S3E8 - Civil War

Hello and welcome to the Story of Rhode Island. The podcast that tells you the story of Rhode Island’s fascinating history. In last week’s episode we watched Rhode Islanders respond valiantly to the outbreak of the American Civil War only to be whipped by confederate forces at the battle of bull run. As we jump into this week’s episode, we find ourselves in Washington DC on a fall afternoon in 1861. It’s been a few months since Bull Run and surrounding the city are various regiments of union soldiers who have answered Lincoln’s call to put down the rebellion in the south. Recently assigned to be the Commander of this army, a force collectively known as the Army of the Potomac, is Major General George B. McClellan Over the past few months this West Point graduate and veteran of the Mexican American War has successfully turned these recruits into a respectable army. While sitting at his desk, the Commander of the Army of the Potomac suddenly hears a knock on his office door. After telling the person to enter, McClellan sees Brigadier-General Ambrose Burnside enter the room. As Burnside makes his way towards his desk, McClellan can’t help but stare at the Rhode Islander’s bushy mutton chops, a facial feature that will become so synonymous with the General that people will refer to the look as sideburns, an anagram of the man’s last name. Like McClellan, Burnside also served in the Mexican American War. However he arrived after hostilities had ended so most of his time was spent performing garrison duty. Originally from Indiana, Burnside moved to Rhode Island after meeting his wife while on post at Fort Adams. Following the attack on Fort Sumter he helped Governor Sprague raise the 1st Rhode Island Volunteers. Then, he went on to perform admirably at The Battle of Bull Run and was recently promoted to Brigadier General. And now, with the war well underway, he’s come up with a bold, joint army-navy operation that he hopes McClellan will approve. After some brief pleasantries, Burnside takes a seat at McClellan’s desk and begins walking him through his idea. He tells him how in alignment with the Union strategy of blockading the confederacy’s coastline, he wants to invade the confederate state of North Carolina. More precisely, he wants to take a division of about 15,000 men to capture Roanoke Island and its surroundings, an area that provides a backdoor to the rebel capital located at Richmond, Virginia. By doing so, he’s confident they’ll be able to cut off the Confederates from key supply lines. The plan is risky and at first McClellan struggles to embrace it. As we’ll see throughout this episode, the general has a more cautious and defensive attitude towards this war, an approach that will go on to drive a wedge between him and the President. But as the two discuss the scheme in more detail, the Commander of the Army of the Potomac comes around to it and eventually signs off on the plan. Then, just a few weeks later, the Union’s Secretary of War approves it as well and Burnside is given the go ahead. Momentarily, We’ll follow Burnside as he puts his first major military offensive into action and watch him experience a period of military glory before suffering a series of humiliating defeats. At the same time, we’ll also visit the Rhode Island homefront and learn about how the state’s industrialized economy helped give the north an industrial edge over their opponents in the south. These two very different perspectives will give us an all encompassing view of the role Rhode Island played during some of the most tumultuous years of this devastating conflict. The story of how General Burnside and Rhode Island’s industrialized economy contributed to the American Civil War is what we’ll cover in this week’s episode of The Story of Rhode Island Podcast

Intro Music

General Burnside doesn’t know it but he’s on the verge of achieving his biggest accomplishment of the entire Civil War. It’s February 1862, and the man from Bristol, Rhode Island is in the heat of battle with rebel forces off the coast of North Carolina. As his troops scattered throughout 16 gunboats exchange fire with the enemy, Burnside tensely observes the engagement from his ship. While watching part of his fleet fire cannonballs at Confederate batteries on the southern end of Roanoke Island, another group of ships fend off enemy gunboats attempting to protect the island. While his troops execute their plan flawlessly, clouds of gunsmoke begin to fill the air while the deafening sound of cannonfire is heard relentlessly throughout the day. As Burnside continues observing the engagement, his naturally intense stare grows even fiercer as the battle rages on. Finding himself unable to relax, he paces back and forth in his dashing uniform. Sitting on top of his mostly bald head is a hat with silver letters reading “U.S.” stitched on the front. Covering his torso is a double-breasted frock coat with 2 horizontal rows of gold buttons stitched into its front center, a design meant to distinguish his rank as Brigadier General in the United States Army. Finally, rounding out his attire is a pair of blue trousers that match the rest of his uniform. While fidgeting with the buttons on his coat, Burnside nervously waits for updates. Thankfully, over the next few hours, the sounds of battle slowly begin to cease as the rebels give up their defense of the island. And finally at about 3:00 in the afternoon one of his subordinates informs him that they’re ready for their invasion. Before long, troops are towed onto the southern tip