Civil War

This Week in the Civil War

00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.

This Week in the Civil War - 724

Texas Public Radio | By Texas Public Radio

Published December 17, 2013 at 9:43 AM CST

On Friday, December 18, 1863 Abraham Lincoln, in a letter to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, acknowledged that he believed it necessary to remove General John McAllister Schofield from command of the Union Department of Missouri.

For some time the president had been concerned about relations between the Missouri Unionist state government and General Schofield; Missourians had been lobbying Lincoln since mid-October to replace the general.

While now desiring Schofield’s removal, Lincoln did not wish to demote him, encouraging Stanton to consider promoting Schofield to the rank of major general when replacing him. Lincoln, always mindful of the political ramifications of transferring his generals, suggested William Rosecrans to replace Schofield. Rosecrans, who had been besieged at Chattanooga by Bragg and subsequently removed in October 1863, needed a new command.