Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, Aug. 30.

Click 👉Today in History (general history) Aug. 30. 

On This Day in Confederate History, Aug. 30.

1862: On the third day of the Second Battle of Manassas, Va., Gen. Pope doesn't believe reports that Longstreet's wing of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia is on his flank, and orders an attack that morning on Stonewall Jackson's front. His attacks fail and the Second Louisiana Brigade gains fame by throwing rocks at the Yankees after running out of ammunition. That afternoon, Longstreet launched his devastating flank attack rolling up the Federal Army of the Potomac and sending them reeling back to the safety of Washington, D.C.'s fortifications. General Lee has won another signal victory. Pope is relieved and sent to a secondary job and General McClellan is put back in command by Lincoln.

Starke's Louisianians resorted to throwing rocks when
they ran out the ammunition at Second Manassas.
(Library of Congress)

1863: Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard reported on the Siege of Charleston, S.C. the following: "During the night, the enemy's guns were silent in front of Battery Wagner, but they renewed the bombardment of Fort Sumter before daylight on the morning of the 30ths, and during the day threw 634 shots against it. They were also busily engaged in completing their advanced works, though greatly disturbed by the fire from Wagner and our James Island batteries, which compelled them to desist from the work of advancing a sap on the left of Battery Wagner. In the evening, the enemy opened a brisk fire on Wagner with both mortars and Parrott guns. No serious damage was done to the work but several casualties occurred. During the night, Battery Wagner kept up a steady and effective fire on the enemy's advanced works."

Confederate General Birthdays, Aug. 30.

Lieutenant General Alexander Peter Stewart was born on this day in 1821 in Rogersville, Tennessee. He graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1842 and served in the U.S. Army in the 3rd U.S. Artillery until resigning on May 31, 1845. He then became a college professor. During the war, he worked his way up from a major of artillery to a lieutenant general and one of the most competent commanders in the Army of Tennessee, which he was commanding at the end of the war. His battles included Belmont, Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Ezra Church, Second Franklin, and Nashville. Stewart was wounded in the head at Ezra Church. Following the war, Stewart became an insurance executive, chancellor of the University of Mississippi, and of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. He died Aug. 30, 1908, in Biloxi, Miss., and was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo.

Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart

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