Galveston, TX: Sesquicentennial of American Civil War Workshop

From Galveston Daily News:  Sesquicentennial of American Civil War Workshop

GALVESTON — The Texas Historical Commission, the Galveston Historical Foundation and the Galveston County Historical Commission will co-host a Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Galveston Historical Foundation’s Historic Menard Campus, 3302 Ave. O, followed by a tour of the historic Menard House.

Attendees will receive presentations from the Galveston Historical Foundation, the Galveston County Historical Commission, the Galveston County Museum, historian and author Ed Cotham and Texas Historical Commission historians.

This workshop is the last of five held across the state during the past two years, made possible by two grants from the Society of the Order of the Southern Cross.

Admission is free and open to the public; however, seating is limited.

To RSVP, call 512-463-5833.

The Texas Historical Commission established a Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Initiative in 2010 with the goal of increasing public knowledge of agency programs that interpret and preserve Civil War sites and topics across the state, such as Palmito Ranch Battlefield National Historic Landmark near Brownsville.

In doing so, the Texas Historical Commission highlights the history of Texas’ premier role in a seminal event in American history.

Galveston historical organizations will provide attendees with a selection of presentations on recent Civil War history projects in the community and upcoming programming for next year’s Sesquicentennial anniversary of the Battle of Galveston Jan. 1. 

 

Civil War Reenactment: Mark Elson's Images Capture History Enthusiasts Through Old-Fashioned Photography

From the Huffington Post:  Civil War Reenactment: Mark Elson's Images Capture History Enthusiasts Through Old-Fashioned Photography

Civil War reenactments aren't just for Americans. There are groups of reenactors in the UK, Germany, Australia and Sweden, all recreating people and events from 1861-65 in their spare time.
A new photographic book by Mark Elson captures the drama and pageantry of restaging battles, using a combination of modern and nineteenth century techniques. The below text and images are taken from Battlefields of Honor: American Civil War Reenactors (Merrell, $34.95)
No one becomes a reenactor as a lark; it takes considerable time, money, and dedication to portray a Civil War Soldier or civilian. So why do people do it?
Many have ancestors who fought in the war, and reenacting allows them to celebrate their memory and service. Some reenactors are fortunate enough to have their ancestors' diaries, war records, and photographs, all of which contain fascinating details about the period, information the reenactors often incorporate into their portrayals.
For history enthusiasts, reenacting provides an immersion in the era and an experience that books cannot supply. It is not unusual to find reenactors huddled together, discussing the minutia of a battle or arguing the finer points of states' rights while going in and out of character.
Entire families reenact together, enabling family members to spend time with one another away from computers and television. Parents bring children into the hobby and children bring parents. Friendships spawned at reenactments have lasted decades, just as they did during and after the war.
For everyone who participates, reenacting provides an opportunity to escape from the stress, complexity and responsibilities of twenty-first century life - if only for a little while.

 

American Fork school to premiere Civil War tribute “One Nation”

From the Salt Lake Tribune: American Fork school to premiere Civil War tribute “One Nation”

On November 9 and 10, American Heritage School in American Fork will present the world premiere of "One Nation", a musical tribute to Civil War Veterans commemorating the 150th anniversary of the war.
This newly commissioned work was written specifically for the American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic by composer Rob Moffat and was orchestrated by Rob Gardner. 

"One Nation" is billed as a musical production that features a professional cast of actors and singers from New York, Arizona and Utah performing original songs as well as letters and speeches from the Civil War era. Large screens displaying Civil War archival photographs will help to tell the story.

Lyceum Philharmonic Director Kayson Brown said in a press release, "'One Nation' helps our students to connect to veterans in an intensely personal way. Learning about the Civil War through preparing for a performance like 'One Nation' accomplishes what no textbook can. Living with this inspiring music for weeks, hearing the letters read, feeling the music and immersing the students in a presentation with such reverence, patriotism, and love of country, inevitably changes their perspective and helps them to relate to the men and women who sacrifice for our liberty."

"One Nation" will subsequently go on tour March 30 - April 6, 2013, where it will be performed at Tuacahn in St. George, Utah, the Smith Center in Las Vegas, and the Mesa Arts Center in Arizona.

The concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at the school (American Heritage School, 736 N. 1100 E., American Fork_ and tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students and veterans, and $40 for a household of up to 12 people, available online at www.American-Heritage.org/show or by phone at 801-642-0055.

TN: Civil War discussion program coming to Clarksville library

From The Leaf Chronicle:  Civil War discussion program coming to Clarksville library

CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — The Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library will host a scholar-led reading and discussion program called “Making Sense of the American Civil War” starting in January.
The program is organized as a five-part series of conversations that aim to get below the surface of familiar stories about the Civil War battles to explore the complex challenges brought on by the war, said a news release from the library.
The selected titles for discussion are “March” by Geraldine Brooks; “Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam” by James McPherson; and “America’s War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation On Their 150th Anniversaries,” a new anthology edited by Edward L. Ayers and published by NEH and ALA, which will serve as the focus of three of the five discussion sessions.
Leading the discussion will be Austin Peay State University emeritus history professor Richard P. Gildrie.
“We are partnering with the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association to bring another great program to Tennessee communities,” said Melissa Davis, Humanities Tennessee’s director of the Tennessee Community History Program, in the news release.
“I’m pleased that this program delves deeply into experiences from multiple perspectives, and includes a wide variety of reading selections.”
The library is also partnering with the local Civil War Sesquicentennial Steering Commission to spread the word about the series.
The reading and discussion program is a five-part series focused on truly making sense of the breadth and depth of the American Civil War. The five conversations that make up the program are as follows:
Imagining War: This first part of the series compares fiction and firsthand testimony with the novel March by Geraldine Brooks that tells its story through the character of Reverend March from Louisa May Alcott’s beloved Little Women, and an excerpt from Alcott’s journal. The readings illuminate how the war challenges individuals’ beliefs and reveals personal experiences amongst the nation’s chaos.

