January 29, 1942 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

 

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 29, 1942, O'Brien was at sea, moving north through the Pacific toward San Francisco, in company with Idaho and Mustin. Arrival at San Francisco would be on January 31st.

 Other Events

• Task Force 8 (Enterprise) and Task Force 17 (USS Yorktown) continue moving toward the Marshall and Gilbert Islands to conduct a raid on Japanese occupied islands there. 
• Freighter and tanker sunk off US east coast.
• Pilots being evacuated from the Philippines.
•  More Japanese landings in New Guinea and Celebes.
• Surveys continue at Bora Bora, Society Islands.  This will be another link in the chain between Hawaii and Australia. 
• As the Japanese had occupied Rabaul and surrounding islands, Admiral King anticipated that the next attacks would include the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji, in addition to Port Moresby in New Guinea.  He created the ANZUS force under Rear Admiral Leary to protect this area.  This led to the US Navy sending larger forces, including aircraft carrier task forces into the Coral Sea nearby, and to the first major conflict between fleets in the Pacific War.
  

 More Information:

•   Official Navy Chronology
• The First South Pacific Campaign, John B. Lundstrom, pp 28-31.

 

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 2ND

 

 

January 29, 1862 - Wednesday - 160 years ago today

 Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment

On January 29th, 1862 the 40th Indiana had moved to Lebanon under command of General Thomas J. Wood.  The 20th and 21st Brigades had moved forward; the 20th Brigade was building a corduroy road starting at Danville, 20 mile east of Lebanon.  The 40th Indiana, with the 21st Brigade, remained at Lebanon.

General War Order #1

 A previous post discussed President Lincoln's frustration with the lack of movement of the Union armies.  On January 27th, an exasperated Lincoln issued General War Order #1, ordering an advance of all Union armies on February 22nd.  This order was mainly directed at General McClellan as General-in-Chief of all the armies.  Its intent was not just to get the armies moving, but to discover McClellan's plans for the eastern army.  McLellan ignored the order, but eventually presented his plan of attack; to move the army by water to southeast Virginia, and move toward Richmond from that direction.

Moving into Tennessee

In the West, General Halleck had reconsidered his objection to moving from Paducah into Tennessee.  He had ordered General Grant, in cooperation with Union gunboats, to move down the Tennessee River and capture Fort Henry, a hastily reinforced Confederate fort just south of the Kentucky/Tennessee border.  This location is now on the eastern shore of Kentucky Lake, in the Land Between the Lakes.  

Soon would begin the first major battles in the West.

More Information:

• The President’s General War Order Number 1 
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, Shelby Foote, pp.181-183 discusses Halleck's decision to move into Tennessee.

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 2ND

January 25, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 25, 1942, O'Brien was at sea, moving north through the Pacific toward San Francisco, in company with Idaho and Mustin. Arrival at San Francisco would be on January 31st.

Other Events

• January 22nd to 25th: Task Force 8 (Enterprise) and Task Force 17 (Yorktown) continue moving toward the Marshall and Gilbert Islands to raid Japanese occupied islands.
  
• January 22nd:  
• Task Force 11 (Lexington) sails from Pearl Harbor to conduct a raid at Wake Island.  The distance to be traveled will require the oiler Neches to accompany the task force for refueling.
• More Japanese troops land at Subic Bay, Philippines.  
• Towns of Lae and Salamaua in eastern New Guinea are evacuated by Allied forces, and will soon be occupied by the Japanese in preparation for an attack on Port Moresby, New Guinea.
•  Freighter sunk off US east coast.  Collier also sunk on the 23rd.
  
• January 23rd: 
• The sinking of the unescorted oiler Neches leads to the Task Force 11 raid on Wake Island being canceled.  Normally, a destroyer would be escorting Neches to protect against submarines, but there were no destroyers available.
•  Japanese forces land on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.  Bataan and Corregidor Island will be the focus of the fighting in the Philippines for the remaining US army troops.
• Japanese occupy Rabaul in New Britain.  Rabaul will become a key naval base from which the Japanese can attack allied forces in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the surrounding seas.  Japanese also land at Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
• The Roberts Commission, created December 18th to investigate the Pearl Harbor attack, delivers its report.  Main responsibility for not anticipating the attacks is laid on Admirals Kimmel and Short. There will be a number of other investigations in coming years.
  
• January 24th: 
• There are more invasion landings in Borneo, Celebes, New Ireland (across the strait from Rabaul), and the Philippines.
• A group of 4 US destroyers from the US Asiatic Fleet, attack the landing forces in Borneo.  The destroyers report sinking 3 transports, a cargo ship, and a patrol boat.  Allied bombers sink 2 more transports.  One US destroyer is damaged.  This slows but does not stop the Japanese invasion of Borneo.
• January 25th: 
• Midway Island is shelled.
• A collier is sunk and a tanker forced aground off US east coast.
  

NEXT POST: JANUARY 29TH 

 

January 25, 1862 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

 

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment

On January 25th, 1862 the 40th Indiana had moved to Lebanon under command of General Thomas J. Wood.  The 20th and 21st Brigades had moved forward; the 20th Brigade was building a corduroy road starting at Danville, 20 mile east of Lebanon.  The 40th Indiana, with the 21st Brigade, remained at Lebanon.

There are few events to report since the 21st.  The victory at Logan's Cross Roads was not followed up due to impassible roads and a lack of supplies.  Armies are still not moving.  President Lincoln has lost any remaining patience with stationary armies, as will become clear soon.

