Transcripts For CSPAN3 Politics Public Policy Today 20140821

Eligible population, dont even meet the basic requirements to get into todays army. 99 of todays recruits have a High School Diploma or equivalent. An era where 79 of High School Students graduate. Thats 21 times lower rate of dropouts than the national average. Overall, todays recruits are healthier, more physically fit than the vast majority of peers and must adhere to zero tolerance policy on drugs and criminal issues. It is actually statistically easy tosh gier to get into coll enlist, not become an officer, but enlist in the army. Life of a soldiers no secret to them. They join knowing they will endure hard times then will endure sacrifice. They will be charged to keep us safe. The few that make the cut to get in, are willing to make that sacrifice, they are not always easy to find. If it was easy to find, we one need an entire command to recruiting. Those that get in, those that make the cut to get in and make the next cut, to get through training and into a unit, they become part of something much greater than themselves. Theyre the ones who have the combination of skills, intelligence, physical ability and the sense of duty to be at part of that 1 of our population that dons a military uniform. The 1 that puts their lives on the lines in defense of our nation, thats the 1 that i want to be a part of. Thats 1 that i am proud to be a part of. So the next time you see that brandnew private or lieutenant with a shiny new know they were among the best in our society had to offer. They have more ability and potential than most of their peers and still chose, they chose to put that uniform on and to accept the sacrifices that come with. They are tomorrows generals and command sergeants majors. They are future of our nation. So just let me close by saying, i thank you for the honor of being here, stand on this hollowed ground with you and remember this chapter and our history and people who lived in it and died in. Have a great day. God bless america. Our benny dix will be give been by reverend rick greenewood with st. Pauls episcopal church. With pastor lyons from gillfold, both churches represented were wartime congregations here in petersburg. But again, this morning, our benny diction, reverend greenwood. May god the earth maker, god the universe creator, god the star thrower, god the tree grower, may god the builder of nations, god the lord of lords, god the king of kings, god the lover of mankind, may god who is our history, god who is our present, god who awaits us in the future, god be with us now. May god the pain bearer, god the one who suffers, god the bloodied sacrifice, god the redeemer, may god the incarnate one, god the one born of woman, god the one who lived as one of us, god the son, may god who is with us, god who looks like us, god who frees us, god bless you now. May god the life giver, god the sanctifier, god the divine breath, god the holy maker, may god the spirit sharer, god the community creator, may the peace revealer god the comforter of all, may god who moves amongst us all, god who whispers divine love, god who lifts us in eternal life, god lead us forward today. May god the earth maker, the pain bearer, the life giver, bless you and keep you now and always. Amen. [ taps playing ] [ taps playing ] back up with closing remark this morning, just from me personally irg want to thank you all for being here with us today on 150th anniversary. Once again, superintendent rogers. I want to be very short and thank you all for coming. Ive learned when its time for things to be over, its time for them to be over. I want to thank ft. Lee. Colonel, great speech, thank you. People dont realize that petersburg used to be a part of ft. Lee, theyre our big brother. So we were actually cut ut of ft. Lee. Created by one union and one confederate soldier. Thank the Postal Service for coming here and presenting a stamp. Thank you. Thank the city of petersburg for working with us. Thank you go and find yourself in history, thanks. Congress on recess, during the month, American History tv airs throughout the week here on cspan 3. Live this afternoon, author and historian anthony pitch will detail his book the burning of washington in which he describe house British Military forces 200 year ago this week set the white house and u. S. Capitol on fire after making their way into the nations capitol. Hosted by the smithsonian associates. See it live today starting at 6 45 eastern. Again here on cspan3. Coming up tonight, a look at civil wars atlanta campaign. In may of 1864, Union General William Sherman marched into georgia with a goal of capturing atlanta. After series of battles throughout the summer and siege of the city, atlanta fell to the union september 2, 1864. Well hear about general shermans march to the sea through georgia, as well as Joseph Johnston who led the confederates in spring and summer of 1964 april look at confederate weapons manufacturing in Central Georgia during and after the fall of atlanta, tonight 8 15 eastern, here on cspan3. Here are some of the highlights for this within. Friday, cspan, prime time, well visit important sites in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Saturday night at 8 00, highlights from the new York Ideas Forum including cancer biologist andrew hessle. Sunday, q a, congressman Charlie Rangel 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Friday night at 8 00 on cspan2, indepth with writer and religious scholar reza aslan, saturday, 10 00, retired neurosurgeon and columnist, ben carson. Lawrence gold stone on the competition between the Wright Brothers and glenn curtis to be the predominant name in manned flight. American history friday, 8 00 eastern, hollywoods portrayal of slavery, saturday night at 8 00, 200th anniversary of the battle of bladonsburg and burning of washington. Sun 8 00 p. M. , former white house chiefs of staff discuss how president s make decisions. Fine our Television Schedule one week in advance at cspan. Org and let us know what you think about the programs youre watching. Call us 2026263400 or email United States, commen commentscspan. Org. Follow us on twitter. Next a look at role of the u. S. Colored troops in the battle of the crater during the siege of petersburg. After weeks of tunneling on july 30th, 1864, union forces blew up a mine underneath the confederate lines to create a gap in the defenses. Emmanuel dabny of Petersburg National battlefield discusses why the attack ultimately failed and why the u. S. Colored troops were unjustly blamed. This is just under an hour. Good morning. I will prewarn you, today you will hear language that we find repulsive. Im not going to cut it out because it makes us quiver. Well get started. On june 12th, 1864, after failing to defeat robert e. Lees army of northern virginia, Lieutenant General ulysses s. Grant accompanying Major General george g. Meades army of the potomac and a portion of the army of the james, pulled away from the fortifications at cold harbor and began the Movement Toward petersburg. Some troops to the bermuda 100 region north of peterburg to begin the attack on the city the following day of june 15th. Petersburg in 1860 had been virginias second largest city. With a population 18,266 folks. Since the war of 1812, it had been referred to as cockade city because they wore them on their hats. Four railroads radiated from the city by 1860. The Petersburg Railroad which ran south to weldon, north carolina. The richmond in petersburg, obviously connecting those two places. The south side which ran from city point, modern day hopewell, virginia, through petersburg, to lynchburg. And the norfolk and petersburg. In addition to petersburgs railroads, the city possessed four cotton factories, three flour mills, four iron foundries and three planing mills. These operations, tapped into a discussion were just having about the importance of places, are going to be cranking out supplies and food for the confederacy throughout the war. In addition to that industrial activity, the confederacy operated several wartime plants within or near the city, still functioning in the summer of 1864. Including lead works, artificial bids to obtain gun powder. And a wagon works. A wartime blockade, getting back to the interests in the blockade, had created even greater importance for the Petersburg Railroad because at weldon, a separate railroad company, weldon in wilmington, operated connecting petersburg with europeanran goods through the blockade there at wilmington. Grant wanted i should have clicked a while ago. Heres petersburg. Grant wanted to cut off richmonds communication and transportation of goods from and through petersburg, and, of course, destroy lees army. June 15th to the 18th, before lee even really fully arrived at petersburg, union troops assaulted the city but failed to capture it. Siege operation began. And along one part of the line, the men in Major General burnsides ninth corps was less than 400 feet from the confederate earthworks. In the midst of the summer of 1864s drought and heatwave was the constant sharp shooting and construction of earthworks and a plan had developed to break this campaign before it lasted much longer. As early as june 21st, Lieutenant Colonel henry pleasant 48th infantry, thought mining the confederate position, alternately called pegrams battery was a possibility. He later noted greatest enthusiasm for the project was his Division Commander Brigadier General Robert Potter and his core commander, Ambrose Burnside. 48th pennsylvania infantry began excavating the mine on the 25th of june, for whatever reason people remember it started at 12 00 noon. So if youre a detailoriented person, they left it for us. The work was performed night and day, seven days a week. Even in the intense summer heat which often exceeded 105 degrees. The concerns about ventilating the mine were addressed and represented in the images here. Fresh air entered an eight inch square wooden duct circulated through creating fire was created which would send the bad air out through a chimney shaft. Canvas door was placed over the entrance to keep fresh air in and keep, allow miners to get in and out of the shaft. As laborers extended the mine, so, too, with the wooden duct system would be extended and by the 17th of july, the mine will reach the 510. 8 feet that pleasants had first proposed. Two galleries are going to be extended which was represented in this image at the top. Underneath the confederate position in which the gun powder is supposed to be packed. While the 48th pennsylvania infantry dug the mine, Ambrose Burnside crafted a battle plan. Three weeks ahead of the assault, he informed Edward Ferrero, you see there, Commanding Division of u. S. Color troops of his plan to use those men first. Burnside expected 12,000 pounds of gun powder to explode somewhere around daybreak or at least by 5 00 a. M. Then the black soldiers would be massed in double columns all ready to pass through the gap in the enemys line. Lead regiment of the brigade was to be perpendicular to the confederate line and execute this by maneuvering to the north, the right of the explosion site, and the brigade on the left was to do the same but in reverse. The remaining regiments were to move as quickly as possible to the crest in front as rapidly as possible, as burnside wrote. Then the white troops of burnsides corps and others would soon follow. Ferrero was directed to drill his enthusiastic troops but not veterans for this attack. However, this is an issue we still dont know all the details of, were the u. S. Color troops trained, were they not trained . Depends on who you ask. Captain Robert Beacham of the 23rd usct, recalled one drill between june 22nd and july 29th and there was, as he said, Nothing Specific to this particular battle maneuver. But they were, as he said, most common in simple maneuvers. Others recall specialized training, like colonel bates commanding the u. S. Color troops who remember time after time did my regiment go through the imaginary advance, turn to the left, and advance along the line of the works. Every officer and every private knew his place and what he was expected to do. And so in short, ill say we dont know if they were trained or not. What we do know is the confederates figure out whats going on with the union mining activity just five days after the federals have started. This man is to, on confederate side, to be praised for lucky guessing. And of course, many of you in this audience, your attention to gettysburg, know Edward Porter alexander. Hes inspecting the lines on at elliott salient on june 30th. Hes expecting to see the seize operations of 19th century warfare taking place, trying to extend union lines, get them closer to the confederates, but hes not noticing that. He notices, however, theres intense sharp shooting coming into this position and he thinks seriously that the enemy isnt going to come, as he said, above ground, but they were coming under ground. They were mining us, he later wrote. I always say on my tours, its important to know that this isnt farmer joes son, probably wouldnt have guessed this. Alexander is a graduate of west point, third in his class of 38. And so he knew this sort of world of siege operations which could include mines. Alexander reported his suspicions to headquarters, southern countermining began in several places but they were not in elliots salient area go deep enough below ground to collapse the union mine. In addition to countermining, confederates are busy constructing another single line of earthwork behind the position. Just because of the intense amount of sharp shooting and artillery fire, the confederates had it was later stated practically honeycombed the area in between this new cavalier trench and the back of elliots salient with bombproofs. What they didnt know is this would soon enough create an obstacle for the federals. Whats planned beyond the cavalier trenches, alexanders orders to move up more artillery. Its going to be in a horseshoeshaped ring around this region and the confederates are going to have 30 cannon and 5 mortars to use against any Union Infantry attack in that particular area. The plan developed by burnside began unraveling almost as soon as Army Headquarters got the plan. July 27th, 8,000 pounds of gun powder arrived instead of the 12,000, as meades engineer has decided that thats all that theyll need. A single fuse arrived in segments, 10 to 15 feet in length, which required multiple splicing. The plans for the attack which burnside had proposed were changed by general meade. On the morning of july 28th, meade and burnside had a showdown about the battle plan. Meade stated, at a military court of inquiry a few days after the battle, that black soldiers were just too green for this attack. Later that year, grant testified to congress, Congressional Committee investigating the crater. General meade said if we put the color troops in front, we had only that one division, and it should prove a failure. It would then be said, and very properly, that we were shoving these people ahead to get killed because we did not care anything about them. But that could not be said if we put white troops in front. Since burnside protested this lastminute change, meade stated he wouldnt talk with grant about it and its important to understand that technically burnside outranks meade. Been a contentious sort of thing since burnside had arrived back east in the spring. And so grant outranks both of them, he can decide. Once he hears the plan which he only will hear from meade, so meade really represents what his opinion is and gives kind of the postscript version of what burnside feels, and grant agrees with meade. However, neither general bothered to inform burnside of this until july 29th at 11 00 a. M. When meade and another Union General appeared at burnsides headquarters. Burnside still wants the plan that he had to go forth, and he is going to ask meade, cannot this be changed . And meade says, no, the orders final. Besides the use of the u. S. Color troops, meade objected to the maneuvers that burnside wished to perform. Meade simply wanted the men to go up promptly and take the crest. Problem with that not very detailed order is it doesnt take into account the other confederate troops that are to the north of the explosion site, and i should point out that the objective here is to take the high ground at landford cemetery, which is to the north a few hundred yards of elliots salient. So meade in this other Union General leave burnside to figure out what hes going to do. Calls forth these eligible Division Commanders now and that will include Orlando Willcox in the center there, james ledlie on the left, and Robert Potter on the right. Despite burnsides later realization he should have probably selected willcox and potter, he felt like they divisions had been very used up, so he selects james ledlie. Ledlie, some as you know, has a fondness for alcohol, and its been exhibited most kind of notably at the battle of north hannah river, late in may of 1864 and again on june 17th. During the day and night of july 29th, final preparations made that include moving 110 federal cannon and 54 mortars across a twomile front to be used right after the explosion takes place and try to, of course, pin down confederates as the attack moves forward. White troops move into their position. Of course, now in front, ferreros troops are going to be in the back of this attacking column. Colonel pleasants will go in on july 30th, light the fuse, 3 30 in the morning. It didnt go awe. 4 15, two people volunteered to go back inside to figure out what has gone wrong. Most of the time on my tours, i dont have many people say, that would be me. Occasionally i get it, though, and i say, you brave person. They relit the fuse and at 4 44 a. M. , the gun powder explodes, as represented in this image from harpers weekly. Quarter Master Sergeant james payne of the 27th u. S. Color troops wrote afterwards, on saturday morning the 30th, one of the enemies forts which the garrison were imposing in pleasant slumber, dreaming of no danger or apprehending any was blown up, destroying nearly all who were in it at the time. The hole in the confederate line was now 170 feet long, and 30 feet deep, about 60 feet wide. Few confederates in the position are going to live to tell the tale. Somewhere between 278 and 350 men from South Carolina regiments in position and 19 men in the confederate artillery there are going to become casualties in the blast. But the battle that follows reveals more about personalities and racial divisions than about military tactics and objectives. Artillery shells belch from the federals 110 cannon and 54 mortars as the battle began. Ledlies division deployed around 5 00 a. M. , supported by Robert Potter and Orlando Willcoxs men. Of course, the confederates are going to respond, going to be a somewhat weak response at this particular moment from the infantry. Though intense confederate artillery fire began to develop pretty rapidly. Particularly metalsome to the federals that its coming from the right, so part of the army that james is going to be deployed to try to cover and push out some north carolinians that were to the north of the crater and silence whatever this gun battery is thats sending shells ripping through the ranks, and thats whats represented here, but im not going to really spend a lot of time talking about the white troops. Should have come to kevins talk yesterday about them. Were going to focus on the black troops. About 8 00 a. M. , ferreros division is ordered to attack. The first brigade in, Joshua Siegfried and the first regiment, bates 30th u. S. Color troops. As they crash into the confederates, they begin to scream out, no quarter, and remember ft. Pillow. And some of you know, for those who dont, ft. Pillow earlier in the year in april, confederate troops refused to accept surrender of most of the garrison of white and black troops, and when the battle comes to its crazed end, we have 150 white p. O. W. S and 58 black men, everybody else in the garrison of 600 has been killed or mortally wounded. It doesnt matter that these black troops werent there, these white troops werent there. This becomes a battle cry for the rest of the war with black troops. One confederate officer screamed to his men as he saw the black column coming, rally, boys, rally, and drive them back. They are nothing but niggers. Immediately somehow in the sounds of battle, this is overheard by Sergeant John offer. And a dozen other black combatants who charged the officer and one of the soldiers thrust a bayonet into the officers chest. Following the 30th is the 43rd usct. Within that regiment, captain albert d. Wright captures the flag that you see here on the left, thanks to Cathie Wright for providing that image. And he was wounded, himself. The mingling already of white and black troops in and around the crater and southern artillery is going to start to slow progress for the 27th and 39th usct of siegfrieds brigade. Colonel bates was shot in the face. The bullet traveled through his cheek and exited near his left ear. Amazingly, bates survived and returned to duty in the fall of 1864. He has a pretty impressive mustache here already. Gets bigger to cover up the, you know, part of his face that has been partially collapsed from the bullet. Hell receive a medal of honor for his actions here at the crater. Sergeant Decatur Dorsey of the 39th usct ran his regiments flag ahead of the rest of the men, planted it on the surviving confederate fortifications which encouraged the men to move forward. Following on the heels of siegfrieds men, a brigade commanded by colonel henry g. Thomas. Thomas recalled, quote, deadly, eight guns on our right and murderous cross fire decimated us. The firepower forced thomas to admit his first regiment in will be mowed down like grass. Thomas ordered the troops back into the area behind the crater, which means having to try to move through the masses of white troops already there, which is also honeycombed with the bombproofs. You remember that. His attempts to rally and charge again are going to be met with doom. See thomas here on the left and colonel john bross, who gets himself all dandied up to go into this attack. Hes got his best coat on, his best sword, best hat. He will stand on top of confederate earthworks that are surviving trying to encourage his men forward. And he will get shot down. Captain Robert Beacham of the 23rd wrote that his soldiers in their attempt to charge the confederates again formed promptly, there was no flinching on their part. They came to the shoulder touch just like true soldiers. As ready to face the enemy and meet death on the field as the bravest and best soldiers that ever lived. But think for a moment of forming for an effective charge in that death valley, under a murderous fire, crowded literally jammed in with other troops, confused and broken up as we were. Officers, of course, are going down. Confederate artillery firepower is continuing. And infantry units on the confederate side are beginning to move up. Commanded by the only division of troops that lee actually commands, this particular day on the south side of the appomattox river, would turn out to be permanent by Brigadier General william mahone. Mahone is going to decide to move up to initially brigades, later a third. Initially virginians he once commanded and currently commanded by david wisager, a native of petersburg, and his georgia brigade now commanded by matthew hall, a Lieutenant Colonel. The virginians, as they get on to the battlefield, are kind of moving toward the battlefield, are going to encounter confederates who are running backwards. One informed mahone, hell has busted back thar. Thats thar, how it was spelled. Another told the men, ah, boys, you have hot work ahead. They are niggers and show no quarter. Lieutenant colonel william stewart, commanding the 61st virginia, wrote very frankly many years later, this report from the men passing us was the first intimation that we would have to fight negroes and it seemed to infuse our little band with impetuous daring as it pressed forward to the fray. I never felt more Like Fighting in my life. Our comrades had been slaughtered in a most inhuman and brutal manner, and black slaves were trampling over their mangled and bleeding forms. Revenge must have fired every heart and strung every arm with nerves of steel. For the Herculean Task of blood. Mahone gives a rallying speech that amazingly isnt filled with any sort of racially charged language. Just before the virginians attack at 9 00 a. M. Confederate officer in the 6th virginia, commander actually, wrote with fixed bayonets and strong double quick they sprung forward from the ravine and rushed the foe, the packed trenches. The bayonet was used in a way he had never seen used in a war. This was a veteran from 1861. Virginians pay a heavy price to capture a few hundred feet of earthworks. The georgians will follow them in, and as virginian who was watching recalled, they made two attacks and they fell like autumn leaves. The georgians leave us some of our best accounts of their anger at the sight of armed black men, such as james varderi of the 48th georgia infantry sharing with his dear sister the day after the battle, the prisoners came leaping over our breastworks by 50 but our men took none, for they, he underlined this part, were niggers. Burnsides ninth army corps. As fast as they came over, the bayonet was plunged through their heart. Muscle of the gun was put on their temple and their brains blown out. Others are knocked in the head with the butts of their gun. Few would succeed in getting to the rear safe. Dorsey binian, 48th georgian, someone who ought to know about beating black bodies since he had been over he was an overseer before the war began, told his dear sister, mary, just 11 days afterwards, when we got to the works it was filled with negroes and yanks crying out no quarter, when a handtohand conflict ensued with the breach of our guns and bayonets, and you may depend on it, we did not show much quarter, but slaved them. Keep in mind, were writing to the prim and proper southern women, the Scarlett Oharas of the south. They want to know what their men are doing on the battlefield. And now that theyre fighting armed black men, theyre providing the very details we have put down the slave insurrection out here. Alabamians finally get on the field around 1 00 in the afternoon. And its perhaps during this time that Sergeant Dorsey of the 39th realized this battle was going to end in federal disaster. He grabbed his units flag, ran it across the no mans land filled with confederate artillery fire, and planted that flag on top of the union picket line. For that, he will receive a medal of honor. Sanders alabamians attack along with the remnants of the other confederates on the field at that particular point. Confederates are going to eventually launching bayonetted weapons over top of the rim of the crater as they get very close, they put their hats on the tops of their muskets and just ease them over the rim of the crater. The federals fire their last volley, and this handtohand conflict really gets under way. Inspiring, an alabamian, mcclellan, to say that all black soldiers, quote, would have been killed had it not been for general mahone who would beg our men to spare them. One soldier blatantly disobeyed mahone telling the virginia he would kill another and deliberately took out his pocket knife and cut ones throat. They bashed the heads of the negro skulls, the north carolinians said, like egg shells. And when the black troops cried out that they wanted quarter, the response was, no quarter this morning, no quarter now. Amazingly, people like oliver scott made it off the battlefield. Then only 27 years old, when he left slavery and enlisted in the 30th u. S. Color troops. Promoted to corporal. During the battle, hes wounded. Tried to make that arrow there so folks all the way in the back could see. Hes shot in the hip. The bullet exited his butt. Whats interesting to me about this photo is scott must have obeyed the rules of whoever his owner was. Theres no sign of whip marks across his back. That desire to be free was so great that he had served. Hes lucky that he manages to get off the field at all because the bullet is only going to pass three inches from his spinal column. Another former slave of maryland, george carr, 20 years old going to be wounded this day. Entering his right leg, second bullet entering the middle third of the inside of the leg and passed through. Freeborn Charles Harris in the 31st u. S. Color troops, native of new york, hit by a ball in the back of the right leg which passed through the tibia and fibula and exited that leg that hit the left foot, causing compound fractures. As the confederates went about killing union troops, especially those of african descent, white union troops realized how angry the southerners were, and so as William Taylor of the 100th pennsylvanian wrote the day after the battle, and as George Kilmer remembered many years after the battle, white union troops will start killing black union troops as they readily admit in an effort to preserve white peoples lives. The battle finally ends about 2 30 in the afternoon. Battles aftermath, going to be a court of inquiry. General meade picks whos on the court of inquiry. If you want details we can discuss later. More or less the blame will be heaped up on burnside. Theres going to be some blame for james ledlie and Edward Ferrero who were drinking together during the battle. Ferrero is going to more or less be slapped on the wrist. Ledlie goes home on a furlough, never returns. Burnside goes home on a furlough, never returns. Grant cause calls it saddest affair i have ever witnessed. Federal casualties will be around 3,800 and u. S. Color troops are going to suffer 219 killed, 957 wounded. And somewhere around 410 who are either captured or go missing. The scene here represents the flag of truce that will finally happen on august 1st. Burnside, who everyone likes to beat up as the civil wars idiot general, calls for a flag of truce a half an hour after the battle ends on july 30th. Meade wants him to arrange a localized truce. He doesnt want to admit defeat and just leave and get the wounded off the field even though its 100plus degrees. So they lay out there july 30th and all day on july 31st and finally theyre picked up on the morning of august 1st. By that point, one of meades Staff Members admits that he couldnt tell who was naturally african or european except from the texture of their hair. Apparently not accounting for those bodies out there of mixed race black people. In the in between of this, henry byrd, a native of petersburg wrote his fiancee as the men cried out nearby to the confederate line for water, the response from the confederates was [ speaking french ] youre not a french student. It was drink your blood, youll have no more thirst, and they bayonetted the men that were nearby. News of the battle traveled, perhaps from our civilian perspective, of course we got to have edmond ruffin reference. Remember ft. Pillow and wrote about the great slaughter, but he was infuriated to learn that mahone had stopped his men from killing black and white troops, saying, mahone could not persist in this policy and he ordered the lives of all remaining to be spared. This is much to be regretted. Even more angry is like the female version of edmund ruffin. Catherine edmondston writing father days after the battle. It helps to illustrate our perception of southern ladies is too Scarlett Ohara infused i think and not enough of catherine edmondston. The negro troops rushed into our line shouting, no quarter, remember ft. Pillow, she wrote. They were met by such determination by their old masters and granted to the full what they so earn evidently clamored for that in spite of the yankee bayonets behind them they turned and ran. Then she got this dubious story about somebody who was in the usct ranks who sees his old mississippi master. Problem is there are no mississippi troops here. Anyway, and wanted immediately to become his slave again. It follows, unlike that event actually happens, mrs. Edmondston talks about the truth. Few of his come pan yoons were left to tell the tale of their encounter. Northern newspapers respond often with their biases, New York Herald prints states like, cowardice of the niggers, twhan second the author stated that the niggers set down their weapons and refused to obey orders and praised the white troops for being honorable, brave, and courageous, and if it wasnt for the, quote, niggers, they would have won the battle. Others amazingly turn to not being so critical, including actually general meade, of course, burnside, ferrero, officers who were actually on the field unlike ferrero, and garland white, a chaplain in the 28th usct who wrote, none of our troops, white or colored, are responsible for the actions of the generals. I hold that there can be no higher sin in all the world than to blame innocent people for consequences for which they are not responsible. I care not who it is, whether king or subject, general or private. It makes no difference with me in a point of the position of truth. I want to get to the prisoners and leave time for questions. The federal prisoners, white and black, union troops, are going to be marched through the city of petersburg at 8 00 in the morning on the day after the battle. Petersburgers turned out in their finest garments, and lieutenant freeman bowley remembered women in the city asking the confederates, why didnt you kill all the yankee wretches . Theyre being marched, two white, two black, until you run out of black troops. The generals that had been captured, the highest ranking officers at the front of the ban. A 9yearold girl at the time recalling years later, i remember swinging on the gate as they brought the prisoners up hyde street. I remember yelling, kill them, everyone. She was 9 years old. Remember that. Her mother told her, come into this house or theyll be killing you. Captain beacham of the 23rd gave us a good comment. The prisoners formed in columns by force consisting of alternate files of colored soldiers and commissioned officers. Highest rank, as i said, going on down. As there were about 500 colored prisoners and about 1,100 white officers and soldiers, the greater part of the column presented a fantastic and variegated appearance that i am free to confess was amusing. Many white troops sent to prisoner of war camps including at andersonville, but captain beacham and lieutenant bowley who survived their prison experiences wont be going to, you know, the more famous places. Beacham spends four months in jail in columbia, South Carolina, where he admits that they actually were decently treated in columbia as they had not been in petersburg. Black troops, however, wont get the same sort of treatment. And this representation of shokko bottom in richmond will be important in a moment. Interesting story i found well talk more about this if you want to john haskel, confederate artillerist, out there, has mortars launching shells during the battle, found black wounded troops. He told his personal slave to go get the other camp slaves and get those men to a hospital, where his body servant stands up to his owner and said, id rather die than move those men. None of the other camp negroes as haskel calls them wants to move them, either, so he finally gets a southern doctor who sends them to this hospital whereby the following day after the battle, the physician in charge, john claiborne, finds 150 wounded black soldiers who were, as he wrote, naked with every conceivable forms of wounds and mutilation. My first thought, is this christian civilization . After threatening to send capture federal surgeons to andersonville, they joined in treating the black troops which may suggest a preview to erics talk in a moment about andersonville. Among those captured, peter churchwell, former slave who escaped, served in the 23rd usct and is captured. Hes sent to danville where he recalled years later, i was kept until my master, old master, rather, heard i was in prison. He came there and claimed me as a slave and sold me to a slave dealer at richmond, and he sold me to a slave dealer who took me to wilmington, north carolina. And he then sold me to patrick murphy, who took me on his farm near raleigh. Most of our black p. O. W. S are going to be returned to slavery, including right here in the heart of virginias slave trading district, Shockoe Bottom in richmond, virginia. And where the purple arrow is marked is where one of the petersburg regions former slave turned soldier robert banks will go to the dealers, dickinson, hill company and be kept there until the war ends. So ill stop there, because im out of slides. And ill let you ask questions. [ applause ] start over here. Except for their my name is jeff smith. Im from mechanicsburg, pennsylvania. Im curious, except for their lastminute interference, it seems like meade and grant really deferred to burnside in the operations. After this disaster, theres, you know, 15,000 union troops involved in this operation. Did any of this kind of land in their lap to any extent the responsibility for deferring such an important operation to, you know, burnside . Not particularly. Of course, as meade calls the court of inquiry, hes decided whos going to be on the court, and theyre all people who dont like burnside, from the battle of fredericksburg in 1862 and the mud march in 1863, so they already have a negative opinion of burnside. Hes the civil wars worst general. And meades recorder is one of his own Inspector General from his staff. So none of them are going to say, meade, youre to blame, or grant, youre to blame. They heap the blame on burnside and rightfully with ledlie and ferrero. Yes, sir . In the film version of the battle, in the movie they made of cold mountain, its depicted of cold mountain, its depicted of all the troops black and white kind of pouring into the crater, being trapped there. Thats been told in other stories, too. Is there any truth to that, or was that really a problem that people went into the crater and couldnt get out, or is that just a legend . In case people didnt hear, question is did troops, white and black, rush through the crater into the hole, itself . It is partially true. Ledlies advance men do, as they move up, run into the crater. Partly because they go in to rescue confederate trapped folks, provide prayer and water to those who were dieing. They said they couldnt ignore their rebel adversary, and of course some of their greatest pain in the last minutes of their life. But much of the union troops are going to be pushed because the hole is only 170 feet long. Theyre going to be pushed on either side of it and somewhat beyond the hole, but not beyond the extra trench that had been created. The cavalier trench. So this is a moment of come to the battlefield, youll get the sense of how that kind of happened. I want to confirm what i thought i heard you say is toward the back the last part of the battle. That the union, white union troops saw the confederates killing the blacks and the white union troops then started killing the blacks also . You are correct. White union troops start killing black union troops in an effort as they write very specifically in an effort to preserve white mens lives. Thank you. Yep. Its my understanding that originally black troops were going to lead the attack and they were trained for it. And then and then either grant said no, no, no, we cant use blacks. And then troops and then ledlies troops were used and they werent trained. Was it because so soon that they didnt have time, or i guess what im asking is there any way that the troops that did lead the attack came through the crater could have been better trained . Yeah, the question is, could the white troops that were leading the attack eventually have been better prepared . The answer is no because we make these lastminute changes on july 29th and battle is the next morning right at dawn. So theres no prep time. Whats my time . Okay. David rosen from alexandria, virginia. Against the background of these circumstances, and what youve described, a little bit of humaneness compels a tension. I wonder if you could tell us something about mahone. Yes. Im not sure all you want to know, but ill start with a brief biography. Mahone is a native of southampton county, virginia, which he is growing up in the era of the imagery of the slave and insurrection of 1832. Graduates from Virginia Military institute. Enlists at the beginning of the war. Not anything superb, as brigade commander, but somehow really knows how to among a division, so his troops absolutely shoot so his troops absolutely shooha so his troops absolutely shooaa so his troops absolutely shoona so his troops absolutely shooda so his troops absolutely shooha so his troops absolutely shooa so his troops absolutely shoona so his troops absolutely shooda so his troops absolutely shoola so his troops absolutely shoo mahone is moved up to division command. Hes promoted to Major General. So hell remain Division Commander until the surrender. What about the his showing of humaneness . Oh, yes. So, yes you know, several people comment on this. He, you know, stops his soldiers from killing blacks as best as he can, and obviously he cant stop them all even when theyre right in front of him. Mahone is a slave owner. He doesnt believe in equality at the beginning of the war or even perhaps when it ends, yet he has this miraculous sort of desire to become politician. He creates and sustained virginias first biracial Political Party. The readjusters in the postwar years. And really sort of attempts to cater to blacks. Even at one point admits that slavery was wrong and he shouldnt have owned slaves, but, of course, you know, im sure theyre all sort of political points hes trying to reach at that point. I dont know what it all says that mahone is trying to stop it. Insurgents saying is this christian civilization . I think in our own culture, is this christian civilization to use drones, drop bombs, blow up civilians . I dont know. I dont know what it says about him. Mr. Dabney, i thought particularly poignant of your comments, the white southern women. I have long thought that gone with the wind is a very damaging film. I view it as a propaganda film. Not necessarily all that different than the nazi propaganda films made during that exact same era of the 30s. My question to you is, do you agree with my assessment of gone with the wind or do you disagree, and why . Oh, brother. Or as scarlett would say, fiddlydiddlydee. Actually, theres something culturally impactful about gone with the wind thats still with us today, and i wouldnt go so far as to compare it to nazi propaganda films, having watched one that was 20 minutes and took me 2 days to make it through. I can sit and watch gone with the wind and make all sorts of jokes as i watch it. But, i mean, it does Say Something about 1939, the lost causes, entrenchment to having now film production. And the hopeful perpetuation of the racial divide in the country. And, of course, it was very popular, so most people north, south, east coast, west coast, middle of the country, liked this movie based on ticket sales and the continued popularity of Margaret Mitchells book. One more. Oh. Okay. Keep going. Oh, sorry. You, sir. Question. We have this explosion that takes place and you have the bottom of a hole and the top of the hole. What provision, if any, was made by the union to get from the bottom of the hole to the top of the hole so you can invade the confederate lines . No provision made for the troops to get out of the crater once theyre in it. And its difficult to tell in numbers, craters are very hard. You have these lovely little battle maps here at gettysburg that shows this regiment, this place at 10 00 a. M. And 10 15, at 10 30. We dont have that with the crater because people are just too mingled up, all sense of cohesion of a battlefront is lost on both sides, north and south. And so its unclear how many people are stuck in the crater. Theyre stuck in there well enough for one survivor to say that the men who were dead couldnt fall and the living were squirming beneath their feet and blood is running into the tops of their shoes. So i dont know how many that is, but most people on the outside trying to move forward but the problem is they didnt know that these honeycombed bombproofs were behind the battery or a whole other line of confederate earthworks there or that the confederates have just right positioned their artillery to have this enfilading fire, crossfire directly into what had been elliots salient. They thought they knew were all cannon were. Disclaimer. This may be a controversial question. Yes. When the black soldiers were captured and they were going to be sent to prison camps, how come confederates didnt reslave them since they were considered property and there was a proclamation about a year or two years ago before the crater saying any black soldier who any black who becomes a soldier in the u. S. Army will be shot and will be killed. Or i also think also reenslave. How come that policy didnt happen in 64 . Even though we had the emancipation proclamation. Was that also a factor to it . So most of our crater black troops are not going to p. O. W. Camps. So far i found four who goes to salisbury and die there. Most are going to be sent to richmond and danville where advertisements are placed in the newspaper, come look for your runaway slaves and, of course, people come and look for them and take them back into their ownership. Some people dont come looking because they dont live in virginia. Theyre maryland runaways or delaware slaves. Of course, there are free blacks from the north who have enlisted. So theyll be kept in these slave pens right down here in Shockoe Bottom. And theyll be there if they survive until the war ends. Some of these people rejoin their regiments and they go from missing in action to, you know, what happened to you . So we get the details of what happened to them. Not very great details but at least, you know, which slave pen they may have been held in. And as far as why the confederates dont actually implement their may 1863 law, its the law, i think people forget this. White officers had to be executed if theyre found leading black men to combat, and blacks when captured, which already suggests you dont really need to take them prisoner, are going to be turned over to the state authority in whichever state theyve been captured in and dealt with as if they were leading a slave insurrection. Its just easier to kill them. As seen at poison spring, as seen at ft. Pillow. As seen for many at crater. As will be seen in other battles during the war. Thanks. This is a Lesson Learned question. During meades conversation with grant, and grant being the Commanding Officer at vicksburg, and during the vicksburg siege there was another mine attempt there as well. Didnt succeed. In your research, is there any conversation that has been recorded where grant reflects back the vicksburg and said, you know, we tried it there, didnt work, maybe we should not try here. Just as a lessons learned. Because, again, one big thing, all militaries do, you capture your lessons