Jennison's Jayhawkers

I received Jennison’s Jayhawkers: A Civil War Cavalry Regiment and Its Commander by Stephen Z. Starr as a Christmas present from my parents in 1990. For twenty years it lingered unread on my bookshelves until I pulled it down three weeks ago and started reading it. Are there any Civil War books that have sat unread on your shelves for years? If so, what are they?

Jennison’s Jayhawkers, a study of the 7^th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, was published in 1973 but reads like a much more “modern” study. Starr devotes much attention to colorful characters such as Charles Rainsford Jennison, Daniel Anthony, John Brown, Jr, and “Buffalo Bill” Cody that served in the unit, but he also places an unusual emphasis on the home front. The 7^th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry mirrored its turbulent home in many aspects and was decidedly radical in the devotion of its soldiers to abolitionism. Indeed, the regiment was merrily freeing slaves long before that became government policy. The men also had a decided propensity for plundering—particularly if it involved taking items from Missourians. Jennison’s Jayhawkers became so notorious and troublesome that authorities transferred them to the western theater where it served well in Tennessee and Mississippi. The Kansans were returned to the trans-Mississippi, though, to help defend against Price’s Raid in 1864.

A hallmark of Starr’s writing is an undercurrent of humor with some occasionally pithy comments. For example, here is a gem from Starr: “The governor’s reasons for selecting Jennison for this distinction [to raise a regiment of cavalry] were a puzzle to their contemporaries and are a puzzle to this day. [Governor] Robinson’s explanation is well below the generally low credibility level of official statements intended to explain the inexplicable” (p. 50).

My favorite “Starr-ism” is from volume one of The Union Cavalry In The Civil War: “Among the eternal verities is the tendency of the official mind to ignore inconvenient realities: the higher the post of the official and the farther removed he is from the point at which the facts can be determined by direct observation, the greater the tendency becomes” (p. 128).

Grants Awarded by the American Battlefield Protection Program

The National Park Service recently announced the awarding of several grants through its American Battlefield Protection Program. Of the thirteen grants awarded for projects relating to Civil War battlefields, three are for trans-Mississippi sites. The descriptions of these three grants from the American Battlefield Protection Program’s website are:

$82,000 awarded to the Arkansas State Parks, Department of Parks and Tourism:

“The Battle of Prairie Grove (1862) was the last time two armies of equal strength fought for control over northwest Arkansas. With archeological investigation and GIS mapping, this project will delineate the locations and extent of major battlefield features within Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.”

$41,000 awarded to Northwestern State University of Louisiana:

“During the Red River Campaign of 1864, a fierce engagement occurred between Adm. David Dixon Porter’s fleet, the Confederate land batteries, and several hundred sharpshooters on Deloach’s Bluff Battlefield. This project will identify the location of subsurface resources and the extent of the historic battlefield through a cultural resource survey, GIS/GPS fieldwork, remote sensing, and minimal archeology testing.”

$47,000 awarded to the Wood Lake Battlefield Preservation Association (Minnesota):

“Wood Lake was the final battle of the U. S. Dakota War of 1862. Preoccupied with the Civil War, the U. S. Government violated treaties with Minnesota’s Dakota Indians, leading to hardships for these tribes. Building on the work of a previous ABPP grant, a comprehensive preservation plan will be developed for the Wood Lake Battlefield.”

Also available on the same website are several recent reports titled Update to the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields. These include reports about Civil War battlefields in Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas; they are well illustrated and include a number of present-day photographs plus maps showing the extent of the battlefields.

"Army dying up like rotten sheep."

So stated Dr. Edward W. Cade of the 28^th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) in reference to the deplorable situation at Camp Nelson near Austin, Arkansas, in November 1862. This encampment ranked as one of the most dangerous places to be in the trans-Mississippi in the late summer and fall of 1862. Apparently first called Camp Hope, the site was then named Camp Holmes in honor of Theophilus Holmes, and then renamed as Camp Nelson in memory of Colonel Allison Nelson of the 10^th Texas Infantry who succumbed to disease there. The site near Austin was a gathering point and training area for thousands of soldiers mostly from Texas and Arkansas. Perhaps as many as 20,000 soldiers spent at least some time at Camp Nelson in 1862.

