Many people have issues with the name "Pickett's Charge" because there were more divisions involved that just Pickett's....Pettigrew and Trimble also had divisions involved. Here, Birkett D. Fry, temporary commander of Archer's Brigade, tells his side of the "Pickett, Pettigrew, Trimble Charge", "Longstreet's Assault", or "Pickett's Charge". After reading this, YOU can decide WHOSE charge it was!
This is Birkett Fry's report. It was found in the Southern Historical Society Papers (Vol. 7, pg. 91-93). Enjoy!
In the numerous accounts of the battle of Gettysburg heretofore published, the writers have generally referred to the last effort made by the Confederate troops as "Pickett's Charge," and in almost every instance have conveyed the idea that no troops but Pickett's division took an active part in that fierce and tremendous struggle. Disclaiming any intention to detract in the least from the glory won on that day by the gallant Virginia division, or its heroic commander, who had then been for more than twenty years one of my most valued friends, I may be permitted to say that some injustice has been done to the division commanded by General Pettigrew.
As colonel of the Thirteenth Alabama infantry, I was attached to Archer's brigade of Heth's division. That brigade opened the battle on the morning of July 1st, and during the fighting which immediately ensued General Heth was wounded, and the command of the division devolved upon Brigadier-General Pettigrew. General Archer was captured, and i succeeded him in command of the brigade.
During the forenoon of the 3rd, while our division was resting in line behind the ridge and skirt of woods which masked us from the enemy, Generals Lee, Longstreet and A. P. Hill rode up, and, dismounting, seated themselves on the trunk of a fallen tree some fifty or sixty paces from where I sat on my horse at the right of our division. After an apparently careful examination of a
map, and a consultation of some length, they remounted and rode away. Staff officers and couriers began to move briskly about, and a few minutes after General Pettigrew rode up and informed me that after a heavy cannonade we would assault the position in our front, and added: "They will of course return the fire with all the guns they have; we must shelter the men as best we can, and make them lie down." At the same time he directed me to see General Pickett at once and have an understanding as to the dress in the advance. I rode to General Pickett, whose division was formed on the right of and in line with ours. He appeared to be in excellent spirits, and, after a cordial greeting and a pleasant reference to our having been together in work of that kind at Chapultepec, expressed great confidence in the ability of our troops to drive the enemy after they had been "demoralized by our artillery." General Garnett, who commanded his left brigade, having joined us, it was agreed that he would dress on my command. I immediately returned and informed General Pettigrew of this agreement. It was then understood that my command should be considered the center, and that in the assault both divisions should align themselves by it. Soon after the two divisions moved forward about a hundred paces, and the men lay down behind our line of batteries. The cannonade which followed has been often and justly described as the most terrible of the war. In it my command suffered a considerable loss. Several officers were killed and wounded, with a number of the rank and file. I received a painful wound on the right shoulder from a fragment of shell. After lying inactive under that deadly storm of hissing and exploding missiles, it seemed a relief to go forward to the desperate assault. At a signal from Pettigrew I called my command to attention. The men sprang up with cheerful alacrity, and the long line advance. "Stormed at with shot and shell," it moved steadily on, and even when grape, canister, and musket balls began to rain upon it the gaps were quickly closed and the alignment preserved. Strong as was the position of the enemy, it seemed that such determination could not fail. I heard Garnett give a command to his men which, amid the rattle of musketry, I could not distinguish. Seeing my look or gesture of inquiry, he called out, "I am dressing on you!" A few seconds after, he fell dead. A moment later - and after Captain Williams and Colonel George had been wounded by my side - a shot through the thigh prostrated me. I was so confident of victory that to some of my men who ran up to carry me off I shouted, "Go on; it will not last five minutes longer!" The men rushed forward into the smoke, which soon became so dense that I could see little of what was going on before me. But a moment later I heard General Pettigrew, behind me, calling to some of his staff to "rally them on the left." The roll of musketry was then incessant, and I believe that the Federal troops - probably blinded by the smoke - continued a rapid fire for some minutes after none but dead and wounded remained in their front. At length the firing ceased, and cheer after cheer from the enemy announced the failure of our attack. I was, of course, left a prisoner.
As evidence of how close was the fighting at that part of the line, I saw a Federal soldier with an ugly wound in his shoulder, which he told me he received from the spear on the end of one of my regimental colors; and I remembered having that morning observed and laughingly commented on the fact that the color-bearer of the Thirteenth Alabama had attached to his staff a formidable-looking lance head. All of the five regimental colors of my command reached the line of the enemy's works, and many of my men and officers were killed or wounded after passing over it. I believe the same was true of other brigades in General Pettigrew's command.
It is probable that Pickett's division, which up to that time had taken no part in the battle, was mainly relied upon for the final assault; but whatever may have been the first plan of attack, the division under Pettigrew went into it as part of the line of battle, and from the commencement of the advance to the closing death grapple, his right brigade was the directing one. General Pettigrew, who I know was that day in the thickest of the fire, was killed in a skirmish a few days later. No more earnest and gallant officer served in the Confederate Army.
B. D. Fry
Montgomery, Alabama, December 14th, 1878.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Liberty Hollinger
In the course of studying the Civil War, one must always take into account what happened to the civilians. Now, some battles took place far away from towns....only the local farmers were inconvienced by the battle (for the most part), and some took place in and around towns. One in particular that I can think of is Fredericksburg. But what happened in Gettysburg, is that the battle started outside of town, ended outside of town, and trampled the town in the process. So, studying the civilian accounts of the battle is almost (if not more) as important as the participants themselves. Liberty Hollinger was a teenaged girl who happened to live on the eastern side of Gettysburg and her account has always fascinated me.
Liberty lived near the intersection of York Road and Hanover Road. Today a Sunoco gas station sits where her house sat in 1863. The battle didn't really come to her home because the battle stayed on the western, southern and center of town but it did effect her is a way that I have always found interesting.
The fighting for the first day of the battle of Gettysburg was fought hard. The Union troops fought to hold the Confederates from gaining access to the town, but were unable to do that. First the 11th Corps and then the 1st Corps started a frenzied retreat through the town...ending on Cemetery Hill where Winfield Scott Hancock and Oliver Otis Howard were able to regain their footing. During the course of that retreat, men got separated from their regiments, regiments got separated from their brigades, and sometimes, brigades couldn't find their divisions. It was chaos all through the town.
Somehow, some men from the 6th Wisconsin found themselves on the eastern edge of town. These men found themselves at the Hollinger home. Liberty and her sister Julia and their mother were home trying to figure out what to do. The battle had come way too close to their home and they were, understandably, scared. So they called out to these men from the 6th Wisconsin, asking them what they should do. The men suggested that they stay where they were, but told them to go to their cellar. In the meantime, their mother was completely stressed and scared and ended up fainting. So these soldiers carried their mother to the cellar and then headed back upstairs for her rocking chair for her to sit in. After getting Mrs. Hollinger settled in the cellar, the men told Liberty and her sister that they needed to leave because they were afraid that they might be captured.
The girls were horrified when they realized that they had put these men's lives in danger. They thanked the soldiers as the men ran for East Cemetery Hill. “We could not help thinking with fear of the two kind officers who had delayed their departure in order to give us help and advice," Liberty said years later. They were thrilled when they found out after the battle that the two men had survived the battle. The names of these two brave soldiers who helped the Hollinger family were: Captain Lloyd Harris and Lieutenant John Beely.
Despite all the confusion, all the danger of the day, these two men took time out of their retreat to help a family who had no idea what to do or how to do it. They put their lives on the line to help. In my mind, these two men are true heroes.
Liberty lived near the intersection of York Road and Hanover Road. Today a Sunoco gas station sits where her house sat in 1863. The battle didn't really come to her home because the battle stayed on the western, southern and center of town but it did effect her is a way that I have always found interesting.
The fighting for the first day of the battle of Gettysburg was fought hard. The Union troops fought to hold the Confederates from gaining access to the town, but were unable to do that. First the 11th Corps and then the 1st Corps started a frenzied retreat through the town...ending on Cemetery Hill where Winfield Scott Hancock and Oliver Otis Howard were able to regain their footing. During the course of that retreat, men got separated from their regiments, regiments got separated from their brigades, and sometimes, brigades couldn't find their divisions. It was chaos all through the town.
Somehow, some men from the 6th Wisconsin found themselves on the eastern edge of town. These men found themselves at the Hollinger home. Liberty and her sister Julia and their mother were home trying to figure out what to do. The battle had come way too close to their home and they were, understandably, scared. So they called out to these men from the 6th Wisconsin, asking them what they should do. The men suggested that they stay where they were, but told them to go to their cellar. In the meantime, their mother was completely stressed and scared and ended up fainting. So these soldiers carried their mother to the cellar and then headed back upstairs for her rocking chair for her to sit in. After getting Mrs. Hollinger settled in the cellar, the men told Liberty and her sister that they needed to leave because they were afraid that they might be captured.
The girls were horrified when they realized that they had put these men's lives in danger. They thanked the soldiers as the men ran for East Cemetery Hill. “We could not help thinking with fear of the two kind officers who had delayed their departure in order to give us help and advice," Liberty said years later. They were thrilled when they found out after the battle that the two men had survived the battle. The names of these two brave soldiers who helped the Hollinger family were: Captain Lloyd Harris and Lieutenant John Beely.
Despite all the confusion, all the danger of the day, these two men took time out of their retreat to help a family who had no idea what to do or how to do it. They put their lives on the line to help. In my mind, these two men are true heroes.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Wheatfield Part 3
Romeyn B. Ayres and Hannibal Day arrived with their brigades of U.S. Regulars (these were men who were in the regular army...and not in the volunteer army). They advanced across the Valley of Death (also known as Plum Run Valley) and entered the Wheatfield from the eastern border, which was lined with trees.
As the U.S. Regulars approached the Wheatfield, they were under immense fire from the sharpshooters in Devil's Den. The LARGE boulders of Devil's Den made it a great place where they could hide under cover while shooting at the enemy.
In the meantime, the Confederates came over Stony Hill and through Rose Woods to take over the Wheatfield. The U. S. Regulars then retreated back up to Little Round Top.
Well, General Samuel W. Crawford wasn't going to let it end this way. So he grabbed some of his own men plus a few stray men and regiments (my great great grandfathers regiment was one of these....the 98th Pennsylvania) and they left the northern end of Little Round Top and took the same route as Day and Ayres.
Through this attack, Crawford was able to push the Confederates out of the Wheatfield and back behind the Stony Hill. He realized that his troops were exhausted so he pulled them back to the woods on the eastern edge of the Wheatfield. Darkness then arrived. The Wheatfield remained "no-mans land" for the remainder of the battle.
Casualties:
Confederate -- 1394
Union -------- 3215
This fighting was extremely intense. Its been called a whirlpool of fighting and that is a good description because of the back and forth pull of who was in charge of that field. Overall, it seems almost ironic that despite the fighting, the Wheatfield ended up in no ones hands.
As the U.S. Regulars approached the Wheatfield, they were under immense fire from the sharpshooters in Devil's Den. The LARGE boulders of Devil's Den made it a great place where they could hide under cover while shooting at the enemy.
In the meantime, the Confederates came over Stony Hill and through Rose Woods to take over the Wheatfield. The U. S. Regulars then retreated back up to Little Round Top.
Well, General Samuel W. Crawford wasn't going to let it end this way. So he grabbed some of his own men plus a few stray men and regiments (my great great grandfathers regiment was one of these....the 98th Pennsylvania) and they left the northern end of Little Round Top and took the same route as Day and Ayres.
Through this attack, Crawford was able to push the Confederates out of the Wheatfield and back behind the Stony Hill. He realized that his troops were exhausted so he pulled them back to the woods on the eastern edge of the Wheatfield. Darkness then arrived. The Wheatfield remained "no-mans land" for the remainder of the battle.
Casualties:
Confederate -- 1394
Union -------- 3215
This fighting was extremely intense. Its been called a whirlpool of fighting and that is a good description because of the back and forth pull of who was in charge of that field. Overall, it seems almost ironic that despite the fighting, the Wheatfield ended up in no ones hands.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wheatfield Part 2
When General Hancock saw General Sickles Third Corps heading for the Peach Orchard, he went to his reserve Division, under John C. Caldwell, and told them to prepare to go help the Third Corps. So they got themselves prepared to go help.
Off Caldwell's men went. There were 4 brigades: Zook, Brooke, Kelly, and Cross. Brooke's brigade was held in reserve while the other three went straight into the Wheatfield. Zook and Kelly (the Irish Brigade) drove the Confederates off of the Stony Hill while Cross cleared the Wheatfield of Confederates. But within 15 minutes, Cross's men ran out of ammunition. So they had to fall back....but in came Brooke's men.
The Confederates fell back to the edge of Rose Woods (southern edge of the Wheatfield). The Federal army was able to capture dozens of prisoners and then advance back to the stonewall. But then the Peach Orchard completely fell apart and now Confederate reinforcements were on the way. Brooke went to Caldwell asking for help but Caldwell was already looking for help. And there was nothing that Brooke could do but fall back.
The Confederates were back in control of the Wheatfield (for the second time).
I've actually had a friend who claims to know "all things" Gettysburg, tell me that the monuments to Brooke's men in the Wheatfield are wrong. That none of these men were actually in or around the Wheatfield. That's the most rediculous thing I have ever heard. Brooke WAS in and around the Wheatfield. That's how the Union regained control of it the second time.
Another thing to keep in mind, during this time two of the four brigade commanders were killed: Zook and Cross. So, in losing their commanders, sometimes the control of the brigade gets a little out of wack. This happened to half of this division and might explain why they were able to fall back so much easier than they normally would have. They fought hard....but there was chaos also.
These are just some things to keep in mind while touring the Wheatfield while in Gettysburg.
Off Caldwell's men went. There were 4 brigades: Zook, Brooke, Kelly, and Cross. Brooke's brigade was held in reserve while the other three went straight into the Wheatfield. Zook and Kelly (the Irish Brigade) drove the Confederates off of the Stony Hill while Cross cleared the Wheatfield of Confederates. But within 15 minutes, Cross's men ran out of ammunition. So they had to fall back....but in came Brooke's men.
The Confederates fell back to the edge of Rose Woods (southern edge of the Wheatfield). The Federal army was able to capture dozens of prisoners and then advance back to the stonewall. But then the Peach Orchard completely fell apart and now Confederate reinforcements were on the way. Brooke went to Caldwell asking for help but Caldwell was already looking for help. And there was nothing that Brooke could do but fall back.
The Confederates were back in control of the Wheatfield (for the second time).
I've actually had a friend who claims to know "all things" Gettysburg, tell me that the monuments to Brooke's men in the Wheatfield are wrong. That none of these men were actually in or around the Wheatfield. That's the most rediculous thing I have ever heard. Brooke WAS in and around the Wheatfield. That's how the Union regained control of it the second time.
Another thing to keep in mind, during this time two of the four brigade commanders were killed: Zook and Cross. So, in losing their commanders, sometimes the control of the brigade gets a little out of wack. This happened to half of this division and might explain why they were able to fall back so much easier than they normally would have. They fought hard....but there was chaos also.
These are just some things to keep in mind while touring the Wheatfield while in Gettysburg.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Cold Mountain
Well, I broke down and got this movie from Netflix (the greatest invention since the car!). I saw it when it came out about 6 years ago....and I wasn't impressed. But I decided to watch it a second time. I have new knowledge of the time period, the Civil War, and life in general...so I was hoping to gain new insight into this movie. And I did.
First, I'm no prude, but some of the scenes in the movie were a bit "over the top" for me. I don't appreciate all that nudity...if it doesn't really enhance the movie. I'm not sure, maybe the movie was cleaned up a bit for DVD but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I remember. Still some nudity, but not anywhere near as bad as I remember.
The scenes of the Crater are more intense than I remember. I think that since I understand the Civil War so much more than I did a few years ago, the intensity of the battle scenes horrified me. Not that they shouldn't. War is horrific. Seeing the dead and dying lying on the field....even if they were just pretending....made me feel so horrible. I found tears streaming down my face before I realized what was happening. Then I started thinking about the fighting at Gettysburg and I got even more upset. These poor men who fought.
But living the Civilian experience is what really went through me. I never really understood just what these people experienced. Even when the war wasn't in their backyard, they were still hit head on by the war. The men were gone and the women had to keep the farms going. These were tough women....but they didn't have the strength to keep a big farm running. And somehow, through desperation, they did what they had to do in order to survive. I admire these women more than I can ever describe. How did they do it?