NEXT POST: JANUARY 29TH  

January 21, 1942 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 21, 1942, O'Brien was at sea, moving north through the Pacific toward San Francisco, in company with Idaho and Mustin.  The ships had transited the Panama Canal the previous day.

The Panama Canal was completed in 1914 and has two sets of locks, the Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side, and the Miraflores Locks on the Pacific side. 

• Panama Canal Passage - Gatun Locks - YouTube video of a ship passage of the Gatun locks, and demonstrates how close to the walls of the locks some ships get during the passage.
• The Path Between The Seas - book by David McCullough gives a detailed history of the building of the Panama Canal.
  

Other Events

•  January 18-19: Four ships were sunk off the east coast of the US, including one tanker,  Another tanker was damaged.
• January 20th: Marines land at Pago Pago, American Samoa, covered by Task Force 8 (centered on carrier USS Enterprise).  This was part of establishing forces on the chain of islands between Hawaii and Australia.
  
• Task Force 8 (centered on USS Enterprise) and newly formed Task Force 17 (centered on USS Yorktown) begin moving toward the Marshall Islands and Gilbert Islands to conduct a raid on Japanese occupied islands there.
  

 

NEXT POST: JANUARY 25TH 

 

January 21, 1862 - Tuesday - 160 years ago today

 

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment

On January 21st, 1862 the 40th Indiana had moved to Lebanon under command of General Thomas J. Wood.  The 20th and 21st Brigades had moved forward; the 20th Brigade was to corduroy a road starting at Danville, 20 mile east of Lebanon.  The 40th Indiana, with the 21st Brigade, initially remained at Lebanon.

Battle of Logan's Cross Roads (now known as the Battle of Mill Springs)

Confederate General Zollicoffer had recently moved his troops to Mill Springs, KY, on the south bank of the Cumberland River.  This would allow him to aid either the Confederate forces at Bowling Green, KY or to cover the Cumberland Gap area, being about equally distant between the two areas. 

Zollicoffer was not an experienced general, and moved across to the north side of the river.  He was now surrounded on three sides by water.  His commanding general, General Crittenden, on arriving and taking command, saw that the army could not go back across the river, because it might be attacked by the Union troops under General Thomas while crossing.  Under the circumstances, he decided to march north on Mill Springs road and attack the Union troops.  He had hoped that the two parts of the Union division had not yet been able to come together.

The 10th Indiana and the 4th Kentucky regiments were camped across the road, and on the morning of the 19th, found themselves under attack.  The fighting was intense and continued until the two Union regiments were nearly out of ammunition. At that time, General Thomas had brought up more regiments in support and replaced the two initially engaged regiments in the battle front.  

Union Colonel Speed S. Fry had ridden to one side of the battle, and encountered General Zollicoffer.  Neither recognized the other, and there was a short conversation.  One of Zollicoffer's cavalry men shot at Fry and hit his horse, and then a shootout began in which Zollicoffer was killed. 

More regiments from both sides came up, and the battle was fierce for a while longer.  Union troops gained the advantage, and the Confederate regiments fell back, retreated, and eventually were routed.  The Union army was able to capture a great deal of provisions, tools, arms and ammunition from the enemy and its camp. 

The results of this battle were important but the Union advantage was not immediately realized.  The way was open to East Tennessee, but was not taken due to the logistics problems as discussed before.  However, the strength of the Southern armies was broken in this area, and it was the right flank of the larger Confederate army in Kentucky and Tennessee.  This would soon matter when the Union armies began their advances. 

NEXT POST: JANUARY 25TH   

More information:

•  Link: War Operation, see Volume VII, Chapter 17, pp. 75-82
•  Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 1, The Opening Battles, pp. 387-392
•  National Park Service - Battle of Mill Springs - National Battlefield Monument
• Experience Mill Springs Battlefield - Battle Summary - this is a detailed chronology of the battle
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, Shelby Foote, pp.177-180.

January 17, 1942 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

 

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 17, 1942, O'Brien was at sea, moving south through the Atlantic and the Caribbean toward the Panama Canal, in company with Idaho and Mustin. From leaving Norfolk on the 15th, it would take 5 days to reach the Canal Zone and cross into the Pacific.

Other Events

• January 6th: Convoy carrying a Marine unit to Pago Pago, American Samoa, leaves the west coast.  None too soon it turns out, as a Japanese submarine shells Pago Pago on the 11th.
• January 11th: Japan declares war on the Netherlands, and invades the Dutch East Indies with landings on Borneo and Celebes (now Sulawesi).  In addition this further surrounds the Philippines.
• January 11th: USS Saratoga, one of the four active aircraft carriers, is torpedoed, and has to return to the west coast for repairs.  It will be out of action until late May. 
  
• January 12-16: Japanese submarines mine the channel that provides access to Darwin, Australia. to limit its use by Allied forces.
  
• January 15th: American-British-Dutch-Australia (ABDA) command formed.  Admiral Thomas Hart is in command of the combined Naval forces.
• January 16th: The War Production Board was created to oversee the transition of the US economy to wartime production, to allocate critical materials, and to ration various commodities needed for the war effort.
• January 16th: Japanese forces have captured Bangkok and are invading Burma from there.  They were also moving down the Malay peninsula toward Singapore.
  

