McHenry County's Civil War Dead-- Part 7: Eaton to Fitch

Hard to believe that little old McHenry County, Illinois, had this many Civil War deaths.  I am nor sure how many were killed or mortally wounded in action or died of disease or in prison or other causes.

J.C. Eaton
N. Elsworth
J.R. Ercanback
T.E. Farnhan
E. Farnsworth
T. Feely
J.W. Felt
T. Fenner
E. Fielding
E. Fink
W.M. Fish
W.A. Fitch

--Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Deaths-- Part 6: Daniels to Duggan

W.E. Daniels
L. Dano
J.G. Degroat
W. Dellcocks
J.B. Delemater
J. Dilly
E. Dishrow
C.F. Dodd
L.E. Dodge
J. Duggan

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 317: At Least the SCV National Convention Came Off Without Incident

The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) National Convention was held in Dallas the week after the black man shot down five white police officers in cold blood and wounded others while the police were protecting a Black Lives Matter march.

When this happened, I was hoping there would be no confrontations against the convention by the Black Lives Matter or NAACP, both groups who are against any and all things Confederate because of the slavery thing.

Evidently, these groups allowed the convention to go on without trying to break it up as I heard nothing about any problems.

Thank You Black Groups.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 316: Louisville Takes Another Step Towards Shame

From the July 13, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Commission on Public Art seeking input on where to relocate Confederate monument.  (Louisville)  (Loss)  I am still not sure if the monument has been dismantled or not. Should I learn that the monument has been taken down, Louisville becomes "l"ouisville (small case) for its shame.

When the statue is removed (and, if it is not already gone, I'm sure it will be), I'll have to reconsider visiting there.  Too bad as it is a great town with lots to see and do.

**  Video shows man tossing paint on Confederate monument.  (Louisiana) Police are looking for him.

**  Confederate Defenders of Charleston monument gets spruced up.  (Charleston, S.C.)  (Win)  It was vandalized last year after the murders.

Why Is It That Confederate Statues and Memorials Are Vandalized So Often?  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 315: Now, They Want to Take Down Andrew Jackson Statue in Jackson Square, New Orleans

From the July 12, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Just because I haven't been writing about it doesn't mean there have not been more attacks on my heritage.

**  Gov. Branstad criticizes Steve King's Confederate desk flag.  (Iowa)  (Loss)  So what if he has a Confederate Flag on his desk.  Free country, you know.

**  Andrew Jackson statue must come down if Confederate monuments do, lawsuit claims.  (Louisiana)  This refers to the statue of Jackson in Jackson Square.  Hey, they'll have to change the name of the square too.  After all, slaves you know.  Plus there was that Indian thing and saving New Orleans from the British.  Must erase history, you know.

And, New Orleans had slaves for a long time so the name of that town must be changed.  Maybe tear the whole place down (or just anything built before 1865) and rebuild it to honor free blacks.

Just Saying.  --Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Deaths-- Part 5: Cornes to Cutforth

J. Cornes Jr.
A. Cornue
J. Cottle
F. Cramp
O.S. Crabtree
A.D. Crocker
C.P. Cromwell
J. Crosby
W.H. Cummins
G. Curtis
J. Cutforth

--Old Secesh

McHenry County's Civil War Dead-- Part 4: Calkins to Conquillette

T. Calkins
C.W. Carpenter
C. Chilson
W.A. Churchhill
C.C. Clark
S.B. Clark
W. Clary
J.C. Clemens
J.J. Colgrove
L. Collins
J. Conroe
E.J. Cook
R. Cook
J.H. Cooper
L.R. Conquillette

--Old Secesh

McHenry County's Civil War Dead-- Part 3: Bronson to Butler

C.M. Bronson
D.S. Broughton
J.B. Brown
M.S. Brown
S. Brown
T.J. Brown
W. Brown
A.S. Bunker
F.H. Burnside
D.K. Burr
J.E. Burr
L.E. Burr Jr
D.S. Butler