After watching the movie this morning, I decided that it isn't nearly as bad as I remember it being. It's funny how sometimes you have to watch a movie a few times in order to fully understand it. This was definitely one of those movies. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the Civil War...because this will show just what kind of suffering took place...both on the battlefield and on the home front.
First, I'm no prude, but some of the scenes in the movie were a bit "over the top" for me. I don't appreciate all that nudity...if it doesn't really enhance the movie. I'm not sure, maybe the movie was cleaned up a bit for DVD but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I remember. Still some nudity, but not anywhere near as bad as I remember.
The scenes of the Crater are more intense than I remember. I think that since I understand the Civil War so much more than I did a few years ago, the intensity of the battle scenes horrified me. Not that they shouldn't. War is horrific. Seeing the dead and dying lying on the field....even if they were just pretending....made me feel so horrible. I found tears streaming down my face before I realized what was happening. Then I started thinking about the fighting at Gettysburg and I got even more upset. These poor men who fought.
But living the Civilian experience is what really went through me. I never really understood just what these people experienced. Even when the war wasn't in their backyard, they were still hit head on by the war. The men were gone and the women had to keep the farms going. These were tough women....but they didn't have the strength to keep a big farm running. And somehow, through desperation, they did what they had to do in order to survive. I admire these women more than I can ever describe. How did they do it?
After watching the movie this morning, I decided that it isn't nearly as bad as I remember it being. It's funny how sometimes you have to watch a movie a few times in order to fully understand it. This was definitely one of those movies. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the Civil War...because this will show just what kind of suffering took place...both on the battlefield and on the home front.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Wheatfield Part 1
I've been spending some time studying deeply the fighting in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg. This fighting is known as "a whirlpool"...and for good reason. The Wheatfield changed hands at least 6 times in the 2 hour fighting. One thing that I have learned in my intense studying of this fighting, is that it can be divided up into 3 parts. Here, I'm going to talk about each section individually.
First, the Wheatfield was owned by George and Dorothy Rose who lived outside of Philadelphia. The land was being farmed by George's brother, John. This Wheatfield was a 28 acre section of the Rose Farm.
On July 2nd, 1863, Joseph Sherfy's Peach Orchard was taken over by Daniel Sickles in a move that has been debated for years as to whether it was a good move or not. Dan Sickles' Third Corps was beaten back by McLaws Confederate Division...made up of the Brigades of Kershaw, Barksdale, Wofford, and Semmes. As the Peach Orchard was in front of the Wheatfield, the Confederates pushed through it and headed straight for the Wheatfield.
In the Wheatfield, there were already some men moving into position to protect the left wing of the Union army. Some of these men were Regis deTrobriand's brigade was already on the Stony Hill (the border on the west) and Winslow's Battery (Battery D, 1st New York Light Artillery). The 17th Maine (of deTrobriand's Brigade) was situated behind the stone wall (south border of the Wheatfield). George T. Anderson's brigade attacked through Rose Woods coming at the Union army (mostly the 17th Maine) from the south. Somehow the 17th Maine was able to hold the stonewall.
While the fighting on the southern edge of the Wheatfield was going on, deTrobriand's other three regiments were on the Stony Hill. General James Barnes' division (actually 2 brigades) came to help hold the western end of the Wheatfield. They stationed themselves on the Stony Hill and waited for the Confederates to approach.
The 17th Maine was getting hit, hard, by the Confederates coming at them from the south. So they had to fall back....but not before Winslow's Battery came to the rescue. They started by shooting solid shot into the trees. They had to shoot well above the heads of the 17th Maine because they were directly in front of them. By shooting into the trees, they were able to knock down large pieces of branches and trunks, causing almost as much harm as shooting case shot at the men.
Finally the 17th Maine fell back and Winslow and his men were able to start shooting shell and case shot. They cut the fuses to go off 1 - 1 1/2 seconds after they were fired. But Anderson's men couldn't leave the woods. So instead of coming straight at the Union army, they went around to the side so that they could start picking off some of the artillerymen. Winslow and his men was on the high ground in the Wheatfield and were dangerously exposed so they were forced to retreat to safer ground.
Suddenly the men on the Stony Hill withdrew under pressure from the men of Anderson's Brigade and Kershaw's Brigade coming from the west. Some of Kershaw's men approached the Stony Hill while the right-most regiments continued into Rose Woods.
Barnes felt that he couldn't hold the Stony Hill any more and retreated back to Wheatfield Road (the northern border of the wheatfield). This was when the 17th Maine and deTRobriand's other men had to fall back. Without help, there was nothing they could do. Because of Barnes' men falling back and the fall back of the other regiments, the Stony Hill fell into Confederate hands.
All this took place in the course of under 1 hour. And all this set the stage for part two.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Eschelman's Battery
Here is what is on the marker to Eschelman's Battery in Gettysburg:
C.S.A.
Army of Northern Virginia
Longstreet's Corps Artillery Reserve
Eschelman's Battalion
The Washington Louisiana Artillery
Miller's Squires, Richardson's, and Norcom's Batteries
Eight Napoleons and Two Twelve pounder howitzers
July 3. Arrived on the field before daylight and was engaged all day. Captured 1 three inch rifle.
July 4. At 9 am ordered to Cashtown to reinforce the Cavalry escorting the wagon train.
Losses. Killed 3, wounded 26, missing 16. Total: 45
Horses Killed and disabled 37. Guns disabled 3.
The marker is probably in the wrong location as the Battery was set up between the Smith house (Klingel) and the Rogers house on Emmitsburg Road.
It also says that they captured a three inch ordnance rifle but what it doesn't say is that the gun was found abandoned by the Battalion. Thompson's Battery left the gun behind when it moved back and was found by the Confederates.
But the thing that this battalion is probably best known for is that Miller's Battery was the battery who shot off the signal shots for the commencement of the Cannonade prior to Pickett's Charge. They were supposed to fire off 2 shots simultaneously but the one gun had a slight problem and the guns went off with a pause between the shots. Either way, it was the signal to begin the cannonade....the largest cannonade on North American soil.
I can't help but wonder if there are any statistics on the men in the batteries. How many of these men either went deaf during the war, or lost their hearing in years after the war? I wonder if anyone out there ever checked this out? It would be interesting to find out.
Jesse James and the Civil War
The other day I had the opportunity to watch a documentary on Jesse James. Having had no prior information on this notorious criminal, I thought this would be something that would help me understand the beginnings of our country. What I learned really kind of blew me away.
I did not know that Jesse James was in the Civil War. He was a Confederate guerrilla who's base of operations were the deep woods of Missouri. Throughout his lawless days, he used the tactics that he learned from the Civil War and applied them to robbing banks, trains, stage coaches and whatever else he decided that he needed to rob.
The James gang included his brother Frank, the Younger brothers, and some other fellows that he knew from his guerrilla days. This is probably why his robberies were so successful for him...using the tactics that they had learned...but the civilians that happened to be on the right side of the law during these escapades didn't know these tactics and ended up the victims of some of these horrible crimes.
Frank James didn't really want to be a part of this gang but was pulled in by his younger brother. At the end of all this lawlessness, Frank turned himself in, was acquitted in court and spent the rest of his days as a farmer in Tennessee. Jesse's life turned out quite different.
Before I talk a little more about Jesse, I think we should take a look at their parents. Their dad died when Jesse was quite small and his mom, Zerelda remarried. This documentary didn't talk too much about their stepfather, so I'm not sure what happened to him. But their mom was just as bad as her sons. When one of Allan Pinkerton's detectives showed up at the farm where she lived (and her sons were staying), the detective ended up dead, with a note attached to him stating that this is what would happen if they kept snooping around the farm. No one really knows who shot the detective, but it could have been any of them. Zerelda had as bad a reputation as her sons.
The Younger brothers were killed during a robbery and the gang sort of fell apart. After a few years, Jesse married his cousin...had two kids (a boy and a girl)....changed his name and tried to live a normal life. BUT he couldn't. The criminal world was calling. So, he rounded up a new gang and restarted his life of crime. His children never knew their real last name.
One day, Jesse was starting to pack up so that he could head out on another crime spree. It was a really warm day and he had to take off his coat. But he didn't want his neighbors to wonder why he was loaded up with guns, so he took his guns off (something that he NEVER did). He placed the guns on his bed. For some reason, he was on a ladder in his bedroom and one of his men walked in, saw the guns on the bed, Jesse on a ladder (with his back to the door), and the man had his opportunity. He pull out his gun, cocked it, and shot Jesse James right through the back of his head.
