TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Smith, Timothy B. The Real Horse Soldiers: Benjamin Grierson’s Epic 1863 Civil War Raid Through Mississippi. (Savas Beatie: October 2018). 336 pages, 36 illustrations, 12 maps, notes, bibliography, index.  ISBN: 978-1-61121-428-4. $32.95 (Cloth) Timothy B. Smith’s latest work on the Civil War in the Western Theater, The Real Horse Soldiers: Benjamin Grierson’s Epic 1863 Civil […]

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Conclusion and Assessment The Confederate defense of Chickasaw Bayou was ultimately successful for a number of reasons: 1. The choice of landing area for the Federal forces was poor, probably as a result of inadequate terrain knowledge. The rush to depart left little time to conduct a thorough reconnaissance. Dependence on the naval reports after […]

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December 29 – Indian Mound At Indian Mound the Federal commander decided on a different tactic. Ordered to force a crossing, COL Giles Smith, opted away from the blunt force trauma of a massed assault in favor of a more precise approach. The 57th Ohio and the 13th U.S. Infantry were deployed on the sides […]

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December 29 – Lake House Road Sherman was determined to force a crossing of the bayou before the Confederates could further reinforce their position. He envisioned a simultaneous attack across the entire front by all his forces. Once again Morgan’s Third Division would spearhead the attack on the Lake House Road supported by Blair’s brigade […]

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December 29 – Another Option Arises BG George Morgan, conducting a reconnaissance on December 28th, discovered what he believed to be an undefended portion of the Confederate line. He was determined to bridge the Bayou at this point and assault the enemy from the center. To bridge the bayou he called upon Patterson’s Kentucky Engineer […]

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December 28 – Indian Mound On the trails and road leading to the crossing at Indian Mound the 116th Ohio labored overnight to clear the obstructions. By 4 a.m. all that remained was the abatis at the immediate crossing. The night’s work allowed six guns of Co B, 1st Illinois Artillery to take a position […]

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December 28 – Lake House Road On the Lake House Road BG Morgan prepared for his renewed attack by assigning 7th Battery, Michigan Light Artillery, normally a 2nd Brigade asset, to DeCourcy. The six guns were placed on the south side of the road and took the 29th Louisiana under fire. Their exposed position was […]

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