RoadTrippin' Time, Chillicothe's Grandview Cemetery

In my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog I have been writing about the 27th USCT (United States Colored Troops) Infantry Regiment which took part in the Battle of Fort Fisher.

I found that two members of the 27th had a last name of Butler and were buried in Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio.  In keeping with my RoadTripping Through History thing, I had to take a look at others buried in this cemetery and see if any were of special interest.  They were.

Also, this cemetery obviously was not a segregated one.

There were quite a few governors, Congressmen and Senators from Ohio along with several Civil War brevet generals and one Medal of Honor recipient.  Also, several veterans from the War of 1812.  I will be writing about the Civil War men in this blog.  The War of 1812 men will be in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.

The Civil War generals were Joseph Scott Fullerton, Joshua Woodrow Sill and Richard Long, Jr.  The Medal of Honor recipient was Richard Enderlin.

--Old Secesh

War of 1812 Veteran Fights at Battle of Gettysburg: John Burns

I have been writing about him in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog last month and this month.  

He was a veteran of the War of 1812 and Mexican War and had tried to assist the Union cause in the Civil War, but had been turned down because of his age.

But then, the war came to him in a big way and he took full advantage of it to serve.

Quite a character and worth a read, so go to the blog.  You can get there by clicking on the My Blog list to the right of this.

--Old Secesh

Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Eugene Stocker, MD-- Part 1

From the Society of Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey.

I like to do RoadTrippin' Through History in these blogs and here is an example of it.  I was writing about a man named Anne-Louis Toussard (or Tousard) in my War of 1812 blog.  He was French consul in New Orleans in 1812 when a strong hurricane hit.  Further research on him showed that he played a major role fighting for the colonists in the American Revolution and because of it became a member of the Society of Cincinnati.

Go to my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog July and August to read about Anne-Louis Toussard.

He had a grandson who fought in the Civil War and because of his relationship to Toussard, he also became a member of the Society of Cincinnati.

He was classified as a Hereditary Member, Admitted in 1888.

Grandson of propositus Anne-Louis de Toussard.  Born in Philadelphis, PA, on  5 March 1819 and died in Philadelphia, PA on 23 May 1897.

He began his Civil War service in the Army of the Potomac, 2nd Brigade of General McCall's Divivion from August 1861 to March 1862.

More.  --Old Secesh

My Busman's Holiday with a Blogger: John Banks

All blogs devoted to the Civil War are great, but I am of the belief that the absolute best blogger is John Banks.  This guy lives the Civil War.  Kind of reminds me of the scene from the movie "Patton" where he said that he had been at Carthage when that city was destroyed by the Romans.

He lives the Civil War.

He also finds some of the most interesting things to focus his attention on.  

In the December 2021 Civil War Times magazine, he wrote about the Battle of Shepherdstown with a focus on the efforts of Lt. Lemuel Crocker to save his men. He visits the actual spots he writes about it.

I'd sure like to go along with him on a jaunt (other than with copperheads) and just do the experience.

Just go to John Banks' Civil War Blog and see what I mean.

Happy Busman's Holiday for Me.  --Old Secesh

RoadTrippin' Thru History: Great Wyoming and Howling Wilderness-- Part 1

When I do these blogs, I lately have been doing a lot of "RoadTripping Thru History" where I start with one story and see how far and in what direction I can take it.  This is one such story, that started with an article from a Sheridan, Wyoming, newspaper with a new Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War camp.

Well, this particular story, or thread as some internet sites refer to it, really grew and grew.  Of course, it was grounded in the Civil War, which is why I am going to be writing about it in this particular blog.  I did cover it before, back on March 29, 2019 in this blog.

Before I was finished with my Roadtrip, this story had extended to my Cooter's History Thing and Tattooed on Your Soul:  World War II blogs and went to 2018.  It was massive to say the least.

I am going to write this story in this blog from beginning to end this time.

--Old Secesh

Fort Delaware

I wrote about improvements to be made at this fort in my last post.

From Wikipedia.

A former harbor defense facility designed by U.S. Army Chief Engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten and located on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River.

During the Civil War, it was used as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war, political prisoners, federal convicts and privateer officers.

In the 1890s, a three-gun concrete battery of 12-inch guns named Battery Torbert was erected in the  fort.  By 1900, the fort was a part of a three-fort concept, the first forts of the Coast Defenses of Delaware,  working in conjunction with Fort Mott in Pennsville, New Jersey, and Fort DuPont in Delaware City, Delaware.

--Old Secesh

Harley Wayne Civil War Letter Transcriptions

At present, Robert Frenz (president of the McHenry County Civil War Round Table (Illinois) and also a member of the McHenry County  Historical Society  and Linda  Eder of the Society are in the process of transcribing approximately sixty  Civil War-related letters written by Harley Wayne.

I have been writing at great length about him in this blog lately.

He was a prominent figure in McHenry County before the war and was killed on the first day of the Battle of Shiloh.

The Society also has a collection of his pre-Civil War letters.

--Old Secesh

Charles V. Gridley's Family: 'You May Fire....'

I have been writing about this Civil War naval officer in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog.  He made his greatest fame, however, in the Spanish-American War, when he commanded the USS Olympia when George Dewey gave his famed order:  "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley!"

Charles Gridley also had two other relatives involved in the Civil War.  His brother, Lucius Gridley, was a musician in Company A, 2nd Michigan Infantry and his mother, Ann Eliza Sholes Gridley was a Civil War nurse.

You can read about these three people in my Running the Blockade blog from last and this week.  Just go to My Blog List to the left of this and click on that blog.

--Old Secesh

About Colonels Edward S. Bragg and Charles F. Fisher and Their 6ths

I just realized that right now, I am writing about two colonels from famous regiments in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War and Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blogs.

Charles F. Fisher was the commander of the 6th North Carolina Infantry Regiment and was killed leading his men at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in 1861.  The 6th regiment went on to great glory during the war and fought at most of the major battles in the Eastern Theater of conflict.

I am writing about him in my Running the Blockade blog, even though the 6th NC was infantry because Fort Fisher was named after him.

Edward S. Bragg was the commander of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, which went on to become a part of the famed Iron Brigade and fought the war in the Eastern Theater.  

Both regiments fought at the sane battles for much of the war.  Both had particularly high casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg.

A Coincidence?  --Old Secesh

The Widow's Secret: The Last Civil War Widow Died in December 2020-- Part 1

From the April 2021 Civil War Times by John Banks.

I first wrote about this in my RoadDog's RoadLog Blog back on January 18 when became aware of it.  I put it in that blog because of this woman's Route 66 connections.

Hard to believe as is the case, Helen Jackson is the widow of a Union Civil War soldier.  Especially amazing since that war ended 156 years ago.  Do the math.

And, she kept her marriage secret.

She was 17 when she married Civil War veteran James Bolin, who was 93 in September 1936.  That was some age difference.

Helen Jackson was "The Last Civil War Widow."

She died December 16, 2020, at the age of 101.

--Old Secesh

The Civil War Began in His Front Yard and Ended in His Parlor (Or So They Say)

One man during the war tried to get away from the war for his family's safety, but he wasn't successful.  They say it began in his front yard and ended in his parlor.

Who was that man.

Find the answer in my March 26, 2021 Cooter's History Thing blog.

Get to it by going to the MY Blogs section to the right of this and scrolling down to Cooter's History Thing blog.

--Old Secesh

Why 19th Century Presidents Feared Seeing Robert Todd Lincoln Around + Something About That July 4th You Might Not Have Known

For sure, if you were a president of the United States back in the 1800s, you should worry some if you happened to see Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln.

Yo can find out why by going to my Cooter's History Thing blog.  Go to My Blog list to the right of this and scroll down to the site.

Also, you can find out why the nation's birthday on July 4 is also not a good day for U.S. presidents.

They are the March 22 and 23 blog entries. 

Check It Out.  --Old SePres

The Booth Who Saved a Lincoln

During the Civil War, there was an instance when a Booth might actually saved the life of a Lincoln.

Read about it in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

Go to the right and scroll down to My Blogs and go to the Cooter's History Thing Blog and click on it.  Then go to the March 22 blog entry.

--Old Secesh

15 Years and 5545 Posts Later, Still Here

Most people will tell you that having one blog is one too many.  Well, I have considerably more than  that.  Unfortunately, I am interested in way too many things.  That is why I have eight blogs.  Having just one blog would be a walk in the park.

My first post in this Civil War blog was November 1, 2007.  This grew out of my Cooter's History Thing blog which covers all things history.  So many of my posts to it were about the Civil War, I figured to spin this one off.  In 2012, I spun my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog off this, again because so many posts were about that aspect of the war.

My main emphasis on the war is navy and Fort Fisher, anyway.

My signoff name of Old Secesh comes from the northern putdown of Confederates, calling them "Secesh" or "Sesh".  The Confederacy seceded from the Union.  I adopted that as my name.

So, 5545 posts as of this one and we still haven't won the war and I believe we are definitely going to lose the Second Civil War going on right now.

I am, however, interested in all aspects of the war, not just Confederate.  Of course, I am interested in all aspects of anything to do with history.

Spending Way Too Much Time on These Doggone Blogs.  --Old Seceh

Fort Wool in Chesapeake Bay-- Part 1: Because of the War of 1812

I wrote about this fort in my November 14 and 16 Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog entries.  This fort was constructed to keep an enemy fleet out of the Chesapeake Bay after the experience with the British in that war.  It and Fort Monroe to the north would provide a crossfire to stop an enemy.

From Wikipedia.

Fort Wool is a decommissioned  island fortification now known as Rip Raps Island.  originally it was named Castle Calhoun of Fort Calhoun after  Secretary of War John C. Calhoun and later renamed for  Major General John Ellis Wool (1784-1869).

The general was a veteran of three wars:  War of 1812, Mexican War and the Civil War.  He was the oldest general on either side during the Civil War.

Fort Wool was one of 40 forts constructed after the War of 1812.  This was known as the Third System of U.S. forts.  It was constructed on a shoal of  ballast stones dumped by ships entering the Chesapeake Bay and was originally constructed to have three tiers of gun chambers as well as a barbette tier at the top, altogether mounting  216 cannons.

--Old Secesh

Thomas B. Aumack, Wounded at Antietam, Died Soon Afterwards

I have been writing about a cemetery in Hazlet, New Jersey, in my Not So Forgotten: The War of 1812 blog, where two War of 1812, one American Revolution and this soldier from the Civil War are buried.  The cemetery, a small family one, had fallen into disrepair until recently.  The article was "Desecrated cemetery, lost grave of  18-year-old war hero getting restored in Hazlet."

The Civil War soldier buried there was Thomas B. Aumack.  This is what the article said about him:

"Thomas Bailey Aumack was 17 years old when he enlisted to fight for the Union in the Civil War.    The Bayshore native  was mustered into the 87th New York Infantry in November of 1861.  Less than a  year later, he was dead, one of 620,000  lives lost in America's bloodiest conflict."

He is buried in the Aumack Family Cemetery in Hazlet, New Jersey, with quite a few other Aumacks.  However, many more of the Aumack family are buried at Cedarwood Cemetery in Hazlet.

--Old Secesh

The Answers to the 'Frank' Questions-- Part 1: Cmdr. Maxwell Woodhull

As I said in the last post, McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) member Frank Crawford always has, or sends in if he is not there, some VERY difficult questions for us discussion group members to ponder and finally, most of the time anyway, give up and ask for the answer.  They almost always are about some person from the war.

1.  Who was Cmdr. Maxwell Woodhull, USN?

Killed by accident in Baltimore while inspecting defenses of that city when a 32-pdr. cannon fired a 32-pdr. right as he drove by and he took the full brunt of the impact.  Died instantly.

And, I should have known about him, but didn't.  I have written about him in my Running the Blockade :  Civil War Navy blog in the past.  Like they say, the first thing to go as you get older.  Go to the Running the Blockade blog, click on the Woodhull label and find out more about him and his accidental death.

Talk About Being In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time.  --Old B-Runner

The Civil War Veterans Monument at Chicago's Bohemian National Cemetery: 'Pro Nouvou Vlast'

I have been writing about this cemetery in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  Click on that blog to the right of this under My Blogs.  You can find out about Cubs fans, a Spanish-American War monument, Wanda Stropa, Anton Cermak and the SS Eastland Disaster.

From the October 11, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Inside Bohemian National Cemetery with 'Cemetery Lady' Helen Sclair" by Kori Rumore.

This 124-acre cemetery was set up to bury people from Bohemia in the present day Czech Republic.  Today the Chicago cemetery has over 120,000 burials.

One of the places in the cemetery is the Civil War Veterans Monument.

It features a bronze statue of a private soldier in fatigues holding a color staff in one hand and a bayoneted musket in the other and represents Czech immigrants who fought for their adopted country during the Civil War.

The inscription underfoot reads, "Pro nouvou vlast," meaning "For our new country."

A plaque at ground level includes the names of 18 Bohemian veterans of the Civil War buried u=in the cemetery.

An estimated 5,000 people turned out for the commemoration of the monument -- said to be the first Bohemian soldiers' monument in America -- on May 29, 1892, which was the first Memorial Day observed at the Bohemian cemetery.

--Old Secesh

"Up the Street Came the Rebel Tread" and Winston Churchill

A little later today, I will write about Winston Churchill and FDR riding through Frederick, Maryland, in 1943 on their way to Shangri-La (now called Camp David).  Churchill was a huge fan of American history, of course, and wanted to see the home of Barbara Frietchie, because of that famous poem.

It is an interesting story, so check it out in my Tattooed On Your Soul: World War II blog.

"Shoot If You Must...."  --Old Secesh

Victor, Illinois, in the Civil War-- Part 1

I will be taking a short break from the Battle of Antietam after the war and Robert E. Miles and Bazel Lemley to write about the really small town of Victor, Illinois.  It does not exist anymore and obviously was never very big as far as population (just 299 live in the entire township, which is called Victor Township).

Victor Township is located in the south central part of DeKalb County, Illinois.

I have been writing about it in my RoadDog's RoadLog blog and came across some interesting Civil War history, so, here it is.

From Genealogy Trails"Victor Township History."

In 1855, the population of Victor, Illinois, was 399; in 1860 it was 746 and in 1865, 835.

The town gave 103 soldiers to the War of the Rebellion and taxed itself $10,858 for war purposes.

Those who gave their lives in the service of their country:

Ferdinand Van Derveer,  who died at Louisville, Kentucky, March 30, 1865
E.T. Pierce,   at Alexandria, Virginia, April 23, 1861  (That was very early in the war.)
C.T. Bond,  at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1865
C.P. Snydam,   at Alexandria, Virginia, January 26, 1862

--Old Secesh