Lincoln Sneezed

by Brian Boyington

  On March 15, an event that changed their lives occurred. There was a chimney fire at the foundry. The embers blew onto the roof of the textile mill. Soon the entire complex was ablaze. When the fire finally burned itself out, it left destruction of the textile mill, foundry, Obadiah’s warehouse and all the businesses. The fire had also spread to Freeman’s Village, which burned to the ground.

  The Drivers and Smiths were able to salvage most of their belongings and lived in tents provided by the concerned community. Shortly after the fire, the recruiters for the Liberia immigration project arrived. With nothing else to lose, most of the Freeman community including the Drivers and Smiths volunteered. With the promise of 50 acres of land per family, Obadiah, Jeremiah, and Malachi also volunteered to join the Liberian Army.

  Chapter 4

  April 15, 1867

  A convoy of transport ships full of the migrants left Boston. The Drivers and Smiths were among the first to go. Other convoys left New York, Baltimore, Hampton Roads Virginia, Charleston South Carolina, and Savannah. The “trade winds” are typically favorable at that time of year, as the winter storms are over and the tropical storms would not form for months. Within 2-months, over 10,000 migrants had arrived. In mid-May, the Boston convoy was the first to land in Monrovia, with no ships lost in the passage.

  Within days, Obadiah, Jeremiah, and Malachi were inducted into the Liberian Army, retaining their previous ranks earned in the 54th Regiment. They and the other veterans of the 54th were formed into a new battalion, outfitted in bright blue uniforms, with red stripes on either side of the legs. Within 30 days all the Boston area migrants, along with arrivals from New York and Baltimore were loaded onto a wagon train for the interior.

  The newly formed battalion, armed with rifles & bayonets provided security for the convoy. A troop of Liberian cavalry in similar uniforms with plumed metal helmets accompanied the wagon train. One company of the battalion marched in the front, with another bringing up the rear. The other two companies were in reserve and also served as wagon drivers. The cavalry scouted in front and on the flanks to watch out for any possible ambushes by the local native tribes. Within one week the wagon train arrived at a previously surveyed favorable area on the north side of the central highlands; which was relatively flat and had a small river.

  Trees were cut to build a palisaded fort, and a tent city was set up for the settlers. The arrivals constructed a mill at the river and a canal cut for the paddle wheel provided power for the factory. Windmills were erected to draw water from wells. Soon boards were being cut, houses built and streets laid out. The new settlement was named Providence, as GOD had provided for their needs. The Smiths and Drivers occupied their farm land, which was about one mile from town. Soon the land was plowed and cultivated. The native tribes sold the settlers cattle, and Providence began to prosper. More migrants arrived and established new settlements. Within months, more than 30,000 new settlers occupied the area in growing towns.

  August 1866

  Relations with the native tribes were at first cooperative with an active trade. However, the relations soon became tense as the native tribes began to see the settlers as invaders. Threats resulted and trade diminished. To counter the threat, detachments of soldiers regularly patrolled the countryside. Obadiah’s leadership ability was noted, and he was promoted to lieutenant and placed in charge of his platoon. He then promoted Jeremiah to Sergeant Major and Malachi to Sergeant.

  In October, tensions increased as the native tribes conducted cattle raids. A reprisal attack against the offending tribe followed each cattle raid. Soon all-out war was at hand. In November disguised as traders, the raiders attacked Providence, set fires and kidnapped Emily, Ruth, Deborah and several other women and children. The captives were loaded into wagons, chained together and driven into the wilderness. Emily was a pillar of strength and kept reassuring the captives of pending rescue.

  Obadiah confided with Jeremiah. “I fear we made a grave mistake by coming to Liberia. War is everywhere, and our families are exposed, and Emily and the girls are slaves.”

  Jeremiah replied: “We came here because it is the land of opportunity, the home of our ancestors and will also be the home of our descendants. We knew there were troubles when we came but had lost everything where we were. Liberia is our land now. We will find Emily, Ruth, and Deborah. Your family will be reunited, and the slave takers punished.” Obadiah sighed then said: “Thank you, my friend. I know what you say is true, I guess I just needed to hear it.”

  The next day Obadiah’s platoon took part in the attack of the native village. During the fight, his platoon surrounded a fortified building containing the captives. They were in a back room with two Raiders guarding them. Emily told the others: “When they’s be distracted, let’s get out the back.”

  A grenade went off on the front door and blew it down. In the smoke, fire, and confusion the Raiders rushed to defend the door. Emily saw the opportunity, and the captives rushed out the back of the building. As they were about to escape, Ruth tripped and screamed when she fell to the floor. As Deborah tried to help her sister up, Emily stood between them and their captors. Two of the Raiders saw what was happening and opened fire on the escapees. Emily was shot twice but was able to stagger outside. Obadiah’s men seeing the captives escaping rushed to get them all to safety. The soldiers threw more grenades into the building, then rushed in and killed the last of the raiders.

  Emily collapsed, and Ruth & Deborah knelt by her side. Deborah wept and said: “Mama, Mama and I are so sorry I screamed. Emily replied: “Hush Child, you were hurt.” One of the soldiers seeing the severity of her wounds said to the others: “They shot Mizzes Driver, git to Lieutenant Driver and tell him to git here quick.” He sent others to bring some of the women to take care the girls.

  Within minutes Obadiah and the physician arrived. His heart sank when he saw Emily’s wounds. He tried to comfort her saying “The sawbones be here, he’ll fix you up.” Emily looked into his eyes and said: “I knew you would come … I also know when you’re lying to me … hold me for a while.” Tears were flowing down Obadiah’s face. He kissed her tenderly said: “I love you Emily, don’t leave me!” “Emily leaned her head on his shoulder and said “I know you do … I love you too and always will.” She then shivered twice, and the light in her eyes went out.

  Obadiah was overwhelmed by grief and guilt. He blamed himself for Emily’s death and for not getting to her sooner. Jeremiah and Malachi told him “You did everything you could, it was those murdering savages who killed her.” Obadiah was not listening and in his anger wanted to shoot any captive raiders. Jeremiah & Malachi pulled him away. Jeremiah said “That is not the way to avenge Emily. She would not want murder committed in her name.” Obadiah sank to the ground and wept. The women carefully washed Emily’s body, which was wrapped in blankets and returned with the platoon to Providence. Once there, Betsy and Hannah counseled him saying: “Emily would not want you to condemn yourself over the raider’s actions. Now is the time to be strong. Jonah, Josiah, Deborah and Ruth need you”!

  Emily was the first to be buried in the family graveyard. Almost the entire town turned out for the funeral. Three weeks passed, and gradually Obadiah worked through his grief. One day he asked Ruth and Deborah to prepare a large meal. He invited Jeremiah, Malachi and their families to thank them for their support. They all talked about memories of Emily, her love, laughter and her strength. They all alternately laughed and cried - it was a time of healing. The next day Obadiah said to Jonah & Josiah: “You are the men of the house now, be sure to take care of your sisters and the farm.” After placing Deborah and Ruth in Hannah’s care, Obadiah returned to his platoon a changed and determined man.

  Reinforcements arrived, and Obadiah’s platoon joined a 1,000 man regiment commanded by Colonel Charles Taylor, the son of one of Liberia’s leading families. In mid-December following two weeks of extensive drills, the regiment was ready for combat. For the next two months, the regi
ment fought its way through numerous hostile native villages. Obadiah’s platoon, comprised mostly of men from Providence, often led the attacks.

  During one of the assaults, the company commander died. After that battle, Colonel Taylor summoned Obadiah and Jeremiah to his tent. Obadiah entered first and saluted. Colonel Taylor returned the salute, then picked up Obadiah’s file and said: “Lieutenant Driver, your record is exemplary. You have strong leadership skills and have shown great bravery during combat.” He then opened a small box and handed it to Obadiah, who opened it and saw Captains bars. Taylor said: “I am promoting you to Captain and placing you in command of the 2nd company.”

  Obadiah said: “Thank you, sir, I won’t let you down.” Taylor smiled and said: “I know you won’t. Please send in Sergeant Major Smith.” Obadiah saluted and left, and Jeremiah entered the tent. Taylor promoted Jeremiah to lieutenant and gave him command of Obadiah’s prior platoon. Obadiah promoted Malachi to Sergeant Major and assigned him to another platoon.

