A book in our Gift Shop is called Women in Mourning, put out by the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond. It tells about how nineteenth century mourners would go to great lengths to demonstrate their love and affection for the deceased.
Widows were expected to observe a minimum of two and a half years in mourning. First came the heavy- mourning with the face covered entirely by a black, crepe veil whenever leaving the home. Full-mourning followed, still requiring black, but with the allowance of white lace collars and cuffs and lighter veils.
Finally, half-mourning completed the process and required print and solid-colored dresses of gray or lavender. The act of altering one's personal appearance had long been part of the ritual of mourning; it set the bereaved apart from general society and, in particular signified his or her changed status.
Men, as might be expected only had to mourn three months. Few southern families escaped the horrendous losses of the War. As a result the vast majority of Southern women went into mourning at some point during the awful struggle.
Because of the traumatic combat experiences, Southern soldiers turned to religion and its lessons that death brought eternal peace. In many ways, the soldiers were finding ways to prepare to die, and steeling their families for perhaps the inevitable.
One of the hardest things was to reclaim a body after it had been buried. Some rested in mass graves, some in unmarked ones. With peace came the ability to do better. Women took the lead in caring for the soldiers' graves and cemeteries.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Relic Room In The First White House of the Confederacy
The rooms in the First White House are roped off, except for the Relic Room where you can walk in and see a variety of items in museum cases. We have copies of original letters and copies of photographs, the originals of which are stored for purposes of conservation.
Most of the personal items of President and Mrs. Davis and their family were donated by Mrs. Davis and her daughter Margaret to the First White House collection. In case # 1 are a group of three letters from Margaret to the first Regent of the White House. Also a handsome sterling silver and paste diamond lorgnette on a long chain, and a beautifully made little mother-of-pearl box with slanted top to hold an ink bottle. Both of these items belonged to Mrs. Davis.
There is also a letter to Mrs. Beale, our Regent, singed by "Varina Jefferson Davis" from Mrs. Davis's summer residence in Montpelier, Vermont, dated 31 July, 1899.
In case # 2 are articles of clothing worn by Mrs. Davis and her daughter Margaret. These articles of clothing were among the Davis family treasures sold in Colorado Springs Colorado, by the estate of William Hayes, a grandson of President Davis.
I'll tell you about cases # 3 and 4 tomorrow!
Most of the personal items of President and Mrs. Davis and their family were donated by Mrs. Davis and her daughter Margaret to the First White House collection. In case # 1 are a group of three letters from Margaret to the first Regent of the White House. Also a handsome sterling silver and paste diamond lorgnette on a long chain, and a beautifully made little mother-of-pearl box with slanted top to hold an ink bottle. Both of these items belonged to Mrs. Davis.
There is also a letter to Mrs. Beale, our Regent, singed by "Varina Jefferson Davis" from Mrs. Davis's summer residence in Montpelier, Vermont, dated 31 July, 1899.
In case # 2 are articles of clothing worn by Mrs. Davis and her daughter Margaret. These articles of clothing were among the Davis family treasures sold in Colorado Springs Colorado, by the estate of William Hayes, a grandson of President Davis.
I'll tell you about cases # 3 and 4 tomorrow!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
An Opinion About The Real Lincoln
On of my email friends suggested that I google "DiLorenzo and Lincoln." which I have done, and want to share something of it with you. In yesterday's blog, you may remember, I mentioned DiLorenzo's book, The Real Lincoln.
Here is what Walter Williams, Professor of economics at George Mason University, said in his forward to DiLorenzo's book: "The War between the States settled by force whether states could secede. Once it was established that states cannot secede, the federal government, abetted by a Supreme Court unwilling to hold it to its constitutional restraints, was able to run amok over states' rights, so much so that the protection of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments mean little or nothing today..."
Williams continues: "The Real Lincoln contains irrefutable evidence that a more appropriate title for Abraham Lincoln is not the Great Emancipator, but the Great Centralizer."
Williams points what DiLorenzo documents - the obvious - the War between the States was not fought to end slavery. Why fight a costly war to end it, when it ended peacefully in dozens of countries around the world? It was only in countries such as Venezuela and Colombia that there was conflict, because slave emancipation was simply a ruse for revolutionaries. Hmmmm....I wonder?
