Your search returned 102 results in 88 document sections:

1 2 3 4 5 6 ...
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The Union and Confederate navies. (search)
of the probability of hostilities to securing some of these formidable vessels; and if a hesitation due to the want of statutory, authority had led the Department to defer building until after Congress. met, it would at least by that time have digested its plans so thoroughly that the work could begin at once. Nevertheless, for four months after Mr. Welles entered upon his office no steps were taken, even of the most elementary character, toward procuring iron-clads. In his report of July 4th, 1861, at the opening of the special session of Congress, the Secretary, by way of calling attention to the subject, makes the following somewhat ponderous observations: Much attention has been given within the last few years to the subject of floating batteries, or iron-clad steamers. Other governments, and particularly France and England, have made it a special object in connection with naval improvements; and the ingenuity and inventive faculties of our own countrymen have also been stimul
John Esten Cooke, Wearing of the Gray: Being Personal Portraits, Scenes, and Adventures of War., Longbow's horse. (search)
one instant I had formed an audacious resolution; and sitting down at a table upon which were pen, ink, and paper, I wrote: Captain Longbow presents his compliments to General Patterson, and informs him that he is about to make an attempt to win the bet just made. There is an excellent horse now at the door, which has only to be secured in case Captain Longbow can pass the sentinel-when his escape will not be difficult in spite of the pickets. Headquarters of General Patterson, July 4, 1861. I had just placed this note in an envelope, and directed it to Major-General Patterson, com'd'g, etc, when the Adjutant-General turned his head, and said courteously: Are you writing a letter, Captain? Yes, sir, I said. To send through the lines, I suppose. If you give me your word of honour that it contains only private matter, and nothing contraband, I will forward it unread by the first flag of truce. I paused a moment, and then made up my mind. It is not to
Judith White McGuire, Diary of a southern refugee during the war, by a lady of Virginia, 1861. (search)
ouisiana has been to Mountain View, to consult Bishop Meade on the subject of his taking the field. I do not know what advice was given. These reverend gentlemen, who were educated at West Point, are perfectly conscientious, and think it their duty to give their military knowledge to their country, and their presence may do much for the spiritual good of the army. Brave Richard Ashby is dead; how I grieve for his family and for his country, for we cannot afford to lose such men! July 4, 1861. This day General Scott promised himself and his Northern friends to dine in Richmond. Poor old renegade, I trust he has eaten his last dinner in Richmond, the place of his marriage, the birthplace of his children, the home of his early friendships, and so near the place of his nativity and early years. How can he wish to enter Richmond but as a friend? But it is enough for us to know that he is disappointed in his amiable and patriotic wish to-day. So may it be. I have seen
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 16. (search)
Congress the President's message men and money voted the contraband Dennison Appoints McClellan rich Mountain McDowell Bull Run Patterson's failure McClellan at Washington While these preparations for a Virginia campaign were going on, another campaign was also slowly shaping itself in Western Virginia; but before either of them reached any decisive results the Thirty-seventh Congress, chosen at the presidential election of 1860, met in special session on the fourth of July, 1861, in pursuance of the President's proclamation of April 15. There being no members present in either branch from the seceded States, the number in each house was reduced nearly one third. A great change in party feeling was also manifest. No more rampant secession speeches were to be heard. Of the rare instances of men who were yet to join the rebellion, ex-Vice-President Breckinridge was the most conspicuous example; and their presence was offset by prominent Sotthern Unionists li
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 30. (search)
e of civil government. Therefore, when portions of Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, and North Carolina came under Federal control, President Lincoln, during the first half of 1862, appointed military governors to begin the work of temporary civil administration. He had a clear and consistent constitutional theory under which this could be done. In his first inaugural he announced the doctrine that , the union of these States is perpetual and unbroken. His special message to Congress on July 4, 1861, added the supplementary declaration that the States have their status in the Union, and they have no other legal status. The same message contained the further definition: The people of Virginia have thus allowed this giant insurrection to make its nest within her borders; and this government has no choice left but to deal with it where it finds it. And it has the less regret, as the loyal citizens have, in due form, claimed its protection. Those loyal citizens this government i
Varina Davis, Jefferson Davis: Ex-President of the Confederate States of America, A Memoir by his Wife, Volume 2, Chapter 14: General Johnston's correspondence. (search)