 In the  Official Navy Chronology for January 11th, 1942 is the following entry:

"Operation Paukenschlag ("roll of the kettledrums") descends upon the eastern seaboard of the U. S. like a "bolt from the blue".   The first group of five German submarines take up station off the east coast of the United States on this date.  Over the next month, these boats (U-66, U-109, U-123, U-125 and U130) will sink 26 Allied ships; the presence of the enemy off the eastern seaboard takes U. S. Navy antisubmarine forces by surprise."

So even as destroyers like O'Brien, with crews trained in antisubmarine warfare were being sent to the Pacific due to critical destroyer shortages there, shipping on the east coast was in grave danger.  At this point, there were just not enough ships to handle all the threats.

NEXT POST: JANUARY 21ST   

January 17, 1862 - Friday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment

On January 21st, 1862 the 40th Indiana was in camp at Bardstown, KY, undergoing familiarization and training for the Army of the Ohio (General Buell commanding).

 Union Information Gathering in Western Kentucky

Despite the President's disappointment with the lack of movement of the armies, some things were being done to prepare for some forward movement.

In the West, General Halleck had sent several reconnaissance expeditions into Kentucky in an attempt to assess the strength of Confederate forces there.  One of these left Cairo and moved toward Columbus, KY to check enemy strength and gain information, in part through captures and interrogations, and returned after 11 days.

Of more immediate importance was a similar movement southeast toward Fort Henry (on the Tennessee River), and Fort Donelson (on the Cumberland).  The expedition used gunboats, and there was a short gunnery fight between the gunboats and the Fort Henry artillery.  These forts would be the initial targets for the first major advance of the Union in the Kentucky and Tennessee area.  That would come later in February.

 Tensions in Central Kentucky

General Buell had 5 divisions in Central Kentucky in early December.  One of the divisions was commanded by General George Thomas, and included John Baer's former 10th Indiana regiment, now re-made into a 3 year regiment.  This division had been operating in the area of Somerset, KY since the start of the year. By the 17th, they were camped near what is now Nancy, KY.  They had learned that a Confederate force under General Felix Zollicoffer was encamped a few miles south of this area, on the north bank of the Cumberland River.  General Thomas on the 17th was making preparations to advance toward this force, so a battle had become imminent.

NEXT POST: JANUARY 21ST   

More information:

• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp 54-55.
• Link: War Operation, see Volume VII, Chapter 17, pp. 68-75
  

 

January 13, 1942 - Tuesday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 13, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15. 

Ships to the Pacific

Below is a photo taken at the Norfolk base at this time.  The battleship New Mexico is the focus.  Although O'Brien is mentioned in the caption, it seems to be out of the frame.

 

 

The New Mexico (BB-40) at Norfolk, 31 December 1941. She is equipped with the then "state of the art" quadruple 1.1"/75 machine guns [later replaced by the Bofors 40mm gun(s)]. She has also just been fitted with 20mm Oerkilons, but still was equipped with 0.5 caliber machine guns which the 20mm ultimately replaced. She also carries two radar units; a surface search set (Mark 3) on top of her forward main battery director atop her tower bridge and an air search SC unit on her pole main mast. The tug YT-213 is pulling alongside an unidentified vessel. Across the pier from her is the new destroyer O'Brien (DD-415).

From <http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/415.htm>

 

 As all of the battleships in the Pacific were out of action since December 7th (except Colorado, which was being refitted in Puget Sound), the battleships of the New Mexico class were to be transferred there.  Although the old battleships were too slow to escort the fast carrier task forces that were becoming the backbone of the the Pacific Fleet, the Navy was not willing to be almost completely without battleships there.

O'Brien and Sims-class destroyer Mustin would travel with the New-Mexico class battleship Idaho through the Panama Canal to their initial destination, San Francisco.

 

January 13, 1862 - Monday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment

On January 13th, 1862 the 40th Indiana was in camp at Bardstown, KY, undergoing familiarization and training for the Army of the Ohio (General Buell commanding).

 War Planning

 Just before the new year, General McClellan, who was in command of all the armies, was taken sick with what was reported as typhoid fever.  President Lincoln took this opportunity to communicate directly with General Buell, and also with General Halleck, who had command in the West.

Halleck was overseeing the area from Western Kentucky to Missouri and anything further west.  Missouri was currently the largest area of concern, as there was active fighting and most of Halleck's forces were deployed there.  Halleck did not believe he could support a major movement into Kentucky at the time. Also, he did not really trust his general in Kentucky, the not-yet-famous Ulysses. S. Grant.

Lincoln was encouraging Buell to move toward East Tennessee, with an eye to capturing the railroad which was the main northern artery for the Confederacy and a critical supply line for their eastern army, and supporting the Unionists in the area.  Buell would give a nod to this but did not actually think it was feasible.  This is understandable; even today, driving Interstate 75 between Louisville and Knoxville shows the problem - a long series of high ridges and deep valleys that must be traversed.  In a time with no modern roads, and an army that would have to be supplied by wagon trains, success would be doubtful.

Buell much preferred to attack central Kentucky and Middle Tennessee through Bowling Green, KY and Nashville.  However, he believed he was facing a larger army than he actually was, and so would not move without the support from General Halleck (which, as above, was not forthcoming due to Halleck's Missouri concerns).