  After several weeks of hard fighting, the regiment chased the native fighters into the British colony of Sierra Leone. The climactic battle occurred several miles inside Sierra Leone near the bank of a river. The rebels, realizing they were trapped launched a frontal assault. Obadiah’s company, as usual, was at the forefront of the advance. Observing the beginning of the native charge he halted and formed ranks in three rows.

  Adjacent units moved forward and formed ranks with them. The first row kneeled, the 2nd row stood and pointed their rifles at the attackers. The 3rd row was in reserve. When the charge was within 100 yards, the 1st row fired and fell back to reload. The 2nd rank stepped forward and fired, then the 3rd row moved forward and fired. The process was repeated twice, with the positions moving forward each time. Following the 3rd volley, a bayonet charge ensued. The volley fire had decimated the attackers, and the bayonet charge ended the battle. The native survivors surrendered, and all the women and children who accompanied them were gathered up and returned to Liberia. The insurrection was over.

  Two days were used to bury the dead and treat the wounded. On the third day, the Liberian Army began to withdraw back into Liberia. They encountered a 100 man detachment of the British-led Sierra Leone Native Army. Colonel Taylor met with a British Lieutenant and explained they were in hot pursuit of murdering rebels and had finally run them down. He apologized for crossing the border and indicated that he thought the wide stream where he trapped the rebels was the Morro River; which was part of Liberia’s northern border. The British officer, with the weight of the Empire behind him, said: “The Crown will not abide this invasion of the British Empire. I demand you surrender to me.”

  Col Taylor shook his head in amusement and said: “If you have not observed, we outnumber your detachment by 10 - 1. We completed what we needed to do and are returning to our land. I urge you to stand aside.”

  The British officer refused and ordered his men to block the way back to Liberia. A brief skirmish resulted. Obadiah’s company and another company flanked the Sierra Leone soldiers. Realizing his situation, the British officer, and the Sierra Leone detachment was forced to withdraw. The Liberian regiment crossed the border back into Liberia and marched to Monrovia. The British lieutenant, smarting from his need to retreat, sent messengers to Freetown with his version of the incident.

  Monrovia, March 1867

  News of the incident soon spread. President Warner summoned Col Taylor and his senior officers to provide a full report. President Warner, while disappointed that the final battle happened in Sierra Leone, was pleased with the resolution of the native insurrection.

  Warner then summoned the British Consul, explained the situation and offered to pay an indemnity for the incursion. The outraged diplomat demanded that Col Taylor and all his officers be arrested and sent to Freetown for trial. President Warner refused. The next day, the Consul sent dispatches to Arthur Kennedy, the Governor General in Freetown. Kennedy was outraged, but as a very careful person verified the information before forwarding the dispatches to London on the next packet ship.

  The United States Ambassador John Says learned the details of the battle. He also sent dispatches to Washington DC and to Charles Francis Adams, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, who was the senior ambassador in the area.

  The Liberian newspapers hailed Taylor as a hero, and President Warner promoted him to be a General. With the newspaper stories exaggerating the battle with the Sierra Leon detachment, recruitment dramatically increased. Obadiah promoted to Major, was given command of recruit training. His orders were to train the new soldiers in the same tactics he had used in the previous campaign. Training camps were set up on the east side of Monrovia for the thousands of recruits.

  Jeremiah was promoted to Captain and given the command of Obadiah’s former company. The company was part of a battalion assigned to protect the central highlands from native incursions.

  Malachi was promoted to Lieutenant and selected as Obadiah’s adjutant. His tasks included the strengthening the forts guarding the entrance to Monrovia’s harbor. He directed the construction of outlying redoubts be of concentric log walls; with the middle filled with dirt and debris. The dirt and debris came from a wide ditch with steeply sloping sides, dug outside the redoubts. These additional barriers would help to protect the forts from ground assault. A wood deck on the redoubts also provided a stable cannon platform. Trap doors and stairs led to underground bunkers for the defenders to find shelter during a bombardment.

