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/4220312/posts
Inside Lincoln’s White House: The Complete War Diary of John Hay, edited by Michael Burlingame and John R. Turner Ettlinger
Colonel Charles Russell Lowell to John M. Forbes, March 5, 1864 (Col. Lowell would like to have his entire regiment equipped with Spencer repeating rifles.)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/colonel-charles-russell-lowell-to-john_6.html
Brigadier-General Thomas Kilby Smith to Elizabeth Budd Smith, March 5, 1864 (“I have only time to write a single line giving the assurance of my personal safety and the crossing of my command over Black River, with but few casualties, after one of the most extraordinary marches known to modern warfare.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/brigadier-general-thomas-kilby-smith-to_12.html
Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Lyman to Elizabeth Russell Lyman, March 5, 1864 (“I fancy Kill has rather dished himself. It is painful to think of those poor prisoners hearing the sound of his guns and hoping a rescue was at hand!”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/11/lieutenant-colonel-theodore-lyman-to_19.html
Francis Lieber to Senator Charles Sumner, March 5, 1864 (“the points which we now must consider as settled and past all discussion are: that the integrity of our country and our nationality shall not be given up; that slavery must be extinguished.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/francis-lieber-to-senator-charles_97.html
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 5, 1864 (“Some extraordinary memoranda were captured from the raiders, showing a diabolical purpose, and creating a profound sensation here.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-march-5.html
Diary of Private Louis Leon: March 5, 1864 (“We left the mills this morning and returned to our brigade, a distance of five miles. Nothing more up to the 17th.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2023/10/diary-of-private-louis-leon-march-5-1864.html
Diary of a Confederate Soldier: John S. Jackman of the Orphan Brigade, Edited, with an introduction, by William C. Davis
Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, March 6, 1864 (Gen. Sickles and Gen. Doubleday have been intriguing against Gen. Meade in Washington.)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/09/major-general-george-g-meade-to_5.html
Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins to Mary Emeline Hurlburt Rawlins, March 6, 1864 (“As Lieutenant-General he will be the first in military position in the United States, and my military education is not such as to fit me for his chief of staff, hence it becomes me to withdraw and allow one who is fitted for it to take the place.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/02/brigadier-general-john-rawlins-to-mary_14.html
Francis Lieber to Senator Charles Sumner, March 6, 1864 (“When I wrote to you yesterday, in great haste, I omitted mentioning the historic act — the, to me, great symbolic fact — of the presentation of colors to the regiment of blacks in Union Square by our Club.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/francis-lieber-to-senator-charles_18.html
Captain Charles Wright Wills: March 6, 1864 (Capt. Wills recalls the battle of Chattanooga and climbs Lookout Mountain.)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/04/captain-charles-wright-wills-march-6.html
Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: March 6, 1864 (“This evening we receive orders to be ready to move in the morning with six days’ rations.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2023/04/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose-march_80.html
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 6, 1864 (“No news. But some indignation in the streets at the Adjutant-General’s (Cooper) order, removing the clerks and putting them in the army”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-march-6.html
General Robert E. Lee to James A. Seddon, March 6, 1864 (Gen. Lee argues against treating captured men from Dahlgren’s raid as war criminals.)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/03/general-robert-e-lee-to-james-seddon.html
Diary of Gideon Welles: Monday, March 7, 1864 (“While there the President and Secretary of War came in with a telegram from General Butler, announcing that his son, Colonel Dahlgren, was alive and well with a force of about one hundred at King and Queen.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/08/diary-of-gideon-welles-monday-march-7.html
Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: March 7, 1864 (“This morning we move early, heading as usual for North Alabama or West Tennessee; travel hard all day; pass through Rodgersville and go into camp for the night.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2023/04/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose-march_66.html
Diary of 1st Sergeant John L. Ransom: March 7, 1864 (“On The Cars. — We were roused from our gentle slumbers during the night, counted off and marched to the cars, loaded into them, which had evidently just had some cattle as occupants. Started southward to some portion of Georgia”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/04/diary-of-1st-sergeant-john-l-ransom_4.html
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 7, 1864 (“Cannon and musketry were heard this morning some miles northwest of the city. Probably Gen. Hampton fell in with one of the lost detachments of the raiders, seeking a way of escape.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-march-7.html
Shelby Foote, The Civil War Narrative, Volume Three, Red River to Appomattox
Continued from December 7, 1863 (reply #12).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4201381/posts#12
Jean Edward Smith, Grant
With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G. Nicolay, 1860-1865, edited by Michael Burlingame
Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, March 8, 1864 (“Received a telegram from Admiral Lee this P.M., confirming a rumor that was whispered yesterday of the death of young Dahlgren.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/08/diary-of-gideon-welles-tuesday-march-8.html
Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, March 8, 1864 (“Grant is to be in Washington tonight, and as he is to be commander in chief and responsible for the doings of the Army of the Potomac, he may desire to have his own man in command”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/09/major-general-george-g-meade-to_6.html
Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins to Mary Emeline Hurlburt Rawlins, March 8, 1864 (“I spoke to the General on the subject of his staff to-day again, and told him frankly I desired it organized without regard to me”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/02/brigadier-general-john-rawlins-to-mary_15.html
Diary of 1st Sergeant John L. Ransom: March 8, 1864 (“Were unloaded last night and given a chance to straighten our limbs. Stayed all night in the woods, side of the track, under a heavy guard.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/04/diary-of-1st-sergeant-john-l-ransom_5.html
Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: March 8, 1864 (“We arrive at Florence [AL] in the afternoon, capture one rebel, and one seeking to make his escape gets killed.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2023/04/diary-of-private-daniel-l-ambrose-march_20.html
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 8, 1864 (“Reports from the Eastern Shore of Virginia indicate that Gen. Butler’s rule there has been even worse than [Gen. Henry H.] Lockwood’s.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-march-8.html
General Robert E. Lee to Lieutenant General James Longstreet, March 8, 1864 (“I think the enemy’s great effort will be in the West, and we must concentrate our strength there to meet them.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/03/general-robert-e-lee-to-lieutenant.html
Continued from February 28 (reply #6).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4220312/posts#6
David Herbert Donald, Lincoln
Continued from March 3 (reply #32)
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4220312/posts#32
Nathan Bedford Forrest: A Biography, by Jack Hurst
Diary of Gideon Welles: Wednesday, March 9, 1864 (“The President met him and presented to the General his commission1 with remarks, to which the latter responded. Both read their remarks. General Grant was somewhat embarrassed.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/08/diary-of-gideon-welles-wednesday-march.html
Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, March 9, 1864 (“Yesterday’s Tribune has a most violent attack on me, full of the basest and most malicious slanders, in which, not satisfied with attacking my military reputation, they impugn my loyalty and attribute expressions to me I never dreamed of using.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/09/major-general-george-g-meade-to_7.html
Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins to Mary Emeline Hurlburt Rawlins, March 9, 1864 (“To-day the General received and accepted his commission as Lieutenant General in the army of the United States. He talks of going out to visit the army of the Potomac to-morrow, but whether he will or not I am unable to say.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/02/brigadier-general-john-rawlins-to-mary_16.html
Brigadier-General Thomas Kilby Smith to Eliza Walter Smith, March 9, 1864 (“I have met General Sherman frequently upon the march, and to-day saw him for a little while. He is the man for the Southwest. The expression is trite, but he is the Napoleon of the war.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/brigadier-general-thomas-kilby-smith-to_13.html
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 9, 1864 (“This is the famine month. Prices of every commodity in the market—up, up, up.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-march-9.html
Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, March 10, 1864 (“The developments of fraud and swindling by contractors, and I fear by Navy agents and probably other officials, are represented to be astounding.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/09/diary-of-gideon-welles-thursday-march.html
Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, March 10, 1864 (“To-day Lieutenant General Grant arrived here. He has been very civil, and said nothing about superseding me.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/09/major-general-george-g-meade-to_9.html
Major-General William T. Sherman to Lieutenant-General Grant, March 10, 1864 (“For God’s sake and your country’s sake come out of Washington. I foretold to General Halleck before he left Corinth the inevitable result, and I now exhort you to come out West.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/10/major-general-william-t-sherman-to.html
Major-General John Sedgwick to Brigadier-General Seth Williams, March 10, 1864 (Gen. Sedgwick defends Gen. Meade’s conduct at Gettysburg.)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/09/major-general-john-sedgwick-to.html
Diary of 1st Sergeant John L. Ransom: March 10, 1864 (“Still traveling, and unloaded nights to sleep by the track. Rebel citizens and women improve every opportunity to see live Yankees.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/04/diary-of-1st-sergeant-john-l-ransom_6.html
Diary of Private Alexander G. Downing: Friday, March 11, 1864 (“General Grant is now at the head of all the armies of the United States, just where we have wanted him ever since the surrender of Vicksburg.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/01/diary-of-private-alexander-g-downing_9.html
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 10, 1864 (Jones reprints a news article about the disposal of Col. Dahlgren’s body.)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/02/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-march-10.html
Diary of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire: March 10, 1864 (“There has been much excitement in Richmond about Kilpatrick’s and Dahlgren’s raids, and the death of the latter.”)
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/12/diary-of-judith-brockenbrough-mcguire_31.html
Continued from February 19 (reply #37).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4217054/posts#37
Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals