Mini-Series Review: Son of the Morning Star (1991)

Son of the Morning Star is a two-part TV adaptation of Evan S. Connell's non-fiction book of the same name, and also covers George Custer and his final battle at Little Bighorn. I was drawn to this film after watching the heavily inaccurate Errol Flynn as Custer flick They Died with Their Boots On. Unfortunately the mini-series has still not received a DVD release, so I had to watch a VHS rip on Youtube (yes, it's completely free, albeit with some ad breaks). While the picture quality was fuzzy, I have to say that I was very pleased with this "movie" and feel that it deserves more attention for being the most accurate coverage of Custer and Little Bighorn. After seeing the laughable misrepresentation of history from Errol Flynn's film, this was an incredible experience for a Civil War/Old West buff such as myself.

Son of the Morning Star's screen adaptation is split into two parts. The first part starts in 1866 and goes up to the early 1870s. It establishes Custer (Gary Cole) as a contradictory man. For example, he is very harsh towards deserters, but practically abandons his regiment when he hears that his wife Libby (Rosanna Arquette) is sick. He also pulls off a brutal assault on the Cheyennes at Washita River (where many women and children were killed) but is later seen to be criticizing the government for abusing Indians on the newly created reservations. Overall Son of the Morning Star portrays Custer in a thankfully balances light, showing both his strengths and flaws. This is not the romanticized swashbuckler of They Died with Their Boots On, nor the bloodthirsty and somewhat idiotic butcher of Little Big Man.

Movie Review: Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022)

Hansan: Rising Dragon is the second of Korean director Kim Han-Min's Admiral Yi Sun-Sin trilogy. It's actually a prequel to The Admiral: Roaring Currents, which was originally a standalone movie and has different actors in some of the roles. It was a big success so Kim is coming back to Admiral Yi's other famous victories. Yi Sun-Sin is in contention for greatest naval commander in history, scoring a string of incredible victories. Thus he is a national Korean hero. This film specifically covers the Battle of Hansan on July 8 1592. In this encounter Yi used his famous crane formation to pulverize a larger Japanese fleet.

The historical context is the Imjin War. Under Toyotomo Hideoyoshi, Japan embarked on a scheme to conquer Ming China. To get there the samurai-led armies needed to pass through Korea (called Joseon at the time). Korea refused to oblige, so they launched what was the largest amphibious invasion until the Normandy Landings in World War II. The Japanese ran roughshod over southern Korea in an orgy of murder and rape. Quickly, however, naval victories by Admiral Yi and the rise of effective guerilla armies turned what was to be a quick prelude to an invasion of China into a protracted slog. The Battle of Hansan in particular did massive damage to Japanese naval strength, making it difficult to reinforce and supply the invasion force from Japan.

A Very Short History of Dahomey V: The Fall of Dahomey

 

Gezo had tried to appease the British by moving away from the slave trade. However, he had soon reinstituted Dahomey’s man-selling traditions, among other things. This was done to restore Dahomey’s economy, but international events, as well as happenings among customer nations, set slavery well on the path to extinction. Dahomey’s failure to adapt would lead to its decline and justify its conquest by an even greater imperial power.

Chapter V: The Fall of Dahomey

Glele represented as a lion (Wikimedia)

Attempt at Resurgence

The resurgent slave trade out of Ouidah proved short-lived. With the United States sundered by civil war over the issues pertaining to slavery, Britain found a more amenable anti-slavery party in the Republican-led Union. A new treaty prevented slavers from using the United States flag as protection. As it happens the last slave ship to sell in America, the Clotilda, came out of Ouidah. It arrived in Mobile Bay, Alabama, in 1860. At the same time the Spanish colony of Cuba was pressured to stop purchasing human lives. Despite these closing markets, Dahomey still found many places abroad to sell its human goods.

On the positive side, Dahomey revitalized their trade in agricultural exports. Though not as profitable as slaves or palm oil, agricultural goods did compensate for lower sales of these two economic staples. With the palm oil trade recovering in the mid-1860s, buyers from anti-slavery nations, foremost Britain, were drawn to Dahomey’s ports. European business firms competed with ex-slaving Brazilians and Portuguese for control of the agricultural trade. The firms had the advantage of secure financial backing.

Arkansas Summer Campaign Part III: Cotton Plant

 If they were to successfully make their way to Little Rock, General Samuel Curtis and his Army of the Southwest needed to hook up with Commander Augustus Kilty’s White River expedition and much needed supplies. The Confederates, assuming that Curtis was retreating instead of marching to meet Kilty, made a move to strike him. Little did they know they would be fighting a critical battle that would determine the course of the war in 1862 Arkansas.

 

Cotton Plant (or Hill's Plantation or Cache River)

Study map of Battle of Cotton Plant (Wikimedia)

On July 7 Curtis started his army towards Clarendon, the final leg of the march. To reach there he would first need to cross the Cache River. The Confederates had already made moves to hold the Cache River crossing. Brigadier-General Albert Rust led 5,000 men in the area. This force included Texas cavalry (six regiments) and Arkansan infantry. Rust ordered Colonel William Parsons to secure the crossing with the 12^th and 16^th Texas Cavalry (1,000 men in all). The 12^th and 16^th did not move up together and the former stopped 6 miles south of the crossing in order to wait for the other. By failing to secure the crossing with his 12^th regiment, Parsons gave the Federals time to take it.[1] The area around the Cache River was heavily wooded, with plenty of swampland as well. As Federals and Confederates alike had to deal with branches, clouds of mosquitoes, and wet ground while a plethora of animals hooted, screeched, and flapped in the background. One Texan said it felt like a primeval world.[2]

Arkansas Summer Campaign Part II: The White River Supply Run

 

Following the skirmish near Searcy, the Union Army of the Southwest would temporarily ground to a halt. With no good base of supplies, especially food, in northern Arkansas, Curtis would need the US Navy, patrolling most of the Mississippi River, to enable a successful drive on Little Rock. This following supply run would be quite the adventure, full of controversial actions from both sides.

