Joshes and Chubs - Arkansas Toothpick

Joshes and Chubs
The Newsletter of the 1 st Arkansas Infantry Company D, C.S.A. June 2008
www.arkansastoothpick.com
“So, as you go into battle, remember your ancestors and remember your descendants”
Jefferson Finis Davis June 3, 1808 – December 6, 1889
Davis was the youngest of the ten children of Samuel Emory
Davis and wife Jane Cook. The younger Davis' grandfather Evan
Davis emigrated from and had once lived in Virginia and
Maryland, marrying Lydia Emory. His father, along with his
uncles, had served in the Continental Army during the American
Revolutionary War; he fought with the Georgia cavalry and fought
in the Siege of Savannah as an infantry officer. Also, three of his
older brothers served during the War of 1812. Two of them served
under Andrew Jackson and received commendations for bravery
in the Battle of New Orleans.
During Davis' youth, the family moved twice; in 1811 to St. Mary
Parish, Louisiana, and in 1812 to Wilkinson County, Mississippi
near the town of Woodville. In 1813, Davis began his education
together with his sister Mary, attending a log cabin school a mile
from their home in the small town of Woodville, known as the
Wilkinson Academy. Two years later, Davis entered the Catholic school of Saint Thomas at St. Rose Priory,
a school operated by the Dominican Order in Washington County, Kentucky. At the time, he was the only
Protestant student.
Davis went on to Jefferson College at Washington, Mississippi, in 1818, and to Transylvania University at
Lexington, Kentucky, in 1821. In 1824, Davis entered the United States Military Academy (West Point). He
completed his four-year term as a West Point cadet, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June
1828 following graduation.
Davis was assigned to the 1st Infantry Regiment and was stationed at Fort Crawford, Wisconsin. His first
assignment, in 1829, was to supervise the cutting of timber on the banks of the Red Cedar River for the
repair and enlargement of the fort. Later the same year, he was reassigned to Fort Winnebago. While
supervising the construction and management of a sawmill in the Yellow River in 1831, he contracted
pneumonia, causing him to return to Fort Crawford.
The year after, Davis was dispatched to Galena, Illinois, at the head of a detachment assigned to remove
miners from lands claimed by the Native Americans. Lieutenant Davis was home in Mississippi for the
entire Black Hawk War, returning after the Battle of Bad Axe. Following the conflict, he was assigned by his
colonel, Zachary Taylor, to escort Black Hawk himself to prison, it is said that the chief liked Davis because
of the kind treatment he had shown. Another of Davis' duties during this time was to keep miners from
illegally entering what would eventually become the state of Iowa.
Continued on Page 11
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
The Captain’s Tent
Comments from Captain
Kalkbrenner
Ladies and Gentlemen of the 1st Arkansas,
Greetings.
We have again had a very busy month! 6 events in 4
weeks is enough for just about anyone, and we had
one other event cancelled! On April 19th, the 1st
Arkansas Infantry set up a booth at the Pine Bluff
Arsenal's Kids' Fest held in White Hall. Capt.
Kalkbrenner and Pvts. Rex Norris, Ron Kelley, and
Marde Clardy represented the unit and spoke to
numerous people all day. At the same time the 1st
Arkansas Light Artillery was set-up at Star City for
the Star Daze Festival. Lt. Farmer, Sgt Turney, and
some of the Taylors manned two guns. An "old"
member, Chris McGee, made an appearance at Star
City. Hopefully we will be seeing more of him soon.
On Friday, April 25th, all aspects of the 1st Arkansas
Living Historians was well represented at Cabot
Middle School for their annual Civil War Days. Lt.
Farmer and Sgt. Swayze fired their cannon and
mortar. Capt. Kalkbrenner and Sgt. Lewis
demonstrated uniforms and weapons. Miss Ellie,
Ms. Sue and Ms. Flo spoke to the children and
described life at home. We have been invited back
next year. We were supposed to have left from Cabot
and travelled to Mountain Home for their
reenactment, but because of flooding and forecasted
storms, that event was cancelled. Instead, the
infantry now joined the artillery in a memorial
service on Saturday, April 26th, at Jenkins Ferry. Lt.
Farmer commanded a battery in firing salutes
throughout the day. Sgt. Swayze and Sgt. Turney
commanded the guns, which were manned by a
ragtag group including Mike Lewis, Rex Norris,
Marde Clary, and Charles Wilson. Capt Kalkbrenner
was also in attendance and spoke during the
libations ceremony, performed by Lt. Farmer.
On May 2-4, the 1st Arkansas travelled to Jefferson,
TX for the annual Battle of Port Jefferson. Our very
own Lt. Farmer was there in his new capacity as Lt.
2
Colonel of the TMVA!!!
We had a great weekend, with wonderful weather
(after we outran the tornadoes) and some of the best
fellowship we have had in a while. Cpl. Wisner
stepped up and filled his role with enthusiasm.
During the Saturday afternoon battle Cpl. Wisner
found himself in command of the company, with
Capt Kalkbrenner mortally wounded and Sgts.
Lewis and Mark Hannibal (9th Ark) dead. Cpl.
Wisener looked to Sgt Major Hutch for guidance,
only to see him shot down also. Gentlemen, I think
we have created a monster!!! Cpl. Wisner seemed to
enjoy command, so much so that I made him a
brevet Lt. and company commander for Sunday
when we took the field as the 5th Kansas. In the
future, when we field as the 5th Kansas, Lt. Wisener
will be with the company. I would like to start
training all NCOs in this way in the future to prepare
them to someday take command of the 1st Arkansas.
On Saturday May 10th, several members of the 1st
Arkansas set-up fly's and demonstrations at the
German Heritage Festival in Stuttgart. Cannons
were fired all day and the wires were hot with
telegraph messages. Sgt Lewis and Cpl. Wisener
must of had 50 rounds shot through their muskets by
the local children. A good time was had by all. We
left Stuttgart around 3:30pm, and by 7:00pm the
town was hard hit by a tornado. Let's keep everyone
in Stuttgart in our thoughts and prayers.
This weekend we will be traveling to Quitman to
dedicate 3 stones for Sgt. Bill Turney's ancestors.
On Sunday, May 25th, the 1st Arkansas will again
serve as the honor guard for the annual Pine Bluff
Memorial Day Service at the Veterans Section of
Graceland Cemetery. This is an honor for us and
everyone please attend. After the service, a cookout
is being held at the Kalkbrenner Homestead.
Everyone is invited. The menu will consist of
burgers and dogs, plus whatever you feel like
bringing. I will have directions for those who need
them to the service. I will be contacting those going
to Gettysburg very soon with all the details for the
trip. It will be here before you know, and I hope
everyone is getting ready. If you have not started
walking, you need to start NOW!!! If this years
event is like those in the past, we will cover several
miles every day, with 5 battles in 3 days!!! See you
all very soon, Capt K
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Seriously though, for those of you who did not go to
Jefferson last month, you truly missed one of the
better events this year! The TMVI averaged around
120 people each day and the battles were very
exciting and well done.
Comments from
your Sgt Major
Before I get too far into this, I would like to give
our 6 month report. So far this year, the 1st
Arkansas has attended 12 sanctioned events. Of
those twelve, the lowest attendance was at the Lee
Parade in Cabot with only 7 members attending.
The highest attended event so far has been
Jefferson Texas with 21 members of the 1st making
the trip.
There were a few instances of “Damn Yankeeism”
when certain members of the 5th Kansas attempted
to have their way with a member of the civilian
corp. Luckily there were enough Confederates
around that this dastardly deed did not come to
fruition. The real mistake by the redlegs was that
they failed to take into consideration the vengeful
wrath of a certain 7 foot tall relative of this civilian
corp. member and that his payback is yet to be felt.
Since my last report, the 1st has added 7 new
members and has lost 2 members for nonparticipation and refusal to pay their dues, giving
us a total membership of 45, so at our highest event
we had a 41% attendance from our members and at
our lowest we had a 16% attendance. My question
now is, will the 1st ever be able to field 100% of it’s
people? I know we can do it and hope to see it this
year!
Micah Wisner was brevetted to the position of 2nd
Lieutenant after everyone else in the company was
dead. He stepped up to the plate and did an
exemplary job. So much in fact that the next day,
both Captain K and Corporal Lewis took the role of
bushwhackers and gave the 5th to Lt. Wisner who
again took charge and helped lead the Federals to a
victory.
If you check the calendar you will notice that we
are at that time of year when the heat drives us
indoors.
Except for those of you going to
Gettysburg in July, the 1st has no scheduled events
until August with Founders Day. I know it would
be hot, but maybe sometime between now and then
we can get together for some drill and fellowship
like we did lat year.
All in all, we have had a grand time this year and I
know that with what we have facing us for the rest
of the year we will have an even larger time for the
next six months!
Speaking of Gettysburg, I hope those of you
fortunate enough to go will take some photos for
those of us who didn’t. When you get home, get
me your photos and if each of you will write me a
small article about the trip I will include it in a
special Gettysburg Edition for the newsletter next
month.
Speaking of newsletters, I know that this one is
probably one of the biggest I have ever put out.
That is just the way it goes sometimes. I either
don’t have enough for a good edition or I have too
much and can’t decide what to throw out. I decided
to leave it this size so that Rex can have more
rolling papers for Gettysburg.
The 5th Kansas under the command of Lt. Wisner on
the field at Jefferson
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
The Chaplain’s Corner
Andy Taylor
SCARS OF LOVE
Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south
Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the
old swimming hole that was behind his house. In a
hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the
back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as
he went.
He flew into the water, not realizing that as he
swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator
was swimming toward the shore.
In the house, his mother was looking out the
window. She saw the two as they got closer and
closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the
water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.
Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed,
and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was
too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator
reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed
her little boy by the arms, just as the alligator
snatched his legs. That began a very incredible tugof-war between the two.
The alligator was much stronger than the mother,
but the mother was much too passionate to let go.
A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams,
raced from his truck, took aim, and shot the
alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the
hospital, the little boy Survived. His legs were
extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the
animal. On his arms, there were deep scratches
where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh; in
her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy
after the trauma, asked the boy if he would show
him his scars.
The boy lifted his pant legs. Then, with obvious
pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms.
I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them
because my Mom wouldn't let go.'
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You and I can identify with that little boy.
We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the
scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are
unsightly, and have caused us deep regret. But, some
wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let
go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been right
there, holding on to you.
The Scripture teaches that God loves you.
You are a child of God. He wants to protect you, and
provide for you in every way. But, sometimes, we
foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing
what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled
with peril and we forget that the enemy is waiting to
attack. That is when the tug-of-war begins.
If you have the scars of His love on your arms, be
very, very grateful. He will not ever let you go.
God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to
others. You just never know where a person is in
his/her life, and what they are going through.
Never judge other persons scars, because you don't
know how they got them..
Right now, someone needs to know that God loves
them, and you love them too enough to not let them
go!!!
God bless you!
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
If anyone reading this article disagrees and still wants
to be part of the OCR, I say, “Go for it.” I, for one,
just don’t see the need for all the bureaucratic baloney
that goes with a few of us trying to be part of a
national whole.
Stirring the Pot
Comments From The Civilian Corp
Ladies of the 1st Arkansas.
We have a decision to contemplate. As you may
know, we have opted to be a chapter of the Order
of the Confederate Rose. However, to maintain a
chapter we must collect dues, establish a bank
account, elect officers and send money to the state
level (since we are the only chapter, we are the
state level). Why have we tried to do this?
Because someone said it would be “cool” to
reestablish the OCR in Arkansas. I think the OCR
in Arkansas disappeared in the first place because
we just do not have enough people across the state
interested in maintaining membership.
What do we do as a chapter of the OCR?
Basically, we provide a unified presence at
memorials, parades, and any activity in which our
men of the SCV and 1st Arkansas participate. Here
is my proposal…. let us continue to support our
men of the SCV as well as the 1st Arkansas Infantry
and Light Artillery, but drop the façade of being a
chapter of the OCR. You may have seen the email
I forwarded from National OCR requesting each
state to send them $100. I see all of this as
unnecessary complications for our little group.
The Ladies Aid Society in Jefferson Texas
last month that Miss Ellie has reference to.
The editor did hear several members of the
Civilian Corp speaking favorably about
this idea. The doors it would open could be
limitless. It is something to meet about and
discuss.
We can still be a unified organization, but we could
choose a non-descript title, such as the 1st Arkansas
Civilian Corps or as we saw at Jefferson, TX, a
Ladies Aid Society.
That would open our
membership to newcomers who have no allegiance
to the Southern Cause, but simply want to
participate as civilians, including the men who
chose not to be soldiers in the field. We could still
participate in ceremonies, but with the title of the
1st AR Civilian Corps. We could set up our tents in
civilian camp as a unified group.
Does this make any sense? Do you agree? Can we
be organized without the title of OCR? Do we
want to open “membership” to any Reenactor who
wants to participate without the official association
with the Order of the Confederate Rose? I say,
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“YES”.
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
The Arkansas Flag and Seal
Last month I asked you some questions about your
States’ Flag;
Now, for the Seal; I see a lot of people wearing the
Arkansas Belt Plate that Has the Arkansas Seal on
it, but do you know what it represents?
Why is the flag red, white and blue?
Why is there a diamond shape to it?
What do the 25 stars represent?
What do the 3 stars represent?
What does the single star Represent?
Did anybody bother to research this? I have not
received any calls about it, I would hope that you all
were interested enough in your State that you
already knew the answers or you did look into it, but
just did not share it with anyone.
For those who are interested, here are the answers.
The flag is red, white and blue because it represents
that Arkansas is part of the United States of
America.
There is a diamond shape to it to represent that
Arkansas is known as “The Diamond State”.
The 25 stars represent that Arkansas is the 25th State
to join the Union.
The 3 stars represent the 3 Countries that Arkansas
has been a part of, Spain, France and America.
The single star represents that Arkansas was part of
the Confederacy during the War of Northern
Aggression.
The Arkansas State Seal was adopted in 1864 and
modified to its present form in 1907. The outer ring
of the seal contains the text "Great Seal of the State
of Arkansas". The inner seal contains the Angel of
Mercy, the Sword of Justice and the Goddess of
Liberty surrounded by a bald eagle.
The eagle holds in its beak a scroll inscribed with
the Latin phrase "Regnat Populus", the state motto,
which means "The People Rule". (The scroll read
"Regnant Populi" prior to 1907.) On the shield of
the seal are a steamboat, a plow, a beehive and a
sheaf of wheat, symbols of Arkansas's industrial
and agricultural wealth.
Now, you are probably asking yourself what the big
deal is about this stuff?
The big deal is that there are men and women from
Arkansas right now fighting and dying in a foreign
land so that we can enjoy the freedoms expressed
in the ideas behind each of these symbols.
No, not knowing what they stand for does not make
us bad Americans. But, what makes us better
Americans is the desire to learn more about our
Country, our State and everything else about us that
others take for granted.
Happy Researching!
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Salvaged Wood and Camp Furniture
By Steve Shore
The next time your driving down the road and
see a wooden pallet destined for the trash dump
or burn pile, stop and save it. It only takes a few
tools from the garage and a few hours on a
Saturday to make something useful.
For me, I'm always looking around for discarded
wood and thinking about how to make camp
furniture rather than waste another tree to make
my projects.
You've seen spectators/visitors walking around
and taking pictures of our camp. What do you
think they see in their pictures when a tent flap
has blown open exposing the interior contents? If
you do not want people to see your personal
items, ensure you tie the flaps.
I've recently made some new items and sat them
out for display as they might be sitting around
camp. If you were taking a picture of this scene,
to show your friends, what would you say these
items are?
Look at the pictures and get some ideas of your
own to build. After arriving at an event, empty
the boxes of tents and lanterns, etc., to be
utilized as chairs, tables and shelving. Good luck
and happy camping,
Steve
Editor’s note;
Steve Shore is
the 1 st Sergeant
of the 6th Ark
and is an invited
guest writer for
the Joshes and
Chubs
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Redlegs and Other Bad Yankee Stuff
General Order No. 11 is the title of the 25 August
1863 Union Army order in the American Civil
War that forced the evacuation of the rural areas
of four counties in Missouri.
exiled inhabitants. Dense columns of smoke arising in
every direction marked the conflagrations of
dwellings, many of the evidences of which are yet to
be seen in the remains of seared and blackened
chimneys, standing as melancholy monuments of a
ruthless military despotism which spared neither age,
sex, character, nor condition. There was neither aid
nor protection afforded to the banished inhabitants by
the heartless authority which expelled them from their
rightful possessions. They crowded by hundreds upon
the banks of the Missouri River, and were indebted to
the charity of benevolent steamboat conductors for
transportation to places of safety where friendly aid
could be extended to them without danger to those
who ventured to contribute it.
The order affected all rural residents regardless of
their loyalty. Those who could prove their Union
sympathies could stay in the region but had to
leave their farms and move to communities near
military outposts. Those who could not prove
their sympathies had to leave the area altogether.
The order followed the August 21 Lawrence
Massacre by Confederate bushwhacker William
Quantrill. The Union Army felt that Confederate
bushwhackers were coming from or getting
support from rural portions of the four Missouri
counties on the Kansas border south of the
Missouri River (Bates, Cass, Jackson, and Vernon
counties).
Ewing was to relax his order in November in General
Order No. 20 to permit the return of those who could
prove their loyalty to the union.
Text of the Missouri order
General Thomas Ewing issued the order to expel
residents from those counties and burn their land.
Exceptions to the order were made for those
living within one mile of the limits of
Independence, Hickman Mills, Pleasant Hill, and
Harrisonville. The area of Kansas City, Missouri
north of Brush Creek and west of Blue River
(Missouri) (although called Big Blue in the order)
was also spared.
The order was approved by Abraham Lincoln who
cautioned that the military be careful to avoid
permitting vigilante enforcement. Painter George
Caleb Bingham, who was staunchly pro-Union,
called it an act of imbecility and wrote letters
protesting it and one of his most famous works
depicts it. Bingham who was in Kansas City at the
time described the events:
General Order № 11.
Headquarters District of the Border,
Kansas City, August 25, 1863.
1. All persons living in Jackson, Cass, and Bates
counties, Missouri, and in that part of Vernon
included in this district, except those living within
one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman's
Mills, Pleasant Hill, and Harrisonville, and except
those in that part of Kaw Township, Jackson
County, north of Brush Creek and west of Big
Blue, are hereby ordered to remove from their
present places of residence within fifteen days
from the date hereof.
2. Those who within that time establish their loyalty
to the satisfaction of the commanding officer of
the military station near their present place of
residence will receive from him a certificate
stating the fact of their loyalty, and the names of
the witnesses by whom it can be shown. All who
receive such certificates will be permitted to
remove to any military station in this district, or to
any part of the State of Kansas, except the
counties of the eastern border of the State
It is well-known that men were shot down in the
very act of obeying the order, and their wagons
and effects seized by their murderers. Large trains
of wagons, extending over the prairies for miles in
length, and moving Kansas ward, were freighted
with every description of household furniture and
wearing apparel belonging to the
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
All others shall remove out of the district. Officers
commanding companies and detachments serving in
the counties named will see that this paragraph is promptly obeyed.
3. All grain and hay in the field or under shelter, in the district from which inhabitants are required to
remove, within reach of military stations after the 9th day of September next, will be taken to such
stations and turned over to the proper officers there and report of the amount so turned over made to
district headquarters, specifying the names of all loyal owners and amount of such product taken from
them. All grain and hay found in such district after the 9th day of September next, not convenient to such
stations, will be destroyed.
The provisions of General Order No. 10 from these headquarters will be at once vigorously executed by
officers commanding in the parts of the district and at the station not subject to the operations of paragraph 1
of this order, and especially the towns of Independence, Westport and Kansas City.
4. Paragraph 3, General Order No. 10 is revoked as to all who have borne arms against the Government in
the district since the 20th day of August, 1863.
By order of Brigadier General Ewing.
H. Hannahs, Adjt.-Gen'l.
George Caleb Bingham painting of General Order No. 11. In this famous
propaganda work General Thomas Ewing is seated on a horse watching the
Red Legs.
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Banzai Charges During the Civil War
By Bob Hutcheson
I saw it again last month. A lone soldier in line of
battle screaming like a banshee and making a
single, suicide charge at the enemy. He got about
half way there and was shot down. His death was
one of screaming and involved theatrics that would
qualify for a Broadway Play. The problem? It
never happened!
I know that sometimes I get hung up on something
that seems trivial to others but to me this is
something that needs to be addressed. Why do we
reenact in the first place? I would hope that one of
the reasons would be to honor the memory of those
who actually did fight in that war. By honoring
their memory I mean to bring some dignity and call
attention to the sacrifices that were made so long
ago. How can that be done by acting like we are
kids playing war in the field next to our house?
When I see such an act committed I am reminded
of the opening few minutes in the movie “Born on
the Fourth of July”, when the kid playing the part
of young Ron Kovic is ambushed by his friends
while they are playing war. After they argue about
who shot who, he rolls on the ground with his
tongue hanging out and his friends all make fun of
him being killed.
Sound familiar? Gentlemen, we are not playing
war! I have already explained to you why I think
we should be doing this. The problem is, after a
while we do it so often that we forget why we do it.
Then, when a newcomer is on the field we see
them do something like this that derides all of us
and we fail to action on it. In fact, last month when
I saw this happen again, I was approached by a
spectator who asked me, “Did they actually make
such charges back then?”
I referred this question to two people I felt are
knowledgeable in this field, Doyle Taylor and Tom
Ezell. Here are their responses, first from Doyle
Taylor;
Have you ever read of any time during the Civil
War of individuals making suicide attacks?
This is a difficult question to answer because of the
differences in the interpretation of the term "Suicide
Attack" between the Civil War era and present day.
I know what you are talking about a single soldier
making a Banzai charge by himself against the
enemy. We must remember that while the Americans
during WW II thought these Banzai charges to be
stupid and welcomed them as being an opportunity to
kill the Japanese easily and get the battle over with.
The Japanese themselves didn't see their actions in
that manner and did not view them as being stupid
and without purpose even though they were in reality
stupid and a useless waste of the resources of the
Japanese commanders.
Now as to this being applied to the Civil War soldier;
what charge upon an entrenched enemy as conducted
during the Civil War using Napoleonic Tactics wasn't
in reality a suicidal charge? We question over and
over again Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg and the
Union Charge at Cold Harbor which were organized
massacres. Yet the soldiers made them and they had a
military purpose and application.
Were there
incidents where individuals charged by themselves?
How many stories are there where the Flag bearers
advanced well ahead of the front lines and made a
target of themselves standing on a rock above the
fray. We know the mortality rate of Color Bears and
the fact that they were the favored targets of the
enemy. Yet it was considered an honor to carry the
flag. Advancing the colors beyond their prescribed
position was known to have even started charges and
kept men fighting even when the rest of the line had
withdrawn. Were those actions suicide? It was a
common practice for privates to refuse promotion to
the rank of Sergeant or Lieutenant because it would
mean that they would be behind the front ranks and
therefore protected from the enemies fire somewhat
by those men. Some of these men thought accepting
promotion to position behind the lines as being
cowardice.
There were many cases where the men themselves
started charges when faced with situations where they
faced the possibility that if they stayed where they
were they most likely were going to be killed anyway.
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Continued on Page 16
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Jefferson Davis
Continued from page 1
Davis fell in love with Colonel Taylor’s daughter, Sarah Knox
Taylor. Her father did not approve of the match, so Davis resigned
his commission and married Miss Taylor on June 17, 1835, at the
house of her aunt near Louisville Kentucky. The marriage, however,
proved to be short. While visiting Davis' oldest sister near Saint
Francisville, Louisiana, both newlyweds contracted malaria, and
Davis' wife died three months after the wedding on September 15,
1835. In 1836, he moved to Brierfield Plantation in Warren County,
Mississippi. For the next eight years, Davis was a recluse, studying
government and history, and engaging in private political discussions
with his brother Joseph.
The year 1844 saw Davis' first political success, as he was elected to
the United States House of Representatives, taking office on March
4 of the following year. In 1845, Davis married Varina Howell, the
granddaughter of late New Jersey Governor Richard Howell whom
he met the year before, at her home in Natchez Mississippi.
First wife, Sarah Knox Taylor
There is a portrait of Mrs. Jefferson Davis in old age at the Jefferson
Davis Shrine in Biloxi, Mississippi, painted by Adolfo Müller-Ury
(1862-1947) in 1895 and dubbed 'Widow of the Confederacy'. It was
exhibited at the Durand-Ruel Galleries in New York in 1897. The
Museum of the Confederacy at Richmond, Virginia, possesses
Müller-Ury's 1897-98 profile portrait of their daughter Winnie Davis
which the artist presented to the Museum in 1918.
The year 1846 saw the beginning of the Mexican-American War. He
resigned his House seat in June, and raised a volunteer regiment, the
Mississippi Rifles, becoming its colonel. On July 21, 1846 they
sailed from New Orleans for the Texas coast. Davis armed the
regiment with percussion rifles and trained the regiment in their use,
making it particularly effective in combat.
Second wife, Varina Howell
In September of the same year, he participated in the successful siege of Monterrey, Mexico. He fought
bravely at the Battle of Buena Vista on February 22, 1847, and was shot in the foot, being carried to safety
by Robert H. Chilton. In recognition of Davis's bravery and initiative, commanding general Zachary Taylor
is reputed to have said, "My daughter, sir, was a better judge of men than I was.” President James K. Polk
offered him a Federal commission as a brigadier general and command of a brigade of militia. He declined
the appointment, arguing that the United States Constitution gives the power of appointing militia officers to
the states, and not to the Federal government of the United States.
Because of his war service, the Governor of Mississippi appointed Davis to fill out the Senate term of the
late Jesse Speight. He took his seat 5 December 1847, and was elected to serve the remainder of his term in
January 1848. In addition, the Smithsonian Institution appointed him a regent at the end of December 1847.
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
The Senate made Davis chairman of the Committee on Military
Affairs. When his term expired, he was elected to the same seat
(by the Mississippi legislature, as the Constitution mandated at the
time). He had not served a year when he resigned (in September
1851) to run for the Governorship of Mississippi on the issue of
the Compromise of 1850, which Davis opposed. This election bid
was unsuccessful, as he was defeated by fellow senator Henry
Stuart Foote by 999 votes.
Left without political office, Davis continued his political activity.
He took part in a convention on states' rights, held at Jackson,
Mississippi in January 1852. In the weeks leading up to the
presidential election of 1852, he campaigned in numerous
Southern states for Democratic candidates Franklin Pierce and
William R. King.
Portrait of Jefferson Davis
by Daniel Huntington.
Pierce won the election and, in 1853, made Davis his Secretary of
War. In this capacity, Davis gave to Congress four annual reports
(in December of each year), as well as an elaborate one (submitted
on February 22, 1855) on various routes for the proposed
Transcontinental Railroad. The Pierce Administration ended in 1857. The President lost the Democratic
nomination, which went instead to James Buchanan. Davis' term was to end with Pierce's, so he ran
successfully for the Senate, and re-entered it on March 4, 1857.
His renewed service in the Senate was interrupted by an illness that threatened him with the loss of his left
eye. Still nominally serving in the Senate, Davis spent the summer of 1858 in Portland, Maine. On the
Fourth of July, he delivered an anti-secessionist speech on board a ship near Boston. He again urged the
preservation of the Union on October 11 in Faneuil Hall, Boston, and returned to the Senate soon after.
As Davis explained in his memoir, "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government," he believed that
each State was sovereign and had an unquestionable right to secede from the Union. He counseled delay
among his fellow Southerners, however, because he did not think that the North would permit the peaceable
exercise of the right to secession. Having served as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce, he also
knew that the South lacked the military and naval resources necessary to defend itself if the North attacked.
Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, however, events accelerated. South Carolina adopted an
ordinance of secession on December 20, 1860, and Mississippi did so on January 9, 1861. As soon as Davis
received official notification of that fact, he delivered a farewell address to the United States Senate,
resigned, and returned to Mississippi.
Four days after his resignation, Davis was commissioned a Major General of Mississippi troops. On
February 9, 1861, a Constitutional convention at Montgomery, Alabama named him provisional President of
the Confederate States of America and he was inaugurated on February 18. In meetings of his own
Mississippi legislature, Davis had argued against secession; but when a majority of the delegates opposed
him, he gave in. Davis was not opposed to secession in principle; he counseled delay because he did not
believe the North would agree to the peaceable exercise of the claimed right, and he knew that the South was
not prepared for war.
