Getting Ready to Go to the Battle of Goldsborough Bridge

As we finally get some more springlike weather here in North Carolina, today would seem to be a great time to take a ride out to this battlefield site near Goldsboro, off US-117 on the way to Mount Olive.

The battle marked the end of Union General John G. Foster's raid from New Bern to destroy the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad bridge at Goldsboro, to coincide with Union Genral Burnside's attack on Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Battles were fought at Kinston, Whitehall and Mount Olive on the way.  Once at Goldsboro, Foster's men vastly outnumbered the Confederate force and succeeded in destroying the bridge.  But, the Union loss at Fredericksburg coupled with how rapidly the bridge was repaired essentially negated the strategic success of the raid.

The 150th anniversary was this past December 17, 2012.  The battlefield is still largely intact, having just been used for agricultural purposes since the battle.  A walking tour has been developed with markers and tablets, much of it done by the Goldsboro Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

A Small Battle Commemorated.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"-- Part 6: Elizabeth Keckley

Of all the interesting characters portrayed in the play, she was the most poignant,  Talk about a person who overcame all odds and rose to a position of insidership in the highest levels of government.  That would be Elizabeth Keckley, a person I had never heard of before, but should have.

And, the casting had picked a person who could ably play her, Theresa George.  She was by far the most striking character.  And, what a voice!!

Wikipedia has a really long article on her which is well worth reading.  The play followed her life in the most detail.

A short synopsis:

ELIZABETH KECKLEY (1818-1907)  Wrote "Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House" (1868).  Born a slave in Virginia.  Her father was Amistead Burwell who was also her master and a colonel in the War of 1812.

Her owners moved her to St. Louis, where she became a seamstress and with the help of white patrons, she was able to buy her freedom and that of her son for $1200 in 1855,

She moved to Washington, DC, to set up a seamstress business and sewed dresses for Mrs. Jefferson Davis and Mrs. Robert E. Lee, before starting to work for Mary Todd Lincoln, a job she continued throughout the Civil War,  She became a confidante of Mrs. Lincoln and sewed her dresses.

In 1862, she founded the Contraband Relief Association.  Contraband was what slaves were called at the time who rad run away from their masters to be protected by the Union Army.

A Fascinating Life, Well Worth a Read.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"--Part 5: Captain Theophilus Perry, 28th Texas Cavalry

The program listed him at Theo Percy and his wife Harriet referred to him as Theo.  My first efforts to look him up failed.  My first problem was thinking Theo was short for Theodore.  Later, I found that the man in question's last name was Perry, not Percy. 

In the play, he wore an officer's uniform, but with no officer insignia nor was he ever called by rank.  I did know he and his wife were from Texas.

I finally located information about him.

Captain Theophilus Perry, Co. F, 28th Texas.

Recently, there was a letter cover from him for sale at eBay.  A letter sent to Miss Sally M. Person of Louisburg, Franklin County, NC, a relative of his wife.  A book was written using his letters called "Widows By the Thousand" which chronicled his letters to his wife, Harriet.

Someone wrote on the front of the envelope, "28th Texas."  Sold on eBay 8-23-10.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"-- Part 4: The Reserve At Oak Bowery

Earlier, I wrote about Joseph Henry Harris, an Alabama plantation owner, and came across his plantation's name as being Oak Bowery.  Looked that up and there is a website for The Reserve at Oak Bowery in Chambers County.

Looking at its history, it was known as the McCurdy Plantation which at one time had 4,000 acres worked by 150 slaves and owned by Joseph McCurdy.  During the Civil War, in 1864, Federal cavalry stopped to water their horses while heading toward Selma under the command of Col. Oscar LaGrange.  The plantation was noted for its fresh water.  The federals would soon get into a battle at West Point, two events that Harris mentioned.

The house was built in 1845 by Edmund S. Harris as a wedding present  for her daughter and husband Joseph McCurdy.  It took three years to build, all by hand.  Most of the wood was heart of pine (from the middle of the tree) in the Greek Revival Style.

Two other interesting people from Chamber County, Alabama:

JOE " BROWN BOMBER" LOUIS--  Heavy weight boxing champion in 1934.  Won 27 fights, mostly by knockout.
PAT GARRETT--  sheriff in ew Mexico who shot Billy the Kid

So, I am not sure about the McCurdy-Harris connection.

And So It Goes.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"-- Part 3: Starling V. Belcher, Joe Harris' Substitute

From Alabama  Troops site.

This man was just mentioned in he play, but I found some information on him.  At the end of the play, I believe Joe Harris said that Belcher had won a lot of money gambling at the end of the war and had been killed because of it.

Was in Company I and G.   Records show that he apparently was previously in the 46th Alabama, Co. E, enlisting March 20, 1862.  Discharge unknown.  Joined the 37th Alabama, July 20, 1862, at Columbus, Mississippi.

In his diary, July 20, 1862, Joe Harris noted: "Mr. Day came in this evening with a substitute for me (a Mr.m Belcher) give him $1500 to take my place for three years or the war had him examined  by surgeon he accepts him...."

Belcher was a teamster for most of 1862, 1863 and 1864.  He signed his parole at Vicksburg July 9, 1863 with an "x."  Furloughed Dec. 22, 1863.  Drove regimental wagons and received an extra 25 cents a day for extra duty.

I Didn't Know the Confederate Army Had Substitutes.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"-- Part 2: Joseph Henry Harris

This man served as the narrator of the story which takes place in an attic.  He was from Alabama and owned a plantation.  He was a Confederate, but not gung-ho.  I had never heard of him so looked him up.  I did not find out a lot, but what I did fit with what I learned from the play.

He enlisted as a private in Co. I of the 37th Alabama, somewhat surprising as I thought most plantation owners were officers.  He was  24 at the time and joined in Auburn, Alabama, May 6, 1862.  He became ill in camp and was furloughed home where he employed a substitute to take his place, Private Starling V. Belcher, who joined Co. I "for three years or the war" at Columbus, Mississippi.

Harris was a diarist and a well-to-do plantation owner, so his diary was used as a source in the play.

As near as I could learn, his plantation still stands, Oak Bowery, Alabama, which can be used for weddings and other events to this day.

Doing Some Background.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices" A Great Show-- Part 1

Hard to believe that these aren't professionals, but the cast at "Civil War Voices" put on a stunning show last night at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC. The show lasted a little over two hours and gave a very balanced look at the war from Southern, Northern and Black viewpoints.

Relying on letters and books written by actual people, some famous and some not so, and adding era songs, it was quite the undertaking,

I had never heard of the people representing the Confederacy: Theo and Harriet Perry of Texas (mistakenly listed as Percy after I did some research) and Joseph Henry Harris of Alabama.

I did see, sadly, that the Confederate battle flag, or even one of the national flags, was not used, to be politically correct and not offend certain groups. The Bonnie Blue Flag stood in for it, however and "The Bonnie Blue Flag" sung along with "Dixie."

Well Worth the $5 to See It.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"

From the March 17, 2013, Goldsboro, NC, News-Argus "Show to feature Civil War "voices."

1860s characters will be materializing from old books and letters at Wayne Community College on March 21, 22 and 24 at Moffatt Auditorium  There is also a musical aspect to the show with period songs..  Narration will be done by Geoff Hulse, who finds the documents in the attic of an old plantation house.

Other characters are a Texas couple separated by the war, a former slave and seamstress for Mary Todd Lincoln, the Lincolns themselves, Joshua Chamberlain (hero at Gettysburg), abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe (who wrote the "Uncle Tom's Cabin") and  Frederick Douglas.

Should Be Interesting.  --Old Secesh

"Civil War Voices"

In a few hours, I'm going to Wayne Community College here in Goldsboro, NC, to see a theatrical presentation of the Civil War on stage.  These are based on letters supposedly found at a later date and concerning a fictional Confederate soldier.  There will also be some characters who actually existed.

Should be interesting.  One thing nice about being here in North Carolina is that there is always something going on dealing with history.  Sunday, we'll be going to see a presentation on the Indian Tuscorora War in the early 1720s.

I'll write about the Civil War play tomorrow.

Old Secesh

Two Children of Civil War Veterans Still Receiving Pensions-- Part 1

From the March 21, 2013, Mailonline (UK)  The two children of American Civil War veterans who are STILL receiving soldiers' pensions nearly 150 YEARS after the war ended."

Two soldiers' children are receiving $876 a year from the U.S. government after all these years.  Granted, that is not a lot, but, still....

The last verified veteran died in 1951 (the year I was born), which means that their fathers would have had to have been in their 70s and 80s when they were born.

Their names were not given, but one lives in Tennessee and the other in North Carolina.  My guess is that they might be the children of Union veterans, so you could check the Real Sons of theSons of Union veterans of the Civil War to get an idea who they might be.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

Bullet-Hole Riddled Flag Tells the Story

From the July 20, 2012, Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Howard Pousner.

The Southern Museum of the Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, will unveil a rare 65th Georgia Infantry flag carried during the Atlanta Campaign which has 41 bullet holes in it and blood stains.

It belonged to the Davis family of Alabama for nearly 150 years  after Private John Davis of the 65th rolled it up and tucked it in his boot to bring it home rather than surrender it at the end of the war.

The unit fought at Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek and Atanta.  After that, it was carried in battle at Franklin, Tennessee.  Davis took the flag after two color bearers were wounded.

Textile Preservation Associates of West Virginia spent 13 months restoring the flag.  It is the only known remaining Army of Tennessee banner that boasts unit and state designations sewn onto both sides and will be added to the museum's permanent exhibit.

A Great Addition.  --Old Secesh

Another Follow Up on South Washington, NC

This is probably more this town? has had written about it in a hundred years.  And, it also shows how come it takes me so long to go through these blog entries.  One thing just leads to another.

Anyway, I came across of map showing the stations along the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad back during the Civil War.  South Washington is shown on it as a flag stop between Burgaw and Leesburg (also not there anymore).

Evidently, the town wasn't much more than a station.

Flag stops between Rocky Point and Rose Hill:

Rocky Point
Burgaw
South Washington
Leesburg
Teachey
Rose Hill

Identity Solved.  --Old Secesh

The 27th Regiment North Carolina Troops

Of course, I then needed to get some research on this 27th Regt. North Carolina Troops that James A. Graham belonged to.

Graham's company, the "Orange Guards" Co. G, was from Orange County, North Carolina.  There were also two companies from Wayne County, where the Goldsboro Rifles were from.

The regiment was mustered in September 28, 1861 for twelve months.  At that time the regiment was split up with Co. G being sent to Fort Macon, NC.  In March 1862, they were in the defense of New Bern.  From there they went to Richmond and helped hold Drewry's Bluff and fought in the Seven Days' battles.

Later, they were at Harper's Ferry and Antietam and then the Battle of Fredericksburg.  This unit definitely say its share of action.

Then they were transferred to South Carolina for awhile.  This would be the movements that Graham was writing about.

The regiment was in Richmond during the Gettysburg Campaign.

Interesting History.  --Old Secesh

A Follow Up on South Washington, NC and Goldsboro Units

I am somewhat familiar with North Carolina towns between Wilmington and Goldsboro and had never heard of one called South Washington.  So, I had to do some more research.

There is no longer any town called South Washington near the New Hanover County line.  Perhaps it became present-day Castle Haynes, which, by the way, was named for the plantation of Roger Hayne.  I always thought that was a strange name for the name.  There are no castles in the area.

Having been born in Goldsboro and with plenty of family still there, I came across the 27th North Carolina Regiment's Company A, which was the Goldsboro Rifles, a famous unit from that city in which my great uncle David Prince served during World War I.  The 27th North Carolina was the regiment in the two previous posts.

While on the subject, there were three other groups of Confederate soldiers from Goldsboro:

Goldsboro Volunteers, Co. D, 4th Regt. NC State Troops
Goldsborough Confederate Rifles, Co. H, 2nd Regt. NC State Troops
Goldsborough Guards, Co. H, 9th Regt. NC Troops

Goldsborough was the original spelling of Goldsboro.

Why It Takes So Long to Do These Blogs.  --Old Secesh

At Camp in South Washington, NC-- Part 2: Spending Time in Goldsboro with Brother Joe

"I was in Goldsboro for three or four days the last of last week and first of this having been sent there by Gen. Cooke to bring down our baggage which we left there.  I saw brother Joe while there.  he is very well.

