Harper’s Weekly – May 24, 1862

Harper's Weekly archives ^ | May 24, 1862

[Homer_J_Simpson]

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

[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/4063921/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Mr. Gladstone and the English – 1, 3
Norfolk Repossessed – 2, 10
The Lounger – 3-4
Humors of the Day – 4
Domestic Intelligence – 4-5, 17
Foreign News – 5
The Capture of New Orleans – 6-10, 18
When Green Leaves Come Again – 9
A Bobtail Bull in Fly-Time – 10
General M’Clellan’s Army – 11, 13-14
The City of Norfolk, Virginia, Recently Occupied by Our Troops – 12
Only One Killed – 13
General Hancock’s Charge at Williamsburg – 13, 16
Burnside Taking Off the Gloves – 14
Map of the Seat of War in Virginia – 15
Gen. Winfield S. Hancock – 18
No Name, by Wilkie Collins, Between the Scenes Ch. I-V – 18-20

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The West Point Atlas of War: The Civil War, Chief Editor, Brigadier General Vincent J. Esposito

Continued from May 21 (reply #21).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4063921/posts#21

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued May 22 (reply #28).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4063921/posts#28

Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee, an abridgement by Richard Harwell

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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

[Homer_J_Simpson]

1

2

3

Mary Chesnut’s Civil War, edited by C. Vann Woodward

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Edwin M. Stanton to Major-General John A. Dix, May 24, 1862 – 6:50 a.m. (“Please send all the force you can spare, to re-enforce Banks, speedily as possible.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/edwin-m-stanton-to-major-general-john.html

Edwin M. Stanton to Major-General John C. Frémont, May 24, 1862 – 9:45 a.m.(“ Yesterday the enemy attacked and drove Banks’ force from Front Royal, and are threatening Strasburg and Winchester. If you can operate so as to afford him any support do so.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/edwin-m-stanton-to-major-general-john-c.html

Abraham Lincoln to Major-General John C. Frémont, May 24, 1862 – 4 p.m. (“The exposed condition of General Banks makes his immediate relief a point of paramount importance.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/abraham-lincoln-to-major-general-john-c.html

Major General Irvin McDowell to Edwin M. Stanton, May 24, 1862 (“The President’s order has been received and is in process of execution. This is a crushing blow to us.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2013/11/major-general-irvin-mcdowell-to-edwin-m.html

Abraham Lincoln to Major General John C. Frémont, May 24, 1862 – 7:15 p.m. (“Many thanks for the promptness with which you have answered that you will execute the order. Much – perhaps all – depends upon the celerity with which you can execute it.

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/03/abraham-lincoln-to-major-general-john-c.html

Abraham Lincoln to Major-General Irvin McDowell, May 24, 1862 (“I am highly gratified by your alacrity in obeying my order. The change was as painful to me as it can possibly be to you or to any one.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/04/abraham-lincoln-to-major-general-irvin.html

Major-General Irvin McDowell to Abraham Lincoln, May 24, 1862 (“I beg to say that cooperation between General Frémont and myself to cut Jackson and Ewell there is not to be counted upon, even if it is not a practical impossibility.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/04/major-general-irvin-mcdowell-to-abraham.html

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Saturday, May 24, 1862 (“Colonel Crook, of [the] Third Brigade, was attacked yesterday morning by General Heth with the same force which drove me out of Giles.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/12/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford_12.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sophia Birchard Hayes, May 24, 1862 (“One of our brigades, under Colonel Crook, gained an important victory over the Rebels under General Heth yesterday morning at Lewisburg”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/12/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayes_13.html

1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: May 24, 1862 (“We rode all day yesterday through a steady rain and over roads that were for miles obstructed by felled trees and bridges burned.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/07/1st-lieutenant-charles-wright-wills-may_8.html

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Saturday, May 24, 1862 (“This evening we are ordered to fall in on the color line, which is repeated several times through the night by false alarms from the pickets on St. Philips’ Creek.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose_72.html

