Joshes and Chubs - Arkansas Toothpick
Transcription
Joshes and Chubs - Arkansas Toothpick
Joshes and Chubs The Newsletter of the 1 st Arkansas Infantry Company D, C.S.A. June 2008 www.arkansastoothpick.com “So, as you go into battle, remember your ancestors and remember your descendants” Jefferson Finis Davis June 3, 1808 – December 6, 1889 Davis was the youngest of the ten children of Samuel Emory Davis and wife Jane Cook. The younger Davis' grandfather Evan Davis emigrated from and had once lived in Virginia and Maryland, marrying Lydia Emory. His father, along with his uncles, had served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War; he fought with the Georgia cavalry and fought in the Siege of Savannah as an infantry officer. Also, three of his older brothers served during the War of 1812. Two of them served under Andrew Jackson and received commendations for bravery in the Battle of New Orleans. During Davis' youth, the family moved twice; in 1811 to St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, and in 1812 to Wilkinson County, Mississippi near the town of Woodville. In 1813, Davis began his education together with his sister Mary, attending a log cabin school a mile from their home in the small town of Woodville, known as the Wilkinson Academy. Two years later, Davis entered the Catholic school of Saint Thomas at St. Rose Priory, a school operated by the Dominican Order in Washington County, Kentucky. At the time, he was the only Protestant student. Davis went on to Jefferson College at Washington, Mississippi, in 1818, and to Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1821. In 1824, Davis entered the United States Military Academy (West Point). He completed his four-year term as a West Point cadet, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1828 following graduation. Davis was assigned to the 1st Infantry Regiment and was stationed at Fort Crawford, Wisconsin. His first assignment, in 1829, was to supervise the cutting of timber on the banks of the Red Cedar River for the repair and enlargement of the fort. Later the same year, he was reassigned to Fort Winnebago. While supervising the construction and management of a sawmill in the Yellow River in 1831, he contracted pneumonia, causing him to return to Fort Crawford. The year after, Davis was dispatched to Galena, Illinois, at the head of a detachment assigned to remove miners from lands claimed by the Native Americans. Lieutenant Davis was home in Mississippi for the entire Black Hawk War, returning after the Battle of Bad Axe. Following the conflict, he was assigned by his colonel, Zachary Taylor, to escort Black Hawk himself to prison, it is said that the chief liked Davis because of the kind treatment he had shown. Another of Davis' duties during this time was to keep miners from illegally entering what would eventually become the state of Iowa. Continued on Page 11 1 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 The Captain’s Tent Comments from Captain Kalkbrenner Ladies and Gentlemen of the 1st Arkansas, Greetings. We have again had a very busy month! 6 events in 4 weeks is enough for just about anyone, and we had one other event cancelled! On April 19th, the 1st Arkansas Infantry set up a booth at the Pine Bluff Arsenal's Kids' Fest held in White Hall. Capt. Kalkbrenner and Pvts. Rex Norris, Ron Kelley, and Marde Clardy represented the unit and spoke to numerous people all day. At the same time the 1st Arkansas Light Artillery was set-up at Star City for the Star Daze Festival. Lt. Farmer, Sgt Turney, and some of the Taylors manned two guns. An "old" member, Chris McGee, made an appearance at Star City. Hopefully we will be seeing more of him soon. On Friday, April 25th, all aspects of the 1st Arkansas Living Historians was well represented at Cabot Middle School for their annual Civil War Days. Lt. Farmer and Sgt. Swayze fired their cannon and mortar. Capt. Kalkbrenner and Sgt. Lewis demonstrated uniforms and weapons. Miss Ellie, Ms. Sue and Ms. Flo spoke to the children and described life at home. We have been invited back next year. We were supposed to have left from Cabot and travelled to Mountain Home for their reenactment, but because of flooding and forecasted storms, that event was cancelled. Instead, the infantry now joined the artillery in a memorial service on Saturday, April 26th, at Jenkins Ferry. Lt. Farmer commanded a battery in firing salutes throughout the day. Sgt. Swayze and Sgt. Turney commanded the guns, which were manned by a ragtag group including Mike Lewis, Rex Norris, Marde Clary, and Charles Wilson. Capt Kalkbrenner was also in attendance and spoke during the libations ceremony, performed by Lt. Farmer. On May 2-4, the 1st Arkansas travelled to Jefferson, TX for the annual Battle of Port Jefferson. Our very own Lt. Farmer was there in his new capacity as Lt. 2 Colonel of the TMVA!!! We had a great weekend, with wonderful weather (after we outran the tornadoes) and some of the best fellowship we have had in a while. Cpl. Wisner stepped up and filled his role with enthusiasm. During the Saturday afternoon battle Cpl. Wisner found himself in command of the company, with Capt Kalkbrenner mortally wounded and Sgts. Lewis and Mark Hannibal (9th Ark) dead. Cpl. Wisener looked to Sgt Major Hutch for guidance, only to see him shot down also. Gentlemen, I think we have created a monster!!! Cpl. Wisner seemed to enjoy command, so much so that I made him a brevet Lt. and company commander for Sunday when we took the field as the 5th Kansas. In the future, when we field as the 5th Kansas, Lt. Wisener will be with the company. I would like to start training all NCOs in this way in the future to prepare them to someday take command of the 1st Arkansas. On Saturday May 10th, several members of the 1st Arkansas set-up fly's and demonstrations at the German Heritage Festival in Stuttgart. Cannons were fired all day and the wires were hot with telegraph messages. Sgt Lewis and Cpl. Wisener must of had 50 rounds shot through their muskets by the local children. A good time was had by all. We left Stuttgart around 3:30pm, and by 7:00pm the town was hard hit by a tornado. Let's keep everyone in Stuttgart in our thoughts and prayers. This weekend we will be traveling to Quitman to dedicate 3 stones for Sgt. Bill Turney's ancestors. On Sunday, May 25th, the 1st Arkansas will again serve as the honor guard for the annual Pine Bluff Memorial Day Service at the Veterans Section of Graceland Cemetery. This is an honor for us and everyone please attend. After the service, a cookout is being held at the Kalkbrenner Homestead. Everyone is invited. The menu will consist of burgers and dogs, plus whatever you feel like bringing. I will have directions for those who need them to the service. I will be contacting those going to Gettysburg very soon with all the details for the trip. It will be here before you know, and