November 29, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

John was still at home on leave.  

Guadalcanal Area

Due to the numerous losses the Navy had suffered among the cruisers and destroyers from the recent close contact battles with the Japanese, Task Force 67 was made up of new ships that had not been in the recent action.  Some of the ships were taken from the carrier task forces.

Despite the lack of experience, these ships would immediately go into the combat area, as the Japanese continued to try to find ways to resupply their forces on Guadalcanal.  On the 27th, they sent a convoy of eight destroyers, six serving as transports, to resupply Guadalcanal.  Task Force 67 set sail on the 29th from Espiritu Santo to confront this force.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) remained in the Guadalcanal area. 
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) sailed from Pearl Harbor on the 10th and was entering the area.
• Task Force 63 (North Carolina,  Indiana and Washington) were near Guadalcanal.
• Task Force 64 (Colorado and Maryland) were moving toward the forward area.
• Task Force 66 (8 destroyers) was patrolling near Guadalcanal.
  
• Task Force 67 (5 cruisers and 6 destroyers) was also patrolling the area.
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 283-284.
  
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 283-294.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 378-388.

 

NEXT POST: DECEMBER 3RD

November 29, 1862 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

While General Rosecrans was still working on the various issues he had found with his new army, he was regularly getting reminders that he is expected to move forward.  Here is a sample message from General Halleck:

-------------------------------------------    

WAR DEPARTMENT,

  Washington, November 27, 1862

Major-General ROSECRANS, Nashville, TN:

 I have approved your requisition on the Engineer Department for more carts, drays, &c., but I must warn you against the piling up of impediments. Take a lesson from the enemy.  Move light, and supply yourself as much as possible with provisions, animals, forage,  transportation, &c., in the country you pass through.  If you remain long at Nashville, you will disappoint the wishes of the Government.

H. W. HALLECK, 

General-in-Chief.

------------------------------------------ 

Army of the Cumberland

The previous Army of the Ohio had been renamed the Army of the Cumberland in the same order that elevated General Rosecrans to its command.  In late November, Rosecrans had put into place a reorganization of the army.  This is described by Peter Cozzens:

...Rosecrans concentrated on the reorganization of the army as a whole.  Its three wings were structured so as to approximate corps: the Left and Right Wing each contained three divisions of infantry and nine batteries of artillery; the Center contained four divisions and fourteen batteries,  three of which were unattached as a reserve.  Numbers varied.  The Right Wing mustered 15,832  present in early December, the Left Wing 14,308, and the Center 29,337.  A fifth division under Brigadier General Robert Mitchell, numbering 5,346, was detached for extended garrison duty in Nashville. 

It was no accident that the Center was the largest command in the army, or that it went to Thomas.  In fact, it was the price of his continued service in the department.  Thomas too had been offered command of the army now entrusted to Rosecrans.....

--Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, p. 21

 Thomas was ordered to assume command in the summer as doubts grew about Buell.  He had turned down the command at that time and Buell continued on.  Thomas had at times asked to be reassigned.   To remain, he needed to have more responsibility that the other corps commanders. 

Crittenden was in command of the Left Wing that included the 40th Indiana.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 98-109.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 89.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, pp. 1-81. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-40.
  

 

NEXT POST: DECEMBER 3RD

 

November 25, 1942 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

John was still at home on leave.  

 Guadalcanal Area

As the Navy reorganized, the Marines on Guadalcanal had enlarged their perimeter but were having little success expanding the area under their control.  They were, however, adding 3 runways at Henderson field and more airplanes were coming to the island as well.  The Marines were relieved to hear that the Army was coming and would replace them as the garrison on Guadalcanal.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) remained in the Guadalcanal area. 
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) sailed from Pearl Harbor on the 10th and was entering the area.
• Task Force 63 - North Carolina,  Indiana and Washington were near Guadalcanal.
• Task Force 64 - Colorado and Maryland were moving toward the forward area.
•  Task Force 66 (8 destroyers) was patrolling near Guadalcanal.
  
• Task Force 67 (5 cruisers and 6 destroyers) was also patrolling the area.
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 282-283.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 472-531.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 280-282.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 378-384.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 29TH

 

November 25, 1862 - Tuesday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

Rosecrans is still working at getting the troops and supplies for his army set up to his satisfaction.  Pay has also become a concern, as many troops have not been paid for an extended time.  Rosecrans has commanded General Thomas to come as soon as practicable to Nashville.  It is intended that Thomas will have the center corps of the reorganized army and will assist with planning the next movements.