Foraging War

His momentum halted after the Battle of Searcy Landing, Curtis ordered his generals Steele, Carr, and Osterhaus, to send out scouting and foraging expeditions to ascertain enemy strength and improve their supply situation. These foraging and scouting forays exposed the Army of the Southwest to a newly popular form of warfare in Arkansas: that of the guerilla. The history of the 9^th Illinois Cavalry (in Steele’s Division), lists several such encounters. On one May day a private E.J. Jenkins “was foully murdered” by a party of bushwhackers, who had secreted themselves in a corn-crib at Cotton Plant. Another Illinoisan rushed ahead to avenge his partner, but was killed himself. Jenkins did not actually die immediately, but lingered on another day with five bullet wounds.[1]

Curtis and his generals discussed the recent surge of guerilla attacks. Osterhaus’ Third Division had gotten the worst of them, and the German-American was outraged by the treatment of Federal prisoners. The guerillas often beat and mutilated them before killing them. Curtis was similarly outraged and gave Osterhaus and his men permission to forego mercy. “…Such villains” are “not to be taken as prisoners.”[2]

A Very Short History of Dahomey IV: Challenges to the Slave Trade

 

The earlier half of King Gezo’s reign had seen Dahomey throw off Oyo rule and become the primary military and slaving power in its corner of Africa. But just as Dahomey rose, so did Britain’s anti-slavery crusade alongside local resistance to the slave raids. Gezo would struggle to hold on to tradition in the face of new challenges.

"Procession of the Wealth of the King's Wealth." Gezo is the referenced King.

Chapter IV: Challenges to the Slave Trade

Gezo and the British

In 1839 the British once more threatened the existence of the slave trade. Lord Palmerston, one of the most prominent and influential politicians of 19^th Century Britain, was able to pass the Equipment Act. The Equipment Act allowed the British Navy to seize Portuguese slave ships even if they were unloaded (previously they could only take them if human cargo was presently onboard). This greatly reduced illegal slave trading. The British proved to be persistent enforcers, to the point that they began to violate Ouidah’s neutrally declared waters. Dahomeans watched as merchant ships were dragged away from their shore, along with any wealth they could have made.

Britain’s seamen did more than seize ships. They actually assaulted some African ports. While this targeted one of the most morally wretched institutions in human history, it was undeniably a gross violation of other nations’ sovereignty. The local Africans were not the only ones to suffer from Britain’s anti-slavery war. Ouidah’s Francisco de Souza, as a Trans-Atlantic slave baron, lost his monopoly. There are some claims that Gezo actually had a hand in reducing his influence in Dahomey, either out of a need to reorganize the slave trade in light of recent events or out of jealousy over the Portuguese’s wealth. Though his business took a hit, De Souza remained in Dahomey until his death in 1849.

Arkansas Summer Campaign Part 1: Operations around Searcy

Many historians like to write that people overlook the Trans-Mississippi theatre of the Civil War. While not as heavily covered as other parts of the war, there has actually been quite a bit written on it in the past 30 to 40 years. Scholarship has greatly expanded on Sibley’s New Mexico Campaign, Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, and the battles in Indian Territory. Even when these books and articles began to pop up there had been a good amount on Wilson’s Creek and the Red River campaign. However, there are parts that are still rarely covered. This post gets into one of these parts.

The Arkansas summer campaign of 1862 is barely covered in histories. It was nestled between the Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove Campaigns, each centered around a large and significant battle. General Samuel Curtis’ drive to take Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, mostly saw skirmishes and a handful of smaller, if intense, battles. It’s most prominent place in the histories is the last chapter of William Shea’s Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West. Because the campaign failed to seriously alter the course of the Civil War, it is understandably overlooked. However it in fact gave the Confederates another chance to turn the tide in the Trans-Mississippi and the small skirmishes and battles can still be interesting to study.

Curtis after Pea Ridge

On March 6-8, General Earl Van Dorn’s attempt to restore Confederate fortunes in Missouri came to an end at the Battle of Pea Ridge. After his defeat, Van Dorn was ordered to bring his army east of the Mississippi and help stop General Ulysses S. Grant’s momentum in Tennessee. The Union Army of the Southwest, the victor of Pea Ridge, was bloodied and far out on its supply line, so it withdrew back into Missouri. General Samuel Curtis, its commander, was enthused at having scored a victory. In his previous tenure in the Army he had failed to experience any combat. He had gotten a good deal of it and also come off with a major success. Feelings were high.

Kurz & Allison Part X: 1865

 The Confederacy died in 1865. The major battles of that year were all Union victories and mercifully shortened the war. Louis Kurz shows three of the significant actions which spelled out the death knell of the Confederacy. He also produced a fourth lithograph that to my knowledge has been absent from illustrated histories, likely because it was printed without color and does not encapsulate a battle.

Capture of Fort Fisher

By 1865, the only Confederate port able to receive blockade runners and keep the Confederate forces, especially Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, alive was at Wilmington, North Carolina. The Union had held off on closing this port because the formidable Fort Fisher stood in the way. In early 1865 they finally made a move on it. The Navy under Admiral David Dixon Porter and a Corps of infantry under General Alfred Terry coordinated a controversially unchallenged landing on January 13 and an assault on January 15. Not properly supported by Confederate units miles away, the Confederate garrison under General George Whiting put up a stout defense, but eventually felt compelled to surrender. This cut the last major lifeline to Trans-Atlantic trade.