I hope everyone is getting ready. If you have not started walking, you need to start NOW!!! If this years event is like those in the past, we will cover several miles every day, with 5 battles in 3 days!!! See you all very soon, Capt K Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Seriously though, for those of you who did not go to Jefferson last month, you truly missed one of the better events this year! The TMVI averaged around 120 people each day and the battles were very exciting and well done. Comments from your Sgt Major Before I get too far into this, I would like to give our 6 month report. So far this year, the 1st Arkansas has attended 12 sanctioned events. Of those twelve, the lowest attendance was at the Lee Parade in Cabot with only 7 members attending. The highest attended event so far has been Jefferson Texas with 21 members of the 1st making the trip. There were a few instances of “Damn Yankeeism” when certain members of the 5th Kansas attempted to have their way with a member of the civilian corp. Luckily there were enough Confederates around that this dastardly deed did not come to fruition. The real mistake by the redlegs was that they failed to take into consideration the vengeful wrath of a certain 7 foot tall relative of this civilian corp. member and that his payback is yet to be felt. Since my last report, the 1st has added 7 new members and has lost 2 members for nonparticipation and refusal to pay their dues, giving us a total membership of 45, so at our highest event we had a 41% attendance from our members and at our lowest we had a 16% attendance. My question now is, will the 1st ever be able to field 100% of it’s people? I know we can do it and hope to see it this year! Micah Wisner was brevetted to the position of 2nd Lieutenant after everyone else in the company was dead. He stepped up to the plate and did an exemplary job. So much in fact that the next day, both Captain K and Corporal Lewis took the role of bushwhackers and gave the 5th to Lt. Wisner who again took charge and helped lead the Federals to a victory. If you check the calendar you will notice that we are at that time of year when the heat drives us indoors. Except for those of you going to Gettysburg in July, the 1st has no scheduled events until August with Founders Day. I know it would be hot, but maybe sometime between now and then we can get together for some drill and fellowship like we did lat year. All in all, we have had a grand time this year and I know that with what we have facing us for the rest of the year we will have an even larger time for the next six months! Speaking of Gettysburg, I hope those of you fortunate enough to go will take some photos for those of us who didn’t. When you get home, get me your photos and if each of you will write me a small article about the trip I will include it in a special Gettysburg Edition for the newsletter next month. Speaking of newsletters, I know that this one is probably one of the biggest I have ever put out. That is just the way it goes sometimes. I either don’t have enough for a good edition or I have too much and can’t decide what to throw out. I decided to leave it this size so that Rex can have more rolling papers for Gettysburg. The 5th Kansas under the command of Lt. Wisner on the field at Jefferson 3 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 The Chaplain’s Corner Andy Taylor SCARS OF LOVE Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole that was behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. In the house, his mother was looking out the window. She saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed, and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms, just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began a very incredible tugof-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim, and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy Survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. On his arms, there were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh; in her effort to hang on to the son she loved. The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked the boy if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. Then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go.' 4 You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly, and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been right there, holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you, and provide for you in every way. But, sometimes, we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That is when the tug-of-war begins. If you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He will not ever let you go. God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life, and what they are going through. Never judge other persons scars, because you don't know how they got them.. Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them too enough to not let them go!!! God bless you! Joshes and Chubs June 2008 If anyone reading this article disagrees and still wants to be part of the OCR, I say, “Go for it.” I, for one, just don’t see the need for all the bureaucratic baloney that goes with a few of us trying to be part of a national whole. Stirring the Pot Comments From The Civilian Corp Ladies of the 1st Arkansas. We have a decision to contemplate. As you may know, we have opted to be a chapter of the Order of the Confederate Rose. However, to maintain a chapter we must collect dues, establish a bank account, elect officers and send money to the state level (since we are the only chapter, we are the state level). Why have we tried to do this? Because someone said it would be “cool” to reestablish the OCR in Arkansas. I think the OCR in Arkansas disappeared in the first place because we just do not have enough people across the state interested in maintaining membership. What do we do as a chapter of the OCR? Basically, we provide a unified presence at memorials, parades, and any activity in which our men of the SCV and 1st Arkansas participate. Here is my proposal…. let us continue to support our men of the SCV as well as the 1st Arkansas Infantry and Light Artillery, but drop the façade of being a chapter of the OCR. You may have seen the email I forwarded from National OCR requesting each state to send them $100. I see all of this as unnecessary complications for our little group. The Ladies Aid Society in Jefferson Texas last month that Miss Ellie has reference to. The editor did hear several members of the Civilian Corp speaking favorably about this idea. The doors it would open could be limitless. It is something to meet about and discuss. We can still be a unified organization, but we could choose a non-descript title, such as the 1st Arkansas Civilian Corps or as we saw at Jefferson, TX, a Ladies Aid Society. That would open our membership to newcomers who have no allegiance to the