 

 

Civil War stories forever preserved

From MSU: Civil War stories forever preserved


EAST LANSING, Mich. — Faded and sometimes tattered, letters and journal entries written 150 years ago by hopeful and homesick Civil War soldiers will forever be preserved online, thanks to digitization by Michigan State University archivists.
University Archives and Historical Collections started the project two years ago in recognition of the sesquicentennial celebration of the Civil War. Today, nearly 3,000 pages and images have been digitized and placed online, with more materials added every day.
In addition to the letters and journal entries, the Civil War collections contain election material from 1864, song books, sheet music and photos – mainly from soldiers who fought in Michigan regiments.
“There are a lot of Civil War historians and enthusiasts out there who will find interesting stories and get to know the soldiers through their letters,” said Portia Vescio, assistant director of University Archives and Historical Collections. “It’ll also be really good for classrooms – getting the primary sources online – whether they’re college students or K-12.”
MSU received the collections of Civil War materials in 1952 when The Chamberlain Warren Museum in Three Oaks closed.
Many virtual Civil War collections contain only photos, Vescio said. And very few – if any – provide transcriptions and letters side by side. But the MSU Civil War collections do just that, and viewers can compare the files with one click.
Transcriptions are authentic, reflecting exactly what’s written on the 150-year-old pages, Vescio said. So in many cases, words are misspelled or obsolete. MSU archivists, students and staff transcribed the material, which was difficult since some soldiers’ handwriting wasn’t legible. MSU’s MATRIX: The Center for Humane, Arts, Letters and Social Sciences Online assisted with the project.
“The most interesting thing we found is that soldiers back then were similar to today’s soldiers,” said Edward Busch, electronic records archivist.
In their letters and entries, some of the soldiers described where they’d been and the battles in which they fought. In fact, some fought in the Civil War’s biggest battles, such as the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg, said Ben Dettmar, an American Studies graduate student working on the project.
Other soldiers complained about the weather, the food and hospital conditions. In one letter, a soldier referred to General Custer as “The Little Poodle,” while another wrote about sleeping in a swamp. And a few letters detail a love story gone awry.
In addition, several soldiers mentioned fighting the war out of duty for the country and for President Abraham Lincoln, while others wanted to eradicate slavery, Dettmar said.
“Why the Civil War was fought is asked in every history class,” he said. “So with the Civil War collections, students can read these letters themselves and come up with their own conclusions. They can see how much war affects a community and society.”

Missouri: Historic site dedication slated Oct. 27 in Bates County

From Nevada Daily Mail:  Historic site dedication slated Oct. 27 in Bates County

A site associated with a significant Civil War milestone will be dedicated as Missouri's newest state historic site Saturday, Oct. 27, in Bates County. Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site will be officially dedicated at 11 a.m., with activities scheduled both before and after the ceremony.
The Battle of Island Mound, which occurred on Oct. 29, 1862, was the first time African-American soldiers engaged in combat during the Civil War. Prior to the battle, troops of the First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry commandeered the home of Southern sympathizers Enoch and Christiana Toothman to use as their headquarters.
The new 40-acre historic site, administered by Missouri State Parks, preserves a portion of this significant site and interprets the battle whose outcome removed any doubts about the ability of African-American soldiers to perform in military engagements.
On Saturday, Oct. 27, activities at the Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site will begin at 10 a.m. and go throughout the day until 4 p.m. The master of ceremonies will be Bill Bryan, director of Missouri State Parks.
"The Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site is significant in the history of both our state and our nation and interprets a very important chapter in the story of the Civil War. Missouri State Parks is honored to be able to preserve this site and help people understand the significance of what happened here 150 years ago," Bryan said.
Activities throughout the day will include interpretive tram rides to Island Mound, various artillery and living history demonstrations and a display on the archaeology of the site. Crafts from the 19th century such as log splitting, wool spinning, blacksmithing and cooking will be demonstrated. Scholars and researchers will provide perspectives on the Civil War and there will be special displays and exhibits by the Missouri Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area. Various food vendors and period music will be available throughout the day. An official Battle of Island Mound postage stamp cancellation will be available on the site.
From 4 to 7 p.m., the Bates County Museum and Historical Society in Butler will offer black powder demonstrations, an exhibit on Fort Lincoln, stories of the Civil War, a ham-and-bean dinner and period music.
The Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site is located eight miles southwest of Butler off of Highway K in Bates County.

 

Ringwood, North Jersey: Vernon poet S. Thomas Summers to read at the Ringwood Public Library on Oct. 20

From NorthJersey.com: Vernon poet S. Thomas Summers to read at the Ringwood Public Library on Oct. 20

RINGWOOD — Of the thousands upon thousands of books written about the Civil War, there are but a few that, instead of relying on battle maps, lists of dates, and casualty rolls to tell a black-and-white history, seek to illustrate the conflict’s sanguine horrors by peering through the eyes of those who fought — and fewer still that abandon flowery prose and adapt the terse, sheer style of poetry in order to do it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF S. THOMAS SUMMERS

Poet S. Thomas Summers will be reading excerpts of his new book, 'Private Hercules McGraw: Poems of the American Civil War,' at 1 p.m. at the Ringwood Public Library on Oct. 20.