The Browns and Burrs Put Me To Mind of "Saving Private Ryan."  --Old Secesh

McHenry County's Civil War Dead-- Part 2: Barnes to Blackman

A. Barnes
C.C. Barnes
E.H. Barnes
R. Barnes
W. Bassett
J. Bettke
D. Beck
M.G. Bell
E. Bellows
G.C. Benson
E. Bent
J. Best
C. Bigsby
H. Bills
G. Blackman

Four men With the Last Name of Barnes.  --Old Secesh

McHenry County's Civil War Dead-- Part 1 Ainsworth-Baldwin

From the May 30, 2016, Northwest Herald (McHenry County, Illinois) "In Remembrance"

"On Memorial Day, we publish this list of McHenry County residents who died in the service of our nation during wartime--  as far back as the Civil War through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-- to recognize their valor and courage in the defense of the United States and the ideals we hold dear.

McHenry County was named for Major William McHenry, an Indian fighter.  I had always thought it was named for Fort McHenry in Baltimore.  You learn something every day.

It was founded in 1836, so it was just 25 years old when the Civil War began.

Yet, it deaths from the war were significant.  This will take me a lot of posts to list them all, which I intend to do.

G.S. Ainsworth
J.J. Alderman
C. Anderson
A. Ayers
S. Bacon
R.D. Bailey
N. Baldwin
S. Baldwin

It is always even more sad to see two or more listed with the same last names like with the last two listed.  Since so many family members lived close to each other back then, this means they most likely were related.

--Old Secesh

Emanuel AME Cemetery in Charleston, S.C., Is Home to a Confederate Soldier

From the July 8, 2016, 4 ABC News, Charleston, S.C., News.

Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., a historically black church where the horrible murders took place a year ago, is also home to the grave of a Confederate soldier.

His name was Louis B. Middleton and his grave has a First National Confederate Flag (not the battle flag) flying by it and the words "Confederate Soldier" on it.

Tall grass and weeds are by it.  Mr. Middleton was a cook in the Confederate Army.

--Old Secesh

Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War Hold Annual Convention

From the July 1, 2016, Owatonna (Minn) People's Press.

The Department of Minnesota of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War held their 101st convention April 22-23 in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

They held a business meeting, elected officers and Marveen Minish of Minneapolis is the new department president.

The DUVCW was organized on May 30, 1885, in Massilon, Ohio.  Memberships requires being a direct descendant of Union military personnel and at least the age of eight.  Local groups are called Tents and named for Army nurses or any loyal women from 1861-1865.

The Department of Minnesota currently has 109 members with three Tents.

Tent #1: Mary E. Starkweather--  Minneapolis
Tent #2:  Juline F. Burr--  Minneapolis
Tent #3:  Barbara Burii--  Montgomery

Always Good to Have These Historical Associations.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 314: Iowa Rep. Has Confederate Flag on Desk (Oh, NO!! Have We Come to This??)

From the July 11-12, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Police asked to remove 'racist' Confederate Flag draped outside Ashford home.  (England?)

**  A Confederate Flag still flies in this congressman's office.  (Iowa)  (So?)  Iowa Representative Steve King has several miniature flags on his desk: a Confederate Naval Jack, U.S. flag and "Don't Tread on Me" flag.

Like I said, "So?"

Beware the Desk Police.   --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 315: Confederate Flag Flew Again at S.C. Statehouse

From the July 11, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Confederate Flag Back for a Day at S.C. Statehouse.  (Win)  To mark the one year anniversary of the controversial flag being taken down.  It was peaceful, but tense with supporters and protesters.  The Confederate Soldier's Monument remains, but the flag and the 30-foot pole it flew on are gone.  The S.C. secessionist Party used a portable pole.

**  Confederate Flag protest held at a 'BLM' rally.  (Oklahoma City)  (Loss)  While I agree with protesting the removal of anything Confederate, doing it at a black rally is not the best way to do it.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 313: SCV Holding National Convention in Dallas

From the July 11, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Confederate Group to Host National Convention in North Texas.  (Dallas, Texas)  (Win)  The Sons of Confederate Veterans is having it in the Dallas suburb of Richardson and between 500-600 are expected.  The article said, "The organization has publicly carried Confederate flags in parades and is one of the most active in rallies and litigation to prevent the removal."

