Blue, Gray & Bayous

06/14/2024

Today in 1863 the Union army attempted for a second time to attack the Confederate entrenchments at Port Hudson

For Nathaniel Banks, his defeat on May 27, 1863 at Port Hudson was the turning point of his life. A victory would have allowed Banks to proceed to Vicksburg and take command or at least share in the acclaim of the city’s fall. Now he was stuck besieging the secondary prize. To his wife Mary he [.....

06/06/2024

THE RATIFYING CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS OF RHODE ISLAND, NEW YORK AND VIRGINIA ON STATE SOVEREIGNTY

Strict Constitutional Principles underscore the Foundational role of State Sovereignty and the ultimate Authority of the People within the federated system of government established by the United States Constitution. The ratifying conventions of Rhode Island, New York, and Virginia articulated this understanding explicitly, ensuring that the sovereign capacity of the people was recognized and preserved.

Rhode Island:

The ratification by Rhode Island highlighted that the powers of government are derived from the people, affirming their Right to alter or abolish government as they see fit to secure their safety and happiness. This assertion underscores the principle that Sovereignty resides fundamentally with the People of each State, rather than the federal government.

To wit:

“That all power is naturally vested in, and consequently derived from the People; that magistrates therefore are their trustees and agents, and at all times amenable to them. That the powers of government may be reassumed by the People, whensoever it shall become necessary to their happiness:- That the Rights of the States respectively, to nominate and appoint all State Officers, and every other power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by the said Constitution clearly delegated to the Congress of the United States or to the departments of government thereof, remain to the people of the Several States, or their respective State Governments to whom they may have granted the same; and that those clauses in the said Constitution which declare that Congress shall not have or exercise certain powers, do not imply, that Congress is entitled to any powers not given by the said Constitution, but such clauses are to be construed as exceptions to certain specified powers, or as inserted merely for greater caution.”

New York:

New York's ratification similarly emphasized the importance of state sovereignty. It stated that the powers delegated to the federal government by the Constitution were not granted unconditionally but were subject to the continued consent of the People of the States. This condition affirmed that the federal government's authority was contingent on the will of the States, highlighting the federated nature of the union.

To wit:

“That the Powers of Government may be reassumed by the People, whensoever it shall become necessary to their Happiness; that every Power, Jurisdiction and right, which is not by the said Constitution clearly delegated to the Congress of the United States, or the departments of the Government thereof, remains to the People of the several States, or to their respective State Governments to whom they may have granted the same; And that those Clauses in the said Constitution, which declare, that Congress shall not have or exercise certain Powers, do not imply that Congress is entitled to any Powers not given by the said Constitution; but such Clauses are to be construed either as exceptions to certain specified Powers, or as inserted merely for greater Caution.”

Virginia:

Virginia's ratification convention went a step further by explicitly stating that the powers granted under the Constitution could be resumed by the people whenever the same shall be perverted to their injury or oppression. This clear reservation of Rights underscores that the federal government operates with delegated authority from the States and that this authority can be revoked by the people, emphasizing the conditional and limited nature of federal power.

To Wit:

“We the Delegates of the People of Virginia duly elected in pursuance of a recommendation from the General Assembly and now met in Convention having fully and freely investigated and discussed the proceedings of the Federal Convention and being prepared as well as the most mature deliberation hath enabled us to decide thereon Do in the name and in behalf of the People of Virginia declare and make known that the powers granted under the Constitution being derived from the People of the United States may be resumed by them whensoever the same shall be perverted to their injury or oppression and that every power not granted thereby remains with them and at their will: that therefore no right of any denomination can be cancelled abridged restrained or modified by the Congress by the Senate or House of Representatives acting in any Capacity by the President or any Department or Officer of the United States except in those instances in which power is given by the Constitution for those purposes: & that among other essential rights the liberty of Conscience and of the Press cannot be cancelled abridged restrained or modified by any authority of the United States. “

These ratifications reflect the view that the Constitution created a federal system where States retained the ultimate degree of Sovereignty. The Principle of State Sovereignty was integral to the federal structure, ensuring that the federal government could not overstep its bounds without the explicit and continued consent of the States.

