The Confederate Reader

How the South Saw the War

Richard B. Harwell

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780486121291
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

`An excellent anthology, worthy of the imitations it will engender . . . it will go a long way toward illuminating Confederate history.` — The New York Times
For any student of the War Between the States, this treasury of contemporary documents—all but a few written by Southerners — offers a wealth of insight and perspectives on life in the South during the conflict, how newspapers and periodicals covered events, and how Southerners reacted to the disastrous struggle that disrupted their lives and ravaged their homes, farms, and cities. Selections have been arranged in an order that demonstrates the progress of the war, beginning with a South Carolina ordinance to secede from the Union and ending with a final message in 1865 from the last Confederate general to surrender.
Relive the day-to-day reality of the War as captured in a rich legacy of written records: official battle reports, general orders, letters, sermons, songs, published articles, novels, and accounts of travel, prison, and conditions of army life. Included are contemporary newspaper accounts of the Battle of Fort Sumter, a stirring address to his soldiers by Jefferson Davis in 1864, a Confederate prisoner's account of life in a Yankee prison, a newspaper report of the sack and destruction of Columbia, South Carolina, a poignant last-ditch attempt by General E. Kirby Smith in 1865 to rally the Trans-Mississippi Army, and many more. A selection of authentic cartoons, sketches, and broadsides from various periods of the War adds a special `you-are-there` flavor to the book.
Carefully chosen and annotated by a distinguished authority on the Confederacy, these selections paint a broad and moving picture of the attitudes, emotions, and ideas that motivated and sustained the South during the War. Assembled in this inexpensive paperback edition of The Confederate Reader, they will bring new insight and enlightenment to any Civil War buff or student of American history.

1863

The Alabama Versus the Hatteras

HARDLY as large as a modern destroyer, the Confederate cruiser Alabama earned a fame all out of proportion to her size. Her record of fifty-seven ships burned and many others boarded and examined brought a glory to a Confederate Navy that had little enough of success. She was the chief of a trio of raiding cruisers built in England for the Confederacy. The Alabama and the Shenandoah did damage to Federal shipping amounting to more than six million dollars each, and the Florida added another three million. Under her gallant and vigorous captain, Commander Raphael Semmes, the Alabama sailed more than seventy-five thousand miles—from as far as the China Sea to her doom off the coast of France.

In this unidentified officer’s account of her engagement with the Hatteras in January, 1863, the Alabama is presented in her prime—fresh from her successful sortie from Liverpool and outfitting in the Azores and a victorious maiden cruise in the Atlantic and the Caribbean.

Sunday, 11th.— Fine moderate breeze from the eastward. Read Articles of War. Noon: Eighteen miles from Galveston. As I write this some are discussing the probability of a fight before morning. 2.25 P.M.: Light breeze; sail discovered by the look-out on the bow. Shortly after, three, and at last five, vessels were seen; two of which were reported to be steamers. Every one delighted at the prospect of a fight, no doubt whatever existing as to their being war-vessels—blockaders we supposed. The watch below came on deck, and of their own accord began preparing the guns, &c., for action. Those whose watch it was on deck were engaged in getting the propeller ready for lowering; others were bending a cable to a kedge and putting it over the bow—the engineers firing up for steam, officers looking to their side-arms, &c., and discussing the size of their expected adversary or adversaries. At 2.30 shortened sail and tacked to the southward. 4 P.M.: A steamer reported standing out from the fleet towards us. Backed main-topsail and lowered propeller. 4.50: Everything reported ready for action. Chase bearing N.N.E., distant ten miles. Twilight set in about 5.45. Took in all sail. At 6.20 beat up to quarters, manned the starboard battery, and loaded with fine second shell; turned round, stood for the steamer, having previously made her out to be a two-masted side-wheel, of apparent 1200 tons, though at the distance she was before dark we could not form any correct estimate of her size; &c.

At 6.30 the strange steamer hailed and asked: “What steamer is that?” We replied (in order to be certain who he was), “Her Majesty’s ship Petrell What steamer is that?” Two or three times we asked the question, until we heard, “This is the United States steamer———,” not hearing the name. However, United States steamer was sufficient. As no doubt existed as to her character, we said, at 6.35, that this was the “Confederate States steamer, Alabama,” accompanying the last syllable of our name with a shell fired over him. The signal being given, the other guns took up the refrain, and a tremendous volley from our whole broadside given to him, every shell striking his side, the shot striking being distinctly heard on board our vessel, and thus found that she was iron.

