Unvexed to the Sea

Friends,

Today marks the 150th Anniversary of the surrender of Vicksburg.  I'm sure that will be overshadowed by all of the attention focused on Gettysburg this week.  The Western Theater battles often get overlooked by folks who prefer to focus their attention on the Eastern Theater.  However, it is my firm belief that the South lost the war in the Western Theater (or the North won it there, depending on your viewpoint).  I had hoped that the western campaigns would get equal coverage during the 150th, but that may not be the case.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, my wife and I spent a lovely week in Vicksburg two and a half years ago.  I really enjoy the town and the people.  My goal is to one day go back and hike the battlefield, but I fear that my back will not allow that now.  Vicksburg happens to be the closest National Battlefield Park to my house...though it is a 7 hour drive.  Pea Ridge is second and it comes in around 8 hours or so.  That is the problem with being a Civil War Addict in Southeast Texas.  It is hard to get your Civil War "fix" by visiting battlefields.

So here are my questions for the day.  1.  Is there an Eastern bias in mainstream Civil War history/students. 2.  If there is, why might that be?  This is what I will be reflecting on today.  Along with the gratitude that I don't have to live in a town under siege.

I will leave you with a quote from this Lincoln fellow who said that "Vicksburg is the key."  The next update may not be until Saturday evening or Sunday.  I have to work 3-12 tonight followed by 730(am) to 4:30 tomorrow.  So if you leave or post a comment and I don't get back to you right away, be not offended!  I will as soon as I can.

My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.

Texas Monument at Vicksburg

Photo by N.E.H.

May be used with attribution to this page

Fighting Fools

Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor.  No, this isn’t a National Park Service commercial.  It is a list of the major engagements of which the “Fighting Fools” of the 8^th Ohio Infantry took part.  Now, the vast majority of my ancestors were Confederates who fought in the Western Theater.  (And two Federal ancestors who did as well.)  But I do have a handful of ancestors (three Confederate and two Federal) who fought in the, “gasp”, Eastern Theater!

My two “Yankee” ancestors weren’t true Yankees I suppose because they were immigrants.  When the war began, they enlisted in the 8^th Ohio Infantry for 90 days.  Once their enlistments expired, they reenlisted for three years.  After the three years were up, one of them went home and his brother joined the 4^th Ohio Battalion for the duration of the war.

The 8^th Ohio was part of the “Gibraltar Brigade” and their exploits at Antietam and Gettysburg earned them the respect of friend and foe alike.  There are some good references available for them online.  Check them out if you are interested.  Click here for a really good list of sources or here for some more!

You know, if I had to have ancestors fighting in that little sideshow in the East, the 8^th Ohio is a good regiment for them to have belonged.

My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.

(My wife was discharged from the hospital this morning and is recovering nicely.  Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes.)