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Transcript
Hand-To-Hand Fighting at Spotsylvania, By G. Norton Galloway
The Century, vol. 34, issue 2 (June 1887).
GENERAL HANCOCK's surprise and capture of the larger portion of Edward Johnson's division and the
capture of the salient "at Spotsylvania Court House on the 12th of May, 1864, accomplished with the
Second Corps," have been regarded as one of the most brilliant feats of that brilliant soldier's career ; but
without the substantial assistance of general Wright, grand old John Sedgwick's worthy successor, and the
Sixth Corps, a defeat as bitter as his victory was sweet would have been recorded against the hero of that
day.
The storm which had set in early in the afternoon of the 11th of May continued with great severity, and
but little rest was obtained during the night. Soon after dark, however, a remarkable change in the weather
took place, and it became ed in small groups about half-drowned fires, with their tents stretched about
their shoulders, while some hastily pitched the canvas on the ground, and sought shelter beneath the
rumpled and dripping folds. Others rolled themselves up, and lay close to the simmering logs, eager to
catch a few moments' sleep ; many crouched about, without any shelter whatever, presenting a pitiable
sight.
Throughout the day some skirmishing and sharp shooting had occurred, but this had been of a spasmodic
character, and had elicited no concern.
About dusk the Sixth Corps moved to a position on the right and rear of the army. The stormy night was
favorable to Hancock's movement, and about 10 o'clock he put his tr oops in motion, marching to a point
on the left of the Sixth Corps' former position in the neighborhood of the Brown house, massing his
troops in that vicinity.
General Grant's orders to Hancock were to assault at daylight on the 12th in cooperation with Burnside on
his left, while Wright and Warren were held in readiness to assault on his right. The Confederate army
was composed of three corps-Longstreet (now R. H. Anderson) on their left, Ewell in the center, and A. P.
Hill (now under early) on the right. The point to be assaulted was a salient of field-works on the
Confederate center, afterward called the "Bloody Angle." It was held by General Edward Johnson's
division. Here the Confederate line broke off at an angle of ninety degrees, the right parallel, about the
length of a small brigade, being occupied by General George H. Steuart's regiments. This point was a part
or continuation of the line of works charged and carried by General Upton on May 10th, and was
considered to be the key to Lee's position.
Just as the day was breaking, Barlow's and Birney's divisions of Hancock's corps pressed forward upon
the unsuspecting foe, and leaping the breastworks after a hand-to-hand conflict with the bewildered
enemy, in which guns were used as clubs, possessed themselves of the intrenchments. Over three
thousand prisoners were taken, including General Johnson and General Steuart. Twenty Confederate
cannon became the permanent trophies of the day, twelve of them belonging to Page and eight to
Cutshaw.
Upon reaching the second line of Lee's works held by Wilcox's division, who by this time had become
apprised of the disaster to their comrades, Hancock met with stern resistance, as Lee in the meantime had
been hurrying troops to Ewell from Hill on the right and Anderson on the left, and these were sprung
upon our victorious lines with such an impetus as to drive them hastily back toward the left of the salient.
As soon as the news of Hancock's good and ill success reached army headquarters, the Sixth Corps Upton's brigade being in advance - was ordered to move with all possible haste to his support. At a brisk
pace we crossed a line of intrenchments a short distance in our front, and, passing through a strip of
timber, at once began to realize our nearness to the foe. It was now about 6 o'clock, and the enemy,
reenforced, were making desperate efforts to regain what they had lost.
1
Our forces were hastily retiring at this point before the concentrated attack of the enemy, and these with
our wounded lined the road. We pressed forward and soon cleared the woods and reached an insidious
fen, covered with dense marsh grass, where we lay down for a few moments awaiting orders. I cannot
imagine how any of us survived the sharp fire that swept over us at this point - a fire so keen that it split
the blades of grass all about us, the minies moaning in a furious concert as they picked out victims by the
score.