After the death of Jesse James, his reputation went from cold-blooded killer to national icon. He became larger than life. What wasn't being said was how he went around just killing people, robbing them, causing damage to the lives of these innocent people. He wasn't some sort of strange hero....he was a murderer who needed to be caught and executed. Sometimes you need to kill in order to save lives. I truly believe that even if he had been placed in jail, he would have gotten out. He had the means and the help.
If I hadn't watched this documentary, I never would have put a connection between the horrible things that Jesse James was known for and the Civil War. The War changed people...and not always for the best. This was one of those times that the War changed someone for the worse. But who knows, based on the way his mom was, maybe he would have ended up like this anyway.
I did not know that Jesse James was in the Civil War. He was a Confederate guerrilla who's base of operations were the deep woods of Missouri. Throughout his lawless days, he used the tactics that he learned from the Civil War and applied them to robbing banks, trains, stage coaches and whatever else he decided that he needed to rob.
The James gang included his brother Frank, the Younger brothers, and some other fellows that he knew from his guerrilla days. This is probably why his robberies were so successful for him...using the tactics that they had learned...but the civilians that happened to be on the right side of the law during these escapades didn't know these tactics and ended up the victims of some of these horrible crimes.
Frank James didn't really want to be a part of this gang but was pulled in by his younger brother. At the end of all this lawlessness, Frank turned himself in, was acquitted in court and spent the rest of his days as a farmer in Tennessee. Jesse's life turned out quite different.
Before I talk a little more about Jesse, I think we should take a look at their parents. Their dad died when Jesse was quite small and his mom, Zerelda remarried. This documentary didn't talk too much about their stepfather, so I'm not sure what happened to him. But their mom was just as bad as her sons. When one of Allan Pinkerton's detectives showed up at the farm where she lived (and her sons were staying), the detective ended up dead, with a note attached to him stating that this is what would happen if they kept snooping around the farm. No one really knows who shot the detective, but it could have been any of them. Zerelda had as bad a reputation as her sons.
The Younger brothers were killed during a robbery and the gang sort of fell apart. After a few years, Jesse married his cousin...had two kids (a boy and a girl)....changed his name and tried to live a normal life. BUT he couldn't. The criminal world was calling. So, he rounded up a new gang and restarted his life of crime. His children never knew their real last name.
One day, Jesse was starting to pack up so that he could head out on another crime spree. It was a really warm day and he had to take off his coat. But he didn't want his neighbors to wonder why he was loaded up with guns, so he took his guns off (something that he NEVER did). He placed the guns on his bed. For some reason, he was on a ladder in his bedroom and one of his men walked in, saw the guns on the bed, Jesse on a ladder (with his back to the door), and the man had his opportunity. He pull out his gun, cocked it, and shot Jesse James right through the back of his head.
After the death of Jesse James, his reputation went from cold-blooded killer to national icon. He became larger than life. What wasn't being said was how he went around just killing people, robbing them, causing damage to the lives of these innocent people. He wasn't some sort of strange hero....he was a murderer who needed to be caught and executed. Sometimes you need to kill in order to save lives. I truly believe that even if he had been placed in jail, he would have gotten out. He had the means and the help.
If I hadn't watched this documentary, I never would have put a connection between the horrible things that Jesse James was known for and the Civil War. The War changed people...and not always for the best. This was one of those times that the War changed someone for the worse. But who knows, based on the way his mom was, maybe he would have ended up like this anyway.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Lost Bodies
I've been thinking a lot about the boys who fought both on the North and South. These guys were just normal everyday people just like the rest of us. They had families, jobs, responsibilities. But they did something that I don't know if I could do....they went off to war. And some of these guys never returned.
Most of these men and boys returned home....in coffins....but some have remained where they fell. And some of these guys are just now being found.
About thirteen years ago, a Confederate soldier was unearthed in Gettysburg. Just last October a New York soldier was discovered in Antietam. And now I read that a body was located in Franklin, Tennessee. Only this time, they have no idea which side he was on.
Every time I hear about a soldier's body being found, there is also a report about a funeral for him. Gettysburg buried him with military honors at Gettysburg National Cemetery. Antietam had him reinterred in New York....right where he belongs....but not without a ceremony in Antietam and then again in New York. Franklin had a grand funeral for him, but it wasn't just for him....it was for all the soldiers. I'm so glad that these boys, regardless of which side they were on, are receiving the proper burials that they deserve.
Going off to war today is a little different than it was 150 years ago. The chances of being killed in a war today are quite a bit slimmer than they were during the Civil War, although those chances still exist...and the weaponry is quite different. But these men stood, literally, in front of these muskets, rifles, and cannons and, more or less, dared them to shoot them. And many did get shot....and many died. I could not do it. I am too much of a wimp to allow myself to be put in a situation like that. These men were anything but wimps. Even the shirkers were still braver than I could ever be.
I will never look down at any soldier, Union or Confederate, who fought. These men are my heroes....every single one of them (even the guys I don't like....like Dan Sickles....are still my heroes). I'm so glad that the National Parks are getting involved in the reinterment of these men and that they are allowing us, the civilians, to get a glimpse of what and who these men were.
Like I said before, these guys are my heroes and I'm so glad that we can be apart of honoring them for what they did!
Most of these men and boys returned home....in coffins....but some have remained where they fell. And some of these guys are just now being found.
About thirteen years ago, a Confederate soldier was unearthed in Gettysburg. Just last October a New York soldier was discovered in Antietam. And now I read that a body was located in Franklin, Tennessee. Only this time, they have no idea which side he was on.
Every time I hear about a soldier's body being found, there is also a report about a funeral for him. Gettysburg buried him with military honors at Gettysburg National Cemetery. Antietam had him reinterred in New York....right where he belongs....but not without a ceremony in Antietam and then again in New York. Franklin had a grand funeral for him, but it wasn't just for him....it was for all the soldiers. I'm so glad that these boys, regardless of which side they were on, are receiving the proper burials that they deserve.
Going off to war today is a little different than it was 150 years ago. The chances of being killed in a war today are quite a bit slimmer than they were during the Civil War, although those chances still exist...and the weaponry is quite different. But these men stood, literally, in front of these muskets, rifles, and cannons and, more or less, dared them to shoot them. And many did get shot....and many died. I could not do it. I am too much of a wimp to allow myself to be put in a situation like that. These men were anything but wimps. Even the shirkers were still braver than I could ever be.
I will never look down at any soldier, Union or Confederate, who fought. These men are my heroes....every single one of them (even the guys I don't like....like Dan Sickles....are still my heroes). I'm so glad that the National Parks are getting involved in the reinterment of these men and that they are allowing us, the civilians, to get a glimpse of what and who these men were.
Like I said before, these guys are my heroes and I'm so glad that we can be apart of honoring them for what they did!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Civil War Fiction
Occasionally I find that reading nonfiction books on the Civil War a little "heavy". I LOVE Civil War books. I read them constantly, but every once in a while, I need to read something....light....some world that I can fall into just to forget the things that cause my day to day life to become unbearable at times.
A friend of mine gave me some books the other day and in the pile of books was a book called "Jacob's Ladder" by Donald McCaig. Well, I looked at the pile of books that I'm reading (I always have at least 4 books going at once....and I've learned to read different genres when reading all these books....reading two biographies at once can become EXTREMELY confusing) and I just couldn't pick up any of those books. I needed a break. Not a big break....just a break. So I grabbed this novel and started to read.
At first, I found it boring. I don't normally read fiction and I have a difficult time getting into some of these books....I don't know the characters....or the locations. So, trying to figure out who was who and what was what made me a little confused. When you read a Civil War book, you know who the main characters are. When you read a Civil War book, you know the locations. Non-fiction, especially on a subject that you enjoy, can be easy to slip into because you know what is about to happen....its like an old friend....you just don't know the details. So I started reading this book. AND I haven't been able to put it down.
This book is the story of a couple of slaves who get married. One is in love with the other, but the other doesn't love this person back. The wife is sold away. But it doesn't stop there, it also tells the story of the slave owners. The reasons for needing the slaves, the reasons that slavery was important in the south. I would never think that Slavery, in any form, is ok....but this book almost makes it sound like it is necessary. My mind will never change about the slavery issue....it's wrong on all levels. But I almost feel sympathy towards the owners.
