, four regiments of infantry, a part of her quota under the late call.

(Note: Kentucky Governor Beriah Magoffin sympathized with the South and when Lincoln's first call for 75,000 volunteers went out after the firing at Fort Sumter, Magoffin promised "I will send not a man nor a dollar for the wicked purpose of subduing my sister Southern States" so the President did not even pretend that Kentucky's governor belonged on this list. Instead, John Baylor Temple represented Kentucky on this list.)

It is enough for loyal Kentuckians to know that their country needs their aid. The State has already in the service thirty-four regiments, two battalions and two batteries, and her troops (illegible) in the field have distinguished themselves at Wild Cat, at Ivy Mountain, at Middle Creek, at Mill Springs, at Fort Donelson, and at Shiloh! The battles in which her soldiers have been engaged have all been victories.

Other battles have to be fought, and more laurels are to be won. The rebellion has to be put down and the national unity and authority maintained. Towards the accomplishment of that great end, let Kentucky so act her part, that she will vindicate her claim to be called "the military State of the Union."

Relying upon the love of country and the courage of the people, there is no fear, but these regiments will speedily report themselves with their full complement, and be ready to take up the line of march to whatever point they may be required to go.

Special instructions to recruiting officers will be issued without delay. 

By order: 
John W. Finnell
Adj. Gen. Ky. Vols. 

--
The next post will give more details on the system of recruiting Finnell established and details on some army organization.

Provost Marshall Takes Action in Covington

From the Covington Journal of July 19, 1862 comes this untitled notice, again showing that even this town on the very northern border of this Union state (just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati) faced the challenge of dealing with southern sympathizers. 

Several citizens of Covington were served with the following notice on Tuesday last: 

Provost Marshall's Office,
Covington, July 14, 1862

"Information having been furnished me, that your house has been for months past the rendezvous of rebel sympathizers, it is, therefore, ordered, for the maintenance of peace and good order, that all crowds congregating within the limits of my supervision, whose actions and conduct place them as enemies to their country, and whose sentiments and sympathies are known to be in opposition to the Government, be warned that such connivance on heir part will be considered as a direct violation of the orders of General J. T. Boyle, for the government of this Department.

James L. Foley,
Provost Marshal of Kenton County"

google map showing location of Covingtion

The Charge Against Gen. Mitchell

Brigadier General Ormsby M. Mitchel

This article is from the Covington Journal of July 19, 1862 and is similar in subject to my previous post. General Mitchel was a multi-talented individual, almost like a 19th century Renaissance Man. See this link for some information about his various careers, including lawyer, astronomer and soldier.

He was also an important figure in the Civil War, especially in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area, helping start the building of the local defenses on the hills south of the Ohio River in 1861. The biggest local fort, Fort Mitchel, was named in his honor and eventually this area became the town of Fort Mitchell, which still exists today, though nobody knows when the second "l" was added to the town name. (Even the story I transcribe today spelled it as "Mitchell" and I will leave it as is, though "Mitchel" is correct. Apparently the second "l" just makes it look better or more natural to anybody writing his name.)

He was also general who gave permission for the raid that became known as the "The Great Locomotive Chase," familiar to many through a 1950's Disney Movie

I have not been able to find what the specific charges were against Mitchel, but the story makes it seem it involved the behavior of the men under his command.

The Charge Against Gen. Mitchel
The Cincinnati Times gives the following as the foundation of the Louisville Journal's charge against Gen. Mitchell:

"One of Gen. Mitchell's brigades is commanded by Col. Turchin, of Illinois. Turchin is an old European soldier, a Prussian by birth, an accomplished soldier but loose in his morals. His own regiment, the 19th Illinois, forms part of his brigade."

"Since it has been in the service, the 19th Illinois has continually disgraced itself by committing depredations on citizens and especially upon Secessionists. At Bowling Green, their conduct was so outrageous, that Gen. Mitchell was compelled to interfere, and did so effectively. The regiment behaved themselves thereafter. After Gen. Mitchell's arrival in Alabama, he dispatched Turchin, with his brigade, to Athens. The troops were constantly subjected to assassination by the citizens of that town. Almost every hour, soldiers were murdered in cold blood, by assassins who could not be discovered. Turchin became enraged, and one day let his men loose upon the town. As the story goes, he agreed to 'shut his eyes' for two hours.