I wish you would send me a pocket map of North Carolina, if such a thing is to be had in Raleigh, and send it to me by the first opportunity.  I hope that there will be some chance of my getting furlough before very long, as they have commenced granting furloughs again.  I think there is very little chance of a fight in North Carolina now."

Old Secesh

At Camp In South Washington, NC-- Part 1: Rain and Swamps

From the UNC Library System Civil War Day By Day for January 29, 1863.

Letter dated 29 Jan. 1863 from James A. Graham, officer in the "Orange Guard," Co. G, 27th Regt. NC Troops to his father, William A. Graham.

"From Camp near South Washington, NC.

We are camped about a mile or two from a little place called South Washington, just in the edge of New Hanover Co. and about a mile and a half from the Wilmington & Weldon Rail Road.

The county around here is almost one continual swamp.  It has been raining almost all the time since we left Goldsboro on the 19th, in fact to-day is the second time that the sun has shone out at all since we have been in No. Ca. and for awhile we fared pretty badly being out in the rain. without tents, but as we have got some tents now we are getting along a great deal better."

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

Brown's Island Munition Explosion-- Part 6

Brown;s Island was not the first disastrous munitions explosion during the war. 

On the same day as the Battle of Antietam in 1862, there was a gunpowder explosion at the Alleghenny Arsenal in Pittsburgh that killed 78.  Another one in Jackson, Mississippi, a few weeks later killed40.

Josiah Gorgas issued new regulations after the Brown's Island explosion.  Friction primers and percussion caps (for rifles) would no longer be brought into a room that had loose gun powder until the primers were bundled for packing.  Rooms where loose powder was processed would not have more than ten people in them at a time.

Even though Mary Ryan was the cause of the explosion, she was not responsible for its severity.  Too many activities were taking place in the confined area.

By the end of March, work had resumed on the island.  Women were waiting to apply for the dangerous job as it paid well for working-class women.

Old Secesh

Brown's Island Munitions Explosion-- Part 5

Friction primers were used to set the spark that fired cannons.  As a last step in their construction process, the primers were sealed with wax and varnished to keep out moisture.  This is what may have caused the ones Mary Ryan was working with to stick.

Many of the workers were young women because their smaller, more nimble fingers were considered better to produce up to 1,200 cartridges a day.  These women in the workforce paralleled World War II's Rosie the Riveters.

After the explosion, Richmond collected between $9,000 and $10,000 for their relief.

The lab on Brown's Island had originally been on land at 7th Street, but a smaller explosion there had caused the island to be cleared and a group of one-story buildings constructed so it could operate there..

A Dangerous, But necessary Job.  --Old Secesh

Brown's Island Munitions Explosion-- Part 4

Marking the 150th anniversary of this horrific event.

Today, Brown's Island still exists, but has much different uses.  It is part of the James River Park with walkways, concerts and home of the James River Beer and Seafood Festival.

It was formed in 1789 by the creation of the Haxall Canal.  The Haxall Canal was originally designed by George Washington according to one source and connects the larger Kanawha Canal with the James River.

The first settler was Elijah Brown in 1826, for whom the island is named.  During the Civil War, it was the home of the Confederate States Laboratory which made ammunition.

A Follow-up.  --Old Secesh

The Cyclorama Building's Gone

From the March 9, 2013, Hanover (Pa) Evening Sun.

I'm sure sad to have to report this, but the Cyclorama Building, despite a valiant 12 year fight to save it, is gone.  It wasn't a really pretty building, but with as long as it was around, a bit of history attached to it.

The National Park Service announced they were going to destroy it in 1999 and ever after that had a constant battle with architectural preservationists..  In January, the NPS cleared the last hurdle to its destruction and now its gone.

It was built near the site where the Cyclorama painting it housed was painted, concerning Pickett's Charge.  All this last week, people visited the site to get one last look.

The NPS wants to return the land to its 1863 appearance, an admirable thing, but one that could have had some context as to other historical features, even those not present when the battle was fought.