I'm only about 1/2 way through the book so I can't get into details on what happens...because I don't know. But I find myself sympathizing with quite a few characters in this book...even the "bad guys". Now, as I said, I don't normally read fiction books...only because I have to learn as much about the Civil War as I possibly can in the next 14 months (the Guide test is in Dec. 2010), but once in a while a fiction book is fun to read....and gives me a lot to think about. This happens to be one of them. If you read it, enjoy it. If you don't, then think about possibly reading it.
A friend of mine gave me some books the other day and in the pile of books was a book called "Jacob's Ladder" by Donald McCaig. Well, I looked at the pile of books that I'm reading (I always have at least 4 books going at once....and I've learned to read different genres when reading all these books....reading two biographies at once can become EXTREMELY confusing) and I just couldn't pick up any of those books. I needed a break. Not a big break....just a break. So I grabbed this novel and started to read.
At first, I found it boring. I don't normally read fiction and I have a difficult time getting into some of these books....I don't know the characters....or the locations. So, trying to figure out who was who and what was what made me a little confused. When you read a Civil War book, you know who the main characters are. When you read a Civil War book, you know the locations. Non-fiction, especially on a subject that you enjoy, can be easy to slip into because you know what is about to happen....its like an old friend....you just don't know the details. So I started reading this book. AND I haven't been able to put it down.
This book is the story of a couple of slaves who get married. One is in love with the other, but the other doesn't love this person back. The wife is sold away. But it doesn't stop there, it also tells the story of the slave owners. The reasons for needing the slaves, the reasons that slavery was important in the south. I would never think that Slavery, in any form, is ok....but this book almost makes it sound like it is necessary. My mind will never change about the slavery issue....it's wrong on all levels. But I almost feel sympathy towards the owners.
I'm only about 1/2 way through the book so I can't get into details on what happens...because I don't know. But I find myself sympathizing with quite a few characters in this book...even the "bad guys". Now, as I said, I don't normally read fiction books...only because I have to learn as much about the Civil War as I possibly can in the next 14 months (the Guide test is in Dec. 2010), but once in a while a fiction book is fun to read....and gives me a lot to think about. This happens to be one of them. If you read it, enjoy it. If you don't, then think about possibly reading it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Battle of Iuka Part 2
On September 18, 1862, Major General Edward Ord (USA) arrives and starts skirmishing with the Confederates within six miles of town. This mostly occurs in the evening/overnight. Ord demands that Major General Sterling Price (CSA) surrender but he flat out refuses.
Major General William S. Rosecrans (USA) is ordered up to help Ord with the Confederates but he has more miles to cover and muddy roads to cross so its taking him a little bit longer to reach Iuka, Mississippi. U.S. Grant wants the fighting to start simultaneously but doesn't know exactly when Rosecrans is going to arrive so he tells Ord not to start fighting until he hears that Rosecrans has started. They were a few miles apart, coming from opposite directions, so there should be no problem in hearing the fighting start.
In the meantime, Major General Earl Van Dorn (CSA) suggests that Price and their two armies should meet in Rienzi. By joining forces, they can then attack the Union forces in the area. So Price prepares to march on September 19.
But Rosecrans, who was supposed to arrive via two different roads, arrives on the Jacinto Road and runs into pickets which he is able to push back. When they were within two miles of town, they were attacked by Little's Division (CSA) on Mill Road...right at the intersection of the Jacinto Road. The fighting started and continued well until dark.
Due to a wind coming in from the north, Ord never heard the battle. Thus, he never got involved in the fighting. General Grant didn't even know the battle took place until it was over. Grant then prepared his men to continue the fighting the next day. But when daylight broke, they discovered that the Confederates had withdrawn. It was a Union victory.
Casualties: Union - 790
Confederate - 1516
This is a battle that you hear little about. In trying to determine what is a major battle and what is a minor battle, I have come to the conclusion that if I read about a particular battle several times and am very aware of it...then its going to be considered a major battle. If I have never heard of or am not very aware of a particular battle, then I will consider it a minor battle. This isn't very scientific, but this is the way that I have to distinguish the two. As such, this battle (in my mind at least) is a major battle.
After the fighting at Iuka subsided, Grant sent Rosecrans out to chase the Confederates but after several miles they just gave up. This all leads up to the events that will eventually become the Second Battle of Corinth.
Major General William S. Rosecrans (USA) is ordered up to help Ord with the Confederates but he has more miles to cover and muddy roads to cross so its taking him a little bit longer to reach Iuka, Mississippi. U.S. Grant wants the fighting to start simultaneously but doesn't know exactly when Rosecrans is going to arrive so he tells Ord not to start fighting until he hears that Rosecrans has started. They were a few miles apart, coming from opposite directions, so there should be no problem in hearing the fighting start.
In the meantime, Major General Earl Van Dorn (CSA) suggests that Price and their two armies should meet in Rienzi. By joining forces, they can then attack the Union forces in the area. So Price prepares to march on September 19.
But Rosecrans, who was supposed to arrive via two different roads, arrives on the Jacinto Road and runs into pickets which he is able to push back. When they were within two miles of town, they were attacked by Little's Division (CSA) on Mill Road...right at the intersection of the Jacinto Road. The fighting started and continued well until dark.
Due to a wind coming in from the north, Ord never heard the battle. Thus, he never got involved in the fighting. General Grant didn't even know the battle took place until it was over. Grant then prepared his men to continue the fighting the next day. But when daylight broke, they discovered that the Confederates had withdrawn. It was a Union victory.
Casualties: Union - 790
Confederate - 1516
This is a battle that you hear little about. In trying to determine what is a major battle and what is a minor battle, I have come to the conclusion that if I read about a particular battle several times and am very aware of it...then its going to be considered a major battle. If I have never heard of or am not very aware of a particular battle, then I will consider it a minor battle. This isn't very scientific, but this is the way that I have to distinguish the two. As such, this battle (in my mind at least) is a major battle.
After the fighting at Iuka subsided, Grant sent Rosecrans out to chase the Confederates but after several miles they just gave up. This all leads up to the events that will eventually become the Second Battle of Corinth.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Battle of Iuka Part 1
In my continuing chase to understand every major battle of the Civil War, I've decided to do another mini-study....this time on the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi. This first part is about the events leading up to the battle. Part 2 will be the battle itself.
On September 14, 1862, Colonel Robert C. Murphy snuck into Iuka, MS before sunrise in order to set fire to some supply depots. Iuka was a Union supply depot for the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Murphy and his men were stationed in Corinth, about 20 miles east of Iuka.
When the Confederates, who happened to be in Iuka at the time, saw the fires, they quickly put the flames out and then rescued whatever supplies they could get. It seems that they were able to get a pretty good haul from the Union army.
General Ulysses S. Grant was furious. He arrested Col. Murphy and had him court-martialed.
In the meantime, Major General Sterling Price (CSA) waited in Iuka for Major General Earl Van Dorn and his Army of Western Tennessee. The plan was that they were going to combine forces and attack Grant's communications in western Tennessee. If Grant did what they thought he was going to do, they planned to overtake him and eventually destroy the army.
What they didn't plan on, was that Grant didn't wait for Van Dorn's army to arrive. He sent Major General Edward Ord to Iuka following the Memphis and Charleston Railroad from the northwest. Then he sent Major General William S. Rosecrans into Iuka from the southwest....following the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. This meant that Van Dorn was completely cut off and couldn't get to Price.
The battle was on!
In order to put this battle into context with the rest of the Civil War, notice the date: Sept. 14, 1862 (when all this started)...this is the exact date of the Battle for South Mountain. Three days later would be the Battle of Antietam. The Battle of Iuka will actually take place on Sept. 19, 1862. By looking at what else was happening in the Civil War, we can get a better feel for just how strong the armies were, how they were thinking, how experienced they were, and how much longer they had to go. This helps in studying the Civil War and understanding why events happened in the way that they did.
On September 14, 1862, Colonel Robert C. Murphy snuck into Iuka, MS before sunrise in order to set fire to some supply depots. Iuka was a Union supply depot for the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Murphy and his men were stationed in Corinth, about 20 miles east of Iuka.
When the Confederates, who happened to be in Iuka at the time, saw the fires, they quickly put the flames out and then rescued whatever supplies they could get. It seems that they were able to get a pretty good haul from the Union army.
General Ulysses S. Grant was furious. He arrested Col. Murphy and had him court-martialed.
In the meantime, Major General Sterling Price (CSA) waited in Iuka for Major General Earl Van Dorn and his Army of Western Tennessee. The plan was that they were going to combine forces and attack Grant's communications in western Tennessee. If Grant did what they thought he was going to do, they planned to overtake him and eventually destroy the army.
