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Tuesday, March 4 1862
JOHNSTON JERKS JEFFERSON’S JACKET
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, CSA (not to be confused with Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnston, CSA, who served in the western theater) was in
charge of the defensive forces around Richmond, VA, at this point in
the war. He was vexed with his president on this day, because
Jefferson Davis was irate with him over the low level of
re-enlistments in Johnston’s army, and the high number of furloughs
granted. Adding to Davis’ headaches today were complaints from
governors along the Mississippi that they were not being sent enough
guns. The Western governors had a very legitimate complaint of not
receiving sufficiencies of supplies or attention from Richmond.
Wednesday, March 4 1863
FEDERAL FORCES FLEE FORREST FOR FRANKLIN
A small Union force departed from Franklin, Tennessee, today,
heading for Thompson’s Station, intending to make an excursion to
explore the vicinity for hostiles. In a prime example of the adage
“be careful what you wish for”, they met up with a large Confederate
force comprised of infantry under Van Dorn and cavalry under Nathan
Bedford Forrest. Although they were nearly surrounded, the cavalry
managed to fight their way through and escape, a tactic not unknown
to Gen. Forrest himself, who had used it at Ft. Donelson. The Union
infantry, however, lacked the advantage of four-footed
transportation. They fought fiercely before most were compelled to
surrender on the following day.
Friday, March 4 1864
MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI MOSTLY MISSING
Union forces under the command of Gen. William T. Sherman returned
to their base camp in Vicksburg, Miss., today after completing a
mission to Meridian, Miss. Their mission was to destroy the town
and, by and large, they did precisely that. In Washington, Admiral
John Dahlgren went to the top to try to find out what had happened
to his son, Col. Ulric Dahlgren. President Lincoln, however, did not
know either. The news of the disastrous failure of Gen. Judson’s
cavalry raid on the prison camps of Richmond had to await the return
of the separated forces. Strong hints, however, were available in
the Richmond newspapers, which blazened the story of the successful
defense of the city by clerks, old men, and recuperating veterans
who rose from their hospital beds to fight.
Saturday, March 4 1865
LINCOLN LINGUISTIC LABORS LAUDED
The inauguration of the Lincoln-Johnson administration did not begin
well. Johnson, sworn in first, had been prescribed whiskey for the
pain of a medical problem. Somewhat overdosed, his speech was
slurred and nearly incoherent. Lincoln, though, gave one of the
great speeches of history: “With malice toward none, with charity
for all; with firmness in the right, as
God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work
we are in...to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for
his widow and his orphan....to achieve and cherish a just, and a
lasting peace, among ourselves and with all nations.....Fondly do we
hope--fervently do we pray--that this mighty scourge of war may
speedily pass away.”
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