But that’s exactly what Vernon poet S. Thomas Summers has done in his new book, entitled "Private Hercules McGraw: Poems of the American Civil War," which he will be reading from at the Ringwood Public Library on Oct. 20.
The book, published by Anaphora Literary Press and written from the perspective of a southern everyman named Hercules McGraw, uses poetry to follow this "uneducated, rural, pig-farmer kinda guy" through America’s greatest tragedy as he fights for the South only to learn that "the cause" was not quite what he thought it to be.
Summers, 43, teaches English literature at Wayne Hills High School and at Passaic County Community College, and said that his character’s motivation stems from a hope to one day have enough money to purchase a slave (which he considers the ultimate status symbol) in order to impress his girl, Martha Lane. Should slavery be abolished, he reasons, that will never happen.
But as so often happens, the horrors of war bring out both the best and worst in men — and although McGraw is himself an active participant in creating some of those horrors, he also witnesses the bravery of the former slaves who have put on the blue uniform to fight against their oppressors.
In the end, said Summers, he realizes that they are no different than he.
"He gains a huge respect for them because of what they’ve been through as a persecuted race, and he sees that they’ve fought as hard he has," he said.
The epiphany leads McGraw to lose interest in both Lane and the southern cause, and his metamorphosis is completed when, upon returning home, he helps a slave escape on the underground railroad. Although Summers acknowledges that at first glance, he appears to have little in common with his simple farmer, writing through McGraw’s eyes gave him a deep understanding of what the man might have gone through, especially as he explores the parts of history that "fall into the cracks, that the historians can’t see."
"As I wrote, I kind of became my character… in the back of my head I was bleeding, I was scared, I was crying, I was doing everything that he was," he said. "It’s why at readings, when I read certain poems I sometimes tear up because it’s become so personal to me."
There’s also the larger narrative, Summers said, in which McGraw could be any man, in any war, that gazes into the Medusa-like eye of combat and suffers the consequences of witnessing that which is "not for humans to see" — even the juxtaposition of "Hercules" and "McGraw," with its demigod lead followed by a routine Irish surname, reflects the God-like power of giving and taking life the common man possesses during battle.
"The things that these guys see and experience… it messes (soldiers) up, because they’re not supposed to see this, they’re not supposed to decide who lives and who dies," he said. "I thought that was meant for the gods."
But, Summers said, much of the writing process was not so dark, and he enjoyed experimenting with the unfamiliar southern dialect to create phrases that his character might actually have uttered.
"I liked the way they talked, I liked the metaphors they used, it was fun for me as someone who has grown up in the North, who doesn’t talk like that, to make that voice authentic was the fun part," he said.
He’s now in the process of writing a sister book, which will speak on the Civil War from the point of view of an educated northern English teacher who, although he is a pacifist, enlists due to a feeling of being obligated to protect his students, many of whom had signed up to fight. But that story may not have such an upbeat ending, the writer said, as the former pacifist discovers a darkness within him that he never knew existed and finds out that he is indeed quite good at killing. The projects are certainly keeping Summers, who has been writing poetry since college, busy; although his first works weren’t quite up to par, he joked, he has honed his craft over the past 20 years, and has since had works published in The Atlantic, Loch Raven Review, and Literary Bohemian. His interest in the Civil War has been more recent, however, and stems from his first reading of the famous novel-turned-movie "Cold Mountain." Initially, he said, he picked it up because its construction mirrors the Greek epic "The Odyssey," which he often teaches to high school students, but he was soon enveloped in the drama.
"I thought it would be interesting to read the book…but that reflection stirred my passion; it was no longer just dates and battles, it was people and blood and heartache and victory," he said. After a few visits the fields where the violent fights took place, there’s been no turning back.
"It’s been pretty much all I’ve written about since," he said.
Summers will be reading at 1 p.m. at the library, which is located at 30 Cannici Drive, along with poet David Vincenti, who will offer a "view of the life of astronomer Galileo Galilei." Vincenti’s poems have appeared in the Paterson Literary Review, the Edison Literary Review, and The Journal of New Jersey Poets, and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. For more information, call the library at 973-962-6256.

Beer commemorating 150th anniversary of Civil War

From Madison.com:  Beer commemorating 150th anniversary of Civil War

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — The first of nine beers to commemorate the 150th Civil War anniversary -- Antietam Ale -- is now on tap.
The concoction was derived from a number of beer recipes from the 1800s and researched by National Museum of Civil War Medicine researcher Terry Reimer.
Monocacy Brewing Co. in Frederick bottled the first batch Sept. 28 for distribution.
Antietam Ale is based on a recipe for an English-style ale once brewed by Brewer's Alley -- a style commonly referred to as an ordinary bitter, Brewer's Alley marketing manager Jim Bauckman said.
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine provided brewmaster Tom Flores with a variety of historic recipes that likely resemble the flavor profile of Antietam Ale, Bauckman said.
The strength is relatively low compared with that of modern beer renditions, Flores said, but making the brew still involves a lot of complexity.
"The harmony of all the flavors, and making all the delicate intensity work, was important," Flores said.
Antietam Ale has a slight hoppy presence that is quickly balanced by the flavor of specialty malts, Bauckman said.
"The medium body of this beer provides the taster with an opportunity to enjoy Antietam Ale without quickly filling up, and with its 3.8 percent low-alcohol content, can be enjoyed throughout a prolonged tasting session," Bauckman said.
The brew's low-alcohol content piqued the interest of brewmasters at Brewer's Alley in downtown Frederick, said David Price, National Museum of Civil War Medicine director of strategic initiatives and originator of the idea.
"What I like about this museum is we not only educate about and interpret the Civil War, the story we tell is really about the lives of the individuals during that period, and a great part of that experience was camp life," Price said.
Actual fighting consisted of 45 days out of 1,500 days over four years, Price said. And as the saying goes, "war is an organized bore," so there was a lot of idle time.
A picture of soldiers and Gen. George Custer and empty beer bottles and pipes was used for the beer bottle emblem.
"We're almost bottling a Civil War experience," Price said. "This is another example of our museum bringing history alive."
These words are from Antietam Ale's label:
"The Battle of Antietam changed the course of the Civil War, helped free over 4 million Americans and still ranks as the bloodiest single day in American history.
"It is fitting for Antietam Ale to be a classic English bitter. The battle caused England to abandon its plan for mediation between the North and South. As opposed to unwelcome mediation, this ale is well balanced and has a light hop and malty aroma. Ruby red in color and true to Civil War beers, it is lower in alcohol so more can be enjoyed."
Beer bottle collectors may have something special to add to their collection. For the second time in American history, the federal government has allowed the American flag to be on a beer bottle, Price said.
Federal regulators initially balked at the idea, Price said, but he made the case that the flag is part of the museum's logo and the project is about educating the public about an important part of American history, and they yielded.
Brewer's Alley co-owner Phil Bowers said he is excited about the idea.
"It's a great way to celebrate the Civil War anniversary, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, and downtown Frederick," Bowers said, "and it's a great opportunity to keep pushing the great things we're doing in Frederick.
"And it's fun creating nine beers."
The museum draws to downtown Frederick 40,000 visitors who spend only a couple of hours at the museum, then go elsewhere to shop and eat, Price said.
"Phil understood that if visitors come to the museum, they would go try a Civil War beer afterward," Price said. "And we knew that a Civil War beer would get our brand and our logo into people's hands who wouldn't ordinarily come to the museum, plus it gives us huge exposure."
Bowers will donate $1 to the museum for every case of beer sold.
The beer is on tap at Brewer's Alley and can be bought where Brewer's Alley beers are sold. To reserve a case, email Price at strategy(at)civilwarmed.org.
Price has already received orders from as far away as California for cases of beer.
"This will be a lot of fun. It will be huge," Price said.
The plan is to brew nine beers over two years -- one every three or four months, Price said.
The next beer, "Proclamation Porter," will be released in January to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The museum is planning several fundraisers associated with the release of the beer. These events will be held to promote the beers and, more important, raise money for the museum. The public may check the museum's Facebook page for updates.

 

OHIO: Hazard Lecture Series to focus on the American Civil War

From the Dispatch:  Hazard Lecture Series to focus on the American Civil War

The American Civil War takes centerstage at the Hazard Lectures Series on consecutive Mondays, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, in Columbus, Ohio.

In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the war, Dr. James McDonough will speak on "The Struggles at the Battle of Shiloh" Oct. 22 in the Heritage Academy Student Activities Building at 625 Magnolia Lane.

On Oct. 29, Marc L. Harris will present "The Battle at Antietam." Both programs begin at 7 p.m. and are free to the public.

The Hazard Lecture Series was designed by the adult children of the late George S. Hazard as a tribute to their father's interest in history and to serve the community. Rotating themes are history, science and the arts.

"It was obvious that the historical event to consider this year is the American Civil War since we are marking its 150th anniversary," said George Hazard Jr. "We were happy to be able to get Dr. McDonough and Mr. Harris to help us understand two of the big early battles, Shiloh and Antietam."

Shiloh  

The Battle of Shiloh, a two-day engagement in April 1862 in southwestern Tennessee, was one of the bloodiest encounters of the war. McDonough, an award-winning historian and professor emeritus of history at Auburn University, will discuss its significance.

The native of Nashville, Tenn., has written numerous books on military history, including "Shiloh - in Hell before Night." The Union colonel, whose words give the book its title, foretold the losses when he said to his men, "Fill your canteens, boys! Some of you will be in hell before night."

Three of McDonough's books have been selected by the History Book Club. He is currently writing a biography of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.

"Dr. McDonough participated in the observances of the 150th anniversary at Shiloh last spring, so we are really glad to have him come to us fresh from that event.
 
Antietam 

Harris, of Columbus, was raised in New York in the Catskills Mountains and earned his master's degree in history from Wesleyan University. While at Wesleyan, he became interested in the Civil War and has been studying aspects of it for many years.

Harris was a full-time educator for 37 years and taught abroad at the Auckland Grammar (Latin) School in Auckland, New Zealand. He completed his graduate work at Auckland University.

Harris, whose wife, the Rev. Anne Harris, is the current priest in charge at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Columbus, is an adjunct instructor at East Mississippi Community College.

"I'm going to talk about Antietam from the perspective of its military importance, obviously, but moreso its political importance and how it changed the focus of the war," remarked Harris.

"We are anticipating two excellent programs on the Civil War and hope the community will join us for them," said Beth Lucas of Heritage Academy. "Heritage is pleased to host these lectures each year, and we appreciate the Hazard family for providing such interesting and timely programs."

For more information, or to reserve group seating, contact Lucas at 662-327-5272 or 662-386-3392.

 

Major Civil War exhibit opens at Huntington Library in San Marino

From Pasadena Star News: Major Civil War exhibit opens at Huntington Library in San Marino


SAN MARINO - Marking the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, a major exhibition of 200 rare photographs and manuscripts from The Huntington Library's collection will open to the public on Saturday.
"A Strange and Fearful Interest: Death, Mourning, and Memory in the American Civil War" will run through Jan. 14 in the MaryLou and George Boone Gallery.
A companion exhibition, "A Just Cause: Voices of the American Civil War," featuring handwritten letters and writings by Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee, among others, will be on view through Jan. 7 in the library's West Hall.
Jennifer Watts, curator of photographs at The Huntington Library, said earlier that much scholarly research has rightly been devoted to the military, tactical and heroic elements of the war. But, she said, both new exhibits take a different path into understanding the personal toll of a war that caused the deaths of what historians now estimate as 750,000 Americans.
Using images with the "overarching topic of death and mourning," the exhibit brings together what Watts said was a large and "longtime hidden" photographic trove scattered around the Huntington. Much of it has never been on public view before, she said.
Images include scenes from the Battle of Antietam, described as the bloodiest and costliest single day of combat in American history; Abraham Lincoln's assassination, the nationwide mourning and the conspirators' hanging; and theestablishment of Gettysburg National Monument as a site of reconciliation and healing.
Showing the human cost, Watts said, are many "wrenching" personal stories and images.
Olga Tsapina, the Huntington's curator of American historical manuscripts and curator, said the companion exhibit takes an "unflinching" look at the realities of the war.
It uses photographs, letters, diaries, posters (including a rare "Wanted" poster from the Lincoln assassination) and other documents from the Huntington's vast Civil War collections.
"A lot of it is personal experience, personal letters or political discourses, including sermons, speeches in Congress, interviews, public statements," Tsapina said. "We're trying for balance" on the Union and Confederate sides."
The debate always returned to slavery, she said, and the perceptions at the time that it was a "divinely inspired" institution.
The exhibit will try to convey how "important and how raw" that debate was, Tsapina said, and how the country was bitterly divided on the issue of free markets and the "unfair advantage of free slave labor."
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, is closed on Tuesdays. Admission is free on the first Thursday of each month with advance tickets. For more information call 626-405-2100 or visit huntington.org.

Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_21750890/major-civil-war-exhibit-opens-at-huntington-library#ixzz297ge00ua

Civil War, October 1862: Bounty jumpers, pickpockets and politicians

From MassLive:  Civil War, October 1862: Bounty jumpers, pickpockets and politicians

The bloody whirlwind that was September of 1862 gave way to a relatively quiet month of October.

It was as if the gore of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history, on Sept. 17th, and President Lincoln following up with the Emancipation Proclamation five days later had stopped the Civil War in the East by these spectacular military and political events. The major battles this month would be fought in the Western theater at Perryville, Ky., and Corinth, Miss.

The front page of The Republican on Oct. 1st touted ads for marble or granite monuments and whitewood or black walnut caskets. The last camp to send soldiers to the war in Springfield was filling up as part of Lincoln’s call for 300,000 fresh troops.

The yet-to-be implemented draft, announced in August, was again postponed until Oct. 15th.

Trains passed through Springfield almost daily with regiments from throughout New England. The soldiers of the 13th Vermont Infantry filled 29 cars as they made a brief stop in the city for refreshments and cheers from the locals.

On Oct. 2nd, the Westfield and Holyoke companies marched into Camp Banks accompanied by their fellow townspeople, a Holyoke brass band and the Westfield fire brigade. That brought the population to 890 men at the Boston Road encampment that stretched over many acres near present day Pine Point.

“Milton Bradley has executed a capital lithographic view of Camp Banks. Central to the picture, and over all, as a guardian spirit, is a likeness of the noble general whose name the camp bears. All the boys will be pleased with this sketch of their first encampment,” wrote The Republican.

Besides the picture of the camp graced by former governor N.P. Banks, Bradley’s litho machines were busy turning out games that were small enough to be carried by soldiers to help pass the boring hours of camp life that he had witnessed in Springfield. He sold them by the thousands at a dollar apiece.
On Oct. 2nd, The Republican ran an article describing the design of the Medal of Honor recently authorized by Congress. At least 15 of these would be credited to Civil War soldiers and sailors from Western Massachusetts. One, of the six credited to Springfield, would be a sergeant of the 46th Regiment preparing for the war at Camp Banks.

Western Massachusetts fighting men were scattered all over the map, some with Gen. Benjamin Butler in New Orleans, others in North Carolina, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Republican had several correspondents with these various units, many of whom wrote under pen names to protect themselves from officers they might criticize. The most famous was Dunn Browne, a soldier whose first dispatch from Bolivar Heights, near Harper’s Ferry, Va., was sent on Sept. 8, 1862, to be followed by 89 more as the war progressed.

He had written dozens of travel pieces during the 1850’s for The Republican under the same Dunn Browne pseudonym. Republican editor Samuel Bowles compiled them into a book. That same humorous slant continued during the war as he poked fun at himself and did not spare his superiors.

In one of his October dispatches he wrote: “The grand army of the Potomac, I am happy to inform you, anxious Republican, is safe (and so are its enemies).” Browne took aim at Major Gen. George B. McClellan whom he described as a master of inactivity.

It was an observation shared by the man Browne referred to as “that tall president.” Abraham Lincoln’s face-to-face meeting and nearly continuous call for action on McClellan’s part were ignored by the general. He would last the month, barely.

Springfield was preparing for another invasion of sorts in the second week of October when nearly 8,000 faithful would attend the 52nd annual convention of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The Oct. 7th-10th session would tax the city’s resources already stretched thin by hordes of new workers at the armory and other war oriented industries not to mention the nearly 1,000 soldiers in camp.

Wood Museum of Springfield HistoryA young Mllton Bradley

The American Board, organized in 1811, had sent out 1,258 missionaries to 39 countries since it had established its global network.

The four-day conference turned out to be a great success, save for the pickpockets that worked the crowded halls and auditoriums and unseasonably warm temperatures near 90 degrees. Extra trains and greatly reduced fares help get the crowds in and out of the city.

At the same time the missionaries were meeting in Springfield, Massachusetts Democrats were convening at Worcester and crafting a series of resolves attacking the policies of President Lincoln.

First among them was that they “deeply regreted” that Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation on Sept. 22, 1862. They resolved the proclamation was “in the name of civilized humanity” unconstitutional, inexpedient and unjustifiable on the grounds of military necessity.
They also attacked the president on his suspension of certain “constitutional right” such as writ of habeus corpus and trial by jury. They also “resolved” that McClellan should be allowed to keep his command without interference.

On the suspension of habeus corpus, The Republican was quick to point out that Gen. Andrew Jackson, patron saint of Democrats, did the same thing in New Orleans, but Democrats took the opposite view in 1844 when a measure was proposed to refund a fine imposed on Jackson.

On Oct. 11th, The Republican reported another arson fire had broken out in downtown Springfield. Several businesses, a paint shop and saloon were destroyed in the most recent of several suspicious blazes. The city fathers were already running ads in the paper offering a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a fire in the Union Block back in August.

While McClellan and his army were dormant, the readers of The Republican learned on Oct. 13th of the daring Confederate cavalry raid deep into Pennsylvania by Jeb Stuart. The rebels captured tons of supplies and 800 horses. The newspaper recounted one instance where the rebels halted a funeral procession and took the horses attached to the hearse.

On that same day it was reported that several of the original officers of the 10th Massachusetts, the first regiment from Springfield to leave for the war, had been placed under arrest and faced court martial for protesting the choice of Capt. Dexter Parker to be their new major. Parker, a former state representative, was seen as a politically connected outsider, although he was a veteran of previous battles. The bickering went on for weeks.