of the island where they go on to easily fight their way through rebel entrenchments. By the end of the day, Roanoke Island is captured and the enemy fleet destroyed. But Burnside’s success doesn’t end there. Over the next several weeks he captures Elizabeth City and various other nearby rebel ports, enabling the Union to expand their blockade into a key part of Confederate territory. When Lincoln and McCellan hear the news they’re thrilled and before long word of Burnside’s success is shared by newspapers throughout the Union, quickly making him known as a promising military leader who they can lean on for more impactful missions in the future. And to illustrate their confidence in Burnside, they have him promoted to Major General. Needless to say, people in Rhode Island are extremely proud to know that one of their very own is making such a valuable contribution to preserving the Union. However, while the rest of the state has their mind on Burnside’s achievements there’s one man whose thoughts are elsewhere. He’s a brilliant inventor from Rhode Island’s founding city and in the Spring of 1862 he’s working on a problem that nobody seems able to solve. Thankfully, we’re bout to watch him solve that problems and the innovative solution he comes up with will helps us to better understand the contributions the Union’s smallest states makes to the America Civil War.

Joseph Brown of Providence, Rhode Island might just be a genius. And if he’s not he undoubtedly has that rare mix of intelligence and obsessive personality that makes him destined for greatness. Standing at just over 5 feet tall and sporting a beard that stands out almost as much as General Burnside's mutton chops, Brown is known to industrialists throughout Rhode Island as the man to call when a mechanical problem needs to be solved. For example, throughout the first half of the 19th century nobody in America knew how to create a machine that could assemble a ruler. If somebody wanted a ruler then they either had to import it from Europe or manually inscribe one by hand. But that all changed in 1850 when Brown invented the linear dividing machine, a device that could precisely and efficiently carve graduation marks. Then, with his mind still focussed on precision measurement, he invented a more compact version of the Vernier caliper, a device capable of measuring down to the thousandths of an inch. By doing so, he turned what was once an expensive and cumbersome piece of machinery into a device that could fit in one’s pocket, making it accessible to machinists everywhere. However, while Brown’s innate ability to invent or reimagine mechanical devices has made him well known throughout Rhode Island he’s no businessman. In fact, his former business, the J.R. Brown Company often struggled to make a profit. That is, at least it did until a highly ambitious young man named Lucian Sharpe started working there in 1848. While Brown worked to solve mechanical dilemmas, Sharpe worked as an apprentice by day while spending his nights taking business and accounting classes. Before long, the young man’s natural business acumen and tireless work ethic made him an invaluable asset to the genius inventor, convincing Brown to form a partnership with Sharpe in 1853 and birthing the legendary Rhode Island business known as Brown & Sharpe. Their company was part of a wider group of 19th century Rhode Island businesses that led their respective industries. Known collectively as Providence’s Five Industrial Wonders, they included Brown & Sharpe, the Corliss Steam Engine Company, American Screw Company, Gorham Manufacturing Company, and Nicholson File Company. And together they played a pivotal role in making Rhode Island one of the most industrialized states in America. Now you might be thinking okay cool but how does it relate to the Civil War? Well because by 1862 the war was well on its way to becoming the nation’s first modern industrial war where victory was bound to go to the side with the most powerful economy. And Rhode Island, although the smallest state in the Union, played an outsized role in giving the north an industrial advantage over the south. With the Union relentlessly sending a flurry of men into battle, more tents, shirts, shoes, trousers, and of course guns, lots of guns are needed. And it’s the production of guns that brings us back to Joseph Brown. As we visit him, it’s late February of 1862 and Brown is exactly where he wants to be, deep inside the depths of his brilliant mind. It’s been over a day since he last ate but he’s too obsessed with the problem at hand to even consider taking a break. Okay So here’s the quandary. Another local business known as The Providence Tool Company has been contracted by the American government to produce 1,000 Springfield rifled muskets a month. However, they’re unable to keep up with the orders because it’s taking them far too long to produce a key part of the gun known as the percussion nipple. This two step entails not only manufacturing the percussion nipple but then drilling a hole in it. Unfortunately, due to inadequate machinery the process is extremely cumbersome and as each day passes they fall further and further behind, making the government increasingly frustrated. And so, while everyone else in Rhode Island is thinking about General Burnside's glorious victories along the coast of North Carolina, Brown is trying to find a way to invent the machines the Providence Tool Company needs to mass produce guns for the Union army. For days, he sits alone in his office drawing up new designs