Saturday, Jan. 11, 1862
CAMERON CANNED, CORRUPTION CURBED

A reasonably relieved President Lincoln today accepted the resignation of Secretary of War Simon Cameron, and appointed him ambassador to Russia, that being about the most distant place he could think of to send him. Although no proof of personal dishonesty or theft by Cameron was ever determined, there had long been accusations of fraudulent contracts for war materiel, excessive involvement of politics, and general incompetence in the War Department.



Sunday, Jan. 11, 1863
VALIANT VICTORY VAINLY VOIDED

The land forces of McClernand, combined with the river gunboats of Adm. Porter, today captured Brig. Gen. Thomas Churchill’s men of Fort Hindman, Ark. Union casualties were 134 killed, 898 wounded, and 29 missing; the defenders saw 28 killed, 81 wounded, and every one of their artillery pieces destroyed or damaged by fire from the gunboats. Grant then ordered McClernand to return from his expedition, which had been totally unauthorized, to join in the attack on Vicksburg. McClernand and Grant had never gotten along particularly well anyway.



Monday, Jan. 11, 1864
FOLLY FOILS FORCES FURTHER

Yesterday saw the loss of the USS Iron Age in Lockwood’s Folly Inlet after she ran aground was destroyed by shore batteries. Today saw the loss of two more ships of the Federal blockade in the same inlet. In this case they were chased by Confederate ships too close to shore, and also ran aground. They were then burned to the waterline.



Wednesday, Jan. 11, 1865
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION CULTIVATES CORRECTNESS

The Constitutional Convention convened in St. Louis, Mo., passed a resolution declaring that that slavery would be outlawed within the borders of the state. Missouri, along with several other border states, had been the scene of fierce disputes for many years between those who wished it to be a slave-holding versus a free state. The provision outlawing slavery was an explicit demand of the Federal government before a Confederate or border state would be readmitted to the Union.

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