McClellan recovered slowly but a few days later was corresponding again.  As is well known, President Lincoln had for some time been prodding McClellan for a forward movement from the eastern army under his command.  McClellan, too, seems to have been overestimating the size of the army he was facing, and would not move forward until Buell advanced into East Tennessee and cut the railroad so as to decrease the supplies reaching the Southern army.

We can understand Lincoln's frustration with the state of affairs.  Halleck would not move into Kentucky, being occupied with Missouri; Buell would not move into East Tennessee, but he would move into Middle Tennessee if supported by Halleck, but Halleck would not support; McClellan would not go forward without Buell moving into East Tennessee, which Buell would not do.

Lincoln and his cabinet had to find funds to maintain and provision armies of 250,000 troops or more - armies that apparently could not move due to, in modern terms, gridlock. No wonder then, after a particularly gloomy telegram from Halleck, Lincoln forwarded it with this note:

"The within is a copy of a letter just received from General Halleck.  It is exceedingly discouraging.  As everywhere else, nothing can be done."

 

NEXT POST: JANUARY 17TH   

More information:

• In Shelby Foote's The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 145-156, is an excellent explanation of what is covered above.
  

 

 

 

January 9, 1942 - Friday - 80 years ago today

 

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 9, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15. 

Navy Command Changes and Government Actions

 Since the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Navy command structure had undergone significant changes.  Admirals Kimmel and Short, who were in command of Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack, had been relieved of command.  Both awaited new assignments, but none were forthcoming; and so both eventually retired.

 On December 17th, Chester W. Nimitz was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC or CINCPACFLT), and assumed command on December 31st on arrival at Pearl Harbor.  He proved to be an excellent choice, and led the Pacific Fleet throughout the war all the way to the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.

An executive order on December 18th established that the Commander-in-Chief would have supreme command of all Navy Fleets.  Two days later, Admiral Ernest J. King was named Commander-in-Chief US Fleets, taking the notation of COMINCH, rather than CINCUS (because its sound is like "sink-us").  King was brusque, demanding and often angry, but had the vision to order the correct strategies, especially in the Pacific (such as "leapfrogging" from the Gilberts directly to Kwajalein, and then on to the Marianas).

At the same time as creating the COMINCH command, President Roosevelt also created a Pearl Harbor commission, and its report would be delivered on January 23rd.

Starting on December 22nd, the Arcadia Conference in Washington, D.C. was a meeting between top British and US leaders, including the President and the Prime Minister. Most of the plans were not immediately revealed, but included the following:

• Defeat of Nazi Germany was given the highest priority
• No allies would sign a separate peace with the Axis Powers
• Several measures for conducting the Pacific War (theater commands, military assets, shipping, etc.) were agreed.
  
• The creation of the ABDA (American-British-Dutch-Australian) Command to combine available resources to blunt the Japanese advance.

NEXT POST: JANUARY 13TH   

  More Information:

• Arcadia Conference - more details on Churchill and Roosevelt during this time
• Official Navy Chronology - December, 1941 and January, 1942

 

January 9, 1862 - Thursday - 160 years ago today

 Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment 

By January 9th, the 40th Indiana had reached Kentucky and moved into camp at Bardstown. The Soldier of Indiana (see page 272) gives the arrival date as January 9th, although the orders for the creation of the new brigade were issued on January 8th, implying that they might have arrived perhaps on the 8th or 7th..

The orders from General Buell on January 8th create the 20th and 21st Brigades.  40th Indiana was assigned to the 21st Brigade.  Special Orders, No. 4 on January 8th, creates the 21st Brigade:

Twenty-first Brigade:

Colonel Carr, commanding.

• 40th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Wilson.
• 57th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel McMullen.
• 58th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Carr.
• 24th Regiment Kentucky Volunteers, Colonel Grigsby.
  

Brigades were organized further into Divisions.  Divisions usually include 3-5 brigades.  It's not clear to which division the 21st brigade was assigned.   

Here is an excerpt from a dispatch from Buell to McClellan (who was now the commander of all the armies) regarding troop levels and organization:

"By the organization of the Kentucky regiments and the introduction of raw regiments from Ohio and Indiana our numerical strength has suddenly risen from 70,000 to 90,000.  It is unnecessary to say that a large proportion of this is unfit for active operations.  However, it will answer a certain purpose.  It is organized into twenty-three brigades, and, say, six divisions, with only sixteen batteries. It ought to be increased to eight division, and the artillery ought to be nearly doubled, say in all 120,000 men."

Buell was correct that regiments like to 40th Indiana were not ready for active operations.  Almost all of the men were brand new to the Army, with only a few having even a modest amount of service like John Baer. There would need to be several weeks at least of marching, drilling, training, and familiarization with Army operation before these regiments could be sent into the field.

NEXT POST: JANUARY 13TH   

More information:

• The Soldier of Indiana - history of Indiana soldiers and regiments in the Civil War
•  Link: War Operation, see Volume VII, Chapter 9, pp. 538-548
• -Wikipedia- Don Carlos Buell - biography with picture

 

 

January 5, 1942 - Monday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 5, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15. 

Background - War in the Pacific

The Japanese military advanced rapidly on all fronts after the Pearl Harbor attack. Midway Island was bombarded on December 7th but was not invaded. 

