December 19: The President Taunts Crowd at Augusta Visit

From the August 19, 2020, Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle.

I bet you're thinking that President Trump left the White House for one more campaign rally.  But that is not the case because the December 19 in this instance is December 19, 1898, and the president is William McKinley.

DECEMBER 19, 1898

President William McKinley came to town and he brought his sense of humor with him.  On  a damp day in the week before Christmas, the republican drew one of the largest crowds ever on Broad Street.

During a lull in the activities, an ex-Confederate who was chatting with the president pointed with pride to a large marble memorial only a few yards away  and said, "That represents what sort of soldier we were."

"Yes, and what you were," replied the president who was a Union Army sergeant at the Battle of Antietam, "for I see the soldier surmounting the column has a 'U.S.' on his cartridge box."

McKinley referred to the  figure atop the memorial, according to an account in the Baltimore Sun,  and told the old Confederate that things had really worked out for the best.

Then, he wasted little time introducing a local favorite, Gen. Joseph  Wheeler.  The Augusta native and once dashing Confederate cavalryman was now a hero of the Spanish-American conflict.

Earlier this month, an Augusta task force has recommended this memorial be removed to a cemetery.  You know why.

Back Then, Not Now.  --Old Secesh

PTSD in the Civil War-- Part 7: The 16th Connecticut, "Broken Regiment"

Another former member of the 16th Connecticut, Wallace Woodford flailed in his sleep, dreaming that he was still searching for food at Andersonville.  He died at age 22 and was buried beneath a headstone that reads "8 months a sufferer in Rebel prison; He came home to die."

Others managed to live longer, before killing themselves or being committed to insane asylums.  Lesley Gordon, in his research on the 16th, was amazed at how many times the members returned to the twin horrors of Andersonville and Antietam in their diaries and letters.  "They're haunted by what happened until the end of their lives," she says.

She wrote a book on the 16th Connecticut called "Broken Regiment."

--Old Secesh

Antietam Battlefield-- Part 2

The battle took place September17, 1862, just over 150 years ago.  Within four hours, 10,000 Americans on both sides were casualties with the heaviest action taking place with a one mile square area which was right in front of us.

A major flaw in the Union's battle plan were its piecemeal attacks.

There is a tower near the center that was built in 1897 by the Army War Department for use by the military to study the battlefield.  There are other such towers at Gettysburg, Shiloh and Vicksburg.A couple weeks ago, 300 Marines were studying the battlefield and even more recently the Joint Chiefs of Staff were there.

Five attacks were launched on Confederates along the Sunken Road with huge Union casualties until they captured key points and turned it into a bloodbath for Confederates.  The sunken road was a dirt path that had been worn down by wagons over the years and afforded an excellent defensive position.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

Michigan's Norman J. Hall-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

March 19, 1842-May 26, 1867 and is famous for his defense of the Union center during Pickett's charge at Gettysburg.  Appointed to the USMA at West Point by Jefferson Davis and graduated July 1859, 13th in class of22 and appointed Second Lt. in 4th US Artillery.

He was at Fort Sumter during the secession crisis and served as an emissary between Major. Anderson and Confederate officers.

During the bombardment, the US flag was knocked to the ground by a Confederate shell.  Hall raced throug the flames on the parade ground to save it.  With the help of two others, he replaced the pole and hoisted the flag.  He was captured, became a POW, was exchanged and then returned to Monroe.

He was promoted to 1st Lt. in the US Artillery in May of 1861.

He fought at the Peninsula Campaign before becoming the Colonel of the 7th Michigan Infantry in July 1862.  He was then at the Battle of Second Bull Run.  At the Battle of Antietam, the 7th Michigan suffered 60% casualties and lost 20 of 23 field officers.  Hall assumed command of the 3rd Brigade after its commander was wounded.

Later in the battle, Hall was wounded himself and his horse killed.

Quite the Fighter.  --Old Secesh

Union Soldier's Remains Found at Antietam

Earlier this month, a hiker at Antietam found bone fragments and a metal NY button near a groundhog hole on the Antietam battlefield. The soldier probably was in one of the 24 New York regiments engaged at the battle. His identity will probably never be known, however.

Five years after the battle, a major effort was made to recover bodies, and those were buried in nearby cemeteries. This one was overlooked until the groundhog encountered it.

These are not the first remains found at the battlefield. In 1989, four were found in a shallow grave.

The War Goes On. --Old B-R

"Another Conflict at Antietam"

From the March 14th Baltimore Sun. By Matthew Hay Brown.

Back in September 1862 a big battle took place on the banks of Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Today, another battle looms over these hallowed acres.

A 120 foot cell phone tower is being built outside park boundaries, but the top 30 feet will rise above the treeline. It will be disguised as a silo, but, even then....

Antietam is regarded as a prime battleground that has not suffered the encroachments of urbanization and commercialization like others.

The tower proposal has caused the Civil War Preservation Trust to list Antietam among its top ten most-endangered sites for 2008.

Sixty percent of the park's land has been added since 1990. Other significant changes to the landscape is the stone observation tower put up by the War Department in 1890 to assist in officer training, the various markers and memorials, and roads have been paved.

Interesting Comments

There were four comments when I looked earlier today.

corbs wrote: "come on this place is old and who cares anymore. stop gettin in the way of progress! pave over the whole thing if i can get better cell reception."

Bruce replied: "corbs you are a complete idiot. I'm willing to bet you're young and could care less about history." He then went on to tell why history is important.

Can't wait to see what else transpires tomorrow.

Read my Lips. No Cell Towers, Even if corbs Wants One. --Old B-Runner