What they didn't plan on, was that Grant didn't wait for Van Dorn's army to arrive. He sent Major General Edward Ord to Iuka following the Memphis and Charleston Railroad from the northwest. Then he sent Major General William S. Rosecrans into Iuka from the southwest....following the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. This meant that Van Dorn was completely cut off and couldn't get to Price.
The battle was on!
In order to put this battle into context with the rest of the Civil War, notice the date: Sept. 14, 1862 (when all this started)...this is the exact date of the Battle for South Mountain. Three days later would be the Battle of Antietam. The Battle of Iuka will actually take place on Sept. 19, 1862. By looking at what else was happening in the Civil War, we can get a better feel for just how strong the armies were, how they were thinking, how experienced they were, and how much longer they had to go. This helps in studying the Civil War and understanding why events happened in the way that they did.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Death....where is thy sting?
The deaths of the soldiers is something that, unless we have actually experienced it ourselves, is something that we can never completely understand. These are men who had families but gave their lives for their country.....something only a hero would do. When I start thinking about it, it becomes more than my poor mind can handle.
After the Battle of Gettysburg (and I only use this as an example because these sorts of things occurred after EVERY battle in the Civil War) the civilians were more or less left to clean up the mess. Contacting the loved ones of these heroes was something that frequently was done by the civilians. Here is a letter that I found that shows just what a "typical" letter to a family member was like. This letter is talking about having the remains shipped home.
Mr. C. B. Burns
My dear Sir
The remains of your brother was sent to the express office yesterday. I saw them disinterred the day before -- I found a grave (marked with his name) alone, back of the barn on the Walter [Weible] place, the front teeth as you described Sound. The clothing was so decayed that I could not recognize them. The buttons were not brass guilt as you described but military. The neck tie being silk was not fully rotted. So also a small military flag which I suppose he had pocketed as a trophy as also his shoulder straps all of which I have -- & they are subject to your order. I have not at present the liesure to prepare pack & send them to you. The board that stood at the head of his grave is in the box & whoever marked it will be able to recognize it -- trusting I have satisfactorily attended to the trust. I have the pleasure of being very
Respectfully yours,
J.W.C. O'Neal
After the Battle of Gettysburg (and I only use this as an example because these sorts of things occurred after EVERY battle in the Civil War) the civilians were more or less left to clean up the mess. Contacting the loved ones of these heroes was something that frequently was done by the civilians. Here is a letter that I found that shows just what a "typical" letter to a family member was like. This letter is talking about having the remains shipped home.
Mr. C. B. Burns
My dear Sir
The remains of your brother was sent to the express office yesterday. I saw them disinterred the day before -- I found a grave (marked with his name) alone, back of the barn on the Walter [Weible] place, the front teeth as you described Sound. The clothing was so decayed that I could not recognize them. The buttons were not brass guilt as you described but military. The neck tie being silk was not fully rotted. So also a small military flag which I suppose he had pocketed as a trophy as also his shoulder straps all of which I have -- & they are subject to your order. I have not at present the liesure to prepare pack & send them to you. The board that stood at the head of his grave is in the box & whoever marked it will be able to recognize it -- trusting I have satisfactorily attended to the trust. I have the pleasure of being very
Respectfully yours,
J.W.C. O'Neal
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thoughts on the ghosts
First...I need to make sure that everyone knows that what I am about to write, is neither for nor against the Ghost Tours. They are what they are. There isn't much nightlife in Gettysburg and this gives the tourists something to do. So, please, before shooting off "hate emails" to me, please read what I have to say. And then if you have issues with what I have to say, then you may email me....in a respectful manner only, please.
I live in Gettysburg. I LOVE Gettysburg. I love everything about this place....the battlefield, the town, the atmosphere, and sometimes, the tourists. We have many, many small businesses that seem to be flourishing, despite the economy. One of those businesses is the Ghost Tours. We have no less than 13 different companies offering these tours....some on the streets, some in the alleys, some in local buildings, but all offering the experience to see and hear about the ghosts in Gettysburg.
I won't get into whether or not ghosts exist. That is something that only YOU can decide. The stories that you hear can be quite entertaining....some MAY be true. Most, unfortunately, are not. For instance, I live next door to a business that regularly has ghost tours stopping at their establishment. The building was here at the time of the battle. My house was NOT. My house was built around 1900...until then, the lot was empty. One night I was listening to one of the tour leaders pointing up to my house and telling the tourists that during the battle, Confederate sharpshooters were in my house shooting at the Union troops across the street. Huh? In what? A ghost house? Ok...so I'm a little entertained now. Then the leader proceeded to tell the people that at certain times in the evening if you look, you can see someone walking around in one of the windows. Well, YEAH! I LIVE there. So, please in case you go on these tours wanting to believe everything, not all the stories are completely true.
The one issue that I have with this whole ghost tour phenomena is that the men who fought here and died here have become a business. Folks are making money on the tragedy of what occurred in this town. Now, with this I would also have to say that the souvenir shops are in the same category....but in a different way....they aren't feeding off the souls of the departed.
Gettysburg is and has been a tourist town since the battle in 1863. That's 146 years of people coming from all over the country...and the world, to see and experience what the soldiers saw and experienced. Yes, these folks need food, drink, places to stay, reminders of their stay, photo opportunities and entertainment. I would NEVER take any of that away from them. We need this in order to keep Gettysburg a viable town. My issues are with the exploiting of these men. So, if and when you come to Gettysburg, PLEASE....go to our restaurants, stay in our hotels, visit our museums, go on a ghost tour....but PLEASE remember to take a moment to think of the men....the REAL men who fought and died here. Take time to remember the horrors they experienced....the pain they felt. Walk through the Cemetery and thank them. Not every man who fought here haunts Gettysburg....but please, let them haunt your mind. If you listen, you can hear them calling to you to remember.
I live in Gettysburg. I LOVE Gettysburg. I love everything about this place....the battlefield, the town, the atmosphere, and sometimes, the tourists. We have many, many small businesses that seem to be flourishing, despite the economy. One of those businesses is the Ghost Tours. We have no less than 13 different companies offering these tours....some on the streets, some in the alleys, some in local buildings, but all offering the experience to see and hear about the ghosts in Gettysburg.
I won't get into whether or not ghosts exist. That is something that only YOU can decide. The stories that you hear can be quite entertaining....some MAY be true. Most, unfortunately, are not. For instance, I live next door to a business that regularly has ghost tours stopping at their establishment. The building was here at the time of the battle. My house was NOT. My house was built around 1900...until then, the lot was empty. One night I was listening to one of the tour leaders pointing up to my house and telling the tourists that during the battle, Confederate sharpshooters were in my house shooting at the Union troops across the street. Huh? In what? A ghost house? Ok...so I'm a little entertained now. Then the leader proceeded to tell the people that at certain times in the evening if you look, you can see someone walking around in one of the windows. Well, YEAH! I LIVE there. So, please in case you go on these tours wanting to believe everything, not all the stories are completely true.
The one issue that I have with this whole ghost tour phenomena is that the men who fought here and died here have become a business. Folks are making money on the tragedy of what occurred in this town. Now, with this I would also have to say that the souvenir shops are in the same category....but in a different way....they aren't feeding off the souls of the departed.
Gettysburg is and has been a tourist town since the battle in 1863. That's 146 years of people coming from all over the country...and the world, to see and experience what the soldiers saw and experienced. Yes, these folks need food, drink, places to stay, reminders of their stay, photo opportunities and entertainment. I would NEVER take any of that away from them. We need this in order to keep Gettysburg a viable town. My issues are with the exploiting of these men. So, if and when you come to Gettysburg, PLEASE....go to our restaurants, stay in our hotels, visit our museums, go on a ghost tour....but PLEASE remember to take a moment to think of the men....the REAL men who fought and died here. Take time to remember the horrors they experienced....the pain they felt. Walk through the Cemetery and thank them. Not every man who fought here haunts Gettysburg....but please, let them haunt your mind. If you listen, you can hear them calling to you to remember.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
January 9, 1861
A few months before the Civil War "officially" began, there was a bit of a skirmish in South Carolina....or should I say, off the coast of South Carolina...in Charleston Harbor.
The Star of the West was a civilian ship that was dispatched on Jan. 5, 1861 to carry supplies to Major Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. The ship was dispatched by President James Buchanan.