The rain was still falling in torrents and held the country about in obscurity. The command was soon
given to my regiment, the 95th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Captain Macfarlain commanding,-it being the
advance of Upton's brigade,- to "rise up," whereupon with hurrahs we went forward, cheered on by
Colonel Upton, who had led us safe through the Wilderness. It was not long before we reached an angle
of works constructed with great skill. Immediately in our front an abatis had been arranged consisting of
limbs and branches interwoven into one another, forming footlocks of the most dangerous character. But
there the works were, and over some of us went , many never to return. At this moment Lee's strong line
of battle, hastily selected for the work of retrieving ill fortune, appeared through the rain, mist, and
smoke. We received their bolts, losing nearly one hundred of our gallant 95th. Colonel Upton saw at once
that this point must be held at all hazards, for if Lee should recover the angle, he would push back our
lines right and left, and the fruits of the morning's victory would be lost. The order was at once given us to
lie down and commence firing; the left of our regiment rested against the works, while the right, slightly
refused, rested upon an elevation in front. And now began a desperate and pertinacious struggle.
Under cover of the smoke-laden rain the enemy was pushing large bodies of troops forward, determined
at all hazards to regain the lost ground. Could we hold on until the remainder of our brigade should come
to our assistance? Regardless of the heavy volleys of the enemy that were thinning our ranks, we stuck to
the position and returned the fire until the 5th Maine and the 121st New York of our brigade came to our
support, while the 96th Pennsylvania went in on our right ; thus reenforced, we redoubled our exertions.
The smoke, which was dense at first, was intensified by each discharge of artillery to such an extent that
the accuracy of our aim became very uncertain, but nevertheless we kept up the fire in the supposed
direction of the enemy. Meanwhile they were crawling forward under cover of the smoke, until, reaching
a certain point, and raising their usual yell, they charged gallantly up to the very muzzles of our pieces
and reoccupied the Angle.
Upon reaching the breastwork, the Confederates for a few moments had the advantage of us, and made
good use of their rifles. Our men went down by the score ; all the artillery horses were down ; the gallant
Upton was the only mounted officer in sight. Hat in hand, he bravely cheered his men, and begged them
to " hold this point." All of his staff had been either killed, wounded, or dismounted.
At this moment, and while the open ground in rear of the Confederate works was choked with troops, a
section of Battery C, 5th United States Artillery, under Lieutenant Richard Metcalf, was brought into
action and increased the carnage by opening at short range with double charges of canister. This staggered
the apparently exultant enemy. In the maze of the moment these guns were run up by hand close to the
famous Angle, and fired again and again, and they were only abandoned when all the drivers and
cannoneers had fallen. The battle was now at white heat.
The rain continued to fall, and clouds of smoke hung over the scene. Like leeches we stuck to the work,
determined by our fire to keep the enemy from rising up. Captain John D. Fish, of Upton's staff, who had
until this time performed valuable service in conveying ammunition to the gunners, fell, pierced by a
bullet. This brave officer seemed to court death as he rode back and forth between the caissons and
cannoneers with stands of canister under his "gum" coat. "Give it to them , boys! I'll bring you the
canister," said he ; and as he turned to cheer the gunners, he fell from his horse, mortally wounded. In a
few moments the two brass pieces of the 5th Artillery, cut and hacked by the bullets of both antagonists,
lay unworked with their muzzles projecting over the enemy's works, and their wheels half sunk in the
mud. Between the lines and near at hand lay the horses of these guns, completely riddled. The dead and
wounded were torn to pieces by the canister as it swept the ground where they had fallen.
2
The mud was half-way to our knees, and by our constant movement the fallen were almost buried at our
feet. We now backed off from the breastwork a few yards, abandoning for a while the two 12-pounders,
but still keeping up a fusillade. We soon closed up our shattered ranks and the brigade settled down again
to its task. Our fire was now directed at the top of the breastworks, and woe be to the head or hand that
appeared above it. In the meantime the New Jersey brigade, Colonel W. H. Penrose, went into action on
our right, and the Third Brigade, General Eustis's, was hard at work. The Vermont brigade, under Colonel
Lewis A. Grant, which had been sent to Barlow's assistance, was now at the Angle, and General
Wheaton's brigade was deep in the struggle. The Second and Third Divisions of the Sixth Corps were also
ready to take part. It will thus be seen that we had no lack of men for the defense or capture of this
position, whichever it may be termed.
