Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks

[jkBluesman]

Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Prentice Banks (b. 1816, d. 1894). The political general was one of the war’s first appointed major generals of volunteers and secured commands for almost the whole conflict despite military defeats. Born in Waltham, Massachusetts he began his career working as bobbin boy in a cotton factory – the nickname “Bobbin Boy Banks” would remain for the rest of his life – followed by years as a mechanic before he successfully studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1839. His oratory skills suited him well as politician. First he was elected to the state’s House of Representatives as Democrat, before running on the ticket of Democrats and Free-Soilers as national congressman and being re-elected as Know-Nothing. An outspoken abolitionist, he became speaker of the United States House of Representatives with the support of the Republican Party. On the Republican ticket, he served two more years in congress before resigning and being elected governor of Massachusetts. Banks could not secure the Republican presidential nomination in 1860 and quit politics for the moment. In the secession crisis of 1861, Pres. Abraham Lincoln considered Banks as a member of his cabinet but made him major general of volunteers in May 1861 instead. Thus Banks’ military life started. Assigned the task of keeping the Confederates under Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley from reinforcing the troops near Richmond and at the same time defending Washington, Banks was defeated at Front Royal – where he was not present in person – and Winchester (May 23 and 25, 1862). For the loss of supplies on these occasions he was dubbed "Commissary Banks" by his opponents. Banks almost got his revenge on Jackson when he attacked the latter’s spread-out forces at Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862. However, Confederate reinforcements turned near victory into yet another defeat. Afterwards, Banks was in charge of the national capital’s defence before being sent to New Orleans with 30 000 new recruits. As new commander of the Department of the Gulf his task was to get in control of the Mississippi south of Vicksburg. Despite some initial success Banks failed to carry Port Hudson, which the Confederates did not give up until Vicksburg fell on July 4, 1863. The Red River Campaign of 1864 had the goal of securing Louisiana and Arkansas for the Union and install a Federal presence in Texas to deter the French who had established their rule in Mexico. Difficult terrain, bad roads and low water thwarted the expedition from the outset. Banks who had started on March 10 had to return on May 22 without matching any of his military goals. He was successful in gathering cotton (and forced the Confederates to burn much more cotton) though, which convinced many that the whole affair had been driven by profiteering. It ended Banks’ military career as it was his last field command (though he stayed in command of his department till June 1865). Mustered out in August 1865, he returned to politics. From 1865 to 1873, 1875-1879 and 1889-1891 he served as representative of Massachusetts in congress and from 1879 to 1888 as marshal for his home state. Mental deterioration forced him to end his public life. He died in his hometown on September 1, 1894 and was buried in Waltham’s Grove Hill Cemetery.

Ldr: 2
Tact: 3
Init: 2
Cmd: 2
Cav: 0

Teaches: Swampwise?

[General Quarters]

This is a very interesting bio. It might be good to add the "Commissary Banks" episode for color, though I think it has somewhat unfairly created a stereotyped image of Banks.

The suggested ratings put him near the bottom of Union generals. In my own view, he was considerably better than guys like Butler and Fremont. I would give him high initiative, at least a 4. He took the initiative at Cedar Mtn to attack, even though his orders were vague. He is given low marks for the Red River campaign, but Port Hudson had barely surrendered when he immediately went after Richard Taylor's rebs, who has been harassing the Miss River, threatening New Orleans, etc. The failure of that campaign in very difficult terrain (nicely outlined by Bluesman) against a very skilled opponent should perhaps be no greater a mark against him than Yazoo against Grant. Some campaigns turn out to be impossible.

One other decision he made that I thought showed command character was that the Union general in New Orleans was screaming for Banks to give up the siege of Port Huron and come rescue him from Taylor, who approach within a dozen miles or so of the city and certainly had the force to take it. Banks wrote back that, if the rebs took N.O., he would just take it back AFTER the fall of Port Huron. That was a very correct judgment, which means that he was willing to take the heat for the loss of N.O. meanwhile. Interesting, Taylor analyzed the situation the same way as Banks, and decided that, if he took N.O., he would end up getting trapped there.

While it is true that Port Huron fell only after Vicksburg, if that is all you say it gives the impression that his efforts there were not successful. As far as I can tell, he conducted a very appropriate siege, He had attacked several times, meanwhile inching his trenches forward, until they were really just a few feet away from rebel lines, and one more attack would probably take the place. At that point, Vicky fell and the rebels surrendered. Banks, like Grant, parolled them in order to move immediately against the enemy.

The positive way to present the taking of Port Huron is to say, as Lincoln did in a letter to Banks, something to the effect that 'you have opened the Mississippi and that will never be forgotten.' Not sure Lincoln was right, since, if ask most people, who took the last rebel stronghold and opened the Mississippi, they would say Grant.

I think I would give Banks an initiative of 5, command of 2, leadership 3, and tactical 1. (A total of 11 makes him a point or two below average.) The real problem of having a general like Banks, is that his tactical abilities are not commensurate with his initiative.

Bluesman, I hope I have persuaded you but, if not, I would defer to your judgment, since you are the guy who has recently reviewed Banks' record.

[jkBluesman]

Great that we have a discussion here. It was really difficult to suggest ratings for him (and Gil is the man who has the final word on this). Please respond any time you disagree.