The declarations within these ratifying conventions serve as a Constitutional safeguard against misinterpretation or misapplication of federal powers. They provide a clear reminder that the States entered the Union with a firm understanding of their retained Sovereignty and the Rights of their People. This understanding forms a crucial part of the Constitutional framework, ensuring that the balance of power between the federal government and the States is maintained in accordance with the principles of federalism and the original intent of the Framers.

In conclusion, the ratifying conventions of Rhode Island, New York, and Virginia provide a critical Constitutional context for understanding the federated system of government in the United States. They highlight the Foundational Principle that ultimate authority rests with the People of the States, ensuring that State Sovereignty remains a key component of the American Constitutional order.

06/04/2024

Something special for those who purchase tickets during the month of June for this year’s annual Battle of Baton Rouge guided bus tour, taking place on Saturday, August 3rd; free koozie!

05/30/2024

2024 marks ten years in business working to tell the Civil War history of Louisiana! From now until June 28th, use promo code “ten” and take $10 off the cost of a ticket. Our next tour happens on August 3rd for our annual Battle of Baton Rouge guided bus tour.

Blue, Gray, & Bayous is the only tour company in all of Louisiana offering exclusive guided tours that focus on the history of the American Civil War.

05/18/2024

Blue, Gray & Bayous, although a Civil War-centric tour business, can also give guided tours surrounding the American Revolution Battle of Baton Rouge, as well as on the Republic of West Florida

Because of Spain’s numerous possessions along the Gulf Coast and in Central America, France and Spain jointly decided to have Spain fight the British throughout the southern theater and in the Mediterranean, while France would send their soldiers and navy to help the thirteen American colonies. It...

05/18/2024

05/10/2024

Flag of the 4th Louisiana Infantry (formerly tentatively identified as the 3rd Kentucky Mounted Infantry) (tentative). According to its official capture history, it was captured at Richland Creek, Tennessee, December 16 or 17, 1864. However, research indicates it was captured after the Battle of Nasvhille at Holly Tree Gap north of Franklin, Tennessee, where some of Hood's troops (including Gibson's Louisiana Brigade) mounted a rear guard action. Identification based on modern research.

"Confederate Battle Flag captured by the Cavalry Corps, Military Div. of the Mississippi at the Battle of Richland Creek Dec. 16th 1864" (from "Record of Rebel Flags Captured by Union Troops After April 19, 1861", National Archives, RG 94)

"Gen. James F. Knipe, of the Seventh Cavalry Division, made a lucky hit on Saturday afternoon near Brentwood, capturing two flags, belonging to the Fourth and Thirtieth Louisiana Cavalry, [Infantry] .... That [flag] of the Fourth Louisiana (commanded by Colonel Hunter, who was also captured) is a magnificent one. The ground is of red bunting, with a cross made of heavy blue silk, the border of yellow twilled silk, twelve gold stars being upon the cross. This flag bears the following inscription: 'Jackson, Port Hudson, Baton Rouge, and Shiloh'." ("Charleston Mercury," Charleston, South Carolina, January 4, 1865, page 3)

05/09/2024

Our annual Battle of Baton Rouge guided bus tour is now available for ticket purchase. This tour is only offered once a year, and because it’s a bus tour, there are limited number of seats available. If you have missed out on this tour in the past, or want to take it again, now is your chance to buy tickets for this year’s tour. Go to bluegrayandbayous.com and search for “Sublime Courage: Battle of Baton Rouge”

Blue, Gray, & Bayous is the only tour company in all of Louisiana offering exclusive guided tours that focus on the history of the American Civil War.

03/28/2024

When you begin to study and understand how absolutely disgusting 19th century cities were (including New Orleans), one begins to understand why Northern travelers down South, such as Frederick Olmsted, wrote about how living conditions on Southern plantations were so much better than life in Northern cities:

