Episode 152: The Legend of Johnny Shiloh

 

There are many legends from the Civil War surrounding drummer boys on the battlefield. Arguably, the most famous of these is about Johnny Shiloh, who gave the ultimate sacrifice on the Shiloh battlefield in Tennessee. The problem with this legend is that it is probably based on a boy named John Clem, who not only didn't in battle, he wasn't even at Shiloh. He did make a name for himself at Chickamauga, though.

Through a series of fortunate events, Clem not only survived the war, but was able to continue his service and become an officer after the war.

Clem ended up service in the Army for more than fifty years, and when all was said and done, he attained the rank of major general.

When he died at age 85, he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 2, Grave 993 and despite his senior rank, he chose to highlight his exploits are a drummer boy on a civil war battlefield.

While John Clem was the youngest sergeant in US Army history, bugler John Cook hold the distinction as the youngest soldier to earn the medal of honor for actions on the battlefield, by single-handedly manning a cannon at Antietam after its crew was all killed or wounded. At least, single-handedly until a general rode by, hopped off his horse, and helped man the gun.

Unlike Clem, after the war, Cook returned to civilian life but was awarded the medal of honor 30 years later. His military service and his medal qualified Cook for burial at Arlington and when he passed away at age 67, he was interred in Section 17, Grave 18613.

Episode 149: A Tale of Two Soldiers, Part I

 

There is only one person buried at Arlington that I believe should be disinterred and moved elsewhere, an Army Brigadier General named Jacob Hurd Smith who should have been drummed out of the military decades before he became a general, but since he wasn't, he was allowed an opportunity to commit genocide in The Philippines. Only one of his subordinates, a Marine named Littleton "Tony" Waller actively tried to stop him.

Episode 40: The Less-Than-Dashing Abner Doubleday, Part V

 

This is the only photograph that I could find that could be Doubleday not in uniform; forgive its blurriness. According to Wikipedia (not the best source, I admit) this image is, or at least was, displayed at the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

After his retirement, Doubleday had more time to devote to self-reflection and became involved with Theosophy whose motto, as can be seen above, declares that there is no religion higher than truth - but it was started by a median, so interpret that as you will. It drew on philosophy and thought from several (Eastern) religions, as can be seen from its logo.

In 1875, Helen Blavatsky and Henry Olcott formed the Theosophical Society in New York which, by the turn of the 20th century, had 180 posts world wide. The group was established to offer places for free thinkers (read: those with minority views on religion and philosophy) to come together without worrying about being judged for their views. As it was also based around mediums and Spiritualism, its numbers declined in the United States soon after the turn of the century and was forced into the fringes of US society, it is still around today with halls around the world.

Aside from spending time with the Theosophical Society, Doubleday spent his retirement writing books and articles of a military nature and making appearances with veteran organizations like the Grand Army of the Republic until his health began to fade around his 72nd birthday. Brevet Major General Abner Doubleday died on January 26, 1893 at age 73, with his wife Mary by his side in their newly completed home in Mendham, New Jersey. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Section 1, Grave 61. The marker on his grave site was placed by the First Corpse Society in 1896.

The inscription on the back of the marker list his military achievements:

HE WAS GRADUATED AT WEST POINT

1842

1846 MEXICAN WAR

1852 COMMISSIONER TO MEXICO

1854 INDIAN HOSTILITIES IN TEXAS

1856 INDIAN HOSTILITIES IN FLORIDA

1861-1865 WAR OF THE REBELLION

FORT SUMTER

GROVETON SECOND BULL RUN

SOUTH MOUNTAIN ANTIETAM

FREDERICKSBURG CHANCELLORSVILLE

GETTYSBURG

1863 TO 1865 PRESIDENT OF

MILITARY COMMISSIONS

IN CONTINUOUS COMMAND

UNTIL RETIRED

Mary Hewitt Doubleday survived her husband by 14 years, but when she passed away in she was laid to rest beside the man she was married to for 41 years.

Today, the myth about Doubleday inventing baseball has all but fallen by the wayside and he is being remembered for his actual achievements to the service of the nation. Plaques honor him at various Civil War battle sites and the town of Ballston Spa, New York, where he spent the first two of so years of his life had a marker at his birthplace. The Doubleday Inn in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is located, fittingly enough, on Doubleday Avenue, near McPherson's Ridge, the site of his greatest military achievement. 