and tinkering with various gadgets that he hopes will help him work through yet another problem nobody is able to solve. As the balls of crumpled up paper filled with failed designs pile up in his trash can, his obsession with the problem grows even more intense. No longer are there just profits on the line but the future of their nation. While Brown thinks about what’s at stake, Lucian Sharpe cracks the door open and asks for an update. However, when he sees the angry stare coming from his partner’s face he realizes that now is not the time and immediately closes the door. Once again alone, Brown stands up and begins pacing back and forth, only to end up sitting back down so that he can draw some new designs. This process continues on for the next few days and consumes Brown like an addict. He spends hours upon hours wracking his brain for a solution while hardly ever letting things he considers trivial like eating or speaking to others get in his way. Then, out of nowhere the answer comes to him. First, he finds a way to redesign the machine that creates the percussion nipple so that it can do so at a far quicker pace. Next, he invents what he calls the Universal Milling Machine. The revolutionary device automatically cuts spiral drill bits, a process that up to that point had to be done by hand. These machine tools, the first ever produced by Brown & Sharpe, will mark the company’s entrance into an industry that it eventually becomes synonymous with. The universal milling machine is such a hit that within days of it being produced weapon manufacturers from throughout the north begin submitting orders. But nobody is more grateful for Brown’s brilliant inventions than the Providence Tool Company. It’s Because of these machines why they’re able to keep up with the United States Army gun orders and over the course of the war, the Providence Tool Company will produce over 70,000 rifles for the American government. And of course, other Rhode Island businesses contribute to the war effort as well. The Corliss Steam Engine Company creates the casting of a large metal ring that helps turn the turret on the Monitor, a ship that will partake in the first ever battle between two ironclad ships; a company owned by William T. Nicholson, a man who will found the world’s largest file producing company by the end of the war, makes parts for Springfield and Spencer rifles; the Boy Governor and his textile empire, like various other textile mills throughout the state, mass produces clothing for Union troops. And alongside these massive companies are an endless number of businesses, both large and small, that produce everything from marine engines to military saddles and horseshoes. The fact that Rhode Island’s industrialized economy is being used to win a war that will eventually eradicate slavery in America is both heroic and ironic. While the heroism needs no explanation, the latter forces us to pause for a moment and remember that Rhode Island’s industrial empire has played no small part in perpetuating the horrific institution. Not only have its cotton textile mills relied heavily on cotton produced by enslaved African Americans since the late 18th century but two of South County’s largest mill operations primarily focused on producing goods for southern slave owners before the war. It’s as if Rhode Island’s deep ties to this horrific institution give it even more of a responsibility to contribute to this war that will eventually lead to the eradication of slavery in America. But thankfully, in no small part due to Rhode Island’s economy churning out military equipment and Burnside’s successful operation in North Carolina, the Union is able to make substantial gains throughout the Winter and Spring of 1862. During this period they conquer 50,000 square miles of rebel territory, two southern state capitals, and put 30k enemy soldiers out of action. With the enemy weakened, Lincoln begins looking to McClellan to land his knockout punch that will put an end to this thing once and for all. Unfortunately, that’s not what happens. Instead McClellan’s extremely cautious strategy, a mindset that’s frustrated Lincoln since the outset of the war, allows the enemy to regroup their forces and fight another day. And that day comes In the when Stonewall Jackson completely outmaneuvers the union generals during his brilliant Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Then, later that summer Robert E. Lee diverts McClellan’s army away from Richmond in the Seven Days Battles before driving his army into northern territory, putting the Union army on the defensive. Thankfully, McClellan is able to regain control of the conflict when he wins a decisive, albeit costly, victory at the Battle of Antietam in September of 1862. Although the battle proves to be a bloodbath of catastrophic proportions and the deadliest day of the entire war, McClellan’s substantially larger army manages to send the General Lee forces limping back to Virginia. The victory is a monumental moment in the war and inspires Lincoln to issue the emancipation proclamation. However, when Lincoln begins pushing McClellan to pursue Lee so that he can destroy his army, the cautious General only manages to once again infuriate the Command in Chief. McClellan’s half hearted attempt at pursuing Lee not only enables the rebel army to get away but proves to be Lincoln’s breaking point. He decides to remove McClellan as the Commander of the Army of the Potomac and replace him with General Ambrose Burnside, a man who isn’t as confident in his abilities as .

