Civil War Springfield, Mass.-- Part 2: October Crime Reports

The increased population led to increased crime and there had been a recent rash of burglaries and arson fires.

The Republican newspaper gave stats for police court for the year ending September 30th:

There had been 797 cases.  A breakdown of these cases was included: drunkenness 346, assault and battery 156, larceny 122, disturbing the peace 44, fornication 17, search warrants 14, houses of ill repute 11, violation of Sunday laws 10, malicious conduct 9, evading railroad fares 8, unlawful driving of the horse of another 5 and other things like lewd persons, glass breaking and cruelty to animals.

So, Not Everyone Was an Abider.  --Old Secesh

The Civil War in Springfield, Massachusetts-- Part 1: October School Problems

From the MassLive site.

I came across this very interesting look back at what was going on in Springfield, Massachusetts month-by-month during the war as reported by the town's Republican newspaper.

  I found it for November, but am going back to October.

OCTOBER 1864

Springfield thrived during the war especially with business directed to the Springfield Armory which never did a better business.  However, this business caused many people to move to the city and caused housing shortages as well as overcrowding in the schools.

On October 3rd, 60 children were turned away from the Charles Street School due to overcrowding.  Most of their parents had been taxed to provide schooling and certainly weren't getting their money's worth.

There was a huge increase in population and a resulting increase in crime.

--Old Secesh

"Went With the Wind"

From Wikipedia.

Here is some more information on Carol Burnett's "Went With the Wind" skit.

It was shown on the 8th episode of the 10th season on November 13, 1976.  Carol Burnett played Starlet O'Hara, Harvey Korman was Capt. Ratt Butler, Dinah Shore was Melody Hamilton (I was trying to figure out who she was), Vicki Lawrence was Sissy and Tim Conway was Brashley Wilkes. The action took place at Terra Plantation.

There are segments all over You Tube as well.

Lots of cultural references:
Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billy Joe"
Tony Orlando & Dawn's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree"
"Dixie" with Harvey's hilarious version of it
"Camptown Races"
Chicken of the Sea and tuna casserole

The curtain dress scene was named #2 on TV Guide's Jan-23-29, 1999 list of Funniest Moments on TV.  The entire outfit, including curtain rod, is on display at the Smithsonian.  Mattel has released a doll of Burnett dressed like that in its Barbie Celebrity Doll in 2004.

--Old Secesh

Carol Burnett's "Went With the Wind" on TV Monday Night

A couple nights ago, Liz called downstairs to have me tune to one of those old TV stations.  I did and found that famous skit Carol Burnett and cast did called "Went With the Wind."  Of course, a takeoff on the famous movie "Gone With the Wind."

This has to be one of the funniest skits she ever did (out of many, many, many).  It was amazing how she followed the general script of the original but did it in such a funny way.  Tim Conway played Brashly and Harvey Korman Captain Ratt Butler.

Conway cracked up Korman when he did his walk down the stairs and I don't know how Korman kept a straight face when Burnett walked down the stairs in that curtain dress.

This is definitely one of the best of the best comedy bits ever done.  I'm glad Liz alerted me to it.

You can see it on You Tube.

Still Laughing About It.  --Old Laughing 'Cesh.

Georgia's "Gone With the Wind" Trail-- Part 4

JONESBORO

Thirty minutes south of Atlanta.  Home to Margaret Mitchell's maternal parents, the Fitzgeralds, who owned a plantation outside of town.  In 1969, Clayton County and Jonesboro designated it as "The Official Home of "Gone With the Wind."

Sherman did not destroy the plantation, but the main house caught fire after the war, leaving only the fireplaces standing.  It was moved to the Margaret Mitchell Memorial Park on the 1839 Stately Oaks Plantation, considered to be the inspiration for her Tara.

In downtown Jonesboro, there is the Road to Tara Museum located in the 1867 train depot.  It has a large collection of "Gone With the Wind" artifacts, even a "Sherman Necktie," a piece of railroad track twisted into a loop that Sherman's men were so good at making.

More info at the Gone With the Wind Trail at www.gwtwtrail.com.

--Old Secesh

Georgia's "Gone With the Wind" Trail-- Part 3: More Atlanta Area Sites

LIVINGSTON'S RESTAURANT IN THE GEORGIAN TERRACE HOTEL--  Where the post premier party was held.  Also where Margaret Mitchell gave her manuscript to her editor.

SOCIAL CIRCLE, GEORGIA--  45 minutes east of downtown Atlanta and a favorite destination of the young Margaret Mitchell who visited the estate during her courtship to her first husband, Redd Upshaw, her inspiration for Rhett Butler.  In 1991, it became the Blue Willow Inn.

--Old Secesh

Georgia's "Gone With the Wind" Trail-- Part 3: Atlanta

Still in Atlanta, other Margaret Mitchell, "Gone With the Wind" related places to visit:

ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY LIBRARY

The 5th floor has a Margaret Mitchell collection, including the second-hand Remington typewriter she used to write her book.  Also personal items, photos and rare editions of her novel.

OAKLAND CEMETERY

Where Margaret Mitchell is buried.

MARYMAC'S TEA ROOM

Which Margaret Mitchell often frequented while writing and after her book was published.

--Old Secesh

Georgia's "Gone With the Wind" Trail-- Part 2

ATLANTA

Just 20 miles away from Marietta is Atlanta, the city that was burned in November 1864 and less than 75 years later, Margaret Mitchell wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning book in a small downtown apartment she shared with her husband John Marsh.  Mitchell called the two-bedroom basement apartment "The Dungeon."  It is still there and now called the Margaret Mitchell House.  Tours are offered and it has two exhibition galleries pertaining to the book and movie.