Lieutenant Theophilus Perry of the 28^th Texas Cavalry was one of the many soldiers stationed there. His regiment arrived at the camp in early September 1862, and initially he commented “The health of the Army has been much improved since it came to this place from Crystal Hill on the Arkan[sas] River. There was scarce anything to equal the sickness up there. We have as good water here as ever run out of the ground. This is a red oak country, with no pines & but few other trees. The soil is tolerable but it is thinly settled & mostly by poor people” (Johansson, M. Jane, ed., Widows by the Thousand: The Civil War Letters of Theophilus and Harriet Perry, 1862-1864 [Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2000], 23). Yet in the same letter written on 4 September, Perry observed two graves being dug, harbingers of the horrors to come. A host of factors led to a biological nightmare in the wooded valley of Camp Nelson that year.

A poor diet, bad weather, insufficient clothing, poor sanitation, and a lack of immunity led to widespread illness among the troops gathered at Camp Nelson. Measles and pneumonia appear to have been the major culprits at this depressing and sad campsite. What happened in the 28^th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) was probably little different than in the other regiments at Camp Nelson; by November 1862, only 150 men in the 28^th Texas were fit for duty. By 19 December 1862, 78 men had died (some before their arrival at Camp Nelson), and 46 men had been discharged from the service. Or to put it another way, the 28^th Texas lost 124 men before they even fired a single shot in battle.

How many men died at Camp Nelson? Dr. Richard Lowe in Walker’s Texas Division C. S. A. : Greyhounds Of The Trans-Mississippi extrapolates “that at least 1,290 men of the division either died or were discharged due to illness between September 1, 1862, and April 30, 1863. In view of the sometimes incomplete evidence on which these extrapolations are based—the military service records for individual soldiers—it is quite possible that 1,500 of the Texans were buried in Arkansas that winter. Another 326 men left the division for other reasons from September to April” (38-39). Those are the records for one of the divisions at Camp Nelson; the death rate may have been just as high for the other units stationed there.

A small part of Camp Nelson is preserved today as the Camp Nelson Confederate Cemetery where there is a monument and markers in memory of the dead.

Misery in the Trans-Mississippi

Diseases killed far more men than bullets did during the American Civil War, but historians tend to focus their attention on dramatic events such as battles. Disease, though, could have far more impact on a military unit than a battle. Recently, I read an interesting book by Andrew McIlwaine Bell titled Mosquito Soldiers: Malaria, Yellow Fever, And The Course Of The American Civil War (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2010). According to Bell, “mosquito-borne disease posed the greatest threat to military personnel serving west of the Mississippi River. In fact, the two states where mosquitoes were the most troublesome were both within the region the Confederacy dubbed the Trans-Mississippi Department. For the Union the Department of Arkansas held the ignoble distinction of being its most malarious. Between 1863 and 1865 there were an astonishing 1,287 cases of malaria each year for every 1,000 northern soldiers assigned to the state. Texas experienced more yellow fever outbreaks than any other state in the Confederacy. Southern soldiers stationed in port towns such as Galveston, Lavaca, and Sabine City burned with fever and spewed black vomit before drawing their last breath. But west of the Mississippi malaria was a far more pervasive problem” (p. 101). Trans-Mississippi soldiers also struggled with many other diseases such as measles and dysentery. I will focus on some of the most disease ridden places in the trans-Mississippi in some of my upcoming postings.