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
In conformity with a resolution of the Confederate
Congress, Davis immediately appointed a Peace
Commission to resolve the Confederacy's differences
with the Union. In March 1861, before the
bombardment of Fort Sumter, the Commission was to
travel to Washington, D.C., to offer to pay for any
Federal property on Southern soil, as well as the
Southern portion of the national debt, but it was not
authorized to discuss terms for reunion. He appointed
General P.G.T. Beauregard to command Confederate
troops in the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina. He
approved the Cabinet decision to bombard Fort
Sumter, which started the Civil War. When Virginia
switched from neutrality and joined the Confederacy,
he moved his government to Richmond, Virginia, in
May 1861. Davis and his family took up his residence
there at the White House of the Confederacy in late
May.
Davis
was
elected to a
Jefferson Davis being sworn in as President of the six-year term
Confederate States of America on February 18,
as President of
1861 on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol.
the
Confederacy on November 6, 1861. He had never served a full term
in any elective office, and that would turn out to be the case on this
occasion as well. He was inaugurated on February 22, 1862. In
June, 1862, he assigned General Robert E. Lee to replace the
wounded Joseph E. Johnston in command of the Army of Northern
Virginia, the main Confederate army in the Eastern Theater. That
December, he made a tour of Confederate armies in the west of the
country. Davis largely made the main strategic decisions on his
own, or approved those suggested by Lee. He had a very small
circle of military advisors. Jefferson Davis openly pushed for the Confederate postage stamp featuring
acquisition of Cuba upon completion of the Civil War.
President Jefferson Davis.
In August 1863, Davis declined General Lee's offer of resignation after his defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg.
As Confederate military fortunes turned for the worse in 1864, he visited Georgia with the intent of raising
morale.
On April 3, 1865, with Union troops under Ulysses S. Grant poised to capture Richmond, Davis escaped for
Danville, Virginia, together with the Confederate Cabinet, leaving on the Richmond and Danville Railroad.
He issued his last official proclamation as President of the Confederacy, and then went south to Greensboro,
North Carolina. Circa April 12, he received Robert E. Lee's letter announcing surrender.
President Jefferson Davis met with his Confederate Cabinet for the last time on May 5, 1865 in Washington,
Georgia, and the Confederate Government was officially dissolved. The meeting took place at the Heard
house, the Georgia Branch Bank Building, with fourteen officials present. On May 10, he was captured at
Irwinville in Irwin County, Georgia. After being captured, he was held as a prisoner for two years in Fort
Monroe, Virginia.
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
On May 19, 1865, Davis was imprisoned in a
casemate at Fortress Monroe, on the coast of
Virginia. He was placed in irons for three days.
Davis was indicted for treason a year later. While
in prison, Davis arranged to sell his Mississippi
estate to one of his former slaves, Ben
Montgomery. Montgomery was a talented
business manager, mechanic, and even an
inventor who had become wealthy in part from
running his own general store.
After two years of imprisonment, he was released
on bail which was posted by prominent citizens of
both northern and southern states, including
Horace Greeley, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Gerrit
Smith (Smith, as a member of the Secret Six, had
The original Confederate Cabinet. L-R: Judah P.
Benjamin, Stephen Mallory, Christopher Memminger,
Alexander Stephens, LeRoy Pope Walker, Jefferson
Davis, John H. Reagan and Robert Toombs.
earlier supported John Brown). Davis visited Canada, Cuba and Europe. In December 1868, the court
rejected a motion to nullify the indictment, but the prosecution dropped the case in February 1869. In 1869
Davis became president of the Carolina Life Insurance Company in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon Robert E.
Lee’s death in 1870, Davis presided over the memorial meeting in Richmond, Virginia. Elected to the U.S.
Senate again, he was refused the office in 1875, having been barred from Federal office by the Fourteenth
Amendment to the United States Constitution. He also turned down the opportunity to become the first
president of The Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas, which is now Texas A&M University.
In 1876, he promoted a society for the stimulation of U.S. trade with South America. Davis visited England
the next year, returning in 1878 to Beauvoir (Biloxi, Mississippi). Over the next three years there, Davis
wrote The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. Having completed that book, he visited Europe
again, and traveled to Alabama and Georgia the following year.
He completed A Short History of the Confederate States of America in October 1889. Two months later on
December 6, Davis died in New Orleans of unestablished cause at the age of eighty-one. His funeral was one
of the largest ever staged in the South, and included a continuous cortège, day and night, from New Orleans
to Richmond, Virginia. He is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.
Legacy
Jefferson Davis at his home c.1885
•The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library, on the grounds of Davis's last
home, Beauvoir, at Biloxi, Mississippi, was dedicated in 1998 by the
state of Mississippi.
•Jefferson Davis is included on a bas relief sculpture on Stone Mountain,
which is just east of Atlanta, Georgia.
•A monument to Jefferson Davis was unveiled on June 3, 1907, on
Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia.
•A statue of Jefferson Davis stands in Confederate Park in Memphis,
Tennessee.
•A statue of Jefferson Davis stands on the South Mall of the University
of Texas at Austin.
•A 351-foot (107 m) tall concrete obelisk at the Jefferson Davis State
Historic Site in Fairview Todd County, Kentucky honors the former
president.
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Joshes and Chubs June 2008
•A bust statue of Jefferson Davis is located in a park on the spot
he was captured, near Fitzgerald, Georgia. Another bust of
Jefferson Davis is located outside of the Jeff Davis County Court
House building in Hazlehurst, Georgia.
•The state of Alabama celebrates Jefferson Davis's birthday on
the first Monday in June.
•The state of Mississippi observes Davis's birthday in
conjunction with the Memorial Day Federal holiday.
•In the State of Florida, Jefferson Davis's birthday, June 3, is a
legal holiday and public holiday. Jefferson Davis was honorarily
inducted into the Kappa Sigma Fraternity (University of
Arkansas - Xi chapter) following his son's death. He is currently
the only honorary member of the fraternity. Jefferson Davis
County, Mississippi, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, Jeff
Davis County, Texas, and Jeff Davis County, Georgia, all created
after the civil war, were named after Jefferson Davis.
