A Selection from His Civil War Letters. Edited by John D. Hayes. 3 Vols. Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press, 1969
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Du Pont, Samuel Francis. Samuel Francis Du Pont: A Selection from His Civil War Letters. Edited by John D. Hayes. 3 vols. Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press, 1969. Volume I Southern naval people leaving Washington in December 1860, loyalty to the general government and Delaware, Commodore Shubrick, Henry Winter Davis, loyalty national demoralization, 3-7 South Carolina secession, let her go, 9 Buchanan administration, 9-10 Southern naval officers and state allegiance, 10 Committee of 33, Lewis Cass, Charleston, 10-11 Unionism, Andrew Jackson, 12-13 Harm done by newspapers, 13, 17 Scourged of our boasting as a nation, 13 Jacob Thompson, Howell Cobb, 14-15, 17 Thomas Hicks, Maryland, secession, 15-16 Secessionist seizure of Federal property, 17-18 Naval Academy, southern cadets, 18-19 Virginia legislature, 19 Star of the West, 19-20 Officer resignations 20-21 Abolitionists, weak government, asks Henry Winter Davis support Crittenden compromise, 23- 24 Filibustering, 24 Firing on Star of the West and taking of the forts has strengthened the Republicans, 24 Advice on a possible naval resignation, Chritianity, 25-26 Border states, treason in Maryland, 27 Complains of naval resignations, 27-29 Harriet Lane, Buchanan, 29 Southerners think they can secede and than make arrangements with a foreign power, 29-30 Buchanan ill, 30 Henry Winter Davis speech, wants him to be Speaker of the House, possible cabinet appointment, 31-34 Naval resignations, desertions, 32-33 Report of Gilmer as Secretary of the Navy, 35 Washington peace conference, Crittenden compromise, 36-37 Demoralization, seizure of forts, 37 John A. Dix, Joseph Holt, 37 Disgrace of Twiggs surrender, Pensacola Navy yard, Scott, Anderson, 37 Peace conference, Corwin amendment, 38 John Tyler, 38 Lincoln and his probable policy, 38-39 Salmon Chase, 39 Cabinet, making, Gilmer, Bates, Lincoln, Montgomery Blair, 40-41 Powhatan, 42 Fort Sumter, Maryland, North Carolina, 42 1 Lincoln cabinet, Seward, Gideon Welles, 42-43 Deplores extremist southerners and extremists in the Senate, 43 James A. Bayard’s proposal for negotiating with Confederates, 44 Weakness in administration and Congress, 45 Naval resignations, 45 William Porcher Miles, 45-46 Lincoln inauguration, 46 Reported evacuation of Fort Sumter, Breckinridge Democrats, Republicans, Pennsylvania, 46-47 Fears future of the government, 47 Stephen Douglas and reconstruction, 47 Tariff, 47 Jefferson Davis, 48 Senate debate, Breckinridge and Douglas, 48 Charleston, Sumter, 51-52 Baltimore, Governor Hicks, 52-53 Expedition for Norfolk, Merrimac, 53-55 Urges nephew to enlist and defend his country, 55 Welles, procure steamers, charter for three months, 56 Farragut sticks by the Union, 57 Government powerless, deplores influence of Cassius Clay, James Lane and the Blairs, cabinet more moderate, 58-59 Affairs in Philadelphia, Washington, troops, engineer mobbed in Baltimore, 60-61 Annapolis, supplies, Butler, iceboat, 62-63 Naval resignations, 64-65 Opening of the Annapolis route (to Philadelphia or Washington?), 66-67 Uprising in country, folly of Virginia, 67 Resignations from army and navy, 67 Fitz John Porter, Winfield Scott, 68 Resignations, 69 James A. Bayard, 69-70 Engineers, 71 Franklin Buchanan, on taking up arms for Confederacy, 72-73 Blockade plans, 73-76 Purchasing and chartering steamers to turn them in warships, 75 Beauregard, Virginians, weakness of southern cause, 77 Pirates and death sentences, 77-78 Daily work, going to Washington, 78-79 Pensacola, 78 Need more men in Virginia, Confederate weakness, great faith in Union success, superior numbers and resources, 80 Secession, Crittenden, 80 Deplores Chase and Blair influence, abolitionists, 81 Confederates think they are already beaten, Washington, 81-82 Unimpressed with people in Navy Department, 85-86 Coal depot, 86 Seward, 86-87 2 Need to carry on war with overwhelming force, 88 General Mansfield, 89 Rode around perimeter of Washington, defenses, 91—92 Peace movement, opposes reconstruction, 93 Troop review, Lincoln, Scott, 93-94 Lincoln, 94 Franklin Buchanan, explaining his decision to go with the Confederacy, critical of behavior of northern soldiers, 94-100 Creation of a volunteer navy, 100-101 Character of Washington, 101 Bull Run campaign, Scott, McDowell, demoralization of the army, 102, 105, 107-8 Kentucky Unionists, Crittenden, 103 Privateers, Cuba, 103 Privateers, 106 Danger to Washington, General Mansfield, Scott, Gustavus Fox, fort, Cameron, 108-9 McClellan, 109 Ills of a volunteer military, 110 McDowell, Bull Run, providence, 110 Blockade, 111 Greeley attacks on Seward and Cameron, 112 Washington defenses, new troops, morale, 112-13 Welles, Fox, expeditions, Thomas W. Sherman, 113-14 Dead and wounded at Bull Run, 114 Confederate prisoners, hatred, 114-15 Naval reports, Scott, 116 Expeditions, New York, 118-19 Church service, communion, 123 Orders for Du Pont, Fox, Welles, 123-24 Henry Winter Davis, Bull Run, 125 McClellan and discipline, 125 Fear of