The Civil War Picket

Kilroy was here: Uncovering soldiers' graffiti inside historic Virginia building

2012-01-26T10:04:00.009-05:00

The walls talk to Chris Mills, but they yield their secrets slowly.

The architectural conservator works inches away from the grimy plaster, which is covered by a blue whitewash. He works methodically, using swabs, razors and other equipment to go back in time at the Graffiti House in Brandy Station, Va.

Mills this week was wrapping up his latest stint at the two-story frame house named for graffiti left by Union and Confederate soldiers, principally in 1863.

“It’s tedious work, but I am the first person to see this since 1870,” Mills told the Picket in a phone interview Wednesday. “My job is to protect what is here without a loss to it.”

Three upper rooms have yielded a mother lode of information about the men who fought in the Battle of Brandy Station or moved through the Northern Virginia town during other campaigns.

H.D. Specht, Co. G, 6th Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves Volunteers Corps was here.

So was a proud member of the 3rd Corps. The federal soldier wrote the unit’s name in huge letters, making it the John Hancock of signatures on one wall in the room named for Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart.

Mills, 48, works at the behest of the Brandy Station Foundation, which has a museum downstairs in the home. The structure is believed to have been built in 1858, three years before the Civil War began. Tradition holds it served as a hospital during the conflict.

Soldiers used charcoal to make their mark, pulling charred wood from the building’s fireplaces.

“It looks like it came right out of a fire,” said Mills, a Pittsburgh native whose business operates out of New York City. “The penmanship is remarkably good.”

The foundation has identified about 35 soldiers, most content to list their name and unit. Several were with the Confederate Stuart Horse Artillery.

Others wrote the name of battles, such as Gettysburg, Rappahannock and Kelly Ford’s.

A Gettysburg notation includes this message: “The Rebels got licked.”

And because victors write the history – or graffiti – they often added their message on top of another. “It appears to be them marking their territory,” said Mills.

One wall in the Stuart room features what’s believed to be the signature of the famous Confederate cavalier, who died in 1864 at Yellow Tavern, Va.

Interestingly, a soldier wrote either a supply or packing list on one wall: Three undershirts, one overshirt, two pair of drawers and three hose (socks).

Graffiti, of course, is not new. Conquerors or passers-through have left messages for centuries.

In Brandy Station and other cities affected by war, it was a sure sign of unrest, Mills said. “Graffiti has always been vandalism.”

The Battle of Brandy Station, in Culpeper County, was one of the greatest cavalry engagements in history.

On June 9, 1863, about 22,000 troops tangled when Union horsemen under Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton launched a surprise attack on Stuart. After an all-day fight in which fortunes changed repeatedly, the Federals retired without discovering Lee’s infantry camped near Culpeper.

Some of the 1,000 estimated casualties may have received medical treatment at the Graffiti House, which the foundation says could have served as a hospital for Union and Confederate forces.

“This battle marked the apogee of the Confederate cavalry in the East,” the National Park Service writes in its summary of the battle. “From this point in the war, the Federal cavalry gained strength and confidence. Brandy Station was the largest cavalry battle of the war and the opening engagement of the Gettysburg Campaign.”

The house, not far from railroad tracks, once faced potential demolition. It housed a telemarketing operation for some time. The foundation acquired it in 2002.

Over time, some sections of graffiti were removed, much of which was returned. Other examples were damaged or destroyed over the years. Someone tried to make wall repairs in the 1970s or 1980s, Mills said.

“The walls were literally falling down,” before the foundation did significant work to stabilize them, according to Mills.

Those structural improvements likely saved the graffiti and the walls from collapsing during the East Coast earthquake last year.

Mills believes the graffiti, which was etched on plaster, was covered within several years of the war. After all, residents in the vanquished South may not have wanted to see daily reminders.

Before then, smoke, nicotine and grime slowly covered the graffiti. That actually helped protect it from lime wash used to cover the walls.

The conservator painstakingly removes as much whitewash as he can to bring the graffiti to the surface. But Mills must work carefully, and he injects acrylic resin into plaster cracks to further strengthen the walls.

In some cases, he leaves an area alone if he can’t do the conservation without damaging the graffiti. Future technology one day may make it easier to remove the lime wash, Mills said.

The foundation, which uses the building as its headquarters, is funding the work and is conducting research on the findings.

Mills has not gotten yet to one wall in the Stuart room, which he says should yield a lot more graffiti.

“We really do rely on donations to do the work,” foundation secretary Peggy Misch recently told the Culpeper Star Exponent. “We feel we step back in time when we come to this house.”

Mills has felt the same way.

He mentioned the discovery of a message left by a soldier who recorded the first snowfall of the year. Such ordinary notations give him a glimpse of the people who were there.

“I like seeing the person,” the conservator said.

Photos courtesy of the Graffiti House, Brandy Station Foundation.

• More information on the house, foundation

Quilts wrapped the weary, dead

2012-01-23T09:46:00.002-05:00

Few of tens of thousands of Civil War-era quilts survive today, experts say, because they were lost or worn out and thrown away, and in some cases, used to wrap soldiers for burial. This turbulent era of American history is the backdrop for a new exhibition at the Grout Museum of History and Science in Waterloo, Iowa. • Article

First battle took place in Congress

2012-01-20T08:57:00.002-05:00

In 1856, with the country deeply divided over slavery, the Senate’s most notorious case of assault captured the nation’s attention and accelerated the march toward civil war. It also forever changed Congress, creating a black mark on the prestigious, stodgy upper chamber. • Article

Parrott round found in Maine river

2012-01-18T08:53:00.004-05:00

Two men diving in the Piscataqua River in Maine recently uncovered an explosive find: an intact 100-pound Parrott artillery shell from the Civil War era. There was a gun carriage factory nearby and the shell may have fallen off the deck of a vessel transporting weapons. Or it could have been a "dud" fired from Fort Sullivan on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, just across the New Hampshire border. • Article

Longstreet: He did it his way

2012-01-16T07:32:00.007-05:00

Supporters of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet gathered Sunday afternoon at his Gainesville, Ga., gravesite for the 14th annual memorial service honoring the controversial Civil War figure. After the event, a reception was held at the offices of the The Longstreet Society, which operates out of the restored remnants of a hotel Longstreet operated in the late 1800s. Longstreet died 1904. He was born in 1821. • Article
• Southern-fried | • Reputation reviewed

A, B, C, or all of the above?

2012-01-15T08:11:00.006-05:00

A book released in September is a compilation of the many quizzes a retired military has put together over the past 14 years. John Nischwitz also supplies lists — lots of lists — about Civil War facts, such as alternate names for battles; famous bridges, roads and gaps; maritime vessels; notable houses; forts and prisoner of war camps. • Article

Charleston Museum promises a 'blast'

2012-01-13T10:13:00.020-05:00

Grahame Long, curator of history at The Charleston (S.C.) Museum, likens the unusual Quinlivan solid round to a deadly "iron drill bit."

Quinlivans and other projectiles riddled the ironclad USS Keokuk in the April 1863 Battle of Charleston Harbor, resulting in its sinking a day later off Morris Island.

A Quinlivan and 40 projectiles, shells, Minie balls and case shot from the museum's collection are featured in "Blasted: Assorted Projectiles and Explosives of the Civil War," which opened in the venue's lobby this week and continues through Sept. 10.

The city and surrounding islands tended to "mainly be on the receiving end" of explosives and projectiles, Long told the Picket. Charleston, he said, was the most-bombarded city in South during the conflict.

Most of the instruments of death were found in the Charleston area. They are evenly split between Confederate and Union uses.

After the heady weeks following the surrender of Fort Sumter, the Union fleet eventually tightened its noose on the city. Beginning in August 1863, troops threw Parrott and other shells at Charleston over a 567-day period, inducing a form of psyschological warfare. One of the weapons was dubbed the "Swamp Angel."

"This was indiscriminate bombing," said Long.

He points out technological innovations that made the business of killing or destruction, shall we say, a bit more efficient. "There were a thousand different ways to build a better mouse trap."

One example is the increased use of projectiles utilizing timed fuses. Previously, the energy of most artillery rounds were absorbed by walls or other structures.

"With the timed fuses, a lot of that energy was dispersed with full force," Long said.

The exhibit includes fired and unfired Minie balls, a type of rifled, muzzle-loaded bullet that increased effective ranges from 50 yards to about 250 yards. "Something so cheap and simple totally revolutionized how wars were fought," the curator said.

Weapons makers and individuals rushed into production all manner of projectiles. Many worked, others did not.

"War has always been a big business," Long said. "There was money to be made."

The exhibit features a 225-pound incendiary shell fired by Federals from Parrott guns. An exploding chamber in the front was accompanied by incendiary fluid -- coal tar, coal oil and petroleum -- in the rear.

"Blasted" is one of a series of Charleston Museum exhibits marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The next will examine the role of militia units in Charleston.

Photos courtesy of The Charleston Museum, Charleston, S.C. Top image is a James Shell (Pattern 1) with slotted fuse plug. The second is a case shot with timed fuse plug. The third is a Schenkl shell, which provided increased range and accuracy.

• More information on the exhibit and other items at the Charleston Museum

Podcasts detail battles, issues in Ark.

2012-01-11T08:58:00.002-05:00

The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission has added nine podcasts about the state's war history to its website. • Article

'Name that coffee' contest in Va.

2012-01-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

The morning coffee blend is sweet and smooth, the afternoon version is robust and full bodied, but neither of them has a name. In an effort to bring attention to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation fund-raising efforts, a contest is under way to name the blends created for the foundation. • Article

'Gray Ghost' rides on in history

2012-01-06T08:28:00.006-05:00

John Mosby, "The Gray Ghost," lives on in Northern Virginia, where there are 35 markers or monuments dedicated to events related to Mosby’s Rangers, and a section of U. S. 50 between Dulles Airport and Winchester is named for the cavalryman. • Article

Trust's 2011 report card

2012-01-04T08:52:00.001-05:00

The Civil War Trust says it protected more than 2,000 battlefield acres during the first year of the sesquicentennial commemoration. • Article

This week in history: Pulaski taken

2012-01-02T08:50:00.005-05:00

On January 3, 1861, Georgia's state militia forcibly evicted the U.S. Army from Fort Pulaski, preceding the start of the Civil War by three months. Fifty men from the Savannah Volunteer Guards, 50 men from the Oglethorpe Light Infantry and 34 from the Chatham Artillery occupied the fort on the Savannah River.

Fort Pulaski National Monument is currently portraying the fort as it was from 1861 to 1865. "As a part of our commemoration, we are using reproduction flags as a visually effective way of depicting historic events." Tuesday (Jan. 3, 2012) to simulate the historic events, the Georgia flag of secession will fly above the fort.

Photo courtesy of NPS

Vessel is now Florida preserve

2011-12-29T21:58:00.002-05:00

A Civil War-era ship that participated in one of the nation's most famous naval battles before sinking in the mouth of Tampa Bay is set to become Florida's 12th underwater archaeological preserve. The wreck of the USS Narcissus tugboat off Egmont Key is just north of Anna Maria Island. • Article

Step right up for trading cards

2011-12-28T08:30:00.001-05:00

National parks with ties to the Civil War are using trading cards to generate interest and help people learn more about their significance. So far, 189 cards are available at Civil War–related park sites, with others such as Shiloh and Corinth being added as sesquicentennial dates near. • Article

A tale of two cycloramas: Atlanta studies Gettysburg as it mulls moving, other options

2011-12-26T17:11:00.017-05:00

Long, long ago – before motion pictures, "The History Channel" and 3D – cycloramas were the storytelling spectacles of the time. The huge murals presented sweeping historical scenes and singular moments of intense personal bravery or sacrifice.

European artists in the late 19th century created the building-sized round paintings. The artists often traveled to the locales to ensure historical accuracy.

Most of the paintings are gone – lost to time, the elements and the evolution of mass entertainment.