learned, try not to repeat mistakes. I spoke with terry when he was still at vicksburg. I cant find any evidence of grant saying anything about this vicksburg mine that was a disaster. When the petersburg mine came around. Because hes not overly enthusiastic about it, i think in the back of his mind hes, this might work and it might not work and whatever. But i dont get any real sense hes really reflective about it. Yes . You mentioned several times about the additional fortifications built behind the salient that the union was not aware of. One of the new technologies that arrived in the civil war was balloon observations. Were there any balloons that they might have used to observe . No, no balloon use in 18641865 by the federals or the confederates for that matter. Pete has a question. So robert e. Lee is his question. Can he hold him accountable for the killing of u. S. Colored troops after they stop the battle . Lee is very near the battlefield the whole time, less than a quarter mile away, right behind the busted hole in the confederate line. They come out onto the field for an unreally clear amount of time after the battle. Its my observation that lee and borg must have seen some of this killing. What i do hold them accountable for, and grant and meade, is that they leave their wounded, the federal wounded out there on the battlefield in the 100plus degree heat because meade doesnt want to admit defeat, and its preposterous to leave these people out there bleeding, crying out in agony. By the time they have been recovered, the other comment meade staff says is that the bodies are so black from the sun, theyre bursting now. Also white because maggots are eating their flesh, all of that could have been avoided if the letter that meade did write, he had just immediately sent it over to the confederates. And so theres all sort of intricacies if you want to talk about more, we can, of where the letter is going and how were going to arrange the flag of truce and it takes almost a day and a half, almost two days. Its really disgusting. I always say to those people, these men are not heroes. I guess thats it. Thank you. [ applause ] with congress on recess, during this month, American History tv airs throughout the week here on cspan 3. Coming up live this afternoon, author anthony pitch will detail his book the burning of washington in which he describes how British Military forces 200 years ago this week set the white house and u. S. Capitol on fire after making their way into the nations capitol hosted by the smithsonian associates. You can see it live today starting at 6 45 p. M. Eastern, again, on cspan 3. Coming up tonight, a look at may of 1864, Union General sherman had a goal of capturing atlanta. After a series of battle, atlanta fell to the union on september 2nd, 1864. Well hear about general shermans march to the sea through georgia in the summer of 1864. Also, a look at confederate weapons manufacturing. Thats all coming up tonight at 8 15 p. M. Eastern on cspan 3. Next on the civil war, author kevin levin discusses the role of the u. S. Colored troops in the civil wars battle of the crater and the way their contributions were remembered in the years following the civil war. Organized by Petersburg National battlefield, this is an hour and ten minutes. Im chris bryce, chief of interpretation with Petersburg National battlefield. For those of you who have been with us for the last couple days, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the battle of the crater, thank you, and welcome to those who have not attended the program this evening. I do want to, before we get started, just some thank yous, specifically for st. Pauls church for allowing us this wonderful venue for our programs earlier today and for the one were about to have here this evening. I would like to thank the rector of the church, rick greenwood. I would also like to thank this evening the senior warden of the church, steven tuck, and steven is in the back, so give him a round of applause because hes keeping this open for us tonight. But again, its one of the things we try to do with the programs that weve been offering, especially today, and i dont think we could have had better venues being indoors today with the weather, but we were at Guilfoyle Baptist and i see, mr. Powell, youre here this evening and we appreciate the courtesy we were given this morning with your congregation and here tonight at st. Paul. We chose these two locations because they were congregations that were in existence at the time of the civil war when these events were actually happening. In the case of st. Pauls where we are this evening, the congregation has origins set to the early stage of virginias history when were still emerging as a colony and getting our feet under ourselves here. But the Current Church where we are today was built between 1855 and 1857. It did bear witness to the events here 150 years ago, a 9 1 2 month siege at petersburg most likely was under fire as were a number of buildings here in petersburg. During the course of the siege, a number of confederate officers worshipped here, robert e. Lee, George Pickett, a. P. Hill, among some of them. E. P. Alexander, who was chief of artillery for james longstreet. Lees pew, i believe the rector said this morning, someone held their hand up, theres a plaque recognizing that. If you want to get pictures of that, certainly feel free to do so. Without further delay, i would like to introduce our speaker tonight, mr. Kevin levin. He completed a master in history at the university of richmond. His thesis became the basis of his most current book remembering the battle of the crater, wars murder which was published in 2012. Hes currently an instructor of American History at gan academy near boston. And fortunately, kevin in his daytoday work, gets to challenge his students to conduct original research, critically evaluate historical sources, and analyze historical events. In addition to his book, he has written several essays for the New York Times and the atlantic as well as popular magazines in a number of academic journals. You can follow him, follow his thoughts on many other issues related to the American Civil War and how the fouryear conflict was and continues to be remembered by following his awardwinning blog called the civil war memory. Its my pleasure this evening to introduce you to you kevin levin. [ applause ] good evening, everyone. Before i get started, i also want to thank st. Pauls church for opening its doors tonight. I cant think of a better venue for this particular program, so thank you. I especially want to thank the National Park service for inviting me down to just be a part of the 150th of the crater. From about 2000 to 2011, i lived in charlottesville, virginia. I taught, i spent most of my time writing and thinking about the American Civil War. I researched and wrote just about all of the book in charlottesville. And then in 2011, i didnt anticipate this, but my wife and i ended up moving to boston. And, of course, those of you who visit boston know that bostonians tend to focus on that other event in American History, right . The american revolution. And thats okay. I can deal with that, but my heart, my interests continue to be in the 1860s. And so over the last few years, it hasnt been easy because all of these commemorative events have been going on in virginia and elsewhere. I kind of felt like an outsider. So to be invited back for this particular event for me is a huge honor. So thanks. I appreciate it, and thank you all for coming out tonight. So before i get started, i just want to make one point clear, that i am going to im not going to sensor the words of the historical actors, if you will, that i reference tonight. And i do think its important that we learn to sort of come to terms with the language, the world that they lived in. So with that said, im going to get started. A little over a year ago, much of our nations attention was focused on gettysburg for the 150th anniversary of the battle. Tens of thousands traveled to the famous town to walk the fields and connect with our civil war past. There is indeed something magical about that place. Its a battle that is full of drama and easily excites the imagination. We follow the two armies to the point of their initial contact on july 1st, 1863. Just west of the city. And painstakingly trace their movements and bloody fighting during the following two days. Visitors and civil war enthusiasts alike look for the moment on which the outcome of the battle depended. It was yule at the end of the first day where longstreet on the second or perhaps, as George Pickett later suggested, the yankee army had something to do with it. A year later, and while americans continue to flock to gettysburg, enthuse amp for the war in 1864 has diminished. This shouldnt surprise us. The battles that raged across virginia beginning in early may 1864 that eventually stretched from the rappahannock to the apamatic river here in petersburg fail to excite in the way that battles from the first half of the war do. Armies no longer march long distances to engage one another in what could be decisive battles. Gone are the daring maneuvers orchestrated by Stonewell Jackson at second bull run and chancellorsville where jeb stewarts ride around the the clone. We yearn for the open fields of manassas, antietam and fredericksburg where for our vantage point, war almost seems more civilized compared to what is to come. Battles at cold harbor lock the two armies together on confusing landscapes mired in blood, day in and day out, with mounting casualty lists and no end in sight. There are plenty of acts of bravery to recount on both sides and the rank and file largely remain committed to their respective causes. But 150 years later, it is difficult to find meaning in the midst of such blood letting. And then there is the Petersburg Campaign. For most people, the ninemonth campaign can be reduced to a few photographs of miles of earthworks filled with begrimed veteran soldiers doing their best to stay out of the view of snipers and awaiting the next order to charge in what for many are still a series of nameless battles that stretch to early april 1865. The one exception to this admittedly narrow view of the campaign is the battle of the crater. Which took place just east of the city 150 years ago on july 30, 1864. I suspect that for many visitors, the 150th anniversary of the Petersburg Campaign will begin and end with this commemoration. But there are any number of aspects of this battle that are worth recalling from the challenges associated with the construction of the mine to the Early Morning explosion of 8,000 pounds of course blasting powder. The explosion was clearly seen by those in the immediate vicinity and felt for miles around. The war ended in the most violent way for roughly 300 men in steven elliots South Carolina brigade who were positions directly atop the mine. I shall never forget the terrible and magnificent sight, the earth around us trembled and heaved so violently that i was lifted to my feet, and then the earth around the enemys line opened and fire and smoke shot upwards 75 or 100 feet. The intensity of the violence over the course of about eight hours and the confusion caused by the dramatic disturbance to the landscape itself created an other worldly scene that was unlike any previous battle. In the initial union charge, soldiers gazed at the destruction wrought by the mine and many found that the better angels of their nature and proceeded to dig out halfburied confederates and tend to the wounded. The charge of general Ambrose Burnsides 9th core corps, including four divisions, one made up entirely of United States color troops, was poorly executed and while not doomed to failure, it certainly quickly unwound. The timely arrival of confederate Brigadier General william