Civil War to the Bloody End: The Life and Times of Major General Samuel P. HeintzelmanIf president Lincoln could have unmade a general, perhaps he would have started with Samuel Peter "Sourdough" Heintzelman, whose early military successes were overshadowed by repeated Union defeats in the Civil War and his own argumentative nature. Perhaps this personality was the reason Heintzelman once said, "I have no hesitation in leaving my reputation . . . in the hands of the future historian" (Washington Daily National Intelligencer August 9, 1865). On the other hand, perhaps his hindsight told him that his was a life worth studying. By the time his friend Robert E. Lee left Arlington to lead the Rebel army against the bluecoats, Heintzelman had already seen duty in Mexico, established Fort Yuma in California in 1850, mined for silver in Arizona, and ably led U.S. forces on the Texas-Mexico border during the 1859-1960 Cortina War. During the Civil War, he was in the forefront of the fighting at First Bull Run and the disastrous 1862 Peninsula Campaign. He commanded the III Corps of the Army of the Potomac at the siege of Yorktown and in the ferocious fighting at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Oak Grove, Savage's Station, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. Although he aspired to succeed General George B. McClellan, he was relieved of his command after his troops were badly mauled at Second Bull Run. After demonstrating his inability to guard the southern approaches to Washington D.C. from Virginia guerillas, he spent the latter part of the war administering prison camps in the Midwest, keeping a watchful eye on Copperhead subversives, and quarreling with more than one disgruntled governor. In early Reconstruction Texas, Heintzelman struggled with the conflict between former Secessionists and Radical Republicans.By mining Heintzelman's massive journals and countless historical archives, Jerry Thompson has not only provided a fascinating account of a frustrated general, but has also given readers a richly textured account of the events, the political crosscurrents, and the times in which "Sourdough" won his unenviable reputation. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 21 | |
| 31 | |
| 65 | |
Texas and the Cortina War | 79 |
Debacle at Bull Run | 109 |
Red Mud of Virginia | 134 |
A Crisis in Our Affairs | 180 |
Failure at Second Bull Run | 247 |
A City of Shoulder Straps | 264 |
Copperheads and Prison Camps | 290 |
The Turmoil of Texas Reconstruction | 322 |
Back in Washington | 345 |
Notes | 357 |
Bibliography | 401 |
Index | 425 |
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able advance American Arizona army arrived artillery attack battle became brigade Bull Run camp cavalry Charles City Civil command Confederate continued Corps Cortina County Crossing days later Department division early Federal fighting fire followed force Fort four headquarters Heintzelman Hill History Hooker hoping House hundred Indians Infantry James John Journal July June Kearny killed late later learned leave letter Lincoln lines Margaret McClellan Mexican Mexico Michigan miles military mines months morning move night officers orders Potomac president Press railroad reached Rebel regiments remained reported retreat returned Richmond River road Samuel Peter sent Sept Sneden soldiers Station summer Texas thousand took town troops Union Virginia Washington weeks West West Point wounded wrote York Yuma
Popular passages
Page 259 - Centreville, in plain view of the battle, and made no attempt to join. What renders the whole matter worse, these are both officers of the regular army, who do not hold back from ignorance or fear. Their constant talk, indulged in publicly and in promiscuous company, is that " the Army of the Potomac will not fight," that they are demoralized by withdrawal from the Peninsula, &c.
Page 259 - You have hardly an idea of the demoralization among officers of high rank in the Potomac Army, arising in all instances from personal feeling in relation to changes of Commander-in-Chief and others. These men are mere tools or parasites, but their example is producing, and must necessarily produce, very disastrous results. You should know these things, as you alone can stop it. Its source is beyond my reach, though its effects are very perceptible and very dangerous.
Page 230 - I sent to others. He [McClellan] was the most extraordinary man I ever saw. I do not see how any man could leave so much to others, and be so confident that everything would go just right.
Page 260 - Jackson coming to the spot, immediately gave one glance at the dead officer's features and exclaimed, " My God, boys, do you know who you have killed? You have shot the most gallant officer in the United States Army. This is Phil Kearny, who lost his arm in the Mexican War.
Page 323 - a brown, chunky little chap, with a long body, short legs, not enough neck to hang him, and such long arms that if his ankles itch he can scratch them without stooping.
Page 89 - Cortina was now a great man, he had defeated the Gringos and his position was impregnable; he had the Mexican flag flying in his camp and numbers were flocking to his standard. When...
Page 168 - ... prevailed, which was not visible except from the balloon. At first the general was puzzled on seeing more wagons entering the forts than were going out, but when I called his attention to the fact that the ingoing wagons were light and moved rapidly (the wheels being visible as they passed each camp-fire), while the outgoing wagons were heavily loaded and moved slowly, there was no longer any doubt as to the object of the Confederates.
Page 118 - I had never handled that number, and no one here had. I wanted very much a little time, all of us wanted it. We did not have a bit of it." To his representations that the troops were green and uninstructed, the ready reply was: You are green, it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike.
Page 99 - Mexican rebel leader was the last to leave the fight, and he "faced his pursuers . . . emptied his revolver and tried to halt his panic-stricken men." Ford would later recall that almost every Ranger fired at the elusive Cortina: "One shot struck the candle of his saddle . . . one cut out a lock of hair from his head, a third cut his bridle rein, a fourth passed through his horse's ear, and a fifth struck his belt. He galloped off...