Episode 39a: Veteran's Last Song - Supplemental Episode #1

I was amazed to find this song from circa 1927 (since it's circa, I'm rolling the dice and believing it is in the public domain) sung by a then 85-year-old Civil War veteran. The video and lyrics are below if you wish to listen and follow along.

I am standing on the summit of a century of years That has measured the life of our nation And I see, way down the mountain, a flood of blood and tears That was shed for our country's salvation And I see a mighty legion who, for our nation's life, Would forfeit young manhood's fresh glory And I see a mighty legion that perished in the strife Now sleeping in garments stiff and gory And we're going soon to meet them in the bivouac of the soul As the shadows around us give warning And I want to see my comrades when the angels call the roll All are ready for inspection in the morning We were boys when we enlisted And these wrinkled brows were fair And our eyes were not dimmed in their vision And the frost that never melts had not fallen on our hair And our step had not lost its precision But the years have built their terraces on every comrade's brow And age makes our weary limbs quiver And the frost is falling thick As we run the double quick To the camp that is over the river And we're going soon to meet them in the Bivouac of the soul As the shadows around us give warning I want to see my comrades when the angels call the roll All are ready for inspection in the morning

 

Episode 39: The Less-Than-Dashing Abner Doubleday, Part IV

Major General John Reynolds was one of the most respected and loved-by-his-troops officers in the Union army when a bullet struck him down as he was positioning troops onto the battlefield and thrust Abner Doubleday into command of the field on the pivotal first day of the battle of Gettysburg. Reynolds, who was one year ahead of Doubleday at West Point, and Abner had known each other for more than 20 years; Doubleday would have to wait until after the battle ended to mourn the loss of his friend.

The controversy around First Corps' performance at Gettysburg began with an inaccurate report issued by Major General Oliver Otis Howard, Eleventh Corps Commander, to Army of the Potomac commander, Major General George Meade. Howard's Corps had been accused of cowardice and running in the face of the enemy during Chancellorsville and some historians have suggested that his comments about First Corps may have been an attempt to repair Eleventh Corps' reputation.

Whether because of Howard's report, because he just didn't like Doubleday, because of a combination of both, or because of some other reason, Meade didn't let Doubleday keep command of First Corps so for days two and three of Gettysburg, Doubleday led that corps' third division and helped turn back Pickett's Charge - considered the high water mark of the Confederacy.

On July 1, 1863, First Corps, first under Reynolds, then Doubleday, repelled a morning attack on their position on McPherson's Ridge. Eleventh Corps arrived just before the afternoon attacks. Howard, who was senior to Doubleday, assumed command of the field and got his corps on line as the afternoon shots began. Greatly outnumbered, both Union commander's fell back to Seminary Ridge and then through Gettysburg Village and up to Cemetery Ridge, which they were able to hold until the rest of the Army of the Potomac arrived.

After midnight on July 2, 1863, as the rest of the Union troops arrived, they formed the famous fish hook line. Doubleday, now part of Newton's corps, received a few desperately reinforcements who would help bail out American Scoundrel Dan Sickles Third Corps around the Peach Orchard.

On July 3, 1863, Doubleday's Third Division was near the center of the line for Pickett's Charge and helped repel the Confederate advance. It wasn't until 6 pm, after the battle was all but finished, that Doubleday was struck in the neck by a shell fragment and was quite fortunate to not have been killed.

It was only after the battle, after his duty to his division, his corps, his army, and his country had been done that he began to push back against his demotion from corps command.

Today, both General Reynolds (above) and General Doubleday (below) have monuments in this honor on the Gettysburg battlefield.

One of Doubleday's other claims to fame came after the Civil War ended and he was posted San Francisco. He was part of the group that received the first patent for a cable car in the city. This factoid gave this child of the 80s and 90s the perfect excuse to talk about one of my favorite TV shows growing up, Full House. Fun fact, this host had a huge crush on Jodie Sweetin at the time! 

Episode 38: The Less-Than-Dashing Abner Doubleday, Part III

So I am going to be perfectly honest, I failed to get ahead of the ball and put together a good blog post for today's episode so I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants. Plus, this episode turned into a real battlelogue so if you want to learn more about specific battles, I highly recommend Rich and Tracey Youngdahl's "The Civil War (1861-1865): A History Podcast" which just finished its 65 (!) episode series on Gettysburg. 

It took Doubleday about a a year to get back into the fight after Fort Sumter and he provided one of the few bright spots for the Union at Second Manassas. After that, he was a filed commander and found himself on campaign for the next year. After Manassas, he successfully commanded at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville (kind of) at higher and higher levels - brigade, division, and corps

Most of these fights were absolute disasters for the Union, but even still, Doubleday and his troops acquitted themselves well, even frustrating the vaunted Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, who had grown to assume that the Yankees didn't have the fortitude to stand and fight with his experienced troops.

Despite his success in the field, he took a lot of gruff from his detractors - namely he's a little chubby and isn't dashing while riding a horse, qualities that were often considered more important than battlefield success in the 19th century.

Episode 37: The Less-Than-Dashing Abner Doubleday, Part II

Abner and Mary Doubleday were quite the team, both ardent abolitionists and supporters of the Union. Mary's support and council helped Abner stick to his beliefs and values when it would have been easier - and possibly more beneficial to his career - to be less vocal about the beliefs he held so dear.

Mary accompanied her husband to all of his pre-Civil War postings and when the garrison at Fort Moultrie had to flee to the relative safety of Fort Sumpter in the Harbor, she remained in Charleston and continued to row out to bring information to Doubleday and the others, news about negotiations between the north and south. When it became clear that a compromise was unlikely, the southern soldiers obliged the families of the northern troops to leave. Only then was Mary separated from her husband.

This painting, titled The Bombardment of Fort Sumpter, by the iconic American duo Currier & Ives, depicts the 36-hours period between April 12 - 14, 1861, when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumpter and started the Civil War. Captain Doubleday, the commander of one of two artillery batteries station in the harbor, commanded the first guns that returned fire but when the Yankee's shot, shell, and food were all but diminished, with no hope of resupply, the valiant defenders had no choice but to negotiate an end to the cannonade.

The Federal soldiers were allowed to remove their flag and return north, sailing to New York City, where they received a hero's welcome. After the Union troops abandoned Fort Sumpter, Confederate forces moved in. The below photo shows some of the damage inside the fort, including many burned out brick storage areas.

For recognition of the important role he played in the first battle of the Civil War, Doubleday was promoted to major and given command of Fort Hamilton in New York City, which, as a bonus, allowed him to be reunited with Mary once more.

Doubleday did not see combat again for more than a year. He was primarily assigned to supporting roles during that time but did find himself promoted to brigadier general of volunteers and put in command of a brigade. But in mid-April 1862, his brigade marched as part of a much larger force toward Manassas, VA, where the Confederates had defeated Union troops in the first major battle of the war the summer before. 

On April 28, the day before the battle officially began, Doubleday's sister brigade, commanded by Brigadier General John Gibbon found itself in contact with Stonewall Jackson's much larger force. Gibbon's soldier were known as the Black Hat Brigade for the Model 1858 dress hat, aka the Hardee Hat, they wore into combat.

The Black Hats were on the verge of falling back in the face of a superior force, as just about every Union unit had done since the start of the war, when Doubleday heard heady fire and rushed his brigade to reinforce the Black Hats. Thanks to Doubleday's initiative, both his and Gibbon's forces were able to fight Jackson to a draw until nightfall. Only after sunset did the Yankee perform a textbook orderly withdrawal from the battlefield - it was the first time the mythic Jackson was unable to drive his enemy from the field. 

In true less-than-dashing fashion, Gibbon's brigade got the recognition for the stand and their nickname was changed from the Black Hats to the Iron Brigade, by which they were known for the rest of the war. Doubleday didn't need the recognition. He and his boys knew what they had done.

Iron Brigade reenactors at Brawner's Farm on the Manassas Battlefield in 2009 

Episode 26: American Scoundrel - Notorious Politician and Union General Dan Sickles, Part II

 

Daniel Edger Sickles wasn't sure what he was going to do after being acquitted of murder and finishing his second term in the US House of Representatives so when the Civil War broke out, he quickly jumped at the chance to serve. When he raised an Infantry regiment, he was made it's colonel. He then raised an entire brigade and was made its brigadier general. He called it the Excelsior brigade after New York's state motto.

Excelsior Brigade Insignia

With very little professional military training, or even real battlefield experience, he was promoted to major general and given command of, first, a division in III Corps, and then of the entire Third Corps, consisting of about 10,000 soldiers. 

