~o0o~
The prequel of this
novel starts set in Arkansas in the final year of the American Civil War.
Unlike seven of the states from the South that seceded from the Union by
February 1, 1861, Arkansas did not secede until May 6, 1861. The loyalties
within the state were divided, part of the reason for the state capitol being
moved from Little Rock, first to Hot Springs, and later, to Washington in
Hempstead County. Between 1863 and 1865, both the Union and the Confederacy
built fortifications to protect Little Rock.
I refer to Confederate General Stirling Price’s raid
starting in September 1864, His army of Missouri and Arkansas troops entered
Missouri in a second attempt to push the Union out of the state. His
troops fought several pitched battles
but was unable to take St. Louis. Moving west across the state, Price’s army
was attacked at Westport, Missouri where he was defeated in what was the
largest battle in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. During his retreat into
eastern Kansas, Price was again defeated at Mine Creek. His troops fought in
several small engagements which nearly destroyed his army. Price returned to
Arkansas and set up his headquarters at Laynesport. All this took place during
the time in my story when Lorena was forced from the rectory and planned to
move in with her sister’s family in western Missouri.
The 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment was formed shortly
after Arkansas seceded and joined the war effort. It became the most celebrated
Confederate unit from that state. It was the only regiment to serve the entire
war in the Eastern Theater. Among the many battles the regiment took part in
was the one at Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 1-12, 1864. Members of the regiment
were present at the Appomattox Court House in 1865 when General Lee surrendered
to General Grant.
The Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia is remembered as one
of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles. Thousands of Union
soldiers were killed or wounded in a hopeless frontal assault against the
fortified positions of Confederate General, Robert E. Lee. The battle stretched
out between May 31 to June 12, 1864, with no definite victory for either side.
In his book, Personal Memoirs, written later in life, Gen. Grant said
of the battle, "I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold
Harbor was ever made. ... No advantage whatever was gained to compensate for
the heavy loss we sustained."
I deliberately placed Eustace’s Georgia property within
the path of General William Tecumseh Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” This
campaign, complete with destruction of manufacturing capacity and the railroads
(Union soldiers tore apart the railroad ties, heated them, and bent them around
trees to create what became known as “Sherman’s neckties.") was intended to
force the South into surrender. It was not a complete “scorched earth” policy. Some
of the official orders were:
... IV.
The army will forage liberally on the country during the march. To this end,
each brigade commander will organize a good and sufficient foraging party, under
the command of one or more discreet officers, who will gather, near the route
traveled, corn or forage of any kind, meat of any kind, vegetables, corn-meal,
or whatever is needed by the command, aiming at all times to keep in the wagons
at least ten day's provisions for the command and three days' forage. Soldiers
must not enter the dwellings of the inhabitants, or commit any trespass, but
during a halt or a camp they may be permitted to gather turnips, apples, and
other vegetables, and to drive in stock of their camp. To regular foraging
parties must be instructed the gathering of provisions and forage at any
distance from the road traveled….
VI.
As for horses, mules, wagons, &c., belonging to the inhabitants, the
cavalry and artillery may appropriate freely and without limit, discriminating,
however, between the rich, who are usually hostile, and the poor or
industrious, usually neutral or friendly. Foraging parties may also take mules
or horses to replace the jaded animals of their trains, or to serve as
pack-mules for the regiments or brigades. In all foraging, of whatever kind,
the parties engaged will refrain from abusive or threatening language, and may,
where the officer in command thinks proper, give written certificates of the
facts, but no receipts, and they will endeavor to leave with each family a
reasonable portion for their maintenance.
I rather imagine, there was a difference between the
wording of the orders and the actual execution in the field.
In my first book in the series, I mentioned the use of
Sharps rifles. This breech-loading, single-shot rifle came into use toward the
end of the Civil War and grew in popularity. However, after continuing my
research on the Butterfield Overland Despatch stations, I came across the
information that Mr. Butterfield provided Colt Navy pistols and Ballard rifles for
protection of the stations. Ballard rifles were another breech-loading,
single-shot rifle that was designed and patented by Charles H. Ballard in
November 1861 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Between 1862 and 1865, about 3,000
were made for the military and were used by regiments from Kentucky. Variations
of this rifle were produced by several manufacturers until 1891. I will make
the correction to the type of rifles used by the stations in future sales of Mail Order Roslyn.
1866 was a very busy year when it came to ownership of the stagecoach and freight line that ran along the Smoky Hill Trail. David Butterfield built the Butterfield Overland Despatch stagecoach and freight line in 1865. It soon ran into financial trouble due to the losses of livestock, stagecoaches, stations, and employees as a result of conflict with the Native Americans, primarily the Cheyenne, who struggled to prevent any white men from crossing their lands and disrupting the migration of the buffalo herds.
Another large stagecoach and freight company that served
the western United States at that time was Ben Holladay’s U.S. Overland Mail
and Express Company along the Overland Trail. He held the cross-country mail
contract awarded by the Post Office Department from Omaha, Nebraska to Salt
Lake City, Utah.
Wells, Fargo and Company held the mail contract between
Salt Lake City and San Francisco, California. Fearing encroachment by Wells,
Fargo and Company in the form of them attempting to acquire the Butterfield
line—thus putting them in position to capture the mail contract for the entire
distance between the Missouri River and Pacific Coast—he moved to protect his
mail contract and guard his hold over the stagecoach and wagon freighting
ventures as long as there was money to be made in them.
Holladay sent out two inspectors (corporate espionage) to
discover the financial condition of the Butterfield Overland Despatch. He knew
the company had obtained a thirty year charter from the Kansas legislature for
building and operating lines. Upon learning that the company was nearing
bankruptcy, he pressured the then-president of the company, Edward P. Bray, to
sell the line to him. In all, Holladay bought eight small stagecoach lines
around that time.
In March, 1866, the Butterfield Overland Despatch became
the U.S. Overland Mail and Express, Smoky Hill Division. Who knows when the
changes were implemented, but the company’s records showed several stations
with name changes, and there were changes made to which stations served as home
stations and which were stock, or relay, stations. For the purposes of my book,
I put that change effective the end of June, 1866.
Holladay had effectively blocked Wells, Fargo and Company
from building a competing mail and wagon freight market between Denver and to
the Missouri River using the B.O.D. line, but he knew the future was in
railroads. He intended to hold onto his stage and freight lines only as long as
he deemed them profitable.
During 1866, he realized the railroad construction across
the plains was progressing faster than he originally anticipated. On July 3,
1866, Congress authorized the Union Pacific, eastern division, to extend their
route across Kansas to Denver, which would ultimately make the Smoky Hill
Division line obsolete. On July 30, the postmaster-general ordered Holladay to
cut back mail service on his Overland line to thrice weekly. Shortly after, he was
ready to sell.
Fortunately for him, Wells, Fargo and Company believed
they had at least six more years in which to make significant profits in this
market. On November 1, 1866, Holladay sold out to them. By December 10, 1866,
the name of the vast former Holladay holdings was officially changed to Wells,
Fargo and Company.
That was really interesting. I had no idea this was how it went. Thank you for sharing!
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