Southern Cause, but simply want to participate as civilians, including the men who chose not to be soldiers in the field. We could still participate in ceremonies, but with the title of the 1st AR Civilian Corps. We could set up our tents in civilian camp as a unified group. Does this make any sense? Do you agree? Can we be organized without the title of OCR? Do we want to open “membership” to any Reenactor who wants to participate without the official association with the Order of the Confederate Rose? I say, 5 “YES”. Joshes and Chubs June 2008 The Arkansas Flag and Seal Last month I asked you some questions about your States’ Flag; Now, for the Seal; I see a lot of people wearing the Arkansas Belt Plate that Has the Arkansas Seal on it, but do you know what it represents? Why is the flag red, white and blue? Why is there a diamond shape to it? What do the 25 stars represent? What do the 3 stars represent? What does the single star Represent? Did anybody bother to research this? I have not received any calls about it, I would hope that you all were interested enough in your State that you already knew the answers or you did look into it, but just did not share it with anyone. For those who are interested, here are the answers. The flag is red, white and blue because it represents that Arkansas is part of the United States of America. There is a diamond shape to it to represent that Arkansas is known as “The Diamond State”. The 25 stars represent that Arkansas is the 25th State to join the Union. The 3 stars represent the 3 Countries that Arkansas has been a part of, Spain, France and America. The single star represents that Arkansas was part of the Confederacy during the War of Northern Aggression. The Arkansas State Seal was adopted in 1864 and modified to its present form in 1907. The outer ring of the seal contains the text "Great Seal of the State of Arkansas". The inner seal contains the Angel of Mercy, the Sword of Justice and the Goddess of Liberty surrounded by a bald eagle. The eagle holds in its beak a scroll inscribed with the Latin phrase "Regnat Populus", the state motto, which means "The People Rule". (The scroll read "Regnant Populi" prior to 1907.) On the shield of the seal are a steamboat, a plow, a beehive and a sheaf of wheat, symbols of Arkansas's industrial and agricultural wealth. Now, you are probably asking yourself what the big deal is about this stuff? The big deal is that there are men and women from Arkansas right now fighting and dying in a foreign land so that we can enjoy the freedoms expressed in the ideas behind each of these symbols. No, not knowing what they stand for does not make us bad Americans. But, what makes us better Americans is the desire to learn more about our Country, our State and everything else about us that others take for granted. Happy Researching! 6 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Salvaged Wood and Camp Furniture By Steve Shore The next time your driving down the road and see a wooden pallet destined for the trash dump or burn pile, stop and save it. It only takes a few tools from the garage and a few hours on a Saturday to make something useful. For me, I'm always looking around for discarded wood and thinking about how to make camp furniture rather than waste another tree to make my projects. You've seen spectators/visitors walking around and taking pictures of our camp. What do you think they see in their pictures when a tent flap has blown open exposing the interior contents? If you do not want people to see your personal items, ensure you tie the flaps. I've recently made some new items and sat them out for display as they might be sitting around camp. If you were taking a picture of this scene, to show your friends, what would you say these items are? Look at the pictures and get some ideas of your own to build. After arriving at an event, empty the boxes of tents and lanterns, etc., to be utilized as chairs, tables and shelving. Good luck and happy camping, Steve Editor’s note; Steve Shore is the 1 st Sergeant of the 6th Ark and is an invited guest writer for the Joshes and Chubs 7 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Redlegs and Other Bad Yankee Stuff General Order No. 11 is the title of the 25 August 1863 Union Army order in the American Civil War that forced the evacuation of the rural areas of four counties in Missouri. exiled inhabitants. Dense columns of smoke arising in every direction marked the conflagrations of dwellings, many of the evidences of which are yet to be seen in the remains of seared and blackened chimneys, standing as melancholy monuments of a ruthless military despotism which spared neither age, sex, character, nor condition. There was neither aid nor protection afforded to the banished inhabitants by the heartless authority which expelled them from their rightful possessions. They crowded by hundreds upon the banks of the Missouri River, and were indebted to the charity of benevolent steamboat conductors for transportation to places of safety where friendly aid could be extended to them without danger to those who ventured to contribute it. The order affected all rural residents regardless of their loyalty. Those who could prove their Union sympathies could stay in the region but had to leave their farms and move to communities near military outposts. Those who could not prove their sympathies had to leave the area altogether. The order followed the August 21 Lawrence Massacre by Confederate bushwhacker William Quantrill. The Union Army felt that Confederate bushwhackers were coming from or getting support from rural portions of the four Missouri counties on the Kansas border south of the Missouri River (Bates, Cass, Jackson, and Vernon counties). Ewing was to relax his order in November in General Order No. 20 to permit the return of those who could prove their loyalty to the union. Text of the Missouri order General Thomas Ewing issued the order to expel residents from those counties and burn their land. Exceptions to the order were made for those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman Mills, Pleasant Hill, and Harrisonville. The area of Kansas City, Missouri north of Brush Creek and west of Blue River (Missouri) (although called Big Blue in the order) was also spared. The order was approved by Abraham Lincoln who cautioned that the military be careful to avoid permitting vigilante enforcement. Painter George Caleb Bingham, who was staunchly pro-Union, called it an act of imbecility and wrote letters protesting it and one of his most famous works depicts it. Bingham who was in Kansas City at the time described the events: General Order № 11. Headquarters District of the Border, Kansas City, August 25, 1863. 