Back in Springfield military discipline was also an issue and stringent orders in relation to deserters were published which called for policing the camps and empowering local authorities to arrest suspected deserters. The Republican wrote the following on one incident that deals with the desertion problem and points out the anger felt towards the English who at this time were aiding the Confederates:

“Two scamps named James Hayden and Francis Leonard, Englishmen by birth, who were previously employed at the factories in Indian Orchard, were arrested as deserters in this city by Officer Shaw. They have enlisted under various aliases in this state and Connecticut and after getting the bounty deserted.”

The newspaper went on to recount how they spent most of their ill gotten gains “having a good time.” The article concluded, “This getting the bounty from the government and then deserting, is the meanest of all mean things. But what better could we expect from Englishmen.”

As the month drew to a close activities at Camp Banks were stepped up. The soldiers now knew they would be sent to join with local 27th and other Massachusetts regiments in North Carolina. More than $5,000 in bounty money had been distributed, special trains had been put on for visitors to say their good-byes and Gov. John Andrews had reviewed the troops.

The men of the 46th were issued new uniforms and overcoats. The uniforms were fine, but the coats were a disaster and turned out to be another example of profit gouging.

“The overcoats furnished to our new regiments are absolutely worthless, and it is an outrage upon the soldiers to force them to take them,” wrote The Republican. “They come from Pennsylvania contractors, whose fraud upon the government have been indecent and monstrous since the war commenced.”

Meanwhile, an ad in the newspaper by the Haynes Company of downtown Springfield was seeking seamstresses and tailors to work on an order for 16,000 coats. Previously the city-based Brigham Co. had turned out thousands of coats with only two being returned.

On Oct. 30th, The Republican described in great detail that the Ames manufacturing company of Chicopee had completed an elegant presentation sword intended as a gift from the 21st regiment to Gen. Jesse Reno.

Gen. Jesse Reno

“The blade is beautifully engraved and the hilt embedded with magnificent sapphire and other gems.”

The sword would be presented to the general’s widow. He had been killed in September at the Battle of South Mountain.

In 2001, a Maine auction house sold the Reno sword for $109,000, setting a record for an Ames sword.

James Julia AuctioneerClose-up of the hilt of Gen. Reno's swords made by Ames Co. of Chicopee

At the end of the October 1862 the newly formed Internal Revenue Service estimated it would collect $250 million in national taxes for the year. That would be enough to pay for half of the war expenses. The Republican also reported war-driven inflation was pushing up the price of everything and the prospects for the poor in the coming winter were bleak because of the high cost of kerosene.

Two competing newspaper ads sought agents to sell a couple of newly minted books – “History of the Civil War in America” by J.T. Headley, and “Abbott’s History of the Civil War in America.”

They may have been jumping the gun. There was much more history to be made.

 

Salem United Methodist to recognize 150th anniversary of the American Civil War

From Lancaster Eagle Gazette:  Salem United Methodist to recognize 150th anniversary of the American Civil War

BLOOM TOWNSHIP --On Oct. 14, the Salem United Methodist Church will recognize the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War with a Civil War era worship service.
"We got to thinking about this being both the 150th anniversary of the church and the Civil War and it grew from there," said the Rev. Thomas Rogers, pastor of Salem U.M. Church.
The church will depict a worship service as it would have appeared during the Civil War. Re-enactors from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Camp McKinley No. 21 along with members of the Anne Mariah Sterling-Butterfield Auxiliary No. 77 will be dressed in period clothing and will participate in the service.
"What we are trying to depict is a service with members of the military who have come home on leave from the Civil War and describe what they are seeing," Rogers said.
Among the people from the local congregation who will depict people who were active in the Salem Church during the Civil War period is Tom Hempleman, who will portray his great-great-grandfather, the Rev. A.G. Hempleman, the pastor when the brick church was built.
Bob Trogus, a former member of the church, will portray the Rev. C.C. McCabe, a Union soldier who was captured and sent to Libby Prison in Virginia. General Willam Rosecrans will be portrayed by Civil War re-enactor Thomas Paul, who will deliver the morning message. Scott Richardson will portray southern soldier Hadley Smith. The Rev. Rogers will portray his ancestor, the Rev. Samuel Paine.
Rogers said the congregation will receive reports from both the Union and Confederate sides of the conflict.
The church also will celebrate the 150th anniversary of when the church's current building was constructed and dedicated in 1862, with a small hospitality function after the service.
The first Salem Church structure was a log building that stood west of the present church building, Rogers said, but it was destroyed by fire.
The present brick building was finished and dedicated as the Salem Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1862. Rogers said the bricks for the new church were made on site and the ladies of the church carried the bricks in their aprons to the men, who were laying bricks for the new church.
The Salem E.U.B. Church became the Salem United Methodist Church in 1968 with the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist denominations.
The church currently has about 80 members with about 35 active members each week.

IF YOU GO

What: Civil War era worship service
When: Oct. 14
Where: Salem United Methodist Church, 4265 Amanda Northern Road NW, at the corner of Amanda Northern and Salem Church roads.
Cost: Free, with an offering taken during the service.
FYI: Re-enactors from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Camp McKinley No. 21, the Anne Mariah Sterling-Butterfield Auxiliary No. 77, and church members will dress in period clothing and participate in the service.

