JOURNAL the Publication of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
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LOYAL LEGION HISTORICAL JOURNAL The Publication of The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States VOL. 65, No. 3 FALL 2008 The Monitor and Merrimac1 Jamestown,9 Patrick Henry,10 Beaufort,11 MOLLUS to Celebrate Raleigh12 and Teazer.13 I was in charge By Henry Reaney, Acting Master, United States Lincoln’s 200th Birthday Navy (Submitted by Keith Harrison, Senior Vice of the gunboat Zouave, on duty as picket Commander-in-Chief) boat and tender, both the Cumberland and February 11-12, 2009 the Congress lying off Newport News. th n accordance with the order of On the morning of the 8 , after coming oin your fellow MOLLUS and DOLLUS Iour distinguished and re spected in from picket, I took the mail and the Jmembers in Washington, D.C. on commander, I will endeavor to relate people from said vessels to Fort Monroe. Wednesday and Thursday, February 11-12 the action, as I saw it, between the After the arrival of the mail steamer from for the historic celebration of Abraham United States vessels and the vessels Balti more I returned to Newport News, Lincoln’s 200th birthday. The warm of the Southern Confederacy, on delivered dispatches, etc., etc., to the hospitality of good friends will more than offset March 8 and 9, 1862, in the waters Cumberland and Congress, after which a cold winter’s day in our nation’s capitol. of Hampton Roads, Virginia. we went to the wharf to lie until wanted. The vessels that took part in the Impending Engagement engagement were the Moni tor of two Just after dinner, about 12:30 p.m., the guns;2 the steam frigates Roanoke3 and quartermaster on watch reported that Minnesota4 of forty guns; the sailing the Cumberland had our signal flying US Post Offi ce unveiled Lincoln commemorative stamps on October 30, 2008. (USPS image) The price is right at the Channel Inn with a special room rate of $135 a night from February 9-13 (free underground parking)! Be sure to make your hotel reservations at (800) 368-5668 to get this exceptional rate. Inform the Inn that your MOLLUS confi rmation number is 131619. Reserve early, as a block of only 20 rooms has been set aside for our members until January 9. USS Monitor fi ring on CSS Merrimac The MOLLUS Mid-Winter meeting of frigates Congress5 and St. Lawrence6 and that there was black smoke in the the Commandery-in-Chief takes place on of fifty guns; the sailing sloop-of-war Elizabeth River. We let go from the wharf Wednesday morning (10:00 a.m.) at the Cumberland of twenty-four guns;7 and ran alongside the Cumberland. The Channel Inn, followed by lunch at noon the steam ferryboat Whitehall of four offi cer on deck ordered me to run down for companions, dames and spouses only. guns; and the tugs Dragon and Zouave, towards Pig Point and fi nd out what was The two MOLLUS vans (included in your of two guns; all vessels of the United causing the black smoke near Craney Island. $20 registration fee) will leave at 1:45 p.m. States, under the command of Captain After running about two miles towards for a tour of the Lincoln Cottage at the John Marston, senior officer, present. Old Soldiers’ Home ($10 fee). President Craney Island, eve made out a large vessel The Confederate vessels were the low in the water with sloping side, unlike Abraham Lincoln and his family resided ironclad steam frigate Merrimac [later anything we had ever seen before, belching seasonally on the grounds of the Home CSS Virginia] 8 and armed steamers continued on page 4 continued on page 10 THE LOYAL LEGION HISTORICAL JOURNAL is published by the MEMORIAL FUND of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, which was founded April 15, 1865. Pertinent materials will be welcomed from Companions and others. Information should be submitted to the Editor, Marston Watson, 48 Southwind Circle, Richmond, CA 94804-7404. Information should be typed and photographs may be black and white or in color. Contributions may be made to the Memorial Fund through the National Headquarters. 2 Loyal Legion Historical Journal Commander-in-Chief’s Message National Offi cers 2007 - 2009 braham Lincoln wrote a eulogy while A Commander-in-Chief: Karl Frederick Schaeffer journeying from Washington, Hunters Chase, 7154 Willowlane Avenue N.W. D. C. and delivered it at Massillon, OH 44646 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Telephone: 330-854-6326 Email: [email protected] on November 19, 1863. This was five months after the Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief: Keith G. Harrison vicious battle on July 1st 4209 Santa Clara Drive, Holt, Michigan 48842-1868 and 2nd, 1863 at Gettysburg. Telephone: 517-694-9394 Email: [email protected] Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief: Jeffry Christian Burden, Esq July 1, 1863 - 1815 Harvard Road, Richmond, VA 23226 Email: [email protected] Wednesday - Battle of Kathy Watson Gettysburg, First Day Karl F. Schaeffer, Commander-in-Chief Registrar-in-Chief: Adam P. Flint At daybreak Confederates of A. P. Hill‘s corps moved forward 46 Oak Lane, Douglassville, PA 19518-1628 along the Chambersburg-Gettysburg Pike, searching for Union forces Telephone: 610-970-2787 Email: Adampfl [email protected] near Gettysburg. About four miles west of the town, Southerners collided with John Buford’s Federal cavalry pickets. The fi eld had Chancellor-in-Chief: Waldron Kintzing Post II been chosen by underlings; the tempo steadily mounted. At 8 A.M. 675 Zena Highwoods Road, Kingston, NY 12401 Telephone: 845-679-6403 Email: [email protected] two Confederate brigades deployed across the Chambersburg Road, at fi rst opposed by Buford’s dismounted cavalry, and in midmorning Judge Advocate-in-Chief: Joseph Baldwin Siedlarz III by John F. Reynolds’ infantry corps. Along Willoughby Run, 351 Oak Terrace, Saint Davids, PA 19807-5205 McPherson’s Ridge, Herr Ridge, they fought. The Federals held, Telephone: 610-891-6710 Email: [email protected] but in midmorning Maj. Gen. Reynolds, one of the ablest Federal generals was killed at the edge of McPhersons’ Woods. By afternoon Recorder-in-Chief: Capt. John Kent Kane, II, USCGA both armies flooded toward Gettysburg, and Confederates of 101 Sleepy Hollow Lane, Yorktown, VA 23692 Ewell’s corp came in from the north. The Federal First Corps, now Telephone: 757-898-6953 Email: [email protected] under Abner Doubleday, was hard pressed from west and north. Treasurer-in-Chief: Lee Allan Tryon Two divisions of the Eleventh Federal Corps under O. O. 4 Raven Circle, Avon, CT 06001-3317 Howard came through town and moved out north toward Oak Telephone: 860-676-9060 Email: [email protected] Ridge. Early’s men of Ewell’s corps struck hard against Howard. The Federals withdrew in some confusion, through the town to Surgeon-in-Chief: Dr. W. Courtney Fleenor Cemetery Hill, southeast of the village. The Federals west of 10611 Keithwood Parkway, Richmond, VA 23236-3010 Gettysburg, on Oak Ridge and McPhersons’ Ridge, in danger of Email: [email protected] being fl anked, also pulled back toward Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge. Losses were heavy on both sides, but the Federals suffered Chaplain-in-Chief: Rev. Dr. Christopher Mack Agnew more and victory on the fi rst day went to the South. Confederates 12433 Richards Ride, King George, VA 22485-5435 Email: [email protected] held the town when Lee himself arrived. Despite the commander’s wish, Cemetery Hill was not attacked and an opportunity was Editor-in-Chief: Marston Watson lost. More Federals came in during the evening and night as the Loyal Legion Historical Journal lines developed. The Federals stretched from Spangler’s Spring 48 Southwind Circle, Richmond, CA 94804-7404 and Culp’s Hill on the north, along Cemetery Ridge, to the Little Telephone: 510-234-1776 Email: [email protected] Round Top on the south. The Confederates established a long line from the town south along Seminary Ridge racing the Union army, National Webmaster: Keith G. Harrison Federal Gen. Meade arrived from Taneytown around midnight. 4209 Santa Clara Drive, Holt, Michigan 48842-1868 Indications at Vicksburg were that the siege could not endure Telephone: 517-694-9394 Email: [email protected] much longer. For Pemberton’s imprisoned army surrounded Quartermaster: Adam P. Flint was the only alternative to starvation. Johnston’s force lurking 46 Oak Lane, Douglassville, PA 19518-1628 around the edges in Mississippi was unable to cope with Telephone: 610-970-2787 Email: Adampfl [email protected] constantly enlarging Federal besiegers under Grant. There was skirmishing near Edwards’ Station on the edge of the Vicksburg Assistant Editor: Kathleen Todd Watson encirclement. At Port Hudson, too, there appeared only one course. Layout and Production In middle Tennessee the main part of Rosecrans’ Tullahoma Campaign was ending; Federals occupied Tullahoma and Printed by Cerrito Printing Confederates under Bragg continued to withdraw toward El Cerrito, California continued on page 6 Loyal Legion Historical Journal 3 LOYAL LEGION HISTORICAL Welcome New Companions JOURNAL he following Companions have joined the Military Order The Publication of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Tof the Loyal Legion since July 2008. The Commander-in- Chief extends congratulations and a warm welcome to each one. VOL. 65, No.3 FALL 2008 Waldron Kintzing Post II, Chancellor-in-Chief Companions Insignia No. Commandery 1 MOLLUS to Celebrate Lincoln’s 200th Birthday Hereditary Companions LTC Lawrence King Casey, Jr. 22483 Texas 1 The Monitor and Merrimac Richard W. Pryor 22484 Ohio Raymond William Le May, III 22485 New York 2 Commander-in-Chief’s Message Raymond Howard Longacre 22486 Pennsylvania Howard Raymond Longacre, Jr.