Battle of Fort Donelson

Kurz & Allison. “Battle of Fort Donelson--Capture of Generals S.B. Buckner and his army, February 16th 1862.” lithograph, color. Chicago: 1887. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/91482118/ (accessed 8/26/2013).

Battle of Fort Donelson

Richard's depiction of this battle says it all. This image gives a very glorified depiction of the battle and it is interesting because you see a lot of officers standing up in the midst of battle. You see this in other prints made in the day.

“Battle of Fort Donelson.” Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003664149/ (accessed 8/27/2013).

The US Ironclad Gunboat the Essex

"Destruction of the rebel ram "Arkansas": By the United State gunboat "Essex," on the Mississippi River, near Baton Rouge, August 4th 1862." 1 print : lithograph, hand colored. New York: Currier & Ives, [1862?] Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/91795896/ (Accessed 10/18/2013).

The US Ironclad Gunboat the Essex

Richard faced this ship in three different battles, at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and at Port Hudson where it was the only Ironclad gunboat in the lower Mississippi Fleet. The rest of those ships were oceangoing warships and some of them were in Commodore Perry's trip to Japan ( 1852-1854).

Bombardment of Fort Henry

Currier & Ives. “Bombardment and capture of Fort Henry, Tenn.: By the federal gunboats under command of commodore Andrew H. Foote-Feby. 6th 1862” lithograph, hand-colored. New York: Currier & Ives, [ca. 1862]. Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/90711973/ (accessed 8/26/2013).

Bombardment of Fort Henry

Lithographs of the ships bombarding Fort Henry.

Interesting that the Lithograph shows multiple misses of the ships on the Tennessee River but the Garrison was only run by a handful of troops and General Tilghman while the rest of the troops were either across the river at Fort Heiman or on their way to Fort Donelson. So they could not have been able to put up much of a fight, most of their guns were underwater due to the flood.

Confederate Camp

M. & N. Hanhart Chromo Lith. "Confederate camp" during the late American war." 1 print : chromolithograph. London : Louis Zimmer, c1871. Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006686265/ (Accessed 10/15/2013).

Confederate Camp

A chromo-lithograph of a Confederate encampment. The interesting thing about this war is that people could obtain color prints during the war of the events and the press, particularly Harpers Weekly were depicting stylized scenes of the war to promote the Union cause. This image was made after the war, in London.

Three years In the C.S. Army (P.A.C.S) A Diary of a Confederate

Soldier by Jerry Pepper and Richard Lauren McClung

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FR2MT7I

Riverboat to Memphis

"High pressure steamboat Mayflower first class packet between St. Louis and New Orleans on the Mississippi River - Capt. Joseph Brown." New York: N. Currier, c1855. Lithograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002695868/#bib (accessed 10/12/2012).

Riverboat to Memphis

This riverboat was the Mayflower which was a high pressure steamer that was in use from St Louis to New Orleans on the Mississippi River before the war. Richard took a steamer to Memphis.

Three years In the C.S. Army (P.A.C.S) A Diary of a Confederate Soldier by Jerry Pepper and Richard Lauren McClung
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FR2MT7I

Richard Lauren McClung

Richard Lauren McClung

My great great grandfather Richard Lauren McClung passed this diary down to his grandson Sergeant James Monroe Pepper who was my great uncle and a hero of the Second World War, a combat medic in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Italy and southern France, he wanted me to understand the cost of freedom.

Admiral Farragut's Fleet Bombarding Port Hudson

Admiral Farragut's Fleet Bombarding Port Hudson as the fleet made its way against the current of the Mississippi River in an attempt to get to Vicksburg which was to the north. An artillery battle at Point Blank Range. Port Hudson was set up on a cliff right where the ships had to turn to move up the Mississippi, thus they could shoot at any ship that came up or down the Mississippi. They concentrated their guns at this position, a gauntlet of fire. This gives you an idea of the bombardment that Richard was accustomed to experience in this war.