 

SC: Cultural center in Gullah heartland marks 150th

From NECN:  Cultural center in Gullah heartland marks 150th

ST. HELENA ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — In its first 150 years, the Penn Center has served as a school for freed slaves, a Jim Crow-era industrial school and a retreat center for leaders of the civil rights movement. Now it looks to tell the story the African American sea island culture and to protect that heritage.
Today the center is kicking off a three-year celebration to mark its 150th anniversary.
The Penn Center was one of the nation's first schools for emancipated blacks. It was founded in 1862 after Union troops captured the area early in the Civil War and two missionaries from Pennsylvania came south and named the school for William Penn. Just after the turn of the 20th century, the Penn School became the Penn Normal, Agricultural and Industrial School with an industrial arts curriculum.
Later, when public schools began educating blacks as well as whites and the industrial school was phased out, the Penn Center became a retreat and meeting location for leaders of the Civil Rights movement, most notably the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Penn Center has gone through a lot of historic evolutions and cycles and we really try to focus on the wants and needs of the community during that period," said Walter Mack, the center's executive director who has been at Penn a quarter century.
The center, with 19 buildings including a museum clustered amid moss-shrouded oaks on this South Carolina sea island about a two-hour drive southwest of Charleston, is the only national historic landmark district owned and operated by a minority, Mack said.
Today, the center is enjoying an increase in visitors sparked by renewed interest in the Gullah culture, the culture of sea island slave descendants in the Carolinas. Also called Geechee along the Georgia and Florida coasts, the culture is based on farming and fishing and has its own creole language, history, cooking and crafts such weaving sweetgrass baskets but is threatened by rapid coastal development.
"There's a new interest," Mack said. "Penn Center is in the middle of it and we view this as a great opportunity for the Penn Center to survive another 150 years."
"People are becoming more aware of what Gullah and Geechee is," agreed Victoria Smalls, coordinator for history, arts and culture at the center. "The culture encompasses much more than the language and the dialect. It encompasses the agriculture and crafts we are talking about at the Penn Center."
During the first year of the anniversary commemoration, the center is focusing on its founding and its role during Reconstruction.
In November it hosts a program titled "Slavery by Another Name" discussing journalist Douglas Blackmon's Pulitzer Prize-winning book on the way that Jim Crow laws and segregation moved blacks back into virtual slavery between Reconstruction and the civil rights era.
Next year the center plans a reunion of civil rights leaders. Details are still being worked out but Smalls said she hopes the group might include such people as U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In 2014, the focus will be on the Penn Center's work for the future.
"The Penn Center's mission is to promote and preserve the culture of the sea islands, not just the geographic area, but its people too," Smalls said, adding that part of the job is making sure the past is remembered.
"We're the people," she said. "We're the storytellers."

 

Civil War: Unsung Chinese heroes who fought on both sides deserve recognition

From the Washington Times:  Civil War: Unsung Chinese heroes who fought on both sides deserve recognition

Edward Day Cohota shortly before his death in 1935

VIENNA, Va., September 29, 2012 — Part 2: In the first segment of this two part column, we looked at the little known stories of Chinese soldiers who served on both sides of the Civil War, fighting heroically and sometimes paying the ultimate price.
Today we turn to a story that resonated into the Twentieth Century, the true story of a young Chinese man who went from starving stowaway to the battle of Cold Harbor.
It began when Sing Loo was discovered as one of two little Asian boys, four and six years old, who had stowed away on board the square-rigged merchant ship Cohota, in 1845 on a regular trip from Shanghai to Massachusetts.
Sargent S. Day, captain of the ship, found the youngsters two days after sailing, and realized both were starving; how long before sailing they had eaten was anyone’s guess. The older of the two died and was buried at sea, but Captain Day took the younger boy, “adopted” him, and named him Edward Day Cohota, after the ship. The child sailed with the captain and his wife until Day retired in 1857, and they took him home with their own children, who accepted him as another brother.
When the war began, Edward Cohota enlisted in the 23^rd Massachusetts Infantry, and saw considerable action in the Battle of Drury’s Bluff in May of 1864. He said he came out of the action with “seven bullet holes thru” his clothes, but “none touched his flesh.”
A Permanent Part in His Hair
It was at the Battle of Cold Harbor three weeks later that a Confederate mini ball went right across his head, leaving a permanent part in his hair, but he was not seriously wounded.   It is believed that Cohota was the only one of the Asian soldiers, who returned to military service after the Civil War ended, remaining in the Army for 30 years. He was stationed at Fort Randall, Dakota Territory, married and had six children.
For that length of time, remembering the promise of the U. S. Government to give citizenship after service, Cohota assumed he was a U.S. Citizen. However, he put off submitting his second set of naturalization papers until after the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was passed, which rendered him not a citizen with no chance of becoming one.
Cohota evidently came through the whole episode with his sense of humor intact, since for years he enjoyed telling his children that he had always voted as a citizen, and had cast his ballot for Republicans for 30 years, even though he was not eligible all that time. He lived to the age of 93, served on the city council in Gloucester, and was Treasurer of Tyrian Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons.  He died in 1935 at the Battle Mountain Sanitarium for Veterans in Hot Springs, S.D. He also held a life membership in Masonic Arcania Lodge # 97 of Armour, S. D.
The amount of time Cohota spent in the military is the reason the military has more complete records on his life and service. Sometime in 1929, an article in the Rapid City Daily Journal gave tribute to Mr. Cohota, as follows:
"It is not an uncommon thing to see a grand old gentleman at the national sanitarium standing uncovered and at attention at "flag-down." This refined, splendid looking old gentleman, who stands with such reverence and respect for the flag of his adopted country, is Edward Day Cohota, the only native-born Chinaman who went through the Civil War.
"His retirement pay was still coming when he arrived at the sanitarium, but he soon took a final discharge from the army and applied for a pension as a Civil War veteran. His claim was allowed at $72 per month."
A caveat: in that era, and for decades afterward, “Chinaman” was a perfectly normal and accepted term for a person of Chinese descent. No opprobrium was intended or inferred.
From Silk Trade to Military
We have only slim information and conjecture as to how many of the Asian soldiers ended up in the army of either side. New Orleans was a favorite gathering place for those who had been in the navy, and many joined the troops to fight or were “invited” to join for a break from naval life.
Many Chinese in earlier years had first come to this country as part of the Manila, Philippines silk route, which ran from the island to Acapulco. We also have the Spanish to thank as they imported Chinese ship builders, one association leading to another. There were no Chinese women in the area, so they intermarried with native blacks, Creoles and others.
In any event, we now have verified service of more than a few Asians, including several Filipinos, who joined either the Confederacy or the Union forces to fight for their adopted land, and their dedication to this country deserves honor and respect.
Regrettably, it instead led to the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which made it technically illegal for Chinese to become U.S. citizens, much less be citizens. This act was enforced until 1943.
It is sad that the U.S. government never kept its promise to them, since an earlier law said only whites could be naturalized, and that their service to the country has been overlooked for so long. These brave men in an adopted land deserve far more recognition, not to mention the reward of citizenship as promised, than they received.
Several historians have zeroed in on this subject, and I am grateful for their work in putting together this abbreviated story of the brave Asians who served during the Civil War.