HISTORY CENTER

On 33 acres and consists of a historical village and museum on Gone With the Wind and the Wilbur G. Kurtz "History of Gone With the Wind" until April. 2015.

ATLANTA CYCLORAMA

A huge circular canvas of the Battle of Atlanta.

More to See in Atlanta.  --Old Secesh

Who Are the Windies?

By the way, in case you're wondering,  big-time "Gone With the Wind" movie fanatics are called "Windies."

I am somewhat of a "Windie" as it never fails to bring tears to my eyes when I see that scene with all the dead and wounded Confederates in the street as the camera fans back past that Confederate flag.  Gets me every time.

A good question, however, what is the singular of Windies?  Would that make me a "Windy?"  Didn't the Association have a song about that back in the '60s?

--Old Secesh

Georgia's "Gone With the Wind" Trail-- Part 1

From the August 31, 2014, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Marching down Georgia's 'Gone With the Wind' Trail" by Suzanne Corbett.

Last year, 2014, marked the 75th anniversary of what is still considered one of the greatest movies ever made, "Gone With the Wind."  That movie now serves as Georgia's newest tourism trail.

Here are some highlights of it:

MARIETTA--  Kennesaw House Hotel.  Converted into a hospital and, on July 3, 1864, became Union General Sherman's headquarters.  Today it serves as the Marietta Museum of History.

One block away is the Marietta "Gone With the Wind" Museum:Scarlet on the Square which opened in 2003 with all sorts of items related to the movie including her Bengaline honeymoon dress.

--Old Secesh

More Civil War Books Than You'd Expect at Small Town Library

From the August 31, 2014, Tampa Tribune "Tiny town's library holds a treasure of Civil War books" by Keith Morelli.

E.C. Rowell Public Library in Webster, Florida is quite small, but has in its collection, over 1300 Civil War books with many first editions and some printed in the 1800s.  Included are two sets of the Official Records.  There are also periodicals, novels, photos and reference books.

Most of them were donated from the personal collection of E.C. Rowell, for whom the library is named.  He was the former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and Civil War buff who died in 1992.

Even better, these books are now accessible to everyone.

--Old Secesh

Edward Anderson, CSA-- Part 3: Refused to Surrender

Edward Johnson was then commissioned in the Virginia Provisional Army and served at Norfolk, St. Helena and Crainey Island until the evacuation of the area.  He then joined the Army of Northern Virginia and participated in the Peninsula Campaign.

After that, he served as chief ordnance officer on Lee's staff and later chief ordnance officer for General William Dorsey Pender and then for Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox.

Later, he was commissioned a captain in the regular Confederate Artillery and was at Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersburg and Appomattox.

He refused to surrender with Lee at the latter and made his way south to join Johnston's Army in North Carolina.  When it surrendered, he made his way to Texas to join General Kirby Smith's Army which was still in the field.  When he found they had surrendered, he made his way back to Virginia.

Anderson then studied law and ran a successful law firm in Washington, D.C..  He was also actively involved in Confederate affairs for the rest of his life as past commander of Camp 171 of the United Confederate Veterans and helped found the Charles Broadway Rouss Camp 1191.

He died September 2, 1915.

--Old Secesh

Edward Anderson, CSA-- Part 2: Correct Birth Date

I came across Edward Anderson's obituary in the December 1915 Confederate Veteran Magazine of the United Confederate Veterans from which the Arlington National Cemetery was most likely taken.

It has Edward Anderson being born in St. Augustine, Florida, November 11, 1841.

This date would make his being a cadet at West Point at the outbreak of the war more accurate.

--Old Secesh

Edward Anderson, CSA-- Part 1:Refused to Take Oath of Allegiance at Beginning of the War

From the Arlington National Cemetery Site.

Born January 1849 in Florida (I kind of doubt this date as that would have made him a West Point cadet in 1861 at the age of 12.  Kind of too young, I believe).  He was the son of Captain James W. Anderson who served in the Seminole and  Mexican War and was killed in action at the Battle of Cherubusco (August 20, 1847, again, would have Edward born too long after his father's death).

His paternal grandfather, Col. William Anderson served under Decatur and his maternal grandfather, Elihu Brown, commanded a privateer in the War of 1812.

He was appointed to West Point by General Winfield Scott in recognition of his father's service.  Although ranked #2 in his class at the time, he became the first cadet to refuse to take the oath of allegiance to the United States and left the USMA.

--Old Secesh

Eighth Year for This Blog

My Saw the Elephant Civil War Blog enters its eighth year today.  I started it back on November 10, 2007, with four posts: CSMC, Happy 232nd Birthday to USMC, Lt. Benjamin H. Porter killed at Fort Fisher and One Small Victory for the Flag.

This blog grew out of my Cooter's History Thing Blog when I saw that so many of my posts in that one were on the Civil War, the reason I got interested in history in the first place.  The Cooter's History Thing Blog grew out of my Down Da Road I Go Blog which was about things I am interested in and what I'm doing.

Since then, I was writing so many posts about Fort Fisher and the Navy during the war, that I decided to spin off my Running the Blockade Civil War Navy Blog.

Posts by Year for this blog:
2007--  55
2008--  375
2009--  464
2010--  492
2011--  532
2012--  286
2013--  373
2014--  465

The name "Saw the Elephant" comes from the Civil War phrase for battle.  You went into battle and saw the elephant.

--Old Secesh