Said as if it was a bad thing to protect the heritage of your ancestors.

This was planned for a long time before the murders of the policemen in Dallas.  Let's hope certain people allow it to go on peacefully and without incident.

It is being held at the Renaissance Hotel from Wednesday to Saturday.

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 312: Orderly Pro-Confederate March Held in N.C.

From the July 10, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Group fighting to keep Statue of Former Confederate President in State Capitol Rotunda.  (Frankfort, Ky.)  (Win)  The friends of the Jefferson Davis Historic Site are pushing to keep it.

**  Orderly march held in Pilot Mountain.  (North Carolina)  (Win)  And the BLM folks didn't attempt to disrupt it.  The march was held by the Southern Cross Group.  However, they had the flags over their shoulders like you'd carry a rifle.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- 311: "Can You Love the Confederate Flag and Not Hate Black People?"

From July 10, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Can you love the Confederate Flag and not hate black people?  (Myrtle Beach S,C, Sun letter to the editor)  I don't usually mention letters to the editor as everyone has an opinion, but this is a good question in today's tense racial times.  As for me, I can say that I am a Confederate Flag backer as it represents what my ancestors were fighting for, their own independent country, free from Northern dominance.

And, no, I don't hate blacks.  I am disappointed in their putting so much effort into "erasing" all things Confederate because of the "S" word.  They certainly have bigger things to address like the black on black murders and shootings all across the country.  Other things are the refusal of so many to accept education as a way out of poverty and the general situation in the inner cities.

Yes, I know there was the slavery issue with the Confederacy and had they succeeded, I would hope this sorry  and ineffective excuse for a labor system would have been eventually abolished.  Especially in light of the fact that it only kept the rich people in control of the government.  (After all, the North had already come up with their factory system which was a much better way to have workers toil.)

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 310: The Shame of American Fork

From the July 10, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  American Fork calls Confederate Flag at parade 'troubling display of hate.'  (American Fork, Utah)  (Loss)  The city is against it.  Wonder what the town of American Spoon has to say about the flag.

But wait, wasn't it the Americans who did all those bad things to the Indians?  Perhaps the "Fork" should change its first name out of shame.  And, wasn't someone once stabbed with a fork?  Perhaps the name should now just be ______.

**  'Black Lives Matter' spray painted on Confederate statue.  (Memphis, Tn.)  This happened on the statue and grave of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Them and Their Containers of Black Spray Paint.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 309: Confederate Flag Removal One Year Ago

From the July 9-10, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Confederate Monument at Caddo Courthouse Vandalized.  ( Caddo Parish, Shreveport, Louisiana)  (Loss)  Vandalized for the second time in two weeks.  Most likely BLM folk.  I wonder what they would do if some white racist vandalized one of their monuments?

**  **  Confederate Battle Flag removed 1 year ago.  (Columbia, S.C.)  This is one I agree with.  It was out of respect for the church members murdered last year.  Here's hoping the killer gets the death penalty.

It Was the Only Right Thing To Do In This Instance.  --Old Secesh

I Took Some Civil War Quizzes

These three Civil War quizzes were on the How Stuff Works site.

Some of the questions were very easy, others not so.

I scored 24 of 30 on A Nation Divided.

26 of 30 on Who Said It?  Famous Quotes of the Civil War.  Not all of them were quotes.

24 of 30 in the Famous Battles Quiz.  Some not so famous.

Take Your Best Shot?  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 308: It's a First Amendment Thing With the Flag

From the Google Alerts for July 9, 2016, for Confederate.

**  S.C. Group Continuing Plans to raise Confederate Flag at statehouse.  (Columbia, S.C.)  (Win)

**  Confederate Flag in Canby parade spurs statement from mayor.  (Oregon)  (Win) There was a SCV float in the 4th of July parade.  The mayor doesn't like it but couldn't keep it out because of the 1st Amendment.

**  Confederate Flag flap gets resolved without protest.  (Maryland)  (Loss)  One family offended by a booth featuring the Confederate Flag and the booth owners took it down.