1. All persons living in Jackson, Cass, and Bates counties, Missouri, and in that part of Vernon included in this district, except those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman's Mills, Pleasant Hill, and Harrisonville, and except those in that part of Kaw Township, Jackson County, north of Brush Creek and west of Big Blue, are hereby ordered to remove from their present places of residence within fifteen days from the date hereof. 2. Those who within that time establish their loyalty to the satisfaction of the commanding officer of the military station near their present place of residence will receive from him a certificate stating the fact of their loyalty, and the names of the witnesses by whom it can be shown. All who receive such certificates will be permitted to remove to any military station in this district, or to any part of the State of Kansas, except the counties of the eastern border of the State It is well-known that men were shot down in the very act of obeying the order, and their wagons and effects seized by their murderers. Large trains of wagons, extending over the prairies for miles in length, and moving Kansas ward, were freighted with every description of household furniture and wearing apparel belonging to the 8 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 All others shall remove out of the district. Officers commanding companies and detachments serving in the counties named will see that this paragraph is promptly obeyed. 3. All grain and hay in the field or under shelter, in the district from which inhabitants are required to remove, within reach of military stations after the 9th day of September next, will be taken to such stations and turned over to the proper officers there and report of the amount so turned over made to district headquarters, specifying the names of all loyal owners and amount of such product taken from them. All grain and hay found in such district after the 9th day of September next, not convenient to such stations, will be destroyed. The provisions of General Order No. 10 from these headquarters will be at once vigorously executed by officers commanding in the parts of the district and at the station not subject to the operations of paragraph 1 of this order, and especially the towns of Independence, Westport and Kansas City. 4. Paragraph 3, General Order No. 10 is revoked as to all who have borne arms against the Government in the district since the 20th day of August, 1863. By order of Brigadier General Ewing. H. Hannahs, Adjt.-Gen'l. George Caleb Bingham painting of General Order No. 11. In this famous propaganda work General Thomas Ewing is seated on a horse watching the Red Legs. 9 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Banzai Charges During the Civil War By Bob Hutcheson I saw it again last month. A lone soldier in line of battle screaming like a banshee and making a single, suicide charge at the enemy. He got about half way there and was shot down. His death was one of screaming and involved theatrics that would qualify for a Broadway Play. The problem? It never happened! I know that sometimes I get hung up on something that seems trivial to others but to me this is something that needs to be addressed. Why do we reenact in the first place? I would hope that one of the reasons would be to honor the memory of those who actually did fight in that war. By honoring their memory I mean to bring some dignity and call attention to the sacrifices that were made so long ago. How can that be done by acting like we are kids playing war in the field next to our house? When I see such an act committed I am reminded of the opening few minutes in the movie “Born on the Fourth of July”, when the kid playing the part of young Ron Kovic is ambushed by his friends while they are playing war. After they argue about who shot who, he rolls on the ground with his tongue hanging out and his friends all make fun of him being killed. Sound familiar? Gentlemen, we are not playing war! I have already explained to you why I think we should be doing this. The problem is, after a while we do it so often that we forget why we do it. Then, when a newcomer is on the field we see them do something like this that derides all of us and we fail to action on it. In fact, last month when I saw this happen again, I was approached by a spectator who asked me, “Did they actually make such charges back then?” I referred this question to two people I felt are knowledgeable in this field, Doyle Taylor and Tom Ezell. Here are their responses, first from Doyle Taylor; Have you ever read of any time during the Civil War of individuals making suicide attacks? This is a difficult question to answer because of the differences in the interpretation of the term "Suicide Attack" between the Civil War era and present day. I know what you are talking about a single soldier making a Banzai charge by himself against the enemy. We must remember that while the Americans during WW II thought these Banzai charges to be stupid and welcomed them as being an opportunity to kill the Japanese easily and get the battle over with. The Japanese themselves didn't see their actions in that manner and did not view them as being stupid and without purpose even though they were in reality stupid and a useless waste of the resources of the Japanese commanders. Now as to this being applied to the Civil War soldier; what charge upon an entrenched enemy as conducted during the Civil War using Napoleonic Tactics wasn't in reality a suicidal charge? We question over and over again Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg and the Union Charge at Cold Harbor which were organized massacres. Yet the soldiers made them and they had a military purpose and application. Were there incidents where individuals charged by themselves? How many stories are there where the Flag bearers advanced well ahead of the front lines and made a target of themselves standing on a rock above the fray. We know the mortality rate of Color Bears and the fact that they were the favored targets of the enemy. Yet it was considered an honor to carry the flag. Advancing the colors beyond their prescribed position was known to have even started charges and kept men fighting even when the rest of the line had withdrawn. Were those actions suicide? It was a common practice for privates to refuse promotion to the rank of Sergeant or Lieutenant because it would mean that they would be behind the front ranks and therefore protected from the enemies fire somewhat by those men. Some of these men thought accepting promotion to position behind the lines as being cowardice. There were many cases where the men themselves started charges when faced with situations where they faced the possibility that if they stayed where they were they most likely were going to be killed anyway. 