Joseph Medill to Congressman Elihu B. Washburn, May 24, 1862 (“I admire your pertinacity and steadfastness in behalf of your friend [Grant], but I fear he is played out. The soldiers are down on him.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2019/09/joseph-medill-to-congressman-elihu-b.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: May 24, 1862 (“Every day the two armies are shelling each other, more or less; and every gun can be heard from the Hospital Hill,”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-may-24.html

Diary of Mary Brockenbrough Newton: May 24, 1862 (“We were aroused this morning at an early hour, by the servants rushing in, exclaiming: ‘The house is surrounded by Yankees, and they are coming into the house.’ I rushed to the window, and there they were.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/05/diary-of-mary-brockenbrough-newton-may_6.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today’s posts:

Map from “West Point Atlas of War” and “Team of Rivals,” reply #3
Letters from Lincoln to his generals, #4
“Lee,” #5
Elisha Hunt Rhodes, #6
George Templeton Strong, #7
Mary B. Chesnut, #8
Links to 14 items at Civil War Notebook, #9

[BroJoeK]

Catching up... four engagements to report:

1. Fort Darling, VA, CSA victory
2. Princeton, West Virginia, CSA victory
3. Whitney's Lane, Arkansas, USA victory
4. Front Royal, VA, CSA victory

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
May 5	Williamsburg, VA	Union Army of the Potomac (McClellan ~41,000), Confederate Army of Northern VA (JE Johnston, Longstreet ~32,000)	Union 2,283-total (~342-KIA), Confederates 1,682-total (~252 kia)	Inconclusive (Confederates withdrew)
May 7	Eltham's Landing, VA	Union Army of the Potomac (Franklin ~11,300), Confederate Army of Northern VA (GW Smith ~11,000)	Union 194-total (~29 killed), Confederates 48-total (~7-killed)	Inconclusive (Confederates withdrew)
May 8	McDowell, VA	Union OH & WVA infantry (Milroy, Schenck ~6,500), Confederate Virginia Infantry (Stonewall Jackson, E Johnson ~9,000)	Union 259-total (~28 killed), Confederates 532-total (~146-killed)	CSA
May 15	Fort Darling, VA	Union VA River Squadron (Rogers 5-river warships), Confederate fort (Farrand, Mahone -fort artillery)	Union 27-total (14-killed), Confederates 15-total (7-killed)	CSA
May 23	Front Royal, VA	Union Dept of Shenandoah (Kenly ~1,063), Confederate Army of the Valley (Stonewall Jackson ~3,0000)	Union 773-total (83-killed), Confederates 36-total (unkwn-killed)	CSA

West Virginia Engagements 1861 to 1862 to date

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 (CSA outnumbered)
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 (USA outnumbered)
Oct 3	Greenbrier River, WVA	Union OH, MI, IN Infantry + Light Artillery (Reynolds ~5,000) & Confederate VA, GA & AR Infantry (HR Jackson ~1,800)	Union 43-total (8-killed); Confederates 52-total (6-killed)	Inconclusive
Oct 16	Bolivar Heights, WVA (near Harpers Ferry)	Union Infantry (Banks, Geary ~100) & Confederate Militia, Cavalry (Ashby ~700)	Union 13-total (4-killed), Confederates 10-total (1-killed)	USA (USA outnumbered)
Dec 13	Camp Allegheny, WVA	Union Brigade (Millford ~2,000) & Confederate Brigade (Johnson ~1,200)	Union 137-total (?-killed), Confederates 147-total (20-killed)	inconclusive
May 15-17	Princeton, WVA	Union District of Kanawha, (Rogers), Confederate Army of E. KY (Marshall)	Union 113-total (23-killed), Confederates 16-total (4-killed)	CSA