Movie Review: All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

 

All Quiet on the Western Front is the third adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's famous World War I novel, and surprisingly the first German one considering it is from the perspective of that nation's soldiers. Paul Baumer and his school chums enthusiastically sign up for the German Army and are sent to the Western Front in France. They soon lose their glorious and patriotic notions of war as they encounter filthy trench conditions and a string of murderous battles. Veteran soldiers try to help them adjust and survive, with Stanislaus Katczinsky taking personal responsibility for Paul. It's one of the most famous anti-war stories (though Remarque famously never explicitly stated it as such).

I've never read the novel and only watched the famous 1930 version, so I'll have to compare this latest offering to that one. I did read that Director Edward Berger cut out a few supporting characters and scenes and changed or added new ones to differentiate his interpretation. This leads to my main criticism. There's a subplot that follows real life figure Matthias Erzberger and his attempts to form an armistice and end the war. It and relevant scenes showing German generals do add more historical context, but personally the movie should have focused only on the frontline soldiers. Removing this scenes would have also trimmed it closer to a two hour film (then again, these scenes might be necessary considering many younger folks don't have the best grasp of history). As for other changes and additions, they manage to keep the spirit of themes from the novel and previous adaptations. Another criticism is the musical score. The composer went for more of a sound design style to create a sense of dread, but it can be obnoxious and ill-fitted to early scenes of new recruits smiling on their way to war.

A Very Short History of Dahomey III: Dahomey Under King Gezo

The last post covered the bulk of the Tegbesu Dynasty. This dynasty ended after several failures to become the top slaving power in “armpit” of Africa, as well as various unpopular measures by the kings. This section will look at the earlier part of King Gezo’s reign, the start of a new line of rulers, and also cover some general aspects of Dahomey’s culture and practices which in many cases extended back into the 16^th and 17^th Century.

A Frederick E Forbes illustration of Gezo from Dahomey and
the Dahomans. A servant holds a royal umbrella over him.

Chapter Three: Dahomey Under King Gezo

Lifting the Oyo Yoke

Gezo was determined to start his reign and new dynasty by ridding Dahomey of Oyo superiority. The time was right, as Oyo was suffering from internal divisions, primarily between the king and the council of elders. Also the Islamic states to the north of Oyo had gone on the warpath, with the Fulani Jihads the most threatening to the empire. When the Oyo came for their first tribute from him, he offered “a tiny piece of cloth – enough for one man’s underpants and just two bags of cowries. He sent the collectors back saying that any more gifts “would be disproportionate to Dahomey’s wealth.” Oyo sent another team to collect proper tribute. Gezo had them beheaded, starting a war.

In 1820 Gezo declared the independence of Dahomey. Oyo sent an army to deal with its vassal. However this was hardly an actual invasion from the Oyo army, as the Fulani jihad commanded Oyo’s primary attention. It was made up of other vassal Yoruba groups and Mahi allies who knew that an independent and strengthened Dahomey would be a threat. The Dahomeans defeated them and captured their commander, Ajanaku. Gezo had him executed.

Movie Review: Hearts in Bondage (1936)

 

Hearts in Bondage is an old black and white film about the birth of the Ironclad warships Merrimac and Monitor and their duel at the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862. I believe it's in the public domain, as one can easily find it on Youtube, and at 71 minutes long it should not be a large time investment. The title might cause some head scratching. I believe it refers to the torn allegiances of the main characters. Lieutenant Kenneth Reynolds (played by Oscar winner James Dunn) and fellow officer and friend Raymond Jordan are both Virginians (northern accents notwithstanding), but the Reynolds family stays with the Union while the Jordans choose their home state. Kenneth is engaged to Raymond's sister Constance and she ultimately stays with her fiancée despite loving her family. Thus one can say the title is about people are torn apart because their hearts are bonded to separate causes; Kenneth to the Union, Raymond to the Confederacy, and Constance to her love.

Kurz & Allison Part X: Late 1864

 While General Grant and the Army of the Potomac were still stuck at Petersburg, the Union scored various victories in late 1864 that hastened the end of the Confederacy and ensured Abraham Lincoln's reelection as President. Naturally Union veteran Louis Kurz would feature some of these victories in his lithographs, two from Union General Phil Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign and two from Confederate John Bell Hood's ill-devised Tennessee offensive.

Battle of Opequan or Winchester

The title for this lithograph is somewhat misleading. Opequan is in fact spelled Opequon and this is the Third Battle of Winchester. To be fair to Kurz this is the largest Winchester battle of the war (Winchester changed hands at least 72 times). This was a major battle of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. General Jubal Early and his Confederates had been running rampant, even approaching Washington D.C. itself. Newly arrived the aggressive Sheridan was determined to end his run. On September 19 he assailed the Confederates along Opequon Creek. The Federals broke through, only to be repulsed by canister fire. General Wesley Merrit's cavalry brigade got into the Confederate rear and after confused fighting Early withdrew to Fisher's Hill, the site of the next battle. This started a string of defeats for the Confederates in the Valley.

A Very Short History of Dahomey II: The Tegbesu Dynasty

In the last part we looked at the origins of the Kingdom of Dahomey, and how it settled into its role as a regional slave-trading power. Here we cover the 18th Century, when the slave trade went largely unquestioned by Europe and provided Dahomey with a wide range of customers. However, it was not as profitable as the African rulers may have hoped.

An 18th Century army procession, led by (possibly) a king with a feathered hat. Note all of the umbrellas. Umbrellas were a status symbol in Dahomey and could be quite colorful in their design.

Chapter II: The Tegbesu Dynasty

Tegbesu

Unlike his father, Tegbesu was very accommodating to European traders. He helped them maintain their forts and trading posts. In one incident 1743 he had a Portuguese fort blown up to display his power over the port of Igelefe. The Portuguese was harboring a Hueda leader. The Hueda were still trying to regain control of Ouidah and throw off their dependent status to Dahomey. Often suspecting the Europeans of siding with their enemy, the Dahomeans would sometimes launch attacks on European forts. On July 21, 1743, they targeted the Portuguese fort. At some point the fort’s powder magazine detonated and the Dahomeans were able to enter and kill many of its inhabitants in their search for the Hueda leader. After this the Europeans never backed the Hueda in their power plays, though the former rulers of Ouidah would make further attempts into the 1770s with backing from Little Popo (in present day Togo).

