War Between the States trivia thread

[Milkman]

Well I suppose the group I described may have been together at more than one defense action. But the one I had in mind was the defense action at the Oconee River railroad bridge near the little community of Oconee, Ga. south of Milledgeville.

This link takes you to a little information about the action there. The 4th Kentucky Mounted Infantry Bridage was the regular Army I mentioned. They were referred to as the Orphan Bridade.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~orphanhm/oconee.htm

 

[JustUs4All]

Good Stuff. They had moved down the Oconee from Millidgeville to stay ahead of Sherman. More here:

http://www.sherpaguides.com/georgia/civil_war/mid_ga/balls_ferry_toomsboro_area.html

And quoting from here:

http://www.civilwarhome.com/shermangeorgia.htm

"On another part of the line of invasion the Federal Twentieth corps, opposed only by desultory skirmishing of small Confederate bands, had made a path of destruction through Madison and Eatonton. Geary's division destroyed the fine railroad bridge over the Oconee, and the mill and ferryboats near Buckhead. On the 19th he also destroyed about 500 bales of cotton and 50,000 bushels of corn, mostly on the plantation of Col. Lee Jordan. This corps entered Milledgeville on the 20th, and Davis' corps, accompanied by Sherman, arrived next day.
The State legislature hastily adjourned, and under the direction of Gen. Ira R. Foster, quartermaster-general of the State, great efforts were made to remove the State property and archives, but on account of the scarcity of wagons and the demoralized condition of the people, adequate help could not be obtained. As the penitentiary had been used for the manufacture of arms, and was expected to be destroyed, Governor Brown released all the convicts and organized them into a regularly mus-tered-in and uniformed battalion under Captain Roberts, which subsequently did good service in removing property and in battle.
Upon the arrival of the Federals, two regiments under Colonel Hawley, of Wisconsin, occupied the capital city, and according to his own report, burned the railroad depot, two arsenals, a powder magazine and other public buildings and shops, and destroyed large quantities of arms, ammunition and salt. A general pillage followed these acts of war. Then the two Federal corps pushed on by way of Hebron, Sandersville, Tennille and Louisville, and Howard's wing crossed the Oconee at Bali's ferry and advanced in two columns by the 1st of December to the neighborhood of Sebastopol.
Howard at this date reported that he had destroyed the Ocmulgee cotton mills, and had supplied his army from the country, which he found full of provisions and forage. "I regret to say that quite a number of private dwellings which the inhabitants have left have been destroyed by fire, but without official sanction; also many instances of the most inexcusable and wanton acts, such as the breaking open of trunks, taking of silver plate, etc. I have taken measures to prevent it, and I believe they will be effectual. The inhabitants are generally terrified and believe us a thousand times worse than we are." The wanton destruction went on, however, with rarely such efforts to restrain the soldiery from depredations.
As Howard advanced, Gen. H. C. Wayne, with the cadets of the Georgia military institute and part of the reserves, fell back across the Oconee. Maj. A. L. Hart-ridge in a gallant fight defended the Oconee railroad bridge. The Federals by the feint at Macon had managed to hold General Hardee there with some forces in their rear, and the similar feint toward Augusta detained Gen. B. D. Fry, with about 4,000 troops. On the 23d, Austin, with the cadets, successfully held the railroad bridge against the enemy, and Hartridge, at the ferry, drove back across the river a Federal detachment which had forced its way over. This permitted the removal of the stores from Tennille."

 

[Milkman]

I have recommended it before but a book titled " Southern Storm' by Noah Andra Trudeau is the absolute best book I have ever read about the March to the Sea. It has day to day accounts of where each column was and what they encountered as they traveled toward Savannah.

http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Stor...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329326147&sr=1-2

 

[rongohio]

OK, here's one:

What single major battle of the WBTS had the highest PERCENTAGE of casualties on both sides (not counting entire commands surrendered, as at Fort Donelson)?

 

[F14Gunner]

What city would not celebrate indenpendence day for 80 years after surrendering, and why was this also considered the turning point of the WBTS.

 

[F14Gunner]

OK, here's one:

What single major battle of the WBTS had the highest PERCENTAGE of casualties on both sides (not counting entire commands surrendered, as at Fort Donelson)?

The Battle of Allatoona Pass was fought October 5, 1864 and was considered one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Confederate artillery began its bombardment of the heavily fortified Federal forts at Allatoona Pass at 6:30 a.m. General French's Confederate force consisted of 3,276 men, compared to General Corse's Federal command of 2,025. By mid-afternoon, the Confederate assault was over and the Union army still held Allatoona Pass. Casualties on both sides were high, a total of 1,603 men killed, wounded or missing. The casualty rate at Allatoona Pass would ultimately prove to be the highest of any battle in the Civil War for the time engaged.