The great difficulty was in the narrow limits of the Angle, around which we were fighting, which
precluded the possibility of getting more than a limited number into action at once. At one time our ranks
were crowded in some parts four deep by reenforcements. Major Henry P. Truefitt, commanding the
119th Pennsylvania, was killed, and Captain Charles P. Warner, who succeeded him, was shot dead. Later
in the day Major William Ellis, of the 49th New York, who had excited our admiration, was shot through
the arm and body with a ramrod during one of the several attempts to get the men to cross the works and
drive off the enemy. Our losses were frightful. What remained of many different regiments that had come
to our support had concentrated at this point and planted their tattered colors upon a slight rise of ground
close to the Angle, where they staid during the latter part of the day.
To keep up the supply of ammunition pack mules were brought into use, each animal carrying three
thousand rounds. The boxes were dropped close behind the troops engaged, where they were quickly
opened by the officers or file-closers, who served the ammunition to the men. The writer fired four
hundred rounds of ammunition, and many others as many or more. In this manner a continuous and rapid
fire was maintained, to which for a while the enemy replied with vigor.
Finding that we were not to be driven back, the Confederates began to use more discretion, exposing
themselves but little, using the loop-holes in their works to fire through, and at times placing the muzzles
of their rifles on the top logs, seizing the trigger and small of the stock, and elevating the breech with one
hand sufficiently to reach us.
During the day a section of Cowan's battery took position behind us, sending shell after shell close over
our heads, to explode inside the Confederate works.
In like manner Coehorn mortars eight hundred yards in our rear sent their shells with admirable precision
gracefully curving over us. Sometimes the enemy's fire would slacken, and the moments would become
so monotonous that something had to be done to stir them up. Then some resolute fellow would seize a
fence-rail or piece of abatis, and, creeping close to the breastworks, thrust it over among the enemy, and
then drop on the ground to avoid the volley that was sure to follow.
A daring lieutenant in one of our left companies leaped upon the breastworks, took a rifle that was handed
to him, and discharged it among the foe. In like manner he discharged another, and was in the act of firing
a third shot when his cap flew up in the air, and his body pitched headlong among the enemy.
On several occasions squads of disheartened Confederates raised pieces of shelter-tents above the works
as a flag of truce; upon our slacking fire and calling to them to come in, they would immediately jump the
breastworks and surrender.
One party of twenty or thirty thus signified their willingness to submit; but owing to the fact that their
comrades occasionally took advantage of the cessation to get a volley into us, it was some time before we
concluded to give them a chance. With leveled pieces we called to them to come in.
3
Springing upon the breastworks in a body, they stood for an instant panic-stricken at the terrible array
before them ; that momentary y delay was the signal for their destruction. While we, with our fingers
pressing the trigger, shouted to them to jump, their troops, massed in the rear, poured a volley into them,
killing or wounding all but a few, who dropped with the rest and crawled in under our pieces, while we
instantly began firing.
The battle, which during the morning raged with more or less violence on the right and left of this
position, gradually slackened, and attention was concentrated upon the Angle. So continuous and heavy
was our fire that the head logs of the breastworks were cut and torn until they resembled hickory brooms.
Several large oak-trees, which grew just in the rear of the works, were completely gnawed off by our
converging fire, and about 3 o'clock in the day fell among the enemy with a loud crash.
Toward dusk preparations were made to relieve us. By this time we were nearly exhausted, and had fired
three to four hundred rounds o man. Our lips were incrusted with powder from "biting cartridge." Our
shoulders and hands were coated with mud that had adhered to the butts of our rifles.
The troops of the Second Corps, who were to relieve us, now moved up, took our position, :and opened
fire as we fell back a short distance to rearrange our shattered ranks and get something to eat, which we
were sadly in need of. When darkness came on we dropped from exhaustion.