While on the way to the fort, the ship was fired upon by batteries on Morris Island and Fort Moutrie. Neither Major Anderson nor the commander of the ship fired back and the ship eventually withdrew out of Charleston Harbor.
On April 18, 1861 the ship was finally captured by the General Earl Van Dorn (CSA) in the Gulf of Mexico. The Confederates changed its name to St. Phillip. It served as a hospital ship until Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans.
But the ship continued. It carried gold, silver, and currency to Vicksburg. Eventually, the ship was sunk (purposely) near Greenwood, MS in order to block the way for the Federal flotilla coming up the Tallahatchie River.
Its amazing the "little" things that you come across when researching "bigger" events. The Star of the West, although I've known of it, turns out to have played a bigger role in the Civil War than I thought. This is the "Little Ship that Could".
When the war was finally over, the owners of the ship requested repayment from the United States Government for their ship and they were one of the more fortunate ones, they received $175,000.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Morning Light
I look forward to this time of the year because the Gettysburg battlefield opens at 6am...but the sun doesn't come up until 6:45ish. What this means, is that I am on the field in the complete darkness...and can watch the sun rise above the fields.
The best thing about hitting the fields in the early morning, is that there is no one around. Last week I was parked at the top of Devil's Den....right near the sharpshooter's den....and was up there for over an hour and never saw another car, nor another person. I like the solitude of the battlefield in the early morning.
As I stand on the field in complete darkness, I can hear the birds singing (is it just me or are the birds louder right before sunrise???) and calling back and forth to one another. I hear the woodpeckers pecking away at a branch on a tree. I can hear wildlife moving back and forth through the weeds. And its just me....listening. While I stand out on the fields in the darkness, I imagine myself as a soldier....what were they thinking, what were they doing, how were they feeling...before the sun rises and starts a new day....a new day of fighting and death?
I truly don't know if I could do the things that these guys did. They put their lives on the line every single day. Could I do that? Could I stand out in the open, marching across a field, shooting another human? These are the thoughts that cross my mind as I stand waiting for the sun to rise. Fortunately, its really cold this morning and I need to keep moving in order to keep my body warm. So I concentrate on that instead of meditating on the soldiers.
Suddenly I look to the east, and I see the sky starting to lighten. The sun isn't awake yet....but it's trying. I sit and listen....waiting....still, no other people around. I love this time of the day! I wait....and wait....and wait and suddenly a little bit of sun appears. As I wait, more and more of the sun rises above the horizon. Its now time for the world to awaken. I hear more cars out on Emmitsburg Road....still nothing in the park. More and more critters are stirring and moving around. I see a rabbit run across the road. The birds are still calling to one another. And the day is starting.
One of the most amazing things to see in the early morning light is how the sun illuminates the monuments. There's something about the sun right after it rises that causes things on the monuments to shine that you wouldn't see at any other time of the day. The redness of the light and the position of the sun, makes the bas relief pictures on the monuments jump to life. Pictures of these pictures are almost in 3-D. Its an amazing thing to see.
As I walk along, taking pictures and listening to the sounds, I think about the battle. I try to picture the soldiers....the smoke....the sounds. It's hard for me to imagine it because I have never experienced it, but I get a picture in my head...and its not pretty.
Suddenly, a car appears and its heading towards me. It's at this point that I know the spell has been broken and I need to head out. Even if the car stops right where it is and I don't see the people, the spell is broken. Someone has invaded my space...and its time to go. BUT I'll be back....the next morning.
The best thing about hitting the fields in the early morning, is that there is no one around. Last week I was parked at the top of Devil's Den....right near the sharpshooter's den....and was up there for over an hour and never saw another car, nor another person. I like the solitude of the battlefield in the early morning.
As I stand on the field in complete darkness, I can hear the birds singing (is it just me or are the birds louder right before sunrise???) and calling back and forth to one another. I hear the woodpeckers pecking away at a branch on a tree. I can hear wildlife moving back and forth through the weeds. And its just me....listening. While I stand out on the fields in the darkness, I imagine myself as a soldier....what were they thinking, what were they doing, how were they feeling...before the sun rises and starts a new day....a new day of fighting and death?
I truly don't know if I could do the things that these guys did. They put their lives on the line every single day. Could I do that? Could I stand out in the open, marching across a field, shooting another human? These are the thoughts that cross my mind as I stand waiting for the sun to rise. Fortunately, its really cold this morning and I need to keep moving in order to keep my body warm. So I concentrate on that instead of meditating on the soldiers.
Suddenly I look to the east, and I see the sky starting to lighten. The sun isn't awake yet....but it's trying. I sit and listen....waiting....still, no other people around. I love this time of the day! I wait....and wait....and wait and suddenly a little bit of sun appears. As I wait, more and more of the sun rises above the horizon. Its now time for the world to awaken. I hear more cars out on Emmitsburg Road....still nothing in the park. More and more critters are stirring and moving around. I see a rabbit run across the road. The birds are still calling to one another. And the day is starting.
One of the most amazing things to see in the early morning light is how the sun illuminates the monuments. There's something about the sun right after it rises that causes things on the monuments to shine that you wouldn't see at any other time of the day. The redness of the light and the position of the sun, makes the bas relief pictures on the monuments jump to life. Pictures of these pictures are almost in 3-D. Its an amazing thing to see.
As I walk along, taking pictures and listening to the sounds, I think about the battle. I try to picture the soldiers....the smoke....the sounds. It's hard for me to imagine it because I have never experienced it, but I get a picture in my head...and its not pretty.
Suddenly, a car appears and its heading towards me. It's at this point that I know the spell has been broken and I need to head out. Even if the car stops right where it is and I don't see the people, the spell is broken. Someone has invaded my space...and its time to go. BUT I'll be back....the next morning.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Captain Chase Philbrick
This man happens to be the reason the Battle of Ball's Bluff even took place. Not that HE did anything wrong, but it was the start of a chain of events that just kept snowballing....leading straight to the battle itself. It was an overwhelming Confederate victory and the end result was the forming of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. All this for a little mistake.
It all started on October 20, 1861. There had been a lot of troop movement on both sides of the Potomac River....nothing serious, just a lot of movement. Keep in mind, this was three months after the 1st Battle of Manassas. The majority of the troops had never been in a war...nor a battle....before and these events were all new to them.
So, around midnight on the 20th....going into the 21st....Chase Philbrick and about 20 men were sent across the Potomac River to see just what was happening in Leesburg. Were the Confederates there or not? So, the men got to the other side of the River (after crossing Harrison's Island) and took the cow path up the side of the bluff. They walked across the field and followed the cart path to the top of a hill (today, it is in the area where the housing development ends and the park begins).
When they reached the top of the hill, they used the moon light to look down into Leesburg to see if there were campfires, movement, etc. They stood and looked. Suddenly they saw tents....quite a few of them....off in the distance. But there was no movement, no campfires, nothing to make them believe that they were being used. So, Captain Philbrick took his men, they recrossed the river and the Island and told what they had seen.
The next morning, as the sun came up, a group of 100+ men, recrossed the river and the island, followed the same path that the Philbrick group had followed and recrossed the field via the cart path. When they got to the top of the hill, they looked towards where Philbrick and his men saw the abandoned tents (which they were sent to raid) and realized that what the men saw in the moonlight were actually trees.
So, disappointed, the men went back to the bluff and waited while one man recrossed the river and the island, and report what they had found. Now, at this point, I should mention that if the entire group had recrossed the river, this reconnaissance mission would be a footnote in the annals of history....something that very few, if any, would ever remember. But they didn't cross it....they stayed.
While they were waiting for word on what to do, the Union troops had a little run in with some Confederates out on patrol. And to make a long story short, the Battle of Ball's Bluff had begun. This is a lesson that we all can learn from, when we do something (even if it seems to be something really small...like not crossing a river) the results can effect us for the rest of our lives. Many, many men were killed and wounded during this battle....all because they mistook some trees for a tent.
It all started on October 20, 1861. There had been a lot of troop movement on both sides of the Potomac River....nothing serious, just a lot of movement. Keep in mind, this was three months after the 1st Battle of Manassas. The majority of the troops had never been in a war...nor a battle....before and these events were all new to them.
So, around midnight on the 20th....going into the 21st....Chase Philbrick and about 20 men were sent across the Potomac River to see just what was happening in Leesburg. Were the Confederates there or not? So, the men got to the other side of the River (after crossing Harrison's Island) and took the cow path up the side of the bluff. They walked across the field and followed the cart path to the top of a hill (today, it is in the area where the housing development ends and the park begins).