While one might expect Burnside to be excited by his promotion that’s not the case. As he sits nervously in his tent on a fall afternoon in 1862, he can’t seem to shake the feeling of imposter syndrome weighing down on him. The Rhode Island native thinks about how he doesn’t even have two full years of wartime experience under his belt and yet he’s now expected to command the army of the potomac, an army that has over 100,000 soldiers and one that just might determine the fate of their nation. And sure his performance at the Battle of Bull Run was admirable and his expedition along the coast of North Carolina was a brilliant amphibious operation but the same cannot be said for the way he performed at Antietam. It was partially due to his delay in getting the Union army’s left flank over Antietam Creek why Lee was able to escape back to Virginia. With all sorts of negative thoughts bouncing around his mind, Burnside begins to breathe heavily as he thinks about the position he finds himself in. He asks himself “what on earth have I gotten myself into?”. “What if I end up being the one who prevents us from winning this war?” But at the same time he also knows he has no time to worry as Political leaders throughout the north are expecting him to make a move against the enemy. He knows he has to do something and he has to do it fast. And so, with the pressure mounting, Burnside comes up with another daring plan, one that will rely on deception and speed. First, he’s going to split his army in two by moving part of it to Northern Virginia and another southeast to Fredericksburg. He hopes by doing this he’ll make Lee so confused about where he plans on attacking next that Lee will have no choice but to remain put. Then, with Lee frozen in place, Burnside plans to capture the city of Fredericksburg before moving on to seize the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. If all goes according to plan, Burnside’s operation will completely alter the course of the war and bring the Union one step closer to putting down this rebellion once and for all. Unfortunately, as we’re about to find out, the plan that Burnside hopes will make him a legend will end up not only being the lowest point of his entire military career but one of the North’s biggest failures of the entire Civil War.

It’s the morning of December 13th 1862 and General Burnside is in a pickle. While perched up on Stafford Heights, he looks down at the city of Fredericksburg about a mile and a half below him. While he initially hoped his troops would easily conquer an undefended city, logistical delays slowed him down and allowed Lee’s army to get their first. And now, in order for Burnside to get to capture fredericks burg so that he can go in to do the same with Richmond, he must find a way to get through Lee first. This will be no easy task as the Confederates men have dug themselves into what seems like an impenetrable position atop a set of high grounds; Lee’s left flank under James Longstreet is well positioned on Marye’s Heights while his right flank under the notorious Stonewall Jackson is set up in an equally formidable position on Prospect Hill. But with Lincoln expecting some type of offensive, Burnside knows he has no choice but to engage the rebels. And so, he starts by sending a division of troops under William Franklin to attack Stonewall Jackson on Prospect Hill. After crossing the Rappahannock River, the waterway that separates the Union army from Fredericksburg, Franklin’s men charge towards the rebel defenses. Once in range, Jackson’s artillery sends forward a devastating array of cannonfire that repels the Union’s initial attack. After taking a moment to regroup his regiments, Franklin once again orders his men forward. Within minutes, Union muskets are fired left and right and the morning fog that once filled the air is suddenly replaced by clouds of gunsmoke. Then, around 11am, Burnside increases his attack by having another division of soldiers attack Lee’s left flank. After crossing the Rappahannock River and making their way through downtown Fredericksburg, Union infantry take cover behind a small hill just yards in front of the rebel defenses. As they peak their heads over the horizon, they see a sunken road followed by a row of confederate rifles resting on a rock wall. Knowing very well that their odds of survival are slim, the men in blue uniforms being muttering a short prayer. Finally, the order is given and the men bravely begin their hopeless offensive. With a murderous array of bullets sent forward by Rebel soldiers, wave after wave of Union troops are slaughtered. Before long it seems as though the sunken road in