A Very Short History of Dahomey I: Origins

Map of West Africa by Hermann Moll (George A. Smathers Library, University of Florida)

In September of 2022, the Woman King came to theatres. The movie was surrounded by controversy. The marketing glorified Dahomey’s all-female warrior unit, the Agojie, as black freedom fighters battling white domination. Naturally those who saw the trailer looked into the background of the Agojie and were shocked to learn that they served a kingdom that much of its wealth from selling other Africans to Europeans, not to mention using slave labor to run its internal economy. The movie is not quite as bad as suspected, but still rewrites parts of history to enable a good guys (or in this case good girls) versus bad guys narrative.

My own curiosity piqued, I’ve read several books and many articles on the Kingdom of Dahomey. I do not specialize in African history, but I hope this will be a good short history of a West African kingdom. I do not have access to all the primary source accounts of Dahomey, but secondary sources reference and quote them at length. I.A. Akinjogbin’ Dahomey and it’s Neighbours is a detailed summary of the Tegbesu Dynasty, which ruled from 1708 to 1818. I will thus be using it frequently in my first two parts. Robin Law’s Ouidah: The Social History of a West African Slaving ‘Port’ covers the primary port and point of contact with Europeans. Ouidah saw a million slaves pass from Africa over the Atlantic to American colonies and Law does a great job covering every aspect of the slave trade and relations with Europeans. Melville Herskovits' Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom is not a narrative history but a summary of Dahomean social, cultural, and religious practices. Basil Davidson’s The African Past and Dov Ronen’s Dahomey: Between Tradition and Modernity offer more simplified summaries of Dahomey history. Finally there is Stanley Alpern’s Amazons of Black Sparta, the only full-length study of the all-female Agojie warriors. It goes into further detail on women in Precolonial Dahomey and various military operations.

 

Chapter I: Origins

The Founding

Dahomey occupied what is now the southern third of Benin (on the West Coast of Africa south of Nigeria). It was made up of the Fon People and centered on the Abomey Plateau. They originated the Aja, a subset of a greater Yoruba culture that dominated the armpit of Africa. They became Fon when they mingled with the other residents of late Medieval Benin. In the 17^th Century, the peoples that lived in what is now southern Benin mostly resided within city-state kingdoms. At its inception Dahomey existed alongside Allada, Jakin, Ouidah, and Popo (all of which would one day be absorbed into Dahomey via conquest). Each of these kingdoms had a main town where the king resided, and a few or more other major towns alongside various villages. Each king had under him a group of chiefs, who like him practiced hereditary succession. Familial and biological bonds were considered the most important building blocks of Aja culture and the basis for citizenship. The emphasis on kinship groups meant that the kings had no actual centralized government or army. It was the kinship groups that guided the course of these little kingdoms.

Movie Review: They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

They Died with Their Boots On is a George Armstrong Custer biopic directed by Raoul Walsh. It covers Custer's life from his arrival at West Point to his last stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and for a big history buff such as myself it does so poorly. I heard and expected this movie to not be too accurate, especially since it makes the common biopic mistake of compressing years to decades of a person's life into a single movie. But I was still quite shocked by some of the choices.

They Died with Their Boots On was the last of 8 on-screen pairings between action movie star Errol Flynn and leading lady Oliva de Havilland. If one isn't particularly concerned by historical faithfulness, it's an entertaining flick. The actors do their jobs and the protagonists are likeable. The humor, especially in the West Point and courtship scenes, is quite nice as well. Errol Flynn of course plays Custer. He's as charming as he was as Robin Hood or Captain Blood. You won't see much critical appraisal of the historical figure here. Like the real Custer he's impulsive, but this trait is never shown as detrimental to the men under him as it truly was. Olivia de Havilland is of course Libby Bacon, later Libby Custer. Like Flynn's Custer she's likeable but stripped of some of her more controversial attributes (to be fair the movie doesn't cover the post-Bighorn period where she defended her husband's reputation by attacking his peers and superiors in the military). The most recognizable supporting cast includes Sidney Greenstreet as a the historically rotund General Winfield Scott, a young Anthony Quinn as Crazy Horse, and Hattie McDaniel as the Bacons' servant Callie (this character is more of a Mammy than McDaniel's own Gone with the Wind character who gave the stereotype her name).

Kurz & Allison Part IX: Atlanta Campaign

 While Grant oversaw what was hopefully the final offensive in Virginia, General William Tecumseh Sherman led three armies (Army of the Tennessee, Army of the Cumberland, and Army of the Ohio) on a drive to the vital railroad and communications hub of Atlanta, Georgia. General Joseph E. Johnston led the Confederate resistance. Sherman tried to outmaneuver Johnston while the Confederate commander attempted defensive battles to compensate for his numerical inferiority. Louis Kurz selected three battles from this campaign for his lithographs.

Battle of Resaca

Resaca was the first major battle of the campaign. General James B. McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee had an opportunity to get around the left of the Confederates and into their rear, thus trapping them. He failed to act on it. As a result timely reinforcements under General Leonidas Polk were able to reach Johnston and force the Union into a headlong battle from May 13-15. Johnston ordered a retreat as Sherman again threatened to cut into his rear.

Kurz & Allison Part VIII: Overland Campaign

When Ulysses S. Grant became commander of all Federal forces at the start of 1864, he chose to personally oversee operations in Virginia, practically commanding the Army of the Potomac (General George Meade was still the technical commander, causing tension among the Union leadership). The ensuing campaign, which lasted through May and most of June, was a constant, hellish series of battles that saw high casualty rates among both Federals and Confederates.