 

[rongohio]

The Battle of Allatoona Pass was fought October 5, 1864 and was considered one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Confederate artillery began its bombardment of the heavily fortified Federal forts at Allatoona Pass at 6:30 a.m. General French's Confederate force consisted of 3,276 men, compared to General Corse's Federal command of 2,025. By mid-afternoon, the Confederate assault was over and the Union army still held Allatoona Pass. Casualties on both sides were high, a total of 1,603 men killed, wounded or missing. The casualty rate at Allatoona Pass would ultimately prove to be the highest of any battle in the Civil War for the time engaged.

The battle I was talking about was much bigger than this one and lasted much longer. The casualty rate for this battle was 33%.

 

[rongohio]

What city would not celebrate indenpendence day for 80 years after surrendering, and why was this also considered the turning point of the WBTS.

Vicksburg. Its surrender (on July 4, 1863) opened the way for Union control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in two.

 

[F14Gunner]

Vicksburg. Its surrender (on July 4, 1863) opened the way for Union control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in two.

Bingo, combined with Lee's defeat at gettysburg, it was considered the turning point of the war.

 

[rongohio]

Regarding this question:

What single major battle of the WBTS had the highest PERCENTAGE of casualties on both sides (not counting entire commands surrendered, as at Fort Donelson)?

For the sake of argument, let's define a "major battle" as anything bigger than the Battle of Corinth, which had 45,000 troops engaged.

 

[F14Gunner]

The battle I was talking about was much bigger than this one and lasted much longer. The casualty rate for this battle was 33%.

Only other I can remember is :

Antietam. Nearly 12000 were killed in one day

 

[F14Gunner]

What was Lee's comment when he found out the Grant was placed in command of the Union Army ?

 

[rongohio]

Only other I can remember is :

Antietam. Nearly 12000 were killed in one day

Not Antietam. Antietam had more killed than this battle, but this battle had more total casualties (killed, wounded, missing) than Antietam did, and fewer troops engaged. The casualty rate at Antietam was about 20%, compared to 33% for this battle.

 

[westcobbdog]

Not Antietam. Antietam had more killed than this battle, but this battle had more total casualties (killed, wounded, missing) than Antietam did, and fewer troops engaged. The casualty rate at Antietam was about 20%, compared to 33% for this battle.

good questions.

Chickamauga?

 

[rongohio]

good questions.

Chickamauga?

Chickamauga is close, but no cigar. The casualty rate at Chickamauga was 27%. But this battle was fought within one year of Chickamauga and less than 200 miles away.

 

[Milkman]

Chickamauga is close, but no cigar. The casualty rate at Chickamauga was 27%. But this battle was fought within one year of Chickamauga and less than 200 miles away.

I would guess the battle of Shiloh aka Pittsburg Landing.

 

[rongohio]

I would guess the battle of Shiloh aka Pittsburg Landing.

Still close, but not quite there. The casualty rate at Shiloh was 23%. But many of the same soldiers who fought at this battle fought at Shiloh before it, and Chickamauga afterwards.

 

[Milkman]

Still close, but not quite there. The casualty rate at Shiloh was 23%. But many of the same soldiers who fought at this battle fought at Shiloh before it, and Chickamauga afterwards.

OK, then hows about Stones River up in middle Tennessee ?

 

[rongohio]

OK, then hows about Stones River up in middle Tennessee ?

CIGAR!!!

The Battle of Stones River (aka Murfreesboro) was fought from December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863. There were 76,400 soldiers engaged under the commands of William Rosecrans and Braxton Bragg. There were 3,000 killed, 15,500 wounded, and 6,200 captured or missing, for a total of 24,700 casualties, or 33%. (The numbers vary slightly from one source to another.)

 

[Milkman]

CIGAR!!!

The Battle of Stones River (aka Murfreesboro) was fought from December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863. There were 76,400 soldiers engaged under the commands of William Rosecrans and Braxton Bragg. There were 3,000 killed, 15,500 wounded, and 6,200 captured or missing, for a total of 24,700 casualties, or 33%. (The numbers vary slightly from one source to another.)

I have been to the preserved section of that battlefield but dont remember much about it and dont remember reading a book that covers the details. It is very near the Murfreesboro exit off I-24 south of Nashville.

I do remember a small walled in cemetery along a railroad track. The area is very rocky. I think part of the battlefield was being encroached on by a Walmart or similar construction.