Category Archives: Siege of Petersburg

‘accidental explosion’ … City Point

Posted on August 9, 2014 by SUMPTER

150 years ago today a huge explosion occurred at the wharf at City Point, a major Union supply depot and General Grant’s headquarters. At the time most people assumed it was an accident. It was later learned that Confederate saboteur … Continue reading →

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the bugs of August

Posted on August 7, 2014 by SUMPTER

150 years ago tonight Walter Taylor began another letter to his girlfriend. “Lee’s Adjutant” didn’t have to endure life in the trenches, but the intense heat and omnipresent insects were getting on his nerves. Camp at Violet Bank: Sunday night … Continue reading →

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young colonel killed

Posted on August 5, 2014 by SUMPTER

at Peachtree Creek From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in August 1864: COLONEL KILLED. – Col. W. L. Logie, of Geneva, was killed at the late battle in front of Atlanta. He commanded the 141st N.Y. Volunteers. THE EIGHTH … Continue reading →

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dull day

Posted on August 4, 2014 by SUMPTER

Since there were over 1460 of them, I guess you had to expect a boring one once in a while. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch August 5, 1864: The War News. There was nothing at all of interest transpiring yesterday … Continue reading →

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“literally strewn with dead negroes”

Posted on August 1, 2014 by SUMPTER

The negroes fought quite well to-day, and charged, crying, “No quarter — remember Fort Pillow.” It appears that 150 years ago today Richmond had more up-to-date information about the Battle of the Crater than New York. From the Richmond Daily … Continue reading →

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pardon from the pres

Posted on July 25, 2014 by SUMPTER

Here’s a bit more about the New York First Veteran Cavalry from 150 years ago today. The commander-in-chief telegraphed Colonel Platner. From The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Seven: TO COLONEL, FIRST N. Y. VETERAN CAVALRY. EXECUTIVE MANSION, … Continue reading →

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“undermining Petersburg”

Posted on July 23, 2014 by SUMPTER

A Southern correspondent reported that Grant was going to be leaving Petersburg any time soon; if he dug tunnels for mines at Vicksburg, you could expect the same in his latest siege. Price controls were making it impossible for First … Continue reading →

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pump for patients

Posted on July 10, 2014 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch July 9, 1864: Additional from the North. From Northern papers; of the 4th inst, we gather a variety of interesting intelligence, which we condense in the summary below: … With the consent of Gen Grant, … Continue reading →

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horseless cavalry

Posted on July 9, 2014 by SUMPTER

Here’s another one paragraph letter from H.B. Compson, a young Cavalry officer, describing “one of the greatest raids of the war”, in which Compson and others lost their horses as they covered a ‘retrograde movement’ and had to make their … Continue reading →

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convert

Posted on July 7, 2014 by SUMPTER

I don’t know how accurate the folowing letter is, but it would seem to have been quite a propaganda coup for a Democrat paper, especially during the 1864 presidential campaign. The Lincoln administration was too abolitionist for this letter-writing Republican … Continue reading →

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