THE REBELLION: No Battle on the Potomac; More Skirmishing at the Outposts; A Deserter’s Story of Rebel Destitution (9/18/1861)

New York Times archives – Times Machine ^ | 9/18/1861

[Homer_J_Simpson]

A TOUR OF THE PICKETS--MR. RAYMOND SALUTED. Mr. RAYMOND to-day made the tour of our outer pickets from Chain Bridge to Alexandria. He was frequently within eight of the rebel pickets. At Bailey's Cross Roads he saw the rebel fortifications on Munson's Hill. While observing them from an open window of the house in which our pickets are stationed, he was honored with a message from a rebel rifle. The ball passed high, going over the house. There was little of interest occurred on the outposts. The men at Fort Ellsworth were practicing at the guns. The balls going over Alexandria, and striking in the river on the Maryland shore. There was artillery practice at Forts Corcoran and Albany this morning with heavy guns. The battery firing was very perfect.

Up to 7 o'clock this evening all was quiet along the line from Darnestown to Alexandria, and there were no symptoms that the rebels intended any movements, either in front of Washington, or in front of Gen. BANKS' column.

Mr. F.W. WALKER has been brought to this city. Contrary to general expectation he is getting better.

This morning, five members of the Maryland regiment which was raised at Harper's Ferry in May last, principally from the Baltimore rioters who had left the city to escape punishment, reached this city. They had escaped from the rebel ranks and came to our lines to deliver themselves up. One of the number is a young Baltimorean of good family and education. From him I have obtained

AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE

Though belonging to a strong Union family, and a Union man himself, he frequently visited Harper's Ferry while the rebels were there for the double purpose of seeing friends who were in the secession ranks,

[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 New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3995741/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Rebellion: No Battle on the Potomac – 2-3
Southern Items – 3
Untimely End of an Editor – 3
Gen. Banks’ Command – 3
Editorial: The Weather and the War – 3
Editorial: Western Virginia Generalship – 3-4
Editorial: The Rebel Invasion of Kentucky – 4
Editorial: Mexican Affairs – 4
Stuff for Soldiers – 4

[sauropod]

bkmk

[Brian Griffin]

“Munson’s Hill...is located at an area called Seven Corners, where Leesburg Pike, U.S. Route 50, Sleepy Hollow Road, and Wilson Boulevard intersect.”

I never knew that the Confederate forces got so close to DC.

[BroJoeK]

"Today" even as we speak, Confederate forces near Lexington, Kentucky, are preparing hemp bales for use as mobile shields in their coming attack on Union forces.
"Today" there is bitter fighting around the Anderson House which the Union is using as a hospital:

[BroJoeK]

Lexington, MISSOURI!!

Oh dear...

[Homer_J_Simpson]

We won’t see mention of the siege of Lexington in my excerpts or the NYT until the 20th. The eastern and western theaters in the CW remind me of the ETO and PTO in WWII. News from the west tends to be a little slower to arrive in New York.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

All this stuff is interesting. But in light of our current condition not important. We are in a predicament far graver than 1860.

There are few leaders, and even fewer of the sort we need. There are no clear borders or battle lines. The enemy has overwhelming power at its disposal. Our cities are full of pajama boys and feral animals. The enemy owns the newspapers and broadcast media and the internet. They now control the ballot box.

We need a great leader, genius at ever level with nerves of steel and the heart of a lion, someone who can inspire and "rally the troops".

Laz pointed out something quite to the point. All the 2A equipment is useless unless someone has the heart and will to use it.

We need a nation of patriots who are mad as hell and won't take it anymore. We need a great leader with the wisdom to know how and when to use our strengths. We need a people willing to forgo Netflix and the Amazon delivery truck.

[PeterPrinciple]

We need a nation of patriots who are mad as hell and won’t take it anymore.

---

Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.

I firmly believe our founding fathers didn’t take action until they felt all was lost.

We will be the same.

[PeterPrinciple]

I firmly believe our founding fathers didn’t take action until they felt all was lost.

---

Let me clarify that. The is a difference between perceived loss and actual loss. Some see the loss coming and take action, others have to wait for the actual loss.

[BroJoeK]

"Editorial: Western Virginia Generalship – 3-4
Editorial: The Rebel Invasion of Kentucky – 4"

Confederate forces have done well invading New Mexico, Oklahoma (Indian Territory), Missouri and now Kentucky.
Only in Western Virginia, so far, have Union forces consistently held their own, even at Cheat Mountain against RE Lee's superior Confederate numbers.
The Union general there was Joseph Reynolds:

West Virginia 1861 Engagements:

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
June 3	Philippi, WVA	Union Dept of Ohio (McClellan) -3,000, CSA infantry (Porterfield) -800	Union 4, CSA 26 (killed or wounded)	USA
July 2	Hoke's Run, WVA	Union Army of the Shenandoah (2 brigades, Patterson) -8,000 vs. Confederate Army of the Shenandoah (1 brigade, Stonewall Jackson) - 4,000	Union: 70-total (3-killed); CSA 23-total ( 9-killed)	USA
July 8	Laurel Hill, WVA	Union Dept of Ohio vs. Confederate Army of the Northwest	Union: 8-total; CSA unknown	USA
July 11	Rich Mountain, WVA	Union Department of the Ohio (McClellan & Rosecrans) -7,000 vs. Confederate Army (Pegram & Garnett) -1,300	Union: 46-total; CSA 300-total	USA
July 12	Barboursville, WVA	Union 2nd Kentucky vs. Confederate rangers & locals	Union: 16-total; CSA 1-total	USA
July 13	Corrick's Ford, WVA	Union Department of the Ohio (McClellan & Rosecrans) -20,000 vs. Confederate Army (Garnett) -4,500	Union: 53-total; CSA 620-total CSA Gen. Garnett killed	USA
July 17	Scary Creek, WVA	Union Department of the Ohio (Cox) -1,000 vs. Confederate Army of the Kanawha (Wise & George S. Patton) -800	Union: 51-total; CSA 10-total including Patton wounded	CSA
Aug 26	Kessler's Cross Lanes, WVA	Union Dept of Ohio (Tyler ~1,000) vs. Confederate infantry (Floyd ~2,000)	Union 73-total (15 killed); Confederates 40-total	CSA
Sep 10	Carnifax Ferry, WVA	Union Dept of Ohio (Rosecrans ~5,000) & Confederat Army of Kanawha (Floyd ~2,000)	Union 158-total (17 killed); Confederates 32 total (2?-killed)	USA
Sep 12-15	Cheat Mountain, WVA	Union Ohio, Indiana & WVA regiments (Reynolds ~3,000) & Confederate Virginia, Tennessee & Arkansas regiments (RE Lee ~5,000)	Union 88-total (10-killed); Confederates 120-total (~100? -killed)	USA

[BroJoeK]

"We need a great leader, genius at ever level with nerves of steel and the heart of a lion, someone who can inspire and "rally the troops"."

We have one.
Sadly, his Republican "troops" are seemingly bunkered down in undisclosed locations.
How many generals did Lincoln have to fire?
Trump will need that times ten, I suspect.

[sauropod]

bkmk