Battle of the Wilderness

The Wilderness is a wooded area. In fact it is part of the terrain over which the Battle of Chancellorsville was fought. Grant planned to get around Lee by quickly penetrating the dense forest. General Lee, however, blocked him on May 5 and a confusing and bloody battle ensued. It looked like the Federals would push through anyways on May 6, but reinforcements under General James Longstreet stopped them. The weather was dry and the vegetation caught on fire, burning many of the wounded alive. Tactically the Wilderness was a Confederate victory, but Grant simply marched his arm southeast and continued the campaign. His plan was to wear down Lee’s force through sheer attrition, as the North could much more easily replace its losses.

Movie Review: The Woman King (2022)

The Woman King is a curious movie. I was entertained and absorbed for much of it, but as someone who’s fairly knowledgeable on the subject it covers, the West African kingdom of Dahomey, I found some aspects odd, perhaps a little troubling. First of all I will say that the marketing for this movie was bad. The trailer shows black women talking about fighting for freedom while girl power songs play in the background. When the main character Nanisca (Viola Davis) talks about fighting the enemy and for freedom there are shots of white colonists. This gives the impression that the Dahomey fought European slavers. When potential viewers conducted a little research and learned that the Dahomey were in fact massive slavers, seizing entire towns to sell on the coast, they felt lied to. They thought the movie was going to completely change history depict the Dahomey as heroic anti-slavery fighters. It did not help that Viola Davis tried to shame audiences by implying that anybody who did not see her movie was against black women. As it turns out these concerns can be both dismissed and verified. Let’s get into it.

The movie focuses on the Agojie, an all-female warrior unit. Black female fighters certainly checks boxes that are currently in vogue in Hollywood, but there is a firm historical basis. In the actual history they originated as a royal bodyguard, but thanks to a shortage of fighting men King Ghezo (portrayed by John Boyega in this movie) expanded it into a frontline unit. The Woman King thankfully remembers that the Europeans, the Portuguese in particular, were the Dahomey’s customer’s rather than enemies. In fact the film portrays the Oyo, a powerful Yoruba Empire, as the main antagonists. The Oyo had forced Dahomey into a tributary status, receiving annual gifts in exchange for no further invasions. This movie takes place in 1823, when Dahomey threw off Oyo domination.

The Sack of Athens

On May 2, 1862, a brigade of Union soldiers descended on Athens, a small town and transportation hub in northern Alabama. What ensued was one of the earliest incidents of hard war against civilians, at a time when Union military policy stressed policies that would win ostensibly reluctant Secessionists back into the Union. The man at the center of this controversy was Colonel John Turchin, known by his detractors as the Mad Cossack.

 

The Mad Cossack

John Basil Turchin was the Americanized name of Ivan Vasilyevich Turchaninov. Turchaninov was born in the Province of the Don (the historical domain of the Cossacks) on January 30, 1822. His father was a major in the Imperial Russian Army and a lower-ranking noble. Ivan thus got into a good school, where he excelled. At the age of 14 he followed his father into the military, rising to colonel of the Imperial Guard in 1841. In 1849 he helped quash a revolution in Hungary. One historian notes that the soldiers’ large scale theft of food from the peasants was approved of as initiative by their commanders, as they were having trouble bringing their own stores of food up to the front. This might have played a role in Turchin’s mindset 30 years later.

During the Crimean War (1853-1856) he first earned a position on the personal staff of crown prince Alexander and then established defenses along the Finnish coast (Finland was at this time part of the Russian Empire). In 1856 Turchaninov married Nedezhda Lvova, an aristocrat’s daughter he had met in Poland. Around this time Turchaninov began to chafe at the military system in Russia. It promoted men through the ranks by nature of their birth and connections rather than merit. It also got in the way of much needed reforms. As a competent officer unable to rise any higher because of his comparatively modest background, Ivan was especially frustrated by the Russian Imperial order. He and Nedezhda, both liberal Russians, decided to move away from their homeland and its firm class system. They sought life in the United States. There the ex-soldier gained his Anglicized name while running a farm in New York. Once he and his wife learned English they moved to Chicago where he used his military experience to become an engineer.[1]

Movie Review: Medieval (2022)

 

Medieval is a Czech film made in the English language and theatrically released in the States (it’s out as of the time of this review). The title is rather broad and simple (it’s like calling a film set within the last couple centuries Modern) but considering that the average American won’t know anything about the specific events depicted it’s just as well. I was drawn to this movie because it takes place in Bohemia, the land of my paternal ancestors. Czech director Petr Jakl focuses on the rise of Jan Zizka (Ben Foster), a famed Czech military hero, prior to the Hussite Wars (1418-1434). The Hussite Wars were a series of struggles within the Holy Roman Empire. These were centered in Bohemia, where theologian Jan Hus presaged the Protestant Reformation with his calls for church reform and an emphasis on Scripture over leading clergymen for authority.

Since Medieval’s narrative precedes the wars, Jan Hus is off to the side, but his criticisms of church and politics does tie into one of the story’s central conflicts, which is how the common people are victimized by the machinations of Papal and royal politics. In the early 15^th Century the Roman Catholic Church is split between two popes, one in Rome and the other in France, and the title of Holy Roman Emperor is unoccupied. This results in violent chaos throughout Europe. In an attempt to reunite the Church under Rome and stabilize Europe, Lord Bores (Michael Caine) plans to have Zizka escort Bohemian King Wenceslas IV (Karl Roden) to Rome where he will be crowned Holy Roman Emperor. Scheming King Sigismund of Hungary (Matthew Goode) also has his eyes on the throne, and forms an antagonistic alliance with tyrannical Bohemian nobleman Rosenberg (Til Schweiger). In an attempt to neutralize Rosenberg, Lord Bores has Zizka abduct his French fiancée Catherine (Sophie Lowe). Thanks to a series of double-crosses and Sigismund’s own agenda, Zizka and his mercenaries end up allying with peasant rebels against Sigismund and his nasty mercenary leader Torak (Roland Moller). If you think this is hard to follow, you’re correct. If you don’t have any decent historical knowledge of this period in history you might find yourself lost.

