A very short post before starting a longer series in July. I never know what might catch my interest as I look through documents at the National Archives. In terms of how I usually discuss the cavalry, the following is outside my norm but it caught my eye. We live in a world of clean…
On January 12, 1863, General Meigs responded to a letter from a Robert McClure in Philadelphia. McClure may have served in the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry as a captain and major and later may have received a commission as colonel of the 154th Pennsylvania Infantry, a nine-month regiment, that never mustered into service. McClure’s letter may…
In early 1862, names of enlisted men filling the role of veterinary surgeon or veterinary sergeant begin to appear in my files. In a special order dated January 6, 1862, Col. Henry Davies, 2nd New York, announced, “On recommendation of Major [Alfred] Duffie … Farrier Henry Wickett of Co. A is hereby promoted to Veterinary…
Rather than discussing the actual battle of Kelly’s Ford, I want to look at events leading up to the battle. Most of the documents I cite do not appear in The Official Records, though a couple are quoted in Edwin Fishel’s excellent work, The Secret War for the Union, The Untold Story of Military Intelligence…
My post this month, like many in the past, grew from a small seed – a stand-alone March 12, 1863, Circular from Gen. William Averell that I intended to offer as a brief story to mark the anniversary of the fight at Kelley’s Ford four days later – into a much longer account offering what…
Having toyed with the idea of addressing veterinary care and the adoption of veterinary surgeons in the Union cavalry for some time, a recent discussion presented by friends Steve and Brandon of the Research Arsenal and their 11th OVC channel prompted me to finally give the topic a try. You may find their discussions here…
Now in my 70s, I am more and more intrigued with questions of memory. Often, when I get together with friends and former co-workers, we recall and rehash, as the old soldiers did in the decades after the Civil War, events from our past. Some of those events occurred nearly 50 years ago and you…
In early-April 1863, with the spring campaign season approaching, President Lincoln, along with his wife, Mary, his son, Tad, and assorted friends, sailed down the Potomac River to the army’s massive supply depot at Aquia Creek. From there they traveled by train to Falmouth, before boarding ambulances for the final leg of the journey to…
The 14th New York State Militia in the Civil War Vol. I: “Baptized by Fire” – From Bull Run to Bull Run, April 1861-August 1862 By James L. McLean Jr. I am proud to mention the release, in a limited edition, of Jim McLean’s latest work, Volume I of his projected 3 volume study of…
In my June post regarding Gen. James Wilson and his postwar recollections, I briefly referred to the dismounted cavalrymen attached to the Army of the Potomac at the outset of the Overland Campaign. My specific focus in June had been the degree to which Spencer Carbines had been issued to the men, and I saved…
I hope the title pegged your curiosity meter. I first watched the John Wayne classic movie El Dorado when I was twelve and may have watched it seventy-five times since then. Given the opportunity, I will watch El Dorado back-to-back in the same afternoon. In addition to Wayne, the movie stars include Robert Mitchum, James…
As I suspect most of you know, I do not feature much in the way of infantry content here. I have nothing against the infantry, but I am a student of the cavalry. Still, from time to time, an infantry study or a battle study comes along that is simply too good to ignore. Such…
As I completed the manuscript for Chasing Jeb Stuart and John Mosby in 2011, I realized (on good advice) that the narrative was too long and too broad in scope. I decided to shorten the time frame of the book and to narrow my focus to the cavalry. In doing so, I cut out seven…
During the last few years, I have made several references to the logistical problems in the Union Cavalry Corps, created by the different models and caliber of carbines carried by the men. I have also, especially recently, referenced what I term ‘the mythical horn of plenty’ within the Cavalry Corps. In doing so, I do…
“It was under my administration, [as head of the Cavalry Bureau] …that the Spencer magazine carbine was adopted as the standard [carbine] for the cavalry service, and the division which I commanded in Sheridan’s cavalry was the first in the world completely supplied with that or any similar arm.” So wrote Maj. Gen. James H.…
Small But Important Riots 