and so far as human legislation may operate, the future, may be controlled by Congress. Human power cannot affect the past. Congress may vacate my commission and reduce me to the ranks. It cannot make it true that I was not a General before July 4, 1861. The effect of the course pursued is this: It transfers me from the position first in rank to that of fourth. The relative rank of the others among themselves is unaltered. It is plain that this is a blow aimed at me only. It reduces myroster of the Generals of the Confederate army in 1861-62. They were as follows: Samuel Cooper, to rank May 16, 1861. Albert Sidney Johnston, to rank May 30, 1861. Robert E. Lee, to rank June 14, 1861. J. E. Johnston, to rank July 4, 1861. G. T. Beauregard, to rank July 2r, 1861. Braxton Bragg, to rank April 12, 1862. To explain even more fully the position taken by Mr. Davis in assigning the abovenamed officers to their relative rank, the following extract is taken
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1., Chapter 2: preliminary rebellious movements. (search)
lves to be the judges of its justice, is too thin to merit any notice. With rebellion thus sugarcoated, they have been drugging the public mind of their section for more than thirty years, until, at length, they have brought many good men to a willingness to take up arms against the Government, the day after some assemblage of men have enacted the farcical pretense of taking their State out of the Union, who could have been brought to no such thing the day before. Message to Congress, July 4, 1861. Mr. Carpenter, the artist who painted the picture of The Signig a the Emancipation Proclamation, relates the following anecdote concerning the last sentence in the above quotation from the Message:--Mr. De Frees, the Government printer, told me that when the Message was being printed, he was a good deal disturbed by the use of the term sugar-coated, and finally went to the President about it. Their relations to each other being of the most intimate character, he told Mr. Lincoln frankly
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1., Chapter 12: the inauguration of President Lincoln, and the Ideas and policy of the Government. (search)
efend it with success. State policy, which allowed the President to give a partial explanation three months later, See the President's Message to Congress, July 4, 1861, sixth and seventh paragraphs. commanded silence at that time. The pledges concerning Sumter, and the charge that they had been violated by the Government, weg possession of the same, with a force of less than twenty thousand good and well-disciplined men. Anderson's Ms. Letter-book. President Lincoln's Message, July 4, 1861. This letter was laid before the President and his Cabinet on the 5th, and the first question of importance which that council was called upon to decide was, wpolicy required that the attempt should be made, whether it should succeed or not. It was believed, as the President said in his Message, already referred to, July 4, 1861. that to abandon that position, under the circumstances, would be utterly ruinous; that the necessity under which it was done would not be fully understood; th
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1., Chapter 16: Secession of Virginia and North Carolina declared.--seizure of Harper's Ferry and Gosport Navy Yard.--the first troops in Washington for its defense. (search)
d delay. But the orders are peremptory, said Isherwood; and he suggested that, after another day's delay, it might be difficult to pass the obstructions which the secessionists were planting between Sewell's Point and Craney Island. But the vessel was kept back, and, to the astonishment of the Engineer-in-chief and other officers, the Commodore finally gave directions not to send the Merrimack away at all, and ordered the fires to be extinguished. Report of the Secretary of the Navy, July 4, 1861. The cause of this refusal to remove the Merrimack, said the Secretary of the Navy, has no explanation other than that of misplaced confidence in his junior officers, who opposed it. McCauley afterward asserted that he was influenced in his action at that time by the advice of several of his junior officers, born in Slave-labor States, believing that they were true to their flag. How could I expect treachery on their part? he said. The fact of their being Southern men was not surely
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1., Chapter 23: the War in Missouri.-doings of the Confederate Congress. --Affairs in Baltimore.--Piracies. (search)
vy. The blockade of ports along almost three thousand miles of coast, with its numerous harbors and inlets, Report of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, July 4, 1861. had been declared, and must be made as perfect as the law of nations, as they were then construed, required, to command respect. There was no time for the busisted of twenty-one vessels, with an aggregate of two hundred and eighty-two guns and three thousand five hundred men. Report of the Secretary of the Navy, July 4, 1861. The commanders of the squadrons had been instructed to permit the vessels of foreigners to leave the blockaded ports within fifteen days after such blockade eath, and military and naval trophies. while many masters and masters' mates were appointed from the commercial marine. Report of the Secretary of the Navy, July 4, 1861. The Naval School and public property at Annapolis, in Maryland, had been removed to Newport, Rhode Island, because it was unsafe, in the state of public affai
1 2 3 4 5 6 ...