"The revenge of the men was fearful, no one being spared in the excesses which followed, and there is no doubt that crimes of a very grave character were perpetrated by the soldiery, especially by the 19th Illinois. At the end of the two hours, Turchin 'opened his eyes' and the excesses ceased."
--
Colonel Turchin was court-martialed for his actions. Here is a period article about the trial. Note that Colonel Marcellus Mundy, mentioned in my previous entry, was among the members of the court, along with future president James A. Garfield.

According to this additional link, the court convicted Turchin and cashiered him from the service, but the fortunate office received a break thanks to the kindness of President Lincoln. He remained in the service and even was promoted to Brigadier General. He resigned his position in late 1864 when poor health led him to resign.

Col. John B Turchin, courtesy wikipedia

A Defense of the Actions of Colonel Marcellus Mundy

 This story came from the Covington Journal of July 19, 1862. Mundy's unit, the 23rd Kentucky Infantry had been organized in and around Covington, so this story did have a local interest in it, but involved some national questions about the conduct of the war as well. See this fine article on Marcellus Mundy for more details on this officer's service and career. Some of the information within it serves as further examples of the difficult position Kentucky and Kentuckians were in, regarding saving the Union, but not opposing the abolition of slavery. Balancing those concepts was never easy in this state. 

(Note: I did break the below article up into multiple paragraphs to make it easier to read, but left the wording as it was originally published. I'm not sure the Colonel could have written a kinder recap of this time period  himself.)

Col. Marc Mundy Defended
Col. Marc Mundy. of the Twenty-third Kentucky Regiment, stationed at Pulaski, Tenn., has been charged with showing too much lenity to the rebels. A correspondent of the Louisville Journal, writing from Pulaski, comes to the defense of Col. Mundy, and makes a good showing in his behalf. We make an extract:

"Permit me to sketch briefly Col. Mundy's administration here, which may serve as a suggestion to other commanders, as well as justify what the Nashville Union has been pleased to call "child's play" policy. On his arrival at this post, he found anarchy reigning supreme. Injudicious laxity had permitted previous soldiery to retaliate upon the citizens for the raid of Morgan and his band, and the unlicensed depredations perpetrated upon the whole community by teamsters and hangers-on of the army, particularly of the Third Division train, had alarmed every man, woman and child in the community. His first work was to restore order, which seemed a comparatively easy task, seconded as he was by his courteous officers and highly disciplined men. To prevent depredations he posted his orders publicly forbidding soldiers even to enter upon private premises unless invited, and warning citizens against any act of rebellion, or expressions of sympathy with the rebel cause. When soldiers broke his orders, he punished them, and the county jail was soon found to be convenient quarters for some stubborn citizens. By free intercourse and courteous treatment, and a fearless discharge of his duties, he soon won the confidence of our community, and we were surprised one morning to find bills posted in our town and vicinity calling a public meeting at the Court House, to discuss an devise the best plan for restoring our State to her Federal relations. 

We were much more astonished when the day came, to find our large court room literally jammed full and overflowing with citizens from the town and country, anxious to hear discussion and find some way out of our present evils. Without meaning to pay Col. Mundy an empty compliment, which his intelligence and patriotism would equally reject, I can say that his highly-gifted genius as an orator was displayed in most brilliant manifestation on that occasion to his wrapt and breathless audience; that his speech, one of the finest ever listened to, enforced by a deeply earnest manner, convincing argument, and stirring appeals of eloquence, conquered more rebels in one hour than his well drilled and gallant regiment could have conquered with bullets in a day. He lifted up the veil which clouded the intelligence of our people, boldly attacked and drove prejudice from their minds, and shamed sectional hatred out of their hearts. He roused his audience to wild enthusiasm, and save a few stubborn stiff necks, that vast audience, which was address by Col. Jno. C. Walker and Mr. George Baker, left the Courthouse, at the close of the meeting, constitutional Union Men.