Click on Amazon and buy this book. Read it and send me your comments!
Here is what Walter Williams, Professor of economics at George Mason University, said in his forward to DiLorenzo's book: "The War between the States settled by force whether states could secede. Once it was established that states cannot secede, the federal government, abetted by a Supreme Court unwilling to hold it to its constitutional restraints, was able to run amok over states' rights, so much so that the protection of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments mean little or nothing today..."
Williams continues: "The Real Lincoln contains irrefutable evidence that a more appropriate title for Abraham Lincoln is not the Great Emancipator, but the Great Centralizer."
Williams points what DiLorenzo documents - the obvious - the War between the States was not fought to end slavery. Why fight a costly war to end it, when it ended peacefully in dozens of countries around the world? It was only in countries such as Venezuela and Colombia that there was conflict, because slave emancipation was simply a ruse for revolutionaries. Hmmmm....I wonder?
Click on Amazon and buy this book. Read it and send me your comments!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
John Wilkes Booth
A friend from across the seas mentioned reading "The Real Lincoln" which I also have but have not read because I know it will make me mad! (I am going to start it tonight though). The book prompted my friend to google John Wilkes Booth, which I did also.
I think we all know that Booth was an American stage actor who assassinated President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, in Washington on April 14, 1865. He was a Confederate sympathizer who hated Lincoln and was outraged by the South's defeat in the War. He strongly opposed the abolition of slavery and Lincoln's proposal to extend voting rights to recently emancipated slaves.
Booth, and a group of co-conspirators planned to kill Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward in a bid to help the Confederacy's cause. Booth was the only one successful in carrying out the plot. (Seward was wounded but recovered.) Lincoln died the next morning after a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. This most certainly altered the course of American history after the War, but we can only guess in what ways.
Of course we all know Booth escaped, but was caught 12 days later where he was shot by Union soldiers. Eight other were tried and convicted, and four were hanged. Rumors persist that Booth escaped his pursuers and died many years later under a pseudonym.
I think we all know that Booth was an American stage actor who assassinated President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, in Washington on April 14, 1865. He was a Confederate sympathizer who hated Lincoln and was outraged by the South's defeat in the War. He strongly opposed the abolition of slavery and Lincoln's proposal to extend voting rights to recently emancipated slaves.
Booth, and a group of co-conspirators planned to kill Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward in a bid to help the Confederacy's cause. Booth was the only one successful in carrying out the plot. (Seward was wounded but recovered.) Lincoln died the next morning after a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. This most certainly altered the course of American history after the War, but we can only guess in what ways.
Of course we all know Booth escaped, but was caught 12 days later where he was shot by Union soldiers. Eight other were tried and convicted, and four were hanged. Rumors persist that Booth escaped his pursuers and died many years later under a pseudonym.
Friday, March 4, 2011
150 Years Ago Today The First Confederate Flag Is Raised
On March 4, 186, the first Confederate flag was raised over the Alabama State capitol at 3:30 PM by Letitia Tyler, granddaughter of former U.S. President John Tyler.
The flag, which flew on a flagpole by the capitol clock, was not the Confederate Battle Flag, but the "First National Pattern," also known as the Stars and Bars. Mrs. Jefferson Davis arrived by steamboat that afternoon, but unfortunately was too late for the raising of the Colors.
. She went first by the First White House, as she had not seen it of course, and on to the Exchange Hotel where Jefferson Davis was staying.
There is a book you can order, The Flags of the Confederacy, An Illustrated History, by Devereaux Cannon, Jr., that should provide very interesting reading, especially if you like flags as much as I do, since I sold flags for 37 years!
Also, by the way, on March 4, 1861 Lincoln was sworn in as President of the United States of America. Both events took place 150 years ago today. Amazing, isn't it?
The flag, which flew on a flagpole by the capitol clock, was not the Confederate Battle Flag, but the "First National Pattern," also known as the Stars and Bars. Mrs. Jefferson Davis arrived by steamboat that afternoon, but unfortunately was too late for the raising of the Colors.
. She went first by the First White House, as she had not seen it of course, and on to the Exchange Hotel where Jefferson Davis was staying.
There is a book you can order, The Flags of the Confederacy, An Illustrated History, by Devereaux Cannon, Jr., that should provide very interesting reading, especially if you like flags as much as I do, since I sold flags for 37 years!
Also, by the way, on March 4, 1861 Lincoln was sworn in as President of the United States of America. Both events took place 150 years ago today. Amazing, isn't it?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Young Slave Women Whipped? Sorry But I Do Not Think So
I saw the play at Alabama Shakesphere Festival this weekend called "Flagmaker of Market Street." The acting was superb, but it was the same old saw...the dirty, rotton Southerners versus the noble minded Unionists.
I won't write the Montgomery Advertiser or anything, but suffice it to say, it was not surprising. If they (whoever they are) had been sympathic to the Confederate cause, I would have been not only surprised, but speechless. (surely not)
As we exited the theatre, one of our very trusted historian friends said "they would never have whipped a young slave woman like that" (the way they portrayed it in the play) and I have to agree. It just would not have made any sense. that was just one of the anomoles in the play (poetic license).
Are we always going to have to "live down" Harriet Beacher Stowe and Julia Ward Howe? PLEASSE. Give me a break!!!
I won't write the Montgomery Advertiser or anything, but suffice it to say, it was not surprising. If they (whoever they are) had been sympathic to the Confederate cause, I would have been not only surprised, but speechless. (surely not)
As we exited the theatre, one of our very trusted historian friends said "they would never have whipped a young slave woman like that" (the way they portrayed it in the play) and I have to agree. It just would not have made any sense. that was just one of the anomoles in the play (poetic license).
Are we always going to have to "live down" Harriet Beacher Stowe and Julia Ward Howe? PLEASSE. Give me a break!!!
Southern Women
There is a book in our Archives at the First White House of the Confederacy titled A Woman's War. It is subtitled Southern Women, Civil War, and the Confederate Legacy, published by the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, and the University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville.
I quote from the very first paragraph: "The outbreak of Civil War and invasion by Union armies meant that the lives of Southern women, black and white, rich and poor, would never be the same again. A war that freed the slave, reduced the wealthy's living standards, impoverished the yeomanry, and separated thousands of families for four long years required women of all classes and races to reassess their place within the social order,."
Sounds intriguing doesn't it? And it indeed is a very fine book and I don't know for sure, but might possibly still be obtained from the Museum of the Confederacy Gift Shop in Richmond.
At any rate I have written briefly in a past blog about Kate Cumming, a Confederate nurse who left a detailed diary of her years during the War. Also, about our Gunboat Quilt which hangs in the FWH and was made by an Alabama woman (it is written up in this book). Women across the South made these to auction off, in order to make money to buy Confederate Gunboat as you know if you read our blog.
We still hearken back to Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind, my very favorite villain/heroine. Can you think of a better one? Well, maybe Varina Howell Davis or Mrs. Robert E. Lee, or....one of your or my ancestors?
I quote from the very first paragraph: "The outbreak of Civil War and invasion by Union armies meant that the lives of Southern women, black and white, rich and poor, would never be the same again. A war that freed the slave, reduced the wealthy's living standards, impoverished the yeomanry, and separated thousands of families for four long years required women of all classes and races to reassess their place within the social order,."
Sounds intriguing doesn't it? And it indeed is a very fine book and I don't know for sure, but might possibly still be obtained from the Museum of the Confederacy Gift Shop in Richmond.
At any rate I have written briefly in a past blog about Kate Cumming, a Confederate nurse who left a detailed diary of her years during the War. Also, about our Gunboat Quilt which hangs in the FWH and was made by an Alabama woman (it is written up in this book). Women across the South made these to auction off, in order to make money to buy Confederate Gunboat as you know if you read our blog.
We still hearken back to Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind, my very favorite villain/heroine. Can you think of a better one? Well, maybe Varina Howell Davis or Mrs. Robert E. Lee, or....one of your or my ancestors?
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