Again, Why is It that a Very few People Can Get That Done.  I'm Sure If They Had Something That Offended Me, I, Myself Couldn't Complain and Get It removed.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 307: Marching for the Flag in Pilot Mountain, N.C.

From the July 8, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Pro-Confederate group to march in Pilot Mountain.  (North Carolina)  (Win)

**  Dallas police shooting won't change security plans at Confederate Flag rally.  (Columbia, S.C.)  This will commemorate the one-year anniversary of the flag being taken down at the state house.

And let us not forget, the murderer in Dallas was a Black Lives Matter person and he killed white police officers.  Maybe we should start treating BLM like some folks treat the Confederate Flag.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 306: Mustn't Offend Even One Black Person

From the July 7, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  'Black Lives Matter' painted on UT Confederate Memorial.  (University of Texas-Austin) (Loss)  After the shootings of the two blacks this past week.  I wonder how blacks would feel if someone wrote "Blue Lives Matter" or "White Lives Matter" on a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial?  That would be "racist" of course and they would demand satisfaction.

**  Confederate Flags featured in parade anger community.  (Glocester)  (Loss)  Of course, if a flag offends even one black person, it has to be removed.  I sure wish I could be that all-powerful that anything I didn't like would have to be done away with  I could sure think of some things certain people do that offend me.

**  City Commission to discuss Confederate Flags.  (Ames, Iowa)  (Loss is anticipated)  A black person was offended by one in a parade there.  I am anticipating they will ban the flag.

I Sure Wish I Had All That Power.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 305: A "Racist" Flag?

From the July 6, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Caddo Commission reignites Confederate memorial removal debate.  (Louisiana)  (Loss)  They want it gone, even after it has been in front of the court house for over a century.

**  Harahan woman booked on theft, desecration of 'racist' Confederate Flag on Fourth of July.  (Louisiana)  (Win)  She tore it down from a neighbor.  Police also found drugs in her car.  I didn't know that a piece of cloth could be 'racist', but evidently this drug-addled young lady thought so.

--Old Secesh

A Closer Look at Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston-- Part 2: A Feud With Davis

At the outbreak of the war, Johnston resigned his commission as Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army to fight for the Confederacy.  At First Manassas, he commands the Confederate forces as the highest-ranking officer in the army.  Then President Jefferson Davis reorganizes the high command, demoting Johnston to fourth in rank.

He takes this as the gravest insult to his honor and enters into a feud with Davis that comes to a head after he is wounded in the chest at the Battle of Seven Pines during the Peninsula Campaign.  When Johnston recovers, he is posted to the western outlands, far from Richmond and Davis.

And, so he remained until near the end of the war when he was called upon in a last-ditch effort to stop Union general Sherman's massive army rolling across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 304: Bricks Thrown at Ohio Home Flying Confederate Flag

From the July 2, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Bricks thrown at Canton home flying Confederate Flag.  (Ohio)  (Loss)  A note was attached to one with plenty of expletives and racial insults.  They don'y like Confederate Flags and Can Do Something About It.  I don'y like Black Lives Matter signs but would never think of destroying it or insulting a person carrying it.  Everyone is entitles to their opinions.

--Old Brick Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 303: Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown Strikes Again

From the Google Alerts for July 1, 2016, for Confederate.

**  Lawmaker objecting to Confederate Flags in war reenactments.  (Pennsylvania)  (Loss)  State Representative Vanessa Lowery Brown of Philadelphia doesn't want Confederate Flags even displayed in re-enactments.  She also was the one that last month illegally removed a Confederate Flag from a historical flags of the United states display at the Pennsylvania state capital building.

Worried so much about Confederate Flags when her city has such a huge problem with blacks killing and wounding other blacks.

Makes you wonder where her priorities are.

--Old Secesh

A Closer Look at Joseph E. Johnston, CSA-- Part 1: The Man

From the March 2015 Our State Magazine (North Carolina) "Johnston's Last Stand" by Philip Gerard.

Last week I was writing about the Peninsula Campaign discussion group of the McHenry County Civil War Round Table and part of it centered around Confederate General Joseph Johnston.

This article gave a good account of what made the general tick.

Described as being 58 years-old, slight stature and with a high forehead crowned with thinning gray hair, favoring side whiskers and a wispy goatee.  "He is naturally reticent, even aloof.... He pursues any objective with single-minded intensity.  He does not like to lose."

"Many of his fellow officers consider him the best fighting soldier of his generation.

"But two flaws of character sabotage his career.  He is often prickly and irritable, and he is oversensitive about matters of personal honor."

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 302: Ames Bike Night Has Confederate Flags

From the June 29, 2016 and July 1, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Ames Bike Night stirs controversy among residents, city.  (Iowa)  (Loss)  A vendor named Cool Bike Stuff (of Milford, Iowa) had a Confederate Flag on its roof and flags for sale.  If you don't like the flag, don't buy it or just look away.

**  Proposal introduced for group to rename J.E.B. Stuart High School by Fairfax County Board.  (Virginia)  (Loss)  The school is located in Falls Church.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 301: $3.6 Million to Display a $52 Nylon Flag?

From the June 29, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  No solution yet on Confederate Flag display.  (Columbia, S.C.)  (Draw)  The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum has the famous Confederate Flag removed from the statehouse grounds last July and is proposing $3.6 million to properly display the $52 nylon flag.

When I first  heard about this months ago, I was quite upset.  How could they want that much to display this flag, despite its importance of a divisive element between races?  I even offered to design a display for it for free, just pay me expenses and materials.  Now I read that the $3.6 million also includes a new wing.

So It Is a Wing Thing Then.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 300: The SCV a Controversial Group?

From the July 10, 2016, Google Alerts.

**  Controversial Confederate group hosts national convention in Richardson this week.  (Dallas Morning News)  (?)  The national convention being held is for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  Controversial?  I did not know we are now classified as controversial.  Richardson is a suburb of Dallas.

However, after what happened this past week in Dallas, this could be a bad situation.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 299: California General Assembly Discusses "Erasing" All Things Confederate

From the June 28, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Heritage or hatred?  Assembly debates nixing Confederate names.  (California)  (Loss)  And you thought there would be nothing Confederate in California.

**  Defendants in Calhoun 'Confederate Flag' shooting to be tried separately.  (Alabama)  (That it happened in the first place is a Loss.)  Two whites murdered a black man following a dispute over the Confederate Flag.  I hope they are found guilty and sentenced.

--Old Secesh

And, Then There Is Dallas

Five dead policemen.  Five who died while trying to keep peace for a Black Lives Matter parade so these people could have a protest about blacks being killed by police.  Hey, this parade was against them, but there they were, doing their job.

And then a black man killed them in cold blood.  They didn't even get a chance to resist or challenge him as so many blacks do to the police.

Thankfully, he evidently was killing alone.  It would have been so much worse had this been an organized thing by blacks.

Looks like the BLM folks have their own idiots much like white racists had the murderer in Charleston.

But, if  those of us who are proud of our Confederate heritage have to take the blame for Charleston, who should take the blame for Dallas?

Does this mean that now whites can start going after things blacks hold near and dear to them like they do to our Confederate heritage?  Maybe start demanding anything named after blacks be "erased."  And, then there is rap music and visible underwear, both of which go a long way toward the "thug" mentality which is at the root of so much of this police-black problems.

What is Good for the Goose ....  --Old Secesh

Police Must Learn to Show More Restraint in Arresting Blacks

What happened in Louisiana and Minneapolis is very sad.  I haven't really seen whether the blacks who were killed were resisting or not.  But police, in these days of black rage have to start showing more restraint and do everything they can not to shoot them.

And blacks have to start making more effort to do as the police tell them and stop resisting and/or ignoring officers.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 298: White Teenager Refuses to Cooperate With Police and Is Killed

From the June 27, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Unarmed white teenager, 19, is shot dead by police in Fresno, California, triggering protests with demonstrators wearing Confederate Flags and White Lives Matter signs.  (Daily Mail, U.K.)  (No Call)  Apparently he was doing the black thing and not cooperating with the police or following instructions.  Reckon it goes both ways.

You Get Pulled Over or Approached By the Police, Do Exactly What They Say and Try to Outpolite Them.  --Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table-- Part 6: Keeping the Reserves Reserved

**  None of the Seven Days battles involved the whole force on either side.

**  Most were fought with between 1/3 and 1/2 of forces.

**  McClellan kept a large reserve of troops.

**  Napoleon always needed large numbers of reserves to commit at the right time.

**  McClellan wouldn't commit his.

**  After Gaines Mill, McClellan made the decision to retreat.

**  However, he didn't call it a retreat.  It was a "Change of Base."

Next month the topic of discussion will be on Overall Commanders of the Army of the Potomac.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 297: New Orleans Cleaning Vandalized Confederate Monuments

From the June 25, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Report:  New Orleans works to clean vandalized Confederate monuments.  (Win)  At least they will be clean when they remove them.  Oh well, little victories when we can get 'em.

**  Officials work to prevent repeat of dueling hate rallies.  (Columbia, S.C.)  Last July there were confrontations between Confederate and black supporters.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 296: Hampton (VA) Schools With Confederate Names Won't Be Changed

From the Google Alerts for June 24, 2016 for Confederate.

**  Students wearing, displaying Confederate Flags sparks concerns at Canton Central School  (New York)  Evidently a black social studies teacher resigned because of it.

**  Hampton (Va.) board says it won't rename schools that have Confederate names.  (Win)

**  HSD sued by group of taxpayers over Confederate school names change.  (Houston, Texas)  (Win)

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 295: Confederate Flags No Longer Banned in National Cemeteries

From the June 23, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  House drops Confederate Flag ban for veterans cemeteries.  (Win)

**  Caledonia County Fair Prohibits Sale of Confederate Flags. (Either New Hampshire or Vermont?)  (Loss)

**  SC Senator Criticized For Attacking 'Confederate Flag Funeral   (South Carolina)  (Win)  Margie Bright Matthews slammed bu S.C. Secessionist Perty after she objected to the flags in the funeral procession of Marshall "Bubba" Catterton in Colleton County.  I doubt she is too upset though.

--Old Secesh

The War in Chicago

From Hey Jackass, Chicago Murder and Mayhem.

JULY SO FAR:

Shot and killed:  9
Shot and wounded:  73
Homicides 11

Week in progress 7/3-7/9

Shot and killed:  6
Shot and wounded:  56
Homicides:  6

YEAR-TO-DATE

Shot and killed: 307
Shot and Wounded:  1746
Homicides:  341

With figures like this, and most are blacks, it looks like black leaders would be addressing this horrible situation instead of that flag thing.

--Old Secesh

Meanwhile, in Chicago: Blacks Shooting Blacks During the 4th of July Weekend

From the July 6, 2016, Chicago Tribune "Holiday ends in string of shootings" by Peter Nickeas and Jeremy Gorner.

Historically, the 4th of July has been very bloody for blacks in Chicago, but this year the Chicago police made a huge effort to tame it down.  By Sunday evening, shootings and murders were substantially lower.

Over the next several hours, however, gunfire erupted across the South and West sides.  Nearly 30 people were shot after Sunday evening., doubling the holiday toll to at least 66, one more than last year.

In those final hours, a five year old girl and her 8-year-old cousin were wounded as was an 11 year-old boy, among others.

This violence brought the number of people shot in Chicago (mostly black) to at least 2,021.  The total for all of 2015 was just over 2,900.

Not one Confederate flag, memorial or statue is suspected of having done the shootings.  But police are investigating.

This Is So Sad.   Yet, Blacks Continue to Go After Confederate Flags, Statues and Memorials.  --Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table-- Part 5: "Like Shoveling Flies Across a Barnyard"

**  The Battle of Seven Pines took place May 31-June 1, 1862.

**  **  JEB Stuart, Confederate cavalryman, made a name for himself when he led his troops in a ride around McClellan's Army.

**  McClellan constantly under reported his troop strength and overestimated Confederate strength to get more reinforcements.

**  Said Lincoln"  "Sending troops to McClellan is like shoveling flies across a barnyard."

**Much of the fighting during the Peninsula Campaign was done in swampy area which caused sick lists to rise dramatically in the Union Army.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 294: Florida Chooses Finalists for National Capitol Hall of Fame

From the June 23, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Florida has three suggestions to replace the Confederate statue.  (OK)  The statue in question is of Confederate General Kirby Smith, who, other than growing up in Florida, had very little to do with the state.  So, it was OK with me to put another statue up in his place.

A committee looked through 130 recommendations to come up with these three.

They are Mary McLeod Bethune, a black woman who founded Bethune-Cookman University, Publix grocery store founder George Washington Jenkins and "The Everglades: River of Grass" author Marjory Stonemen Douglas.

The legislature will make the final choice among the three.  All four members of the committee chose Bethune, and two each picked the other two.

I imagine that Mary Berthune will be chosen because of the all the committee choosing her and, of course, because she is black.

A Worthy Choice.  --Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Round Table-- Part 4: Was the Peninsula Campaign Part of the Seven Days Battles?

**  Civil War rifles had improved a great deal in both distance and accuracy over their Napoleonic counterparts.  In the Napoleonic Wars, accuracy was reasonably good at 40-50 yards, but that had grown to 100-150 yards by the Civil War.

**  Confederates were too prone to attack massed artillery which led to huge casualties.

**  Lee took over after the Battle of Seven Pines after Joe Johnston was wounded.  He took a month to organize and then they had the Seven Days Battles.

**  Personally, I consider the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days battles as to different operations, although  I can see where the Seven days was an aftermath of the Peninsula Campaign.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Round Table-- Part 3: Peninsula Campaign Navy

I had done research on the naval aspects of the campaign, but that wasn't discussed much.  I'll be writing about my research in my Civil War Navy Blog, "Running the Blockade" next week.

With the fall of Norfolk looming, the Confederates were looking to remove the CSS Virginia, a huge threat to Union efforts, up the James River to Richmond.  Its guns were removed, but the newly lightened ship then had too much freeboard between its armor and wooden hull.

This would enable Union gunners, and especially the USS Monitor, to damage or sink the ship.  This was a big reason why the ship was destroyed.

The Virginia's crew (and possibly guns) were removed to Drewry's Bluff for that place's defense.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County Civil War Round Table: Peninsula Campaign-- Part 2

Some things brought up in the meeting June 25, 2016:

**  Question of numbers regarding Lee and McClellan's armies.  It was effectives as opposed to aggregate numbers.  Not everyone in an army fights in a battle.  There are a lot of support troops.

**  Lee was very aggressive when it came to fighting as opposed to Johnston.

**  Big pressure on McClellan for "On to Richmond" from Lincoln.

**  Big pressure on Johnston to defend Richmond from Lee and Davis.

**  McClellan preferred to use siege techniques he had learned observing the Crimean War.  This revolved around the use of big guns.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 293: Man Disgraces Confederate Flag in Virginia

From the June 22, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Virginia Supreme Court rejects Confederate Flag appeal.

**  Confederate Flag-Waving Man Arrested after Pointing Shotgun at Black Woman, Vandalizing Car.  (Virginia)  (Win)  Actually, the fact that the idiot did this is a loss for us, but at least he was arrested and hopefully will be found guilty and punished.  Vandalizing the car was bad enough, but pointing a gun at someone.

Embarrasses Me That He Was On Our Side.  Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 292: Judge Allows Removal of Louisville Confederate Monument

From the June 20, 2016, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Judge: Mayor can remove Confederate monument.  (Louisville)  (An Expected Loss)  We'll not get a fair shake most of the time in the justice system.  You have to wonder why something that has been there 121 years has suddenly got so offensive.

**  Confederate Flags broken, taken off truck; Father, daughter arrested.  (Charleston, S.C.)  (Win)  Now, what about the black representative in Pennsylvania who removed a Confederate Flag from the public display?

--Old Secesh