Col. Mundy, courtesy civilwarbadges.com

Bogus Colored Gentlemen

The Covington Journal of July 18, 1862 prints this story.

Two surgeons have returned to New York from Hilton Head on board the Ericsson, sent home by Gen. Hunter for refusing to dance attendance upon the rear of the negro brigade.


It is further stated that the tebels are taking advantage of the love for the negro displayed by General Hunter and other officers. White men, corked and wigged, have under cover of their darkness entered our lines and returned to the rebel camp with valuable information!

General David Hunter, courtesy wikipedia

 

 

 

 

Book Review: One of Morgan's Men

One Of Morgan's Men: Memoirs of Lietuenant John M. Porter of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry

Editor: Kent Masterson Brown

copyright 2011

University Press of Kentucky 

For students of John Hunt Morgan, Civil War cavalry and/or the western theater, this book, though only 204 pages of text (not including notes) is a very good resource that gives many details of what happened during various cavalry raids and scouting expeditions and how the men handled their jobs.

Written in the early 1870s, it of course raises questions about how the author remembered as many details as he did, even a few years after the war, and that question should remain in the reader's mind, but Brown did a masterful job of editing it. He even used many different sources such as census records to confirm the names Porter mentioned. Brown added additional information about these people and families in the very in-depth notes section - readers should be sure not to skip over this part of the book, which also includes modern references to the areas Porter traveled, including current road and town names. His research certainly adds to the credibility of the text.

This is an enjoyable, informative and well-written, well-edited book. Porter was a lieutenant, but this is not a memoir of an officer, but, rather, of a soldier following orders and doing his duty. Little is mentioned of grand strategies or even tactics - Porter sticks to telling what he and his comrades did, how they obeyed orders, the actions they undertook, and how they accomplished all they did, sometimes in challenging conditions or areas.

This is the story of night scouting expeditions, of travel through dark and rainy conditions, often in territory with Yankees around, of trying to find food and shelter for man and horse and of a man who clearly believed in his cause. Several times throughout the book, he emphasizes what he perceives as the correctness of the Confederate cause. He tries to avoid bragging about his own accomplishments, but is not afraid to describe the bravery and courage of his comrades and the units under Morgan's lead. He clearly believed that he and his fellow Confederates were fighting for the side of the right and that they were determined to give their all to achieve victory.

One of Morgan's Men also serves as a small sample of the story of Kentucky itself during the war. One fascinating aspect of the narrative is Porter's descriptions of how the scouts found so many friendly citizens to help, house and/or feed them throughout the Commonwealth, but especially the central and west-central parts of it. Though they had to be careful not to catch the attention of Union supporters or soldiers who were frequently in the same areas, they still found help when they needed it. This is another example of the split loyalties of what was still technically a Union state, even though that was not the intent of the writer or his book.

This work does include a nice selection of photographs and a few maps/drawings, which do add to to the quality of the work. The editing, with the information in the notes, and selection of the illustrations, deserves much praise for making this a better work, not just a word-for-word retype of Porter's manuscript.

Porter's writing (with some assistance from the editor) is easy to read, with a nice flow, and provides a fascinating perspective on the operations of Confederate cavalry, especially under Morgan's command. Most of the story takes place in southern Kentucky and Tennessee, but they did make their way to eastern and Central Kentucky too. Porter was captured prior to the Indiana and Ohio portions of Morgan's last great raid, but he provides many anecdotes and details of the raids and expeditions in which he took part.

This is a very good, interesting and valuable book. It gives gives a good look at the small, often forgotten or unrecorded aspects of war incidents that do not always make it to newspapers and major studies about the war. Those interested in the Civil War generally know of the reputation of Morgan and his men, but the details of their riding during the night and resting during the day, or of locating friendly civilians for rest or shelter are often missing from the official reports of such activity. This book provides some of those details.

John Hunt Morgan and his men caused a lot of chaos for Union soldiers, supporters and supply lines in the region during his reign, and John M. Porter's memoirs provide a very fascinating insight into the whats, wheres and hows of these various actions. This is a high-quality book that I highly recommend.

"Thunderbolt" by John Paul Strain