  Chapter 5

  Washington DC, March 1867.

  Dispatches from Liberia reached the State Department following a 10-day voyage across the Atlantic. Secretary of State William Seward requested a meeting with President Lincoln. Relations with the UK were already tense over the ongoing dispute over the “Alabama Claims.” During the Civil War, the Confederates had contracted through third parties to have commerce raiders constructed in the United Kingdom. Ambassador Adams had negotiated with the United Kingdom government in an attempt to stop the construction and launch of the warships; as the building of the ships was in direct violation of British neutrality. The British delayed and the ships were finished and launched.

  When Ambassador Adams protested and demanded the interception of the ships, Lord John Russell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, refused under the pretext that the ships were unarmed merchant ships; and Adams had not produced proof they were warships. Four of the ships were armed on the high seas and were successful commerce raiders. The ships were the CSS Georgia, CSS Florida, CSS Alabama and CSS Shenandoah. Together they accounted for the capture of 150 US merchant ships in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.

  Seward, who had just negotiated the Purchase of Alaska from Russia, saw this as an opportunity. He and many others in Congress believed that that Great Britain had manifestly disregarded her obligations of neutrality under the concept of “the law of nations.” The combination of actions one hand and lack of actions on the other had provided the Confederacy with weapons and treasure and prolonged the war. Seward estimated the cost of treasure and blood to the USA exceeded $2,125,000,000. The previous Foreign Secretary Lord Russell continued to maintain the “Honor of England” would not allow her to pay reparations. These actions combined, offered the United States sufficient cause for war.

  The United States had an army of hundreds of thousands of battle harden soldiers and an officer corps who had learned the lessons of war. The US Navy also had hundreds of warships including ironclad rams. Canada was an inviting and mostly undefended target. Charles Francis Adams was leading a team of negotiators in London, to press the reparations claims on the new Conservative Government. He offered to annex Canada as compensation as this would satisfy the “just demands” of the USA and complete the desire for Manifest Destiny. The British rejected the annexation plan and continued to refuse to pay reparations.

  Lincoln called his cabinet to an urgent meeting. Also attending were Ulysses S Grant and Admiral David Farrag
ut. By then, Ambassador Adams would be aware of the Liberian situation and would be waiting for specific instructions. Adams was the son of one President and the grandson of another. As a highly competent diplomat, he would not be affected by any British efforts at intimidation. An action plan was formulated and included the following: Grant and Farragut were asked to prepare readiness assessments on the condition of the army and fleet. They were instructed to get them ready for war if a negotiated settlement failed.

  Trans-Atlantic cable dispatches to Ambassador Adams instructed him to remind Lord Stanley that Liberia, while an independent nation was also an American Protectorate. He was told to emphasize that any military action against Liberia would be considered the same as an attack on US sovereignty.

  Farragut was directed to send a flotilla of warships, including at least one ironclad, on a “good will” visit to Monrovia. Accompanying the squadron would be cargo ships with their holds full of rifles, ammunition, cannons, caissons, powder and shot to supply 50,000 soldiers.

  Transports of new emigrants to Liberia would accompany the fleet. To date, over 200,000 former slaves and freemen had already departed. The transports were already gathering in Boston, New York City, Baltimore, Charleston, and Savannah. Instructions were sent by telegraph to the ship captains to sail to Hampton Roads to join the convoy.

  By the middle of May, the convoy had converged and set sail for Monrovia. Rear Admiral John Dahlgren was in command. His flagship was the newly refitted former Confederate ironclad ram the USS Stonewall. Other warships included the steam sloops of war USS Kearsarge, USS Powhatan, and USS Pawnee.

  USS Stonewall had been refitted with 6-inch armor plate on its sloping sides and 8 inches on the turret. Twin 20” Dahlgren smoothbores replaced the British guns in the turret. There was an 8-inch armor plate cupola on top of the turret which also served as a pilot house. It also mounted two Gatling guns, which could fire through horizontal view slots. The casement included a 15” Dahlgren, on a pivoting carriage. Reinforcement to the structure allowed for a 15” Parrot gun behind a bulwark mounted on top.