10 Continued on Page 16 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Jefferson Davis Continued from page 1 Davis fell in love with Colonel Taylor’s daughter, Sarah Knox Taylor. Her father did not approve of the match, so Davis resigned his commission and married Miss Taylor on June 17, 1835, at the house of her aunt near Louisville Kentucky. The marriage, however, proved to be short. While visiting Davis' oldest sister near Saint Francisville, Louisiana, both newlyweds contracted malaria, and Davis' wife died three months after the wedding on September 15, 1835. In 1836, he moved to Brierfield Plantation in Warren County, Mississippi. For the next eight years, Davis was a recluse, studying government and history, and engaging in private political discussions with his brother Joseph. The year 1844 saw Davis' first political success, as he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, taking office on March 4 of the following year. In 1845, Davis married Varina Howell, the granddaughter of late New Jersey Governor Richard Howell whom he met the year before, at her home in Natchez Mississippi. First wife, Sarah Knox Taylor There is a portrait of Mrs. Jefferson Davis in old age at the Jefferson Davis Shrine in Biloxi, Mississippi, painted by Adolfo Müller-Ury (1862-1947) in 1895 and dubbed 'Widow of the Confederacy'. It was exhibited at the Durand-Ruel Galleries in New York in 1897. The Museum of the Confederacy at Richmond, Virginia, possesses Müller-Ury's 1897-98 profile portrait of their daughter Winnie Davis which the artist presented to the Museum in 1918. The year 1846 saw the beginning of the Mexican-American War. He resigned his House seat in June, and raised a volunteer regiment, the Mississippi Rifles, becoming its colonel. On July 21, 1846 they sailed from New Orleans for the Texas coast. Davis armed the regiment with percussion rifles and trained the regiment in their use, making it particularly effective in combat. Second wife, Varina Howell In September of the same year, he participated in the successful siege of Monterrey, Mexico. He fought bravely at the Battle of Buena Vista on February 22, 1847, and was shot in the foot, being carried to safety by Robert H. Chilton. In recognition of Davis's bravery and initiative, commanding general Zachary Taylor is reputed to have said, "My daughter, sir, was a better judge of men than I was.” President James K. Polk offered him a Federal commission as a brigadier general and command of a brigade of militia. He declined the appointment, arguing that the United States Constitution gives the power of appointing militia officers to the states, and not to the Federal government of the United States. Because of his war service, the Governor of Mississippi appointed Davis to fill out the Senate term of the late Jesse Speight. He took his seat 5 December 1847, and was elected to serve the remainder of his term in January 1848. In addition, the Smithsonian Institution appointed him a regent at the end of December 1847. 11 Continued on next page Joshes and Chubs June 2008 The Senate made Davis chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. When his term expired, he was elected to the same seat (by the Mississippi legislature, as the Constitution mandated at the time). He had not served a year when he resigned (in September 1851) to run for the Governorship of Mississippi on the issue of the Compromise of 1850, which Davis opposed. This election bid was unsuccessful, as he was defeated by fellow senator Henry Stuart Foote by 999 votes. Left without political office, Davis continued his political activity. He took part in a convention on states' rights, held at Jackson, Mississippi in January 1852. In the weeks leading up to the presidential election of 1852, he campaigned in numerous Southern states for Democratic candidates Franklin Pierce and William R. King. Portrait of Jefferson Davis by Daniel Huntington. Pierce won the election and, in 1853, made Davis his Secretary of War. In this capacity, Davis gave to Congress four annual reports (in December of each year), as well as an elaborate one (submitted on February 22, 1855) on various routes for the proposed Transcontinental Railroad. The Pierce Administration ended in 1857. The President lost the Democratic nomination, which went instead to James Buchanan. Davis' term was to end with Pierce's, so he ran successfully for the Senate, and re-entered it on March 4, 1857. His renewed service in the Senate was interrupted by an illness that threatened him with the loss of his left eye. Still nominally serving in the Senate, Davis spent the summer of 1858 in Portland, Maine. On the Fourth of July, he delivered an anti-secessionist speech on board a ship near Boston. He again urged the preservation of the Union on October 11 in Faneuil Hall, Boston, and returned to the Senate soon after. As Davis explained in his memoir, "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government," he believed that each State was sovereign and had an unquestionable right to secede from the Union. He counseled delay among his fellow Southerners, however, because he did not think that the North would permit the peaceable exercise of the right to secession. Having served as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce, he also knew that the South lacked the military and naval resources necessary to defend itself if the North attacked. Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, however, events accelerated. South Carolina adopted an ordinance of secession on December 20, 1860, and Mississippi did so on January 9, 1861. As soon as Davis received official notification of that fact, he delivered a farewell address to the United States Senate, resigned, and returned to Mississippi. Four days after his resignation, Davis was commissioned a Major General of Mississippi troops. On February 9, 1861, a Constitutional convention at Montgomery, Alabama named him provisional President of the Confederate States of America and he was inaugurated on February 18. In meetings of his own Mississippi legislature, Davis had argued against secession; but when a majority of the delegates opposed him, he gave in. Davis was not opposed to secession in principle; he counseled delay because he did not believe the North would agree to the peaceable exercise of the claimed right, and he knew that the South was not prepared for war. 12 Continued on next page Joshes and Chubs June 2008 In conformity with a resolution of the Confederate Congress, Davis immediately appointed a Peace Commission to resolve the Confederacy's differences with the Union. In March 1861, before the bombardment of Fort Sumter, the Commission was to travel to Washington, D.C., to offer to pay for any Federal property on Southern soil, as well as the Southern portion of the national debt, but it was not authorized to discuss terms for reunion. He appointed General P.G.T. Beauregard to command Confederate troops in the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina. He approved the Cabinet decision to bombard Fort Sumter, which started the Civil War. When Virginia switched from