LATE FROM THE SOUTH: The Rebels Anticipating the Fall of Richmond; AFFAIRS AT NEW ORLEANS; The City Occupied by the Troops Under Gen. Butler (5/14/1862)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 5/14/1862

[Homer_J_Simpson]

CINCINNATI, Tuesday, May 13.

The Commercial has the following Southern news:

The Memphis Avalanche, of the 6th inst., says that the telegraphic news from Richmond is painfully significant. Gen. MCCLELLAN seems to have been preparing the same fate for Richmond that Gen. BUTLER and Commodore PORTER got up for New-Orleans.

The Avalanche, of the same date, says of affairs in New-Orleans, that Mayor MONROE and all the Aldermen have been arrested for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to the United States and sent to prison. Great distress prevails in the city. Food of all kinds is extremely scarce. Flour is not to be had at any price. More of the Federal force is yet to be landed, and the river is full of Federal gunboats, mortarboats and transports.

The Avalanche says that the Congressional stampede from Richmond had a very depressing effect, and it was believed it foreshadowed the early evacuation of Virginia. The policy of evacuating every city is played out. We have but precious little more territory that we can spare.

The Memphis Argus says that the Confederate loss at Shiloh in killed and wounded was 7,000.

The Memphis Argus, in an article on gunboats, says: "Thus far it must be confessed our attempts with the gunboats on the river have been a disgusting fizzle. The people know it, and so does the Government."

A correspondent of the Memphis Avalanche says that 33 per cent. of Bishop POLK'S army was killed and wounded at Shiloh.

The Avalanche, of the 7th inst., says: "We have advices from New-Orleans up to Saturday, 11 A.M. Gen. BUTLER has taken the St. Charles Hotel for his headquarters. The Evans House on Poydras-street has been converted into a hospital. The Jackson Railroad depot was taken possession of on Saturday morning.

[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/4062923/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Late from the South: The Rebels Anticipating the Fall of Richmond – 2
The City of Memphis – 3-4
Affairs on the Mississippi and in Tennessee – 4
Department of the Rappahannock: Capture of Two Rebel Schooners in the Piankatank River – 4
The Mountain Department: Arrival of Gen. Fremont with His Main Army at Franklin – 4
Department of the Shenandoah: Rumored Capture of the Famous Col. Ashby – 4
More Designs upon the Blockade: Arrival of British and Rebel Ships at Nassau – 4
Damage to Our Fleet in the Late Contest on the Mississippi – 4
Operations Against Richmond: Dispatch from Gen. McClellan to the War Department – 5-7
News from Norfolk: Quiet in the City – 7-8
News from Washington: An Important Proclamation by President Lincoln – 8
Our Wounded Soldiers – 8-11
Editorial: The Last Ditch – 11-12
The Rebels Near the Rappahannock – 12
Editorial: Superseding the Blockade – New-Orleans, Beaufort, and Port Royal to be Opened – 12
New-Orleans Under Martial Law – 12-13
Editorial: The Prospect at Corinth – 13
Commodore Porter and the Coast Survey – 13

[Rebelbase]

McClellan is a genius. The union is going to waltz into Richmond. This war will be over in a couple of months.

[BrexitBen]

Lincoln, the Putin of the 19th century.

Burn, bomb, rape, kill the innocent.

” Make Georgia howl “ for daring to take the first line of the Declaration of Independence literally.

[Scarlett156]

As always, this is awesome. Thanks for posting.

[tanstaafl.72555]

The biggest thing I am struck with this a.m. is the astounding difference in the news media back then. Did you notice how detailed, how precise and INFORMATIVE these articles are? It lays out tomes and tomes of real info.

The second thing I notice now and repeatedly is your fascination with the war which literally destroyed the USA as it was conceived. I do “blame” the South for giving the murdering, raping, pillaging “total war” exponents in the North an excuse to carry on their subjugating, Constitution nullifying activities. They bore that guilt and it was true guilt in allowing a horrible activity to take center stage and providing cover for this ugliness. That said, anyone who glories in the activities of the Union Army literally hates the Constitutional republic, for it is they who destroyed it.

[Conan the Librarian]

“Spoons Butler”

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Thanks for your comments, but I don’t glory in any aspect of the American Civil War. I find the history compelling and tragic, and my purpose is to present it as it has come down to us without an overall judgement for or against either side. Of course I have my opinions about the era. I could put them all in one post and be done with it, but then none of us would learn anything new.

[Moose4]

Sorry, Yanks. Thanks to the Putin-level strategic genius of McClellan, you won’t get Richmond for three more years.

BTW, the “famous” Turner Ashby (page 4) would not be captured at this time. He would die about a month later on June 6 near Harrisonburg while commanding the rearguard of Jackson’s retreating forces. My alma mater (James Madison University) had a building named in his honor, Ashby Hall, until 2020 when the BLM racists cowed the university administration into removing the names of Ashby, Stonewall Jackson, and Matthew Maury (the 19th century’s greatest American oceanographer) from buildings on campus. I’m still disgusted and haven’t given them a cent since.

}:-)4

[nathanbedford]

The strategic situation for the South grew perilous by the day as McClellan approached close to Richmond. Although constitutionally addicted to overestimating the force of the enemy, McClellan greatly outnumbered the Confederates defending Richmond.

The threat that detached elements of the federal army, some in the Shenandoah Valley and some between the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond might coordinate with McClellan and overwhelm the defenders was clear to Robert E Lee who conceived a plan to be executed by Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley that would change the course of the war and in doing so he found a kindred warrior of virtually identical strategic comprehension who, as Lee would later write in eulogy for Jackson, "as straight as the needle to the pole, he went to the effectuation of my purpose."

Lee's purpose was one with Jackson's and is expressed in Lee's order to Jackson:

"Whatever movement you make against Banks, do it speedily, and if successful, drive him towards the Potomac, and create the impression as far as practicable that you design threatening that line."

In other words, threaten Washington and prevent the federal forces uniting in an attack against the out numbered Confederates defending Richmond. How Jackson might accomplish this was left to his genius.

[tanstaafl.72555]

That was a most irenic reply, and frankly one that makes me a bit ashamed, as I expected something far different.

Great job, and thank you

[Bull Snipe]

“McClellan greatly outnumbered the Confederates defending Richmond.”

Not really. On June 20 McClellan reported his strength as 105,800. On June 26 Confederate records show Lee’s strength as 112,200. This was one day after Jackson’s and his 14,000 men from the Valley joined Lee at Richmond.

By mid-July Union strength had fallen to 88,400 and Confederate strength to around 74,000. Casualties for the campaign: Union 23,100 Confederate 29,200.

[GranTorino]

Please see the OP’s history. Nothing but useful historic information.
You will find tons of interesting things hidden in the folds of Free Republic.
Welcome to a great site for good info.
From history to gardening,its all here.
The only news site I donate to.
Like paying for the morning paper on steroids.

[nathanbedford]

Shelby Foote in volume 1 on page 417, admittedly a secondary source, although he quotes the order of battle reporting McClellan with a “tightly knit yet highly flexible fighting force of 102,000, 236 frontline soldiers and 300 guns. Another 5000 extra duty men including Cooks and Teamsters, laborers and such like, were with the advance, while 21,000 more had been left at various points along the front road from Fort Monroe, sick or absent without leave or on garrison duty, to give him an overall total of 128,864.

[Bull Snipe]

He most likely got his figures from the OR. That is the source for the June 20 Union Army strength.