Conclusion: The Medal of Honor

This post marks the end of my multi-part series about the men who earned the Medal of Honor for bravery in trans-Mississippi actions. The two men who earned the Medal of Honor for actions in 1865 were:

1) ELISE, WILLIAM

Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company K, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry. Place and date: At, Ark., 14 January 1865. Entered service at: Little Rock, Ark. Birth: England. Date of issue: 8 March 1865. Citation: Remained at his post after receiving three wounds, and only retired, by his commanding officer's orders, after being wounded the fourth time.

2) ROBINSON, JAMES H.

Rank and organization: Private, Company B, 3d Michigan Cavalry. Place and date: At Brownsville, Ark., 27 January 1865. Entered service at: Victor, Mich. Birth. Oakland County, Mich. Date of issue: 4 April 1865. Citation: Successfully defended himself, single-handed against 7 guerrillas, killing the leader (Capt. W. C. Stephenson) and driving off the remainder of the party.

Some of the information below was presented in an earlier posting, but I felt it made for a useful conclusion as well. As an aside, overall many Medals of Honor were presented for the capture of an enemy banner, but not a single trans-Mississippi citation specifically mentions the capture of an enemy flag. Admittedly, some of the citations are worded vaguely, but it is an interesting contrast to the citations for actions east of the Mississippi. Also, citations for acts of bravery in the Navy were generally more detailed than those for the Army--does anyone have documentation for why this was the case?

The total number of soldiers and sailors who received the Medal of Honor for actions in the trans-Mississippi totaled 68; that equals approximately 4.5% of all the Medals of Honor issued during the war. Not a very big percentage is it? By contrast, 59 Medals of Honor were awarded for acts of bravery at the battle of Gettysburg.

Of the 68 Medals awarded, 48.5% were given to those who served in the Army and 51.4% were given to members of the Navy.

The trans-Mississippi action that resulted in the most Medals of Honor awarded were the twenty issued to sailors for their actions at Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip. Six sailors received the Medal of Honor for their actions aboard the U. S. S. Signal while fighting against a Confederate battery above Fort DeRussy on May 5, 1864. Five were issued for actions during the battle of Wilson’s Creek, and four were issued for acts of bravery during the battle of Pea Ridge.

The number of Medals of Honor awarded by year:

1861=7
1862=30
1863=11
1864=18
1865=2

The number of Medals of Honor awarded for action in a specific state or territory (if a state or territory is not listed then no Medal of Honor was awarded for action in that place):

Arkansas=13
Arizona Territory=1
Kansas=4
Louisiana=40
Missouri=8
Texas=2

Three army units had three Medal of Honor recipients each. They were:

37^th Illinois Infantry
3^rd Iowa Cavalry
3^rd Wisconsin Cavalry

Two sets of brothers received Medals of Honor in the trans-Mississippi. They were:

William C. Black and John C. Black of the 37^th Illinois Infantry

James B. Pond and George F. Pond of the 3^rd Wisconsin Cavalry

More Deeds of Bravery

Eighteen men received the Medal of Honor for deeds of bravery that occurred in 1864 in the trans-Mississippi. They were:

1) DUNCAN, JAMES K. L.

Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1845, Frankfort, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 32, 16 April 1864. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Fort Hindman during the engagement near Harrisonburg, La., 2 March 1864. Following a shellburst at one of the guns which started a fire at the cartridge tie, Duncan immediately seized the burning cartridge, took it from the gun and threw it overboard, despite the immediate danger to himself. Carrying out his duties through the entire engagement, Duncan served courageously during this action in which the Fort Hindman was raked severely with shot and shell from the enemy guns.

2) JOHNSTON, WILLIAM P.

Rank and organization: Landsman, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Birth: Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 32, 16 April 1864. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Fort Hindman during the engagement near Harrisonburg, La., 2 March 1864. Badly wounded in the hand during the action, Johnston, despite his wound, took the place of another man to sponge and lead one of the guns throughout the entire action in which the Fort Hindman was raked severely with shot and shell from the enemy guns.