10 Myths & Misconceptions: Gettysburg

 No battle of the Civil War has captured the popular imagination more than the three-day affair at Gettysburg (July 1-3). As the quintessential battle of the War Between the States, if not American history in general, thousands of participants and contemporary writers were eager to maximize the drama through incredible or moving stories. Commanding officers were keen to enhance or restore their reputations and often sought to tear down others’. As a result, the events at Gettysburg have given rise to plenty of myths, most of which were credulously (though sometimes understandably) reported as fact by historians and documentarians.

#1: The Confederates Came to Gettysburg for Shoes

The story is that divisional commander General Henry Heth heard of a shoe factory in Gettysburg. Desperate to find footwear for the bare feet of his soldiers, he ordered a force towards the town for this express purpose. Thus the greatest battle of the Civil War began over shoes. This is a nice story showing how simple causes can lead to massive effects. However, Heth’s report states that he ordered his men into town to find all manners of supplies, shoes included. He added “especially shoes” because, for men marching hundreds of miles, exposed feet were a major concern. The Confederates would have had to scour the shops or try to take from civilians to find them, because Gettysburg in fact had no shoe factory.

#2: The Dutch Run Again

Statue of Francis Barlow at Gettysburg

Throughout July 1 the Union Army sent reinforcements north of Gettysburg to form a line and meet the also gradually expanding Confederate force. The defensive line, which had been holding up nicely, finally came undone when the German immigrants of the XI Corps panicked and fled, enabling the Confederates to unravel it and send the Unions running through town. The Germans, or “Dutch,” ran just like they did at Chancellorsville when Stonewall Jackson had marched into their flank. It was not cowardice that lost the first day of Gettysburg, however. It was in fact a tactical blunder on the part of General Francis Barlow, a divisional commander. Instead of connecting his left flank with Carl Schurz’s division, he advanced to the height of Blocher’s Knoll so the enemy could not use it. What resulted was an overextended salient which the Confederates were able to break through. The largely German XI Corps had no choice but to retreat with Confederates pouring into their right flank. Some critics also (more incorrectly) claimed that these men almost lost Cemetery Hill on July 2 by running again.

Kurz & Allison Part VII: Black Regiments

 Many white Union veterans had a deep respect for their black comrades in arms (check out Barbara Gannon’s The Won Cause, which shows how discrimination against blacks among veterans’ organizations was actually the exception rather than the rule). Louis Kurz was evidently among them, as he depicted black soldiers in a favorable light. I’ve already covered his use of helpful black civilians in the Monitor-Merrimac lithograph. This section contains three examples covering events from mid-1863 to early 1864.

Storming Fort Wagner

The summer of 1863 saw many attempts to capture the birthplace of secession: Charleston, South Carolina. In July General Quincy A. Gilmore sought to force Fort Sumter’s capture or surrender by seizing Morris Island and its Battery Wagner as a launching pad. The Federals landed on the island, but were not able to take the main objective. On July 18 the 54th Massachusetts, a regiment with Abolitionist white officers and mostly free northern blacks in the enlisted ranks, led a costly assault on Battery Wagner. The heavily outnumbered Confederates managed to repel the Union assault and only protracted siege warfare led to their abandonment of their post. Though a defeat, the battle proved to many that black soldiers could fight just as well as whites.

Indian Territory, 1862 Part III: Battle of Old Fort Wayne

 

Newtonia Taken

Newtonia was a big battle in terms of the Trans-Mississippi and the victors were enthused. A history of Shelby’s cavalry claimed that their victory “was decisive.”[1] This was hardly the case. While Salomon had been roundly beaten, his defeat did nothing to halt Union operations. He had simply gotten far ahead of thousands of other troops under his superior blunt and under Totten. The next day, October 1, General Blunt arrived with reinforcements. Schofield also departed Springfield and caught up with Totten’s division. Schofield took charge and ordered Blunt and Totten’s divisions to converge on Newtonia with their 12,000 men. An attack was projected at dawn on October 4. Colonel Douglas Cooper, aware of the oncoming Federals, called on General Rains for reinforcements. Rains said none could arrive. On October 3 part of Shelby’s brigade rode out and captured a few pickets, only to learn that Totten’s division was bearing down on them. On the same day Rains ordered Cooper to withdraw from Newtonia.

Nearby at Granby, Major Buster, who had barely made it in time to participate in the battle of September 30, also encountered advance elements of the Union and put up a short fight before retreating to Newtonia. Buster could not find any superior officer and took command himself, ordering Howell to deploy. Shelby showed up and prepared a defense. The civilians who had found themselves in the center of the last fight heard what was coming and fled into the prairie with their valuables. As it turned out Shelby wisely decided to retreat and he and the others headed south. Thus the Confederates abandoned the town that they had fought so long and hard to keep just a few days earlier.[2] These events also undid the Confederate concentration in southwest Missouri. General Hindman now planned to collect his forces in Northern Arkansas and then return to its northern neighbor. In the meantime Blunt had his eyes on the Arkansas-Indian Territory border.

