Blog 4 History

This day in history: John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865.

President Lincoln attended the theater often and especially liked the tragic dramas of William Shakespeare. On one such occasion, November 9, 1863, Lincoln saw Booth playing Raphael in Charles Selby’s “The Marble Heart” at Ford’s Theatre in Washington. At one point during the performance, Booth was said to have shaken his finger in Lincoln’s direction in the presidential box as he delivered a line of dialogue.

On the morning of Good Friday, April 14, 1865, Booth learned that the President and Mrs. Lincoln would be attending the play Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre. He immediately set about making plans for the assassination, which included a getaway horse waiting outside, and an escape route. Booth informed Powell, Herold and Atzerodt of his intention to kill Lincoln. He assigned Powell to assassinate Secretary of State Seward and Atzerodt to assassinate Vice-President Johnson. Herold would assist in their escape into Virginia.Wanted poster for Booth, Surratt, and HeroldBy targeting the President and his two immediate successors to the office, Booth seems to have intended to decapitate the Union government and throw it into a state of panic and confusion. Booth also planned to assassinate the Union commanding general, Ulysses S. Grant; however, Grant’s wife had promised to visit family and so they were heading to New Jersey. Booth had hoped that the assassinations would create sufficient chaos within the Union that the Confederate government could reorganize and continue the war.

As a famous and popular actor, Booth was a friend of the owner of Ford’s Theatre, John T. Ford, and had free access to all parts of the theater. Boring a spyhole into the presidential box earlier that day, the assassin could see if his intended victim had made it to the play. That evening, at around 10 p.m., as the play progressed, John Wilkes Booth slipped into Lincoln’s box and shot him in the back of the head with a .44 caliber Deringer. Booth’s escape was almost thwarted by Major Henry Rathbone, who was present in the Presidential box with Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln.Booth then jumped from the President’s box and fell to the stage, injuring his leg when it snagged a U.S. Treasury Guard flag used for decoration. Witnesses said he shouted “Sic semper tyrannis” (Latin for “Thus always to tyrants”, the Virginia state motto) from the stage, while others said he added, “The South is avenged.”  Source & Read more…

[From my 11th Wisconsin Blog]

On the evening of April 9, 1865, hours after Lee’s surrender to Grant, the 11th Wisconsin made its final charge of the war. They captured over 300 prisoners, numerous guns, ammunitions, and horses. They lost 61 men, 15 of them killed. The battle at Fort Blakely, Ala., was the last significant ground action of the Civil War.

The following is what I think is a very powerful sermon given by George Wells of the 11th Wisconsin regiment, not long after the fight. As he mentions Lincoln’s death, this sermon most likely took place sometime between the 16th and 23rd of April, 1865:

Service as performed by Rev. George Wells following the victory at Fort Blakely and the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s surrender.

Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory.

War is a terrible calamity. Its scenes of strife and carnage, its destruction of life and ruin of domestic peace, its desolation and blighting influences both national, social and personal, all have a tendency to make it truly terrible; especially as it is of constant occurance for if one nation enjoys the sweets of peace others are submerged in all the evils of war. If the lava of war subsides in part of the globe it burst forth with renewed power in another. And if there are no external foes to face internal enemies arise and plunge a nation into all the terrors of that worst of all evils—civil war. Alas that our own beloved country should know, from sad experience the truth of these remarks.
For over eighty years unparalleled prosperity attended these United States in their triumphed progress toward the zenith of power and greatness. External foes gave them but little trouble, and had they remained true to themselves no power on earth could have severed the tie that bound together thirty-four great states in a mighty confederation. But dissatisfaction from within displayed itself. Internal discentions arose. A faction of fanatics made fanatical by their blind devotion to and superstitious reverence for the institution of slavery, threatened to dissolve the union of states and establish a “Southern Confederacy.” While threatenings were all the great mass Northeren freeman sat at ease regardless of threats they had little idea would be put into execution. But deceived by a supposed cowardice at the North, and anticipating a division in the ranks of the true and loyal, as well as foreign recognition, they startled the world by passing ordinances of secession, attacking the garrison at Fort Sumpter, and trashing the “Stars and Stripes” in the dust.

