September 15, 1944 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Morotai Island

September 12th:. At sea all day heading for the invasion of Morotai Island.  Radar tracking exercises in the morning. Temperatures 80s, light breezes.

September 13th: Proceeding to Morotai operation.  Mail received in the morning. Temperatures 80s, light breezes.

September 14th: Met attack force set for invasion.  Temperatures 80s, light to moderate breezes.

September 15th: Reached the invasion area, provided anti-submarine screen for cruisers, also bombarded the island. Landings completed, patrolling the rest of the day near Morotai Island.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.

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The Navy conducts extensive attacks in the central Philippines.  A number of ships are sunk and resistance is light.  Information is received that the Japanese garrison on Leyte is small.  Admiral Halsey suugests moving up the Philippines timetable from the currently scheduled December invasion to October.

The Peleliu invasion was launched on the 15th. The fight for the island would be intense, with large casualty numbers, and conducted in oppressive heat.  Though a small island, its capture would take a full month.  This invasion came on the same day as the invasion of Morotai Island.

 Romania signs an armistice and joins the Allies.  Canadian troops capture Le Havre, France with 12000 German troops.  The Battle of Rimini begins in northeast Italy.  Soviet forces move on Riga, Latvia.

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More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 537-541.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 13-16.
  
• Events of September, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, September 1944
  

NEXT POST: SEPTEMBER 19TH

September 15, 1864 - Thursday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade

The evacuation of the city of Atlanta continues as ordered by Sherman, under the agreed truce.

Sherman awaits a courier from General Grant to discuss future plans.

On the 14th, Sherman accepts an agreement to exchange up to 2000 prisoners with the Confederate army.  He dispatches one of his officers to proceed to Rough and Ready station, to finalize and carry out the exchange.

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John Baer Diary Entries - no entries during this time period.

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More Information:

•  Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXIX, Chapter LI, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 363-390.
  
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 177.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 601-604.
  
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 548-550.
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 625-636.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 583-589.
  
• Events: 1864   
  

 

NEXT POST:  SEPTEMBER 19TH

September 11, 1944 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea 

September 8th:. Still in port all day  Fueling in the afternoon.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.

September 9th: Another day in port.  Received ammunition in the afternoon.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.

September 10th: At sea in the early morning en route to Hollandia, New Guinea. Remained at sea all day, radar exercises in the afternoon.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light breezes.

September 11th: Reached Humboldt Bay anchorage, Hollandia.  Fueling in morning.  Late evening, left port en route to support the invasion of Morotai Island.  Temperatures 80s-90s, light breezes.

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Navy conducted raids on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.  Several Japanese cargo vessels were sunk.  

Roosevelt and Churchill met in Quebec to discuss the British Navy's role in the Pacific War.

Luxembourg was liberated, and the Allies reached Zeebrugge, Belgium. near the border with the Netherlands.  The Allies in some places had reached the German border.

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More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 535-537.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 1-13.
  
• Events of September, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, September 1944
  

NEXT POST: SEPTEMBER 15TH

September 11, 1864 - Sunday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade

Sherman has made his decision that all the residents of Atlanta are to be removed from the town, and city officials begin implementing his order.  Removal begins on the 11th.  Some go north, but most must go south through Confederate lines and must make do as best they can.  A truce is agreed between the armies from the 12th to the 22nd, to allow all to be removed from Atlanta.

On September 9th, a proposal comes to Sherman from General Hood offering a prisoner exchange.  Sherman reports to Washington that he has about 2000 Confederate prisoners with him (all of the other captured Confederates had been sent north), and will exchange those if he finds the terms acceptable.  More will come of this later.

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John Baer Diary Entries - text in white, comments in blue. - September 8th to September 11th.

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DIARY ENTRY -  Thursday, September 8th, 1864

No entry.

 

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DIARY ENTRY -  Friday, September 9th, 1864

Summary of events for the week beginning on Sunday, September 3rd, 1864 and ending September 9th, 1864

 

Fight at Fair Oaks, Virginia reported.  Sherman extends his right in the direction of Macon, Georgia.  McClellan and Pendelton reported candidates for President and Vice President on the conservative ticket.

 

News from Sherman - he occupied Atlanta.  Hood’s army completely demoralized and retreating in the direction of Augusta and Macon.  Rebs admit the loss of Hood and 20,000 men.  The estimates of the rebel loss in the fighting before Atlanta from the 20th to 22nd July was 4,000 killed and 25,000 placed hors de combat.

 

Rumors of exchange afloat but not reliable.  Reported that they commence transporting us to the point of exchange immediately, but I fear that it is only a change of prison.  Report proves true as far as moving the prisoners is concerned, but there is a great deal of doubt as to whether it is for exchange.  Fall of Richmond reported - do not know how true it is.  There have already been upwards of 40 detachments shipped and others are under orders.

 

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John has gotten some good information and some incorrect.  The Democratic ticket is correct.  Sherman did occupy Atlanta, but Hood is by no means demoralized, and is planning his next move as his whole army sits southeast of Atlanta.  As part of his next move, Hood wishes to be free of protecting Andersonville prison, and has asked that the prisoners be moved elsewhere.  This will happen soon.  As noted above, though, there is serious negotiation about a prisoner exchanged between the armies in Georgia.

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DIARY ENTRY -  Saturday, September 10th, 1864

No entry.

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DIARY ENTRY -  Sunday, September 11rd, 1864.   

No entry.  Next entry on September 16th.

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More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXVIII, Chapter L, Part V, Correspondence, pp. 829-857. 
• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXIX, Chapter LI, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 354-363.
  
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 177.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 601-604.
  
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 548-550.
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 625-633.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 583-586.
  