Indian Territory, 1862 Part II: Battle of Newtonia

 

Road to Newtonia

While the Federals lost their foothold in Indian Territory, the rest of the Department of Kansas focused on developments in Missouri and Arkansas. Major General Samuel R. Curtis held overall command in this portion of the Trans-Mississippi, with General John Schofield managing affairs in the field with Blunt’s Frontier Division and General James Totten’s Missouri Division.  Southern forces under General Thomas Hindman had fortified Arkansas and by the end of August had formed a line along the border with Missouri. At any time they could make forays there to take advantage of that state’s forage and mills. Cooper played a role in this. Taking advantage of the Federal withdrawal in the latter half of July, he occupied a space in northeastern Indian Territory ten miles west of its border with Missouri. In response Blunt ordered Colonels Salomon and Weer to take their brigades south and look for possible signs of invasion. These various forces were in position for a small, but notable battle at the town of Newtonia. Though this town was in Missouri, not Indian Territory, I feel that it should be included because it shows how the Confederate Indians participated with the territory again back in their hands. It also set the stage for the next Federal entry.[1]

In preparation for his planned campaign in Missouri, Hindman directed several of his subordinates, including those in Indian Territory, to gain a foothold in the southwestern corner of the state, with an eye towards acquiring the Granby lead mines (helpful in creating ammunition).[2] The Confederates occupied a line across southern Missouri that paralleled the Arkansas border. One notable site was of course Granby and its lead mines. Newtonia lay east, to the south, and further south of that was Camp Coffee, where Shelby’s Missourians gathered. Roughly north of Newtonia was Sarcoxie, where in a few days Union army and militia units concentrate. The general area was noted for its mills, which produced vital cereal crops for man and animal alike.[3]

Kurz & Allison Part VI: The Battles for Chattanooga

 Given that he operated out of Chicago, it was only natural that Kurz would focus much of his work on the glorious moments of the Army of the Cumberland (Illinoisans and other Midwesterners were heavily represented in this army) in the Chattanooga and Atlanta Campaigns. He extensively covered the former, producing a lithograph for three of the main actions outside the Tennessee transportation hub. First, we’ll look at the battle that turned General George Thomas into a national hero.

Battle of Chickamauga

In the summer of 1863 General William Rosecrans’ Army of the Cumberland skillfully maneuvered General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee out of Chattanooga. Though Rosecrans captured all his objectives in Tennessee, the War Department was annoyed that he had not brought the Confederates into a major battle so he could crush them. Feeling intense political pressure, Rosecrans marched into Georgia. James Longstreet’s Corps arrived from Virginia to bolster Bragg’s force and the Confederates attacked the Federals near the creek of Chickamauga. Thanks to a mix-up, the Federals accidentally opened a hole in their line. The Confederates exploited this and shattered their right flank. General Thomas was able to form a defensive line on Snodgrass Hill and hold off the enemy so the rest of the army could escape. For this he was called the “Rock of Chickamauga.” Occurring on September 19-20, it was the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War and the largest (albeit pyrrhic) Confederate victory in the western theatres.

Indian Territory, 1862 Part I: The Summer Expedition

 

When it comes to the Civil War in Indian Territory, historians tend to gloss over or sometimes ignore the events between the Battle of Pea Ridge and the expedition of summer 1863. However there were many important developments in the territory during this period that saw momentum shift continually between the Union and Confederacy and also escalated various forms of violence within the territory. These events were also influenced by actions across the border in Missouri and Arkansas. This series covers three periods of Indian Territory, 1862. The first section covers the plight of Indian refugees in Kansas and the attempt to establish a strong Union presence in the summer of 1862. The second centers around the Battle of Newtonia, which was actually in Missouri, but saw heavy involvement by Indian troops. The third covers the Federal incursion of late 1862, which finally established a strong Union presence in the territory.

 

The Refugee Crisis

In the early days of the war in 1861, the Confederacy obtained alliances with most of the Indian peoples in Indian Territory. The issue was that, like the borderlands to the east, the inhabitants were deeply divided as to what course they should take. While most of the leadership sided with the Confederacy (they shared many cultural traits such as slavery), many favored the Union and others did not want to get involved at all. In a series of battles, Confederate Indians, backed by white troops from neighboring states, assaulted pro-Union Indians. Thousands of refugees escaped to Kansas in the midst of winter. The suffering exiles wanted to get back to their homes. Many within the Federal government and army were keen on seeing that happen.

Kurz & Allison Part V: The Summer of ’63

 Mid-1863 saw several battles and campaigns that put military momentum solidly with the Union. Many consider this the turning of the tide, though it can be argued that the Union  was once on the verge of winning in mid-1862 and the Confederacy actually made some comebacks in 1864.

Battle of Chancellorsville

After restoring morale and efficiency within the Army of the Potomac, General Joseph Hooker attempted a flanking movement across the Rappahannock against Lee’s Confederate forces. He actually placed the heavily outnumbered Lee in a tricky situation near Chancellorsville at the start of May 1863. On May 2 General “Stonewall” Jackson executed an incredible flank march that routed the Union right. Jackson was hit by friendly fire (he would actually die of pneumonia instead of his wounds) while Hooker suffered a concussion that affected his judgment. The next day the Confederates were able to drive the Federals back across the river. Despite accomplishing one of his most celebrated victories, Lee believed that he could not afford any more such bloody battles.

Kurz focuses on the events of May 2. He shows the Union troops withdrawing towards the background, where artillery covers their retreat. The centerpiece, however, is the wounded Jackson. It looks like he’s been hit by a lucky enemy bullet rather than friendly fire. All the Confederate soldiers are ahead of him attacking the Federals. Also, Jackson was hit at night while reconnoitering ahead of his lines, not during  the height of the daylight action. Obviously Kurz wanted to show the infamous shooting while still displaying a battle vista.

Battle of Champion Hills

This is the first of two lithographs covering the Vicksburg Campaign. After a string of failures to take the last Rebel bastion on the Mississippi River, General Ulysses S. Grant finally put together his magnum opus. With the help of the Navy he was able to quickly slip his army from north to south of Vicksburg and cross back over the Mississippi (into the state of the same name). What followed was a string of battles where Grant defeated disunified Confederate forces. Champion Hill (called Champion Hills for the lithograph) was one of the more crucial encounters. On May 16 Grant struck General Louis Pemberton’s main force at the considerable height of Champion Hill. The Federals first flanked and then smashed through the Confederate lines, taking the nearby crossroads. The battle forced Pemberton towards Vicksburg with no escape route, ensuring a siege.

