Question of the Week: Underrated Moments of the Civil War
Last Monday, I had the treat to appear on The Tattooed Historian’s YouTube page for a discussion with my friend John Heckman about the most underrated moments of the Civil War. John and I each picked our Top 3 (and John also asked me to toss in a couple “runner-ups”). You can see our full discussion–and our picks—here:
So, of course, that begs the question: What do YOU think the most underrated moment of the Civil War was?
(And don’t forget to subscribe to the Tattooed Historian’s YouTube channel for more “friction-free” history discussions!)
The reconnaissance mission of Captain Samuel Johnston at Gettysburg on the early morning of July 2nd. His controversial observations of no Federal troop activity from Little Round Top led directly to the events of that eventful day.
Union massive victory at Fox’s and Turner’s Gaps and Crampton’s Gap that gave Lincoln the victory he needed to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Most important event of the war!!!
There are almost certainly a number of plausible candidates. I’ll throw in the fight at Allatoona Pass on October 5, 1864, to the extent it influenced the decision for Sherman to undertake the “march to the sea”.
Grant’s soldiers finding the black slave, who told Grant that crossing at Bruinsburg was the way to cross the Mississippi River and get to Port Gibson.
General Benjamin Butler’s response to the Confederate officer that black slaves were “contraband of war” rejecting the demand that they be returned to him after escaping into Fortress Monroe with the 1st Vermont returning after reconnoitering the area outside the fortress in May, 1861.
The decision by federal forces to depart from Texas without a fight.
On 13 May 1861 Queen Victoria issued the Proclamation that announced British neutrality in the conflict between the American states. Although the Confederate States of America was acknowledged the status of ‘a belligerent,’ the more highly sought status of Sovereign Nation was not bestowed upon President Davis’s experiment. Most important: the BLOCKADE initiated by President Lincoln on 19 April was recognized as effective, and all British subjects were admonished to ‘not attempt to break the blockade.’ This blockade would result in less and less cotton leaving the Confederacy for European markets and hard currency as time wore on; and less and less railroad iron reaching the Confederacy (50000 tons per year required in order to maintain safe, speedy rail lines.) With an ever-decreasing ability to trade with overseas markets, the Confederate States of America would wither on the vine if the War of 1861 dragged on too long…
Sometimes words get parsed, so I’ll offer this as “underestimated” rather than “underrated” – I think it was the large and varied (geographical origin, rank and power in society, etc.) amount of Northerners and foreigners who fought for the Confederate cause. Apart from New England, there were men from practically every state that remained in the Union who fought for the South; even men from New York, Illinois, etc. were found in the Confederate ranks. In addition to this, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri, all states of the Union, sent regiments to the Southern armies. Much of the crew of the CSS Alabama and other Confederate Navy ships were from the North, or England, Ireland, France and other European countries; and there were entire companies of men from around the Caribbean, including blacks, who fought in Sydney Johnston’s Army of Tennessee at Shiloh. Lee and Stuart, at least, had Northerners and Europeans on their staffs, the latter including George McClellan’s cousin. These occurrences reflect what was actually happening in the Civil War.
The Army of the Potomac failing to beat the Confederates to Spotsylvania courthouse
Richard Anderson acting with alacrity on Lee’s order to get to Spotsylvania – getting Longstreet’s Corps underway in the middle of the night. Substitutes/replacements/new men in all things, but especially in this war, usually act with hesitation, for fear of erring. Not Anderson, moving decisively and swiftly like A. P. Hill at Sharpsburg and saving the Army of Northern Virginia.
I’ll cheat and name three “underrated” moments, in keeping with Chris’ own blog appearance format (hoping that I do not find that I repeat any of his own choices when I listen to the interview).
Starting at the bottom:
No. 3. McClellan’s refusal, despite Halleck’s repeated order, to send Franklin’s Corps to reinforce Maj. Gen. John Pope in time to participate in Second Manassas. Who knows how an additional corps would have changed the outcome.
No. 2. How very close Lee came to destroying Pope’s Army upon the banks of Bull Run before it could escape. People can argue about Chancellorsville being Lee’s greatest victory, but at Second Manassas – in my humble amateur opinion – Lee came closest to his persistent dream of utterly destroying a federal field army.
No. 1. The battle that never was. May 24, 1864. Grant has fallen into Lee’s “inverted V” trap on the North Anna, with the Army of the Potomac split into three pieces, with either far wing requiring two river crossings before it can reinforce the other if attacked out of Lee’s fortifications between those wings. Lee, by contrast, can strip either of his defensive wings of troops to support an attack against either isolated AOP wing. But Lee falls ill, and has no capable/healthy subordinate to lead the attack. What if Lee had been healthy, directed the attacks, and crippled a significant part of Grant’s force, especially after the heavy AOP losses during the Overland Campaign to date? Would Grant have been forced to fall back to regroup? Would Lincoln’s confidence in Grant been fatally shaken?
Most important, would the recent Super Bowl in New Orleans have pitted the NFL Champion against the CFL Champion (and I don’t mean the “Canadian” Football League)?
I very much agree with your No. 1. A hugely important “battle” that is shamefully overlooked.