• December 8th: Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines bombed. Japanese troop landings began on outlying Philippine Islands.
• December 9th: Tarawa and Makin Islands in the Gilberts taken. Tarawa was retaken by US forces later in the war with high casualties. The Japanese also captured Bangkok, Thailand, and would soon launch an invasion of Burma from there.
• December 10th: Invasion of the Philippines was begun with landings on Luzon. The British Battleship Prince of Wales and Battle Cruiser Repulse were sunk by Japanese air attacks off of Malaysia, showing again the vulnerability of large capital ships with no air cover.
• December 11th: Wake Island attacked, defenders stop this initial attack and sink one destroyer; more landings on Luzon.
• December 13th: US Airfields and shipping attacked at Subic Bay, Philippines.
• December 15th: US force sails from Pearl Harbor in attempt to relieve Wake Island garrison. Task Force with carrier USS Saratoga sailed the next day.
• December 21st: Attacks on Wake Island continue; Japanese are using planes from two carriers in addition to bombardment.
• December 23rd: Wake Island captured and US garrison taken prisoner. Relief Task Force is recalled.
• December 25th: British surrender Hong Kong. US Asiatic Fleet Headquarters moved to Java.
• December 26th: Manila is declared an open city; Japanese continue bombing.
• December 29th: Corregidor Island is bombed for the first time.
• January 2nd: Manila, Philippines falls to the Japanese.

See: Official Navy Chronology for details.

These setbacks implied a troubling future for the Allied forces. There was little hope for reinforcing the Philippines. Japan's next targets would be Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies that held the raw materials (rubber, tin, oil, etc.) needed for the Japanese military. The US Asiatic Fleet was made up of smaller, aged ships, with only a few heavy and light cruisers available.

The harsh reality was that the US would have to establish a command organization in the South Pacific, and reinforce the string of islands that linked Hawaii and Australia. The chain of communications and supply to Australia would have to be kept open; this would be the first task, and then later a place must be found to stop the Japanese advance. 

That would require destroyers; to escort carrier task forces, to escort convoys and resupply ships, and to patrol the waters around Hawaii and the islands on the route to Australia. O'Brien and her sister-ships in the Sims class would all be returned to the Pacific, regardless of the equally critical need for convoy escorts in the Atlantic. 

 As we are now up to date for January 5th, posts will not be every day but will be a few days apart.  

NEXT POST: JANUARY 9TH

 

January 5, 1862 - Sunday - 160 years ago today

 Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment

On January 5, 1862, the 40th Indiana was in transit to Bardstown, KY to begin training in the Union Army.

Background - Situation in Kentucky 

 In addition to the reasons described yesterday for the 40th Indiana to be sent to Kentucky, the military situation there had become more serious. Kentucky was deeply and closely divided between the Union and Confederate causes, and the state government had initially, as best it could, remained neutral. Kentucky furnished regiments to both North and South. The Crittendens, a prominent family, had two brothers, one who became a Union general, and the other a Confederate general.

In Western Kentucky, a Confederate force had moved to Columbus, KY, with General Leonidas Polk commanding. A Union force had moved to face the Confederate force and entered Paducah, KY, just a few miles away. A small and mostly inconclusive engagement was fought at Belmont, KY in November 1861.

 Late in the fall the main Confederate army in the West, under General Albert Sidney Johnston, had moved north from Nashville to Bowling Green, KY, near the Union army under General Buell. In early January, the situation was quiet but tense, and there were small engagements, but nothing approaching a battle as of yet. About 100 miles to the southeast of Louisville, on the Cumberland River, both sides were in proximity and were anxiously reconnoitering each other. This is the situation into which the 40th Indiana was now moving.

As we are now up to date for January 5th, posts will not be every day but will be a few days apart.

NEXT POST: JANUARY 9TH  

More Information:  

• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 1, The Opening Battles, pp. 373-392, "Holding Kentucky for the Union".

January 4, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

NOTE: This post has two pages.  Click on "Read more" below to see last part of the post.

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

On January 4, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15.

Background - U. S. S. O'Brien - Events of 1941

In the early months of 1941, O'Brien continued on the Neutrality Patrol.  There was also a Fleet Landing Exercise in early February at Culebra, P.R. that lasted for 10 days and involved the whole Atlantic Fleet.  March 2nd was the one-year anniversary of the commissioning of O'Brien.  Below are some pages from the ship's fantail newspaper - called the Little Giant Scoop - from about this time.  Some of the references are hard to figure out, although bean jokes are universal.

Some notes:

• It seems that there had been little or no liberty during the Neutrality Patrol judging by the cartoon on the second page.
• The play on words regarding "strikers" on page 2 refers to two things - the large number of strikes happening in the war industries in 1939-1941 - these were very controversial with war material needing to be built up.  The other reference is to Navy "strikers" - these are sailors who are working toward a rating in one of the  general occupation fields in the Navy (such as airman, fireman. signalman, etc.).
• Culebra-atic in the third page is in reference to the base at Culebra, P.R  This was where the recent fleet exercise was held, and also was probably a common port of call during the Neutrality Patrol.
  

January 4, 1862 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment:

 On January 4, 1862, the 40th Indiana was in transit to Bardstown, KY to begin training in the Union Army.

Background - Events of Late 1861

Soon after John Baer returned home, on August 20, authority was granted to organize 40th Indiana regiment at Lafayette, IN.  William C. Wilson, who would be the first commander of the regiment with the rank of Colonel, was the organizer.

