"Samuel Day the the 22nd Iowa"
by

Chapter 2

The Politics of War

From the beginning, the Civil War did not follow the expectations of most Northerners. By the middle of 1862, the Union was hungry for a victory. The Confederates had won a series of important battles, proving to the North that they were in for a long, hard fight. The South too had expected an easy victory and a short war. President Lincoln stated in his second inaugural address, "Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or duration, which it has already attained . . . each looked for an easier triumph."

Not long after the first (1861) Battle of Bull Run in Manassas, Virginia, Lincoln said,

The war can never be brought to a close until that key port [Vicksburg] is in our pocket. . . . We may take all the Northern ports of the Confederacy and they can still defy us from Vicksburg. . . . It means hogs and hominy without limit fresh troops from all the States of the far South, and a cotton country where they can raise the staple without interference.

Thus, the primary objective of the war in the West became the capture of the port city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. General Ulysses S. Grant assumed departmental command of the West on October 25, 1862. He too believed that Vicksburg was the key to the war and was determined to take it. Grant was just beginning his operations when word came from Washington that another general was raising in independent army for the sole purpose of capturing Vicksburg. This man was the five-term Illinois Democratic Congressman, John Alexander M^cClernand.

John A. M^cClernand was a politician whose political ambitions included military command. M^cClernand convinced President Lincoln that if given a command and an army, he could lead a river expedition to capture Vicksburg. Feeling that M^cClernand’s popularity among Midwestern Democrats of enlistment age would help gain support for the faltering war effort, Lincoln authorized him to recruit an army to move against Vicksburg. M^cClernand went to Springfield, Illinois, to raise an independent army consisting of four infantry regiments and several units of cavalry and artillery.

Grant, meanwhile, learned of M^cClernand’s ambitious plan from Admiral David Porter, foster brother of famed Admiral David Farragut. Lincoln told Porter of M^cClernand’s plan, then afterward solicited Porter’s opinion of its chances of success. Porter told Lincoln he had not yet formed an opinion of M^cClernand and quickly left Washington. M^cClernand, meanwhile, was on his way to Springfield, Illinois, to raise troops and take a short delay to get married. Porter left for Cairo, Illinois, to assume command of the naval forces on the Mississippi and upon arrival, sent a message to General Grant informing him of M^cClernand’s plan.

Several weeks later, Grant and Porter met for dinner on a large river boat. Grant asked him "What is all this you have been writing me?" Porter gave Grant a full account of his discussion with the President and of his personal meeting with M^cClernand.

Grant knew that M^cClernand was inept, a politician not a general. Grant had fought with M^cClernand at Forts Henry and Donelson, and at the Battle of Shiloh. Grant knew that M^cClernand showed some good qualities, but was most eager for the praise and glory of battle, probably to enhance his political situation. During a post-battle conference after the attack on Fort Donelson, General Grant gave M^cClernand a long lecture on strategy in front of several other generals. Those present described Grant as having to restrain his anger during this detailed lecture. Thus began a clash of tempers that would affect both men in future operations.

Knowing that M^cClernand would not be ready with an independent army for a couple more weeks, Grant asked Porter when he could be ready for an immediate attack on Vicksburg. Porter replied that he could move in 24 hours.

Grant then set into motion his campaign against Vicksburg, one that he had been planning, but due to the circumstances, would have to be started sooner than he had wanted. His plan would send forces under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman by steam boat down the Mississippi to a point just north of Vicksburg for an assault while Grant’s troops moved by land through central Mississippi toward Vicksburg’s rear. This, he hoped would draw the defenders, under the command of General John Clifford Pemberton, away from their positions near Vicksburg, allowing Sherman’s forces to gain a foothold in the bluffs just north of the city. With a foothold near Vicksburg, Sherman could them press into the city itself.

The following morning, Sherman’s forces boarded Porter’s steam boats and headed for Vicksburg. Porter’s naval gunboats would support Sherman while Grant moved toward Vicksburg by land. The two forces parted, each with their own mission, but with one common objective. Sherman made good time traveling by steam boat and arrived near the city on Christmas Eve. Grant, however, was nowhere to be found. While Grant was moving toward Vicksburg, the Confederates attacked his forces. C.S.A. General Earl Van Dorn, with a cavalry force of about 3,500 men struck Holly Springs, capturing Grant’s base of supplies and about 1,500 men. The Confederates destroyed all of Grant’s munitions and rations. Meanwhile, another Confederate force, led by General Nathan Bedford Forrest struck the railroad line between Jackson, Tennessee, and Columbus, Kentucky, tearing up 60 miles of track north of Jackson. Grant said, "This cut me off from all communication with North. . . . I was determined, therefore, to abandon my campaign." Unable to continue without supplies and communications, Grant turned his forces around. He could not, however, relay this information to Sherman or Porter.

Unaware that Grant had abandoned his march toward Vicksburg, Sherman continued with his portion of the plan. Sherman’s forces landed just north of Vicksburg at Chickasaw Bayou, and immediately encountered a strong enemy force. Sherman was determined to make the attack without the aid of Grant, and early on December 29, 1862, began his assault. Author Richard Wheeler described the assault,

 

With a wild shout, the troops . . . advanced to the assault. . . . The assaulting forces came under a withering and destructive fire. A passage was forced over the abatis and through the mucky bayou and tangled marsh to dry ground. All formations were broken; the assaulting forces were jammed together . . . and were mowed down by a storm of shells, grape and canister, and minié-balls which swept our front like a hurricane of fire.

