Hello folks,
Break time this week. No blog for a few days. please catch up on past ones you may have missed!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Last Three Top Ten Battlefields To See During Sesquicentennial
Last on Ken Burns list were: eighth, Chattanooga - Grant had left the west but Sherman was still there and the Union army against impossible odds was able to make it to the top of Missionary Ridge in a huge battle. This began the plan for the march to Atlanta and then to the sea.
I have been to Chattanooga and stood on top of that mountain, It seems an impossible feat, but the North did it. The South squandered a golden opportunity. It was freezing on top of that mountain the day we visited, January 1, 2010. I have never been so cold!!! The Confederates were sleeping on the ground with one thin blanket each. Brrrr - no wonder they lost that one.
Ninth, Petersburg. The Confederates set up defensive works there but the North dug a tunnel under southern lines and set off a huge explosion. The North failed to capitalize on this, and the South regrouped. The war settled into a bloody stalemate from the summer of 1864 to March of 65 when Richmond fell.
Tenth and last on the short list of places to visit is Appomattox Court House, Va. After Richmond, the Confederates began a retreat, but soon saw a sea of Union troops both in front and behind them, and it was at that point Lee realized the cause was hopeless. He agreed to meet Grant and the rest is history, as they say. A sad end to the most tragic time in our Nation's life.
Even though some have tried to make Southerners into racists because we are proud of our forebears, we know that given their circumstances, they were fighting for what they believed was right So we honor them. And we take the hard-earned lessons of the past and we learn from them, that we might have a better United States of America, One Nation Under God.
I have been to Chattanooga and stood on top of that mountain, It seems an impossible feat, but the North did it. The South squandered a golden opportunity. It was freezing on top of that mountain the day we visited, January 1, 2010. I have never been so cold!!! The Confederates were sleeping on the ground with one thin blanket each. Brrrr - no wonder they lost that one.
Ninth, Petersburg. The Confederates set up defensive works there but the North dug a tunnel under southern lines and set off a huge explosion. The North failed to capitalize on this, and the South regrouped. The war settled into a bloody stalemate from the summer of 1864 to March of 65 when Richmond fell.
Tenth and last on the short list of places to visit is Appomattox Court House, Va. After Richmond, the Confederates began a retreat, but soon saw a sea of Union troops both in front and behind them, and it was at that point Lee realized the cause was hopeless. He agreed to meet Grant and the rest is history, as they say. A sad end to the most tragic time in our Nation's life.
Even though some have tried to make Southerners into racists because we are proud of our forebears, we know that given their circumstances, they were fighting for what they believed was right So we honor them. And we take the hard-earned lessons of the past and we learn from them, that we might have a better United States of America, One Nation Under God.
Top Ten Battlefields To Visit
In the last blog I listed the first five (out of 10) battlefields, in chronological order, that Ken Burns picked to visit. Here are the other five, beginning of course with Gettysburg.
After a spectacular battle at Chancellorsville, Robert E. Lee moved the army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania. He felt he needed to take the War to the North. The two armies came together at Gettysburg in a titanic struggle, and in retrospect, this was probably the most decisive battle of the War.
From July 1-3, 1863 the two armies fought. On the third day General George Pickett led his infamous, disastrous charge from Seminary Ridge to Cemetery Ridge, where the Yankees held the high ground. Lee and his army was defeated and pushed back into Virginia. Some say this was the beginning of the end for the Confederates.
Vicksburg is Mr. Burns next pick. The battle for the Miss river ended the day after Gettysburg. The North had laid siege to Vicksburg for days and finally on July 4, the people of Vicksburg surrendered. This meant a double victory for the Union cause with both Gettysburg and Vicksburg.
The last three coming up in our next blog!!!
After a spectacular battle at Chancellorsville, Robert E. Lee moved the army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania. He felt he needed to take the War to the North. The two armies came together at Gettysburg in a titanic struggle, and in retrospect, this was probably the most decisive battle of the War.
From July 1-3, 1863 the two armies fought. On the third day General George Pickett led his infamous, disastrous charge from Seminary Ridge to Cemetery Ridge, where the Yankees held the high ground. Lee and his army was defeated and pushed back into Virginia. Some say this was the beginning of the end for the Confederates.
Vicksburg is Mr. Burns next pick. The battle for the Miss river ended the day after Gettysburg. The North had laid siege to Vicksburg for days and finally on July 4, the people of Vicksburg surrendered. This meant a double victory for the Union cause with both Gettysburg and Vicksburg.
The last three coming up in our next blog!!!
Civil War Sites - Ken Burns' Favorite Picks
May 20-22 USA weekend which appears in the Montgomery Advertiser has an article by Ken Burns which I found very interesting. He mentions that there were 10,000 places in which the "Civil War" (as Yankees call it) was fought. That is a bit off-putting, but he narrows his picks to 10.
You can guess most of them but I will list them all the same. They are listed chronologically, from the start of the war. Number one being of course, Fort Sumter.There, he says, you begin to feel the presence of all the forces, North and South, at the start of the war. The only casualty was a horse.
Second is the First Battle of (he calls it Bull Run,) we call it Manassas, because the South called the battles after the town, and the North called it after the nearest body of water. No one, as Ken points out understood that it was going to be the holocaust it became.
Third was Shiloh, Tenn. He says two days in April 1862 made for the biggest battle of the Civil War up to that point. Its beautiful now so it is hard to imagine the carnage that took place.
Next was Antietam, near Sharpsburg MD. 23,000 casualties; no other battle had as many dead and wounded as Antietam produced that day. i have been there and seen what they called "Bloody Lane".
Fifth was Fredericksburg, Va., which Mr. Burns says was a particularly horrendous battle that took place between Richmond and Washington. There was even street-to-street fighting there.
I will list the other five in my next blog beginning with....you guess?
You can guess most of them but I will list them all the same. They are listed chronologically, from the start of the war. Number one being of course, Fort Sumter.There, he says, you begin to feel the presence of all the forces, North and South, at the start of the war. The only casualty was a horse.
Second is the First Battle of (he calls it Bull Run,) we call it Manassas, because the South called the battles after the town, and the North called it after the nearest body of water. No one, as Ken points out understood that it was going to be the holocaust it became.
Third was Shiloh, Tenn. He says two days in April 1862 made for the biggest battle of the Civil War up to that point. Its beautiful now so it is hard to imagine the carnage that took place.
Next was Antietam, near Sharpsburg MD. 23,000 casualties; no other battle had as many dead and wounded as Antietam produced that day. i have been there and seen what they called "Bloody Lane".
Fifth was Fredericksburg, Va., which Mr. Burns says was a particularly horrendous battle that took place between Richmond and Washington. There was even street-to-street fighting there.
I will list the other five in my next blog beginning with....you guess?
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Peninsula Campaign - Lee v/s McClellan
When Gen. Joseph Johnston, CSA was wounded at Fair Oaks, President Davis replaced him with General Lee. Richmond was threatened but Lee struck before McClellan could break through.
By the first of July, 1862 McClellan had the Army of the Potomac on a commanding plateau at Malvern Hill. At first Lee thought McClellan's position was too strong to assault, but a shifting of Federal troops deceived him into changing his mind and attacking. This proved imprudent and things went badly.
The Confederate formations were shattered, costing Lee 5,500 men. On the following day, Lee ordered his men back to Richmond.His attacks, while costly, had saved Richmond for the Confederacy.
The Peninsula Campaign cost the Union Army 15,849 men, but the Confederates lost more by doing most of the attacking: 20,614. Improvements in the training and discipline of both armies since the disorganized fighting at Manassas was notable. But also significant was the fact that higher commanders had not thoroughly mastered their jobs. Way too many wasted opportunities on both sides.
An interesting book to read on the subject is Extraordinary Circumstances: The Seven Days Battles
By the first of July, 1862 McClellan had the Army of the Potomac on a commanding plateau at Malvern Hill. At first Lee thought McClellan's position was too strong to assault, but a shifting of Federal troops deceived him into changing his mind and attacking. This proved imprudent and things went badly.
The Confederate formations were shattered, costing Lee 5,500 men. On the following day, Lee ordered his men back to Richmond.His attacks, while costly, had saved Richmond for the Confederacy.
The Peninsula Campaign cost the Union Army 15,849 men, but the Confederates lost more by doing most of the attacking: 20,614. Improvements in the training and discipline of both armies since the disorganized fighting at Manassas was notable. But also significant was the fact that higher commanders had not thoroughly mastered their jobs. Way too many wasted opportunities on both sides.
An interesting book to read on the subject is Extraordinary Circumstances: The Seven Days Battles
Friday, June 3, 2011
Senator Brewbaker Talks About Jefferson Davis
About sixty plus people gathered inside the First White House of the Confederacy today to celebrate the 203rd Anniversary of the birth of Jefferson Davis.
State Senator Dick Brewbaker spoke briefly about Jefferson Davis, and how he always tried to do what was best for his Country and for the South. Dick brought it home to us by reminding us that we all need to do what we can in order to ensure the best that a People can do for their Country.
He reminded us that we can all VOTE. And we can all take an interest in our local, State and National Government. That is what Jefferson Davis did, and we revere him for it. He was a man of principal and was willing to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong.
Senator Brewbaker challenged and encouraged us. It was a great day for the First White House and I am sure that President Davis would be pleased!
State Senator Dick Brewbaker spoke briefly about Jefferson Davis, and how he always tried to do what was best for his Country and for the South. Dick brought it home to us by reminding us that we all need to do what we can in order to ensure the best that a People can do for their Country.
He reminded us that we can all VOTE. And we can all take an interest in our local, State and National Government. That is what Jefferson Davis did, and we revere him for it. He was a man of principal and was willing to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong.
Senator Brewbaker challenged and encouraged us. It was a great day for the First White House and I am sure that President Davis would be pleased!
William Latane' Confederate Hero Perishes
William Latane' was a Confederate Army Officer who was the only one killed during J.E.B. Stuart's daring "Ride around McClellan", a mission that skirted completely around the Federal Army of the Potomac during June 12-15, 1862.
In the "Westcott Bedroom" upstairs in the First White House there is an engraving of the scene of his burial. The Union officers would not let a minister officiate at the funeral so the women of Sumner Hill and Westwood Plantations in nearby Hanover County, Virginia, read the service.
The engraving shows the women in mourning standing around the grave, a black servant leaning on the shovel used to dig the grave. The scene of the burial was painted by William D. Washington in 1864, and the engraving was done from the painting. It was a particularly popular engraving after the War, signifying the desolation of the South at the time.
Lantane's death became romanticized in art and poetry both during and after the war. It reminds me of a hymn titled "I Vow To Thee My Country". The first stanza reads: "I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, that lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice."
In the "Westcott Bedroom" upstairs in the First White House there is an engraving of the scene of his burial. The Union officers would not let a minister officiate at the funeral so the women of Sumner Hill and Westwood Plantations in nearby Hanover County, Virginia, read the service.
The engraving shows the women in mourning standing around the grave, a black servant leaning on the shovel used to dig the grave. The scene of the burial was painted by William D. Washington in 1864, and the engraving was done from the painting. It was a particularly popular engraving after the War, signifying the desolation of the South at the time.
Lantane's death became romanticized in art and poetry both during and after the war. It reminds me of a hymn titled "I Vow To Thee My Country". The first stanza reads: "I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, that lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice."
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