What was the duty of the government at the crisis? To allow secession would destroy our nationality and rob the world of a mighty commonwealth. Therefore we could not in honor recognize for a moment a doctrine so destructive to the country we hold so dear. What was there duty in this hour of trial? To await further acts of hostility? Had we not patiently endured contumely and result tall forbearance ceased to be a virtue, and when the emblem of our rights and liberties was smitten, was it honorable? Was it right? To wait till the foe had marshalled his hosts for renewed attacks[?] The flag of the free having been insulted as men, patriots, and Christians it was our duty to sustain the honor of the flag; yes and preserve our own honor for the two are intimately connected. At Sumpter the gauntlet was thrown down, and it was our duty to take it up, to accept the battle and leave the results with the God of battles. This is the condition of things on the surface. Underneath lay a far more glorious idea than avenging an insult offered the “Star Spangled Banner.” Principles were involved. There was them to begin a grand struggle between truth and error. Right and wrong were to meet face to face, and the great battle between glorious heavenly liberty, and hell born, hell bound slavery was to be fought. As to the final results who could doubt but freedom would be triumphant. But it has no always appeared so, for in the struggle we have not been uniformly successful. The history of the war, to the commencement of the present year, has been one of lights and shades, of victory and defeat. The year 1861 gave us victories, but defeats counterbalanced their influence. In 1862 we were successful in many hard fought battles, but their good effects were lost through the influence of disaster. Through 1863 the success of the Union armies were numerous and important, but two severe reverses tarnished their glory, and partially destroyed their happy results. 1864 is memorable for its successes, and will pass in the record of ages as productive of the greatest military achievement of modern times, but still this year us not entirely clear of failures. But through the first four years show alternate victory and defeat. Yet this year presents a record of uniform success. Fort Fisher, Wilmington, Charleston, Columbus, Goldsbourgh, Selma, Mountgerney, Macon, Petersburg, Richmond, Spanish Fort and Blakeley, all testify to the success of the Union arms. Finally the surrender of Lee and Johnson, with the probability that all rebels have ground their arms, assure us victory complete is ours, that the hitherto defiant traitor is beneath our feet, and liberty remains untarnished fair as the sun, clear as the moon and more terrible than an army with banners to slavery propagandists.
But we must speak particularly of the victories of Spanish Fort and Blakeley. As to the former to others belong the glory of its capture, but when we speak of Blakeley the Eleventh are brought to a scene in their history that will never be forgotten. I was not there. Would to God I had been, if not to share the danger, to participate in your feelings of triumph, and to have the mournful pleasure of giving religious rites to those whom no sound can awake to glory again. But no matter the mighty work was done, and you took a conspicuous part in its accomplishment. And, truly while memory retains its seat you will have vivid impressions of that impressive scene. You will never forget the command “Fall in Eleventh” given by your gallant and fearless leader—Major Miller, nor the memorable rifle pits where you heard from the same unfaltering voice, the orders

“Forward Skirmishers” “Forward Eleventh.” Will never forget the long space over which you ran with almost breathless haste, the fearce storm of shot and shell that greeted your approach to the enemy’s works, and the three lines of abattis [?] that obstructed your passage. You will never forget the tripwire, the desperate leap upon the parapet, the demand to surrender, and the willingness manifested by the foe to obey when they were in your power. Oh! And you’ll never forget the placid countenances of your brave comrades who lay still in death, and the terrible sufferings of those noble boys who claimed your assistance and sympathy when the glorious work was done. Friends it must have been a sublime scene, but it is shorn in its glory in the fact that there are connected with it. Wounded limbs, broken hearts, and lifeless bodies. Your victory was complete. The part of the enemy’s works approportioned to you for capture yielded to your resistless charge, and many prisoners with much munition of war fell into your hands. The whole line being successful Blakeley succumbed, and the glorious “Stars and Stripes” superceded the odious rag of secession.

The victories of Spanish Fort and Blakeley that resulted in the evacuation of Mobile are certainly among the most brilliant achievements of the war, and General Canby does well to acknowledge deserved gratitude by thanking his victorious army for displaying so much skill and valor. But he desires us to take into consideration the God of all the earths, and render him thanks for giving us the victory. Now our friends at home have held a day of joy and thanksgiving for all out victories; let us therefore while remembering Spanish Fort and Blakeley take into account the universal success of our nation’s army, and return devout thanks to almighty God for the great prosperity attending our glorious cause.
Too many people leave the great Author of all events out of the question as many did General Grant in the glorious campaigns of last fall and winter. Because our Lieut. General was “One still man amidst a blatant land” making little noise, and using others to assist in accomplishing his designs, he was left out in the cold and all the applaudits given to others. But subsequent events show these fickle hero worshipers that the immortal Grant was the maker and mover of the wise means that have resulted in such glorious ends. Go with the God whom we adore. Though men in their willfulness ignore his providence in our national affairs, yet his hand controls events, and though silent and unseen, his purposes have been ripening for our good and the nation’s welfare.
I would award the mead if praise to President Lincoln for his honest faithfulness, and to the able Generals who have led our armies from conquring to conquer. I give due credit to the brave soldiers who have fought a good fight and recognize the earnest determination of a patriotic and noble people to sustain so great a war, and yet with a glowing soul. I endorse the sentiment of our text—Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory.
But why give thanks to God?
1st because he gave us for a President a good man, devoted Christian, wise, statesman, and if an honest man is the noblest work of God, Abraham Lincoln was that noble work, and I do not think I disgrace the “Father of his Country” by placing him by his side, one the maker and other the regenerator of his country. “Honest old Abe” was preeminently the man for the times, and he is to be regarded as an unspeakable gift of God.

2nd because he gave us Generals whose military skill and determined bravery have achieved such great victory. We may with propriety consider our cause honored with the services of the greatest military heroes of the present age. 3rd because we raised up strong armies and willing hearts ti fight our battles. It makes a magnificent sight so many thousands leaving the pursuits of civil life to take up arms in defense of their country’s honor. History records no scene more sublime, and when the recording Angel shall open the book of time it will be seen that many were inspired by a God given spirit of duty as well as by motives of interest and patriotism! 4th because to him we owe thanks for the vast resources so essential to carry on the conflict. An immense amount of treasure has been expanded, and yet we are far from being exhausted, in fact we are just beginning to realizing our greatness in this particular. We can without exhausting our means employ millions more to bring about a successful termination of war.
But how should we manifest our thanks?
To remain content with a mear expression of thanks is unworthy of us, and yet we too frequently remain satisfied with so doing. But God who searched the heart will accept nothing short of heart felt gratitude, and this alone can repay the debt of love we owe. Of what use is it to say “Oh Lord I thank thee” when the life is Godless and the soul full of hatred to the things of God. Gratitude is the memory of the heart and where this feeling is properly exercised towards God it produces remembrance not only of the blessings received, but of what the donar [?] requires of us. God desires fruits of gratitude. A manifestation of our thanks in prayer and holy living.

1st Prayer. To pray is certainly the will of God concerning us, and gratitude will draw the soul into this delightful exercise. Pray therefore that God would still continue and preserve us as a nation. Though the storm of war may cease its ragings, yet there will remain waves of trouble that will require a God to say “peace be still” before we are blist [?] with a perfect calm. The plusical war is fought and know, but the moral conflict continues and God with us can alone give the victory. Pray for those whose hearts are made sad by war’s desolation. The land is full of morning for loved ones who “sleep their last sleep,” and full of sorrow for lost limbs and shattered health. Pray that God would bestow consolation and give the oil of joy for mourning with the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. And whenever the privilege to render assistance and seccur to these noble suffers presents itself show your gratitude by bestowing your favors, and a gracious God will not suffer you to go unrewarded. But in praying do not forget your own need of pardoning mercy, and a regenerated mature. Pray that God would forgive the past, and give you
“A heart in every thought renewed. And full of love devine.”
2nd Holy living. To make our prayers effectual we must lead a holy life, for says Psalmist “If I regard inequity in my heart the Lord will not hear me.” If we are grateful to a friend we show it by corresponding acts, and if we are in earnest in thanking for our success we shall show it not by rebelling against his will, but by keeping his commandments walking in his stature and living to love him. As a nation we have passed through a very firey ordeal, and it ought to purify us as gold is purified by fire. God has chastened us, not for our distruction, but to correct and make us a holy people that we may serve him forever. If we will learn the lesson and obey the teachings of our Almighty Friend our future will be great and glorious beyond our most sanguine expectations, but if we will not serve him we may expect destruction for the nation that will not serve God shall parish. The laws of our country are so constituted that every man wields an influence. You and I my friends have a power, and we can use it to good advantage if we so choose. Then let us show our gratitude and at the same time benefit our country by living a holy life, and exerting a Christian influence around.
Let it be said of the 11th Wisconsin that besides expressions of thanks, they yielded themselves servants to God, and thereby manifested sincere and hearty thanks to God for giving us the victory. Amen.

[Hat tip to Eric]

This came up on my Google.com news alert a few hours ago, Eric picked it up as well.

To me this story only highlights the Pirates and Looters of history theme I have chimed in on often and whom I loath so much. From Civil War correspondences, artifacts, and now trophies of sorts… nothing is off limits to these robber barons of history. Just a matter of time until corpses turn up on Ebay:

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Working in secret, federal archaeologists have dug up the remains of dozens of soldiers and children near a Civil War-era fort after an informant tipped them off about widespread grave-looting.

The exhumations, conducted from August to October, removed 67 skeletons from the parched desert soil around Fort Craig — 39 men, two women and 26 infants and children, according to two federal archaeologists who helped with the dig.

They also found scores of empty graves and determined 20 had been looted.

The government kept its exhumation of the unmarked cemetery near the historic New Mexico fort out of the public’s eye for months to prevent more thefts.

The investigation began with a tip about an amateur historian who had displayed the mummified remains of a black soldier, draped in a Civil War-era uniform, in his house.

Investigators say the historian, Dee Brecheisen, may have been a prolific looter who spotted historical sites from his plane. Brecheisen died in 2004 and although it was not clear whether the looting continued after his death, authorities exhumed the unprotected site to prevent future thefts.

Read more…

I have been looking through my review copy of A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World, by Tony Horwitz, who you might recognize as the bestselling author of Blue Latitudes, Confederates in the Attic, and Baghdad Without a Map. He is also a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who has worked for The Wall Street Journal and The New Yorker.

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World – Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated, ISBN-13: 9780805076035, 464pp

Pub. Date: April 29, 2008

The book looks good, and as we already know Horwitz is a gifted writer who not only can present a historically rich saga, but an entertaining one as well.

But I have a question for those of you who are well versed in the publishing world. The publisher, Henry Holt and Company, claims on the back cover of this media copy, that it is spending “$250,000″ on the marketing campaign for this book!

This seems like an astonishingly large amount of money for a freaking book! I do not see how the math works out on this one? The book will retail for $27.50… Can anyone help me connect the dots here?

The Bloody Crucible of Courage: Fighting Methods and Combat Experience of the Civil War
by Brent Nosworthy.

Illustrated, maps, notes, index, bibliography, 660 pp., 2003. Carroll and Graf Publishers, 161 William St., 16th Floor, New York, NY, 10038, $35 plus shipping.

Description: The most comprehensive book of its kind, a major revision of our understanding of how the Civil War was fought and how it looked through the eyes of the men fighting it.

Nosworthy has produced a hugely informative work (660 pages) concerning virtually every aspect of combat, arms, tactics, and strategies employed during the Civil War.

Filled with data upon data, and anecdote upon anecdote, The Bloody Crucible of Courage seems like a must have book for any Civil War historian. As the information provided is not just useful to the historian interested in strategy, but also the social historian who might need to know, for example, the “psychology” of tactics, and many other things of interest.

For some research I was doing recently, The Bloody Crucible of Courage came in very useful as I needed to determine, based on casualties, the likelihood that a regiment was caught in an ambush. According to Nosworthy’s research, the average Rate of Casualties was 5 to 1 (wounded to killed) ratio per 400 shots fired, or 1.50% rate.

The rate for an ambush was of course much higher. Using this rate, and comparing it to the number of men involved and casualties, I could deduce that most likely an ambush did not take place as the casualty rate for the regiment, was very close to the 1.50% Nosworthy contends.

Anyway, my one complaint, you have to put this book down often as it is so damn heavy.

I have to admit this Ebay gem caught me off-guard. I was all hot and bothered by the letters, and then this:

“The Ultimate Sexual Civil War Doll”- A rare and certainly unique form of Civil War soldier camp art; a carved soldier doll wearing a movable barrel that when raised the male anatomy appears, measuring nearly 7 1/2″ long. The barrel has an attached Union artillery cuff button with faded (but readable) label bearing the faded notation: “COWARD of Co. A”. Clearly this is a representation of a soldier wearing the barrel of shame typically reserved for those who were caught drunk, as thieves, gamblers, etc. But there is more, this cute little soldier doll has one more trick up his sleeve-through an ingenious pulley device that when the barrel is lifted towards the doll’s head, his hand-colored “John Thomas” salutes the viewer! Woody’s carver clearly had a lot of time on his hands…Very good condition…a real show-stopper!

IT is indeed a show-stopper.

Alas, If you feel the need to bid, Click Here… current bid, $750. Save Woody!! Happy Bidding!

Some of you may know that I have put a lot of time and effort into my passion project, soldierstudies.org. I feel that history should be accessible to everyone and anyone, and that it should be free. The Internet is the logical choice for an open and free database, as the Internet is the ultimate device in the democraticization of information the world has ever seen.

However, collectors, no matter how good intentioned they might be, are doing a disservice to posterity. They are pirates, and they are selfish and self-centered.

These collectors cannot guarantee the safety of these letters once they the collector have passed away. Unfortunately, as is often the case, eager relatives (who could care less) hold massive estate auctions and these letters and diaries are sold to the professional salesman who then sells them to the highest bidder–regardless of what might eventually happen to them.

I have been to estate sales/auctions and it’s serious business.

Even if the said collector is a historian, they are still doing a disservice if they collect and horde for the selfish purpose of making sure no one else can use them for research. Shame on you. That book is already published, years ago. There is no logical reason to hold them, horde them, and keep them away from the public.

On Ebay, there are some fairly expensive collections for sale. Most of these high-priced auctions are from the same seller and are probably from one or more estate auctions.

It really irks me and if I could get transcripts for my database (above), somehow, anyhow… I would do all I could to stop these pirates of history… I assume I am alone on this or no one really cares…

10 Civil War Soldier Letter New York Infantry CW ALS, $6,000.00

Civil War Soldier Letter Lot 130th NY 1st Dragoons, $4,500.00

Robert E Lee Civil War General 1868 Letter Signed, $3,500.00

7 Letters Civil War Soldier Iowa 7th Infantry Battle, $3,000.00

Civil War Soldier Letter Lot 1st New Jersey Infantry, $2,800.00

Ridiculous…

This is absolutely tragic. According to a recently released study, only 1 of 2 students graduate high school in US cities and out of every 10 US public school students, 3 do not graduate from high school.

In a report on graduation rates around the country, the EPE Research Center and the America Promise Alliance also showed that the high school graduation rate — finishing 12 grades of school — in big cities falls to as low as just 34.6 percent in Baltimore, Maryland, and barely over 40 percent for the troubled Ohio cities of Columbus and Cleveland.

At 80%, Asian-Americans score the highest graduation rate. Why is that?

What little I know about public education, I have a guess. Yes, good teachers and a safe school are extremely important and play a role.

However, what about culture and lifestyle? Asian-American families stress education, discipline and other traits that contribute to their success.

DemographicallyAsian-Americans are fairly well dispersed among both inner-city and suburban located schools. Yet, they still are way ahead in graduation rates.

I think it starts at home. With the most important influence: parents, family, friends, and neighbors. What does a student come to school armed with (no not weapons)? What do they bring to the classroom: ideas, work ethic, biases, belief systems, ect.

Don’t go blaming the school system or the teacher without taking a close look at the home, culture, and/or lifestyle that the student comes from. What support systems does the student have? What are the major influences and what is modeled in the home?

All are very important and come first.

[O.K., this is an official rant. Besides, if this is seen as a political issue, it is only becuase the  devotees of Al Gore have made it one.]

This is about as political as I will get on this blog. (I have removed comments to avoid anyone wanting to chime in.) I am not an Al Gore fan, and frankly after watching the softballs 60 Minutes threw him Sunday night along with his arrogance, I can’t stand him. When someone says, “The Debate is over!,” such as Al Gore has said on numerous occasions, that’s when I perk up and start to question a person. I mean, according to Al Gore to doubt him is to be one in the same as those who thought the earth was flat.

Conserving energy, being aware of the environment, reducing dependence on oil, ect., all things we need to do. But do so intelligently, which is not what Google.com AND SO MANY OTHERS are doing. Let’s show our support without thinking it through. Want to fix the earth? (When lots of real scientist doubt Gore, and have other theories worth considering, but you won’t see those on the news.) Lets slow or halt our economy, cripple industry with regulations and taxation, and meanwhile we as a nation face debt up to the sum of $50+ Trillion Dollars.

Anyway, Google.com over the weekend in an effort to be enviro-friendly and raise awareness of energy conservation, turned off the lights in support of the “environment.” Though they had good intentions, they did not realize something…

… it takes more energy for your monitor to power black screen images than white ones.

So, unfortunately, to raise awareness of the need to conserve energy, Google.com caused its users to use more energy. Opps…

I know, just think of all the people who turned off a light during their hour of web surfing, yeah right! Only problem, they did this in the middle of the day when we didn’t need any lights!

Finally, here’s a new Al Gore environment awareness DVD preview:

Here’s another letter of interest. It was written on July 4, 1863 (day after the battle of Gettysburg) from Heath, Massachusetts by “Auntie Mary” to her brother. She offers some very interesting points of view concerning the war. This letter is currently on ebay:

Joshua has been sick in a hospital in New Orleans for the past three months. Has been very sick some of the time. Was more comfortable the last letter we had. Mother has worried so much about him that she appears very feeble at time. If he should be taken away I don’t know how she would endure it. I do hope he will be spared to come home to her. I hope Fred has been heard from before this… we know very little about the war in this part of the country or at least we don’t see anything of it. All is quiet. I understand there has been quite a number of deaths among those who have gone from this section. Some have been killed on the battlefield others have sickened and died in camp. There are a great many copperheads about here and they talk loud and long denouncing everything that has been done– calling the war a nigger’s war and after all they call themselves good Union people and try to make it appear to the community that they are such. I met with one of their description not long since. He denounced the President and everything that pertained to the war. Called it a nigger war. Said it was nothing. I listened to him a while then said to him you talk like a copperhead. Said he, that is what they call me. I said I am sorry to hear it for you are on the wrong side of the question. Said he, I have informed myself and I talk just as I read. I said I am fearful you don’t read understandingly. He was so angry he could not speak. There was an old gentleman present who took him out one side and he did not make his appearance again…. If you wish to write to Joshua you will direct to New Orleans St. James Hospital and if not there forward to the Regiment….