 

Sherman’s troops repeatedly attacked and were each time repulsed. As nighttime fell and under cover of a heavy rain, Sherman’s men began withdrawing to safety. The field soon became impassable, with mud several inches deep. During their withdrawal, the wounded and dead were left on the field. The following day, Sherman called for a truce to bury the dead and help the wounded. Even with both sides pitching in, this grim duty took the entire day to complete. That night, an even heavier rain began to fall, forcing Sherman to retreat to the steamers and head north, away from Vicksburg.

Devastated by his failed assault, General William T. Sherman knew that the Northern press would have a field day on the latest Union failure. He said, "I have lost seventeen hundred men, and those infernal reporters will publish all over the country their ridiculous stories about Sherman being whipped, etc." Porter tried to reassure Sherman, saying, "Only seventeen hundred men . . .Pshaw! That is nothing; simply an episode in the war. You’ll lose seventeen thousand before the war is over. . . . We’ll have Vicksburg yet before we die." Determined to make good out of a bad situation, Sherman and Porter decided to attack the Confederate stronghold at Fort Hindman on the trip back up the Mississippi.

Situated on the Arkansas River, Fort Hindman (also called Arkansas Post) was protected by 5,000 Confederates and eleven heavy guns. As Porter and Sherman moored their steamers near Fort Hindman, and advance party of Rebels under command of General Stephen Lee attacked the disembarking solders. Howitzers from the boats forced the Confederates to flee, but not before inflicting heavy Union casualties. After giving up the plan, Sherman was summoned to a meeting with General M^cClernand, who having heard of Grant’s plan, dispatched with haste to meet Sherman.

Sherman was reluctant to meet with M^cClernand, stating "but I must, for he outranks me." M^cClernand had come to take command of Sherman’s forces. Within two hours of their meeting, M^cClernand arrived on the scene as the overall commander of Union forces. M^cClernand said to Porter, "I find this army in a most demoralized state, and I must do something to raise their spirits. . . . If you will let me have some of your gunboats, I propose to proceed immediately and capture Arkansas Post." Porter had little choice but to help M^cClernand with his plan.

Under M^cClernand’s two prong attack, Porter pounded Arkansas Post with three ironclads and several smaller vessels while Sherman’s army moved to surround the fort. Once Porter disabled all eleven of the fort’s guns, the army stormed the fort. Despite heavy Federal losses, the fort surrendered to M^cClernand and on January 11, 1863, the American flag once again flew over the bastion. M^cClernand was jubilant. "Glorious! Glorious! My star is ever in the ascendant!" he said, "I’ll make a splendid report!" M^cClernand was quick to take credit for the capture of Arkansas Post, despite his subdued role in the events.

After completing work at the fort, the Federal expedition moved down the Arkansas River, and anchored off Napoleon, Arkansas. Meanwhile Grant received pleas from both Sherman and Porter to come and take command in person. Both Sherman and Porter distrusted M^cClernand’s ability and fitness for the important task of taking Vicksburg.

On January 17, 1863, Grant visited with M^cClernand at Napoleon. Unknown to M^cClernand, Grant had already received authority from Major General Henry W. Halleck, General-in-Chief under Lincoln to "relieve M^cClernand or to assign any person else to the command of the river expedition, or to assume command in person." Due to M^cClernand’s seniority, Grant had little choice but to take command himself. On January 29, 1863, Grant assumed command and reduced M^cClernand to a corps commander, placing him in charge of the Thirteenth Corps.

Upon hearing of his demotion, an outraged M^cClernand protested to Grant in writing. He also wrote to Lincoln, protesting, "Do not let me be clandestinely destroyed," and again requested the independent command originally promised to him. Lincoln replied,

 

I have too many family controversies (so to speak) already on my hands to . . . take up another. You are now doing well¾ well for the country and well for yourself¾ much better than you could possibly be if engaged in open war with General Halleck. Allow me to beg that for your sake, for my sake, and for the country’s sake, you give your whole attention to the better work.

 

M^cClernand reluctantly accepted his position under Grant. But he also knew that he was next in line for command and had hopes someday of replacing Grant. Meanwhile, he assumed his role as Commander, 13^th Corps, Army of the Tennessee. The 13^th Corps consisted of four divisions, the 9^th Division under command of Brigadier General Peter J. Osterhaus, the 10^th Division, commanded by Brigadier General Andrew J. Smith, the 12^th Division, commanded by Brigadier General Alvin P. Hovey, and the 14^th Division, under the command of Brigadier General Eugene A. Carr.

The 14^th Division consisted of the following troops:

 

Fourteenth Division

Brigadier General Eugene A. Carr

 

Escort

3^rd Illinois Cavalry, Company G:

Captain Enos M^cPhail

Captain Samuel S. Marrett

 

First Brigade

Brigadier General William P. Benton

 

33^rd Illinois:

Colonel Charles E. Lippincott

 

99^th Illinois:

Colonel David Shunk

Major Thomas J. Brady

 

8^th Indiana:

Colonel Henry D. Washburn

Captain Jonathan H. Williams

 

1^st United States (siege guns)

Major Maurice Maloney

 

Second Brigade

Brigadier General Michael K. Lawler

 

21 ^st Iowa:

Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius W. Dunlap

Major Salue G. Van Anda

 

22^nd Iowa:

Colonel William M. Stone

Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Graham

Major Joseph B. Atherton

Captain Charles N. Lee

 

23^rd Iowa:

Colonel Samuel L. Glasgow

 

11^th Wisconsin:

Colonel Charles L. Harris

Major Arthur Platt

 

Artillery

2^nd Illinois Light, Battery A:

Lieutenant Frank B. Fenton

Captain Peter Davidson

 

Indiana Light, 1^st Battery

Captain Martin Klauss

 

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