The Horse Manure Problem of 1894
The 15 to 30 pounds of manure produced daily by each beast multiplied by the 150,000+ horses in New York city resulted in more than three million pounds of horse manure per day that somehow needed to be disposed of. That’s not to mention the daily 40,000 gallons of horse urine.
In other words, cities reeked. As Morris says, the “stench was omnipresent.” Here are some fun bits from his article:
Urban streets were minefields that needed to be navigated with the greatest care. “Crossing sweepers” stood on street corners; for a fee they would clear a path through the mire for pedestrians. Wet weather turned the streets into swamps and rivers of muck, but dry weather brought little improvement; the manure turned to dust, which was then whipped up by the wind, choking pedestrians and coating buildings. . . even when it had been removed from the streets the manure piled up faster than it could be disposed of . . . early in the century farmers were happy to pay good money for the manure, by the end of the 1800s stable owners had to pay to have it carted off. As a result of this glut . . . vacant lots in cities across America became piled high with manure; in New York these sometimes rose to forty and even sixty feet.
We need to remind ourselves that horse manure is an ideal breeding ground for flies, which spread disease. Morris reports that deadly outbreaks of typhoid and “infant diarrheal diseases can be traced to spikes in the fly population.”
Comparing fatalities associated with horse-related accidents in 1916 Chicago versus automobile accidents in 1997, he concludes that people were killed nearly seven times more often back in the good old days. The reasons for this are straightforward: . . horse-drawn vehicles have an engine with a mind of its own. The skittishness of horses added a dangerous level of unpredictability to nineteenth-century transportation. This was particularly true in a bustling urban environment, full of surprises that could shock and spook the animals. Horses often stampeded, but a more common danger came from horses kicking, biting, or trampling bystanders. Children were particularly at risk.
Falls, injuries, and maltreatment also took a toll on the horses themselves. Data cited by Morris indicates that, in 1880, more than 3 dozen dead horses were cleared from New York streets each day (nearly 15,000 a year).

03/28/2024

Unfortunately another piece of Louisiana Civil War history is gone. This old pre-Civil War home on Joor Road outside of Baton Rouge was used as a field hospital following the Battle of Baton Rouge in 1862. From what I’ve read, the house was demolished to make way for low income housing apartments

03/24/2024

Despite having been published well over 120-years ago, and given a few more recent studies which may have tried to challenge some of his conclusions, Numbers and Losses in the Civil War in America: 1861-1865 by former Union Colonel of both the 5th and 18th New Hampshire Volunteers, Thomas L. Livermore, stands as the seminal work in Civil War statistics.

This volume is considered the seminal work, particularly in the context of military historiography and statistical analysis of the American Civil War. Livermore's detailed examination of the numbers associated with battles, troop strengths, and casualties provides a foundational resource for later historians and scholars. His methodology and conclusions have influenced subsequent research in Civil War history, offering a quantitative basis that complements the qualitative narratives of the war.

The significance of Livermore's work lies in its attempt to bring clarity and precision to the often murky and disputed statistics of the Civil War. By meticulously compiling and analyzing data from official records and reports, Livermore contributed to a better understanding of the conflict's scale and the human cost involved. This approach marked a departure from the purely narrative or anecdotal histories of the war, providing a basis for more informed analysis and discussion.

Moreover, the book's influence extends beyond its immediate field, contributing to the broader practice of using statistical analysis to understand historical events. It has served as a reference point for both contemporary and later historians who seek to quantify the human experience of war. Thus, while specific figures or methodologies used by Livermore might have been revised or challenged by later research, the importance of his work as a pioneering effort in the statistical study of war remains undisputed.

Having said all of that, one of the more controversial conclusions reached by Livermore was that the Confederacy managed to essentially mobilize 100% of its available manpower during the war, which in and of itself is a remarkable feat for any nation. While noting there were regions of the Confederacy that contributed men to the Federal armies, those were offset by men who joined the Confederacy from the border states. A chart taken from his book is shown below.

03/23/2024

03/21/2024

The CSS Webb, which served on the Mississippi and Red River. Towards the war's end, she broke out of the Red River and made a dash down the Mississippi, past New Orleans, but was intercepted, and rather than give battle, her crew scuttled her before she could reach the Gulf of Mexico

03/17/2024

Capt. Felix Hughes was born in 1829 in Ireland. He enlisted for the length of the war in Co. C, 22nd Mississippi Infantry July 20, 1861 at Vicksburg. He was 32 years old. Between July 27 and November 1 Nov, 1861, Capt. Hughes was "On Special Service as bearer of Despatches to the President at Richmond."

