Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-03-06
- . 75e
CIVIL WAR
FIFTY YEARS AGO
THIS WEEK
March 4. 1862.

March 4. 1862.
Andrew Johnson, recently appointed
provisional governor Of Tennessee. be
gan to organize the government Of that
state He had been waiting until his
nomination as Brigadier General by
the president should be confirmed by
the senate. it being advisable that he
have specific military authority in the
work which he was to undertake. The
appointment was confirmed on the
morning of this day 1t was intend
ed that Gen. Johnson should preside
over the government of the state until
a regular government could be re-
organised c5
Gen. Hitchcock declined the appoint
ment as major general In the Northern
army, pleading i'll health.
The Richmond Dispatch printed a
story Of man arriving from the south
on the fourth. who stated that the
whole country is in blaze of patriot
dc enthusiasm. The late reverses have
awakened military spirit, which
throws into the shade the demonstra-
lions at the beginning of the war. The
whole population is Offering itself en-
masse. Nothing like the universal
and fervid awakening of the people to
the exigencies of the time has occurred
since the beginning OF the war Men
or all ages are eager TO unite in the
work of driving back the foul invader
from our southern homes, and even
tho
would buckle them on and hasten to
the fields. AS it is. the prayers of
mothers, wives, daughters, are sent mp
increasingly to heaven in behalf of the
case, the cause, and the course, that
is giving strength even to the arms
of old age, converting boys into vet
Grams. and the weak and timid into
heroes"
March S, 1862.
John Ericssons turreted ironclad
Monitor was delivered TO the govern
ment for trial.
An order was issued at Jackson,
Tenn, by the Confederate Gen. p. G.
t. Beauregard assuming command of
the Confederate army of the Missis-
sippi. The order declared that the
northern invader must be made to
atone for the reverses experienced by
the southern arms.
The u. S. S. S. Water Witch, after a
long chase off ST. Andrews Bay. west
of Florida, oyerhauled and brought UP
with the Confederate schooner William
Mallory, which surrendered after sew,
eral shots had been fired at her. The
Mallory was from Havana, bound for
any port that she could make through
the blockade. She was an extremely
fast sailor, having shown her heels
to the Water Witch for five hours.
A proclamation was issued by F. w.
Pickens, governor of South Carolina,
calling on the people to complete
their quota of five more regiments,
called for by the Confederate govern
ment
A accommodating party of the Sixty
Third Pennsylvania, Heintglemans d.
vision, came to grief a few miles be-
yond 0ccoquan. Va. They walked in
to a trap set for them by body of
Confederates, who concealed them
selves in a woods and fired one volley
at close range, killing Capt. Chapman
and Lieut.. Lyle. and wounding two
pcivates. The Confederates were too
fsw in number TO offer an engage
ppent, and withdrew after doing their
fatal mischief
The Confederate cavalry made a
demonstration against the National
picket line about Columbus, Ky, and
forced it to contract until it came
Within touch of the gunboats
Maj. Gen. Bragg of the Confederate
army issued an order from Jackson.
Miss, declaring Memphis to be under
martial law.
March 6, 1862.
John Ericsson's turreted ironclad
Monitor" sailed for Fortress Monroe.
President Lincoln's views on the
emancipation of the slaves We're de
veloped in message sent to congress.
Declaring his belief that emancipation
must be gradual and not sudden, Pres
ident Lincoln suggested that the house
and senate join in resolutions Offering
that the United States ought to CO
operate with any state which may
adopt { gradual adjustment of sla-
very. giving to such state pecuniary
aid, TO be used by such state in its
discretion to compensate for the incon-
, venience. public and private, produced
by such a change of system" The
president said that the war has been
an indispensable mean" for the pres.
ervation of the Union, and declares
that the present proposition is offered
as something that promised great eff
ficiency toward ending the struggle"
A squad of Van Aliens Union caval-
yy surprised and captured a Confeder-
ate picket near Bunker Hill. Va.
The congress of the Confederate
states passed a bill making it the duty
of every commanding officer in the
Confederate army to destroy cotton
and tobacco when there was danger
of its falling into the hands of the en-