Harper’s Weekly – May 3, 1862

Harper's Weekly archives ^ | May 3, 1862

[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/4057985/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

“Harper’s Weekly” at Fortress Monroe – 1
Graduating as Soldiers – 1, 3
The Battle of Pittsburg Landing – 2, 6, 17
Yulee’s Letter – 3
The Lounger – 3-4
Humors of the Day – 4
Domestic Intelligence – 4-5
How the Rebels Win Victories! – 5
Foreign News – 5
The Second Trip of the “Merrimac” – 7, 9
Senator Yulee’s Letter – 8-9
Capture of Fort Pulaski – 9, 15
Two Ends of the Telegraph – 9
Map of Yorktown and Its Surroundings – 9-10
Our Army Before Yorktown – 11, 14
No Name, by Wilkie Collins, Ch. XII (cont.)-XIII – 12-14
Island Number Ten – 14, 16
The Ghost-Dead-Bell – 17-18

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from April 30 (reply #17).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4057985/posts#17

Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, Volume One

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas

[Homer_J_Simpson]

See George Templeton Strong post at reply #4.

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, Saturday Morning. May 3, 1862 (“The troubles of women who have either been burnt out by Secesh or robbed of chickens and the like by us, are the chief thing this morning.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/10/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayes_90.html

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Saturday, May 3, 1862 (“Colonel Jenifer burned Rocky Gap (four houses) and continued his flight towards Wytheville.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/10/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford.html

Captain William Thompson Lusk to Elizabeth Adams Lusk, after May 3, 1862 (“Of course we are all hurrahing for the evacuation of Yorktown. It so happens that the rebels have no place its equal in strength in the whole confederacy.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/07/captain-william-thompson-lusk-to.html

1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: May 3, 1862 (“A sergeant has just showed me an overcoat that he stripped off a dead secesh, who with eleven others was lying in one pile.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/06/1st-lieutenant-charles-wright-wills-may.html

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: May 3, 1862 (“This morning we are still in camp at Monterey; it is said we are waiting for the siege guns.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2020/12/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose-may-3.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: May 3, 1862 (“I fear there is something in the rumor that Norfolk and Portsmouth and Yorktown and the Peninsula will be given up.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/01/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-may-3-1862.html

Diary of Judith W. McGuire: May 3, 1862 (“General Johnston is falling back from Yorktown, not intending to fight within range of the enemy’s gun-boats. This makes us very anxious about Norfolk.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/diary-of-judith-w-mcguire-may-3-1862.html

[BroJoeK]

By my count, as of May 3, 1862 the Civil War has seen 103 engagements large & small, resulting in over 76,000 casualties including at least 8,500 killed in action.

The "tide of war" seemed to favor Confederates in 1861, but is now beginning to change.
Of 29 engagements so far in 1862, Confederates won only five, and three of those were minor skirmishes in New Mexico Territory.
Union leaders are beginning to think the time has come to strike a decisive blow, and they have just the man to lead it, the hero of West Virginia, George McClellan.

Summary of Civil War Engagements as of May 3, 1862:
Engagements in Confederate states:

State	Union Victories	Confederate Victories	Inconclusive	Total Engagements
South Carolina	1	1	1	3
Virginia	5	11	7	23
North Carolina	4	1	0	5
Florida	1	0	0	1
Louisiana	2	1	0	3
Tennessee	3	1	0	4
Arkansas	1	0	1	2
Georgia	1	0	0	1
Mississippi	1	0	0	1
Total Engagements in CSA	19	15	9	43

Engagements in Union states/territories:

State	Union Victories	Confederate Victories	Inconclusive	Total Engagements
Maryland	1	0	1	2
West Virginia	9	2	2	13
Missouri	11	9	1	21
New Mexico	4	8	0	12
Kentucky	4	3	2	9
Oklahoma	0	3	0	3
Total Engagements in Union	29	25	6	60
Total Engagements to date	48	40	15	103

[BroJoeK]

Gen. McClellan is now leading the battle for Yorktown, VA:

Virginia Engagements. 1861 - 1862 to date

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
May 18-19	Sewell's Point, VA	Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery	10 total	inconclusive
May 29- June 1	Aquila Creek, VA	Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery	10 total	inconclusive
June 1	Fairfax Court House, VA	detachments from CSA & USA armies	8 on each side, 1 each killed	inconclusive
June 1	Arlington Mills, VA	detachments from USA ( ~200 McDowell) & CSA (~9 Bonham) armies	Union 2-total (1 killed); CSA 1 wounded	inconclusive
June 10	Big Bethel, VA	Union (Butler) -3,500, CSA (Magruder) -1,400	Union 71-total (18-killed); CSA: 10-total (1-killed)	CSA (CSA outnumbered)
June 15	Hooe's Ferry (near Mathias Point) VA	Union schooner Christina Keen; CSA Farmer's Fork Grays	none -- Christina Keen captured and burned	CSA
June 17	Vienna, VA	Detachments from both Union & CSA armies	Union: 12-total (8 killed); CSA: none reported	CSA
June 27	Matthias' Point, VA	Union gunboats ~50 vs. Confed garrison ~500	Union: 1-killed, 4-wounded; CSA none	CSA
July 18	Blackburn's Ford, VA (pre-Manassas)	Union Department of NE Virginia (McDowell, Richardson) -3,000 vs. Confederate Army of VA (Beauregard, Longstreet) -5,100	Union: 83-total; CSA 70-total	CSA
July 21	Bull Run/Manassas, VA	Union Department of NE Virginia (McDowell, Patterson) -54,000 (18,000 engaged) vs. Confederate Army of VA (Beauregard, Longstreet) -34,000 (18,000 engaged)	Union: 2,708-total (481-killed); CSA 1,897-total (387-killed)	CSA
Aug 7	CSA burned Hampton, VA	Union (Butler) vs. Confederate Cavalry (Magruder)	Union unknown; Confederates unknown	CSA
Aug 8	skirmish at Lovettsville, VA	Union vs. Confederate	Union unknown; Confederates 6-total	USA
Aug 25	Mason's Hill, VA	Union (Lowe's observation balloon) vs. Confederate Army NVA (Longstreet, Stuart)	Union unknown; Confederates unknown	USA
Aug 31	Munson's Hill, VA	Union Army of the Potomac vs. Confederate Dept of Northern VA	Union 5-total; Confederates unknown	USA
Sep 3	Bailey's Cross Roads, VA	Union & Confederat detachments	Union 8-total; Confederates none	CSA
Sep 11	Lewinsville, VA (McLean, Fairfax County)	Union 79th NY Highlanders (Stephens ~1,800) & Confederate 1st & 13th VA (JEB Stuart ~400)	Union 12-total (3-killed); Confederates none	CSA (CSA outnumbered)
Oct 21	Ball's Bluff, VA	Union MA, NY, MI, MN & CA Infantry, RI Artillery (Stone -1,720) & Confederate VA & MS Infantry, VA cavalry & artillery (Evans -1,709)	Union 1,002-total, including Lt. Oliver Wendell Holmes (223-killed including US Senator Edward Baker R-OR)), Confederates 155-total (36-killed)	CSA
Nov 26	Skirmish at Hunter's Mills, VA	Union 3rd PA Cavalry (Bell ~94) & Confederate 1st NC Cavalry (Ransome ~120)	Union 33-total (1-killed), Confederates unknown 0?	CSA
Dec 20	Drainsville, VA	Union Pennsylvania Volunteers (Ord ~5,000) & Confederate VA, KY & NC Volunteers (Stuart ~4,000)	Union 71-total (?-killed), Confederates 230-total (?-killed)	USA (1st larger Union victory in VA)
Jan 3, 1862	Cockpit Point, VA	Union gun boats (Wyman ) & Confederate shore battery (French ~50)	none	Inconclusive
Mar 8-9	Hampton Roads, VA	Union Navy (Marsten, Worden, USS Monitor +11 ships) & Confederate Navy (Buchanan, Jones CSS Virginia +5 ships)	Union 369 total (261 killed, 7 ships sunk), Confederate 24 total (7- killed)	Inconclusive (Strategic USA)
Mar 23	Kernstown, VA	Union Army of Potomac V Corps (Kimball ~9,000) & Confederate Stonewall Division (Jackson ~4,200)	Union 590 total (118-killed), Confederate 718 total (80- killed)	USA tactical, CSA strategoc
April 5 - May 4	Yorktown, VA	Union Army of the Potomac (McClellan ~103,000) & Confederate Army (Magruder, JE Johnson ~72,000)	Union 182-total (unkn-killed), Confederate 300-total (unkn killed)	Inconclusive, Confederates retreated

In Tennessee there have been two recent battles, one a major Union victory (Shiloh), the other a minor skirmish (Ft. Pillow), Confederate victory:

Tennessee 1862 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
Feb 6	Fort Henry, TN	Union Army of TN + West Flotilla (Grant, Foote ~15,000) & Confederate Army of Cent KY (Tilghman ~3,200)	Union 40-total, Confederates 79-total (15 killed)	USA
Feb 14-16	Fort Donelson, TN	Union Army of the Tennessee + Mississippi River Squadron (Grant, Foote 24,531) & Confederate Army of Central KY + garrison (Floyd, Pillow, Buchner 16,171)	Union 2,691-total (507-killed), Confederates 13,846-total (327-killed)	USA
April 6-7	Shiloh, TN	Union Army of West Tennessee (Grant, Buell ~63,000) & Confederate Army of Mississippi (AS Johnson, Beauregard ~40,335)	Union 13,047-total (1,754-killed), Confederate 10,699-total (1,728-killed)	USA
April 14	Fort Pillowi, TN	Union mortor boats bombard Fort Pillow	none	CSA

In New Mexico territory, after winning several battles Confederates have now lost the last four, while winning a skirmish in Arizona:

New Mexico 1861-'62 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
July 25	Mesilla, New Mexico	Union Department of the New Mexico (~300) vs. Confederate 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles (~380 +artillery )	Union: 9-total (2-killed); Confederates: 19-total (13-killed)	CSA
July 27	Fort Fillmore, NM	Union Department of the New Mexico (~500) vs. Confederate 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles (~300)	Union: 500-total (surrendered); Confederates: none	CSA (CSA outnumbered, Union surrendered)
Sep 25	Alamosa, NM	Union Dep of NM (Minks ~100 cavalry)& Confederate cavalry (Coopwood ~112)	Union 33 (4-killed); Confederates 9-total (2-killed)	CSA (Union surrendered)
Sep 27	Fort Craig, NM	Union Haspel's cavalry ( ~100) & Confederate cavalry	Union 10-total; Confederates 10-total	CSA
Sep 27	Pinos Altos, NM	Union allied Apaches (Cochise ~300) & Confederate Arizona Guards (Mastin ~15 +cannon)	Union Apaches 30-total (10 killed); Confederates 14-total (7-killed, incl. Mastin)	CSA (CSA outnumbered)
Feb 21, 1862	Valverde, NM	Union Dept of NM (Canby, McRae ~3,000) & Confederate Army of NM (Sibley, Green ~2,290)	Union 432-total (68-killed), Confederates 187-total (36-killed)	CSA (CSA outnumbered)
Feb 22	Socorro, NM	Union 2nd New Mexico & Confederate 5th Texas	None	CSA
Mar 26-28	Apache Canyon, Glorieta Pass NM	Union US & CO Infantry (Slough ~1,300) & Confederate Texas cavalry (Slurry ~1,100)	Union 147-total (51-killed), Confederate 222 total (50- killed)	USA strategic, tactical draw
Mar 30	Stanwix Station, AZ	Union CA cavalry (Calloway -272) & Confederate AZ Rangers (Swilling -10)	Union 1-total (0-killed), Confederate none	USA
April 14	Las Padillas, NM	Union NM militia, Confederate Army of NM	unknown	USA
April 15	Peralta, NM	Union NM & CO Inf., Confederate Texas Cav (Green	Union 4-total (1-killed), Confederate 30-total (5-killed)	USA
April 15	Picacho Pass, AZ	Union CA cavalry (Carleton -13), Confederate AZ rangers (Henry -10)	Union 4-total (1-killed), Confederate 30-total (5-killed)	CSA

In Louisiana, Union forces have won two recent battles:

Louisiana 1861 - '62 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
Oct 12	Head of the Passes, Louisiana	Union Navy Blockading Squadron , (Pope 5-ships) & Confederate "Mosquito Fleet" (Hollins 10 boats & fire rafts)	none 4 ships damaged	CSA (Union surprised routed)
April 16-28	Forts Jackson & St. Philip, LA	Union W. Gulf Squadron (Farragut), Confederate Dept #1 (Duncan)	Union 229-total, Confederate 782-total	USA
April 25 - May 1	New Orleans, LA	Union W. Gulf Blockading Squadron (Farragut, "Beast" Butler ~5,000), Confederate Dept #1 (Lovell)	None	USA

In North Carolina since March the Union won two, Confederates one:

North Carolina 1861-'62 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
Aug 28	Hatteras Inlet, NC	Union NY 9th & 20th Infantry (Butler -935) plus 7 US Navy ships (including Harriet Lane & Pawnee) vs. Confederate NC 17th Infantry (Barron ~900)	Union 3-total (1 killed); Confederates 715-total (4 killed, 691 captured)	USA
Feb 6, 1862	Roanoke Island, NC	Union Dept of NC + Blockading Squagron (Burnside, Goldsborough ~10,000) & Confederate Wise Legion (Wise ~3,000)	Union 264-total (37-killed), Confederates 2,643-total (23 killed)	USA
Mar 14	New Bern, NC	Union Blockading Squadron (Bernside, Rowen ~11,000 +14 gunboats) & Confederate Dept of NC (Branch ~4,000)	Union 471 total (90-killed), Confederate 578 total (64- killed)	USA
April 19	Camden, NC	Union NC Exped (Reno ~3,000)., Confederate garrison (Wright ~1,000)	Union none, Confederate 28-total (6-killed)	CSA
April 25	Fort Macon, NC	Union NC Dept., NAtlantic Blockading Squadron (Parke, Lockwood ~2,649)., Confederate Ft. Macon Garrison (White ~450)	Union 15-total (2-killed), Confederate 424-total (8-killed)	USA

The only Georgia battle so far was a Union victory:

Georgia 1862 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
April 10-11	Fort Pulaski, GA	Union Dept of the South, S. Atlantic Squadron (DuPont, Hunter ~10,000 +51 ships) & Confederate Dept of SC, GA, FL, Savanah River Squadron (RE Lee, Tatnall ~385 + 5 ships)	Union 5-total (1-killed), Confederate 368-total (5-killed)	USA

The Siege of Corinth Mississippi has just begun, engaging an impressive list of generals on both sides:

Mississippi 1862 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
April 29 - May 30	Corinth, MS	Union Army of the Mississippi (Halleck, Grant, Thomas, Buel ~120,000), Confederate Army of the Mississippi (Beauregard, Bragg, Van Dorn ~65,000)	Union 1,000+ total, Confederates 1,000+ total	USA

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from April 4 (reply #36).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4050568/posts#36

Bruce Catton, Terrible Swift Sword

[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 Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, May 4, 1862 (“I regard the employment of colored persons in the Army and Navy as of vastly more importance in putting an end to slavery than all of the confiscation acts that could be devised by the ingenuity of man.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/10/senator-james-w-grimes-to-elizabeth-s.html

Major-General George G. McClellan to Edwin M. Stanton, May 4, 1862 (“Yorktown is in our possession.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/major-general-george-g-mcclellan-to_27.html

Major-General George G. McClellan to Edwin M. Stanton, May 4, 1862 – 9 a.m. (“I shall push the enemy to the wall.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/major-general-george-g-mcclellan-to.html

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Julia Dent Grant, May 4, 1862 (“You will hear the result of the attack on Corinth, by telegraph, before this reaches you.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2019/09/major-general-ulysses-s-grant-to-julia_22.html

Major-General Benjamin F. Butler: General Orders No. 22, May 4, 1862 (Safe conduct for cotton and sugar.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2020/05/major-general-benjamin-f-butler-general_78.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Colonel Eliakim P. Scammon, May 4, 1862 (Suggestions for dealing with secessionists who have entered Union lines with their slaves.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/10/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayes_10.html

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: May 4, 1862 (“We are now before Corinth, the base of the rebel army under Beauregard.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2020/12/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose-may-4.html

Diary of Laura M. Towne: Sunday, May 4, 1862 (Another long account of life on the Sea Islands of South Carolina.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2019/02/diary-of-laura-m-towne-sunday-may-4-1862.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: May 4, 1862 (“The Yankees on the Peninsula mean to fight. Well, that is what our brave army pants for.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/01/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-may-4-1862.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today’s posts:

“Terrible Swift Sword,” reply #8
John G. Nicolay, #9
“Lee,” #10
George Templeton Strong, #11
Links to 9 items at Civil War Notebook, #12

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I left out a line of text from the excerpt from "Lee" at reply #10. Here is the corrected version.

Continued May 1 (reply #25).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4057985/posts#25

Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee, an abridgement by Richard Harwell

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Battle Maps of the Civil War: The Eastern Theater, American Battlefield Trust

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 1 (reply #23).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4057985/posts#23

Bruce Catton, Terrible Swift Sword

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from April 16 (reply #26).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4054323/posts#26

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David Herbert Donald, Lincoln

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued May 4 (reply #14).

Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee, an abridgement by Richard Harwell

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Diary of a Confederate Soldier: John S. Jackman of the Orphan Brigade, Edited, with an introduction, by William C. Davis