At this time almost all the regiments being formed in Indiana were sent to the Eastern Theater near Washington, or to the West, where fighting was focused on Missouri.  In October, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman was in command of the Department of Kentucky.  Kentucky was initially neutral, but that ended in September, and forces from both North and South had moved into the state.

On October 16th, Simon Cameron, the Secretary of War, visited Sherman on his return to Washington from a tour of the West.  Sherman explained that he had few troops, as new regiments were diverted elsewhere; Cameron immediately initiated the sending of any available regiments to Kentucky.  

As the discussion went further, Sherman talked of the future and the number of troops needed to subdue the rebellion, and at one point mentioned 200,000 (this number being the eventual need, and not an immediate request). The 200,000 number got into the newspapers as Sherman's immediate request for Kentucky, and was thus described as "insane", and the ensuing controversy led to Sherman's replacement with General Don Carlos Buell.  On November 15th, Buell assumed command of a newly reorganized department, and he would control the disposition of new Indiana and Ohio regiments.  

Meanwhile, the 40th Indiana was assembling - John Baer's Company "A" was mustered in on October 31st at what was then known as Culver's Station (this Wikipedia page shows the location as North Crane, the railroad stop being known as Culver's Station. That location would be somewhere near the intersection of S 500 E road and E 550 S in Tippecanoe County, and along the old railroad that ran between Lafayette and Indianapolis through Stockwell and other towns near the current highway US 52).

This online 40th Indiana Infantry website has numerous interesting and informative articles on the regiment, and will be linked many times as we go along.  This entry from that website provides a newspaper report on the regiment as it was being mustered in to the army at the end of December in Indianapolis: 

Click this link to see the entry: Description of the 40th.

 

 

January 3, 1942 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

 On January 3, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15.

Background - U. S. S. O'Brien - Events of 1940

On March 2, 1940, O'Brien was ready for commissioning at the Boston Navy Yard.  See below for the ship's plaque, and a picture taken soon after completion.  O'Brien was a Sims-class destroyer; the Sims class was the last destroyer class completed before the war began.  It was a small class in number as the Fletcher class of destroyers was already on the drawing boards.  The most obvious new feature was a fifth 5-inch gun (also a feature of Fletcher class destroyers).  The added fifth gun can be seen in the photo as the one facing forward near the middle of the ship.  The Sims class also introduced a new fire-control (that is, control of the guns, not damage control) system.

 U.S. Navy- Official U.S. Navy photo NH 97787 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command<br>The U.S. Navy destroyer USS O'Brien (DD-415) photographed soon after completion, circa 1940.
 

O'Brien departed Boston May 6 for Norfolk, VA, and from May 20 to July 26 executed a shakedown cruise in the Atlantic before arriving back in Boston.  This trip went all the way to South America and lasted over 2 months.  On the second week out, O'Brien crossed the equator, which occasioned the old Navy ritual of converting the novice "pollywogs" (those who hadn't crossed the equator on a Navy ship) into veteran "shellbacks".  Naturally this involved a number of mock ceremonies and hazing rituals for the pollywogs.  Officers as well as enlisted could be pollywogs, and received no relief on account of
rank.  

Here is a link to a memoir of a crossing ceremony, held on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in 1936 The Royal Works (note the document is a product of its time and some things in it are not acceptable today).

Once in the Southern Hemisphere, there were several stops in Brazil and also one at Buenos Aires, Argentina.  

Several of the stops are noted here:  Official Navy Chronology

• May 20, 1940 - O'Brien departed Norfolk on shakedown cruise.
• June 6, 1940 - Crossed equator, latitude 00-00, longitude 38-30 W.
• June 10, 1940 - O'Brien arrives in Bahia State, Brazil.  Probably at Salvador, Brazil.  Stay: 4 days.
• June 20, 1940 - O'Brien arrives at Buenos Aires, Argentina. Stay: 5 days.
• June 27, 1940 - O'Brien arrives Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.  Probably at Porto Alegre.  Stay: 2 days.
• July 1, 1940 - O'Brien arrives Santos, Brazil.  Near Sao Paulo.  Stay: 2 days.
• July 9, 1940 - O'Brien arrives Para, Brazil.  Near Belem and mouth of Amazon River. Stay: 3 days.
• July 16, 1940 - O'Brien arrives La Guaira, Venezuela.   La Guaira is near Caracas.
• July 26, 1940 - O'Brien arrived at Boston on completion of shakedown cruise.

Such a long initial cruise may be surprising, but several ships were visiting South America.  President Roosevelt for some time had sought to expand what was called the Neutrality Patrol further out into the Atlantic and down to the tip of South America, concerned that the Nazis might gain influence in Central and South America.  The Panama Conference in 1939, and its associated Panama Declaration, expanded the patrol zone.

There was some shore leave for the sailors during this time and they no doubt enjoyed the cities and beaches in Brazil and Argentina.  John had a souvenir carved Brazil nut shell that he kept for many years.  I remember that as a young child, I could not figure out how they got those Brazil nuts inside the shell; never realizing that that was just how they grew.

In late September, O'Brien left Boston again for Norfolk, stopping at Newport, RI enroute, and then at the end of October for the Caribbean, to be part of the Neutrality Patrol.  The Neutrality Patrol covered all of the United States east coast and the Caribbean, and been expanded further eastward into the Atlantic in 1939 and 1940.  Navy ships followed all foreign ships (of any kind, cargo or naval) throughout the designated area, and broadcast their positions.  At this time, Britain and Germany had been at war for some time, and France had fallen to the Nazis in June.  The Neutrality Patrol inevitably favored Britain, as the U. S. Navy ships broadcast the messages in English; the British could understand these, but the Germans mostly could not.  This aided the British Navy in the capture or sinking of a number of German ships.

