Saturday, March 29, 2014

How to Start a War and Not Get Blamed For It - Lincoln Style

"The U.S. Steamers Powatan, Pawnee, Pochahontas, and Harriet Lane will compose a naval force under your command to be sent to Charleston. The object is to provision Sumter. Should the Confederates attempt to prevent resupply, YOU WILL OPEN THE WAY (my emphasis)." Naval Secretary, Gideon Welles to Captain Mercer, April 5th 1861............."Proceed to Charleston and, if on arrival, the flag is still flying, procure interview with Governor Pickens and read him this, 'I am directed by the President to say an attempt will be made to supply Sumter with supplies only, but if such an attempt is resisted, MEN AND ARMS WILL BE THROWN IN (again, my emphasis).'" President Lincoln to Robert Chew, April 6th 1861..................................................................................Both of these telegraphs were intentionally transmitted in a manner that the South could easily intercept. The fact of the matter is that Lincoln never really intended to back either of these threats with actual force but that he wanted the South to think the just opposite in what was obviously a brazen attempt to get them to fire first....Pretty darn conniving, huh?

1 comment:

BB-Idaho said...

Kind of interesting: 2/3s of Confederate artillery was stolen
from US arsenals and forts. The
other 1/3 has home made crap. That branch is often overlooked
during the conflict, but we note that among the hundreds of thousands of casualties, young
lieutenant Cushing=
"He graduated from the United States Military Academy in the class of June 1861, and received commissions as second and first lieutenant on the same day. He was brevetted major following the Battle of Chancellorsville.[4] Cushing commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery at Gettysburg, and was hailed by contemporaries as heroic in his actions on the third day of the battle. He was wounded three times. First, a shell fragment went straight through his shoulder. He was then grievously wounded by a shell fragment which tore into his abdomen and groin. This wound exposed Cushing's intestines, which he held in place with his hand as he continued to command his battery. After these injuries a higher-ranking officer said, "Cushing, go to the rear." Cushing, due to the limited number of men left, refused to fall back. The severity of his wounds left him unable to yell his orders above the sounds of battle. Thus, he was held aloft by his 1st Sergeant Frederick Füger, who faithfully passed on Cushing's commands. Cushing was killed when a bullet entered his mouth and exited through the back of his skull. He died on the field at the height of the assault" -he was fighting in
a northern state which had been
invaded by the confederacy...just to be fair and balanced.