About midnight, after twenty hours of constant fighting, Lee withdrew from the contest at this point,
leaving the Angle in our possession. Thus closed the battle of the 12th of May. , On the 13th, early in the
day, volunteers were called for to bury the dead. The writer volunteered to assist, and with the detail
moved to the works near the Angle, in front of which we buried a number of bodies near where they fell.
We were exposed to the fire of sharp shooters, and it was still raining. We cut the name, company, and
regiment of each of the dead on the lids of ammunition-boxes which we picked up near by.
The inscriptions were but feebly executed, for they were done with a pocket-knife. This worked, we went
close up where we had fought on Thursday and viewed the "Bloody Angle."
A momentary gleam of sunshine through the· gloom of the sky seemed to add a new horror to the scene.
Hundreds of Confederates, dead or dying, lay piled over one another in those pits.
The fallen lay three or four feet deep in some places, and, with but few exceptions, they were shot in and
about the head. Arms, accouterments, ammunition, cannon, shot and shell, and broken foliage were
strewn about. With much labor a detail of Union soldiers buried the dead by simply turning the captured
breastworks upon them.
Thus had these unfortunate victims unwittingly dug their own graves. The trenches were nearly full of
muddy water. It was the most horrible sight I had ever witnessed.
The enemy's defenses at this point were elaborately constructed of heavy timber, banked with earth to the
height of about four feet; above this: was placed what is known as a head log, raised just high enough to
enable a musket to be inserted between it and the lower work. Pointed pine and pin-oak formed an abatis,
in front of which was a deep ditch. Shelves ran along the inside ledges of these works (a series of square
pits) and along their flank traverses which extended to the rear ; upon these shelves large quantities of
"buck and ball" and "minie" cartridges were piled ready for use, and the guns of the dead and wounded
were still pointing through the apertures, just as the men had fallen from them.
http://www.civilwarhome.com/bloodyangle.htm
4
Wilderness
Other Names: Combats at Parker’s Store, Craig’s Meeting House, Todd’s Tavern, Brock
Road, the Furnaces
Location: Spotsylvania County
Campaign: Grant’s Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 5-7, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade [US];
Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS]
Forces Engaged: 162,920 total (US 101,895; CS 61,025)
Estimated Casualties: 29,800 total (US 18,400; CS 11,400)
Description: The opening battle of Grant’s sustained offensive against the Confederate
Army of Northern Virginia, known as the Overland Campaign, was fought at the Wilderness,
May 5-7. On the morning of May 5, 1864, the Union V Corps attacked Ewell’s Corps on the
Orange Turnpike, while A.P. Hill’s corps during the afternoon encountered Getty’s Division
(VI Corps) and Hancock’s II Corps on the Plank Road. Fighting was fierce but inconclusive as
both sides attempted to maneuver in the dense woods. Darkness halted the fighting, and
both sides rushed forward reinforcements. At dawn on May 6, Hancock attacked along the
Plank Road, driving Hill’s Corps back in confusion. Longstreet’s Corps arrived in time to
prevent the collapse of the Confederate right flank. At noon, a devastating Confederate
flank attack in Hamilton’s Thicket sputtered out when Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was
wounded by his own men. The IX Corps (Burnside) moved against the Confederate center,
but was repulsed. Union generals James S. Wadsworth and Alexander Hays were killed.
Confederate generals John M. Jones, Micah Jenkins, and Leroy A. Stafford were killed. The
battle was a tactical draw. Grant, however, did not retreat as had the other Union generals
before him. On May 7, the Federals advanced by the left flank toward the crossroads of
Spotsylvania Courthouse.
Result(s): Inconclusive (Grant continued his offensive.)