 

From Antietam to Iraq: American soldier on display

From Journal Star.com:  From Antietam to Iraq: American soldier on display

A grief-stricken American infantryman, whose buddy was killed in action, is comforted by another GI as a medic methodically fills out the casualty tags in the Haktong-ni area of South Korea, Aug. 28, 1950.

OMAHA -- The first photographs of men at war were produced during the Mexican-American War of 1847. In the 165 years since then, American fighting men and women have gone to war in eight conflicts, all captured by cameras.
“The American Soldier: From the Civil War to the War in Iraq,” a new exhibition at the Durham Museum, contains 166 images showing soldiers in each of those conflicts -- the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Afghanistan/Iraq.
Together, they provide a portrait of the soldier that links the men and some women across the decades. There are, obviously, great differences in weaponry and terrain, styles of warfare and in the type and quality of the photographs. But within each is a picture of a person, usually young, putting themselves at risk to fight for the country.
A handful of familiar images appears in the chronologically presented “American Soldier.” Most notable are “California Joe,” the Civil War sharpshooter lying on his side against a log; Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders gathered atop a rise during the Battle of San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War; and a from-behind shot of American troops piling out of a landing craft headed to Normandy Beach on D-Day in World War II.
But most of the images, including two recent Pulitzer Prize winners from Iraq, rarely have been seen. They are pulled from nearly 4,000 photographs held in museums and private collections examined by curator Cyma Rubin.
Choosing those lesser-known pictures gives “American Soldier” a freshness that makes the viewer truly look at the photographs and, in doing so, provides a vivid portrait of servicemen and servicewomen through the years.
With the exception of the Roosevelt photograph, Rubin also wisely omitted pictures of generals and politicians, making the exhibition very appropriately about the ordinary soldier.
“American Soldier” isn’t an exhibition about war, per se. There’s no description of battles and strategy or depiction of key conflicts -- there are, for example, no pictures of Pearl Harbor. Rather, it more often shows men away from battle -- a handful of guys freezing in a chow line during the Korean War; a smoking soldier leaning on a pile of blankets during the Battle of the Bulge; and a member of the dog platoon hunkered down in a foxhole with a Doberman keeping watch on Iwo Jima.
That said, there are some powerful images of a gun crew in the Argonne Forest during World War I and POWS being marched in World War II; and touching pictures, such as that of a soldier holding a baby rescued after residents of the area committed suicide during the South Pacific campaign of World War II.
There are, by necessity, images of death throughout the exhibition: a doctor examining a body before preparing it to be shipped home during the Civil War; a body bag being carried in Vietnam; and rows of coffins coming off a plane during the Iraq War. But the photos in the exhibition are not graphic. In fact, the earlier Pulitzer Prize-winning photo show at Durham contained far more disturbing images than “American Soldier.”
Shot by soldiers and war correspondents, the pictures are shown large scale and unframed, allowing for maximum ease of viewing. All the images up to those of the first Gulf War are in black-and-white. The remainder of the show is in color.
One of those pictures, a closeup of a female soldier saluting with a tear running down her face on the anniversary of 9/11 is among the most powerful of the exhibition. Around the corner comes the most optimistic and reassuring: another female soldier united with her family when she comes home.
On view in conjunction with “The American Soldier” is “Worn with Pride: Americans in Uniform,” an exhibition curated by the Durham staff that showcases military uniforms used during the time period covered by the photo show, along with various artifacts, including diaries, carbines from Korea and a fortified laptop.
Together, the two exhibitions provide an illuminating, always timely look at the American soldier. They bring those who have fought for the country into sharp focus and again remind us never to forget.

If you go 

What: "The American Soldier" and "Worn with Pride: Americans in Uniform" 

Where: Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St., Omaha

When: "The American Soldier" through Jan. 6; "Worn with Pride" through Feb. 3.
Hours: 1-5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Closed Mondays and major holidays.
Admission: Adults, $8; seniors, $6; children 3 to 12, $5.

Scheduled programs

* Guided Tours: Sunday, Oct. 28, Nov. 25, Dec. 30, all at 2 p.m. Lt. Gen. Lee W. Smith II (USAF retired), the former Durham Museum director, will conduct tours of both “The American Solider” and “Worn with Pride,” which contains his West Point uniform and his dress blues.
* Lecture: “Answering the Call” by Dan Sullivan, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. Sullivan, editor for World-Herald Books, will explore the roles Nebraskans and eastern Iowans played in World War II, including aircraft and munitions manufacturing, pilot training and munitions manufacturing.
* Veterans Day: Nov. 12. Daylong programming features kids' activities, including a “boot camp,” musical performances and a 2 p.m. lecture by Peru State English professor Dan Holtz titled “From Bleeding Kansas to Old Virginia: Songs and Stories of the Civil War.”
* Preserving Veterans' Memories,  through Nov. 17. The Durham has partnered with NET to record war veterans’ accounts of their experiences. Veterans who would like to share their stories should contact the Durham education department at 402-444-5027 to arrange an appointment for the recordings, which will be transcribed and preserved by the Durham and might be used in future NET programs.
To make reservations for the guided tours and lectures, call 402-444-5071 or email reservations@Durham.org.