You are totally right about Cedar Mountain. I had thought of a 4 as initiative rating because of that. Then I thought, Banks almost always moved slow with too much sluppy (a Union problem for a long time during the war as the Confederates got more supplies in their country and the Federals did only seldom live of the land till Vicksburg) and was more often attacked than attacked himself (that is my impression, I did not count), so I reduced the 4 to 2.

It is hard to judge his tactic skills as they are used for brigade commanders only and Banks started as division commander.

I could live easily with your raings for Leadership and yours for Command is the same.

What do you suggest as teachings?

One word on "Commissary Banks": Yes, he got that name from the Confederates during the Valley campaign. But the story less told is that the captured supply wagons slowed Jackson's army down a lot (and a big part of the wagons was captured from Fremont by the way). Ewell (very outspoken at that time) often grumbeled about Jackson and his precious wagons.

Port Hudson: This strongpoint had to be evacuated as Vicksburg fell, so its fate depended on Vicksburg but not the other way around. So it may be argued that it was a waste of men, time and supplies to attack and besiege the strongpoint. I might be too much influenced by Grant and historian David Eicher might as well.

[Gil R.]

The ratings I gave Banks -- admittedly, based on much less research than you've undertaken -- were Leadership=Fair, Tactics=Bad, Initiative&Command=Normal, and I gave him two random abilities to teach because I couldn't think of any obvious ones. I'm open to making changes.

jkBluesman, are you going to add the "Commissary Banks" bit, or should I edit this as is?

[jkBluesman]

The bit is in now. As for the ratings, I would recommand to lower command to 2, as his troops were out of command frequently during the Red River campaigns. To reach a compromise between GQ, your ratings and mine, maybe Leadership=normal and Initiative=fair would do it, as Banks would stay below the average.

[General Quarters]

About Port Hudson, the point about is strategic unviability and radically diminished imporance is certainly true. But that does not mean that Banks was not on the verge of taking it himself. This at least is the view put forward by Shelby Foote. However, even on Foote's account, the commander might have tried to hold out a little longer if he had not learned -- by asking Banks! -- that Vicksburg had fallen.

Anyway, the ratings all sound okay to me.

I really admire the work you have been doing here, Bluesman.

[Gil R.]

Okay, I've copied it and will edit it.

And I will change the ratings to the compromise jkBluesman suggests.

[Gil R.]

Here's the Banks bio, all ready to go:

Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Prentice Banks (b. 1816, d. 1894). Banks, the quintessential “political general,” was one of the war’s first appointed major generals of volunteers and secured field commands for almost the whole conflict – despite repeated military defeats. Born in Waltham, Massachusetts, he began his career working as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory – the nickname “Bobbin Boy Banks” would remain for the rest of his life – followed by years as a mechanic before he successfully studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1839. The oratorical skills he taught himself suited him well as politician. First he was elected to the state’s House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1849, before running on the ticket of the Democrats and Free-Soilers for a congressional seat in 1853 and being re-elected as a Know-Nothing after switching parties. An outspoken abolitionist, Banks became Speaker of the House with the support of the Republican Party. Running on the Republican ticket, he served two more years in Congress before resigning and being elected governor of Massachusetts in 1857. Banks could not secure the Republican presidential nomination in 1860 and quit politics for a time. During the secession crisis of 1861, Pres. Abraham Lincoln considered Banks for his cabinet, but instead made him a major general of volunteers that May. Thus began Banks’ military life. Assigned the task of keeping the Confederates under Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley from reinforcing the troops near Richmond during the Peninsula Campaign and at the same time defending Washington, D.C., Banks was defeated at Front Royal – where he was not present in person – and Winchester, on May 23 and 25, 1862. For the loss of supplies on these occasions he was wryly dubbed “Commissary Banks” by his opponents, though the loss of one third of his army and the survivors’ flight across the Potomac River were more serious. Banks almost got his revenge on Jackson when he attacked the latter’s spread-out forces at Cedar Mountain on August 9, but Confederate reinforcements turned near victory into yet another defeat for Banks. Afterwards, Banks was in charge of the national capital’s defense before being sent to New Orleans with 30,000 new recruits that November. As the new commander of the Department of the Gulf, replacing fellow Massachusetts “political general” Benjamin F. Butler, his task was to gain control of the Mississippi River south of the enemy stronghold at Vicksburg. Despite some initial success, Banks failed to carry Port Hudson, a bluff-fortress above Baton Rouge, which the Confederates did not give up until Vicksburg fell on July 4, 1863. Banks’ Red River Campaign of 1864 had the goal of securing Louisiana and Arkansas for the Union and installing a Union presence in Texas to deter the French in Mexico. Difficult terrain, bad roads and low water thwarted the expedition from the outset, and fighting at Sabine’s Crossroads and Pleasant Hill on April 8 and 9 forced a retreat: Banks, who had started on March 10, had to return on May 22 without achieving any of his military goals. However, he was successful in gathering cotton (and forced the Confederates to burn much more of the commodity), which convinced many that the whole affair had been driven by profiteering. This failed campaign essentially ended Banks’ military career, as it was his last field command (though he stayed in command of his department until June 1865, charged with the reconstruction of Louisiana). Mustered out in August 1865, he returned to politics, from 1865 to 1873, 1875-1879 and 1889-1891 serving as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, and from 1879 to 1888 as state marshal. Mental deterioration forced him to end his public life. Banks died in his hometown on September 1, 1894 and was buried in Waltham’s Grove Hill Cemetery. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

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