The fall of France had also left in doubt the disposition of the French Navy as it had been dispersed to various areas including North Africa and the Caribbean, rather than being turned over to the German government.  This force was of special concern to Great Britain and to Prime Minister Churchill, who did not want it to be controlled by Germany.  A particular instance of monitoring the French ships involved O'Brien in December 1940:

Below is part of the history of U. S. S. Walke, a destroyer that joined with O'Brien for this mission:

Ship History: USS Walke

"The destroyer [Walke] got underway on the afternoon of the following day on "Caribbean Patrol" in company with sistership O'Brien (DD-415). Rendezvousing with Moffett (DD-362) and Sims (DD-409) off Fort de France, Martinique, Walke and O'Brien patrolled the approaches to that port, keeping an eye on the movements of the Vichy French warships, the auxiliary cruisers Barfleur and Quercy and the aircraft carrier Beam, through 14 December." 

 O'Brien would remain on Neutrality Patrol into the early part of 1941.

 

Ship's Historical Data Plaque, photographed at the Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 3 September 1940.  Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

January 3, 1862 - Friday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment: 

On January 3, 1862, the 40th Indiana was in transit to Bardstown, KY to begin training in the Union Army.

Background - 10th Indiana in Western Virginia

The 10th Indiana passed through Cincinnati on June 19th, and by the 23rd was combined with other Union forces at Clarksburg, VA (now WV), about 20 miles southwest of Morgantown.  General McClellan intended to move toward the Kanahwa River and Charleston with an eye toward relieving the Union resistance in East Tennessee.  However, there were Confederate forces that were currently gathering to his southeast near Beverly and Huttonsville, and would have to be confronted first.

One week later, on the 30th, the 10th Indiana's Brigade, under General Rosecrans, had moved forward and occupied Buckahnnon which is about 15 miles SSE of Clarksburg.  They remained in Buckhannon until July 7th, and then moved about 10 miles to the east near the bridge on the Middle Fork River.  This position was about 8 miles from Rich Mountain, where Union generals believed the main Confederate force to be.

On July 11, General Rosecrans, on orders from General McClellan, initiated his plan for dislodging the force on Rich Mountain; the intent was to capture the enemy position from the rear.  A Unionist informant led the Union regiments on an eight hour march (starting at 5 AM) through the woods to the rear of the Confederate position on Rich Mountain.  Once the position was reached, 10th Indiana was in the lead, and on cresting a hill was fired on by pickets; one 10th soldier was killed and another gravely wounded. 

 Advancing further, they met the main Rebel force and the battle began in earnest; heavy firing and a further advance caused the enemy to yield and the position was taken.  The Battle of Rich Mountain was now over and the Union occupied the battlefield and the nearby town of Beverly.

Link: War Operation, see Volume 2, Chapter 9, pp. 193-221

The 10th Indiana had 4 men killed and 5 wounded at Rich Mountain.  John's company (Company "A") had one killed and one wounded.  The 10th would see no more major actions and their 90-day enlistment was up on August 2nd.  On August 3rd, the 10th Indiana was re-constituted as a 3-year regiment. Many of the volunteers from the initial 10th rejoined for a 3-year enlistment.  John Baer chose not to join the new 10th, and returned home.  We can't be sure why; perhaps he was not sure he wanted to continue, he might have already heard of the new regiment being formed back home and decide to enlist there, or he may have wanted to return to Indiana for the harvest.  The 10th Indiana 3-year regiment was re-organized and mustered back into service on September 13. 

Link: Report of the Adjutant General: 10th Regiment - 3 Months Service, pg 50

 Ten days later, on July 21, the initial large battle in the East began.  It was known as the Battle of Manassas or the Battle of Bull Run (later known as First Manassas or First Bull Run due to a second battle fought at the same location).  Union forces were routed so badly that in the North it became known as "The Great Skedaddle".  There was great fear for the safety of Washington, D. C. as it was not well defended and perhaps even open to invasion.  These dire circumstances, in combination with General McClellan's acclaim for the victories in Western Virginia, led to McClellan being promoted to the head of the main army in the east (Army of the Potomac) on the 26th, and his moving to Washington. McClellan was later to assume control of all Union armies, and retain direct control of the eastern army.

January 2, 1942 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

On January 2, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15. 

Background - Entering Service - John Skinner

 The reader will have noticed that in our entry for yesterday, John had determined to join the Army and see the world; and also, over two years later, was on a Navy ship.  This, in fact, is no mistake.  

As John himself told it, he had gone off to see the Army recruiter and had arrived at mid-day, only to find a sign on the door - "Out To Lunch".  The Navy recruiter was right next door, and was of course willing to chat while John was waiting for the Army recruiter.  When our Army man returned from his lunch, he found himself down one prospective soldier, and the Navy had a newly minted Apprentice Seaman, John Floyd Skinner, Jr. with a salary of 21 dollars a month.  

A few months later, December 14, 1939, John started Navy basic training in Newport, Rhode Island.   Here he is leaving for the Navy, and in a training photo:

January 2, 1862 - Thursday - 160 years ago today

 Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment:  

On January 2, 1862, the 40th Indiana was in transit to Bardstown, KY to begin training in the Union Army.