•The Jefferson Davis Highway was named in his honor.
•Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States
Constitution barred from office anyone who had violated their
oath to protect the Constitution by serving in the Confederacy.
That prohibition included Davis. In 1978, pursuant to authority
Jefferson Davis grave
granted to Congress under the same section of the Amendment,
at
the
Hollywood Cemetery
Congress posthumously removed the ban on Davis with a twothirds vote of each house and President Jimmy Carter signed it.
These actions were spearheaded by Congressman Trent Lott of Mississippi. Congress had previously taken
similar action on behalf of Robert E. Lee.
•A statue of Jefferson Davis is depicted in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building, for the
state of Mississippi.
•There is a carved stone memorial to Jefferson Davis at First and Camp streets, next to the home where he
died, in New Orleans, La.
•The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is located in his birth place of Christian County, Kentucky.
Primary sources
Jefferson Davis, Jefferson Davis: The Essential Writings ed. by William J.
Cooper (2003)
Dunbar Rowland, ed., Jefferson Davis: Constitutionalist; His Letters,
Papers, and Speeches (10 vols., 1923).
The Papers of Jefferson Davis (1971- ), edited by Haskell M. Monroe, Jr.,
James T. McIntosh, and Lynda L. Crist; latest is vol. 11 (2004) to May
1865
Jefferson Davis. The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (1881;
numerous reprints)
Statue of Jefferson
15
Davis
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Banzai Charges During the Civil War
Continued from page 10
Now for Tom Ezell’s response;
Did Patrick Cleburne commit "suicide" by leading
the Charge at Franklin even though as a Major
General his position was not supposed to be at the
front?
Nope... the basic instinct of humans is to survive, and
for soldiers especially to survive the War and become
GAR or UCV members.
What I am saying in all of this is that the system of
southern beliefs of personal honor and courage,
combined with the passions of the times and the
heat of battle might have in fact lead individuals to
Charge the enemy by themselves. But I don't know
right off hand of any particular incidents that I can
cite with certainty. There is a very thin line
between what he, the civil war soldier, considered
bravery and we consider as suicide. To some it was
a personal war and every man, particularly during
the early part of the war, thought himself a General
and wanted to cover himself with "Glory". During
the later stages of the war almost every soldier
expected to die, but he went anyway.
What was it that the soldiers of the Army of
Northern Virginia told General Lee when he
announced that he had surrendered that army?
Wasn't it "General, give us another chance, we can
lick them still!
About the closest documented example I can think
of, and again it wasn't just a single soldier, was
Pickett's Charge. Most of the Confederate took
cover at the rail fence along the Emmetsburg road,
"the survival instinct" in the face of the prepared
enemy. Yet General Armistead and only about 300
men made the final push to break the federal lines.
Well 300, about the strength of a single regiment,
against a couple of thousand Unionist would be
about as individualistic as these charges went. Yes
I am sure that there were yelling and rebel yells and
screaming, and 300 against 3,000 is a suicidal
charge, but the key difference here is that they
didn't go as individuals, they pushed forward as a
group and in formation.
No the Reenactor who charges across the field by
himself is just grandstanding and showing off, but I
can not say that it did not ever happen. And I
doubt that any documentation would have been
made of such incidents.
In most cases you see exactly the opposite -individual soldiers quickly became shrewd judges of
just what could (and couldn't) be done in a tight
situation, and they would simply take cover until
orders came to disengage. "Lie down, you fools!
You can't take them damned forts!" You see this in
the Federal charges at Vicksburg on May 19 & 20, at
Cold Harbor, Kennesaw, and many other places.
"Suicide charges" as you describe were mostly junior
officers attempting to lead troops forward in spite of
the better judgment of both parties, and who paid for
setting the example with their lives.
Artillery fire effect tables, the little rule of thumb
tables that we use to figure out how many 96-pound
high explosive shells to shoot at the badniks in order
to kill, maim, or at least make them want to quit
messing with us, show that a unit is "neutralized"
when you inflict 10% casualties, and "destroyed"
when you inflict 30% casualties. What this casualty
rate does is break up the cohesion of a unit, hopefully
into a loose group of scared individuals whose self
protective instincts outweigh their fear of not carrying
out their mission. S.L.A. Marshall of the Army War
College wrote a fundamental study, Men Against Fire,
based on combat studies of soldier behavior in World
War II and the Korean War that looks, among other
things, at fear on the battlefield and its effects on unit
cohesion and combat power. It shows about the same
thing.
Now, there are a variety of examples from the Civil
War where an attacking or defending unit suffered
horrendous casualty rates... for example, the 1st Texas
in the Cornfield at Antietam (82% casualties for those
engaged). Likewise, look at the carnage in the
Arkansas regiments at Shiloh. Cleburne took nearly
3700 men into the fight at dawn Sunday morning, by
late Monday afternoon fewer than 70 men in his
brigade were still with the colors. Here, the men,
although they had been in service for nearly a year,
were inexperienced and unexposed to the violence of
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Continued on next page
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
combat, and so took chances that veterans would
not have as long as they had a buddy to stand by
them, or a leader they trusted. Many were affected
by the "shock and awe" of the fight, and quietly
dropped out of the ranks (e.g., "straggled") to settle
their fears. Inexperienced leaders also made poor
decisions in employing their troops that led to these
high casualty rates, and the units were simply
shattered and unable to carry on the fight without
substantial replenishment and replacements.
Later in the war, high rates were seen in units
assigned the mission "defend to retain," e.g., to
hold a position despite any and all costs. The Army
of the Potomac at Gettysburg was so badly shot up
that two entire corps -- the 1st and 3rd -- were
completely disbanded and their survivors
redistributed among the remaining corps to try and
make up for the losses in those units.
