Huge Gettysburg Troop Movement Map to be Dismantled

The National Park Service is planning to pull the plug on the 1960s era battlefield map that showed troop movements. It is a 30 by 30 foot map with 625 lights and is regarded as being too technologically backward to fir in with the new $103 million visitors center.

Jon Dekeles of Post Falls, Idaho, visited the center recently and is so upset that he set up his own website to gather support for the old map. It is at http://www.savetheelectricmap.com.

The NPS calls it the "Electric Nap. It was good in its day, but the light bulb concept just doesn't cut it anymore."

It was originally designed and constructed 1937-1938 after a huge amount of research. A new map was constructed for the Civil War Centennial 1962-1963 with miles of wire and 250 switches.

File Under Old Things Being Sent Out to Pasture Such as Myself. --Old B-Runner

Running the Blockade-- Antietam Hospital-- Civil War Tour in Kansas City-- CW Trails Signs in Pa.

Running the Blockade-- New News About an Old War.

1. ANTIETAM HOSPITAL-- The May 2nd Herald-Mail reports that a barn used as a field hospital for 400 wounded soldiers is the latest addition to the battlefield. It is located at the Philip Pry home and the Historic Antietam Foundation donated $10,000 to assist in in its restoration. Some of the money also went to the Joseph Poffenberger farm. The National Park Service matched the funds.

2. CIVIL WAR TOUR IN KANSAS CITY-- The May 6th Kansas City Star reports that a Civil War tour of Jackson County sites is scheduled for this Saturday. It is sponsored by the Civil War Round Table of Western Missouri and will leave from the Blue and Grey Book Shoppe at 106 E. Walnut Street in Independence. Cost is $15 apiece for the morning and afternoon tour, or $30 for both.

3. CIVIL WAR TRAIL SIGNS IN PENNSYLVANIA-- The May 6th PRN Newswire via Yahoo News announced that the state of Pennsylvania was erecting its first six Civil War Trails signs. It will be the first state in the union to "significantly interpret the Civil War from a northern state's point-of-view.

The first sign was dedicated at Gettysburg National Military Park and by Labor Day there will be approximately 200 "history-on-a-sticks" throughout the Dutch Country Roads region.

The state has invested $49,500 and the federal government $830,000.

The Civil War Trails program is an excellent organization devoted to bringing the Civil War to America's public.

Who Says This is a Dead War. --Old Blockade-Runner

Some More on Lt. Walsh, Defender of Raleigh, NC

I went to the site of the 11th Texas Cavalry Re-enactment group to see if I could find out some more on Lt. Walsh, and perhaps even his first name.

They have quite a site with a large amount of information on all the companies. I went through each one and found no mention of a Lt. Walsh. I also sent an e-mail to the site and hopefully someone will get back to me on it.

I did see that Private H. K. Montgomery of Co. E died near Raleigh in April, 1865. Perhaps Walsh was with this group.


RALEIGH RAMBLES BLOG

The Raleigh Rambles blog by John Dancy Jones says he knows who the person is who puts the black sash on Walsh's grave, but won't tell other than he is "a beloved private historian who has performed rituals in the city cemetery and performed last rites for bridges quite out in the open for all these many years." Not quite sure what Jones meant about bridges though.

Jones also said that about a dozen people gathered at 4 pm April 13th to listen to the story of Lt. Walsh. Before that, they had a delicious bbq dinner and black eyed peas.

And the Mystery Continues. --Old B-Runner

Rather Walk Than Foresake the Flag

This brings new meaning to Fats Domino's "I'm Walking" and Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line."

The May 2nd News 13 station serving central Florida had a report on Bobby Tillett, an employee at the BJ's store in Jacksonville who is walking to work now so as not to take down the Confederate flag from his truck bed.

BJ's informed him that he would no longer be able to park on store property as long as kept flying the Confederate flag. He is now parking in a public lot a half mile away and walking the rest of the way, about ten minutes.

Said Tillett, "It's about heritage; it's about pride. I don't look at it as much different than the American flag. There's been a lot of blood spilled over that flag, and I love that flag, and I'll fly it 'till the day I die!"

No one at BJ's would comment.

Of course, parking at a public lot could become a problem if someone complains to the powers that be, and he is "requested" not to fly it here either.

I think it would be something if he were joined by flag supporters for his walk to work.

Mighty Proud of Bobby Tillett!! --Old B-Runner

UDC Chaper "Unrequests" Money

The May 2nd Leesburg (Va.) Today had a story about the United Daughters of the Confederacy vs. the board memebers regarding the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the statue of a Confederate soldiet on the court house grounds.

As a result, the formal request for $3,300 to help fund the estimated $6,300 cost of the celebration, was UNREQUESTED. The group says that since the public negative comments by board members Stevens Miller and Kelly Burk, donations have come in so they don't need the public funds.

The board members did not vote on the request and sent it to the finance committee for debate. A discussion was slated for May 7th. The planned celebration is for May 31st.


WHAT THEY SAID

Miller said that a Confederate soldier pointing a gun at him was not what he wanted to see when walking into the court house.

Burk said that the celebration should be for soldiers from both sides, not just Confederates.


SILENT SENTINEL

The 1906 board of supervisors appropriated $500 for the purchase and installation of the stutue, called the Silent Sentinel to honor Confederate soldiers from Loudoun County who had given their lives in defense of their homes. It was designed by William Sievers of Richmond and unveiled May 29, 1908.

Way to Go Ladies!!! --Old Blockade-Runner

The Confederate Flag Under Attack in Corpus Christi

On May 1st, Corpus Christi's (Tx) Kiii TV had a report on the Confederate flags that were placed on the graves of veterans as part of the Confederate Heritage Month at Old Bayview Cemetery.

The members of the nearby mostly-black St. Matthews Baptist Church had a problem with that. As one parishioner said, "I understand its part of history but not a history they want to remember. They are asking that the organization that placed them there take them down.

Kiii TV news was looking for the other side of the story since they didn't know who put them up.

LOOKS LIKE WE LOST THIS ONE

I see that they were put up by the local Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp and the flags were taken down Friday by Corpus Christi workers. The reason given was that some had been inappropriately put on non-Confederate graves.

This is a Sad Episode. If it Offends, Do Not Look. -- RoadDog

Some More on Lt. Walsh, Defender of Raleigh

On May 3rd, I blogged about the unknown person who decorates the grave of Lt. Walsh, Raleigh's last defender, every April 13th, the anniversary of his execution. This continues the story.


WHAT DID LT. WALSH DO?

Raleigh surrendered to General Kilpatrick on April 13th, who accepted it and said it would be a peaceful occasion unless there was resistance.

As the last Confederate troops fled, Walsh remained, drew his pistol and waited until Kilpatrick's advance guard was 100 yards away. He fired three times and galloped up Morgan Street with the Union cavalry in hot pursuit. His horse fell turning the corner, Walsh remounted, but was overtaken.

He was brought back to Capitol Square where General Kilpatrick ordered his immediate execution. Walsh requested five minutes to write his wife and was refused.

THE EXECUTION

He was hung at a grove of trees (the corner of Lane and Bloodworth streets) and the body was buried immediately but in a shallow grave so that the feet were left sticking out. Miss Nannie Lovejoy asked Kilpatrick if her family could rebury Walsh.

He agreed and the grave reopened, dug deeper, and the body re-interred.

It remained at the base of what became known as the "Hanging Tree" near the Lovejoy home until the spring of 1867 when the body was exhumed and re-interred in the Confederate Section at Oakwood Cemetery.

From Carolina Confederate Vol. XII No. 3, May/June 1997.

Very Interesting Story. --Blockade-R

April 19th Illinois Division SCV Meeting--Springfield, Illinois-- Part 2

This occurred on the same day, Saturday, that the State Journal-Register had two items about the Civil War. In keeping with the upcoming 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, the paper has been running a daily account of what Lincoln did on that date.

On April 19, 1861, Lincoln ordered a blockade of all the ports in seceded states. At the time, that would be SC, Ga, Al, Fl, Ms, La, and Tx. "The aforesaid states are involved in an insurrection against the Government of the United States, a situation which impedes the government's ability to collect duties as required by the Constitution."

In the same paper, there was a picture of a group of fifth graders at Northpoint Elementary School in Normal, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Springfield. They were participating in the annual echoes of Blue and Gray. They dressed as Union and Confederate soldiers or in civilian costumes and saw presentations by local Civil War buffs and re-enactors.

Just a week earlier, MOLLUS, the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, a Union group had had a ceremony at the Lincoln Tomb. Thought this would ave been neat if both groups were in town the same day.

I'll Get to the Meeting the Next Entry. --Old B-Runner

Cannonball Kills Virginia Relic Hunter

This actually happened back on February 18th, but several newspapers had the story yesterday. I had the story back then. Sam White spent much of his life looking for Civil War relics and became an expert at defusing ordnance. He was trying to disarm a 75 pound, 9 inch naval cannonball.

This is a follow up on the story. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will not complete their investigation until later this month. Two dozen nearby homes were evacuated for two days after the explosion while experts collected ordnance and detonated the live ones.

I should also mention that he had a website at the time of his death where he sold defused shells. I went to it that day, but, by the next day it was no longer in operation.

You Better Think Twice About Messing Around with These Old Relics. --Old B-Runner

Who Dun It?-- Who's Been Decorating the Grave of Raleigh's Last Defender?

While visiting family in North Carolina, I came across this article in the April 1st Raleigh News & Observer, or Disturber as my cousin Graham calls it.

"April brings mystery tribute to rebel grave" by Josh Shaffer.

This has been happening for at least 20 years according to Chuck Gooch, Oakwood Cemetery's superintendent. At sometime during the night of April 13th, a stranger creeps into the cemetery, places a black sash over the gravestone and lights a candle to honor Lt. Walsh of Texas, who fired the last shots at the Union occupiers of Raleigh and was hanged for his efforts by order of Union General Judson Kilpatrick (he of Kilpatrick's Skidaddle a month earlier). Evidently, the good general was a lot braver when he had his army with him and the Confederate was handcuffed.

Lt. Walsh's first name is not known.

There is a small, but growing group of folks fascinated with this tribute.

According to the article, on April 13, 1865, Walsh fired six shots at Union Cavalry as they entered the just-surrendered Raleigh.


WHY DID HE DO IT?

Exactly why he did that is not known. Perhaps hr had been drinking in a Fayetteville Street saloon, and the liquor made him do it.

Perhaps he was looting downtown stores as some of the Confederates were doing. Or perhaps the sight of Yankee blue coats entering the city might have spurred one last act of defiance.

There are even those that think he might have been drawing a bead on Union General Kilpatrick.

All stories agree that he was captured while fleeing and order to be immediately hanged. He was led to a grove of trees and hanged.


SCV Lt.-Cmdr NC Division Thomas Smith says, "They strung him up right there. He was only doing what thousands of other troops were doing and that was firing at the enemy. He may not even have heard that there was a truce."

Lt. Walsh became an instant martyr. Raleigh women put down flowers at his grave for six months.

I was not able to find out if the "Decorator" struck again, or if his identity has become known.

Something Else I Didn't Know. --Old B-Runner

Battle of Blair's Landing-- Close Quarters-- Navy vs. Army

This is from the April 13th report of Lt. George M. Bache, who commanded the USS Lexington, to Admiral David Dixon Porter. Evidently, this was fighting at extremely close quarters at times.

The Confederates attacked the rear of the three vessel Union fleet with a three gun battery. The Lexington steamed toward the battery and engaged it with 8 inch Dahlgren bow guns, driving the Confederates off in a few minutes and disabled one of the guns.

"When within 600 yards of the battery, we encountered a very heavy fire of musketry from the fiftenn hundred men, whom we passed at a distance of 20 feet. The enemy came boldly up to the bank, yelling and waving their side arms, so close that as a portion of the bank caved in from our fire, one of the rebels tumbled down within a few feet of the vessel.

I now got our port broadside to bear on the enemy's line, and while the Osage poured in a front fire of grape and canister, we raked them with shell and shrapnel."

The Confederates retreated into the woods and had a loss of 150 killed and wounded. General Green and a colonel were killed.

The Lexington fired 76 rounds of canister, shell, and shrapnel and had one casualty, Phillip Dudley, a colored landsmen, whose arm had to be amputated.

USS LEXINGTON

From wikipedia. Third ship to bear the name. Built as a sidewheel steamer iat Pittsburgh, Pa, in 1861. Purchased by the War department and converted into a gunboat. Joined Western Flotilla August 1861.

Mounted four 8-inch Dahlgren guns and two 32-pdrs.

I'd Never Heard of This Battle Before, But Now I Know.

Running the Blockade-- No Third Movie-- Confederate Memorial Day-- USS North Carolina-- Jewel Does It's Bit

Running the Blockade-- New News About an Old War.

1. NO THIRD MOVIE-- The hoped for third movie of the Gettysburg trilogy is not likely to see the light of day. The famous movie "Gettysburg" based on Michael Schara's "Killer Angels" was to have a prequel, which it did with 2003's "Gods and Generals" and a sequel, "Last Full Measure" was planned. But the poor showing of "Gods and Generals" making just $12.9 million on a $56 million investment has caused Ted turner to drop the third one. This is not to say that someone else might not pick up the project.

2. CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY-- This past Monday, state offices in Alabama and Georgia were closed in observance of it.

3. USS NORTH CAROLINA-- The US Navy's newest submarine will be christened this Saturday in Southport, NC, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River. What should be a great event for the public has caused some major problems in that, for security reasons, it will be by invite only. Only important folks get to view it and there are a lot of angry comments on site.

Southport also saw the battleship USS North Carolina pass by in 1961 on its way to final mooring at Wilmington. The submarine also passed by the wreck of the CSS North Carolina, a Confederate ironclad.

4. JEWEL DOES ITS BIT-- Here in the Chicagoland, area, Jewel Food Stores are one of the largest chains. This May 12-14th, Camp Douglas Camp 1507 SCV will be getting 5% of all purchases made at the stores when the customer uses a voucher. Always good for camp funds. Well, you gotta eat anyway, why not support the cause.

And Who Says This is a Dead War? -- Old Blockade-R

Confederate Flag Banned

The Confederate flag has been banned from display at Independence High School in Williamson County, Tennessee, evidently near Nashville. As of this week, all students have been banned from wearing or carrying Confederate flags. The reason was that it could lead to racial tension.

Now, just looking at this, that got my Confederate dander up. Just one more example of pcing my heritage.

BUT, ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION...


This all started this past Friday when a student showed up on school grounds with two large Confederate flags flying from his vehicle and a rope tied to look like a noose on the cab. He was given five days in school suspension.

The flags would be alright with me, but not the noose. Then, I found out that the student calls himself Cooter and, on his MySpace page says that he is a racist. This is NOT someone we need furthering the cause.

Monday, ten students were called into the office for "inappropriate clothing." I take that to mean Confederate flags on shirts.

There have been threats of fights on campus since then.

Williamson County schools have also been the scene of racial tension four other times this year. Racial graffiti has been found in two different middle schools.

This whole affair is sad. It only makes defending the flag that much more difficult when we have people like the student defaming it.

As If We Didn't Have Enough Problems. --B-Runner

Battle of Blair's Landing Part 2

Interesting to note that Lt. Cmdr Thomas O' Selfridge of the Osage did not take credit for Gen. Green's death or for using the telescope in his official report to Admiral David Dixon Porter.

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume 26, page 49.

Selfridge said that he was protecting the transport Alice Vivian when he was attcked by two brigades of dismounted cavalry and three pieces of artillery under the command of General Green. He estimated Green's command at not less than 2,500 men.

"I waited till they got into easy shelling range, and opened upon them a heavy fire of shrapnel and canister. The rebels fought with unusual pertinacity for over an hour, delivering the heaviest and most concentrated fire of musketry that I have ever witnessed.

They finally broke in great confusion, leaving the ground covered with their dead and wounded, muskets, knapsacks, etc., for many yards from the bank."

He received orders to rejoin Porter so wasn't able to inspect the battlefield, but estimated Confederate losses at 200. General Green had been killed.

The Lexington, under Lt. Commanding Bache also contributed a "most destructive enfilading fire" on the Confederates.

"General Green will prove a great loss, he standing as one of the best rebel generals this side of the Mississippi."

Dated April 16, 1864.

I Wonder Why Selfridge Would Not Have Mentioned the Periscope and Personal Killing of Green? -- Old Blockade Runner

General Beauregard

An item of interest from the 2008 Civil War Calendar.

PIERRE GUSTAVE TOUTANT DE BEAUREGARD-- Now there's quite a name. I sure would have hated to have signed the whole name all the time. No wonder we see it more often as P.G.T..

The calendar says he was born in Louisiana and was the first prominent Confederate general because of his defenses at Charleston, SC, Fort Sumter, and command at the First Battle of Bull Run a few months later.

Of interest, I was in the Wilmington cemetery looking for the graves of blockage-runner John Newland Maffitt and Gen. W.H.C. Whiting, when I came across a grave of Pierre Gustave Beauregard Walker. I though, hey, that's the name of a general. Upon further investigation, I saw he was born a few days after Fort Sumter. I guess his parents were quite impressed with the general.

I highly recommend this calendar. All sorts of interesting tidbits.

How Many of You Named a Child After a Civil War Personage? --Old B-Runner