Brooks energetically set out to defend Pittsburgh, ordering citizens and railroad crews to build an elaborate network of earthworks and fortifications along key routes of approach that any invader might use. He organized home guard units, and sent out scouts looking for signs of Confederate activity. He established communications linkages with Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside, commanding the adjacent Department of the Ohio, as well as the Department of the Susquehanna's Maj. Gen. Darius N. Couch. Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin sent 10,000 rifles, ammunition, and supplies to Pittsburgh, and Federal troops were hastily diverted to assist in the defense of the river town should it be threatened.
Brooks's fears over a Confederate attack on Pittsburgh would prove unfounded, although Morgan's Raid through southern Ohio caused concern, as did John D. Imboden's raid on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Martinsburg, WV, and Cumberland, MD,[1] well southeast of Pittsburgh. Satisfied that Pittsburgh was indeed safe with the repulse of Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg and the capture of John Hunt Morgan following the Battle of Salineville, Brooks sent home the volunteers and militia, and the forts were abandoned.
The department was merged into the Department of the Susquehanna on April 6, 1864.[2] General Brooks returned to active field command, leading a division in the XVIII Corps in the Army of the James.
Referencesedit
^Spencer, Tucker (2002). Brigadier General John D. Imboden: Confederate commander in the Shenandoah. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. p. 144. ISBN978-0-8131-2266-3.
^The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. ; Series 1 - Volume 33, p. 814
Bates, Samuel P., Martial Deeds of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: T. H. Davis & Co., 1876.
Boatner III, Lt. Col. Mark Mayo, The Civil War Dictionary. New York: Van Rees Press, 1959.
External linksedit
December 20, 2023
department, monongahela, military, department, created, united, states, department, during, gettysburg, campaign, american, civil, contents, history, references, sources, external, linkshistory, editon, june, 1863, president, abraham, lincoln, responding, robe. The Department of the Monongahela was a military department created by the United States War Department during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War Contents 1 History 2 References 3 Sources 4 External linksHistory editOn June 9 1863 President Abraham Lincoln responding to Robert E Lee s impending invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania called for 100 000 volunteers from those two states as well as West Virginia and Ohio to help repel the invasion with only about 33 000 recruits answering his call The Secretary of War Edwin M Stanton ordered the creation of two departments to organize these militia and defend Pennsylvania The Department of the Susquehanna consisted of most of central and eastern Pennsylvania The Department of the Monongahela consisted of western Pennsylvania including Johnstown the Laurel Highlands and Erie as well as Hancock Brooke and Ohio counties in West Virginia and the Ohio counties of Columbiana Jefferson and Belmont The headquarters were established in Pittsburgh under the command of Maj Gen William T H Brooks a combat veteran of the Union Army of the Potomac Brooks energetically set out to defend Pittsburgh ordering citizens and railroad crews to build an elaborate network of earthworks and fortifications along key routes of approach that any invader might use He organized home guard units and sent out scouts looking for signs of Confederate activity He established communications linkages with Maj Gen Ambrose Burnside commanding the adjacent Department of the Ohio as well as the Department of the Susquehanna s Maj Gen Darius N Couch Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin sent 10 000 rifles ammunition and supplies to Pittsburgh and Federal troops were hastily diverted to assist in the defense of the river town should it be threatened Brooks s fears over a Confederate attack on Pittsburgh would prove unfounded although Morgan s Raid through southern Ohio caused concern as did John D Imboden s raid on the Baltimore amp Ohio Railroad between Martinsburg WV and Cumberland MD 1 well southeast of Pittsburgh Satisfied that Pittsburgh was indeed safe with the repulse of Robert E Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg and the capture of John Hunt Morgan following the Battle of Salineville Brooks sent home the volunteers and militia and the forts were abandoned The department was merged into the Department of the Susquehanna on April 6 1864 2 General Brooks returned to active field command leading a division in the XVIII Corps in the Army of the James References edit Spencer Tucker 2002 Brigadier General John D Imboden Confederate commander in the Shenandoah Lexington KY The University Press of Kentucky p 144 ISBN 978 0 8131 2266 3 The war of the rebellion a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies Series 1 Volume 33 p 814 nbsp American Civil War portalSources editBates Samuel P Martial Deeds of Pennsylvania Philadelphia T H Davis amp Co 1876 Boatner III Lt Col Mark Mayo The Civil War Dictionary New York Van Rees Press 1959 External links editBivouac Books article on fortifying Pittsburgh in 1863 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Department of the Monongahela amp oldid 1163592318, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
