Harper’s Weekly – July 20, 1861

Harper's Weekly archives ^ | July 20, 1861

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous Harper’s Weekly thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3975717/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Filling Cartridges – 1-2
Mr. Davis and Mr. Russell – 1, 3
The Battle of Boonville – 1, 3
The Leaders of the Nation – 1-2
The Lounger – 3-4
Humors of the Day – 4
Domestic Intelligence – 4-5
The Darlings Come Out to See the Volunteers Drilled – 5
Foreign News – 5
The Eleventh Indiana Regiment of Zouaves, Colonel L. Wallace – 6-8, 25
Scenes about Camp – 9-10
Hagerstown, Maryland, with M’Mullen’s Rangers in the Foreground – 11
Major Knipe Winging a Secessionist – 12, 25
View of Hagerstown-Philadelphia Rangers – 13-14
The North as Painted by the South: Or, Cuttings from the Rebel Newspapers Illustrated – 13
Harper’s Ferry – 14-15
The Navy-Yard at Brooklyn, New York, June, 1861 – 16, 25
Reading the War Bulletins in Broadway, New York – 17
Virginia Mountaineers – 17-18
The Pirates – 19, 25
Balloon View of the Seat of War – 20
Major-General Patterson– 21
Speaker Grow – 21, 25
Military Occupation of Monument Square, Baltimore, Md., by United States Artillery, by Order of Major-General Banks – 22
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, Ch LIV-LV – 23-24
Alstyne White – 24-25
Inside/Outside – 26

[Homer_J_Simpson]

With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G. Nicolay, 1860-1865, edited by Michael Burlingame

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Civil War Papers of George B. McClellan: Selected Correspondence 1860-1865, edited by Stephen W. Spears

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from July 16 (reply #29)

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3975717/posts#29

James Lee McDonough, William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country, A Life

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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All for the Union: The Civil War Diary and Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, edited by Robert Hunt Rhodes

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Company Aytch, or a Side Show of the Big Show: A Memoir of the Civil War, by Sam R. Watkins

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Thomas Kilby Smith to Elizabeth Budd Smith, July 20, 1861 (“The city is in great excitement and filled with rumors from the seat of war. We have nothing yet however that is at all reliable. I suppose there will be some fighting today or to-morrow.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/02/thomas-kilby-smith-to-elizabeth-budd_16.html

Captain Charles Russell Lowell to Anna Jackson Lowell, July 20, 1861 (“I am “located” (or “ stationed” I believe is the proper word now) in what is called the Western Reserve: a glorious place to recruit it must have been two months ago.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/11/captain-charles-russell-lowell-to-anna.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: July 20, 1861 (Mr. Jones speculates about future Confederate administrations, should the government continue.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/04/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-july-20.html

Diary of Judith W. McGuire: July 20, 1861 (“The fight on Thursday lasted several hours; our loss was fifteen killed, about forty wounded; in all about eighty to eighty-five missing.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/12/diary-of-judith-w-mcguire-july-20-1861.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today’s posts:

John G. Nicolay, reply #3
George B. McClellan, #4
“William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country, A Life,” #5
Elisha Hunt Rhodes, #6
Sam Watkins, #7
Links to 4 items at Civil War Notebook, #8

[M Kehoe]

Good morning Professor.

In your class regarding WWII a few years ago the NYT (and local papers) published the names of the KIA.

Since I’ve seen a few names KIA in the Times, I can’t read Harper’s close enough to see any of the articles. Illustrations, headlines and titles I can expand.

Anyway, how does the population gain knowledge of their kin? I know the Army routine now, but what happened back then?

Did the Atlanta Journal Constitution and NYT (others) list the dead? And how long would it take?

5.56mm

[Homer_J_Simpson]

So far the Times is listing the names of all the dead and wounded it can get access to. I have prepped issues only through July 27, and they are still doing that. Eventually they may have to add a page if they are to continue the practice.

[M Kehoe]

Both Union and CSA casualties?

5.56mm

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Mostly Union.

[M Kehoe]

“Mostly Union.”

Unless it was a CSA general.

8^)

5.56mm

[Homer_J_Simpson]

A couple days late, here's the July 18 situation map from the West Point Civil War Atlas.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Curious - the website claims different numbers
UNION. 28,450
CONFED. 32,230

The map claims McDowell has 35,000.
- so where are the missing 6,550 Union

The 20,000 + 9,000 +3,000 = 32,000 Confederate troops match

[Pikachu_Dad]

Looks like Johnston’s initiative saved the day for the confederates.

“ Meanwhile, Scott in Washington warned Patterson, “Do not let the enemy amuse and delay you with a small force in front whilst he re-enforces the Junction with his main body.” When he received intelligence that Johnston had given Patterson the slip, Scott sent a second wire hoping “to hear that you had felt him strongly, or, at least, had occupied him by threats and demonstrations… Has he not stolen a march and sent re-enforcements toward Manassas Junction?”

Patterson sent an irritated response: “The enemy has stolen no march upon me. I have kept him actively employed, and by threats and reconnaissances in force caused him to be re-enforced. I have accomplished in this respect more than the General-in-Chief asked or could well be expected, in face of an enemy far superior in numbers…” By the time Patterson sent this telegram, the bulk of Johnston’s army was already on its way east.”

https://civilwarmonths.com/2021/07/18/johnston-steals-a-march/

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 24 (reply #35, second excerpt).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3960175/posts#35

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from June 29. (reply #3)

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3971894/posts#3

David Herbert Donald, Lincoln

[Homer_J_Simpson]

With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G. Nicolay, 1860-1865, edited by Michael Burlingame