3) MOLLOY, HUGH

Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1832, Illinois. Accredited to: Illinois. G.O. No.: 32, 16 April 1864. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Fort Hindman during the engagement near Harrisonburg, La., 2 March 1864. Following a shellburst which mortally wounded the first sponger, who dropped the sponge out of the forecastle port, Molloy jumped out of the port to the forecastle, recovered the sponge and sponged and loaded the gun for the remainder of the action from his exposed position, despite the extreme danger to his person from the raking fire of enemy musketry.

4) O'DONNELL, MENOMEN

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Company A, 11th Missouri Infantry. Place and date: At Vicksburg, Miss., 22 May 1863. At Fort DeRussey, La., 14 March 1864. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: 30 April 1830, Ireland. Date of issue. 11 September 1897. Citation Voluntarily joined the color guard in the assault on the enemy's works when he saw indications of wavering and caused the colors of his regiment to be planted on the parapet. Voluntarily placed himself in the ranks of an assaulting column (being then on staff duty) and rode with it Into the enemy's works, being the only mounted officer present, was twice wounded in battle.

5) COOK, JOHN H.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company A, 119th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Pleasant Hill, La., 9 April 1864. Entered service at: Quincy, Ill. Birth: England. Date of issue: 19 September 1890. Citation: During an attack by the enemy, voluntarily left the brigade quartermaster, with whom he had been detailed as a clerk, rejoined his command, and, acting as first lieutenant, led the line farther toward the charging enemy.

6) ELLIOTT, RUSSELL C.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company B, 3d Massachusetts Cavalry. Place and date: At Natchitoches, La., 19 April 1864. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Birth: Concord, N.H. Date of issue: 20 November 1896. Citation: Seeing a Confederate officer in advance of his command, charged on him alone and unaided and captured him.

7) BEEBE, WILLIAM S.

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. Place and date: At Cane River Crossing, La., 23 April 1864. Entered service at: Thompson, Conn. Born: 14 February 1841, Ithaca, N.Y. Date of issue: 30 June 1897. Citation: Voluntarily led a successful assault on a fortified position.

8) ASTEN, CHARLES

Rank and organization: Quarter Gunner, U.S. Navy. Born: 1834, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Accredited to: Illinois. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning their fire until the Federal ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised. Although on the sick list, Q.G. Asten courageously carried out his duties during the entire engagement.

9) BUTTS, GEORGE

Rank and organization: Gunner's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: Rome, N.Y. Accredited to: Ohio. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning their fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised. Although entered on the sick list, Butts courageously carried out his duties during the entire engagement.

10) HYLAND, JOHN

Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1819, Ireland. Accredited to: Illinois. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served as seaman on board the U.S.S. Signal which was attacked by field batteries and sharpshooters and destroyed in Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning their fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised. Although wounded, Hyland courageously went in full view of several hundred sharpshooters and let go the anchor, and again to slip the cable, when he was again wounded by the raking enemy fire.

11) McCORMlCK, MICHAEL

Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: 1833, Ireland. Accredited to: Illinois. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served as boatswain's mate on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning the fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised. Serving as gun captain and wounded early in the battle, McCormick bravely stood by his gun in the face of the enemy fire until ordered to withdraw.

12) O'DONOGHUE, TIMOTHY

Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy, Born: 1841, Rochester N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served as boatswain's mate on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning the fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised. Serving as gun captain, and wounded early in the battle, O'Donoghue bravely stood by his gun in the face of enemy fire until ordered to withdraw.

13) WILKES, PERRY

Rank and organization: Pilot, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Indiana. Born: 6 June 1830, Indiana. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served as pilot on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning their fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was ordered raised. Acting as pilot throughout the battle, Wilkes stood by his wheel until it was disabled in his hands by a bursting enemy shell.

14) POND, GEORGE F.

Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry. Place and date: At Drywood, Kans., 15 May 1864. Entered service at. Fairwater, Fond du Lac County, Wis. Birth: Lake County, Ill. Date of Issue: 16 May 1899. Citation: With 2 companions, attacked a greatly superior force of guerrillas, routed them, and rescued several prisoners.