I am not as acquainted with this battle so I might miss a couple inaccuracies or neat references to real locations and figures. The Confederates in the foreground are notably more diverse in their clothing, especially the prisoners. Those on the right in front of the formidable Champion Hill sport a battle flag with inverted colors for St. Andrew’s Cross and the stars. The mounted figure leading his men on with his hat is General John Logan, who got into the Confederates’ flank. Logan was a political general from Illinois who enjoyed more success than others of his kind, possibly because his aggression worked well with Grant and Sherman’s battle plans.

The Battle of Gettysburg

The bloodiest (and almost largest) battle on North American soil, Gettysburg occurred from July 1 to 3. Lee, looking for a quick blow to end the war, invaded the North for the second time. Through a series of mistakes and circumstances, the two sides blindly struck each other north of the crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. On the first day Confederates pushed the Federals south through the town. The Army of the Potomac, now under General George Meade, took the heights south of town and narrowly repulsed a series of attacks on the second day. The third day cemented the Confederate defeat when Lee’s major assault on the Union center turned into a bloodbath. This was the first and perhaps only massive tactical defeat for Lee.

As with most artists who choose one part of the battle, Kurz focuses on Pickett’s Charge, the ill-devised July 3 assault on Cemetery Ridge. This is definitely one of his more cluttered works and I have to say not as striking. Masses of men from both sides advance from the sides of the lithograph. A wrecked Union battery shows the work of the incredible pre-assault bombardment (which was actually ineffective thanks to untested ordnance). A clump of Confederate prisoners are escorted off while a thick line of men snakes over the stone wall. The fence along Emmitsburg Road can be made out behind a shell-struck group of Rebels. If the dying officer on horseback is supposed to be General Lewis Armistead, Kurz forgot he was on foot for the whole charge.

Siege of Vicksburg

The Siege of Vicksburg lasted from May 18 to July 4. Grant made several attempts to take the city by force, all of which failed. Bombardments, though terrifying to the civilians, also did not wear down Confederate resistance. It was starvation that finally forced the loss of the city. Pemberton was supposed to get relief from General Joseph Johnston to the east, but Johnston dallied. Relief attempts from the Trans-Mississippi came too late and ended in defeat anyways. On July 3 Pemberton opened up talks of surrender, which were finalized the following day. Combined with the defeat at Gettysburg, this was a disaster for the Confederacy, giving the Union unrestricted access along the Mississippi River.

This is one of the more placid works, though there is still some action. Shells burst among the entrenchments and Union gunboats patrol the Mississippi River. For once some of the soldiers are shown not fighting. Many are actually lounging about, in great contrast to all the activity on the left side of the lithograph. In the right foreground an officer directs Grant’s attention (to what we don’t know). A Confederate party carrying a white flag emerges from the trees. It could be a flag of surrender, but the tiny red cross in one corner indicates it may be something else.

Stand Watie's Raid and the Second Battle of Cabin Creek

 

This is the last of a series looking at the battles that involved the 1^st Kansas Colored Regiment. After their participation in the Camden Expedition (read here), they returned to garrison and fatigue duties. With a year still left in the war and their placement in war-torn Indian Territory, it was inevitable that they would experience more violence in some form. This occurred during a major raid of northern Indian Territory, conducted by Cherokee Colonel Stand Watie and the Texan General Richard Gano. This raid climaxed with an assault on a wagon train at Cabin Creek, the sight of a 1^st Kansas victory. Though this blog post is centered around the Second Battle of Cabin Creek, the 1^st Kansas was only present in two smaller, related incidents. The first was a fight and massacre at Flat Rock Creek and the second a brief encounter after the raid in which the infantry did not engage. For the historical background of Cabin Creek, I refer you to my post on the July battle there.

Back in Indian Territory, the men in the 1^st Kansas Colored found themselves working in hay collecting detachments. This hay fed the horses, mules, cows, and other animal essential for transporting supplies or providing food and milk. These detachments were constant targets of raids and many small fights ensued. In these casualty-light skirmishes, either the Federals drove off the mounted raiders with a few volleys or the Confederates got to the hay and set it on fire. Since the assailants came in small bands, the Federals were not prepared for any sizeable raiding force. This is one factor that would lead to disaster in September of 1864.[1]

 

Wagons for Indian Territory

Stand Watie

In three years of war, Indian Territory was in a bad place. Battles, raids, internecine violence, and theft had absolutely devastated the countryside. Most of the Indians still living in the warzone were soldiers themselves. The families of pro-Union soldiers sought refuge in Kansas and those on the other side went to Texas. Neutral Indians either tried to lay low or took refuge with the others. Thousands of pro-Union refugees remained in Indian Territory and clustered around Fort Gibson. This boosted the logistical drain on the Union’s Trans-Mississippi forces and necessitated continual supply runs. In the summer of 1864 the Arkansas River flooded, enabling steamboats to travel in. This was a swifter alternative to long, dragging wagon trains.[2]

Both sides found themselves in straitened circumstances, but the Confederates had the worst of it. Their morale throughout Indian Territory was at an all-time low. Desertions occurred at an alarming rate, and so many of the quitters were going over to join the Union side that one general groused it would be better to simply hunt them down and kill them as soon as they ran off. [3] Desperate to turn things around, Colonel Stand Watie, the head of the pro-Confederate Cherokees, had been pushing for a major raid since the start of the 1864. One officer, reporting the Indian’s request “to create a diversion with the enemy” between Forts Smith and Gibson, commented, “This has been a favorite expedition with Colonel Watie for some time.”[4]