Only two remain in the United States. They feature scenes from the battles of Gettysburg and Atlanta in the Civil War.

Although few people today even know what a cyclorama is, the two masterpieces remain cultural treasures.

Gettysburg’s has glittered more brightly in recent years.

The mural (photo above) reopened in 2008 -- after a $15 million restoration -- in a different building. After receiving a new backing it was, for the first time, properly stretched, ensuring even stress on the fabric. Technicians had to re-create 14 feet of "missing" sky.

“It really is the star attraction of the museum and the visitor center,” said Katie Lawhon, spokeswoman at Gettysburg National Military Park.

For $10.50 ($12.50 starting Jan. 2, 2012), an adult visitor can take in the Cyclorama, film and museum, Lawhon said.

Some 1.2 million visitors come every year to the battlefield set among the rolling hills of southern Pennsylvania.

The Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum (right), nestled in the historic Grant Park neighborhood, draws only about 75,000 patrons a year, a far cry from twice that number 10 years ago.

It lives on a $500,000 annual budget, with little or no foundation help, unlike Gettysburg.

Times are tough for governments and museums. The state of Georgia and Atlanta have invested few funds to observe or market the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, with a focus on 2014.

Some 42 feet tall and 358 feet in circumference, the Atlanta Cyclorama is the largest painting in the country. It was last overhauled 30 years ago for about $11 million. Some observers said the mural, painted in 1885-86, is deteriorating and needs significant work, according to an Atlanta Business Chronicle article.

“There are a few ripples forming in the painting,” Cyclorama marketing manager Yakingma Robinson told the Picket.

But otherwise, he said, “it’s in pretty good condition,” a comment echoed by a member of the local neighborhood group.

With concerns about attendance, funding and the condition of the painting and exhibits, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed this year assembled a task force to study solutions. A small delegation, including a staff member with the separate Atlanta History Center, last week paid a visit to Gettysburg.

Several options are on the table in Atlanta -- including new revenue models, an estimated $10 million restoration or a more high-profile location.

Exhibits -- strong on old maps but little interaction with patrons -- could use a breath of fresh air.

Kevin Riley, editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, recently wrote about his visit to the Cyclorama.

“The Cyclorama looks tired — from the seating, to the diorama to the painting itself,” Riley wrote. “Even the narrated description of the battle, which sounds dated and some claim isn’t entirely accurate, crackles through the hum of aging speakers. Last weekend, I watched as a local restoration group did some annual maintenance work on the diorama, and it’s clear that the place has seen better days.”

The museum adjoins the Atlanta Zoo which, according to published reports, may one day have use for the property.

Key to any effort is support from foundations.

Areas under consideration for a possible move are the Atlanta History Center campus in Buckhead, the former World of Coca-Cola site in Underground Atlanta and a stretch of popular venues near Centennial Olympic Park in downtown.

Gettysburg has yet another advantage when it comes to luring visitors.

It is a large battlefield, where men in blue and gray slugged it out over three days in July 1863. Tradition holds the Union victory was the turning point in the four-year conflict that claimed more than 600,000 lives.

Sprawling Atlanta, as most people know, has precious little battleground left.

“It hurts when it comes to creating a full customer experience,” Robinson told the Picket.

At one time, the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum had 15 employees. It’s down to 3 full-time employees and one part-time employee. It operates only five days a week.

Still, Robinson does what he can with available resources at the museum, which has been in the same location since 1921. He noted a small increase in attendance over the past year.

The museum also houses the Texas, famous for the Great Locomotive Chase in 1862. Robinson is organizing a day of activities in April 2012 to mark the 150th anniversary of the chase.

“We’re doing good considering the economy,” Robinson said.

“I’ve come to learn it’s a harder sell to people who don’t have an interest, he said.

The Atlanta Cyclorama, therefore, targets international tourists, senior citizens and school groups. Adult tickets cost $10.

Like the painting in Gettysburg, Atlanta’s features a diorama in the foreground, complete with models of artillery pieces, soldiers and equipment.

One soldier features the likeness of actor Clark Gable, star of the 1939 film “Gone With the Wind.”

Sitting on the 184-seat viewing platform is like a trip back in time – to a sweltering day in July 1864. The mural, all 9,334 pounds of it, is epic in scale and focus.

“The painting takes in a wide sweep of the area: the skyline of Atlanta, Kennesaw Mountain, Stone Mountain, and the smoke of a cavalry fight at Decatur,” according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. “Details of the battle are as if the viewer stood just inside the Fifteenth Corps lines at about 4:30 p.m. on July 22.

“Confederates have broken through the Union lines and are resisting a Union counterattack. A prominent figure is the man who commissioned the painting, Gen. John 'Blackjack' Logan, galloping heroically to the battlefront ahead of reinforcements that will restore his lines.”

The focal point of the painting depicts fighting about a mile and a half from Grant Park.

The mural has been in Grant Park, just southeast of downtown, since the mid-1890s. And that’s where it should stay, according to an online petition and Paul Simo, historic committee chairman with the Grant Park Neighborhood Association, whose president serves on the mayor’s task force.

Grant Park is a public park named for Lemuel P. Grant, the donor of the park land and a Confederate engineer who surveyed the defensive fortifications around Atlanta. Tidy historic homes, many Victorian, surround the park.

Simo cites three reasons for keeping the museum where it is: Its historic ties to Southeast Atlanta; its history within the Grant Park neighborhood and a potentially larger economic impact, with “niche heritage tourism.”

The venue should be more dynamic, with enhanced exhibits that tell more of the neighborhood’s history, Simo said.

“You can step out of the painting into the next chapter where history continues,” he said.

While the Atlanta Cyclorama has a friendly relationship with the surrounding neighborhood, there appears to be little formal interaction.

“Our neighborhood is committed to do whatever we can do,” Simo said.

One idea, he said, is for bicyclists to have organized rides through Grant Park, East Atlanta and Kirkwood, all neighborhoods that saw heavy fighting. The Battle of Atlanta Commemoration Organization annually marks the anniversary of the battle with a variety of events in southeast Atlanta.

Even if the decision was made to move, there’s not enough time for a new museum to be built before the sesquicentennial, according to Simo. “I don’t want to see anything pushed through.”

“Our neighborhoods are the battlefield,” Simo told the Picket. “Hundreds of soldiers died all over here."

Gettysburg Cyclorama photo by Rick Lewis, National Park Service.

Alexander Gardner: Lasting images

2011-12-24T06:50:00.004-05:00

Although often overshadowed by his former employer, Mathew B. Brady, Alexander Gardner was the one who actually took many of the Civil War’s most famous, and unsettling, pictures, including the dead at Antietam and Gettysburg. With the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, the National Portrait Gallery is preparing a major exhibit on Gardner’s work. • Article

A Christmas gift for Lincoln

2011-12-22T07:58:00.003-05:00

On Dec. 22, 1864, as the Civil War entered its final months, Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman sent a message to President Lincoln notifying him that he had captured the city of Savannah, Ga., thereby completing his 300-mile “March to the Sea." The Union army employed a scorched-earth policy after it left Atlanta weeks earlier. • Article

Anniversary events next week at upgraded Stones River battlefield

2011-12-20T09:01:00.017-05:00

A new entrance, more wayside exhibits and improved trails and parking greet visitors to Stones River National Battefield, where events next week mark the 149th anniversary of the high-casualty clash in middle Tennessee.

From December 26 through January 2, 2012, park rangers and volunteers will present living history, artillery demonstrations and provide caravan tours of the site near Murfreesboro. (• Click here for details)

The Battle of Stones River was one of the most significant battles in the Western Theater, according to Gib Backlund, chief of operations at the park.

After three days of intense fighting, nearly one third of the 81,000 men who fought there became casualties, according to the National Park Service.

Monday through Friday next week (Dec. 26-30), park rangers will present a guided walk at 10 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. program detailing the events of each day of the 1862 campaign. Daily programs will conclude with a guided caravan tour of the battlefield at 2 p.m.

Living history programs on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 (Saturday-Sunday) include stories of the most pivotal battle actions through the stories of soldiers. Programs will be presented at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., and 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily.

Union artillery will take center stage on January 2 (Monday), with firings at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Between firings, Union cannoneers will share their perspectives on the battle’s bloody climax on January 2, 1863.

Backlund said current plans for 2012 -- the 150th anniversary of the battle -- include a scholarly symposium in late October and a program in May that features baseball and other recreational pastimes during the Civil War.

Stones River currently receives about 200,000 visitors a year. A new entrance (above) on Thompson Lane might lure more.

"We think the new main entrance may make it easier to find us," said Backlund.

The battlefield has added pedestrian and bicycle amenities, including a path from the visitors center to the cemetery, which holds about 6,100 dead from the four-year conflict.

The park is trying to reach more school groups and a broader audience. "I think there is a little more diversity" among visitors, Backlund said.

Exhibits at the visitors center touch on secession and Reconstruction.

Additional wayside exibits are designed to capture the attention of visitors, who tend to spend only a minute reading them.

"They tell you what happened on the piece of ground you are standing on," Backlund said.

Telling the story of what happened at Stones River is hindered somewhat by the lack of any wartime photographs showing the site.

After Gen. Braxton Bragg’s defeat at Perryville, Ky., he and his Confederate Army of the Mississippi retreated, reorganized and were redesignated as the Army of Tennessee. They then advanced to Murfreesboro and prepared to go into winter quarters.

Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans’s Union Army of the Cumberland found Bragg’s army on December 29, 1862, and went into camp that night, within hearing distance of the Rebels, according to a National Park Service summary of the battle.

On Dec. 31, Bragg’s men attacked the Union right flank, where they made progress before being stopped by a stronger Federal line. On Jan 2., 1863, Bragg hurled a division at a Union unit. The Confederates drove most of the Federals back across McFadden’s Ford, but with the assistance of artillery, the Federals repulsed the attack, compelling the Rebels to retire to their original position. Bragg left the field on the January 4-5, retreating to Shelbyville and Tullahoma, Tenn.

"Stones River boosted Union morale," according to the NPS. "The Confederates had been thrown back in the east, west and in the Trans-Mississippi."

Photos courtesy of the National Park Service. Stones River National Battlefield is at 3501 Old Nashville Highway, northwest of Murfreesboro. Additional information is available at the visitors center or by calling (615) 893-9501.

Go deep on Gettysburg at seminar

2011-12-16T05:56:00.000-05:00

Civil war buffs, and those fascinated by American history in general, can make plans now to attend the 2012 Gettysburg Seminar, which will explore some of the long burning issues of the battle at Gettysburg. The seminar, scheduled for April 13-15, is sponsored by Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation. • Article

Views from the Lincoln cottage

2011-12-13T09:10:00.003-05:00

President Abraham Lincoln’s Cottage in Washington is opening an exhibit featuring images of wartime in the nation’s capital during the Civil War. “Seat of War” includes historic prints from the collection held at Lincoln’s summertime retreat. • Article

Elmira prison granary may be rebuilt

2011-12-11T07:28:00.001-05:00

The sole remaining building from the infamous Elmira Civil War prison camp in New York may be reconstructed close to its original site. The granary building, which was painstakingly dismantled and its pieces numbered, has been in storage at various locations for years as historians and others try to figure out what to do with it. • Article

Second Antietam event organized

2011-12-09T08:55:00.002-05:00

A living history group is announcing plans for a second re-enactment of the Battle of Antietam in western Maryland next September to mark the 150th anniversary of the bloodiest day of the Civil War. Events will be held on private land. • Article

'Great Locomotive Chase': Plans for 150th are gathering steam

2011-12-08T08:35:00.038-05:00

A parade, model trains, movie screenings, music and tunnel walks will be part of next spring's observances of the 150th anniversary of the daring Union effort to disrupt rail traffic between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn., during the Civil War.

James Andrews and his band of raiders tried to destroy much of the Western & Atlantic Railroad and communications as they rushed northward on April 12, 1862. They achieved little success and eight of the nearly two dozen captured participants, disguised as civilians, were later hanged in Atlanta as spies. Andrews was among them.

Georgia’s tourism department has been meeting with North Georgia towns and museums about "Great Locomotive Chase" events in 2012.

“We are working with the local communities to support them in their efforts,” said Stefanie Paupeck, communications specialist with the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “The state is not hosting one event. We are working to create a brochure with a map that features the chase route.”

The Picket got in touch with cities along the route of the chase, which began in Big Shanty (present-day Kennesaw) and ended just above Ringgold, below Chattanooga.

Many details are still being worked out. The Picket will add more information, as it becomes available.

ATLANTA CYCLORAMA

The Andrews Raid began above Atlanta, but the museum at Grant Park houses the Texas (right), the locomotive that eventually caught up with the Genera.

The Atlanta Cyclorama is planning activities for Saturday, April 14, likely from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., said marketing manager Yakingma Robinson. Historian Harper Harris will give an account of the chase. Ricky Pittman and Jed Marum will provide songs.

The North Georgia Tinplate Trackers model train club will set up a display. “Every module has push-buttons which allow spectators to operate various model railroad accessories, including crossing gates, billboards, whistles, and other animated structures,” the club states.

MARIETTA

Andrews and his men rendezvoused in Marietta, just northwest of Atlanta, to begin their journey north. They intended to destroy track, trestles, bridges and telegraph lines. A dogged pursuit left them little opportunity to do much damage.

The city has a bevy of events planned over a week, said Theresa Jenkins of the Marietta Welcome Center. Plans are still tentative and prices are still being determined, although there will be some free events. Contact the welcome center for more details.

Thursday, April 12
The city’s celebration begins at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre with the “re-premiere” of the 1956 Disney film “The Great Locomotive Chase,” starring Fess Parker. It will include a red carpet, dinner, organ recital, the movie and a champagne and dessert reception. Current schedule is 6 p.m. until about 11 p.m. The VIP/patron ticket for the movie premiere, which includes a dinner reception, will be $75. The price for the movie and a dessert reception afterward is $35.

Friday, April 13, 2012
10am-5pm: Civil War Home Front Days – Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum, Marietta Museum of History, Root House Museum
10 a.m. and 2pm – “Technology during the Civil War,” Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
11am-5pm – “Homes & Heroes of the Civil War Exhibit”, Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art
11am & 1pm – Historic Marietta Trolley Tours
12pm - 8th Regimental Band performing in the Square (Rain location – Earl Smith Strand Theatre)
8pm “Flyin’ West” – a post-Civil War drama by playwright & author, Pearl Cleage, Theatre in The Square
8pm - Showing of “The General” & organ concert, Earl Smith Strand Theatre

Saturday, April 14, 2012
11am-3pm Living history on the Marietta Square – characters from the chase as well as Marietta’s Civil War history will tell their stories.
Tentative – Musicians from “Stealing Dixie” perform in the Square
10am-5pm – Civil War Home Front Days – Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum, Marietta
Museum of History, Root House Museum
10 am & 2pm – “Technology during the Civil War,” Marietta Museum of History
11am-4pm -“Homes & Heroes of the Civil War Exhibit”, Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art
8pm “Flyin’ West” – a post-Civil War drama by playwright & author, Pearl Cleage, Theatre in The Square
8pm Showing of “The General” & organ concert, Earl Smith Strand Theatre

Sunday, April 15, 2012
11am-4pm – Civil War Home Front Days – Marietta Museum of History & Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum
11am-4pm -“Homes & Heroes of the Civil War Exhibit”, Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art
1pm-5pm - Statue Dedication at Marietta Confederate Cemetery & cemetery tours
2pm Flyin’ West” - Post-Civil War drama by playwright & author, Pearl Cleage, Theatre in The Square

KENNESAW

The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History is a big player in the anniversary events. After all, it houses the General and related exhibits. The city also is organizing events, and is helping to host a breakfast on the actual anniversary.

The Great Locomotive Chase, the Southern Museum points out, actually began on foot.

Western & Atlantic Railroad conductor William A. Fuller was shocked to see a group of men steal the General while passengers and crew were enjoying breakfast at the Lacy Hotel in Big Shanty.

Fuller and a couple others ran north after his train. He didn’t yet know it had been taken by the Union commandos. The conductor ran across a handcar and three trains and traveled 86 miles -- along with Confederate horsemen who had been reached by telegraph -- after the raiders.

The Southern Museum has released a list of activities:

-- Civil War Symposium: March 23, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. A film, lecture and tour will be held at the museum in partnership with Kennesaw State University.

-- April 12 (Thursday): Breakfast and re-enactment at 6 a.m. at the Trackside Grill with actors to re-create the beginning of the Great Locomotive Chase near the original location of the Lacy Hotel.

Commemoration ceremony at 8:30 a.m. in the depot area, with speeches by dignitaries and a citywide parade. Starting at 9:30 a.m., all-day free admission and guided tours of the museum.

Evening fund-raiser dinner at the museum sponsored by the Marietta Rotary Club at 7 p.m. at the Cobb Energy Gallery, $100 per person. There will be a musical performance by Bobby Horton, artist of Civil War music, and the donation of John Morehead Scott’s Medal of Honor to the museum by the family. Scott was one of the raiders.

-- April 14-15: Several re-enactment units will interpret Camp McDonald, the Confederate encampment once located across the tracks from the Lacy Hotel. Free to the public.

-- May 26: Descendants of participants in the chase will unite for a day of storytelling and camaraderie. This is an invitation-only event that includes the Great Locomotive Chase bus tour, followed by a catered dinner.

KINGSTON/ADAIRSVILLE

The raiders had to wait for almost an hour at Kingston while several southbound freight trains cleared the tracks, according to the Cartersville-Bartow County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Four minutes after the General left Kingston's yard, the Confederate crew arrived on the Yonah. Instead of trying to negotiate the complicated Kingston rail yard, the Confederates took a locomotive owned by the Rome Railroad and continued the chase.

Confederates chasing the General switched to the Texas in Adairsville, and ran it in reverse as they followed Andrews (left).

The 1847 W&A Railroad Depot, 101 Public Square, features displays of Adairsville's role in the raid, its local history and tributes to early life in Adairsville. The Adairsville Rail Depot Age of Steam Museum has no concrete plans yet to mark the anniversary, but is coordinating any future efforts with the state.

CALHOUN/GORDON COUNTY

Events are being planned April 12 around the Calhoun depot and GEM Theater, according to Ken Padgett of the Friends of Resaca Battlefield. Further details are not yet available from the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce.

Padgett told the Calhoun Times that raiders cut telegraph lines when they went through the city. In Resaca, men on the General detached a rail car and set it on fire on the rail bridge in hopes of burning it down. The bridge was not burned completely because of a rainstorm, Padgett told the Times.

Fuller first spied the Union raiders just south of Resaca, near the Oostanaula River.

DALTON/WHITFIELD COUNTY

One of Andrews’ targets was supposed to be the 1,477-foot tunnel blasted through Chetoogeta Mountain at appropriately named Tunnel Hill, a town 110 miles north of Atlanta.

Tentative plans have been set for Saturday, April 14, said Ty Snyder, manager of visitors centers for the Dalton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The day will include a stop at the abandoned Western & Atlantic rail roadbed in Tilton, and the stone trestle and site of Green’s Wood station. Lunch will be held at the Western & Atlantic Depot (Dalton Depot Restaurant) in downtown. Participants also will see the Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel & Museum in Tunnel Hill. Contact Snyder at 800-331-3258 or tsnyder@visitdaltonga.com.

Because pursuers were closing fast on the General, it could take on only a little water and wood in Tilton.

RINGGOLD

At about 1 p.m. April 12, 1862, the General ran out of wood and water two miles north of this city, with the Southerners, aboard the Texas, fast upon them. “The Confederates rounded up all the raiders.

Eight of the 20 were tried as spies and executed in Atlanta. The rest either escaped or were exchanged, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. Andrews and a couple other raiders were civilians. The rest were soldiers. The very first Medals of Honor were given to some of these Federal men.

City Manager Dan Wright told the Picket an interpretive marker about the chase recently arrived. A new rail-viewing platform (above) also has been dedicated at the depot.

Credits: Chase map, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia; W&A tunnel photo courtesy of Dalton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau; rail platform photo courtesy of city of Ringgold

Wilson's Creek artifacts off display

2011-12-05T11:31:00.002-05:00

The Civil War museum at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield closed last week, and its artifacts won't return to public view until April 2013. Conservation specialists will be at the Missouri battlefield in January to determine what needs to be done to clean and repair pieces in the collection. • Article

Antietam aglow with luminarias

2011-12-03T07:47:00.002-05:00

When dusk falls Saturday night, Antietam National Battlefield will be alight with 23,110 luminarias, each representing a casualty of the Sept. 17, 1862, Battle of Antietam. More than 1,400 volunteers were expected to be out Saturday morning to place the luminarias on the battlefield, which saw the bloodiest single day of fighting of the Civil War. • Article

West Va. releases regional videos

2011-12-01T07:59:00.002-05:00

The state Division of Tourism is marking the 150th anniversary of the war by unveiling a series of nine heritage videos. The roughly six-minute video for the Mid-Ohio Valley, for example, talks about battles in Cairo, Burning Springs, Grantsville, Spencer, Ripley, Buffington Island and Belleville Island. • Article

N.C. launches website for lessons

2011-11-29T18:29:00.002-05:00

North Carolina students now have a way to link their classroom lessons about the Civil War with the actual sites where historic events took place. A website for teachers offers activities and lesson plans based around 12 state historic sites such as Bentonville Battlefield and Fort Fisher. The materials can be used alone if classes can't visit the sites. • Website

Part 3 of returned flag: Yankee officer lived a truly heroic, American life

2011-11-28T18:39:00.032-05:00

The Picket previously reported on a descendant of a Union officer returning a captured flag to Fort McAllister, Ga., which defended Savannah during the Civil War. A second installment provided a closer look at the Emmett Rifles, to whom the flag belonged. This concluding report describes the amazing life of that Union artillery officer (photo below).

Accompanied by a signal officer, Capt. William Z. Clayton, 29, trudged into Fort McAllister on Dec, 13, 1864, the first Union soldiers to enter the overrun fortification near Savannah.

Garrison commander Maj. George Anderson placed at least five flags -- including that of the Emmett Rifles militia unit -- into Clayton’s hands, weathered by years of farming and soldiering.

The honor of receiving tokens of surrender must have been bittersweet for Clayton.

Clayton’s first wife, Lizzie, died of tuberculosis in May 1864. Clayton may not have yet known that Edmund, the older of his three brothers to serve in the Union cavalry, had died in October 1864 at Andersonville prison camp which, like McAllister, was in Georgia.

Besides a heavy heart, Clayton carried into the earthen fortification on the Ogeechee River a musket or rifle ball in his left thigh, a wound he suffered at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, when his unit made a heroic stand.

Having two horses shot from beneath him at Shiloh, Clayton would suffer other privations and see countless men succumb to horrific wounds or disease in the following three years.

His unit, First Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery, served at Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Kennesaw, Ezra Church and Atlanta, among other campaigns, before joining Major Gen. William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea.

After the fall of Savannah, Clayton carried with him the Emmett Rifles flag during the war’s concluding battles in the Carolinas, including Bentonville, N.C, in March 1865.

Clayton and his descendants kept the silk banner in Illinois and Maine for nearly 150 years, until a great-grandson, Robert “Bob” Clayton, earlier this year made good on his ancestor’s wish to have it returned one day to Georgia.

The flag was recently conserved by the state and will be formally dedicated March 15, 2012, at Fort McAllister Historic Park, according to park manager Daniel Brown. Bob Clayton is among the invitees.

Clayton’s is the story of hundreds of thousands others who fought for the blue and gray: Young men who left family farms and joined military units, hoping to share in the grand adventure.

The artilleryman wrote Lizzie less than two weeks before he saw action at Shiloh’s famed Hornet’s Nest (right).

“I think this is going to be the final blow to Rebellion and if so we shall be discharged this summer some time,” Clayton wrote near Pittsburg Landing, Tenn.

His prediction was not to be.

He took up a plow, then weapon

William Z. Clayton packed a full life into his 94 years, winning praise as a soldier, businessman and public servant.

He was a land speculator, farmer, undertaker, grocer, lumber yard owner and liquor agent. A prominent citizen in Bangor, Maine, Clayton served on various city boards. He was a longtime member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the preeminent Union veterans organization.

Clayton lived the quintessential American life, traveling west from Maine while only 19, caught up in the pioneer spirit of the times.

After first going to Wisconsin, he settled in southern Minnesota and worked the land. Clayton Township, east of Austin, Minnesota, was renamed in his honor in 1873.

According to an 1884 document housed in the Austin (Minn.) Public Library, “The soil is a dark, rich loam,” ideal for growing grass and cereal crops.

The Civil War broke out in 1861, when Clayton was 25. The First Battery of Minnesota Light Artillery was mustered at Fort Snelling on Nov. 21, 1861, and was issued two 12-pound howitzers and four brass-rifled Parrott guns.

The unit traveled to Paducah, Kentucky, in early spring 1862. It would face its first real test April 6-7 at Shiloh.

Crushing the 'monster'

Confederate Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston chose Corinth, Miss., a major transportation center, as the staging area for an offensive after the fall of forts Henry and Donelson to Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (below) and his Army of the Tennessee.

Federal forces, including Clayton’s battery, were rushed to the region.

On March 26, 1862, the young sergeant wrote to Lizzie back home in Minnesota.

Clayton described a long boat ride and eating raw pork and hard bread.

“When we got to Pittsburg Landing we found plenty of unburied rebels that the gunboats had killed which preceeded (sic) us,” he said in one letter, part of a Minnesota Historical Society collection.

Clayton expected a fight.

“We have got 85 rounds of shot for each gun and we think we shall begin to throw some of them in a few days,” he wrote. “I shall be glad when the monster is crushed for it is a curse to our Country.”

The light artillery unit drilled in 10-acre field with five to eight other batteries. Horses glistened with sweat in the warm spring weather.

“We may be well-drilled but when it comes to the tug of battle we may not be what we think we are. I know of one that can run if Secesh gits (sic) after him and I have a Horse that can fly. But we expect to whip them and are bound to. These woods will be strewn with the dead if we do not whip them,” Clayton wrote his wife.

He likened the Southern rebellion to a “poisonous serpent.”

Already wounded, escaping death

On the morning of April 6, Johnston attacked and surprised Grant’s army at Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh) before Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell Army of Ohio could join him.

Some Federals made determined stands and by afternoon, they had established a battle line at the sunken road, known as the “Hornet’s Nest,” according to the National Park Service. Repeated Rebel attacks failed to carry the Hornet’s Nest, but massed artillery helped to turn the tide as Confederates surrounded the Union troops and captured, killed or wounded most.

Clayton later wrote at least two letters about the Hornet’s Nest to his parents in Maine.

In the first, he told them he was hobbling around on clutches as he convalesced.

“Mother you need not give yourself any uneasyness (sic) about me for the Ladies of this place are doing everything for our comfort that a mother do,” the soldier wrote from a St. Louis hospital. “The ball in my leg does not trouble me much. If it ever troubles me I will have it cut out.”

His correspondence in June 1862 gave a gritty and riveting account of the Shiloh battle.

Before the fighting, Clayton endured two weeks of the “Tennessee Quick Step,” the soldiers’ moniker for dysentery and diarrhea.

The sergeant was trying to fill his canteen at a spring on the morning of April 6 when the unit was told to get the battery ready for action.

They received heavy Rebel fire. A captain had his horse shot from under him and a driver was killed instantly by a ball through the head. Although the battery was “belching fourth their messingers (sic) of death,” the unit had to retreat because of a lack of infantry support, Clayton wrote.

Confederates attacked with fixed bayonets.

“We should have lost everything there and all been taken prisoners in a moment more.”

Clayton spied a cavalry horse with an empty saddle and rode it until the steed was fatally wounded by a shot to the shoulder.

The battery regrouped on a dirt road near Duncan Field and received support from Iowa troops. It poured canister and double canister into attacking waves of Confederates for six hours at the Hornet’s Nest (monument, above).

“We gave them shot and shell as fast as they could receive it.”

But the Confederates killed horses and sharpshooters began to pick off cannoneers.

Clayton first suffered a flesh wound in one of his lower legs late in the afternoon. Then came the more serious injury.

“I saw one of my best boys fall and in came a shot and killed my horse and I jumped from him and just as I raised to my feet I received my wound,” he wrote. The round “paralised” his left leg and he sat against a tree, revolver drawn because he expected to be bayoneted. Clayton witnessed others being shot.

“I looked towards the guns and as I peaked out from the tree a ball struck the tree right in the rainge (sic) of my face but it struck the tree just far enough to glance the ball and carry it by my face knocking the bark into my face. My gunner was with me and jerked me back.”

The Minnesotans, unlike thousands of others in blue, avoided capture at Shiloh. A general wrote that Clayton should be promoted for his service that day.

Buell’s army arrived that night. Johnston had been mortally wounded earlier and his second in command, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, took over, plotting the next day’s action.

“Beauregard ordered a counterattack, which stopped the Union advance but did not break its battle line,” according to the National Park Service battle summary. “At this point, Beauregard realized that he could not win and, having suffered too many casualties, he retired from the field and headed back to Corinth.”

The Union won a costly victory.

“He carried the ball in his leg the rest of his life,” Bob Clayton, who lives in Isleboro, Maine, said of his great-grandfather.

Amazing return of Bible

Lizzie gave William a Bible before Shiloh.

The soldier wrote of losing gear, including the Bible, when Confederates overran his battery’s camp early in the fighting.

A Confederate officer wrote his name in the Bible, according to Bob Clayton.

A Union soldier apparently got possession of the book in Atlanta. He mailed it to the elder Clayton in Maine.

William Z. Clayton was promoted lieutenant after Shiloh and replaced Capt. Emil Munch -- seriously wounded at the Hornet’s Nest -- as battery commander. He later became a captain and brevet major.

The Minnesota battery saw action in most of the major western campaigns that followed Shiloh. A plaque (left) at Vicksburg lists Clayton’s contributions and he wrote reports after fighting at Kennesaw Mountain and Ezra Church during the 1864 Atlanta Campaign. By then, the First Battery had new 3-inch rifle Rodman guns.

Clayton was promoted to chief of artillery for the Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps, and rode from Atlanta in early autumn 1864 toward his date with destiny at Fort McAllister.

Fort stood up to ironclads, not infantry

Fort McAllister stood as a stubborn sentinel on the Ogeechee River. As long as it held, Sherman would have a tough time resupplying his army as he besieged Savannah in December 1864. McAllister also provided access to vital bridges and railroads.

Among the scant defenders by this time were the Emmett Rifles, Company F, 22nd Battalion, Georgia Heavy Artillery, formed before the war in Savannah.

The Rifles normally comprised between 50 and 95 members. Although they first believed they would serve in the infantry, the company served as artillerymen.

“A large part of the fort is still there,” said Roger S. Durham, author of “Guardian of Savannah,” a book about McAllister.

Unlike the brick and supposedly impregnable Fort Pulaski on the Savannah River, McAllister had a unique design of earthworks that thwarted the Union navy during seven assaults. But it was designed to fight ships, not large numbers of troops.

Its low, shell-resistant walls and earth and sand construction made it easier to repair after naval assaults.

But malaria, isolation and boredom were tough on the garrison, which could take cover in a central bombproof.

“It was not a pleasure cruise,” according to Durham.

During 1862 and 1863, Fort McAllister repelled seven Union naval attacks by elements of the blockading forces offshore and in nearby Ossabaw Sound, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

The Emmett Rifles flag includes two dates: Feb. 1, 1863, when the ironclad USS Montauk led an attack, and March 3, 1863, when the Confederates rebuffed four ironclads whose weapons damaged the fort during an eight-hour bombardment.

McAllister commander Maj. John B. Gallie died during the Montauk attack. The fort’s beloved pet mascot, Tom Cat, died during the March 3 combat.

“The death of the cat was deeply regretted by the men, and news of the fatality was communicated to General Beauregard in the official report of the action,” according to a historic marker at the site.

Sherman’s March to the Sea spelled doom for Fort McAllister and, soon after, Savannah.

On Dec. 13, 1864, more than 3,000 forces in blue overwhelmed the 230 defenders at Fort McAllister. Only 25 members of the Emmett Rifles were on duty. The fight was over in 15 minutes.

After horrors of war, a long life

The war, of course, was not quite over when Sherman delivered Savannah to President Abraham Lincoln as a Christmas present.

The army chased and battled Confederate units in the Carolinas over the next three months.

Clayton received the honor of leading a 100-gun salute when the Union flag was unfurled over the South Carolina Capitol in Columbia. He was chosen by Sherman in “recognition of his gallant and distinguished services.”

The Minnesota artillery unit fought its last major battle at Bentonville and participated in the army’s Grand Review in Washington after the war ended.

Clayton and his comrades were mustered out July 1, 1865, back at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.

The veteran married Laurette Knowles and had six children, including son Charles, who operated the family’s 2,000 acres and cattle at Clayton Township.

Clayton worked the summers in Minnesota and winters in Bangor until his later years, when he lived full time in Maine. He died there in 1929.

In January 1900, a fellow member of the Grand Army of the Republic wrote a letter in support of Clayton’s candidacy to lead the state chapter (department).

“A gallant and distinguished soldier of the Union Army, an honorable and estimable citizen of the State of Maine, a fraternal, charitable and loyal comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, we present him as a candidate on the platform of his public record and his private worth and ask our comrades to join with us in giving effect to the recommendation of his old commander, ‘he ought to be promoted.’”

Clayton won his last promotion.

Photos of First Minnesota Battery flag and of veterans next to artillery piece courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society

Museum shows his massive collection

2011-11-27T12:56:00.002-05:00

Bob Sackheim is a Civil War buff and something of a hoarder. When his collection finally got out of hand at home he decided to open a museum in downtown Decatur, Ala. An ivory-handled Colt 1851 Navy revolver with silver inlay that belonged to Union Brig. Gen. Joseph K. Mansfield is Sackheim's "pride and joy." • Article

Have a great Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T07:51:00.001-05:00

While the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by early colonists in the 1600s, it did not become an annual celebration until 1863. That year, in the middle of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln called on all Americans to give thanks on the last Thursday of November. I'd like to wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Ancestor left unclaimed medal

2011-11-24T05:51:00.001-05:00

A Wood County, West Va., man picked up an unclaimed Civil War medal from officials this week on behalf of his great, great uncle. Tom Moore, related to Henry S. Elliott, claimed the Civil War medal from the West Virginia State Archives. • Article

Chancellorsville gets an app

2011-11-21T07:55:00.003-05:00

History teamed up with technology when officials unveiled the latest Civil War app, this one for Chancellorsville. The Civil War Trust and state and local officials debuted the smartphone application Monday at the Chancellorsville Visitor Center in Spotsylvania, Va. • Article

Lights on monument spark debate

2011-11-17T07:24:00.004-05:00

A decision to string holiday lights from a Civil War monument has created a major controversy in Highstown, N.J. The plan is to hang strands of lighted garland from the top of a two-story Civil War monument. "Most of the houses get lit up so light up the park, too," says resident Beth Traband. Others in the borough are horrified by the idea. They call it disrespectful. • Article

Are Rebel subs beneath casino site?

2011-11-15T06:53:00.003-05:00

Four Confederate submarines built in Shreveport to protect the Red River from Union advances may be beneath the proposed site of the Margaritaville casino, a local historian says. But developers of the 400-room resort-casino north of the Louisiana Boardwalk say they're confident the subs are not there. • Article

Bullets found in William & Mary well

2011-11-13T07:59:00.003-05:00

Archaeologists at the College of William and Mary have uncovered what's believed to be a Civil War-era well. Crews doing studies in advance of a utility project on the oldest part of the Williamsburg, Va., campus recently uncovered the well, lead bullets and other artifacts that date to the period when federal troops occupied school grounds. • Article

The rise of Grant and Forrest

2011-11-11T07:31:00.007-05:00

I just completed this 2007 account of the Fort Henry and Fort Donelson campaign in Tennessee that author Jack Hurst contends "slashed an ever-widening mortal wound that split the Confederacy asunder."

Hurst does an admirable job of capturing the politics swirling behind the 1862 battles that propelled Grant toward greatness, with a few nervous moments two months later at Shiloh. The writer portrays Grant as an unassuming, understated general who survives critics, particularly on accounts of his drinking. In Hurst's view, Grant's boss, Henry Halleck, is as much as enemy as the Confederates, scheming to undercut Grant's role and reputation. Always, Hurst writes, Grant, unlike many Union colleagues, pressed the fight.

I found the sections on the battle-tested Forrest a bit disappointing. You learn little of his character, ambitions and impact on the war. A reader might be surprised Hurst spent so few pages on this, given the book's title and a presumption of comparisons between the generals.

Still, "Men of Fire" is an excellent history of the soldiers, sailors and military leaders who battled for control of vital river and railroad lanes in the South.

Fort in S.C. defended freed slaves

2011-11-09T07:26:00.002-05:00

A monument has been dedicated to a little-known chapter in South Carolina history — a Civil War fort built by liberated slaves to protect a black settlement. The fort, named after Gen. Joshua Howell, who was killed in the battle of Richmond, was built by the 32nd U.S. Colored Infantry and 144th N.Y. Infantry to defend the island from Confederate raids and expeditions. • Article

Residents help save Franklin tract

2011-11-06T06:00:00.003-05:00

Neighbors in Franklin, Tenn., sell their five acres of battlefield land for $200,000, raised in grants and pledges by the Civil War Trust. Long before the land was set to be developed to add new homes, the grassy five-acre field was the scene of nightmarish, grisly fighting on Nov. 30, 1864, when thousands of soldiers were mortally wounded or blown to pieces. • Article

All aboard: Northwest Georgia communities market Civil War, trains

2011-11-05T08:30:00.015-04:00

Like many residences across the South, the Clisby Austin House in Tunnel Hill, Ga., changed hands during the Civil War.

Men in gray used it as a hospital after the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863. Gen. John Bell Hood, who would later command Confederate forces at the Battle of Atlanta, recuperated here after his leg was amputated at Chickamauga. The limb is buried outside the stately brick home, built in 1848.

The boys in blue occupied the home for a time during the 1864 Atlanta Campaign, staff officers and couriers hustling about as Gen. William T. Sherman plotted his next moves.

These days, local governments and tourism officials are hoping this pocket of northwest Georgia will witness another color: The green of tourism dollars.

"Tourism is one of the tools in our tool box," says Ty Snyder, manager of visitors centers at the Dalton Freight Depot and the Tunnel Hill Heritage Center.

This area, rich in railroad and Civil War history, including the only Georgia battle involving U.S. Colored Troops, could use the boost.

With an unemployment rate well above 12 percent, Whitfield County has lost jobs as the once-thriving textile and carpet industry has endured hard times.

The Dalton Convention and Visitors Bureau, which employs Snyder, has increased its Civil War tourism efforts, enhancing billboards and signage on Interstate 75 and U.S. 41.

The area's proximity to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park also will be a boost during the Civil War sesquicentennial.

The effort, assisted by lodging taxes, is paying off, said Snyder.

Visitor numbers for 2011 (about 3,000) at the Tunnel Hill Heritage Center already are ahead of the 2010 total. October was a particularly strong month, Snyder says.

This year, Snyder became the first full-time manager of the two venues as part of a five-year plan to "reinvigorate" the sites.

The Western and Atlantic railroad ensured that Dalton would be a critical point in the Civil War.

James Andrews and his band of Union raiders unsuccessfully tried to destroy much of the Western and Atlantic as they rushed northward from Atlanta toward Chattanooga, Tenn., during the "Great Locomotive Chase" in 1862.

One of their targets was supposed to be the 1,477-foot tunnel blasted through Chetoogeta Mountain at appropriately named Tunnel Hill, a town 110 miles north of Atlanta.

Two years after the Andrews Raid, Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s forces and Confederate soldiers fought several times around Tunnel Hill during his 1864 campaign to take Atlanta.

An annual re-enactment of the various battles and skirmishes in the area is held in September.

For an affordable $5 ($3 for children 12 and under), visitors can take a guided walk through the tunnel and learn fascinating details of its construction and use.

The Tunnel Hill Heritage Center includes exhibits on the early days of the textile business in the area. Snyder said he is trying "junior tours" to increase interest among children.

"You have to expand your focus," Snyder says.

Until this year, the Clisby Austin House was a private residence. In conjunction with the Tunnel Hill Historical Foundation and the town of Tunnel Hill, weekend tours of the home began this fall. Its grand opening is scheduled for Dec. 3.

The visitors bureau sells a $15 audio driving tour of area Civil War sites. Along with a guide book and map, the tour includes informaton on Dug Gap, Buzzard's Roost Gap and the Battle of Resaca.

The bureau operates another visitors center at the Dalton Freight Depot.

"We are the only place in Georgia, outside of Atlanta, where the Norfolk Southern and CSX rail lines intersect and run side-by-side," it says. "This rare convergence makes Dalton great for train viewing.

The depot includes eight exhibit cases, a webcame and a 1949 Pullman passenger car.

• Visitors bureau | • Tunnel Hill Heritage Center
• Chickamauga battlefield | • Dalton 150th

Photos courtesy of Dalton Convention and Visitors Bureau

The computer ate my homework ...

2011-11-03T10:42:00.014-04:00

You may recall the first two of three Picket articles on a Savannah militia unit's flag being returned to Fort McAllister in Georgia.

I had my notes ready to go for part three, concentrating on the Union soldier who ended up with the flag after the fort fell to Union forces in December 1864. My computer decided to take a long breather and I had no backup, except for some printed notes (yes, there is a lesson here).

Regardless, I will have it posted before the end of the month -- promise. In the meantime, here are the first two reports:

• Maine resident returns flag to Ga.
• Southerners rushed to join home units

Black-powder revolver goes for $25K

2011-11-01T13:49:00.001-04:00

A Samuel Colt .44-caliber black powder revolver once owned by a sergeant with the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantryman sold for auction for $25,000. The piece included the original box, holder, cartridge box, belt and belt buckle. • Article

Posters were vivid calls to arms

2011-10-30T07:44:00.002-04:00

Like the posters in later wars, those employed by the Union and Confederacy used patriotic effigies such as Lady Liberty to entice recruits. But in contrast with the inspiring messages from the 20th century, the text of these posters is much more blunt. The sentiment "Don't wait to be drafted" fills a line on almost every flyer. • Images

Brown's action sent shock waves

2011-10-28T19:39:00.002-04:00

Tony Horwitz, an award-winning author, tells the story of John Brown in his new book, "Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Road that Sparked the Civil War." "I think we still struggle to comprehend why Americans, who by and large shared a common culture, and language and religion, came to slaughter each other by the thousands in the 1860s," Horwitz said. • Article

Longstreet Society yard sale Saturday

2011-10-27T08:00:00.008-04:00

Here's another timely item on the Longstreet Society, which operates from an historic building in Gainesville, Ga.

The Piedmont Hotel is the centerpiece of the society, which was formed in 1994 to honor the life of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet, who lived in Gainesville in his last years and died at age 82 in 1904.

The yard/estate sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 29) at the Piedmont Hotel, 827 Maple St., Gainesville.

Items for sale are expected to include kerosene and electric heaters, glass lantern globes, bricks, wooden shutters, an antique mahogany and brass coffee table, chandeliers and more.

The society uses the old hotel rooms to tell Longstreet's story. He bought and operated the hotel for several years. Society treasurer Joe Whitaker said the proceeds will go toward an outstanding $50,000 loan. The group has done extensive renovations over the years and bought a lot next door for parking.

The hotel has seen an increase in visitors and is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

For more information on the sale, e-mail longstreet@longstreetsociety.org or call 770-539-9005.

Remembering Battle of Port Royal

2011-10-26T11:47:00.001-04:00

Port Royal Plantation is hosting a community commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Port Royal from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 5. Port Royal Plantation includes the historic site of Fort Walker and the naval battle on Nov. 7, 1861, that made Hilton Head Island, S.C., an important supply and headquarters base for the federal military during the Civil War. • Details

Longstreet Society seminar held on bloodied ground of Manassas

2011-10-25T10:26:00.009-04:00

The Gainesville, Ga.-based Longstreet Society earlier this month visited Manassas National Battlefield Park, scene of the general's crushing assault on the Union army in the second of two engagements on the Virginia battle ground.

Speakers included Perry Jamieson, co-author of "Attack and Die: Civil War Military Tactics and the Southern Heritage," and Scott Patchan, who wrote "Second Manassas: Longstreet's Attack and the Struggle for Chinn Ridge."

In August 1862, Gen. John Pope clashed with Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson in Northern Virginia. At Manassas, their armies slugged it out on Aug. 29. According to the National Park Service battle summary, "During the afternoon, Longstreet’s troops arrived on the battlefield and, unknown to Pope, deployed on Jackson’s right, overlapping the exposed Union left. Lee urged Longstreet to attack, but “Old Pete” demurred. The time was just not right, he said. Critics have said Lee should have overruled Longstreet.

After futile Federal attacks on Aug. 30, Longstreet made his move.

"Seeing the Union lines in disarray, Longstreet pushed his massive columns forward and staggered the Union left. Pope’s army was faced with annihilation. Only a heroic stand by northern troops, first on Chinn Ridge and then once again on Henry Hill, bought time for Pope’s hard-pressed Union forces."

Pope withdrew to Washington and Lee prepared for an invasion of the North.

Dan Paterson, great-grandson of Longstreet, told the Picket he spoke at the seminar about how the maligned Longstreet's postwar support for black suffrage made him the "fall guy" for the war's loss.

The 2012 seminar is scheduled for Oct. 6-7. It will cover the Seven Days Campaign in Virginia.

Spoil of war returned to Va.

2011-10-22T08:11:00.002-04:00

Nearly 150 years after a Union Army captain pilfered a book of court records from a county courthouse in Virginia during the Civil War, the Jersey City Free Public Library has returned the 220-year-old spoil of war to its rightful home. • Article

Dear Sallie: Letters from N. Fla.

2011-10-19T05:58:00.004-04:00

A new book contains 114 letters -- mostly from Private James Jewel of Oglethorpe County, Ga., to his sister Sallie -- written between 1862 and 1865. While many Civil War soldiers' letters are from the better-known battlefields, most of these are from the north Florida campaign. Those from his sister tell of the plight of women on the home front, and show how desperate things had become for them. • Article

Artillery shell removed from yard

2011-10-16T08:27:00.001-04:00

An apparently live Civil War artillery shell -- buried in a Johns Island, South Carolina, yard for more than a century -- was removed Friday and will be detonated, authorities said. • Article

Walking the fields at Perryville

2011-10-14T10:07:00.013-04:00

His failure to chase Braxton Bragg's army after the Oct. 8, 1862, Battle of Perryville in Kentucky cost Union Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell his job. While brave and organized, Buell was cautious and lacked the ingenuity to overcome unexpected circumstances.

Last month, I finally was able to visit Perryville, stopping at the visitors center for exhibits and a movie, before taking a self-guided tour over much of the battlefied.

It was a beautiful late summer afternoon, puffs of clouds hovering over the green rolling fields. With the exception of one couple, we had Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site to ourselves.

Bragg’s autumn 1862 invasion of Kentucky had reached the outskirts of Louisville and Cincinnati, but his far-outnumbered army was forced to retreat and regroup.

According to a National Park Service summary of the battle, Buell's army, numbering nearly 55,000, converged on the small crossroads town of Perryville in three columns.

The undulating hills in the area had a strange effect, we had learned, making it difficult to hear the din of battle from portions of the battlefield. Buell, who wasn't aware of the fierce fighting until late in the day, failed to send a large number of reserves to stem the Confederate assaults.

We walked up and down the terrain where Maney's men in gray attacked the Union flank and forced it to fall back. When more Confederate divisions joined the fray, the Union line made a stubborn stand, counterattacked, but finally fell back with some troops routed, according to the NPS.

The Yankees regrouped and were able to push some Confederates back into Perryville.

"Bragg, short of men and supplies, withdrew during the night, and, after pausing at Harrodsburg, continued the Confederate retrograde by way of Cumberland Gap into East Tennessee. The Confederate offensive was over, and the Union controlled Kentucky."

Casualties were estimated at 7,407, 4,211 of them Federal.

The Civil War Trust is trying to purchase a 141-acre tract on the extreme southern portion of the battlefield, where Rebels had smashed into the Union line.

A Louisianian described the fighting on this tract as "the grandest but the most awful sight, ever looked upon ... the enemy stood firm," according to the trust's website.

Despite surprising the Federal forces holding the line near the Squire Henry Bottom house, the fighting had quickly devolved to a bloody, stand-up fight. "All along our front, a solid line of dead and wounded lay, in some places three deep, extending to the right from the barn."

Battle of Franklin this weekend

2011-10-13T10:59:00.002-04:00

The second-ever large-scale re-enactment of the Battle of Franklin is this weekend at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Tennessee. Organizers expect at least 700 re-enactors — twice as many as last year — to participate. • Article | • Event site

Faith in the trenches, homefront

2011-10-11T08:46:00.001-04:00

The S.C. Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum has opened a new exhibit — “Through Fiery Trials: Religion in the Civil War” — taking a look at that faith. During the sesquicentennial “we wanted to showcase different things from our collection that don’t get to be viewed by the general public,” said Kristina Johnson, the Relic Room’s curator of history. “Personal Bibles and devotionals from South Carolina soldiers are a strongpoint of our collection and we wanted to highlight that. The exhibit grew from there.” • Article

Lessons from Ball's Bluff

2011-10-08T08:43:00.004-04:00

The Battle of Ball’s Bluff in Leesburg, Va., is the tale of a quick slaughter. It contains broader lessons about warfare, painfully learned as bodies floated downstream. • Article

Stolen flag recovered in Va.

2011-10-05T11:29:00.002-04:00

A Civil War battle flag said to have been stolen from a Louisiana museum more than two decades ago is headed home after the FBI found the item at a house in Caroline County, Va. • Article

Group hopes to get train rolling

2011-10-03T09:50:00.003-04:00

A replica of a Civil War-era train could be rolling through central Pennsylvania in time for the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg, if members of a York County nonprofit have their way. • Article

Re-enactor decides to hang up the kepi

2011-09-29T08:48:00.003-04:00

After 20 years re-enacting, Rosario Roberts of Los Molinos, Calif., is giving up salt pork and hardtack. His organization, Re-enactors of the American Civil War, has been re-creating Civil War battles, as well as camp and civilian life, since 1991. • Article

Lowcountry events include Port Royal

2011-09-27T10:15:00.004-04:00

Lowcountry residents and visitors will have a chance to see Civil War history come to life in December on Hilton Head Island. Historians and re-enactors will revisit the first major amphibious assault in U.S. history -- the Battle of Port Royal. • Article

Excavating bombproof in Virginia

2011-09-24T10:36:00.004-04:00

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, researchers at Historic Jamestowne in Virginia are excavating a shelter on the island that was built in 1861 and known as Fort Pocahontas. They are paying close attention to a bomb shelter. • Video

Higher estimate for number of war dead

2011-09-22T10:26:00.003-04:00

An analysis of historic census figures reveals the death toll in the U.S. Civil War was higher than previously estimated, a historian says. J. David Hacker of Binghamton University in New York says the war's dead numbered about 750,000, an estimate 20 percent higher than the commonly cited figure. • Article

Historic Fort Monroe closes -- for now

2011-09-18T06:55:00.001-04:00

Fort Monroe, located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, was officially closed by the U.S. Army and handed over to the state. Since the closure of the fort, with its more than 170 historic buildings and significant Civil War history, was announced in 2005, its future use has been constantly debated. • Article

Ride honors Civil War dead, today's warriors

2011-09-16T06:54:00.002-04:00

A retired Special Forces officer will lead hundreds of motorcycle riders on a 130-mile ride through four states, 19 counties and three national battlefields during the 8th Annual Battlefield Run on Sept. 17 to raise funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. • Article

Survey of Missouri, Illinois artifacts

2011-09-14T08:35:00.000-04:00

A library at Southeast Missouri State University wants to document the whereabouts of letters, journals, diaries, photographs and other original documents dating back to the Civil War. • Article

Plans for Rebel flying machine up for sale

2011-09-13T08:33:00.002-04:00

The papers of R. Finley Hunt, a dentist with a passion for flight, describe scenarios where flying machines bomb Federal troops. Hunt's papers will be sold at the Space and Aviation Artifacts auction. • Article

Part 2 of flag returned 147 years later: Savannah militia units were caught up in war fever

2011-09-12T11:17:00.026-04:00

Last month, the Picket reported on a descendant of a Union officer returning a captured flag to Fort McAllister, Ga., which defended Savannah during the Civil War. The flag belonged to the Emmett Rifles, a volunteer militia company. This installment provides a closer look at the Rifles and the Republican Blues, with whom they served.

What a parade it was. Onlookers lined the streets of Manhattan, curious about these dashing young men who had just arrived from the South.

Dressed in woolen uniforms and toting knapsacks, Savannah’s Republican Blues marched smartly to the sounds of their own band as they made a grand entrance, writes Jacqueline Jones, author of “Saving Savannah: The City and the Civil War.”

The venerable volunteer militia unit enjoyed all that New York society could offer that week in July 1860. As guests of the New York Light Guards, the company wined and dined, marched, drilled and enjoyed ceremonial dinners and receptions. Their tall plumed bearskin hats, dark blue dress coats and white pants made them look almost regal.

The Republican Blues, the New York Times gushed, boasted “some of the wealthiest and most honored citizens of Savannah.”

At the time, it wasn’t uncommon for exclusive companies to travel to other cities, where they enjoyed the camaraderie of their fellow armed and uniformed volunteers. After all, Jones writes, white elites of the North and South shared kinship and educational and business ties.

The Blues sailed back to Savannah to find a region in turmoil, martial spirit growing as the country began to split. The election of a Republican president appeared more and more likely. Abolitionists railed against slavery as Southern politicians defended states rights.

A rush to enlist in the militias

One of the oldest and renowned militias in Savannah, the Blues had a rich history.

They saw service in Florida during the War of 1812.

“The unit’s members were professional, well-drilled, and prepared to defend the nation, the Constitution, their state, and their community,” writes Roger S. Durham in “The Blues in Gray.”

“Over the years, membership in the Republican Blues became a tradition passed from father to son, from generation to generation, and as such, the ties that bound these men together became very strong,” according to Durham.

Volunteer militia units, largely made up by immigrant groups, particularly the Irish, saw their ranks swell in the months leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.

In the summer of 1860, young men rushed to join the Blues, Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Georgia Hussars, the Jasper Greens, Montgomery Guards, among other companies – and a new group, the Emmett Rifles.

Augustus Bonaud, a Frenchman from Marseilles, organized the Emmett Rifles and served as its commander for more than two years.

“They were more or less formed in the war fever,” said Jim Dunigan, 31, of Savannah, who participates in the Republican Blues and Emmett Rifles (left) living history group programs at Fort McAllister and other locations.

The Blues were among the better trained and professional of the militia units, akin to the National Guard of today.

Jones depicts prewar Savannah as a city determined to uphold its society and plantation-based economy.

“Together, with the fire companies, the militias provided white men with the near-universal experience of parading and drilling, and provided many bankers and hotel keepers with the title of lieutenant or colonel – testament to the overwhelming physical force that undergirded the system of slavery,” she writes.

In November 1860, Jones writes, the Blues unveiled a secession flag. Imprinted on the flag was a coiled snake and the words “Don’t Tread on Me.”

The drums of war were quickening.

Militia companies, part of the First Regiment Georgia Volunteers, seized Fort Pulaski (right) in early 1861 shortly before Georgia voted to secede from the union.

But after the fall of Hilton Head, S.C., Confederate coastal strategy was rethought. Savannah could be defended, but Georgia cities such as Darien and Brunswick, closer to Union warships, could not. Georgia’s barrier islands were abandoned in late 1861.

Durham’s book features the Civil War journal of William Daniel Dixon, a leader in the showcase Blues.

After firing the first shots in defense in Georgia and serving at Pulaski and Tybee Island, the Blues were deployed to Fort Jackson, on the edge of Savannah. They were soon joined by the Emmett Rifles.

Drilling, drilling and more drilling

The Rifles comprised between 50 and 95 members throughout the war. Although they first believed they would serve in the infantry, the company, like the Blues, served as artillerymen at Jackson and, later, at Fort McAllister, the vital fort southwest of Savannah on the Ogeechee River.

Service was not easy. Malaria and other diseases were prevalent, stalking soldiers and civilians like. Daily routines included mustering and drilling.

The dreariness of garrison duty and other distractions occasionally took their toll. Dixon’s journal provides accounts of drunkenness, absence without leave and desertion. According to Dunigan, the Emmetts did not maintain their equipment well and were not considered an elite unit.

Still, "they gave (of) themselves for the defense of the city," Dunigan told the Picket.

"They were not tested in combat until the naval attacks at Fort McAllister and to all accounts they stood up to it manfully, shoulder to shoulder with the Blues," according to Durham.

At Fort Jackson, on April 4, 1862, four months before they were sent to McAllister in the first of two deployments, the Rifles hosted a group of Savannah women who had supported the troops.

Officers of the company “drafted resolutions expressive of our thanks to our lady friends for their kindness shown towards the Company,” according to an article in the April 7, 1862, issue of the Daily Morning News of Savannah.

“We tender to Miss Mary Knox our sincerest thanks for the beautiful banner presented by her to the company.”

The banner was the flag returned earlier this year to Fort McAllister.

The newspaper also made note of “Glorious News from the West.” Confederate forces garnered a decisive victory against the Federals at Corinth, Miss., according to the article.

The fighting coincided with the Battle of Shiloh, which Dixon wrote was a complete victory for the South. Historians consider the outcome essentially a Union victory.

On Dec. 13, 1864, shortly before Savannah fell, the Emmett Rifles would lose their flag to a Union officer who fought at Shiloh.

COMING SOON: The Maine-born artilleryman lived a quintessentially American life, traveling west as a young man and trying his hand in several endeavors. He’s the focus of the conclusion in the story of the Emmett Rifles’ flag. (Credits: Sketch of Republican Blues in camp appeared in Harper's Weekly; photo of Emmett Rifles living history group, courtesy of Jim Dunigan; newspaper article, courtesy of Georgia Historical Society.

Doll stars in detective story

2011-09-11T07:16:00.003-04:00

A doll suspected of carrying medicines to wounded and malaria-stricken Confederate troops has been X-rayed, taken a trip to Virginia's crime lab and starred in a nationally televised investigation. Nina still isn't giving up her secrets. • Article

On to Charleston! Bicyclist-teacher takes in Civil War sites, rolling scenery

2011-09-09T09:25:00.011-04:00

Michael Ahern, 35, a social studies teacher at Brighton High School in Rochester, N.Y., rode his high-tech bicycle nearly 800 miles from Arlington, Va., to Charleston, S.C., stopping at Civil War sites along the way. The Aug. 1-16 trip was part personal challenge, part fund-raiser for the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pa., and part research time for the classroom. The Picket spoke with Ahern about his adventure, which included encounters with about 15 dogs. He rode an average of 50 to 60 miles a day, though some were much longer. The Adventure Cycling Association provided some of his maps.

Q. Why did you make the trip?
A. I wanted to do something physically challenging and I thought about incorporating an educational component and a fund-raising component. I had been to a number of battlefields growing up. I wanted to visit more for my own professional development.

Q. What was the most difficult stretch?
A. Virginia, with rolling topography around Fredericksburg and Richmond. There are constant rolling hills. Once you got on the other side of the James River, it was pretty flat going into North Carolina.

Q. What scene do you most remember?
A. Guinea Station, Va., the “Stonewall” Jackson shrine. I got there in the morning about a half hour before it opened. There was still a lot of mist and it is a rural setting. It was a pretty intimate scene. To go into that house and see the original bed frame, quilt and mantel clock -- that was the neatest. Also Cold Harbor in terms of seeing the earthen trenches that are still intact. You get a sense of what both armies were facing on that day. Grant’s tactics changed after that and he began using his army differently at Petersburg.

Q. What were your stops?
A. Arlington; Fredericksburg, including Mayre’s Heights and Prospect Hill; “Stonewall: Jackson shrine; Seven Days in Richmond, including Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines’ Mill, Malvern Hill; Cold Harbor; Fort Fisher, North Carolina; and Charleston. I was hoping to hit more, but logistically I was under the gun for time.

Q. Who were the most interesting people you met?
A. I spoke to a couple of rangers at Cold Harbor and Fredericksburg. I did not know there was house to house fighting (at Fredericksburg), some of the first of the war. Until then, it was about keeping civilians and property out of it. There were five newspapers and they were vocal on their thoughts on the war. That area was kind of fascinating to me. In upstate New York, we tend to associate pressure being on Lincoln and on the North, especially in December 1862. In Fredericksburg, because of emancipation there was a lot of pressure on the Confederacy with the Union (army) being after Richmond.

Q. Are kids interested in the Civil War?
A. I am somewhat realistic. I feel if I can get a handful of kids a year interested in it, that’s a win for me. With instant gratifications and distractions, I am hoping to present them with information that if it doesn’t resonate with them (immediately) they will come back to it. My big message is if you are passionate about something, do it, live it, embrace it. I view the Civil War as analogous to the blues in music. Without blues there would be no jazz or rock ‘n roll. Without the Civil War, we would not have history as we know it. You can’t understand the 20th century unless you learn how we changed. The Civil War is the aquifer that has fed our history. It always resonates, always there.

Q. What do you hope the 150th anniversary of the war will bring?
A. To commemorate and reflect and have an appreciation for what Americans have gone through. What they sacrificed and have an understanding of that. Everyone at some point in their life should go to a battlefield or a national military cemetery. It has had a tremendous impact on my life.

Q. What battlefield would you like most to see for the first time?
A. I would like to investigate the Nashville and Franklin (Tennessee) area a little bit. It’s intriguing because of (Confederate general) John Bell Hood. An interesting guy throughout the war. What was going through his mind as far as that battle is concerned.

• Read more about Ahern's adventure

Wheeler birthday event this weekend

2011-09-07T08:05:00.009-04:00

The 175th birthday of Confederate cavalryman Joseph Wheeler will be celebrated Saturday (Sept 10) at his north Alabama home, which is being restored. Civil War re-enactors will be roaming the grounds at Pond Spring, outside of Courtland. • Article

Prof chairs Louisiana 150th task force

2011-09-05T11:22:00.001-04:00

Officials at LSU Shreveport say an associate professor of history has been named chairman of Louisiana's Civil War Sesquicentennial Task Force and a member of the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission. • Article

Battlefields group supports monuments work

2011-09-03T07:23:00.013-04:00

A campaign to restore monuments to two generals killed at the Battle of Atlanta is getting help from the Georgia Battlefields Association.

GBA contributed $6,000 for work on memorials honoring Union Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson and Confederate Maj. Gen. W.H.T., killed within a mile of each other on July 22, 1864.

The Battle of Atlanta Commemoration Organization received grants for studies on the restoration. Elements, the proximity to traffic and vandalism have taken their toll on the monuments.

According to GBA's September newsletter, the McPherson monument was installed in the late 1870s by engineers from a U.S. Army garrison. The Walker monument (in photo) was installed in 1902 in Grant Park and relocated in 1936 to his death site.

• Picket's previous coverage on restoration effort

Visitors center set for Oklahoma site

2011-09-01T06:57:00.004-04:00

The Battle of Honey Springs, also known as Elk Creek, took place in northeast Oklahoma 148 years ago. In two years, local and state officials expect to open a $1.9 million, 5,000 square foot visitors center at the rural battlefield. • Article

Longstreet Society seminar at Manassas

2011-08-30T10:59:00.012-04:00

Some of you may recall the Picket's two-part report on Confederate Gen. James Longstreet, who spent his last years in Gainesville, Ga.

I find his controversial legacy one of the most fascinating aspects of postwar scholarly and public debate.

The Gainesville-based Longstreet Society is holding its annual seminar Oct. 1-2 at the Manassas battlefield in Virginia. Longstreet was present at both battles there. Society president Richard Pilcher said Longstret's performance at the 1862 clash was among his best.

• Preview of this year's seminar
• General's vilification and vindication
• Southern-fried Longstreet

Dressmaker strives for authenticity

2011-08-29T07:58:00.003-04:00

In addition to those she sews for others, Ellyn Painter has made herself more than a dozen dresses and several ball gowns. The Michigan woman wears them to re-enactments and to dances sponsored by Civil War re-enactment groups. • Article

New quarter features USS Cairo

2011-08-27T05:44:00.010-04:00

Vicksburg National Military Park on Aug. 30 will unveil the "America the Beautiful" Vicksburg quarter. The coin features the USS Cairo, a gunboat used during the Civil War and the first to be sunk by a naval mine, on the Yazoo River in 1862. • Article

Gettysburg removes non-historic structures

2011-08-26T11:18:00.010-04:00

Gettysburg National Military Park is demolishing 10 non-historic structures, many of them old homes, on parcels obtained within the battlefield.

"The economic slowdown of the last three years has resulted in more willing-sellers of land within the park boundary coming forward and talking with the National Park Service about selling their property," according to From the Fields of Gettysburg, the park's blog.

Amnong structures to be removed are post-Civil War homes, a pond, fencing and a golf cart storage shed.

"Once we acquire a parcel of land, as often as not there is at least one modern house or other structure on it," the park said. "We then go through the process required to tear down the post-battle era buildings and return the land more to its 1863 look."

Happy birthday! Picket turns 2

2011-08-25T08:22:00.020-04:00

Two years ago today, barely understanding the technology, I posted my first Civil War Picket blog item -- on the re-enactment of the Battle of Atlanta.

It's been a great adventure since. I've made a few trips, taken some photographs and have had the opportunity to talk with a bunch of interesting folks.

I'd like to thank each of you for your interest, time and support. The Picket would love to get your feedback from time to time, so please go to our Facebook page or drop a comment on the postings themselves.

Just for fun, I thought I'd list some of my favorite items over the past 12 months. Click on each to read the story:

PEOPLE
• Son of Confederate veteran recalls stories he heard
• Artist Alfred Waud | Living historian portrays him
• The bumbling, likeable Ambrose Burnside

NEWS
• Descendant returns Confederate unit's flag to fort
• Neighborhoods to restore monuments to generals
• African-American attitudes on Civil War | • Part 1
• Recounting the dead in North Carolina
• No farbs here: Authentic Campaigner website
• Fascinating French flag ruse
• From slaves to warriors in blue

EVENTS
• Firing guns at Fort Sumter during re-enactment
• Charleston lectures mark 150th anniversary
• Young German re-enacts on first U.S. visit

BATTLEFIELDS/VENUES
• The Atlanta battle you'd never heard about
• Road trip! Jeff Davis, Blue & Gray museums
• Fixing up cemetery next to Confederate hospital site
• River city sent soldiers, guns and steel
• Touch the map and zoom in on Battle of Atlanta

Exhibit details Tennessee's vital role

2011-08-23T08:20:00.002-04:00

A traveling exhibition opens Wednesday in Brownsville, Tenn. "Hoofbeats in the Heartland: Civil War Cavalry in Tennessee," organized by the Tennessee State Museum, will run at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center until Oct. 31. • Article

Mansion on hanging site for sale

2011-08-21T05:10:00.001-04:00

A piece of Civil War history important to both Virginia and West Virginia is going on the auction block — a 19th century mansion on Charles Town land where abolitionist John Brown was hanged more than 150 years ago. • Article

Memorial service this weekend for Battle of Lovejoy's Station casualties

2011-08-19T06:27:00.018-04:00

The Friends of Nash Farm Battlefield are hosting a 10 a.m. memorial service on Saturday (August 20) to honor those who fought and died during the Battle of Lovejoy's Station in August 1864 near Hampton, Ga.

The keynote address will be given by David Evans, author of "Sherman's Horsemen."

More than 400 names of Federals and Confederates who were killed, wounded or missing in the battle will be read.

"Additionally, 500 US and CS flags are placed in the field to represent the known casualties of the battle. Their waving in the breeze is a magnificent site to see," the group says.

The ceremony starts at 10 a.m. at the Nash Farm Battlefield, 100 Babbs Mill Road, Hampton, Ga. 30228. The museum will be open and show new acquisitions since its opening in February.

National Park Service summary of the battle: Maj. Gen. William Sherman sent Judson Kilpatrick (photo) and his cavalry to raid Rebel supply lines. Leaving on August 18, Kilpatrick hit the Atlanta & West Point Railroad, tearing up a small area of tracks. Next, Kilpatrick headed for Lovejoy’s Station on the Macon & Western Railroad. In transit, on the 19th, Kilpatrick’s men hit the Jonesborough supply depot on the Macon & Western Railroad, burning great amounts of supplies. On the 20th, they reached Lovejoy’s Station. Rebel infantry (Cleburne’s Division) appeared and the raiders were forced to fight into the night, finally fleeing to prevent encirclement. Although Kilpatrick had destroyed supplies and track at Lovejoy’s Station, the railroad line was back in operation in two days.

"If Kilpatrick had succeeded in crippling Atlanta's last remaining supply line, as Sherman hoped, the Confederates would have had to abandon the city, retreating southward or risking everything on the outcome of a pitched battle," according to Evans. In order to cut the single remaining railroad that was Atlanta's sole source of supply, Sherman now turned to his infantry.

More artifacts found at Ga. prison site

2011-08-19T00:35:00.004-04:00

Georgia Southern University archaeology students uncover more Union prisoner items --including a badge, man's ring, keys and pocketknife -- at the site of the large Confederate prison near Millen. • Article | • Museum acquires POW letter

Hari Jones at Cyclorama lecture

2011-08-17T07:19:00.011-04:00

Civil War expert and curator Hari Jones is taking part in a lecture, "From Civil War to Civil Rights," Thursday night (Aug. 18) at the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum.

The free program, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., also features Gordon L. Jones, senior military historian and curator at the Atlanta History Center, and Alexis Scott, publisher of the Atlanta Daily World.

Jones is curator of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, which reopened in a new space last month in Washington, D.C. An exhibit, "The Glorious March to Liberty," spans the Civil War to the civil rights era.

"This story is one of the best-kept secrets in American history," Jones recently told the Washington Examiner. "Well-educated Americans will often find the true story unbelievable. We're taught that African-Americans did little or nothing to free themselves."

Jones' lectures have included U.S. Colored Troops and African-American spies.

Using documents and research, the panelists will discuss how the Civil War helped lay the foundation for the civil rights movement.

The lecture is sponsored by the city's Office of Cultural Affairs. The Cyclorama is at 800 Cherokee Avenue SE.

Events planned at Outer Banks community

2011-08-16T23:22:00.001-04:00

Civil War buffs who enjoy the beach are in for a treat. Flags Over Hatteras, a major component of North Carolina's commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the war, will take place Aug. 25-28 in the Hatteras community. • Article

Dig deep into history at Petersburg

2011-08-15T13:29:00.000-04:00

Virginia is rife with Civil War battle sites, many of which are part of the National Park system. One that seems to rise above others, according to National Parks Traveler, is Petersburg National Battlefield, which history has left with a massive crater from a poorly executed Union attack. • Article

Fascinating finds in USS Monitor turret

2011-08-13T03:17:00.005-04:00

A team in Newport News, Va., is carrying out the last mechanical cleaning of the Civil War turret recovered in 2002, making discoveries along the way. • Article

Rare artifact given to Marine Corps museum

2011-08-11T12:03:00.002-04:00

The head of one of the sledgehammers that Marines used to batter the doors of abolitionist John Brown's hideout at Harpers Ferry, West Va., on the eve of the Civil War has been donated to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. • Article

Plans made for Antietam, South Mountain

2011-08-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

An estimated 4,000 Civil War re-enactors will stage a public re-enactment of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam on Sept. 8 and 9, 2012, on private land near Boonsboro, Md. • Article

Bullets discovered in Gettysburg tree

2011-08-09T12:30:00.037-04:00

For years, visitors and staff at the Gettysburg battlefield would occasionally come across bullets and pieces of artillery shells lodged in trees.

But as time passed, and the number of "Witness Trees" declined, such discoveries plummeted.

Last Thursday, maintenance workers at Gettysburg National Military Park came across at least two bullets when their saw cut through a fallen tree on Culp's Hill, Superintendent Bob Kirby announced Tuesday.

"It's part of the story," park historian John Heiser told the Picket. "There are still relics of this battle surviving on the field."

Two sections of the trunk where the bullets were discovered have been moved to the park’s museum collections storage facility. The sections will be treated to remove insects and mold and then added to the museum collections.

One of the bullets is believed to be a minie ball, said park spokesperson Katie Lawhon.

The bullets were in an oak tree that fell several years ago and was lying on a boulder, said Lawhon. Due to the steepness of the rocky slope, the remainder of the tree will remain in place, officials said.

Lawhon said the bullets struck about 13 feet up the oak, which was likely 100 years old at the time of the July 1-3, 1863, battle in southern Pennsylvania. Culp's Hill was a critical part of the Union defensive line, the right flank of what is described as the "fish-hook" line.

"The tree may have twisted and rolled when it fell so we may never know which side of the tree the bullets hit: the downhill or the uphill side," the park says in its blog. "That clue might have helped us know whether they came from Union guns or Confederate."

The tree almost touches a small monument to Maj. Joshua G. Palmer. Palmer, a dentist from Urbana, Ohio, was leading elements of the 66th Ohio Infantry Regiment when he was mortally wounded July 3, 1863, on the eastern slope of Culp's Hill.

Early that morning, the 66th Ohio was sent in to clear Confederates below the main summit and earthworks, Heiser said. "It was an effort to sweep the front of the hill."

Heiser estimates the bullets struck the tree the evening of July 2 or the morning of July 3. That part of the Culp's Hill was held by the Union 12th Corps and New Yorkers under Brig. Gen. George S. Greene.

Although there has never been a inventory conducted of witness trees (those in existence in 1863), "there are a lot more ... than anybody knew about," Lawhon told the Picket.

Some, like ones near Hancock Avenue and Gen. Daniel Sickles' headquarters, are near public routes. Others are less accessible.

In the late 1980s, wind pushed down several trees on Culp's Hill, yielding bullets, Heiser said.

Fewer than 100 witness trees remain at Gettysburg, with several dying in the past couple decades, Heiser said.

"Time marches on," he said.

Tree and bullet photos by the National Park Service. Photo of Palmer monument by Craig Swain, HMdb.org

Great-grandson returns surrendered Rebel flag to Civil War site in coastal Georgia

2011-08-08T16:25:00.040-04:00

Civil War Picket exclusive: First of 3 parts

Last autumn, Robert “Bob” Clayton left the vacation community he’s called home 43 years for a visit to coastal Georgia.

Among his stops was Fort McAllister Historic Park, nestled in tall grass along a river bank southwest of Savannah.

Clayton walked through the remains of the earthen Civil War fortification, which fell to Union forces near the end of Gen. William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Clayton asked park manager Daniel Brown if the state might be interested in something he had back home in Isleboro, Maine.

“Maybe it’s time for me to send it back,” Clayton recalled thinking.

A few months later, the homebuilder, 66, donated a silk unit flag that his great-grandfather, an artillery officer, received and kept as a souvenir when Union troops captured McAllister on Dec. 13, 1864.

With Clayton's gesture, the headquarters flag of the Emmett Rifles, Company F, 22nd Battalion, Georgia Heavy Artillery, was back home.

“This is very significant,” said Jim Dunigan, a 31-year-old in the Emmett Rifles living history group. “Savannah is getting a piece of her history back.”

The banner that belonged to the Emmett Rifles, a local militia-home guard company, was one of at least five taken by the victors at Fort McAllister, which guarded the Ogechee River approach to Savannah, said Brown. It is in very good shape and is currently being conserved.

It will be formally unveiled Dec. 10 during McAllister’s annual winter muster and battle re-enactment. (Editor's note: The ceremony has been rescheduled for March 15, 2012)

“It’s a piece of history,” Brown said. “You can’t put a price tag on this thing.”

Unlike the brick and supposedly impregnable Fort Pulaski on the Savannah River, McAllister had a unique design of earthworks that thwarted the Union navy during seven assaults.

But it was designed to fight ships, not large numbers of troops.

By late 1864, Sherman was tightening the noose on Savannah, determined to make it a Christmas present for President Abraham Lincoln.

Taking McAllister was crucial to the siege. Sherman wanted it eliminated so that ships could resupply his hungry and tired army. It also gave him access to vital Confederate railroads.

On Dec. 13, 1864, more than 3,000 forces in blue overwhelmed the 230 defenders. The fight was over in 15 minutes.

After the Civil War, McAllister, which had an arsenal that included 8-inch and 10-inch Columbiad seacoast defense guns, largely slipped into obscurity before auto magnate Henry Ford reconstructed much of it, including the central bombproof, in the 1930s.

“A large part of the fort is still there,” said Roger S. Durham, author of “Guardian of Savannah,” which details McAllister’s service to the Confederacy.

In April 1862, Fort Pulaski was pulverized by Union rifled cannons, effectively bringing the end to masonry defenses.

The two companies of men assigned to McAllister near Richmond Hill, Ga., had an advantage. “It was easier to shovel sand (back) into place than a pile of bricks,” said Durham.

Durham, who served as superintendent at McAllister many years ago, said the return of an item like the Emmett Rifles flag is unusual.

“It doesn’t happen that often.”

Clayton’s son found the flag about 20 years ago among items in two cardboard boxes stored by Clayton’s father in an upstairs bedroom.

The flag includes two dates: Feb. 1, 1863, when the ironclad USS Montauk led an attack, and March 3, 1863, when the Confederates rebuffed four ironclads whose weapons damaged the fort during an eight-hour bombardment. Repairs were quickly made.

Clayton placed the Emmett Rifles in a frame and displayed it in the living room.

But the New Jersey native was mindful of a note that was stored along with it:

“To be return(ed) to Savannah or Atlanta sometime.”

The great-grandson made good on that wish.

READ PART 2: An indepth look at the role of home guard/militia units like the Emmett Rifles and Savannah Republican Blues.

Wilson's Creek re-enactment coming up

2011-08-07T05:41:00.002-04:00

Wednesday marks 150 years since Nathaniel Lyon was killed in a battle in southwest Missouri, becoming the first Union general to die in the Civil War. Before the day of fighting was over, he was joined in death by 258 Union soldiers and 277 Confederate and pro-Southern Missouri State Guard soldiers. A re-enactment of the battle is set for Aug. 12-14. • Article

Slate launches Civil War series

2011-08-05T08:15:00.003-04:00

If you've ever visited Civil War battlefields or watched re-enactors stage non-lethal facsimiles of famous skirmishes, you've no doubt tried to imagine what it would have been like to witness the real deal. It turns out some tourists did just that 150 years ago at Manassas, Va. • First podcast in series

Wilder Brigade monument shut for repairs

2011-08-03T09:59:00.006-04:00

The Wilder Brigade Monument on the Chickamauga Battlefield will be closed from Aug. 8-Sept. 2 in order to replace stairway handrails, along with the safety railing at the top, officials said. On September 20, 1863, Wilder's brigade was one of the few Union units that was not immediately routed by a Confederate onslaught.• Article

Tredegar center adds actor to its board

2011-08-02T07:36:00.007-04:00

The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar has added some star power to its board. The Richmond, Va., attraction says Norfolk native Tim Reid is among four new members named to its board. • Article

8 battlefields win government grants

2011-07-31T05:47:00.001-04:00

More than $1.2 million in grants from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program were awarded this week to a variety of national battlefield projects including eight Civil War sites in six states: Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. • Article

Rare Zouave uniform lent for display

2011-07-29T08:48:00.005-04:00

The Peekskill (N.Y.) Museum sent the one-of-a-kind uniform of John L. Hughes, a Civil War volunteer who joined the Hawkins Zouaves, and a garrison flag to The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in North Carolina.

An exhibit there will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Confederate attack on Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks. • Article

Veteran is finally laid to rest in Kansas

2011-07-27T09:06:00.004-04:00

Nearly 150 years after Pvt. George McCarthy served in the U.S. military, a detail of Civil War re-enactors carried his cremated remains slowly up the hill to his final resting place in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. McCarthy died at age 102 in Missouri, but for nearly seven decades years his ashes went unclaimed, resting on a shelf a funeral home storage facility in Kansas City. • Article

Only so much real stuff in people's attics

2011-07-25T09:58:00.000-04:00

Most curators and experts in the field of War Between the States artifacts say the proliferation of counterfeit pieces says as much about the economy as the 150th anniversary of the conflict. There's big money in Civil War collectibles. • Article

On the eve of battle, a poignant letter home

2011-07-23T08:58:00.003-04:00

The Battle of Bull Run marked the start of some of the fiercest early fighting of the Civil War. In the days before the Union army attacked Confederate troops, Union Army Maj. Sullivan Ballou wrote a heartbreaking letter to his wife in Rhode Island. • Article

Tale of two wars told in the gear

2011-07-21T10:27:00.003-04:00

The 19 New York state regiments that took the field in the First Battle of Bull Run 150 years ago Thursday were equipped by the state. It cost $42 in 1861 dollars, or $1,080 in today's money, to outfit each soldier for battle. Today, $18,087 is spent to arm and dress each member of the New York State Army National Guard for battle. • Article

Stonewall belt buckle on loan for anniversary

2011-07-19T08:10:00.002-04:00

Manassas National Battlefield Park kicked off the week marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s first major battle by unveiling an exhibit featuring a belt buckle worn on the field by famed Confederate general Stonewall Jackson and a shotgun carried by partisan leader Col. John Singleton Mosby. • Article

Reality set in at Manassas Junction

2011-07-17T20:17:00.005-04:00

This week thousands of reenactors, spectators and history buffs are returning to the fields around the once-remote railroad junction near Bull Run to remember the day the fledgling armies from North and South first met in 1861 — shadowed by picnickers, unaware of the dark future ahead. • Article

Marker dedicated to African-American unit

2011-07-15T06:30:00.008-04:00

A marker is being dedicated in South Carolina to the 55th Massachusetts, a black Union regiment that fought in the Civil War.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reports the remains of 19 Union soldiers buried during the war were found at nearby Folly Beach in 1987.

Two life-size busts depicting the reconstructed faces of two soldiers will be on display Friday when the historic marker is dedicated at Folly River Park. • Article