mahones division, including a brigade made up of virginias raised in part in the petersburg area, helped to secure victory by early afternoon. By then, hundreds of dead and wounded lay in an your yeah not more than 150 yards long and 100 yards wide. William h. Stewart described the crater as, quote, a veritable inferno filled with sounds of suffering and paved with the rigid dead. A delay in agreeing to a truce left survivors abandoned on a field that hovered around 100 degrees. The official report identified 361 confederates killed, 727 wounded and 403 missing out of the force of roughly 10,000 engaged. Union casualties numbered 504 killed, 1,881 wounded and 1,441 missing. Compared to other civil war battles the casualty count is relatively small. But if we look more closely, we can begin to discern what for many of the participants was the defining feature of this battle. From all union casualties, 41 belonged to the two color brigades of brigadier Edward Ferreros Fourth Division even though they constituted only 21 of the men engaged. How union and confederates responded to one another at the crater and how they remembered the battle after the war was shaped directly by the presence of a large number of armed africanamericans in uniform. The racial element of this battle has always held the most interest for me. In my mind, it best reflects the hard turn that the war had taken by 1864. Even as it continues to beguile and divide americans who are committed to remembering and commemorating the civil war. The history and memory of the crater offers little for those looking for looking to remember the sanitized war where brave americans fought one another without any concern for its cause and consequences. To understand the crater and its legacy, we need to put aside convenient labels that oversimplify historical memory and even there to push past the National Park services preferred narrative framework of from civil war to civil rights. To grasp the larger aspect and full racial complexity of this battle. The stories that emerge from the crater challenge us to look at the toughest issues related to the war, to even begin to approach them, we need to allow ourselves to feel just a little uncomfortable and listen to all accounts, including those that use harsh language reflecting the racial divide of the time. The presence of uscts on the crater battlefield signified a dramatic shift in the goals and policies of the lincoln administration. By the summer of 1862, president Abraham Lincoln turned to a limited plan of emancipation and recruitment of black soldiers as a means to saving the union. Despite the deeply engraved racism that was in the ranks and society. Tens of thousands of formerly enslaved blacks embraced the opportunity to fight for their freedom as well as family members still held in bondage. Military service offered black men the opportunity to prove their manhood and the possibility of securing political and civil rights in a reconstructed union. Even after learning that burnsides original plan which called for the Fourth Division to lead the union attack, had been change said, the men under ferreros command anticipated that the next assault would be proof enough of their bravery. By the time they received their orders on the morning of july 30th, the battle had been raging for close to three hours. Three Union Divisions were already crammed into the crater as well as the complex maze of confederate traverses and earthworks. Little progress had been made as south carolinians who survived the initial explosion along with north carolinians and virginians stubbornly held to their positions. The first indication of the presence of black troops on the battlefield was their battle cry of no quarter. And remember ft. Pillow. A reference to the recent massacre of black troops at ft. Pillow, tennessee. The two brigades of ferreros division wound their way over open ground and did their best to steer clear of the maelstrom inside the crater. A few units along with scattered white units were successful in maneuvering into positions beyond the crater and stood poised for a possible assault on blanford heights overlooking petersburg. The arrival on the field of mahones confederate division not only prevented a breakthrough but added to the chaos and confusion already present. For many confederates, this was their First Experience fighting black soldiers. Quote, it had the same affect upon our men that a red flag had upon a mad bull, was the way one south carolinians who survived the initial explosion, described the reaction of his comrades. David holt of the 16th mississippi remembered, quote, they were the first we had seen and the sight of a nigger in a blue uniform and with a gun was more than johnny red could stand. Fury had taken possession of me, and i knew that i felt as ugly as they looked. The vivid descriptions left by confederates in their diaries and letters suggest that this killing was of a different kind given the nature of the enemy. Both the horror of battle and the rage experience of having to fight black soldiers must have been apparent to the mother of one soldier as she learned that her son, quote, shot them down until we got mean enough and then rammed them through with the bayonet. Such detail allowed those on the homefront to experience this new danger at a comfortable distance. The communication of these violent encounters reinforced the connection between the battlefield and homefront and provided soldiers, slave holders and nonslave holders alike, with a clear understanding of the dangers from which they were now defending their families. The fact that the battle occurred while defending a large civilian population also made it easier for family members and others more removed from the scene of the fighting to imagine the consequences of a Union Victory that now included black soldiers. Once the salient was retaken, confederate rage was difficult to bring under control. Confederates wrote freely about taking part in the execution of surrendered black soldiers and in admitting their own involvement in these incidents. Jerome yates recalled, quote, most of the negroes were killed after the battle. Some was killed after they were taken to the rear. James vanderly described it as, quote, a truly bloody site, a perfect massacre, nearly a black flag fight. I had been hoping that the enemy would bring some negroes against this army, and now that they had, wrote william, i am convinced that it has a splendid effect on our men. He concluded that, though, quote, it seems cruel to murder them in cold blood, the men who did it had very good cause for doing so. Years after the war, Edward Porter alexander remembered a quote, the general feeling of the men towards their employment, black soldiers, was very bitter. The sympathy of the north for john browns memory was taken for proof, according to alexander, of a desire that our slaves should rise in a servile insurrection and massacre throughout the south and the enlistment of negro troops was regarded as advertisement of that desire and encouragement of the idea true to negro. It is estimated that upwards of 200 black Union Soldiers may have been mass ka sured during and especially after the battle. Confederate accounts make it clear that they did not consider black men to be soldiers. Indeed, the scale of violence accorded to black soldiers nears the Swift Response against slave rebellions, both real and imagined, that stretched back to the antibellum period. A few days after the battle, the richmond examiner published the following editorial, we begged him, mahone, hereafter, when negroes are sent forward to murder the wounded and come shouting no quarter, shut your eyes, strengthen your stomach with a little brandy and water and let the work which god has entrusted to you and your brave men go forward to its full completion. That is, until every negro has been slaughtered. Make every salient youre called upon to defend a ft. Pillow. Butcher every negro that grant sends against your brave troops and permit them not to soil their hands with the capture of a single hero. For the confederate rank and file, present on the battlefield that hot july day, as well as their loved ones back home, the introduction of black troops clarified just what was at stake in this war, the end of slavery and white supremacy. The presence of black troops at the crater did not escape the attention of their white comrades. The men of the 4th division proved to be convenient scapegoats as they were singled out by their white comrades for the armys defeat. They were easy targets for the obvious reasons related to race, but they were also clearly observed by many to have fallen back in confusion following mahones counterattack. Quote, the colored troops, according to edward wittman, had become panic stricken, dropped their arms and fled without dealing a blow. A soldier in the 117th new york recalled, quote, the reds gave one volley and a yell, and such a skedaddle you never heard of. A pennsylvania soldier simply noted, the devil himself could not have checked them. The vast majority of accounts that pinpoint defeat at the feet of retreating black men failed to mention the confederate attack also sent just as many if not more whites in full stampede. The collapse of all of the 4th division alone would have been sufficient to attract the attention of those looking to isolate blame for their defeat on july 30th. But the wellplaced white soldiers in a situation that they had never before faced on a virginia battlefield. The scattered white and black units that collapsed in the face of mahones countercharge fell back on positions held by their own men. These men who were desperately trying to hold their own positions now found themselves being stampeded by black and white comrades with incent enraged confederates in close pursuit. They responded by trying to slow down the retreating soldiers with their weapons. Edward cook freely admitted that, quote, white troops fired into the retreating niggers, an officer in the 4th New Hampshire used his saber freely on the cowards. Others recalled having to, quote, fix bayonets to stop them. This was a desperate moment for the men of the 4th division, but for the other three divisions, there was now the added element of an enraged enemy that was likely to treat them as accomplices in inciting former slaves to servile insurrection. Writing for century magazine, George Kilmer noted, quote, it has been positively asserted white men bayonetted blacks who fell back in the order. The retreated blacks, according to alonzo rich of the 36th massachusetts, quote, mixed them up so that they, the confederates, didnt show white men any mercy at all. A few days after the battle, charles j. Mills of the 56th massachusetts, spoke for many when he confided to his mother, quote, they cannot be trusted for anything, and are, in short, a hideous mistake, i fear. He of course was referring to the black division. The three white divisions had spent the morning holding precariously to earthworks in and around the crater, but now their black comrades had unintentionally placed them in an even more desperate spot. Relatively few called for the enlistment of blacks into the army. The experience of fighting in close quarters reinforced the belief that if blacks were going to be used militarily, they should do so independently of whites to avoid the kinds of problems experienced at the crater. The men of the 4th division also succumbed to the vortex of racial anger that swirled through the crater and adjacent works. Their charge was animated by the goals of freedom, the promise of a reunited nation and civil rights. But their battle cry of remember ft. Pillow also reflected a dark underbelly of revenge for the murder of their comrades and their understanding of what would likely happen in the event of their capture. Earlier, on