Vicksburg on a Rainy Day

Robinett’s second major engagement was the siege of Vicksburg. Somewhere between Corinth and Vicksburg the 1st US Infantry gave up their 20 pound Parrotts for 30 pounders. I am not sure how/when/why yet. He received 2 Dahlgren 8" siege guns.

I spent Sunday at the battlefield trying to locate various positions. Harry was positioned with C Company across from today’s Visitor Center near Maloney Circle (his commander); Nothing there but here is where he was.

Railroad cut behind Robinett's position

This slab is where an artillery trail was positioned. Sometime in the past the guns were moved somehwere else. Most likely to Fort Donelson or Henry when they were established as national parks.

I was able to find where Maloney was stationed near “The Crater.” Here his unit participated in the assault the 3rd LA Redan. He had 30 pound Parrotts here as well.
According to the NPS site:

“Late in the siege, Union troops tunneled under the 3rd Louisiana Redan and packed the mine with 2,200 pounds of gunpowder. The explosion blew apart the Confederate lines on June 25, while an infantry attack made by troops from Logan's XVII Corps division, followed the blast. The 45th Illinois Regiment (known as the "Lead Mine Regiment"), under Col. Jasper A. Maltby, charged into the 40-foot (12 m) diameter, 12-foot (3.7 m) deep crater with ease, but were stopped by recovering Confederate infantry. The Union soldiers became pinned down while the defenders also rolled artillery shells with short fuses into the pit with deadly results. Union engineers worked to set up a casemate in the crater in order to extricate the infantry, and soon the soldiers fell back to a new defensive line. From the crater left by the explosion on June 25, Union miners worked to dig a new mine to the south. On July 1, this mine was detonated but no infantry attack followed. Pioneers worked throughout July 2 and July 3 to widen the initial crater large enough for an infantry column of four to pass through for future anticipated assaults. However, events the following day negated the need for any further assaults.”

It was raining and it took a good deal of effort to get to the position. Here it is:

Towards the crater & 3rd Louisiana Redan

3rd Louisiana Redan

The White House behind Logan's line.

This is a wartime view of Shirley House and bombproof shelters of the 45th Illinois

Finally, I found the 2nd Texas Lunette. Yes, the same unit that was decimated in the charge on Battery Robinett. Not much there now. As soon as I got there I recalled eating lunch at the tables there about ten years ago. Small world for both Robinett and myself.

Curiously enough, the NPS folks rotate the flags flown each day.

Guess whose flag was up for my visit?

Next post later in the week about my visit to Corinth.

Keep History Alive
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Day Two @ SMH

Today the State Department announced a new name for the American Civil War. From now on it is to be referred to as the Domestic Interdiction Operation Between the States.

Okay, that is a not true but I am sure you have all heard that the Obama Administration no longer uses the term Global War on Terror. Well, sorry President Obama, you cannot take the name away. Historians around the world have adopted the term GWOT and not even the president of the US can make that change. Rumsfeld tried the “Long War” some adopted it but we are stuck with GWOT now matter what the demonstration says.

This was all part of a discussion I had today with a few other historians.

Today was an interesting day.

Let’s talk Texas in the Domestic Interdiction…err Civil War. No narrative here just points to consider:
Texas produced more cavalry than any state.
Many Texans fought for Texas more than they fought for the Confederacy. Remember they were an independent nation before entering the Union. Texans were, and still are deeply, emotional and loyal when it comes to their (dare I say my?) state.


The Mexican border and the Indians were as big an issue to Texas as anything else.
Texans wanted to defend Texas outside of its borders: Arkansas and Louisiana.
Most Texans were not interested in a pardon after the war, they just went home. Most never applied for one.
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There has been very little study of the end of wars. How they end, how things change after the war. Why do some end “cleanly” while others have extended unanticipated consequences?



The story of Robinett and Lincoln reminds me of one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost:
The Road Not Taken (1915)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.


And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.


I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.



Some more questions and observations for my project:


What is the character of Wilmington, Delaware before the war?
Life at DMA. What kind of atmosphere was there at Delaware Military Academy? What was the environment like?
At the end of the war did Lincoln apply for a pardon? Was he granted amnesty?

Staff ride tomorrow and then two more sessions and the banquet. More tomorrow evening.

Keep History Alive
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