• Events: 1864   
  

 

NEXT POST:  SEPTEMBER 15TH

September 7, 1944 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea 

September 4th:. In port all day at Seeadler Harbor.  Temperatures 80s-90s, moderate breezes.

September 5th: Another quiet day in port.  Temperatures 80s-90s, moderate breezes.

September 6th: In port all day again.  More ships have been entering the harbor the last few days, including the battleship New Jersey.  Temperatures 80s, light to moderate breezes.

September 7th: Another day in port.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light breezes.

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The Navy bombarded the Palau islands and Yap, which are southwest of the Marianas, and on the way to the Philippines.  There was little Japanese resistance.  The Japanese were reserving their remaining forces for contesting the Philippines.

A Japanese cargo ship carrying US prisoners was sunk by a US submarine.  Of the 750 US prisoners, 688 died as a result of the sinking.

The Soviet Army continued its advance in Romania, and declared war on Bulgaria.  Ypres, in Belgium, was liberated by Polish Allied troops.

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More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 534-535.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 1-13.
  
• Events of September, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, September 1944
  

NEXT POST: SEPTEMBER 11TH

September 7, 1864 - Wednesday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade

Atlanta Campaign

"Atlanta is ours, and fairly won.", Sherman said in his dispatch to Washington.  He moved the army into the city and allowed them a few days of rest as he contemplated his next move. 

General Hood's Confederates were still together, and south of the city.  Though they had lost Atlanta, they could still cause immense problems for Sherman.  Hood also began to consider next moves, and begins to move against Sherman's railroad supply lines.

In Tennessee, General John Hunt Morgan, who has achieved fame through his cavalry raids, is surprised and killed.  Confederate cavalry under General Forrest, however, wreak havoc on Union supply lines, breaking the railroad and capturing garrisons in several places.

Atlanta

On the 7th, Sherman orders all civilians to be evacuated from Atlanta.  He meets protests about the cruelty of expelling the entire population, including the elderly and the sick, just as the fall and winter are beginning.  He nevertheless insists on it.  Sherman at this time is thinking of Atlanta being a fortress that can be held by a small garrison, so that large numbers of troops are not drawn from the field to guard cities.

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John Baer Diary Entries - no entries during this time period.

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More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXVIII, Chapter L, Part V, Correspondence, pp. 791-829. 
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 176-17.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 562-601.
  
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 547-548.
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 625-633.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 583-585.
  
• Events: 1864   
  

 

NEXT POST:  SEPTEMBER 11TH

September 3, 1944 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea 

August 31st:. At sea all day en route to Seeadler Harbor, Admiralty Islands.  Fleet exercises during the day. Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

September 1st: Arrived Seeadler Harbor early afternoon and moored for the rest of the day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.

September 2nd: In port all day.  Temperatures 80s, light breezes.

September 3rd: Another day in port at Seeadler Harbor. Temperatures 80s-90s, light to moderate breezes. 

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Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima are attacked several times by the Navy.  This is to try to neutralize the islands, but also to divert attention from the locations of the next US advances.

The island of Morotai is scheduled for invasion on September 15th.  Morotai is about 500 miles WNW of Biak Island.  It is about half way to the Philippines.

Brussels and Dieppe, France were liberated.  The Soviet Army occupied Bucharest and  Ploesti in Romania. 

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

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 532-534.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 1-13.
  
• Events of August, 1944
• Events of September, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, August 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, September 1944
  

NEXT POST: SEPTEMBER 7TH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 3, 1864 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade

Atlanta Campaign 

 

On the 31st, Howard's troops fight off a Confederate attack at Jonesboro, as the rebels suffer disproportionately heavy losses.  As General Schofield has cut the only remaining railroad into the town at Rough and Ready Station, General Hood has no choice but to leave Atlanta.  He destroys as much as he can of the supplies he cannot take on September 1st.  He will attempt to regroup his army at Lovejoy Station, about 10 miles south of Jonesboro.

On September 2nd, Sherman reports the capture of Atlanta to Washington.  The next day, Lincoln declares September 5th as a national day of celebration.

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John Baer Diary Entries - text in white, comments in blue. Entries for August 31st,  September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

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DIARY ENTRY -  Wednesday, August 31st, 1864

Necessity compels me to change my tactics and instead of writing every day, I will have to make a weekly summary of events.  This is for various reasons; first, our house is so badly crowded that it is almost impossible to write in it; second, of evenings and mornings my attention is called to other matters; third, during the day it is too hot to write, except in the shade, and it requires all the room we have to accommodate the squad which is on the increase.  More additions to the prisoners, but the arrivals are not sufficient to fill the vacancies caused by death.

 

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DIARY ENTRY -  Thursday, September 1, 1864

Summer is past and autumn is at hand - still we are prisoners.  Another addition to the 40th squad.  One John Davis of Company “Y” having been taken in.  News important if true.  Reported evacuation of Atlanta by General Hood - also rumored acceptance of the rebs proposition for exchange by our authorities.  Weather warm during the day but cold at night.

 

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This is indeed the day that the Confederate army was forced to evacuate Atlanta. 

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DIARY ENTRY -  Friday, September 2nd, 1864

News very uncertain.  Reported acceptance of the rebel proposition - another report says our commissioners were without authority to accept an proposition or come to any agreement whatever in regard to exchange.

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DIARY ENTRY -  Saturday, September 3rd, 1864.   

No entry.  Next entry on September 9th.

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More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXVIII, Chapter L, Part V, Correspondence, pp. 717-791. 
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 175-176.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 522-562.
  
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 496-547.
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 620-625.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 580-583.
  
• Events: 1864   
  

 

NEXT POST:  SEPTEMBER 7TH