neutrality and joined the Confederacy, he moved his government to Richmond, Virginia, in May 1861. Davis and his family took up his residence there at the White House of the Confederacy in late May. Davis was elected to a Jefferson Davis being sworn in as President of the six-year term Confederate States of America on February 18, as President of 1861 on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol. the Confederacy on November 6, 1861. He had never served a full term in any elective office, and that would turn out to be the case on this occasion as well. He was inaugurated on February 22, 1862. In June, 1862, he assigned General Robert E. Lee to replace the wounded Joseph E. Johnston in command of the Army of Northern Virginia, the main Confederate army in the Eastern Theater. That December, he made a tour of Confederate armies in the west of the country. Davis largely made the main strategic decisions on his own, or approved those suggested by Lee. He had a very small circle of military advisors. Jefferson Davis openly pushed for the Confederate postage stamp featuring acquisition of Cuba upon completion of the Civil War. President Jefferson Davis. In August 1863, Davis declined General Lee's offer of resignation after his defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg. As Confederate military fortunes turned for the worse in 1864, he visited Georgia with the intent of raising morale. On April 3, 1865, with Union troops under Ulysses S. Grant poised to capture Richmond, Davis escaped for Danville, Virginia, together with the Confederate Cabinet, leaving on the Richmond and Danville Railroad. He issued his last official proclamation as President of the Confederacy, and then went south to Greensboro, North Carolina. Circa April 12, he received Robert E. Lee's letter announcing surrender. President Jefferson Davis met with his Confederate Cabinet for the last time on May 5, 1865 in Washington, Georgia, and the Confederate Government was officially dissolved. The meeting took place at the Heard house, the Georgia Branch Bank Building, with fourteen officials present. On May 10, he was captured at Irwinville in Irwin County, Georgia. After being captured, he was held as a prisoner for two years in Fort Monroe, Virginia. 13 Continued on next page Joshes and Chubs June 2008 On May 19, 1865, Davis was imprisoned in a casemate at Fortress Monroe, on the coast of Virginia. He was placed in irons for three days. Davis was indicted for treason a year later. While in prison, Davis arranged to sell his Mississippi estate to one of his former slaves, Ben Montgomery. Montgomery was a talented business manager, mechanic, and even an inventor who had become wealthy in part from running his own general store. After two years of imprisonment, he was released on bail which was posted by prominent citizens of both northern and southern states, including Horace Greeley, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Gerrit Smith (Smith, as a member of the Secret Six, had The original Confederate Cabinet. L-R: Judah P. Benjamin, Stephen Mallory, Christopher Memminger, Alexander Stephens, LeRoy Pope Walker, Jefferson Davis, John H. Reagan and Robert Toombs. earlier supported John Brown). Davis visited Canada, Cuba and Europe. In December 1868, the court rejected a motion to nullify the indictment, but the prosecution dropped the case in February 1869. In 1869 Davis became president of the Carolina Life Insurance Company in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon Robert E. Lee’s death in 1870, Davis presided over the memorial meeting in Richmond, Virginia. Elected to the U.S. Senate again, he was refused the office in 1875, having been barred from Federal office by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He also turned down the opportunity to become the first president of The Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas, which is now Texas A&M University. In 1876, he promoted a society for the stimulation of U.S. trade with South America. Davis visited England the next year, returning in 1878 to Beauvoir (Biloxi, Mississippi). Over the next three years there, Davis wrote The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. Having completed that book, he visited Europe again, and traveled to Alabama and Georgia the following year. He completed A Short History of the Confederate States of America in October 1889. Two months later on December 6, Davis died in New Orleans of unestablished cause at the age of eighty-one. His funeral was one of the largest ever staged in the South, and included a continuous cortège, day and night, from New Orleans to Richmond, Virginia. He is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. Legacy Jefferson Davis at his home c.1885 •The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library, on the grounds of Davis's last home, Beauvoir, at Biloxi, Mississippi, was dedicated in 1998 by the state of Mississippi. •Jefferson Davis is included on a bas relief sculpture on Stone Mountain, which is just east of Atlanta, Georgia. •A monument to Jefferson Davis was unveiled on June 3, 1907, on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. •A statue of Jefferson Davis stands in Confederate Park in Memphis, Tennessee. •A statue of Jefferson Davis stands on the South Mall of the University of Texas at Austin. •A 351-foot (107 m) tall concrete obelisk at the Jefferson Davis State Historic Site in Fairview Todd County, Kentucky honors the former president. 14 Continued on next page Joshes and Chubs June 2008 •A bust statue of Jefferson Davis is located in a park on the spot he was captured, near Fitzgerald, Georgia. Another bust of Jefferson Davis is located outside of the Jeff Davis County Court House building in Hazlehurst, Georgia. •The state of Alabama celebrates Jefferson Davis's birthday on the first Monday in June. •The state of Mississippi observes Davis's birthday in conjunction with the Memorial Day Federal holiday. •In the State of Florida, Jefferson Davis's birthday, June 3, is a legal holiday and public holiday. Jefferson Davis was honorarily inducted into the Kappa Sigma Fraternity (University of Arkansas - Xi chapter) following his son's death. He is currently the only honorary member of the fraternity. Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, Jeff Davis County, Texas, and Jeff Davis County, Georgia, all created after the civil war, were named after Jefferson Davis. •The Jefferson Davis Highway was named in his honor. •Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution barred from office anyone who had violated their oath to protect the Constitution by serving in the Confederacy. That prohibition included Davis. In 1978, pursuant to authority Jefferson Davis grave granted to Congress under the same section of the Amendment, at the Hollywood Cemetery Congress posthumously removed the ban on Davis with a twothirds vote of each house and President Jimmy Carter signed it. These actions were spearheaded by Congressman Trent Lott of Mississippi. Congress had previously taken similar action on behalf of Robert E. Lee. •A statue of Jefferson Davis is depicted in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building, for the state of Mississippi. •There is a carved stone memorial to Jefferson Davis at First and Camp streets, next to the home where he died, in New Orleans, La. •The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is located in his birth place of Christian County, Kentucky. Primary sources Jefferson Davis, Jefferson Davis: The Essential Writings ed. by William J. Cooper (2003) Dunbar Rowland, ed., Jefferson Davis: Constitutionalist; His Letters, Papers, and Speeches (10 vols., 1923). The Papers of Jefferson Davis (1971- ), edited by Haskell M. Monroe, Jr., James T. McIntosh, and Lynda L. Crist; latest is vol. 11 (2004) to May 1865 Jefferson Davis. The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (1881; numerous reprints) Statue of Jefferson 15 Davis Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Banzai Charges During the Civil War Continued from page 10 Now for Tom Ezell’s response; Did Patrick Cleburne commit "suicide" by leading the Charge at Franklin even though as a Major General his position was not supposed to be at the front? Nope... the basic instinct of humans is to survive, and for soldiers especially to survive the War and become GAR or UCV members. What I am saying in all of this is that the system of southern beliefs of personal honor and courage, combined with the passions of the times and the heat of battle might have in fact lead individuals to Charge the enemy by themselves. But I don't know right off hand of any particular incidents that I can cite with certainty. There is a very thin line between what he, the civil war soldier, considered bravery and we consider as suicide. To some it was a personal war and every man, particularly during the early part of the war, thought himself a General and wanted to cover himself with "Glory". During the later stages of the war almost every soldier expected to die, but he went anyway. What was it that the soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia told General Lee when he announced that he had surrendered that army? Wasn't it "General, give us another chance, we can lick them still! About the closest documented example I can think of, and again it wasn't just a single soldier, was Pickett's Charge. Most of the Confederate took cover at the rail fence along the Emmetsburg road, "the survival instinct" in the face of the prepared enemy. Yet General Armistead and only about 300 men made the final push to break the federal lines. Well 300, about the strength of a single regiment, against a couple of thousand Unionist would be about as individualistic as these charges went. Yes I am sure that there were yelling and rebel yells and screaming, and 300 against 3,000 is a suicidal charge, but the key difference here is that they didn't go as individuals, they pushed forward as a group and in formation. No the Reenactor who charges across the field by himself is just grandstanding and showing off, but I can not say that it did not ever happen. And I doubt that any documentation would have been made of such incidents. In most cases you see exactly the opposite -individual soldiers quickly became shrewd judges of just what could (and couldn't) be done in a tight situation, and they would simply take cover until orders came to disengage. "Lie down, you fools! You can't take them damned forts!" You see this in the Federal charges at Vicksburg on May 19 & 20, at Cold Harbor, Kennesaw, and many other places. "Suicide charges" as you describe were mostly junior officers attempting to lead troops forward in spite of the better judgment of both parties, and who paid for setting the example with their lives. Artillery fire effect tables, the little rule of thumb tables that we use to figure out how many 96-pound high explosive shells to shoot at the badniks in order to kill, maim, or at least make them want to quit messing with us, show that a unit is "neutralized" when you inflict 10% casualties, and "destroyed" when you inflict 30% casualties. What this casualty rate does is break up the cohesion of a unit, hopefully into a loose group of scared individuals whose self protective instincts outweigh their fear of not carrying out their mission. S.L.A. Marshall of the Army War College wrote a fundamental study, Men Against Fire, based on combat studies of soldier behavior in World War II and the Korean War that looks, among other things, at fear on the battlefield and its effects on unit cohesion and combat power. It shows about the same thing. Now, there are a variety of examples from the Civil War where an attacking or defending unit suffered horrendous casualty rates... for example, the 1st Texas in the Cornfield at Antietam (82% casualties for those engaged). Likewise, look at the carnage in the Arkansas regiments at Shiloh. Cleburne took nearly 3700 men into the fight at dawn Sunday morning, by late Monday afternoon fewer than 70 men in his brigade were still with the colors. Here, the men, although they had been in service for nearly a year, were inexperienced and unexposed to the violence of 16 Continued on next page Joshes and Chubs June 2008 combat, and so took chances that veterans would not have as long as they had a buddy to stand by them, or a leader they trusted. Many were affected by the "shock and awe" of the fight, and quietly dropped out of the ranks (e.g., "straggled") to settle their fears. Inexperienced leaders also made poor decisions in employing their troops that led to these high casualty rates, and the units were simply shattered and unable to carry on the fight without substantial replenishment and replacements. Later in the war, high rates were seen in units assigned the mission "defend to retain," e.g., to hold a position despite any and all costs. The Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg was so badly shot up that two entire corps -- the 1st and 3rd -- were completely disbanded and their survivors redistributed among the remaining corps to try and make up for the losses in those units. Soldiers in the Napoleonic formations used in the early 19th century drew their strength and cohesion from the touch of elbows with their comrades in the line of battle. Like troops today, they fought for their buddies and their communities -- the thought of measuring up in the eyes of the folks waiting back home. When casualty rates break that formation up, and Joe Snuffy loses that sense of being supported by his comrades and leaders, then self-protection kicks in, and he simply can't be made to go forward after that point until his confidence and trust has been restored. Fear on the battlefield is an awesome thing, and