June 5, 1862

June 5, 1862: Mississippi River - Union forces plan to launch an assault on Fort Pillow, and only the columns of black smoke rising from burning supplies, gun carriages, ammunition and exploding gun emplacements and bombproofs told them that the fort had been abandoned. Colonel Fitch, in command of a brigade of Indiana troops, sent ashore a party of soldiers to clean up the mess and garrison the fort. Flag Officer Charles Davis and the Navy set their sites on the city of Memphis. A combined Navy and Army river flotilla begins to steam downriver toward Memphis.

—On this date, The New York Times prints the news that Great Britain has concluded with the United States on a new treaty to jointly work on suppressing the African slave trade. Lord Russell, Foreign Minister, announces the cooperative agreement engineered by Sec. of State Seward and Lord Lyons.

—General Robert E. Lee advises the C.S. Seceretary of War, George Randolph, on reinforcing Jackson in the Valley:

HEADQUARTERS,
Near Richmond, Va., June 5, 1862.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,
Secretary of War:


SIR: I wrote to His Excellency the President this morning about re-enforcements for General Jackson. The troops from Georgia you propose sending him I believe form a part of General Lawton's brigade. I wish they were mine, but with the North Carolina battalion, if they can join him, will fill up his ranks. He ought to have more, or these will not materially aid him. His plan is to march to Front Royal and crush Shields. It is his only course, and as he is a good soldier, I expect him to do it.


I telegraphed yesterday to Major Harman, at Staunton, to collect all the troops in that vicinity, raise the community, magnify their numbers, and march down the valley and communicate with Jackson. It will shake Shields and make him pause.
Very respectfully,

R. E. LEE,

General.