Of course, there is quite an industry in Gettysburg revolving around the battle, something you will not see if you go to the Battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg, Maryland.  That's a whole different environment.

Sorry To See It Go.  --Old Secesh

Brown's Island Munitions Explosion-- Part 3

Elizabeth Young, 25, died in a rented room at Oregon Hill "after a severe pain of twelve hours."

Only three of the dead were men.  The Rev. John H. Woodstock was supervisor of the room.  James Curry, 13, died that night.  Samuel Chappell, 16, lingered five days.  He was found wedged against a wall with a crushed skull from the collapse of the roof.

It is estimated that the room had in it, at the time of the explosion, some 200,000 musket caps, 2-3,000 friction primers and 10-11 pounds of gunpowder.

There were many jobs going on in the room at the time as well.  In addition to finishing friction primers, sewing cannon cartridge bags, boxing musket caps, workers were also filling Williams cartridges and taking apart defective cartridges to separate the gunpowder and lead.

As a result, there was a lot of gunpowder dust in the air.  This was a major accident just waiting to happen.

And, It Did.  --Old Secesh

Brown's Island Munitions Explosion-- Part 2

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the explosion.

Mary Ryan, an Irish teenager, accepted the blame for the explosion during the several days she lingered in pain before dying.  She told Col. Josiah Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance for the Confederacy, that she had banged a perforated wooden board containing friction primers (for cannons) against a table to knock them loose.  This ignited at least one and set off the explosion that demolished most of the seventy-foot building.

There were between 80-100 workers in the building, mostly women, when the explosion took place.  The official count was 69 casualties, of which at least 44 died.

The March 14th Richmond Examiner reported: "No sooner was one helpless, unrecognizable mass of humanity removed before the piteous appeals of another would invoke the energy of the rescuers."

Only a few died instantly.  Others were blind, had the hair burned from their heads and clothing in shreds.  Some jumped into the river to extinguish flames.

For the next month, the death toll rose.  Mary Ryan, 18, died March 16th at the home of her father, Michael Ryan, who also worked in the arsenal.

A Sad Event on the Homefront.  --Old Secesh

Brown's Island Munition Explosion in Richmond-- Part 1

From the March 4, 2013, Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch "Brown's Island munitions explosion was worst wartime disaster in Richmond" by Katherine Cales.

This is more information about yesterday's post.  I had never heard of this explosion.

The dedication actually took place this last Saturday, March 9th.  It is regarded as Richmond's worst homefront disaster during the war.  More than 40 female workers were killed.

The reason an exact death toll isn't known was because the victims were afterwards often taken to their homes.  This is of interest in that the factory was employing mostly female workers much like the Rosie the Riveters I'm writing about in my World War II blog.

The first blast lifted Mary Ryan off the floor and the second blew her to the ceiling.  Forty-plus workers, mostly women, died.

This shocked the city and caused an outpouring of sympathy and money.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

150th Anniversary of Confederate Explosion in Richmond Is Marked

From the March 6, 2013, WTVP News.

A state historical marker will be put up March 13th near the James River site of the former Confederate Ordnance Lab in Richmond, Virginia.

The 1863 explosion killed at least 41 workers, including women and children.

It was sparked by worker Mary Ryan, who accidentally ignited a friction primer, killing the workers and horribly burning others.  Many of the workers were Irish immigrants or of Irish descent.

The Irish American Society will be at the ceremony.

The company was established to assemble cartridges and other ammunition.

Always a Dangerous Line of Work.  --Old Secesh

Heritage Attacks Continue

From the September 15, 2012, WDEF News 12

The Southern Christian Leadership Congress is protesting the proposed monument to Nathan Forrest in Selma, Alabama.  This was being made to replace the one stolen earlier in the year.


January 23, 2013

Persons in Memphis, Tennessee, want the name of Forrest Park (Nathan Bedford Forrest)  to have the name Ida B. Wells added to it.  The park contains the general's grave.


Jan. 18, 2013  ABC 4 Utah News.

Dixie State College decides to change nothing and to keep the name despite the "racial stigma" as it moves from college to university status.  The school was established in 1911 and incorporated the Dixie into its name in 1916.

It Just Doesn't Let Up.  --Old Secesh

Lincoln's Proclamation-- Part 3

"Southerners were stunned when blacks voted for freedom with their feet in the third year of the war.  One of the intellectual underpinnings of slavery was a fantasy that happy-go-lucky African-Americans were content to toil for others' benefit."

Not actually.  Slaves had been running away to freedom for as long as slavery existed.  Otherwise three would have been no need for Fugitave Slave laws.

And, slipping over to the camp of Northern soldiers was not always a great thing as they were often as racist as their Southern counterparts.  Some refused to feed them or give medical care

The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 freed slaves who were not under control of the Union, somewhat negating it.  It also made it impossible for France and England to recognize the Confederacy, something the Southern states were greatly counting on.  As such, the proclamation has to be ranked with one of the greatest political moves ever.

Even the 13th Amendment did not pave the way to good times for ex-slaves.  By 1876, Southern states were enacting Jim Crow laws which mandated segregation were designed to keep blacks down.  This led to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Old Secesh

Lincoln's Proclamation-- Part 2

In the film "Lincoln," actor Daniel Day-Lewis portrays the president and much of it is on his huge efforts in 1865 to get the 13th Amendment passed, abolishing slavery forever in the United States.  The film  focuses on the political struggles, but men and women "were making a social revolution, inspired by Lincoln's bold proclamation in 1863.  The Civil War had become a war against slavery."

General Nathaniel Banks' troops marching through Louisiana 150 years ago, met thousands of former slaves shouting "Massa run away, hi, hi!!  I think dat now de Kingdom come, Dat Dis De Year of Jubile!"

This article makes it seem as if most every slave was voting for freedom with their feet, but, one has to wonder why cotton was still being grown and food still available in the South even to the end of the war, except for in areas laid waste by Union troops. Union General William Tecumseh Sherman marched across Georgia, living off the land and there was plenty of food.

Evidently, a fair number of slaves must have stayed on the plantations in order for that to have happened.

And, I'd also have to think many of these runaway slaves were of the field hand variety, not so much among the house servants.

Just Thinking.  --Old Secesh

Lincoln's Proclamation-- Part 1

From the February 3, 2013, Chicago Tribune "A Taste of Freedom" by Ron Grossman.

Everyone knew about it going into effect New Year's Day 1963.  It was Abraham Lincoln's Executive Oder freeing Confederate slaves and it triggered a mas movement of slaves in Confederate-held states to leave their plantations.  Actually, this migration had been going since the onset of the war and had caused problems for Union generals suddenly saddled with thousands of slaves.

What were they to be considered?  Were they still slaves or, as General Butler determined, contraband of war (and something to be kept)?  But as Frederick Douglas pointed out, the Proclamation was essentially much to do about nothing.  It did not free slaves in Union-held territories or the border states.

By January 16th, the Chicago Tribune was reporting Virginia's slaves were on the move: "In farm wagons, in coaches, on horseback, afoot and in buggies with valuable property, in every case, this second movement from Egypt to the promised land fills the highways and the woods."

On the Move.  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville At War-- Part 5: Helping Soldier Families

FEBRUARY 2, 1863

"THE CONCERT: The musical entertainment of the Young Ladies' Knitting Society on Thursday evening last was a success.  The sum obtained for the Soldiers Fund was $320." There was talk of having more of them.

FEBRUARY 23, 1863

"County Matters--  a $10,000 was appropriated "to purchase and disburse corn to the families of soldiers and others at cost."

Also, a committee appointed to select a general county small pox hosp.  Provision will be made for white and black patients."

Old Secesh

Heritage Attacks Continue--

JUNE 22, 2012

The SCV was raising money to put four replica Civil War cannons in Memphis' Confederate Park.  They had already raised $72,000 and needed $3,000 more.  Of course, there was opposition from certain groups against anything Confederate and they even wanted the name of the park changed.  (Guess they got their wish last month.)

JULY 8, 2012

Las Cruces, NM, Mayor Ken Miyagishima was upset that the Las Cruces Tea Party had a float in the 4th of July parade honoring the area's history with flags.  And one of then was, you know what.  The float had a variety of different flags representing various groups.  "The Las Cruces Tea Party can believe whatever it wants, but to have that symbol and what it represents..."  Hey. Ken, guess what, Confederates once were in your town.  The guy needs to read up on his town's history.

AUGUST 24, 2012

Work on the monument to Nathan B. Forrest and Confederate soldiers in Selma, Alabama, was halted because some people were upset.

It's Time to Back Off!!  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville At War-- Part 4: Small Pox Still

From the Fen. 28, 2013, Fayetteville (NC) Observer "Civil War 150th anniversary: February 1863 developments.

FEBRUARY 2, 1863 Fayetteville Observer: 'SMALL POX--  We requested to state that there have been 19 cases of small pox in the Black River neighborhood on the east side of the Cape Fear River, of which 4 have resulted in death.  The patients were all dismissed from the Hospital in the Jan. 26th, there being no new cases.

The disease was brought to the neighborhood by a paroled soldier from Maryland, who sickened a few days after his arrival, but so slightly as not to confine him to his room, and with no idea that it was small pox.  Two weeks afterwards, his family were down with the small pox."

This Called Covering One's Hind Quarters.  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville At War-- Part 3: Guarding the Armory

From the January 5, 1863 Fayetteville (NC) Observer.

January 5, 1863

"WANTED TWENTY (20) unmarried men to enlist immediately as Laborers of Ordnance for Guard Duty at the Fayetteville Arsenal and Armory.  Term of enlistment three years or for the war.  Conscripts between the ages of 18 and 45 will be taken.  Pay $13 per month, with clothing, rations and medical attendance."

Sounds Like the Job for Me.  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville At War-- Part 2: Dealing With the Small Pox Breakout

JANUARY 5, 1863

Fayetteville, N.C. Board of Mayor and Commissioners meeting held Jan. 3, 1863:  "Ordered that in pursuance of the suggestions of the Board of Health, a guard be immediately stationed at the Clarendon Bridge, for the purpose of preventing contact exchanges between the infected districts and the town.

And that the Duncan Campbell house, the property of Miss Elizabeth Campbell and sisters, be paid rent of $200 for the house to be constituted a Small Pox hospital, and that Thomas Powers, a person supposed to have small pox, be immediately removed to the hospital.

A guard is ordered to be placed on Cool Spring Street and all exchanges with the hospital be prohibited except with the consent of the hospital physician, Dr. K.A. Black, appointed."

Old Secesh

Cyclorama Coming Down

I was hoping they would find some way to repurpose the building, but, sadly I learn that Friday, work commenced to tear this unique building down in Gettysburg.  It housed the huge cyclorama painting for many years.

Friday. the administrative wing came down. 

Perhaps, the snow storm that hit us all day yesterday in Illinois will slow them down.

Goodbye to the Cyclorama.  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville at War, January 1863-- Part 1: Small Pox Outbreak

From the january 27, 2013 Fayetteville (NC) Observer "Civil War 150th Anniversary: January 1863 Developments.

JANUARY 5, 1863

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

At a Special Court held by the Acting Magistrate of Cumberland County, at the courthouse in Fayetteville:  The court is advised that the Small Pox prevails in different parts of the county and it is important to take measure to prevent its extension.

It is ordered, to establish a Hospital or hospitals for the treatment of cases, to canvass the various districts and see that each and every person is vaccinated to prevent the further extension of the disease.

That patrols in the various districts in the county be requested to co-operate with a committee appointed in performance of guard duty and that all good citizens are requested to extend such aid to the Committee as may be necessary.

First they had worries about yellow fever back in the fall, now small pox.  Efforts to control it would be around establishing hospitals for treatment and patrols keeping a watch out for the disease.

Old Secesh

Heritage Attacks Continue

Here are some older ones.

APRIL20, 2012-- 

In Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia.  mama's Boy restaurant flies a Confederate flag.  The co-owner says "It is a part of the South we need to commemorate.  he said that they have had 37 flags stolen.

APRIL 24, 2012--

Confederate flag dress keeps Tennessee teen from prom at Gibson City High School.  A school official said the flag was "offensive and inappropriate."

JUNE 11, 2012--

The City of Lexington, Virginia had a civil suit with the Sons of Confederate veterans after the city decided not to allow Confederate flags to be flown on city light poles and city flagpoles during the April Confederate Month.  The judge agreed with the city.

All of these items are nothing but sad that we have come to this, where people are not allowed to commemorate the past as they see fit.

HOWEVER, here's something from the other side of the coin.  Just as the first three are unacceptable, this is as well.  This is also why certain groups are so upset with the flag.

JUNE 5, 2012--  Black teen chased by pickup truck flying Confederate flag in Springfield, Oregon.  There were four whites in it who were yelling out racial slurs.

This Too Is Unacceptable.  --Old Secesh

When Lee Surrendered, Was That It for the Confederacy?-- Part 1

From the December 11, 2012, Chattanoogan "Confederate Army Units Surrendered in Piecemeal Fashion" by Chuck Hamilton.

Confederate General Robert E. lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865, but that did not mark the end of the war even then.  Confederate groups and units continued surrendering until June 23rd.

APRIL 20  General Cobb surrendered the District of Georgia and Florida to general Canby in Macon, Georgia.

APRIL 21--  Colonel John S. Mosby disbanded his Partisan Rangers at Salem, Virginia.

APRIL 26--  General Johnston surrendered the Division of the West, Army of the Tennessee, Department of North Carolina and Department of Tennessee and Georgia to General Sherman at Durham Station, NC.

APRIL 27--  Confederate Secret Service operator Robert London used a Confederate coal torpedo to blow up the SS Sultana on the Mississippi River near Memphis, killing between 1600 and 1800 men.

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

Land-Grant Universities Created During the War

From the July 7, 2012, Ithaca (NY) Journal "Smithsonian marks creation of Cornell, land-grant college" by Brett Zongker, AP.

In the middle of the Civil War, 150 years ago, Congress passed legislation that transformed higher education.  This week in 1862, the Morrill Act was signed which established the land-grant universities to expand college education to the working class people.

It was sponsored by Vermont Representative Justin Morrill. 

This created Cornell University, MIT, University of Maryland, University of Missouri and others.  This was expanded in 1890 to include black colleges and in 1994, to include Native-American ones.

This was quite a concept, the thought of ordinary people going to college.

Dear Alma Mater.  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville, NC, Under Yellow Fever Watch

From the October 6, 1862 Fayetteville newspaper.

"Mayorality of  Fayetteville, Oct. 4--  Captain Barber who died in this town yesterday is reported as a case of yellow fever.  Capt. Barber ran the steamer "North Carolina" between this place and Wilmington.  This makes the third death by yellow fever in this town and vicinity since the disease broke out in Wilmington.  All three cases came from Wilmington.  No case exists now.  Archid McLean, Mayor."

Another article.  This from October 13, 1862.

"HEALTH OF FAYETTEVILLE"

We are authorized by the Mayor to state that there has been no case of yellow fever here since the three from Wilmington heretofore reported by him, and the town is unusually healthy."

There was a lot of trade on the Cape Fear River between the two cities, making the threat of yellow fever very real to Fayetteville.  However, with the coming of cold weather, the yellow fever was waning in Wilmington.

I'd be Worried Too.  --Old Secesh

Fayetteville to Help Wilmington Yellow Fever Epidemic

From the October 22, 2012, Fayetteville (NC) Observer "October 1862 Developments."

From the Oct. 3, 1862 newspaper.  At the time, a yellow fever epidemic was raging in nearby Wilmington.  I have written about it before.:

"At a meeting of the Mayor and Commission on this day, the following resolutions passed,

Resolved, that the Board deeply sympathizes with the citizens of our sister town of Wilmington, in their afflicted condition, will take all means in its power for their relief.

That a  committee will be appointed to raise the means necessary to procure supplies for the sufferers in Wilmington, and to purchase, collect and forward every thing to be necessary and acceptable to the inhabitants of that town, in their present troubles.

That the citizens of this town and county be solicited to co-operate and assist in carrying out the purpose of the proceeding.

That the Mayor be added as Chairman, and that he be requested to communicate with the mayor of Wilmington and ascertain what we can best serve the wants of his people.

From the minutes. A.M. Campbell, Town Clerk"

Helping the Afflicted.  --Old Secesh