front of the confederate troops was created specifically for collecting Union bodies. As regiment after regiment is shot down by enemy fire, Union Generals, for some reason thinking the next regiment will perform better than the last, continue sending more men towards Lee’s forces on Marye’s Heights. The carnage is so bad that General Lee is known to have said QUOTE it’s a good thing war is so terrible because if it weren’t we would grow too fond of it UNQUOTE. Eventually, Union Generals realize that both of Lee’s flanks are far too strong to be penetrated and convince Burnside to call off the attack. By the time the battle ends, nearly 13,000 Union soldiers are either killed, wounded, or missing, a number almost equal to that of Antietam. Meanwhile, Lee’s army had suffered fewer than 5,000 casualties, making the Battle of Fredericksburg one of the most one sided defeats of the entire war. When word makes it back to Washington, Lincoln is distraught and so depressed by the defeat that he says QUOTE “If there is a place worse than hell, I am in it.” UNQUOTE. To his credit, Burnside takes full blame for the loss but that does nothing to prevent the President from being attacked by politicians on both sides of the aisle. Republicans ridicule him for being an ineffective leader while a growing political coalition known as Peace Democrats begin to claim that the war is no longer worth it. Burnside attempts to turn things around by once again attacking Lee in Fredericksburg but shortly after his army begins their march a torrential rain storm begins, leaving their men, horses, and artillery bogged down in mud. By January 22nd, Burnside calls off his offensive and his failure forever becomes known as the inglorious mud march. After watching his new Commander be defeated by both Lee and mother nature, Lincoln decides that the individual from Bristol, Rhode Island is not the man for the job so he’s removed from his command. Due to General Burnside’s failure during the winter of 1862 and 1863, along with a future mishap known as The Battle of the Crater, something we’ll briefly touch on in next week’s episode, he’s gotten somewhat of a bad wrap. And although his career was certainly not without its challenges, I think it’s important to remember the extremely difficult position he was put in. To start, he came into the Civil War with a limited amount of military experience. Although he partook in the Mexican American War he arrived after hostilities had ceased and performed mostly garrison duty. On top of that, he openly stated that he felt unqualified for his position as Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Plus, it’s not like he was going up against a couple of nobodies. The Generals he was opposing were some of the most talented in the entire war. Now, you might claim that as a fellow Rhode Islander I’m biased and am just doing everything I can to defend Burnside, which I admit there’s probably some truth to, but one thing I think we can all agree on is that Burnside, like so many other 19th century Rhode Islanders, did his best to help keep the Union intact. And for that, he deserves our respect. Anyway, with that being said, we mustn't sugar coat the fact that by the start of 1863 things are not looking good for the north. And to make it worse, they only continue to get worse over the next couple of months. In the Spring Joseph Hooker is named the Commander of the Army of the Potomac but he too demonstrates that he’s unqualified for the job. In May he suffers a humiliating loss when his army is defeated by a far smaller Confederate Army under Lee at the Battle of Chancellorsville. This causes Union morale to take an absolute nosedive and enables the Peace Democrat coalition to become even more adamant towards their stance that it’s time to just allow the south to walk away. Deciding to use the situation to his advantage, General Lee makes a daring push into Union territory in an attempt to land a knockout punch that he believes could enable the confederacy to win the war. And by the summer of 1863, he’ll get that chance when his army arrives at a tiny town in Pennsylvania known as Gettysburg. Waiting there for Lee will be thousands of Union troops, ready to risk their lives to defend their nation’s unity—among them, the soldiers of Battery B, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery Regiment. When the fighting finally begins, the Rhode Islanders in Battery B will take part in one of the most important battles in our nation’s history—one that will play a pivotal role in helping America find peace.But that’s a story for next time, on the season finale of The Story of Rhode Island Podcast.