Florida in the Civil War

From Feb. 10, 2012, "Guest Opinion: Southwest Florida's black history found in the Civil War" by Irvin Winsboro.

Florida's Civil War experience is sometimes referred to as "a trifling affair" but it was much more complex than that.  You should check out Dale Cox's excellent Civil War Florida blog to see just how complex it was.

Some 15,000 Floridians, 11% of the population participated after the state became the third to secede.  About 5,000 died.

Of Confederate troops, most fought elsewhere, but 2,500 stayed within the state.

Another 2,000 whites and blacks joined Union forces

Twenty-nine of the 65 Union regiments posted in the state were black.  Of the 1,044 Florida blacks mustered into Union service, most served in the United States Colored Troops and 255 joined the Navy.  Blacks participated in at least 32 skirmishes, scouting expeditions and battles in the state.

A Little-Known Part of the War.  --Old Secesh

Burial of Two USS Monitor Crewmembers-- Part 2

After the wreck of the USS Monitor was found, it was hoped that the whole ship could be raised, but upon examination, it was found that the ship was in such bad condition after all those years at the bottom of the ocean. Instead, important parts of the ship were raised, including the engine and the 140-ton turret, which was found upside down with the hull resting on it.

So far, work in the turret, now located at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia, has turned up buttons, buckles, leather, a wool coat and other abandoned clothing. A ring was found on Monitor 2, but there was no inscription.

No gold bullion was found, which would have been on an officer's shoulder boards (sign of rank).

The remains have been sent to the Department of Defense forensic lab in Hawaii. So far, examinations suggest that both men were white (there were three blacks among those lost).

A problem faced in the identification process is that during the Civil War, no identification was needed for enlisted personnel. Often, false names were given. Plus, enlisted men did not have to give their next of kin.

I wonder how agent Gibbs and the rest of the NCIS team would handle this case?

Here's Hoping They Find Their Identities. --Old B-R'er

Interesting Conference on the Civil War from a Black Perspective

This weekend, a conference will take place at the historically black Norfolk State University in Virginia. Of interest, the state's governor, Bob McDonnell, will speak at it, just a few months after the big to-do about his declaring April Confederate History Month with no mention of slavery.

There will be quite a creditable list of speakers:

Slavery, Freedom, and the Union Navy-- James McPherson (I would especially like to see this one with my interest in all things naval about the war.)

How, When, Where and Why Emancipation Happened-- David Blight
The Role of the Underground Railroad as a Cause of the Civil War-- Spencer Crew
The Myth of Black Confederates-- Bruce Levine (another one of interest)
The Quest for Black Rights in the Midst of War-- Edna Medford
African American Soldiers and the Struggle for Equality-- Ira Berlin

And, there will be other speakers as well.

The conference is called Race, Slavery and the Civil War: The Tough Stuff of American History and Memory. Definitely one that I would like to attend.

Mighty Interesting Conference. --B-R'er

Wilson Brown and John Lawson

The last entry mentioned Wilson Brown who received a Medal of Honor at the Battle of Mobile Bay August 5, 1864. Another sailor, John Lawson also received one in the same action.

I looked him up and found an article in Wikipedia.

Brown was born in 1841 and died in 1900. He was a landsman on the USS Hartford, Admiral Farragut's flagship of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron.

On August 5, 1864, 18 Union ships engaged the guns of Fort Morgan and a small group of Confederate ships, led by the CSS Tennessee.

Brown and five other sailors were operating a shell whip, a device for lifting gunpowder up to the gun deck. A Confederate shell exploded among the men and Brown was blown through a hatch unconscious to the deck below. The body of one of the others landed on him. The only other survivor was John Lawson.

Lawson regained consciousness first and, although wounded, refused medical attention and returned to duty. Brown did the same when he came to. Both men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions. A total of 12 received the medals for that fight.

JOHN LAWSON was born in 1837 in Philadelphia, Pa.. Like Brown, he was a black man (I wonder whether the entire shell whip crew were black).

He was buried at Mount Palace cemetery in Lawnside, NJ. Over the years, his tombstone was lost and a fire destroyed the cemetery's records, so the exact location of his grave is not known. On April 24, 2004, he was given a new tombstone along with 72 other Union veterans.

Brave Men, All. --B-Runner

Second Annual Black and Blue Civil War Living History Camp

An absolutely great name for an event featuring blacks who fought in the Union military during the war.

This event will be held this Saturday at Jefferson College in Natchez.

It will feature the story of Wilson Brown, a slave who escaped from the Carthage Plantation and joined the Union Navy where he was sent for training in New Jersey and won a Medal of Honor at the Battle of Mobile Bay. He is buried in the Natchez National Cemetery.

This is put on by the Friends of the Forks of Roads Society whose purpose is educating the public about the enslaved and free blacks in Mississippi who joined the Union Army and Navy.

There will be lots of other activities going on as well.

Great Name. --B-R'er