The Confederate army has collected around Murfreesboro, and assuming that Rosecrans has no plans to attack, is about to go into winter quarters, after a reorganization into 3 corps.  

Crittenden does not appear in the dispatches for these days, and his corps is presumed to be as reported earlier, near Stones River.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 84-97.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 89.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-810. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-40.
  

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 29TH

 

 

November 21, 1942 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

John was still at home on leave.  

Guadalcanal Area

The bulk of the major sea battles for Guadalcanal were past, however, the Japanese still were using destroyers to supply their troops on Guadalcanal.  They were not adding new troops at this time.  The Navy presence near Guadalcanal and in the Slot would need to continue.

Although many of the damaged ships from recent battles were forced to return to US or Australian ports for repairs (and for some needed liberty for the crews), new ships were entering the area and a rethink of strategy produced a new task force alignment (as below).

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) remained in the Guadalcanal area.  Enterprise and escorts would return to being Task Force 16.
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) sailed from Pearl Harbor on the 10th and was entering the area.  Saratoga and escorts reconstituted Task Force 11.
• Battleship Task Force 63 - South Dakota had to leave the area for repairs, but battleship North Carolina, (repaired from the torpedo hit on the day of the Wasp sinking), and new battleship Indiana would join Washington in Task Force 63.
• Battleship Task Force 64 - Two old battleships, Colorado and Maryland (repaired after the Pearl Harbor attack) would enter the area and become Task Force 64, 
• Task Force 66 was created from 8 destroyers, and Task Force 67 was created with 5 cruisers and 6 destroyers.
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 277-281.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 472-531.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 280-282.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 378-384.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 25TH

November 21, 1862 - Friday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

During these days, Rosecrans is still trying to get new officers and equipment for his army, and has some success.  He is also adding some divisions to his army, feeling that he needs more and better equipped troops before he can move forward and confront the Confederate armies.  He has new indications that Bragg and Kirby Johnson are bringing most of their troops to Middle Tennessee, in the Murfreesboro and Tullahoma, TN area.  Rosecrans is constantly prodded to move forward before the winter weather prevents it.

Crittenden has moved his corps a little to the west and is in the process of crossing to the west side of Stones River (this area is a reservoir now. just southeast of the Nashville airport).  He is seeking easier crossings so that he does not have to construct a bridge to get his corps across.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 64-83.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 88-89.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-768. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-26.
  

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 25TH

 

November 17, 1942 - Tuesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

John was still at home on leave.  

Below is an article about 3 O'Brien sailors from Erie, PA,

Text of the article:

When you think your time is up, everything flashes before your eyes -- past, present, and plans for the future, according to Jack Lester, third class fire controlman aboard the USS O'Brien, a destroyer, who says it happened to him when a torpedo crashed into the side of the destroyer, Sept. 15, damaging the ship so badly that she finally sank.

When the torpedo hit, Jack, the 20 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Lester, 722 Ardmore Ave., was at his battle station below deck.  The concussion threw him to the deck, and it was in those few minutes when they all thought the ship was doomed, that everything passed before him.

"We made what repairs we could and started for the United States, but then we ran into some rough weather and the ship began to break up," Lester told reporters.

They were only 93 miles from an American island when they knew that they wouldn't make the states, so they turned around and attempted to reach land. Before they reached it, however, Lieut. Comdr. Thomas Burrows gave the order to abandon ship, and Lester with the others went over the side.  The spent several hours in lifeboats, rafts, and actually swimming in the water before they were picked up by another destroyer.  Later they were transferred to another vessel and finally reached the states on Nov. 7.

Jack is home on a 30 day leave now and he'll report for active duty on Dec. 11.  He and two other Erie boys who survived the O'Brien sinking, Richard Reck, 1027 McCarter Avenue, and John Martin, 1902 Whitney Ave., have been assigned to the USS Bennett, a destroyer.

Lester attended Millcreek High School and enlisted in the Navy Nov. 26, 1940.  He received six weeks basic training at Newport, R. I., and was transported to Cuba on the USS Wasp. He was then stationed aboard the O'Brien and saw North Atlantic patrol duty to Iceland, Newfoundland and other points.

Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (continued)

Two more Naval battles occurred on the 14th and 15th, the second being a night battle involving the two new US battleships Washington and South Dakota.  The cost to the Navy was large, particularly in destroyers, and the South Dakota was badly damaged.  Another Japanese battleship was sunk by Washington.  Overall the US Navy lost more ships than the Japanese, but the Japanese lost many transport ships and much more air power than the US.  This was the end of major Japanese attacks to recapture Guadalcanal.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) provided cover for Guadalcanal and the fleets involved in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
  
• Saratoga sailed from Pearl Harbor on on the 10th for Fiji.
• Combined Task Force 61 was in the Guadalcanal area.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61  
• 
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 277-280.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 472-531.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 263-287.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 246-377.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 21ST

November 17, 1862 - Monday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

By the 17th, Wood's division has occupied Lebanon, TN and found no Confederate cavalry at that place.  Most of the Confederate army in Middle Tennessee is at Murfreesboro, or further south at Tullahoma, TN. Their cavalry are a bit further north, but move quickly to avoid capture.

Rosecrans continues to request supplies and attempts to establish discipline to the army that was lost as it was separated widely for so long.  He was constantly being prodded for forward movement as he had basically adopted the plan of Buell.  As did Buell, he resisted advancing until he thought the army was fully ready.

Peter Cozzens  describes the reassertion of discipline as ordered by Rosecrans:

Now, with the army settled into camp around Nashville, Rosecrans applied his authority. Incompetent or otherwise unfit officers were stripped of their rank and marched from camp in the presence of their troops; officers' leave was slashed drastically, and all soldiers, officers and enlisted men alike, were required to present written passes on demand when outside their camps.

Within camp, discipline was tightened.  Five roll calls now sounded during the duty day; those failing to muster for any were subject to harsh and summary punishment.  Camp life also became more regulated, so that the day passed much the same, regardless of the unit to which a soldier was assigned.  Every morning between 4:00 and 5:30 A.M. the fife and drum roused the camps with the familiar sound of reveille.  The orderly sergeant called roll, and those failing to respond were placed on extra duty.  Breakfast followed.  After a thorough police of the unit area, sick call was sounded.  The orderly sergeant presented the company sick to the regimental surgeon, whose responsibility it was to distinguish the legitimately ill from the malingerers.  At 8:00 came guard mount.  A part of the detail was assigned to picket duty, the remainder to camp guard.  As the guards walked their two-hour shift, stopping all who attempted to leave camp to insure that they had passes signed by the colonel, the extra-duty personnel swept the company area and adjacent grounds.  The remainder of the company busied itself with drill until noon, when dinner was served.  Battalion drill followed dinner and continued  until 4:00 P.M., when the men broke for supper.  Additional drill or perhaps a dress parade ended the duty day, and tatoo sounded at 9:00 P.M.

All of these actions had the effect Rosecrans desired.  Morale improved.  Being more evenly distributed through the ranks, his brand of discipline succeeded where Buell's had failed. Sensing the change, the men rapidly developed respect for their new commander.

-- Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 19-20

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 44-64.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 88.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-768. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-21.
  

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 21ST

 

November 13, 1942 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

John had probably by this time reached home at Clark's Hill.  There would be time to catch up with friends and family, but there would also be lots of work to do, as farm chores never stop, even when the harvest is over. He would have until early December before needing to report to a new ship; as Boston was where most of the new destroyers were being built, that would be his destination.  

The sinking of Wasp was still classified, and so John would not have been able to mention it even though it happened at the same time O'Brien was torpedoed.

Naval Battle of Guadalcanal

The Japanese had decided to go all out to push the Marines off Guadalcanal.  Their initial force included two battleships,  The main action occurred overnight on the 12th-13th; it was a brutal nighttime slug-fest at close quarters between a Japanese fleet with two battleships and two US cruiser-destroyer fleets.  Two US admirals were killed and 2 cruisers and 4 destroyers were sunk.  Japanese battleship Hiei was damaged in the battle and later sunk by US warplanes.

The damaged US sailed for Espiritu Santo for repairs.  Light Cruiser Juneau was damaged during the battle, and on the way back was hit by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine and exploded and sank in less than a minute.  All five of the Sullivan brothers, who had decided to serve together, were lost with the ship.