When they reached the top of the hill, they used the moon light to look down into Leesburg to see if there were campfires, movement, etc. They stood and looked. Suddenly they saw tents....quite a few of them....off in the distance. But there was no movement, no campfires, nothing to make them believe that they were being used. So, Captain Philbrick took his men, they recrossed the river and the Island and told what they had seen.
The next morning, as the sun came up, a group of 100+ men, recrossed the river and the island, followed the same path that the Philbrick group had followed and recrossed the field via the cart path. When they got to the top of the hill, they looked towards where Philbrick and his men saw the abandoned tents (which they were sent to raid) and realized that what the men saw in the moonlight were actually trees.
So, disappointed, the men went back to the bluff and waited while one man recrossed the river and the island, and report what they had found. Now, at this point, I should mention that if the entire group had recrossed the river, this reconnaissance mission would be a footnote in the annals of history....something that very few, if any, would ever remember. But they didn't cross it....they stayed.
While they were waiting for word on what to do, the Union troops had a little run in with some Confederates out on patrol. And to make a long story short, the Battle of Ball's Bluff had begun. This is a lesson that we all can learn from, when we do something (even if it seems to be something really small...like not crossing a river) the results can effect us for the rest of our lives. Many, many men were killed and wounded during this battle....all because they mistook some trees for a tent.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Arthur James Lyon Fremantle
One of the books that any Gettysburg aficionado must read is Arthur Fremantle's book "Three Months in the Southern States". This is a great behind the scenes look at the Confederacy from someone who was a neutral observer to the war.
Arthur Fremantle was born in 1835 and worked his way up the ladder to become a Lt. Col. in Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards. In March, 1863 he was able to take a leave of absence and travel to America to observe the war.
Throughout his book, he tells of the struggles that he encountered crossing the Texas desert, trying to reach the Mississippi River before the Union took control and he wouldn't be able to cross, and trying to reach General Lee's army....his ultimate goal.
During his travels, he ran across people, such as, John B. McGruder, Joseph E. Johnston, Edmund Kirby Smith, Braxton Bragg, and so many more. He also heard about the victory at Chancellorsville and also the wounding and eventual death of Stonewall Jackson.
It wasn't until June 27, 1863....4 days before the battle of Gettysburg that he finally met General James Longstreet. During his time spent with Longstreet, he was able to have long conversations with him about the war, battle strategies, and such. Col. Fremantle was able to observe the fighting on all three days of the battle but missed the charge itself on July 3. He was trying to get to the Seminary Cupola when the cannonade started and by the time he got back, the charge was done and overwith.
On July 7, Fremantle left Longstreet and with a note of neutrality, headed for New York City. On July 14, he noticed a lot of tensions in the streets....which progressively got worse....He had made it in time for the draft riots.
Finally on July 15, he left New York City for his long trip home to England.
Fremantle is one of those people (who, like Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain), became a "household" name after Michael Shaara's novel, "The Killer Angels". The book made him look a great deal more important to the cause than what he was, but he did have long discussions with Longstreet about the war and such. What most people don't seem to realize is that "The Killer Angels" is a book of fiction (this is why its located in the fiction section of the bookstore)....so we need to realize that these characters are built up to move the story along. Learn about the REAL Fremantle....read his book!
Arthur Fremantle was born in 1835 and worked his way up the ladder to become a Lt. Col. in Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards. In March, 1863 he was able to take a leave of absence and travel to America to observe the war.
Throughout his book, he tells of the struggles that he encountered crossing the Texas desert, trying to reach the Mississippi River before the Union took control and he wouldn't be able to cross, and trying to reach General Lee's army....his ultimate goal.
During his travels, he ran across people, such as, John B. McGruder, Joseph E. Johnston, Edmund Kirby Smith, Braxton Bragg, and so many more. He also heard about the victory at Chancellorsville and also the wounding and eventual death of Stonewall Jackson.
It wasn't until June 27, 1863....4 days before the battle of Gettysburg that he finally met General James Longstreet. During his time spent with Longstreet, he was able to have long conversations with him about the war, battle strategies, and such. Col. Fremantle was able to observe the fighting on all three days of the battle but missed the charge itself on July 3. He was trying to get to the Seminary Cupola when the cannonade started and by the time he got back, the charge was done and overwith.
On July 7, Fremantle left Longstreet and with a note of neutrality, headed for New York City. On July 14, he noticed a lot of tensions in the streets....which progressively got worse....He had made it in time for the draft riots.
Finally on July 15, he left New York City for his long trip home to England.
Fremantle is one of those people (who, like Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain), became a "household" name after Michael Shaara's novel, "The Killer Angels". The book made him look a great deal more important to the cause than what he was, but he did have long discussions with Longstreet about the war and such. What most people don't seem to realize is that "The Killer Angels" is a book of fiction (this is why its located in the fiction section of the bookstore)....so we need to realize that these characters are built up to move the story along. Learn about the REAL Fremantle....read his book!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
National Parks
I have been watching Ken Burns' documentary series on the National Parks on PBS this week. This movie has been extremely educational. To say that I've learned a lot would be an understatement. The history of the National Park system is something that I have known very little about....until now.
Although, so far, nothing has been said about the National Military Parks, National Historic Sites, National Monuments, etc, this documentary really does explain the beginnings of some of our Civil War battlefields which have been put under the heading of the National Parks.
When "The Civil War" (one of Ken Burns' most famous films) came out, many historians were highly upset because of the amount of inaccuracies in the film. Yes, there were some, that even I, an amateur historian could pick out. But the overall good that that film did to promote our nations past was better than the bad points. Is "The National Parks" film inaccurate, also? I have no idea....I don't know enough about the history, but what I can say is that this film will renew an interest in our nations resources.
Although, so far the series is dealing only with the "natural" National Parks (Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc) we can carry over the feelings behind the beginnings of these parks into our very own Civil War Parks. The reason all of these parks were created was to preserve what was there. How do we explain to our children and grandchildren that the Grand Canyon was demolished to create another "city"...how do we tell our children and grandchildren about the geysers at Yellowstone that were plowed over to put in a mall....how do we explain to our children and grandchildren about a war that literally tore our nation apart? We need to see the ground. This is why we need our national parks.
I have to thank Ken Burns for bringing to the forefront our nations heritage. He has singlehandedly turned the quest for knowledge of our past into a serious adventure. Throughout every single one of his films (whether its an hour or 12 hours) he has brought to light the stories that have made our nation what it is. He has told the little known stories of our past so that now these stories are well-known. I, for one, am very thankful for the films that he has made.
Please take a day or two to sit down and watch at least one episode of this fantastic series. You may find yourself addicted to it, as I have. Through watching this series, I feel as if I have made some new friends from the past....friends that I do not want to ever lose touch with!
Although, so far, nothing has been said about the National Military Parks, National Historic Sites, National Monuments, etc, this documentary really does explain the beginnings of some of our Civil War battlefields which have been put under the heading of the National Parks.
When "The Civil War" (one of Ken Burns' most famous films) came out, many historians were highly upset because of the amount of inaccuracies in the film. Yes, there were some, that even I, an amateur historian could pick out. But the overall good that that film did to promote our nations past was better than the bad points. Is "The National Parks" film inaccurate, also? I have no idea....I don't know enough about the history, but what I can say is that this film will renew an interest in our nations resources.
Although, so far the series is dealing only with the "natural" National Parks (Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc) we can carry over the feelings behind the beginnings of these parks into our very own Civil War Parks. The reason all of these parks were created was to preserve what was there. How do we explain to our children and grandchildren that the Grand Canyon was demolished to create another "city"...how do we tell our children and grandchildren about the geysers at Yellowstone that were plowed over to put in a mall....how do we explain to our children and grandchildren about a war that literally tore our nation apart? We need to see the ground. This is why we need our national parks.
I have to thank Ken Burns for bringing to the forefront our nations heritage. He has singlehandedly turned the quest for knowledge of our past into a serious adventure. Throughout every single one of his films (whether its an hour or 12 hours) he has brought to light the stories that have made our nation what it is. He has told the little known stories of our past so that now these stories are well-known. I, for one, am very thankful for the films that he has made.
Please take a day or two to sit down and watch at least one episode of this fantastic series. You may find yourself addicted to it, as I have. Through watching this series, I feel as if I have made some new friends from the past....friends that I do not want to ever lose touch with!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)