letters being opened by disloyal clerks, 125 Needs to be doing important work, 125-26 Welles orders Du Point to be in charge of sea coast expedition, providence, 126-27, 129 War and religious principles, 127 Dinner with Prince Napoleon, Seward, 128 Land boats, 130-31 Jefferson Davis and Baltimore, threat to Washington, 132 Increasing Confederate forces, small union forces, 133 Effects of Bull Run, 134 Desertions from army and navy, 135 Northern restlessness, debt, 136 Construction of gunboats, 137-38 Navy Department inefficiency, 138 Privateers, French, 139 Blockade proclamation, 140 Wants Henry Winter Davis to be a general, 141 3 North Carolina Coast, 142-43 Seniority in the navy, 143 McClellan,143 and n. Scott, panic in Washington, Thomas W. Sherman, Welles, Fox, 147-48 Hampton Roads, complains about Stringham, Goldsborough, 149, 151 Welles, removes Du Pont from Philadelphia naval yard and assigns him to Blockading Squadron, Goldsborough, 152 William D. Porter, 153 Decline of seniority, new assignment to blockading squadron, officers, 153-56 Expedition officers, 156-59 Scott, McClellan, October a good month for seacoast operations, 160 Details on McClellan, September 1861, 160 Seward, Lincoln, discussion on the expedition, Burnside, Cameron, McClellan, Fox, 162-64 Du Pont’s will drawn, 164-65 Circular to commanding officers, 166 Wabash, 169ff Mess arrangements, 170 Discussion with officers about Port Royal expedition, 170-71 Tybee Island, Fox, John Rodgers, 174 His squadron duties, 175 Blockade running, 177-78 Study Port Royal in preparation, 179 Water for troops, 181 General Thomas W. Sherman, 181 Generals and Port Roya, engineers, transports, 182-84 Promotions of three midshipmen, 186 Maps, Thomas W. Sherman, plans, 187-88 Ball’s Bluff, 189 Religious service, Thomas W. Sherman, 192 Regulating signals in the fleet, 194 Sealed orders, 196 To Fox, tell Welles expedition is off, 199 Ships and positions, 200 Newspaper accounts of Port Royal expedition, 201 Order of sailing, oppositive page 203 Cape Hatteras, 203-4 Journal letter, details of the voyage, 203ff Winds scattered fleet, 205-8 Charleston, 209ff Port Royal, 215ff Hilton Head batteries, 216 Account of voyage and plans to Henry Winter Davis, 218-20 Wind delays attacks on batteries, 220 Victory at Port Royal, army, under fire, retreat was a stampede, 223-27 Fall of Hilton Head, 227 Letter to Goldsborough describing success at Port Royal, purely a naval victory, 228-30 4 Terror in the southern country, 229 Report of Port Royal to Fox, 230-32 Idea of float machine shop for ship repairs, 235 Beaufort, river, slaves plundering, desolation, desertion, 235-38 Gallantry at Port Royal, 238-39 Ships coming in and out, 240-41 Chastened by God in this war, 241 Henry Winter Davis rejoices over Port Royal, enjoyed Du Pont’s account of the battle, Thomas W. Sherman, 243-45 Maryland elections, 245-46 Welles, congratulations on the Port Royal victory, Du Point response 246, 266-67 Inspects damage to ships, 247 Assessment of the battle, disapproves Fox publishing his private letter, 250-51 Ship description, 252 Newspaper accounts of Port Royal, 253 Cotton question, destruction, 255 Captain Rodgers, Tybee Island, 256-57 Dahlgren squadron ordnance, 259-60 Explosion of mills at home, 261-62 Tybee Island, 261 Fernandina, 263-64 Fox, Thomas W. Sherman, 264 To James W. Grimes, naval expeditions, Savannah, blockade, Charleston, 267-69 Slave intelligence, Savannah, 271 20,000 more men would give us Charleston and Savannah, 272 Stone fleet, Fox, Du Pont doubtful, 272-73, 275 Destruction of cotton and slave quarters, 274 Progress, Tybee Island, use of gunboats, 279 Slaveholders abandon property, blacks plunder, he was wrong, slaves are horribly treated, South Carolina should be dealt with as Cromwell did Ireland, 281-82 Administration errors help Democratic party, 283 Success and public expectation, 284-85 Need more gunboats, 285 Frustrated by blockade runners, complaints about ships and officers, 286-87 Christmas, 288 Trent affair, 290 Public expectations, recent success, Port Roya,, 291-93 Need ship and public patience, 293 Change of opinion on slavery, 294 Letters, hasty ship departure, 301 Lieutenant, alcohol, 302 Complaints about officers, 302-3 Thomas W. Sherman, 302-4 Gunboats on Beaufort River, bloody skirmish, 304-5 Isaac Tattnall, black pilot, 306 Blacks preparing to leave Savannah, 306 5 Confederate naval commander Tattnall, 308 et passim Letters, 309-10 Trent affair, 310-11 Artist visits ship, 312 Thomas W. Sherman, 313-14 Location of forces around Port Royal, 314-15 Complains that his report on Port Royal has not been published, 315-16 Welles, praises Du Pont, Trent affair, 317-18 Planning future operations, vessels, 320 Details of naval operations that appear in newspapers, 322-23 Religious service, singing, 324 Trent Affair, 325-26 Gunboats at Walls Cut, 328-29 Compensated emancipation, border states, 330 Newspaper reports about Port Royal, 331-32 England and France, Stone fleet, 335 Plantations and slavery, 336-37 Trent affairs, English newspapers, 341-42 Blockade duty, 343-46 St. Andrews Sound, 346 Fernandina, 348-56 Runaway slaves, 350-51 Iron safe filled with railroad bonds, 353 St.