In part three of this series I look at five Louis Kurz lithographs depicting battles from the first few months of 1862. The emphasis appears to be on Union victories, which is no surprise given Kurz’s background and Chicago location.
Battle of Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was one of the two forts guarding access the Tennessee River. Since the navy was unable to ground it into submission as it did Fort Henry, General Ulysses S. Grant had to start siege operations. The heaviest fighting came when the Confederates attempted to break out. They actually had a chance to escape, but their trio of incompetent commanders passed on it. The fort surrendered on February 16 and the Union now had a major invasion route into the South.
Kurz’s representation looks to be based on the February 15 battle, though it gives the impression that the Federals are making a grand assault on the fort (this never happened). For some reason about half of the soldiers are wearing winter overcoats but the other half aren’t. Ulysses S. Grant directs the attack from the left side of the lithograph. In reality he was not at the front and rarely was throughout the war.
Battle of Pea Ridge
By March General Samuel Curtis’ Army of the Southwest had pushed Sterling Price’s Missouri State Guard down into Arkansas. Price united with Confederate units (a couple Indian) under the command of General Earl Van Dorn. Van Dorn planned an offensive to take back Missouri. On March 7 he managed to march into the rear of the Federals, sparking off the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas. Thanks to heavily forested terrain and a mishap in bringing the ammunition supplies, the Confederate assaults faltered and the Federals pushed them back the next day, ensuring that Missouri would remain in the Union.
The presence of Federal supply wagons in the background acknowledges that the battle started in the Union rear. Judging by all the mounted Confederates, this lithograph seems to be based more on the fight for Leetown near Morgan’s Woods. If so the trees aren’t dense enough. Aside from showing cavalry charging straight into artillery and infantry, Kurz also mistakenly portrays the Cherokee Indians like Sioux warriors. In reality they wore a mishmash of clothing, much of it western. They also would not have brandished spears. They had firearms, though a few were reported to carry tomahawks and other axes with them.
Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac
The Battle of Hampton Roads is the most famous naval battle of the Civil War. It was the first meeting of ironclad warships, the CSS Virginia (or Merrimac) and the USS Monitor. Hoping to break the Federal blockade of Virginia via Chesapeake Bay, the Confederate navy unleashed the Virginia on March 8.It handily defeated five Federal warships. The Federal shells bounced off the ironclad’s armor. It sank the Cumberland by ramming it and set the Congress on fire. As luck would have it, the Union navy had just developed its own ironclad. When the Virginia returned the next day, it found itself facing the Monitor. The two ironclads blasted each other for hours to no decisive effect. Though indecisive, this slugfest prevented the Confederates from decisively destroying the blockade.
Kurz combines both days of the battle into one. While the ironclads duke it out, the USS Congress burns in shallow waters. The ships in the background are also lending their fire. I tried to find out if the white-bearded general was a historical figure, but could find nothing. This is the first image in this series to depict African-Americans. Kurz shows sympathy for them throughout his work and displays their heroism. Though they are not soldiers here, these black men are playing a large part in rescuing sailors from the Congress.
The Battle of Shiloh
On April 6, General Albert Sidney Johnston’s 40,000 Confederates surprise attacked General Grant’s Union force at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River. While many green Federal soldier fled, others mounted a stubborn defense that resulted in one of the most furious fights of the war. Grant used the time they bought to establish a firm defensive line. Also, Johnston was killed and Pierre G.T. Beauregard took over as Confederate commander. Thanks to exhaustion, mixed battle lines, and emerging darkness, Beauregard was unable to complete the victory. General Don Buell’s Army of the Ohio arrived overnight to reinforce Grant and the next day they pushed the enemy back towards Corinth, Mississippi. The battle was the bloodiest yet in American history and was seen as the death of any hopes for the short war.
Kurz sets his scene at a stream dividing two cliffs, with tent camps in the background. Judging by the Federals’ advance this is supposed to be the action on April 7. The terrain looks off, especially the stream with the wooden bridge. In the background the gunboats Lexington and Tyler lend support to the Federal infantry. Their presence is accurate, but the position of the Tennessee River is all off. In reality it was on the Union left and Confederate right. Here it’s on the wrong side! Interestingly Kurz equips the Confederates with their national colors rather than the battle flag.
Battle of Williamsburg
This is a battle from McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign that I’m not as familiar with. Faced with overwhelming odds, Confederates retreated towards Richmond, Virginia. General Joseph Hooker’s division of the Army of the Potomac hit its rear guard at Williamsburg. The Confederates counterattacked, but retreated as Federal reinforcements came up.
This is the only Kurz lithograph for the Peninsular Campaign. For some reason everyone’s wearing winter overcoats. The forts are also quite something. The Confederates had redoubts, but nothing like the castle here. The battle isn’t one of the more well-known ones so perhaps Kurz wasn’t exactly sure what he was going for beyond portraying a Federal victory at Confederate fortifications. It does make for a very striking image. The wounded (or dying?) Confederate brandishing a knife is quite cool.
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