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va046.htm
Spotsylvania Court House
Other Names: Combats at Laurel Hill and Corbin’s Bridge (May 8); Ni River (May 9); Laurel
Hill, Po River, and Bloody Angle (May 10); Salient or Bloody Angle (May 12-13); Piney
Branch Church (May 15); Harrison House (May 18); Harris Farm (May 19)
Location: Spotsylvania County
Campaign: Grant’s Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 8-21, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade [US];
Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS]
5
Forces Engaged: 152,000 total (US 100,000; CS 52,000)
Estimated Casualties: 30,000 total (US 18,000; CS 12,000)
Description: After the Wilderness, Grant’s and Meade’s advance on Richmond by the left
flank was stalled at Spotsylvania Court House on May 8. This two-week battle was a series
of combats along the Spotsylvania front. The Union attack against the Bloody Angle at
dawn, May 12-13, captured nearly a division of Lee’s army and came near to cutting the
Confederate army in half. Confederate counterattacks plugged the gap, and fighting
continued unabated for nearly 20 hours in what may well have been the most ferociously
sustained combat of the Civil War. On May 19, a Confederate attempt to turn the Union
right flank at Harris Farm was beaten back with severe casualties. Union generals Sedgwick
(VI Corps commander) and Rice were killed. Confederate generals Johnson and Steuart
were captured, Daniel and Perrin mortally wounded. On May 21, Grant disengaged and
continued his advance on Richmond.
Result(s): Inconclusive (Grant continued his offensive.)
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va048.htm
Cold Harbor
Other Names: Second Cold Harbor
Location: Hanover County
Campaign: Grant’s Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 31-June 12, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade [US];
Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS]
Forces Engaged: 170,000 total (US 108,000; CS 62,000)
Estimated Casualties: 15,500 total (US 13,000; CS 2,500)
Description: On May 31, Sheridan’s cavalry seized the vital crossroads of Old Cold Harbor.
Early on June 1, relying heavily on their new repeating carbines and shallow entrenchments,
Sheridan’s troopers threw back an attack by Confederate infantry. Confederate
reinforcements arrived from Richmond and from the Totopotomoy Creek lines. Late on June
1, the Union VI and XVIII Corps reached Cold Harbor and assaulted the Confederate works
with some success. By June 2, both armies were on the field, forming on a seven-mile front
that extended from Bethesda Church to the Chickahominy River. At dawn June 3, the II and
XVIII Corps, followed later by the IX Corps, assaulted along the Bethesda Church-Cold
Harbor line and were slaughtered at all points. Grant commented in his memoirs that this
was the only attack he wished he had never ordered. The armies confronted each other on
these lines until the night of June 12, when Grant again advanced by his left flank, marching
to James River. On June 14, the II Corps was ferried across the river at Wilcox’s Landing by
transports. On June 15, the rest of the army began crossing on a 2,200-foot long pontoon
bridge at Weyanoke. Abandoning the well-defended approaches to Richmond, Grant sought
to shift his army quickly south of the river to threaten Petersburg.
Result(s): Confederate victory
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va062.htm
6
Crater
Other Names: The Mine
Location: Petersburg
Campaign: Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-March 1865)
Date(s): July 30, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS]
Forces Engaged: IX Corps [US]; elements of the Army of Northern Virginia [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 5,300 total
Description: After weeks of preparation, on July 30 the Federals exploded a mine in
Burnside’s IX Corps sector beneath Pegram’s Salient, blowing a gap in the Confederate
defenses of Petersburg. From this propitious beginning, everything deteriorated rapidly for
the Union attackers. Unit after unit charged into and around the crater, where soldiers
milled in confusion. The Confederates quickly recovered and launched several
counterattacks led by Maj. Gen. William Mahone. The break was sealed off, and the Federals
were repulsed with severe casualties. Ferrarro’s division of black soldiers was badly mauled.
This may have been Grant’s best chance to end the Siege of Petersburg. Instead, the
soldiers settled in for another eight months of trench warfare. Maj. Gen. Ambrose E.
Burnside was relieved of command for his role in the debacle.
Result(s): Confederate victory
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va070.htm
Ezra Church
Other Names: Battle of the Poor House
Location: Fulton County
Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864)
Date(s): July 28, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard [US]; Gen. John B. Hood [CS]
Forces Engaged: Army of the Tennessee [US]; two corps of Army of Tennessee [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 3,562 total (US 562; CS 3,000)
Description: Earlier, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s forces had approached Atlanta from
the east and north. Hood had not defeated them, but he had kept them away from the city.