Several more naval actions would occur around Guadalcanal in the next few days.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) provided cover for Guadalcanal and the fleets involved in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
  
• Saratoga sailed from Pearl Harbor on on the 10th for Fiji.
• Combined Task Force 61 was in the Guadalcanal area.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61  
• 
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 273-275.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 472-488.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 225-263.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 246-334.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 17TH

November 13, 1862 - Thursday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

Crittenden's corps is aligned northeastward from Rural Hill, TN toward Lebanon.  Rosecrans is consolidating his troops around Nashville, as Confederate troops gather near Murfreesboro.  Rosecrans will remain in this area for now.  

Confederate cavalry is constantly interrupting communications and supplies from Louisville.  Forrest and others are attacking railroads in Kentucky and Tennessee.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 32-44.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 87-88.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-768. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-19.
  

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 17TH

 

 

November 9, 1942 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

By the 9th, the crew of the O'Brien had probably reached the west coast and were each en route to their homes for the month of liberty they had received before reporting to their next assignment.  

Some time after the torpedoing of the O'Brien, the Navy had sent word to the sailors' families that the ship had been lost with all hands. This was not corrected for several days; but finally, to the great relief of the families, all were confirmed alive.  John was no doubt happy to return home, it having been almost 3 years since he had left for the Navy; and happy also to confirm that as with Mark Twain, reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated.

---------------

Enterprise, still incompletely repaired at Noumea, left on the night of the 9th for the Guadalcanal area.  Its protective air cover could no longer be spared over the island.  At Pearl Harbor, the repaired Saratoga was preparing to sail next day. 

---------------

Operation TORCH

For some time there had been difficulty getting armaments and supplies to the South Pacific.  On the 8th it became clear why; as the first large scale allied invasion was conducted in North Africa with landings at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers.  The Allies being as yet unprepared to invade into western Europe, had decided to open this front in Africa as an alternative.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) was still at Noumea for temporary repairs to Enterprise, until late on the 9th.
  
• Saratoga prepared to sail from Pearl Harbor on on the 10th, repairs having been completed.
• Combined Task Force 61 was at Noumea until sailing for the Guadalcanal area.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61  
• 
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 273-275.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 460-472.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 224-226.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 237-245.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 13TH

November 9, 1862 - Sunday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

General Crittenden has reached Scottsville, KY by the 6th and is ordered forward to Gallatin, TN.  On the 7th, Wood sends an advance brigade toward Gallatin; after marching 20 miles, they are ordered to continue all the way to Gallatin in hopes of capturing Confederate forces there.  Unfortunately on their arrival, these forces were already gone.

On the night of the 7th, Crittenden is given further orders to cross the Cumberland, occupy Lebanon, TN (while also keeping forces at Gallatin) and deploy the rest of his  troops between Lebanon and Rural Hill, TN.  He is also to open communications with Nashville and monitor the road from Nashville to Lebanon.  This is probably the route of Interstate 40 today.

Wood's division is near the Cumberland with Crittenden.  Below is Crittenden's dispatch on the 9th:

-------------------------------------------    

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS

  Near Gallatin, November 9, 1862 -- 5 p.m.

Lieut, Col. ARTHUR C. DUCAT [Acting] Chief of Staff:

  COLONEL:  Colonel Kennett reported to me in persion this morning.  I at once ordered him to send a battalion to General Smith, at Scottsville; to occupy Hartsville with 2,000 men, to scout the country thoroughly; use every effort to prevent any obstruction of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and send the remainder of his command to me for instructions.  He has supplies for six days.  I promptly sent the detachment, under Col. R.H.G. Minty, with instructions to cross the river, occupy the road from Nashville to Lebanon, open communications with Nashville, and send a company with a note to General McCook, make no advance toward Lebanon, but remain in position upon the road until further orders, to obtain information.  To General McCook I communicated the substance of these instructions, and that I should to-morrow occupy with my command Silver Springs, Rural Hill, or some intermediate point, and also send a brigade to Lebanon.  I yesterday sent a note to McCook by a negro hackman that I was at Gallatin, and have this moment received an answer to it.  I shall try and communicate with him fully tomorrow, possibly personally.  I have sent 100 wagons to Mitchellsville for supplies; having marched all day yesterday, having to go to camp and unload, they did not get off until the morning.  I have here a good ford for my wagons, but very steep banks, and am constructing a footway for the soldiers to pass over.  I shall cross my command to-morrow and occupy the points you have indicated.   I shall cross at all events, but the position I shall occupy will depend upon the time my supply train returns.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. L. CRITTENDEN, 

Major-General. Commanding.