june 15th, 1864, colored troops in brigg ga dear general hinks division successfully stormed a line of earthworks outside of petersburg. The assault received a great deal of attention in the press and in the ranks as well. But alongside praise of their battlefield prowess, stories of the execution of prisoners spread. The republican tribune headed its dispatch, the assault on petersburg, valor of the colored troops, they take no prisoners and leave no wounded. The commander of the 30th usct informed his family that the black soldiers fought splendidly and took no prisoners. One white soldier noted that the reds were shown no mercy. I saw some of them today, wrote another soldier. They said the white folks took some prisoners but they did not. While much more limited in scope compared to what they faced at the hands of confederates, this violence continued at the crater. Lieutenant Richard Gozny of the 28th usct recalled that black soldiers went into the battles at the crater not expecting any quarter nor intending to get any. One soldier claimed that a confederate prisoner was killed by a black soldier with a bayonet and in agony, in an agony of frenzy. The reverberations of this battle echoed throughout the postwar years. Very few americans in 1860 anticipated that in a few short years, 4 million slaves would be freed. Americans struggled to come to terms with the meaning of the war, the end of slavery, and the role that blacks played the role that sorry. And the role that blacks played in the preservation of the union and emancipation through armed service. Memory of the crater and its racial violence remained a particularly thorny problem for the black and white residents of petersburg and the nation at large. The veterans of mahones virginia brigade, many of whom were from the petersburg area, continued to meet on the crater battlefield to remember fallen comrades, the cause for which they fought, and assure one another through the early years of defeat and an uncertain future. For william mahone, petersburgs most prominent citizen up until his death in 1865, memory of the crater proved to be beneficial to his rise at a railroad magnate, but it cost him in dearly when in 1879, he organized the most successful biracial Political Party in virginias history. For four years, mahones Readjuster Party governed the state and witnessed a dramatic rise in black political power throughout the commonwealth. Black and White Readjusters abolished the whipping post, poll tax, which had been used to disfranchise black voters. The largest number of black virginians attended Public Schools for the first time with black teachers at the head of the class. Africanamericans could be found in the treasury department, pensions bureau, and other state offices. Reconstruction came to virginia, not at the hands of meddling yankees but as the result of the actions of one of their own, and mahone paid a hefty price for it. Former virginia comrades who fought with mahone at the crater, including david wisager, turned on their former commander, comparing him to john brown and benedict arnold. His detractors questioned whether he was even present at the crater or gave the order for the charge that many believe saved the day for the confederate army. The irony of all of this was not lost on prominent black readjuster and petersburg resident robert a. Paul. They who had fought on the field of blood and labors in the arena of politics to deprive the colored man of his Constitutional Rights now proclaimed that colored men should enjoy the full rights and prerogatives of citizens. Petersburgs black Community Held tight to a memory of the war that placed emancipation and black military service at its center. Black Militia Companies readily took part in public parades to mark the anniversary of lincolns emancipation proclamation on january 1st and Independence Day on july 4th. Such occasions offered ample opportunity to remind the community to remember the bravery of black soldiers during the haitian revolt as well as their role in such civil war battles as ft. Wagner and the crater. One local politician implored the militia and the rest of petersburg to reject the commonly held belief that they had no military tradition. Quote, it makes my blood boil to hear people say that the colored man cannot fight. An editorial in the petersburg lancet urged its readers to quote, never cease to praise the valor of their sacred dead and create monuments in their honor, owe in gratitude, and shame on the colored people of the United States who show such little appreciation for the valor of negro soldiers who died for the preservation of the union. The editorial exhorted its readers to support a monument to the black heroes, quote, who leaped over the fortifications at petersburg with their muskets in our defense and suffered their bodies as it were to become breastworks while pouring out their blood most freely and willingly for our redemption from bondage. The opportunity to commemorate the military service of black americans and sacrifice anywhere in petersburg and specifically at the crater was lost by the early 20th century. White virginians exercised tight control over public memory of the crater through monument dedications, reunion ceremonies and post importantly, reenactments or as they called them, sham battles. On november 6th, 1903, 20,000 people attended a reenactment involving the still living veterans of mahones virginia brigade. The veterans marched through the streets of petersburg and put on a show for an audience that now included the children and grandchildren of the civil war generation. One of the attendees was a Young Douglas freeman who committed himself to telling their stories. There is no evidence that any africanamericans attended this event, though the symbol of the loyal and faithful slave was well represented in the form of stonewall jacksons personal servient who led the parade of veterans through the streets. A larger reenactment in 1937 numbering upwards of 50,000 people, imagine that, 50,000 people at the crater battlefield, 50,000 people marked the crater battlefields inclusion into the National Park service. As was the case in 1903, the ceremony highlighted the bravery of mahones virginians but made very little effort to acknowledge the presence of United States colored troops. The success of jim crow legislation in virginia was clearly discerned in the absence of any serious attention to the presence of black soldiers and it is likely that very few if any local africanamericans attended. The black communitys inability to contribute to memory was enhanced by a narrative that celebrated a war of brave northerns and southerners without any reference to slavery, emancipation, and black military service. This whites only narrative maintained a stubborn hold on americas collective memory through the 1970s. The first cracks appeared in the early 60s in the inevitable conflict between the racial strife of the Civil Rights Movement and the civil war centennial celebration that ought to, quote, emphasize the victory of character by lee and others in rising above the horrors of war and the shame of defeat. In petersburg, civil rights and civil war memory clashed on february 27th, 1960. At the library, formerly the home of william ma hone. The seg gre bathed library restricted black patrons access by forcing them to use a Side Entrance and a poorly lit basement led by the reverend rent wyatt t. Walker and r. G. Williams, 140 demonstrators from Virginia State college and Peabody High School took seats on the first two floors of the library. The decision to request the biography ofly, and it wasnt by accident, suggests that students were not simply challenging local power structure but the history that had come to justify it. The combination of social and political unrest in the city at the library damp penned enthusiasm for the crater in 1964. And in the course of my research, there is some evidence that in 1960, the local Centennial Commission was planning to do some kind of major reenactment of the crater. That never happened. More importantly, black Political Action here in petersburg and a more to the kinds of stories remembered and commemorated here in the city. The two have always been tightly interwoven. These changes have been gradual over the past two decades and petersburg, like many other cities, remains a work in progress. The biggest challenge remains connecting locals to the battlefield. During the course of my research, one gentleman who lives on poke hand toes island remembers the place, quote, where the war was fought and an explosion took place. The feeling that there was nothing at the crater to give meaning to my life was reinforced during the segregation that the battlefield was the light. We always grew up believing that the crater was part of the white community. For former petersburg mayor the crater, quote, was a name, but it meant nothing. This nations collective memory of the civil war has undergone a profound shift since the 1960s and more recently lincoln 12 years a slave have highlighted topics that for much too long have been ignored or distorted. Monuments to the black soldiers can now be found on many civil war battlefields. Our history books now do a much better job of addressing the history of slavery and emancipation and the availability of primary sources online now allows anyone with the interest to explore these challenging subjects on their own. Even with all of these changes to the big picture, however, none of this matters if on the local level we cannot connect the entire community to its past. Superintendent lewis rogers said it best on tuesday. We want to be able to see ourselves in history. Many of you in this room in the National Parks service and in the community have worked hard in recent years in this direction. This challenge is formidable. The battle of the crater raises some of the most difficult questions about our nations past because it challenges some of the most fundamental beliefs about us. Its much too easy to look away or to settle on a celebratory or selfserving narrative that ignores the complexity of the past. The history of the crater is not black or white history. It is our history. Ultimately, we stand little chance of addressing the tough issues that divide us today if we cant take an honest or deliberate look at our collective past. Thanks for listening. [ applause ] so i would normally walk around for questions but i dont think i can because cspan is taping and they need to record it all. I think they are going to pass a mike around if you have any questions and im happy to entertain. Is that the way were going to do it . So if you have any questions, im happy to entertain them. Ill do my best. Theres one over here. Theres one over here. Over here. Yes. Id love to. Okay. All right. Got it . Yes. Something you said about the community not working together, the blacks and whites not working together to commemorate their history. But if you check the newspapers, if you check the newspapers, probably in the 1910, 1920 period, youll find that the confederate veterans and the Union Veterans organizations, both black and white, actually commemorated memorial day together here in petersburg at our cemeteries and they did it together. They didnt do it separately. And somehow we lost that over some time here and there. Maybe the depression and jobs and world war ii changed people but thats what happened early in the last century. They they did memorials together. Black, white, union and confederate ancestors and thats a fact. Thanks. I didnt hear a question but i will respond. There is some evidence that in the 1880s, especially with the petersburg militia units, there are occasions in fact, there is a memorial day celebration. Thats actually a very large parade where black and white civic organizations do parade together. As