Sherman now decided to attack from the west. He ordered the Army of the Tennessee,
commanded by Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard, to move from the left wing to the right and cut
Hood’s last railroad supply line between East Point and Atlanta. Hood foresaw such a
maneuver and determined to send the two corps of Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee and Lt. Gen.
7
Alexander P. Stewart to intercept and destroy the Union force. Thus, on the afternoon of
July 28, the Rebels assaulted Howard at Ezra Church. Howard had anticipated such a thrust,
entrenched one of his corps in the Confederates’ path, and repulsed the determined attack,
inflicting numerous casualties. Howard, however, failed to cut the railroad.
Result(s): Union victory
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/ga018.htm
8
modernization began in the 1820s to the 1850s, and although the war accelerated the trends there
were no fundamental changes to the established trajectory; and
there was a slowing of the rate of economic growth in the 1860s, therefore the war may have
retarded rather than promoted industrialization.
USMRR—US Military Railroads in the occupied South
Strategy—the science and art of employing the political, economic, psychological, and military
forces of a nation or group of nations to afford the maximum support to adopted policies in peace
or war (2) : the science and art of military command exercised to meet the enemy in combat
under advantageous conditions
Provender—dry food for domestic animals
Tactics—1 : a device for accomplishing an end. 2 : a method of employing forces in combat
redan—(Fort) A work having two parapets whose faces unite so as to form a salient angle
toward the enemy.
Fabian strategy—A strategy where decisive battle is avoided with a more powerful or skillful
enemy. While avoiding decisive battle, the side employing this strategy harasses its enemy to
cause attrition and loss of morale. Employment of this strategy implies that the weaker side
believes time is on its side, but it may also be adopted when no feasible alternative strategy can
be devised. This strategy derives its name from Quintus Fabius Maximus, who defended Rome
against Hannibal in the Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.). Due to Hannibal's skill as a general,
he repeatedly inflicted devastating losses on the Romans despite his numerical inferiority.
Fabius advocated a strategy of avoiding battle with Hannibal, while attacking his allies and his
communications. Fabian strategy is usually associated with conventional warfare, as
differentiated from guerrilla tactics in unconventional warfare.
pocket veto—is when the President fails to sign a bill within the 10 days allowed by the
Constitution. Congress must be in adjournment in order for a pocket veto to take effect. If
Congress is in session and the president fails to sign the bill, it becomes law without his
signature.
Dysentery—inflammation of the intestine characterized by the frequent passage of feces, usually
with blood and mucus. The two most common causes of dysentery are infection with a bacillus
(see bacteria) of the Shigella group, and infestation by an ameba, Entamoeba histolytica. Both
bacillary and amebic dysentery are spread by fecal contamination of food and water and are most
common where sanitation is poor. They are primarily diseases of the tropics, but may occur in
any climate.
Typhoid fever—is contracted when people eat food or drink water that has been infected with
Salmonella typhi. It is recognized by the sudden onset of sustained fever, severe headache,
nausea and severe loss of appetite. It is sometimes accompanied by hoarse cough and
constipation or diarrhoea. Case-fatality rates of 10% can be reduced to less than 1% with
appropriate antibiotic therapy.
9
gangrene—the decay or death of an organ or tissue caused by a lack of blood supply. It is a
complication resulting from infectious or inflammatory processes, injury, or degenerative
changes associated with chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus.
malaria—A parasitic disease characterized by fever, chills, and anemia. Malaria is caused by a
parasite that is transmitted from one human to another by the bite of infected Anopheles
mosquitoes.
We had fired three to four hundred rounds per man. Our lips were encrusted with
powder from biting cartridge. Our shoulders and hands were encrusted with mud that
had adhered to the butts of our rifles. When darkness came on we dropped from
exhaustion. --G. Norton Galloway, 95th Pennsylvania
(http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/american_civil_war_retired/34309)


In 1860, the per capita, commodity output (including agriculture) of North and South had
been about equal; by 1870, the North's per capita output was 56 percent greater than the
South's.
In 1860, the South's share of national wealth had been 30 percent; by 1870, it was 12
percent.9
10