The enemy replied, and the action became general. A most sharp spirited firing was kept up on both sides, our fellows peppering away as though the action depended on each individual. And so it did. Pistols and rifles were continually pouring from our quarter-deck messengers most deadly, the distance during the hottest of the fight not being more than forty yards! It was a grand, though fearful sight, to see the guns belching forth, in the darkness of the night, sheets of living flame, the deadly missiles striking the enemy with a force that we could feel. Then, when the shells struck her side, and especially the percussion ones, her whole side was lit up, and showing rents of five or six feet in length. One shot had just struck our smoke-stack, and wounding one man in the cheek, when the enemy ceased his firing, and fired a lee gun; then a second, and a third. The order was given to “Cease firing.” This was at 6.52. A tremendous cheering commenced, and it was not till everybody had cleared his throat to his own satisfaction, that silence could be obtained. We then hailed him, and in reply he stated that he had surrendered, was on fire, and also that he was in a sinking condition. He then sent a boat on board, and surrendered the U. S. gun-boat, Hatteras, nine guns, Lieutenant-Commander Blake, 140 men. Boats were immediately lowered and sent to his assistance, when an alarm was given that another steamer was bearing down for us. The boats were recalled and hoisted up, when it was found to be a false alarm. The order was given, and the boatswain and his mates piped “All hands out boats to save life;” and soon the prisoners were transferred to our ship—the officers under guard on the quarter-deck, and the men in single irons. The boats were then hoisted up, the battery run in and secured, and the main brace spliced. All hands piped down, the enemy’s vessel sunk, and we steaming quietly away by 8.30, all having been done in less than two hours. In fact, had it not been for our having the prisoners on board, we would have sworn nothing unusual had taken place—the watch below quietly sleeping in their hammocks. The conduct of our men was truly commendable. No flurry, no noise—all calm and determined. The coolness displayed by them could not be surpassed by any old veterans—our chief boatswain’s mate apparently in his glory. “Sponge!” “Load with cartridge!” — “Shell-fire seconds!” — “Run out!” — “Well, down compressors!” — “Left, traverse!” — “Well!” — “Ready!” — “Fire!” — “That’s into you!” — “Damn you! that kills your pig!” — “That stops your windl” &c., &c., was uttered as each shot was heard to strike with a crash that nearly deafened you. The other boatswain’s mate seeming equally to enjoy the affair. As he got his gun to bear upon the enemy, he would take aim, and banging away, would plug her, exclaiming, as each shot told—“That’s from the scum of England!” —“That’s a British pill for you to swallow!” the New York papers having once stated that our men were the “scum of England.” All other guns were served with equal precision. We were struck seven times; only one man being hurt during the engagement, and he only receiving a flesh wound in the cheek. One shot struck under the counter, penetrating as far as a timber, then glancing off; a second struck the funnel; a third going through the side, across the berth-deck, and into the opposite side; another raising the deuce in the lamp-room; the others lodging in the coal-bunkers. Taking a shell up and examining it, we found it filled with sand instead of powder. The enemy’s fire was directed chiefly towards our stern, the shots flying pretty quick over the quarter-deck, near to where our Captain was standing. As they came whizzing over him, he, with his usual coolness, would exclaim — “Give it to the rascals!” — “Aim low, men!” —“Don’t be all night sinking that fellow!” when, for all or anything we knew, she might have been an iron-clad or a ram.