far as i was able to discern, thats more the exception than the rule. And i think for our purposes tonight, whats really important here is to understand the focus of my talk is who had access . Who had the opportunity to shape the local public meaning of the crater and the war here in petersburg . And if you actually go back through the records, what you do find, and especially at the crater, is you find that its pretty much a place where White Virginians go. Thats the crater that is in place from the period after the war right through the 1970s. In fact, in 1978 or 79, a local a school group from howard university, traditionally black college, came up and just did a survey of sort of interpretation here in petersburg and the crater specifically. If you read the report, its quite fascinating. They expressed a number of concerns and they should be there was probably no surprises if i just list a couple. Very few africanamericans interpreting on the battlefield, wayside markers that, of course, pretty much ignore the story of black soldiers, the issues of slavery, black life here in petersburg and even in the visitor senator. Of course, i think no one in the room in the National Parks service here would disagree that its probably about time the park service gets a new visitor center. Those exhibits are from the 1960s. Its probably time for revision. So its pretty clear that the crater itself is a dominant narrative, reconciliation between white and northerners and white southerners. That this is a place where they are going to come, sort of shake hands over the bloody casm, if you will but its not a place that black americans visit. I found very little evidence that black virginians here in petersburg and elsewhere really spent much time at all on the battlefield. Ive got one question. I work with a couple of black guys. Both of them are probably in their 60s now. They never heard of the crater. They never heard of the seizure of petersburg. They never heard it because they were never taught anything in the civil war in the black schools back in the 50s and 60s. Yes. And there are a number of good sources that i can point you to. In the 1960s especially, the state of virginia actually ordered it, textbooks to be revised and distributed throughout the state. The textbooks were sort of authored, written in a way that was very much a reflection of the Civil Rights Movement. So if you actually look at the textbooks coming into virginia schools at that time, its almost in reaction to the racial strife that you see in virginia and other parts of the country in the 60s. Some of the textbooks are being used in virginia into the late 1970s. And one of my favorite examples that i used to use in class, when you get to the chapter on slavery, the chapter cover, right, the illustration is about its a slave family coming off this boat fully dressed. They look upper class and they are shaking the hand of the boat operator. They are being welcomed off the boat. And then if you read the text, the text is even more remarkable. The text basically says that africanamerican slaves on the eve of the think about that. Think about that not simply as history but also history written at a specific time in the mid20th century. Think about why these books are being written the way they are. Those books, of course, are no longer being used. But those books, of course, i would argue did a significant amount of damage. And if youre interested, im happy to share some sources, some wonderful recent sources in the virginia magazine of history and biography. In fact, one of them just came out last year. Happy to share it. I think theres some questions. Kevin, in doing the research for your book on the memory aspect, was there any one fact or idea that surprised you extensively or challenged any preconception . It sort of gets the one part of the paper that i found absolutely fascinating. And that is i was i think when you study memory in the civil war, and ill make this sort of short, probably the most popular book if you wanted to start somewhere in thinking about the history of how americans have remembered or forgotten parts of the war is david blights race and reunion which came out in 2000 and 2001. The central thesis is that by the early 20th century, white and black americans had largely reconciled and to do so they were sort of forced to push aside the memory of emancipation, slavery and black military service. Theres a certain amount of truth to that, no doubt. But i guess i had been influenced to such an extent that when i actually got into the archives and looked at the black community here in petersburg and elsewhere, i was really struck by just how rich sort of the local memory of these specific battles, just how vibrant it still was in some of these communities. And churches played a huge role in perpetuating these narratives, a crucial role in sort of further highlighting these stories. I think thats how vibrant it was. I was pleasantly surprised by it, and it definitely sort of complicated the story. The other part of it, of course, is mahone. He, in my mind, is the most fascinating individual in the story, and i only skirted the issue with mahone in the 1880s. Mahone is i mean, he is blasted in the press for his racial politics. Here you have a former confederate, highranking confederate general. You might think of it as a 19th century example of wift boating. Hes blasted. He never recovers. His alliance with black virginians destroys his reputation. To such an extent that even in virginia textbooks, there is no mention of the readjuster movement. Virginians wan to forget that moment, just brush it aside. We think of long street as the great trader of the confederacy. Longstreet aint got nothing on mahone. Long street just accepted a position in grants administration. Mahone went out of his way to bring about the most dramatic, dramatic shift in the racial politics of the state. And its a story that most people have never heard of. Absolutely fascinating. The battle of new market heights, i think there was a half dozen or a dozen medal of honor, colored troop medal of honor winners. Were there any at the battle of crater . If not, was it because there was either no valor, or it was so ugly it was politically richard dorsy is an example for his role in protecting the flags. Hes the only one. I believe hes the only one. Yeah, hes the only one. Yeah. I think theres one over here and one back there. Well get to you. The party you talked about that mahone ran, did they run candidates just for local elections . Did they run candidates for statewide elections, National Elections . So mahone will align himself. He selected a senator. He aligns himself with the republicans for the most part during his time in d. C. Of course you can see the problem there. They run the people throughout the state. They control the governorship, so they dominate. They control patronage from beginning to end. The end of it, its a complicated story, but in 1883, the evidence seems to show that his detractors theyre named the readjusters because the big issue of the day for virginia is what to do about the state, a massive state debt. We can definitely relate to this issue. Do you pay it off entirely, or do you readjust it downward . In other words, pay off just part of it. Mahones position is you only pay off part of it, because he was committed to actually funding certain public works. And so the funders were the ones who wanted to pay it off. They tend to be more conservative. They tended to be more committed to sort of the racial status quo in virginia at that time. And so the success of the readjusters, theyre running people on county level, the state level, you name it, but in 1883 his detractors im pretty sure staged at least one race riot in danville. And its right on the eve of the election. And that apparently, some historians have argued that had a profound impact on how virginians voted when they went to the polls. But this is really important to remember, because we tend to think that after the war that reconstruction is next and jim crow was inevitable, right . Thats what were taught in schools if you get the right kind of class, that jim crow is inevitable. In virginia, it wasnt. In virginia you have reconstruction for the first few years in the immediate aftermath of the war, and then reconstruction comes in in this odd way with the leadership of a former confederate. Now, how long that could have lasted, who knows . But it does give you a sense that postwar virginia is a bit more complicated and even interesting than you might at first think. At least in my mind it is. Mahone somebody needs to write a biography of mahone. The last one was written in the mid1930s, and i can tell you why it hasnt been written. If you go into the archives and read his handwriting, its like chicken scratching. Its like reading an ekg scan. Its horrible. I was just going page after page and there are hours on end when im just sitting there looking at this, going, who could read this . Who was he talking to . Its one of those things. Somebody needs to get at that. My pleasure. Having participated in a whole host of events in the last three days commemorating the battle of the crater, one of the things i was informed of repeatedly is that a central reason for the failure of the union attack was that the colored troops were not brought into the battle as they were planned to be. Instead of going in early, they came in very late. And further, that the decision to do that was a political one and that it was elevated to at least general grant. My question is, what information is available, since it was a political decision, that the person of Abraham Lincoln, in fact, participated in making that specific decision . Theres no evidence ive ever come across. I dont know of anyone in the National Park service or anyone else. Lincoln is not involved, i think we can safely say that, in the Decision Making which is pretty much lincolns approach, anyway, especially when it comes to grant. I think in part it is a political decision. Meade, even grant, is worried about the political consequences. Keep in mind that there is a president ial election looming in november and there is a concern about the ramifications if these men are thrown in, and youknowwhat happens, right . So there is that concern. As far as the change in the plan, i think we exaggerate a bit sort of the no doubt the lastminute shift, thats going to sort of put a wrench into anything. I think we tend to exaggerate. There is this common belief that the black soldiers are sort of training on a regular basis for this maneuver. There is no evidence for this. It is true that some units, some regiments are going through some training. Some more than others, some none. Its important to keep in mind that residents of the 4th division, sometimes theyre away from the ninth corps entirely, theyre engaged in other activities. So its hard to imagine their spending much time at all training specifically for the next crater. I think that gets back to how we tend to want to remember this story. Look, its the sesquicentennial. The story of the black Union Soldier is front and center, and i couldnt be happier about that. Go back to the centennial, and you will be hardpressed to find any references to black Union Soldiers. But i think theres been a danger in the way in which this story has been pushed over the last few years, and i think its become almost sort of the moral narrative of our civil war memory, right . We want to correct for forgetting about them for so long, and i think we tend to gloss over some of the darker sides of black soldiers. I think i sort of touched on one of them. I dont think were very comfortable talking about black soldiers massacring others. That doesnt fit into our memory right now. But i think the other part of this is, to get at your question, i think wet