Soldiers in the Napoleonic formations used in the
early 19th century drew their strength and cohesion
from the touch of elbows with their comrades in
the line of battle. Like troops today, they fought
for their buddies and their communities -- the
thought of measuring up in the eyes of the folks
waiting back home. When casualty rates break that
formation up, and Joe Snuffy loses that sense of
being supported by his comrades and leaders, then
self-protection kicks in, and he simply can't be
made to go forward after that point until his
confidence and trust has been restored.
Fear on the battlefield is an awesome thing, and
something that we absolutely don't see in
reenacting because it's something that we can't
easily recreate. It's a big difference that you see
even in the movies, from the bloodless Gettysburg
and Gods & Generals flicks, to something like the
first five minutes of Glory, or better, Saving Private
Ryan, or the Band of Brothers series.
Both of these people I solicited information from
agree that yes, there was enough intestinal fortitude in
the fighting man on both sides that would give him
the courage to do something like this if the
opportunity presented itself. But, aside from flag
bearers there is not a single documented case that any
of us can recall reading about where this actually
happened.
Tom makes an interesting point in his response to me.
“I've seen thousands of spectators laugh at
reenactments across the country, which is probably
inappropriate for what we're trying to do. I've never
really seen one cry... which is a pretty sad reflection
on our efforts.”
I never really thought of this before, but, at the
Jefferson event last month where I saw the Banzai
Charge, I did hear spectators laughing. Think about it
like you are reading an action thriller.
There was death all around us, the air was filled with
thick, acrid smoke. Sweat poured down our faces and
we nervously watched as our comrades passed from
this life to the next with horrifying injuries. We
wondered, if it would be out time next. Our officers
were calm under the pressure of the battle, but you
could look into their eyes and see that they too were
feeling the same emotions we did. Then, out of
nowhere, Private Loser let out a blood curdling
scream and flung himself at the enemy. It was one
man, making a desperate charge. One against 4,000.
The outcome could be heard across the land as the
spectators who had come to see our battle laughed
with glee to see such a site!
Doesn’t make sense does it.
The lesson learned? We should not take for granted
that which has been given us. The freedom and
opportunity to do these reenactments as accurately as
possible; we can no more be accurate in our battle
scenes by allowing such grandstanding than if we
wear orange Nike’s as part of our uniform.
I've seen thousands of spectators laugh at
reenactments across the country, which is probably
inappropriate for what we're trying to do. Most
spectators come to see the dog and pony show
anyway so they can be entertained. Why can’t we
stop trying to entertain them and start trying to
educate them? I've never really seen one cry...
17
which is a pretty sad reflection on our efforts.
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
You're Invited To A Wedding!
Suspend for one day your cares and your labours, And come to this wedding, kind friends and good
neighbors.
Notice is hereby given that the marriage of.... Ellen May Glover DiMaggio to Mike Lewis will
be held Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 White Sulphur Springs Confederate Cemetery Jefferson
County Park Pine Bluff, AR 3:30 in the afternoon 4:30 Dinner will be served, chow line
style. 7:00- 10:00 Formal Ball - period attire preferred Sulphur Springs Methodist Church
Fellowship hall Music provided by The 52nd Regimental String Band.
This will be part of the annual Civil War living history event~ you may period camp all weekend
Ellen & Mike are registered at WalMart WalMart.com
18
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Prairie Grove Individual Registration Form
19
Joshes and Chubs June 2008
Calendar of Events For 2008
The 1st Arkansas Infantry, Co. D, “Clan McGregor” is
dedicated to the faithful and historically accurate
portrayal of units who fought in the War Between
The States from 1861 to 1865.
Joshes and Chubs was so named to reflect the attitude
of soldiers from Arkansas and Texas towards each
other as stated in “The Camp, The Bivouac and the
Battlefield” by W.L. Gammage and is published on a
once a month basis. Subscription to Joshes and
Chubs by non-members is free in e-mail format only,
and subscription requests, inquiries and article
submissions should be sent to the editor at
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November 1 st
Robert Hutcheson
2421 Meadowpond Trail
13100 Dollarway
White Hall AR 71602
White Hall AR. 71602
(870) 247-2394
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White Sulphur
October 24 th 26 th
Mark Kalkbrenner
Disclaimer!
*October 18th 19th
**August 29th –
30th
*September 6 th
The 1st Arkansas Living Historians are always
looking for “a few good men and women” to fill
their ranks of civilian and military positions. If
you are interested in Civil War Reenacting
please call the Captain or 1st Sergeant as listed
above.
Battalion Muster
Jefferson Texas
145th Gettysburg
Sergeant Major
Captain
**Sep 19th – 21st
Lake DeGray
Fall Festival Parade
East End Arkansas
*Dec 6th – 7th
Prairie Grove
* Maximum Effort
** Not Maximum but a
high anticipation of
participation
E-mail From Andrew
Right now nothing much has happened on our missions
This last one though while we were traveling up to a
certain FOB (Forward Operating Base) we ran into some eye
awaking experiences. While we were changing a tire on a
truck, in the rear of the convoy, we took what we think was
small arms fire (although they did not see any muzzle flash
or tracers, they did here the distinct sound of lead flying by
their trucks and striking the ground). Earlier we had let a
convoy pass us up (we had one flatbed that was slowing us
down) and they had an IED detonate on one of their Third
Country Nationals trucks but no one was hurt. Needless to
say it was an eye opener to realize that that an IED was
meant for us and if we hadn't let that convoy pass us one of
us might have gotten hurt. Thank God nobody was hurt. I
don't see how somebody couldn't believe in God when
something like that happens.
General
Joshua
Lawrence
Chamberlain,
commenting on General William Tecumseh
Sherman's statement "War is Hell!" "He was
doubtless speaking of war in its immediate and
proximate effects as destruction. He did not mean
to imply that its participants are demons. As to
that, we may say war is for the participants a test
of character; it makes bad men worse and good
20
men better."
Joshes and Chubs
C/O 13100 Dollarway Road
White Hall, AR. 71602