On Commander Blake surrendering his sword, he said that “it was with deep regret he did it.” Captain Semmes smacked his lips and invited him down to his cabin. On Blake giving his rank to Captain Semmes, he gave up his state-room for Blake’s special use, the rest of the officers being accommodated according to their rank in the wardroom and steerages, all having previously been paroled, the crew being placed on the berth-deck, our men sleeping anywhere, so that the prisoners might take their places. Of the enemy’s loss we could obtain no correct accounts, a difference of seventeen being in their number of killed, the Hatteras having on board men she was going to transfer to other ships. Their acknowledged loss was only two killed and seven wounded. A boat had been lowered just before the action to board us; as we anticipated, and learnt afterwards, it pulled in for the fleet and reached Galveston. From conversation with her First-Lieutenant, I learnt that as soon as we gave our name and our first broadsides, the whole after division on board her left the guns, apparently paralyzed; it was some time before they recovered themselves. The conduct of one of her officers was cowardly and disgraceful in the extreme. Some of our shells went completely through her before exploding, others burst inside her, and set her on fire in three places. One went through her engines, completely disabling her; another exploding in her steam chest, scalding all within reach. Thus was fought, twenty-eight miles from Galveston, a battle, though small, yet the first yard arm action between two steamers at sea. She was only inferior in weight of metal—her guns being nine in number, viz, four thirty-two pounders, two rifled thirty pounders, carrying 601b. shot (conical), one rifled twenty pounder, and a couple of small twelve pounders. On account of the conflicting statements made by her officers, we could never arrive at a.correct estimate of her crew. Our prisoners numbered seventeen officers, one hundred and one seamen. We further learnt that the Hatteras was one of seven vessels sent to recapture Galveston, it being (although unknown to us) in the possession of our troops. We also found that the flag-ship Brooklyn, twenty-two guns, and the Oneida, nine guns sailed in search of us. By their account of the course they steered they could not fail to have seen us.

The New Richmond Theatre

THE ROLE of a major capital was new to Richmond and bore heavily on her shoulders. Along with the generals and Cabinet members who flocked to the new capital came a horde of hangers-on-charlatans, profiteers, prostitutes, and gamblers. The activities of these members of society were repeatedly deplored by the more responsible citizens. But Richmond was a gayer and more bustling city than she had ever been before. Business was good. The hotels were full to overflowing. The offices were jammed with workers for the mushrooming bureaus of a new government. The saloons and theaters entered an era of unprecedented prosperity. Soldiers on leave as well as the myriad strangers in the city sought public entertainment as never before.

On January 2, 1862, the Richmond Theatre burned. No time was lost in replacing it, first with a company called the Richmond Varieties acting in a converted church building, and then with an entirely new building constructed for the New Richmond Theatre. The opening of the new theater was long heralded in the press. Here are pieces which reflect divergent points of view concerning it.

The first is a sermon by John Lansing Burrows, a prominent Baptist minister, decrying the opening of the theater with its “twenty gentlemen for the chorus and the ballet” who might better be in the army. Burrows’ complaint is not against the theater as such but against the immorality which seemed to find a home in the theaters of wartime Richmond. His view of the theatrical profession in Richmond was shared by John Hill Hewitt, Confederate poetaster and musician who had briefly managed the old Richmond Theatre. In his manuscript autobiography Hewitt described the difficulties of getting together a company: “How to gather a company was the question. On the breaking out of the war, the best of the profession had fled North, thinking it the safest ground to stand upon—for actors are cosmopolites and claim citizenship no where. I however managed in a short time to collect enough of the fag-ends of dismantled companies to open the theatre with a passable exhibition of novelty, if not of talent. . . . The thing took well, and money flowed into the treasury but often had I cause to upbraid myself for having fallen so low in my own estimation, for, I had always considered myself a gentleman, and I found that, in taking the control of this theatre and its vagabond company I had forfeited my claim to a respectable stand in the ranks of Society—with one or two exceptions, the company I had engaged was composed of harlots and ‘artful dodgers.’”

Following the extracts from Burrows’ sermon is the account of the theater’s opening by the drama critic of The Southern Illustrated News. The account was made memorable by the incorporation into it of Henry Timrod’s “Inaugural Poem.” Timrod submitted this poem in the competition inspired by manager Richard D’Orsey Ogden’s offer of a prize of three hundred dollars for the best such production.

To-morrow night the New Richmond Theatre is to be opened. I deem it fitting, in addition to the notices so liber-rally given through the daily press, to give this public notice from the pulpit. With surprising energy, and regardless of cost, in these pinching times of war, a splendid building, with most costly decorations, has been reared from the ashes of the old. Builders, artists, workmen, have...