According to the company muster roll, Capt. Felix Hughes was killed at the Battle of Baton Rouge on August 5, 1862.

03/15/2024

If not for the promise of the CSS Arkansas, Confederate General Breckenridge would not have agreed to attack Baton Rouge on August 5th, 1862. The plan was that Breckenridge would attack from the east, while simultaneously the CSS Arkansas would battle the U.S. navy in the river in front of Baton Rouge. Breckenridge attacked, but the Arkansas had engine trouble and never arrived. Her crew decided to blow her up and her wreckage now rests beneath the levee on the West Bank of the Mississippi, just down river from the “old” bridge above downtown Baton Rouge

03/14/2024

Today in 1864 the Confederate Fort DeRussy was captured by Union soldiers. Fort DeRussy was garrisoned by about 300 Confederates, while the Union force numbered close to 10,000. It was over in 20 minutes. Today Fort DeRussy is a much neglected and forgotten Louisiana Historic Site outside of Marksville.

BATTLE MAP | American Battlefield Trust’s map of the Battle of Fort DeRussy, Louisiana on Mar 14, 1864

03/13/2024

March 13th, 1864:
Advance units of the Mississippi Squadron move upriver while A. J. Smith marches inland to Marksville. Smith had just taken four unfinished Confederate forts at Yellow Bayou, two miles from Simmesport.

Adapted from "Through the Howling Wilderness" by Dr. Gary Joiner.
Image is a sketch of Porter's Flotilla from Harper's Weely.

03/13/2024

March 12th, 1864:
The combined fleet of the Fresh Water Navy enters the mouth of the Red River and the city of Simmesport is secured as a bridgehead.

Adapted from "Through the Howling Wilderness" by Dr. Gary Joiner.
Image is a sketch of the Mississippi Squadron entering the Red River taken from Admiral Porter's "The Naval History of the Civil War".

03/09/2024

02/26/2024

Tickets are now available for this year’s guided bus tour that covers the Battle of Baton Rouge. As in years past, tickets are limited as it’s a bus tour. Go to www.bluegrayandbayous.com and secure your seat on the bus for this annual one-time-only tour that covers the Battle of Baton Rouge while seats are available

01/26/2024

Today in 1861, Louisiana voted to sever its bond within the Union and declare herself and free and independent Republic.

“The anniversary of the day on which Louisiana, by the voice of her people, in convention assembled, severed her connection with the Federal Government, and declared herself free, independent and sovereign state, is at hand. It is meet and proper that this great and glorious event should be celebrated in a manner worthy of a chivalrous and patriotic people, who disenthralled themselves and their political connection with a Government whose principles were diametrically adverse to their guaranteed constitutional rights, and their domestic institutions.”

- By the order of Thos. O. Moore, Governor and Commander-in-Chief

12/28/2023

"After the election of Mr. Lincoln in 1860, there was no concealment of the declaration and preparation for war in the South. In Louisiana, as I have related, men were openly enlisted, officers were appointed, and war was actually begun, in January, 1861. The forts at the mouth of the Mississippi were seized, and occupied by garrisons that hauled down the United States flag and hoisted that of the State. The United States arsenal at Baton Rouge was captured by New Orleans militia, its garrison ignominiously sent off, and the contents of the arsenal distributed. These were as much acts of war as was the subsequent firing on Fort Sumter, yet no public notice was taken thereof."

Gen. Wm. T. Sherman says (Memoir, Vol. II., p. 382):

12/18/2023

Are you a tour guide? Have experience with public speaking? Love reading about historical events and talking to others about it? We’re looking for a step-on guide who can conduct an hour-long guided bus tour that covers the American Revolution Battle of Baton Rouge, the attack on Baton Rouge during the Florida Rebellion of 1810, and the Battle of Baton Rouge during the Civil War.

After taking guests around downtown Baton Rouge, the tour continues to Magnolia Mound Plantation. Once at Magnolia Mound, Baton Rouge park employees will take over the tour, but you will still need to be present to answer any questions, and ensure the safety of the guests.

A script will not be provided. This is independent contractor / gig employment. You must do your own research and put together your own tour (with management’s approval).