------------------------------------------

 

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 12-32.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 87.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-768. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-19.
  

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 13TH

November 5, 1942 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

By this time, the crew of O'Brien are nearing the US west coast, on schedule to arrive some time around November 7th.

Transports arrived at Guadalcanal bringing needed artillery to the Marines, primarily 155 mm howitzers that allow attacks on Japanese positions in the western part of the island.  Navy cruisers and destroyers also shell this area.  The Japanese navy is still able to land more troops and supplies.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) was still at Noumea for temporary repairs to Enterprise.
  
• Saratoga remained at Pearl Harbor for repairs (sailed November 10th).
• Combined Task Force 61 was at Noumea.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61  
• 
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 271-273.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 460-466.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 224-226.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 237-245.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 9TH

November 5, 1862 - Wednesday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade

General Rosecrans during this time is attempting to remedy several shortcomings he has found in the army, such as lack of arms for various units, issues regarding discipline including conducting courts-martial, and finding needed cavalry to contest the Confederate cavalry still in the area.

Crittenden's corps on the 3rd is ordered to move from Glasgow, KY toward Gallatin, TN as soon as practicable.   Below is the order:

-------------------------------------------    

BOWLING GREEN,  November 3, 1862

Major-General Crittenden,

  The general commanding directs that you move your command from Glasgow to Scottsvile or in the vicinity of Gallatin, with five days' rations, three in haversacks.  Camp where there are wood, water and forage.  Having done so, push scouts quietly over toward the east, and ascertain all the information possible of the enemy and the country,  With regard to subsistence, leave orders for Smith to halt at Glasgow until stores are supplied them; then to move on.  Keep up your communications and supplies.  A depot for the latter will be established at or below Mitchellsville.

ARTHUR C. DUCAT, 

Lieutenat-Colonel and Acting Chief of Staff.

------------------------------------------

Below is a map of the area, Glasgow is upper right, Scottsville center, and Gallatin lower left-center.  Mitchellville (misspelled in dispatch) is just north of Portland, TN., at left.

 

In the east, President Lincoln finally relieves General McClellan of all commands and appoints General Burnside in his place.  This changes was due to lack of any movement to attack Confederate forces in Virginia. Burnside will be expected to soon go over to the attack, as will General Rosecrans in Tennessee.

 

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 5-12.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 87.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-757. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-19.
  

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 9TH

November 1, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

By this time, the crew of O'Brien is en route to the US west coast; they arrived there in early November.  These destroyer sailors would get a month of leave before reporting to new ships in mid-December.

This is a short quiet period around Guadalcanal.  Navy transports are started for Guadalcanal with supplies, key among which are 155 mm artillery that will allow the Marines to better engage Japanese positions. 

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) is in the Coral Sea.  Temporary repairs of battle damage are being done to Enterprise.
  
• Saratoga remained at Pearl Harbor for repairs (sailed November 10th).
• Combined Task Force 61 remained on patrol in the Coral Sea near Guadalcanal.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61  
• 
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 270-271.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 460-466.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 224-226.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 237-244.

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 5TH

November 1, 1862 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade

Buell is relieved by Rosecrans officially on the 30th and is ordered to Indianapolis to await further orders.  The western governors are pleased as they have urged Buell's removal for some months.  A commission is being set up by the Secretary of War to investigate Buell's conduct of his department in the preceding months.

A new Department of the Cumberland is created for General Rosecrans.  The Department of the Ohio, under General Wright, continues to overlap the new department and cause confusion.  Troops are being requested to be sent further west to General Grant in West Tennessee and Mississippi; he is preparing to move on Vicksburg, MS.  Its capture would clear the Mississippi River for Union navigation.

Rosecrans continues the troop movements that were in progress under General Buell.  Crittenden's corps is likely near Glasgow, KY as was previously ordered.  There are mixed reports from Nashville as to how many Confederate troops are in the area, but these are concerning enough that Rosecrans will move the army there just as Buell had proposed.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XVI, Chapter XXVIII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 651-670.
• Link: War Operations, see Volume XX, Chapter XXXII, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 3-5.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 87.
  
• Shelby Foote: The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville, pp. 741-744. 
• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol 3. The Tide Shifts, pp, 600-603.
• Peter Cozzens, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River, pp. 1-19.
  

 

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