200 years ago today: Last evening, American Gen. Wade Hampton sent Col. Robt. Purdy and 1,000 men into the thick woods on the south shore of the Châteauguay River, with the objective to circle around the Canadian defenses at Allans Corners, near what it now Ormstown, Quebec, and attack from behind this morning, while 1,000 men under Gen. George Izard would attack from the front. Defending were combined Canadian militia, Mohawks, and volunteers under Lt. Col. Charles de Salaberry. Purdy got lost during his overnight march and wound up before some of de Salaberrys flank defenses. Continuing to move toward a ford that was an objective, Purdy was attacked and driven back. Izard formed a line of battle. Legend has it that an American officer rode forward to demand the Canadians surrender, but since he omitted to do so under a flag of truce, he was shot down by de Salaberry himself. Izards troops began steady, rolling, yet ineffective volleys into the defenses. The Canadians replied with accurate individual fire. De Salaberry is credited with sending buglers into the woods to sound the Advance as a ruse de guerre. The unnerved Americans thought themselves outnumbered and about to be outflanked, and fell back 3 miles. Purdy fell back and found himself under fire from De Salaberry again, and was forced to retreat through the woods to his starting place. The American army withdrew and de Salaberry did not pursue. The defenders reported 5 killed, 16 wounded, and 4 missing, but 3 of the men thought to be killed later rejoined the ranks unharmed. American losses were officially reported as 23 killed, 33 wounded, and 29 missing. 150 years ago today: Union ironclads began an intensive two-week bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. John Beauchamp Jones, a clerk in the Confederate War Dept. in Richmond, included in his diary: The papers announce that all clerks appointed since October 11th, 1862, by order of the Secretary of War, are liable to conscription. This cannot be true; for I know a Secretary who has just appointed two of his cousins to the best clerkships in the department—both of conscript age. But Secretaries know how to evade the law, and whip the devil round the stump. How long will it be after peace before the sectional hatred intensified by this war can abate? A lady near by, the other night, while surveying her dilapidated shoes, and the tattered sleeping-gowns of her children, burst forth as follows: I pray that I may live to see the United States involved in a war with some foreign power, which will make refugees of her people, and lay her cities in ashes! I want the people ruined who would ruin the South. It will be a just retribution!” Gen. U.S. Grant’s operations to reopen the Tennessee River into Chattanooga got under way when Gen. Joseph Hooker’s corps from crossed at Bridgeport, Alabama and moved eastward. From the report of 2nd Lt. C.C. Twyford of Co. H, 5th Missouri State Militia Cavalry: At Hiram Kings [near Waynesville, Missouri] . . . [w]hile waiting for dinner, 20 or 25 men come on a charge out of the brush toward the house. I ordered the men to fall in. The bushwhackers halted. It was too far off to give them a volley from revolvers. We went in the smaller log-house joining the main building, with 4 or 5 feet space between them, and prepared to give them a nice reception. Hiram King and family were in the house that we occupied; raised the floor; put all of them under; they appealed to us in every way possible to leave the house, but we made them remain under the floor. Thirty-six of the bushwhackers came charging on the house, mounted, firing several shots from revolvers well loaded. They found other quarters would be more comfortable, they meeting with considerable loss. None on our side. They tried all the ways possible to dislodge us, and found it a dangerous business. . . . They made a charge on foot. Finding that two revolvers in the hands of men in the house were used to a good advantage, concluded to try other means not quite so dangerous. After trying every way possible, they set fire to the main building; then awaited the result. Knowing the house was on fire, we began to prepare ourselves for the worst. . . . I thought of making a blacksmith 200 or 300 feet in the rear of the house, but concluded to ask terms of surrender. Saw from the number it was useless to contend against them. A white flag was run out. . . . [S]aid we should be treated as prisoners of war; give you my word and honor he did. It was 3 p. m. when we gave up our arms. Some of the bushwhackers wanted to shoot us. They stripped us of clothing, but gave us some old clothes in return. . . . [We were paroled]. . . . We started across hills and hollows; no road to follow, walking all night. . . . We succeeded in reaching Lebanon after dark on Wednesday, the 28th, completely worn out in feet, losing sleep, and nothing to eat. [W]e killed 5 men and wounded 4, killed and wounding 7 of their horses. Killed 1 and wounded 1 of our horses.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 16:58:51 +0000
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