Background - Entering Service - John Baer 

John Baer, on initially volunteering, had joined the 90 day regiment that was formed as the 10th Indiana (10th Indiana was also later reconstituted as a 3-year regiment, similar to the 40th Indiana).  John had answered the initial call for 75,000 Union volunteers on April 27th, and the volunteers from Indiana had made up 6 full regiments, numbered 7th to 12th.  The 10th Indiana remained in Indiana until early June, and then was ordered to western Virginia (the area that would later become West Virginia).

This area was a hotbed of activity in this early part of the war.  General George McClellan was leading the Union army into western Virginia and consolidating his gains there due to the favorable sentiment toward the Union in the area.  An initial victory at Philippi (the swiftness of the Confederate retreat resulted in this being referred to as the "Philippi Races") had been trumpeted in the papers and made McClellan the first Northern general to achieve fame in the war.  McClellan continued to push southeast into Virginia.

January 1, 1942 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

 Meet now the first subject of our story, John Floyd Skinner, Jr.  On January 1, 1942, John was stationed onboard the Navy destroyer USS O'Brien, in the Norfolk Navy Shipyard in Norfolk, VA. and had been on the O'Brien since its commissioning in April of 1940.  O'Brien was in for a refitting, and due (at least in part) to the attack on Pearl Harbor, O'Brien would soon be proceeding to the Pacific Theater, after having been in the Atlantic for its entire existence so far.  

For the next few days, there will be some background posts to describe some of the events for John up to 1942.

 Background - Early Years - John F. Skinner, Jr. 

John was born and grew up in Lauramie Township in the southern part of Tippecanoe County, Indiana.  His father's family had been farming there for several generations.  John F, Skinner, Sr. who went by Floyd, and Bessie B. Lee were his parents and had been married in 1911.  Their two daughters, Lucille and Margaret, were born in 1911 and 1913 respectively.  John Jr. was born in 1921.  Another child, Richard, born a few years before John, died very young (at less than 1 year old) of scalding when he had accidentally let the hot water out of a washing machine. 

The family had owned their own farm in the 1910s and 1920s, but hard times closed in during the later years.  Sometime in the late 1920s or in the 1930s, the farm was lost due to the effects of the Great Depression.  Floyd was forced for some time to farm on shares in Clark's Hill.  The family of necessity moved from Stockwell to Clark's Hill, and that is where John went to high school.  John worked on the farm and had typical high school activities such as 4H in addition to the usual farm chores.

Whenever John had free time, he could probably be found shooting baskets, as he had taken a liking to the relatively new sport of basketball.  Basketball had only been invented about 40 years earlier, and had already taken the state of Indiana by storm.  The high school state basketball tourney had been going for a number of years.  Now in those days, basketball was very different from what we know today - jump shots were unheard of, the key was much thinner (and actually looked like a key), players usually shot two-handed set shots or an underhanded hook shot, and of course there were no dunks until many years later.  What these players might make of the high-flying, jump-shooting, slam-dunking hoopsters of today, is hard to imagine.  

Here are some samples from YouTube of basketball at around that time.

• Basketball (1940)
• Tall Firs | 1939 NCAA Championship 

Now there is one other rule that was in effect in this time - there was a jump ball at center court after each scored basket.  In the tournament at the end of his sophomore year, John's team, Clark's Hill, drew as their first opponent in the tournament the local power school, Lafayette Jefferson.  Having a much larger enrollment, Jefferson had many more players to choose from, and taller players as well.  In this particular game, John, who was the tallest player on his team at about 6-2, ended up jumping center after each basket against the opposing center who was about 6-8.  As you might expect, this was very frustrating -  and inevitably, the score was lopsided, 52-12, in favor of Jefferson. See: Clark's Hill Tournament History.  Nevertheless, the team had a lot of fun playing;  I remember one of his teammates speaking to me at John's burial service, telling me how much they enjoyed the times of playing high school basketball together.

 As high school was ending, John did not see a great future where he was; he could continue farming with his Dad, but could not go to college as there was no money to send him.  As a young man looking for a change of scenery, and maybe some adventure, he decided to join the Army and see the world (or at least a part of it).

January 1, 1862 - Wednesday - 160 years ago today

Our second subject, John F. Skinner Jr.'s great grandfather, is John Alexander Baer.  On January 1, 1862, John Baer was in transit to the state of Kentucky, where the Civil War was heating up quickly.  He was in a new regiment, the 40th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which was formed from volunteers in the area surrounding Lafayette, and had enlisted for three years.  

For the next few days, there will be some background posts to  describe some of the events for John up to the start of 1862.

Background - Early Years - John A. Baer

John Baer was born in Missouri.  John's mother died when he was only four years old, and he was left an orphan several years later when his father died also.  John then came to Indiana and worked on farms in Tippecanoe County.  We know little else of his childhood.  He later makes mention in his diary of attending the church at Wild Cat, which was one of the first churches started after the founding of Tippecanoe County.

John, like everyone else, was no doubt watching with growing concern as secession took hold in the South.  A few deep South states seceded initially, and then soon after the inauguration of President Lincoln, the more northerly states in the South also seceded. With the attack and siege of Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, war fever then came to the North, and President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers.  John Baer, then 20 years old,  volunteered immediately and was assigned to a 90 day regiment, the 10th Indiana.