something that we absolutely don't see in reenacting because it's something that we can't easily recreate. It's a big difference that you see even in the movies, from the bloodless Gettysburg and Gods & Generals flicks, to something like the first five minutes of Glory, or better, Saving Private Ryan, or the Band of Brothers series. Both of these people I solicited information from agree that yes, there was enough intestinal fortitude in the fighting man on both sides that would give him the courage to do something like this if the opportunity presented itself. But, aside from flag bearers there is not a single documented case that any of us can recall reading about where this actually happened. Tom makes an interesting point in his response to me. “I've seen thousands of spectators laugh at reenactments across the country, which is probably inappropriate for what we're trying to do. I've never really seen one cry... which is a pretty sad reflection on our efforts.” I never really thought of this before, but, at the Jefferson event last month where I saw the Banzai Charge, I did hear spectators laughing. Think about it like you are reading an action thriller. There was death all around us, the air was filled with thick, acrid smoke. Sweat poured down our faces and we nervously watched as our comrades passed from this life to the next with horrifying injuries. We wondered, if it would be out time next. Our officers were calm under the pressure of the battle, but you could look into their eyes and see that they too were feeling the same emotions we did. Then, out of nowhere, Private Loser let out a blood curdling scream and flung himself at the enemy. It was one man, making a desperate charge. One against 4,000. The outcome could be heard across the land as the spectators who had come to see our battle laughed with glee to see such a site! Doesn’t make sense does it. The lesson learned? We should not take for granted that which has been given us. The freedom and opportunity to do these reenactments as accurately as possible; we can no more be accurate in our battle scenes by allowing such grandstanding than if we wear orange Nike’s as part of our uniform. I've seen thousands of spectators laugh at reenactments across the country, which is probably inappropriate for what we're trying to do. Most spectators come to see the dog and pony show anyway so they can be entertained. Why can’t we stop trying to entertain them and start trying to educate them? I've never really seen one cry... 17 which is a pretty sad reflection on our efforts. Joshes and Chubs June 2008 You're Invited To A Wedding! Suspend for one day your cares and your labours, And come to this wedding, kind friends and good neighbors. Notice is hereby given that the marriage of.... Ellen May Glover DiMaggio to Mike Lewis will be held Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 White Sulphur Springs Confederate Cemetery Jefferson County Park Pine Bluff, AR 3:30 in the afternoon 4:30 Dinner will be served, chow line style. 7:00- 10:00 Formal Ball - period attire preferred Sulphur Springs Methodist Church Fellowship hall Music provided by The 52nd Regimental String Band. This will be part of the annual Civil War living history event~ you may period camp all weekend Ellen & Mike are registered at WalMart WalMart.com 18 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Prairie Grove Individual Registration Form 19 Joshes and Chubs June 2008 Calendar of Events For 2008 The 1st Arkansas Infantry, Co. D, “Clan McGregor” is dedicated to the faithful and historically accurate portrayal of units who fought in the War Between The States from 1861 to 1865. Joshes and Chubs was so named to reflect the attitude of soldiers from Arkansas and Texas towards each other as stated in “The Camp, The Bivouac and the Battlefield” by W.L. Gammage and is published on a once a month basis. Subscription to Joshes and Chubs by non-members is free in e-mail format only, and subscription requests, inquiries and article submissions should be sent to the editor at lawdog@seark.net July 1st – 3 rd *August 23 rd White Hall Founders Day Reed’s Bridge Battle of Little Rock November 1 st Robert Hutcheson 2421 Meadowpond Trail 13100 Dollarway White Hall AR 71602 White Hall AR. 71602 (870) 247-2394 (870) 247-2459 Old State House Federal Impression Living History (No Red legs) (870) 692-4421 (cell) (870) 413-1178 (cell) With the exception of spelling, grammatical and changes necessary for room, all articles submitted for insertion into Joshes and Chubs are unedited to ensure that the spirit of the authors intentions are kept and their exercise to free speech is not infringed upon. The editor however does reserve the right to exclude or edit any article that he deems as slanderous, malicious or damaging to the readers. To unsubscribe from this publication either send an e-mail to the editor at lawdog@seark.net or write him at the return address given White Sulphur October 24 th 26 th Mark Kalkbrenner Disclaimer! *October 18th 19th **August 29th – 30th *September 6 th The 1st Arkansas Living Historians are always looking for “a few good men and women” to fill their ranks of civilian and military positions. If you are interested in Civil War Reenacting please call the Captain or 1st Sergeant as listed above. Battalion Muster Jefferson Texas 145th Gettysburg Sergeant Major Captain **Sep 19th – 21st Lake DeGray Fall Festival Parade East End Arkansas *Dec 6th – 7th Prairie Grove * Maximum Effort ** Not Maximum but a high anticipation of participation E-mail From Andrew Right now nothing much has happened on our missions This last one though while we were traveling up to a certain FOB (Forward Operating Base) we ran into some eye awaking experiences. While we were changing a tire on a truck, in the rear of the convoy, we took what we think was small arms fire (although they did not see any muzzle flash or tracers, they did here the distinct sound of lead flying by their trucks and striking the ground). Earlier we had let a convoy pass us up (we had one flatbed that was slowing us down) and they had an IED detonate on one of their Third Country Nationals trucks but no one was hurt. Needless to say it was an eye opener to realize that that an IED was meant for us and if we hadn't let that convoy pass us one of us might have gotten hurt. Thank God nobody was hurt. I don't see how somebody couldn't believe in God when something like that happens. General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, commenting on General William Tecumseh Sherman's statement "War is Hell!" "He was doubtless speaking of war in its immediate and proximate effects as destruction. He did not mean to imply that its participants are demons. As to that, we may say war is for the participants a test of character; it makes bad men worse and good 20 men better." Joshes and Chubs C/O 13100 Dollarway Road White Hall, AR. 71602