Arkansas 1862 Engagements

Date	Engagement	Military Units	Losses	Victor
Feb 17	Little Sugar Creek, AR	Union Army of the Southwest (Curtis ~2,000) & Confederate Army of AR (McCullough ~2,000)	Union 33-total (13-killed), Confederates 250-total (23-killed)	Inconclusive
Mar 6-8	Pea Ridge, AK	Union Army of Southwest (Curtis, Sigel ~10,500)& Confederate Army of the West (Van Dorn, Price, McCulloch, Pike ~16,500)	Union 1,384 total (203 killed), Confederate 2,000 total (unknown killed)	USA (Union outnumbered)
May 19	Whitney's Lane, AR	Union Dept of the SW (Curtis, Steele ~30,000), Confederate Trans-Mississippi (Roane ~1,200)	Union 51-total (unkwn-killed), Confederates 10-total (unkwn-killed)	USA

These make the totals to-date of 111 engagements resulting in over 82,000 casualties including at least 9,500 killed in action.

Summary of Civil War Engagements as of May 24, 1862:
Engagements in Confederate states:

State	Union Victories	Confederate Victories	Inconclusive	Total Engagements
South Carolina	1	1	1	3
Virginia	5	14	9	28
North Carolina	4	1	0	5
Florida	1	0	0	1
Louisiana	2	1	0	3
Tennessee	3	2	0	5
Arkansas	2	0	1	3
Georgia	1	0	0	1
Mississippi	1	0	0	1
Total Engagements in CSA	20	19	12	50

Engagements in Union states/territories:

State	Union Victories	Confederate Victories	Inconclusive	Total Engagements
Maryland	1	0	1	2
West Virginia	9	3	2	14
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	26	6	61
Total Engagements to date	49	45	17	111

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher

[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]

Edwin M. Stanton to Governor Andrew G. Curtin, May 25, 1862 (“Send all the troops forward that you can immediately. Banks is completely routed. The enemy are in large force advancing upon Harper’s Ferry.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/edwin-m-stanton-to-governor-andrew-g.html

Edwin M. Stanton to Governor Israel Washburn Jr., May 25, 1862 (“Intelligence from various quarters leaves no doubt that the enemy in great force are advancing on Washington.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/edwin-m-stanton-to-governor-israel_30.html

Edwin M. Stanton to Major-General Irvin McDowell, May 25, 1862 (“Intelligence received this morning shows that General Banks has been attacked in force at Winchester and is retreating towards Harper’s Ferry.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/edwin-m-stanton-to-major-general-irvin.html

Major General George B. McClellan to Abraham Lincoln, May 25, 1862 (“All the information obtained from balloons, deserters, prisoners, and contrabands agrees in the statement that the mass of the rebel troops are still in the immediate vicinity of Richmond, ready to defend it.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/04/abraham-lincoln-to-major-general-george_5.html

Proclamation of Governor John A. Andrew, Sunday, May 25, 1862 – 11 p.m. (“The wily and barbarous horde of traitors to the people, to the Government, to our country, and to liberty, menace again the national capital.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/09/proclamation-of-governor-john-andrew.html

Major-General Benjamin F. Butler to Edwin M. Stanton, May 25, 1862 (Gen. Butler seeks guidance. Sec. Stanton may not get to this matter today.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/10/major-general-benjamin-f-butler-to_83.html

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Sunday, May 25, 1862 (“All suspense in military matters, awaiting result at Corinth and Richmond.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/12/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford_14.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, May 25, 1862 (“We expect to be able to unite with Fremont’s larger body in about three or four weeks. In the meantime, good luck at Richmond and Corinth may pretty nearly take away our occupation.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/12/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayes_15.html

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, May 25, 1862 (“We anticipate no attack to-day, for the attack on Sunday at Shiloh taught the enemy a lesson.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose_17.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: May 25, 1862 (“The enemy send up several balloons every day. Sometimes three can be seen at once.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-may-25.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today’s posts:

Lincoln letters to Chase and McClellan, reply #12
John G. Nicolay, #13
George Templeton Strong, #14
Links to 10 items at Civil War Notebook, #15

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued May 24 (reply #5).

Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee, an abridgement by Richard Harwell

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 13 (reply #14).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4061989/posts#14

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

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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