While leading the III Corps at Gettysburg, he made the controversial call to position his unit ahead of the Union battleline in and around the now famous-Peach Orchard. While mounted, a 12-pound cannon ball crushed his leg and leaving his horse unscathed. On the below map I have circled in orange where Sickles' III Corps was after pushing forward and indicated via an orange line more or less where he was supposed to be. Notice the arrow indicating Sykes' V Corps moving to occupy Little Round Top since Sickles wasn't there. III Corps had to receive reinforcements from Hancock's II Corps, Sykes' V Corps, and Sedgwick's VI Corps to avoid being completely overrun.

After his leg was amputated, the Third Corps surgeon sent Sickles' leg to the Army Medical Museum which had recently asked for specimens. Sickles would visit the leg every year on the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, and it is still the most popular exhibit at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, Maryland.

After the battle, and for the rest of his life, Sickles preferred to use crutches even though a prosthetic would be more comfortable. Cynics might say he wanted people to see his pant leg pinned up so they would all remember how he had been willing to place his body on the line for the Union cause.

After the war, sickles served in a variety of public position, including military governor of the Carolinas, US Ambassador to Spain, and a third term in the US House of Representatives. New York state asked him to serve of the head of its monuments commission which developed a passion in Sickles for battlefield preservation. He also oversaw the placement of monuments for several New York regiments and brigades, and III Corps.

Excelsior Brigade Monument at Gettysburg

When Sickles died in 1914 at age 94, he had outlived nearly senior military officer from both the North and South. His well attended funeral was held in Brooklyn, New York, and he transferred to Arlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Grave 1908.

Episode 20: The Great Unknown

Major John Wesley Powell with his Paiute friend Tangu. The Paiute gave Powell the name Kapurats (one arm off) in reference to his missing limb, lost at the Battle of Shiloh during the US Civil War in 1862.

After losing his arm at the Battle of Shiloh, and recovering enough to return to work, General Grant sent Powell to Illinois as a recruiter for the Union Army... thought I am not sure how effective it was to have a recruiter who had lost an appendage in battle. Sometime in 1863, before returning to the front, Powell and his wife, Emma Dean Powell, returned to Detroit to visit family and sat for these portraits.

After the Civil War, Powell and Emma traveled to the American west and compiled much scientific and ethnographic data in the region. This is another photo taken of him and Tangu during his time among the St. George band of Paiutes.

In 1869, it was time to explore some of the major rivers of the the west, including the Colorado, flowing through the nearly impassable Grand Canyon. No cameras were brought on that expedition so it wasn't until a government sponsored return trip that the area was photographically documented. Everyone dressed up for the first photo of the trip but changed out of their formal suites before setting off.

Just as he had on his initial expedition in 1869, Powell named on of the 1871 trip's boats the Emma Dean, after his wife.

Green River, about 1/2 mile below the Union Pacific railroad bridge, showing the boats soon after they had been run down from unloading at the bridge (the river runs right to left).

Unlike many expeditions of the day, which featured porters, manservants, and long cargo trains, camp life was anything but luxurious in either the 1869 or 1871-72 trips to the region.

The Grand Canyon, looking down the Colorado River from the Toroweap Overlook area, toward Prospect Canyon and Lava Falls Rapid... during the second expedition, photographers would climb up the canyon walls to get photographs like this.

A shot from the same vantage point, but looking the other direction, toward the Red Slide area.

Flaming Gorge - Head of the Horseshoe Canyon

Deer Creek Falls

Northern Arizona University has a repository of 200 photos from the expedition if you would like to see more. The above are just a few of my favorites. In 1969, the US Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in honor of the 100th anniversary of Powell's initial Grand Canyon expedition.

After his Grand Canyon expeditions, Powell was a busy man. He lived in Washington, DC but still traveled west whenever possible. He was the first direction of the Smithsonian Institute Bureau of Ethnography, the second director of the US Geological Survey, and a founding member of the National Geographic Society. This is his official portrait in the National Portrait Gallery.

Powell's niece Maude, who gained interion acclaim for her violin skill and virtuosity - the first American violinist to achieve international rank - visited the Grand Canyon and its John Wesley Powell monument in 1918.

Both Powell and Emma are buried at Arlington in the prestigious Section 1, Grave 408. Their marker is a granite obelisk whose the upper portion highly polished, the lower portion left rough and unfinished. Affixed to the marker is a bronze plaque with his portrait. Under that is carved an inscription, reading “Solder. Explorer. Scientist.” The back of the monument gives his dates of rank as a second lieutenant, captain, and major.