Today in U.S. Civil War History July 14, 1862 - It was a dark day in the history of the United States Navy. A custom that had been carried down from the British sea forces, that had existed from time immemorial, that had carried sailors through thick, thin, boredom and seasickness, was no more. The forces of purity and temperance in the U.S. Congress managed to get through today a bill abolishing the rum ration. “...The spirit ration in the Navy of the United States shall forever cease` and...no distilled spirituous liquors shall be admitted on board vessels of war, except as medical stores.” In an attempt to prevent mass desertions, the legislature magnanimously raised sailors pay five cents a day to compensate for the deprivation. July 14, 1864 - Fans of the great Confederate cavalry leader Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest are quick to note that he was only ever beaten in battle twice. If you know such a person you may wish to offer them a drink, or at least a black armband of mourning, because today was one of these occasions. It was the Battle of Tupelo, also known as the Battle of Harrisburg, Mississippi, and it may have gone badly because it was not Forrest’s style of combat at all. Opposing Gen. Andrew Jackson Smith had gotten his forces in possession of a ridgeline and dug in. Although it was far from a towering height, the usual rule still applied: it is better to have the higher ground than the lower. Forrest, on the left wing, did not coordinate well with Stephen D. Lee’s men on the right, and in any case neither wing could budge the Federals. As usual the attacking force got the worse end of the casualties, losing nearly twice as many men (1350 out of a force of 9500) as the Federals did (647 out of 14,000). Again as usual, the Union could replace the losses. The South could not.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 10:46:35 +0000
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