A crew clearing vegetation around a school in
coastal North Carolina came across what is believed to be a Civil War reenactment
cannonball, prompting evacuation of the school and response from a Camp Lejeune explosive
ordnance disposal team.
The cannonball had been “in place long enough that woody vegetation had
grown around it, to the point that it had to be cut away so the object could be
removed,” Onslow County Schools said about the Thursday incident at the Onslow
County Learning Center.
The EOD team from the Marine Corps base determined
the object, which had been unseen for a significant amount of time, was found
to be inert with no explosives, and it was removed, officials said.
“Safety is
Onslow County Schools’ top priority, and we appreciate the support and
collaboration of our local emergency responders, as well as our families, as we
work to keep our schools safe and secure,” the district said.
The Picket
asked the district how the shell may have come to be there and what happened to
it after removal. Public information assistant Jessica Wells said Onslow County
Schools had no other information it could share.
During the Civil War, members of the Marine Corps were primarily
assigned to blockade duty aboard U.S. Navy ships, which were critical in strangling the Confederate states’ ability to continue fighting.
Without the blockade, supplies, arms, ammunition, and money coming in from
cotton, the South might have been able to fight on indefinitely. The Corps had an especially critical role in the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay. -- Article
Well into his
90s, Ed Bearss roamed Civil
War battlefields, a stream of devotees hanging on to every word as the
expert described what happened on that particular piece of hallowed ground.
As
"History's Pied Piper," Edwin Cole Bearss has more than lived up to
the title of Jack Waugh’s 2003 biography of the decorated Marine Corps veteran
and National Park Service chief historian emeritus.
But
Bearss now is no longer physically able to participate in tours, according to his publisher. Nearing 97, the gravel-voiced
legend spends his time at his Virginia residence, according to Tom
Broadfoot, whose publishing company has published numerous works written or
edited by Bearss. [Updated Jan. 18 and 20: The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, said it wanted to tamp down concerns about Bearss' health, saying the historian this week spoke with CEO Keven Walker. "He was great; preparing for a trip and in good spirits," says the group. "The two are
looking forward to getting together in a couple of weeks for their annual
winter meeting, so things are business as usual. Ed appreciates the concern but
would want everyone to know that he is just as ornery as ever and doing fine." Broadfoot later said he stands by his message.]
In a message
this week, Broadfoot asked fans of Bearss to send him letters, which Bearss’
caregiving daughter says “make his day.” Her father is hard of hearing, so
phone calls and visits are not beneficial. Memories and photographs are.
“If your interest is the Civil War, Ed
has contributed greatly to your interest,” the publisher wrote.
Broadfoot
asked people to write to Bearss about books he authored, or a tour or speech he
gave, or just to thank him for his service to his country and the NPS. Among
his accomplishments with the agency was the discovery and raising of the USS
Cairo in the 1960s, when Bearss was historian at Vicksburg National Military
Park. The majority of the public came to know him from
his appearance in Ken Burns' 1990 “The Civil War” series on PBS.
The historian is “the man whom people follow to learn about history in a way that no person or book or map or video or other medium can emulate,” says Charlie Crawford, president of the Georgia Battlefields Association.
Several
Facebook pages devoted to the Civil War included fond remarks this week about
his remarkable memory and presentations, with a touch of wistfulness as Bearrs
steps back.
One commenter
on Civil War Pittsburgh’s page wrote: "The man never used notes! He
remembers everything! If you were on any of his tours you were lucky. We've
been blessed with his wisdom, character and good humor."
Author and
historian Eric J. Wittenberg posted Broadfoot's email on Wednesday.
"Rarely
has one person who was not an emperor or entertainer touched the lives of so
many people, one Facebook commenter on that page posted. "A true national
treasure."
Another
person wrote: "About 15 years ago, Ed gave me the best advice about the
best way to learn about CW battles. He told me, 'Walk the ground little lady,
walk the ground!’ That has served me well for many years."
In Athens, Ga., in March 2019 (GBA)
A 2005
Smithsonian Magazine article captured part of his spirit and panache:
"As
he talks, Bearss marches back and forth, brandishing a silver-headed swagger
stick, tucking it from time to time under his withered left arm -- a casualty
of a bullet at a battlefield on the other side of the world in 1944. He keeps
his eyes tightly closed while he lectures, and he later tells me that way he
can see the events of 1863 unfolding before him."
Crawford told
the Picket that Bearrs, known for his booming voice, led GBA’s March 2019 tour.
The guide cut back on such appearances later in the year because of limitations, Crawford said.
In 2014,
Crawford was interviewed for the documentary, “American Journey: The Life and
Times of Ed Bearss.” The program concluded with this statement: Ed
Bearss is sui generis -- one of a kind.
Letters,
in 12 to 14 point or equivalent, can be sent to Bearss, who probably will not
reply or sign books. Send them to Ed Bearss, 1126 17th St. S,
Arlington, Va. 22202
U.S. Navy and
Marine Corps divers are recovering and rendering safe nearly 70 pieces of
ordnance that settled in the Savannah River after a Confederate ironclad was
scuttled by its crew in December 1864.
It’s the
latest phase in the operation to remove the CSS Georgia from the channel during
the harbor deepening in Savannah. For months, divers have been bringing smaller artifacts to the surface, providing an insight into how the vessel operated and
the crew lived amid cramped quarters.
These
photographs were taken in June by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Jeremy S. Buddemeir and Chelsea G. Smith.
Bottle and bottle top
Experts will try to determine origin of pottery
Thrust block protected propeller shaft
Solid bolt projectile that would have been fired from cannon
Roller hand spike used to reposition cannon after firing