15) LUCAS, GEORGE W.

Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 3d Missouri Cavalry. Place and date: At Benton, Ark., 25 July 1864. Entered service at: Mt. Sterling, Brown County, Ill. Birth: Adams County, Ill. Date of issue: December 1864. Citation: Pursued and killed Confederate Brig. Gen. George M. Holt, Arkansas Militia, capturing his arms and horse.

16) CADWELL, LUMAN L.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company B, 2d New York Veteran Cavalry. Place and date: At Alabama Bayou, La., 20 September 1864. Entered service at:------. Birth: Broome, N.Y. Date of issue: 17 August 1894. Citation: Swam the bayou under fire of the enemy and captured and brought off a boat by means of which the command crossed and routed the enemy.

17) DUNLAVY, JAMES

Rank and organization: Private, Company D, 3d Iowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Osage, Kans., 25 October 1864. Entered service at: Davis County, Iowa. Birth: Decatur County, Ind. Date of issue: 4 April 1865. Citation: Gallantry in capturing Gen. Marmaduke.

18) YOUNG, CAVALRY M.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company L, 3d Iowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Osage, Kans., 25 October 1864. Entered service at: Hopeville, Clark County, Iowa. Birth: Washington County, Ohio. Date of issue: 4 April 1865. Citation: Gallantry in capturing Gen. Cabell.

Mr. Catton of Michigan

You never know what you will discover when you’re on vacation. At least that was my experience while visiting friends recently in Onekama, Michigan. One day while my friend and I were driving through nearby Benzonia (on a cloudy but delightfully cool morning), I looked over and saw

I shrieked (no doubt unnecessarily startling my friend) and told her that we had to stop and read the sign. Bruce Catton helped inspire my interest in the Civil War. In particular I remember taking Mr. Lincoln’s Army, Glory Road, and A Stillness at Appomattox to my junior high classes where I read them at every opportunity. There is really no telling how many times I read them; his emphasis on the common soldier and their regiments was fascinating to me. One of my great regrets is that I never wrote a fan letter to him. Next to the historical marker is a building that once housed the Benzonia Academy where Catton’s father worked as principal; the Catton family lived in this building. Now it houses, among other things, a public library.

After the library opened that day, my friend and I entered the hallowed halls and discovered the Michigan Room that has a photograph of Catton as well as a display of his books. The librarian soon sensed that I had an interest in Catton—perhaps taking multiple photographs gave it away? She kindly directed me to the room that Catton and his brother, Robert, lived in during the academy years. For those interested in Catton's youth in Michigan, I highly recommend his Waiting for the Morning Train: An American Boyhood.

While growing up in tiny Benzonia, Catton knew many veterans who had served in the Army of Potomac. As Catton explained “they were grave, dignified, and thoughtful, with long white beards and a general air of being pillars of the community. They lived in rural Michigan in the pre-automobile age, and for the most part they had never been fifty miles away from the farm or the dusty village streets; yet once, ages ago, they had been everywhere and had seen everything, and nothing that happened to them thereafter meant anything much” (Mr. Lincoln’s Army, xi). These men had a profound influence on Catton and inspired his interest in the Civil War. He dedicated his book Never Call Retreat “To the one-time members of E. P. Case Post Number 372, Grand Army of the Republic, who now sleep in the village cemetery at Benzonia, Michigan, this book is affectionately dedicated.” The following monument erected by Post 372 stands in the Benzonia Cemetery:

According to a woman at the Benzonia Public Library, Catton was cremated but there is a headstone in his memory at the Benzonia Cemetery. Of course, my friend and I had to locate this, and we did! Unsurprisingly, but rather poignantly, Catton’s headstone is not too far from the very men who inspired him. The flags mark the graves of Union veterans near the Catton family plot:

And Catton’s headstone:

A fan had left a handwritten note in June 2010: