Friends,
Forgive the longer than usual gap between posts. I am gearing up for the start of another fun and exciting semester wherein I get to fill the heads of my students with stories from the American Past. They call this "teaching history". I guess that is what I do, but I prefer to call it "having fun". Just don't tell the colleges that I teach for that I said that. They'll try to make me do it for free. I'm also working on a novel. I've been writing steadily and am about 20 pages shy of the halfway point. I set a target of 300 pages for the first draft that I can then play with and increase or decrease as I go through the multiple revisions that my little redhead says that it will need. Don't get your hopes up though. It isn't a Civil War novel. That one comes next. I have to get this one out of my head and onto paper before I can work on my Magnum Opus. (I always wanted to use that phrase!)
So the writing process has got me thinking, which is always dangerous. I'm sure since many of you are fellow Civil War Addicts, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this, you've probably read some memoirs written by those who lived through the War. I'd like to focus on those written by the higher ups. I think that a Confederate general's worst enemy after the war was not advanced age or illness but other Confederate generals. It seems like they spent more time shooting at each other (metaphorically speaking) than they ever did the Yankees.
Jefferson Davis, a man who I do have a lot respect for despite his personality, wrote The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government in the post war period. It took a lot of work and a lot of dedication on his part. The book (books actually since it was published in two volumes) is massive. It totals somewhere along the lines of 1500 pages. I think I can sum it up briefly. "I was right. Everyone else was wrong." If you want some insight into the mind of Jefferson Davis, read it. But know going in that it is a difficult book to read. I don't know if it is available as an audio book or not, but if it is, I promise you it will take care of any issues you may have with insomnia.
His memoir is not all that different from those written by his contemporaries. All of them try to portray themselves in the best light possible. Sherman and Grant were not surprised at Shiloh. They expected the Rebels to attack all along. I guess Sherman was just acting then when his staff was surprised by a group of Confederates who burst out of the treeline and fired on them, striking Sherman in the hand. His words at the time "My God! We're attacked!" We believe you Uncle Billy......you weren't surprised at all! General Hood blamed his subordinates for the, shall we say, foul up at Spring Hill. And those are just a couple of examples.
I say all of this not to cast aspersions on any of these gentlemen who risked their lives for the causes that they believed in. My point in doing so is to merely point out the irony that men who may have served together in a common cause could turn on each other when they considered what their "legacy" might be for future generations. If anything, they've given us something to talk about.
And now if I may ask you all for a favor. You will notice on the right side of the screen a link to the Civil War Addict Facebook site. If you haven't already done so, and you are willing, please "like" my Civil War Addict page. Right now I have 170 likes and I'm really hoping to hit 200. Feel free to share it with all of your friends.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who never stops being grateful for the kind readers that this blog has. Though we are all from different parts of the country (or world), we all share a common interest in the "fiery trial" that was our Civil War.
(Or War of Northern Aggression as Nell Christine Fitzgerald, my great-grandmother, called it. She was a remarkable woman and I would not even be remotely interested in history had it not been for her. She's been gone for almost 20 years and I still miss her every single day. I learned a lot of history from her...and also a little bit about historical bias!)
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The Cruelest Year
Dear Readers,
"Year in Review" type posts theme to be popular on blogs around this time of year. That poses a problem for this blog since we deal with Civil War topics and not modern rounds. Along about midnight last time, I had an idea. So why don't you hope into my Civil War Addict time machine with me? We will travel back in time to New Year's Day 1864. Instead of reviewing 2013, we will have a year in review of a different kind. 1863.
In many ways, 1863 was the cruelest year for the Confederacy. The Confederacy rang in the New Year by recapturing the port city of Galveston in a daring military operation. At the time, Galveston was the best deep water port available west of New Orleans. It is significant because it is one of the few battles fought in Texas. On that same day, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation took effect though I imagine that fact went largely ignored in the South.
In March, Lincoln signed the Enrollment Act into law. Widely unpopular in some parts of the North, it was intended to supply fresh troops for the Union war effort. It had a couple of provisions that gave most people grief. First, it allowed for "substitutes" to replace the person actually drafted. Second, a man could pay $300 to avoid service. That money represented a year's wages for a working class person in New York City. No wonder they called it a rich man's war and a poor man's fight.
In April, Quantrill's Raiders raid Lawrence, Kansas.
Things really got rolling in May. Early in the month, General Lee's troops mauled the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorsville. It was a bittersweet victory, as General Thomas Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men and died a short time later. In the West, General Grant won a victory at Jackson, Mississippi opening the way to Vicksburg which he would put under siege later in the month.
West Virginia became a state in June. We also had the Battle of Brandy Station that month, the largest cavalry engagement ever fought in the Americas.
All Civil War Addicts can recite what happened in July of 1863. We have the Battle of Gettysburg which did not work out so well for the Confederacy. Worse yet, at least in my opinion, was the surrender of Vicksburg on the 4th of July. Port Hudson fell just a few days later. Tensions over the aforementioned draft law exploded into outright violence in New York City. For days, angry mobs roamed the city doing all sorts of misdeeds in the worst case of urban violence this country has ever seen, though it was downplayed by the government at the time and the history books in the future. Later that month, the 54th Massachusetts saw combat at Fort Wagner. To round out the month, John Hunt Morgan raids Ohio but is captured with a few hundred of his men near Salineville.
Both sides seem to have collapsed out of sheer exhaustion in August, though Quantrill launched a larger and more notorious raid on Lawrence, Kansas towards the end of the month.
September started off well enough for the Confederacy as a gallant, noble, and intrepid band of Irish-Confederates turned back a invasion fleet destined for Texas at the Battle of Sabine Pass. In the west, the Battle of Chickamauga, one of the bloodiest of the war, ended with a rare (for the west) Confederate victory. Best rest assured, with Braxton Bragg in command, he will figure out a way to screw up a victory!
Said victory is screwed up in November when Grant combines his troops with Sherman's and routes Bragg's troops after heavy fighting at Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. But on the bright side, John Hunt Morgan escapes from prison in Ohio and makes his way back to the South. Lincoln delivers his Gettysburg Address in November as well.
The year comes to an end with the war no closer to being over than when the year started, though from the looks of things, the South's star is falling fast. 1863 started with such hope and promise for the Confederacy, but all that as gone now. Tens of thousands of men who were alive on New Years Day 1863 did not live to see 1864. Sadly, the same is true for tens of thousands more on New Years Day 1864.
This is not a comprehensive list of everything important that happened that year. I tried to pick out a mix of major and minor events that I find to be important.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.
"Year in Review" type posts theme to be popular on blogs around this time of year. That poses a problem for this blog since we deal with Civil War topics and not modern rounds. Along about midnight last time, I had an idea. So why don't you hope into my Civil War Addict time machine with me? We will travel back in time to New Year's Day 1864. Instead of reviewing 2013, we will have a year in review of a different kind. 1863.
In many ways, 1863 was the cruelest year for the Confederacy. The Confederacy rang in the New Year by recapturing the port city of Galveston in a daring military operation. At the time, Galveston was the best deep water port available west of New Orleans. It is significant because it is one of the few battles fought in Texas. On that same day, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation took effect though I imagine that fact went largely ignored in the South.
In March, Lincoln signed the Enrollment Act into law. Widely unpopular in some parts of the North, it was intended to supply fresh troops for the Union war effort. It had a couple of provisions that gave most people grief. First, it allowed for "substitutes" to replace the person actually drafted. Second, a man could pay $300 to avoid service. That money represented a year's wages for a working class person in New York City. No wonder they called it a rich man's war and a poor man's fight.
In April, Quantrill's Raiders raid Lawrence, Kansas.
Things really got rolling in May. Early in the month, General Lee's troops mauled the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorsville. It was a bittersweet victory, as General Thomas Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men and died a short time later. In the West, General Grant won a victory at Jackson, Mississippi opening the way to Vicksburg which he would put under siege later in the month.
West Virginia became a state in June. We also had the Battle of Brandy Station that month, the largest cavalry engagement ever fought in the Americas.
All Civil War Addicts can recite what happened in July of 1863. We have the Battle of Gettysburg which did not work out so well for the Confederacy. Worse yet, at least in my opinion, was the surrender of Vicksburg on the 4th of July. Port Hudson fell just a few days later. Tensions over the aforementioned draft law exploded into outright violence in New York City. For days, angry mobs roamed the city doing all sorts of misdeeds in the worst case of urban violence this country has ever seen, though it was downplayed by the government at the time and the history books in the future. Later that month, the 54th Massachusetts saw combat at Fort Wagner. To round out the month, John Hunt Morgan raids Ohio but is captured with a few hundred of his men near Salineville.
Both sides seem to have collapsed out of sheer exhaustion in August, though Quantrill launched a larger and more notorious raid on Lawrence, Kansas towards the end of the month.
September started off well enough for the Confederacy as a gallant, noble, and intrepid band of Irish-Confederates turned back a invasion fleet destined for Texas at the Battle of Sabine Pass. In the west, the Battle of Chickamauga, one of the bloodiest of the war, ended with a rare (for the west) Confederate victory. Best rest assured, with Braxton Bragg in command, he will figure out a way to screw up a victory!
Said victory is screwed up in November when Grant combines his troops with Sherman's and routes Bragg's troops after heavy fighting at Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. But on the bright side, John Hunt Morgan escapes from prison in Ohio and makes his way back to the South. Lincoln delivers his Gettysburg Address in November as well.
The year comes to an end with the war no closer to being over than when the year started, though from the looks of things, the South's star is falling fast. 1863 started with such hope and promise for the Confederacy, but all that as gone now. Tens of thousands of men who were alive on New Years Day 1863 did not live to see 1864. Sadly, the same is true for tens of thousands more on New Years Day 1864.
This is not a comprehensive list of everything important that happened that year. I tried to pick out a mix of major and minor events that I find to be important.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Civil War "Firsts"
Friends,
The Civil War had a lot of "firsts". Some were firsts just for the United States while others were firsts for military history/society as a whole. For an exhaustive list of those firsts, check out the list provided by Shotgun's Home of the American Civil War here. I have not gone through that list in detail and so I cannot comment on the accuracy of everything provided, but it does provide some food for thought. During the course of the Civil War, the nation first experienced conscription, resistance to conscription, aerial reconnaissance, a Presidential assassination, and combat between ironclad vessels just to name a few. Many people have called the American Civil War the first modern war.
But what do people mean when the say that? If you take modern to mean the weaponry used, then it certainly was by the standards of the time. As we discussed above, we certainly did have some innovations. However, part of the reason for the casualty rates is due to the fact that the tactics did no adapt to the weaponry until the latter part of the war, and even then we had the occasional lapse (ie; Battle of Franklin). That said, a soldier from Grant or Lee's army who served in the trenches around Petersburg and Richmond would certainly have recognized the type of fighting that took place later during World War 1. But does that fact alone make the Civil War "modern"?
Others have spoken of Sherman waging "Total War" on his March to the Sea. The dictionary defines total war as "a war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territories or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued; especially one in which the laws of war are disregarded." Sherman did not "make war" on the civilian population in Georgia in the same way that we would do to Germany or Japan in the 20th Century. Yes, his objectives were not fully military in nature to the extent that he wanted to destroy the ability of the South to wage war, but he did not intentionally set out to kill civilians and though yes, some private homes were destroyed, there is not, to my knowledge, any written order to his troops telling them to burn every home they came across. If Sherman waged total war in Georgia, what then do we call our practice of firebombing Japanese cities during World War 2? Are each of those examples total war, just taken to a higher degree (no pun intended)?
I happen to think that Winston Churchill was a wise man. In 1901 while speaking on the floor of the House of Commons, he said "The wars of peoples will be more terrible than the wars of kings." I know that Mr. Churchill was an adept student of history. Perhaps he looked back to our Civil War as a reference when he made that statement. We certainly proved that it was true, at least in our country. And World War 1 proved that he was right as well.
So whether you agree or disagree as to how modern the Civil War was or to whether or not Sherman waged total war on his March to the Sea, I think we can all agree that Americans between 1861-1865 became very proficient at killing each other on a wide scale which has become almost unfathomable to us today.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.
The Civil War had a lot of "firsts". Some were firsts just for the United States while others were firsts for military history/society as a whole. For an exhaustive list of those firsts, check out the list provided by Shotgun's Home of the American Civil War here. I have not gone through that list in detail and so I cannot comment on the accuracy of everything provided, but it does provide some food for thought. During the course of the Civil War, the nation first experienced conscription, resistance to conscription, aerial reconnaissance, a Presidential assassination, and combat between ironclad vessels just to name a few. Many people have called the American Civil War the first modern war.
But what do people mean when the say that? If you take modern to mean the weaponry used, then it certainly was by the standards of the time. As we discussed above, we certainly did have some innovations. However, part of the reason for the casualty rates is due to the fact that the tactics did no adapt to the weaponry until the latter part of the war, and even then we had the occasional lapse (ie; Battle of Franklin). That said, a soldier from Grant or Lee's army who served in the trenches around Petersburg and Richmond would certainly have recognized the type of fighting that took place later during World War 1. But does that fact alone make the Civil War "modern"?
Others have spoken of Sherman waging "Total War" on his March to the Sea. The dictionary defines total war as "a war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territories or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued; especially one in which the laws of war are disregarded." Sherman did not "make war" on the civilian population in Georgia in the same way that we would do to Germany or Japan in the 20th Century. Yes, his objectives were not fully military in nature to the extent that he wanted to destroy the ability of the South to wage war, but he did not intentionally set out to kill civilians and though yes, some private homes were destroyed, there is not, to my knowledge, any written order to his troops telling them to burn every home they came across. If Sherman waged total war in Georgia, what then do we call our practice of firebombing Japanese cities during World War 2? Are each of those examples total war, just taken to a higher degree (no pun intended)?
I happen to think that Winston Churchill was a wise man. In 1901 while speaking on the floor of the House of Commons, he said "The wars of peoples will be more terrible than the wars of kings." I know that Mr. Churchill was an adept student of history. Perhaps he looked back to our Civil War as a reference when he made that statement. We certainly proved that it was true, at least in our country. And World War 1 proved that he was right as well.
So whether you agree or disagree as to how modern the Civil War was or to whether or not Sherman waged total war on his March to the Sea, I think we can all agree that Americans between 1861-1865 became very proficient at killing each other on a wide scale which has become almost unfathomable to us today.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Santa Claus Came to Town
Friends,
Sorry for the long lag in posting. I have been feeling a little bit under the weather of late. But the show must go on. Santa Claus came to visit me yesterday. (We do our Christmas on the 24th since so that my son can have Christmas with me and then go back to his mother's house that night so he can have Christmas there on the 25th.) Naturally I got a lot of New Orleans Saints items. However, I also acquired several new Civil War books. (Plus some Amazon gift cards that I can use to buy some more!) You know, I was expecting switches and a lump of coal this year though to be honest, I expect that every year. So these books will be what I am reading over Christmas Break.
1. Sickles at Gettysburg by James Hessler. This is another book about America's favorite scoundrel, Daniel Sickles. I am two chapters in thus far and it is really good. The author is a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg and a d--n good writer too!
2. Miracles and Massacres by Glenn Beck. I am not a Glenn Beck fan. But I thought that this book might contain some interesting stories that I can work into my classes.
3. Bags to Riches by Jeff Duncan. Another non-Civil War book. This one relates how the New Orleans Saints helped the city rebound in the aftermath of Katrina.
4. Into the Fight: Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg by John Michael Priest. I read this one last night. It is incredible. He is the author of one of my favorite Civil War books, Antietam: The Soldier's Battle. I am happy to say that Into the Fight continues that fine tradition. It gives you almost a minute by minute account of Pickett's Charge from the point of view of the men who actually did the fighting. At times brutal and at times humorous, I cannot recommend this book enough. (The caveat to that is that the book may be a tad bit confusing for the casual Civil War reader since it sort of assumes some knowledge of the battle on the part of the reader.)
5. Irish Rebels, Confederate Tigers by James Gannon. This is a regimental history of the 6th Louisiana Infantry. I am proud to say I am descended from some of the men who served in this regiment. This is next on my list as soon as I finish the Sickles book!
6. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War by David Eicher. I remember seeing some mixed reviews of this book when it first came out. However, I believe in giving all Civil War books a chance. I've seen some scathing reviews of books that I actually enjoyed. To each his own. I plan on reading this one in chunks as it is a large book.
7. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command by Edwin Coddington. I have heard that the Licensed Battlefield Guides at Gettysburg refer to this book as the "Bible" of the Gettysburg Campaign. This was Dr. Coddington's magnum opus but he died shortly before it was published. It has been a standard work on this subject for 50 years. I really have no excuse for not already owning a copy.
So that is what Confederate Claus brought me for Christmas this year. I am going to be busy over the break doing lots of reading. That's fine, I don't really have anything else to do anyway.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who wishes all of you a Merry Christmas (or Winter Solstice if you prefer me to be politically correct)!
So what Civil War gifts did Santa Claus (or Confederate Claus) bring you?
Sorry for the long lag in posting. I have been feeling a little bit under the weather of late. But the show must go on. Santa Claus came to visit me yesterday. (We do our Christmas on the 24th since so that my son can have Christmas with me and then go back to his mother's house that night so he can have Christmas there on the 25th.) Naturally I got a lot of New Orleans Saints items. However, I also acquired several new Civil War books. (Plus some Amazon gift cards that I can use to buy some more!) You know, I was expecting switches and a lump of coal this year though to be honest, I expect that every year. So these books will be what I am reading over Christmas Break.
1. Sickles at Gettysburg by James Hessler. This is another book about America's favorite scoundrel, Daniel Sickles. I am two chapters in thus far and it is really good. The author is a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg and a d--n good writer too!
2. Miracles and Massacres by Glenn Beck. I am not a Glenn Beck fan. But I thought that this book might contain some interesting stories that I can work into my classes.
3. Bags to Riches by Jeff Duncan. Another non-Civil War book. This one relates how the New Orleans Saints helped the city rebound in the aftermath of Katrina.
4. Into the Fight: Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg by John Michael Priest. I read this one last night. It is incredible. He is the author of one of my favorite Civil War books, Antietam: The Soldier's Battle. I am happy to say that Into the Fight continues that fine tradition. It gives you almost a minute by minute account of Pickett's Charge from the point of view of the men who actually did the fighting. At times brutal and at times humorous, I cannot recommend this book enough. (The caveat to that is that the book may be a tad bit confusing for the casual Civil War reader since it sort of assumes some knowledge of the battle on the part of the reader.)
5. Irish Rebels, Confederate Tigers by James Gannon. This is a regimental history of the 6th Louisiana Infantry. I am proud to say I am descended from some of the men who served in this regiment. This is next on my list as soon as I finish the Sickles book!
6. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War by David Eicher. I remember seeing some mixed reviews of this book when it first came out. However, I believe in giving all Civil War books a chance. I've seen some scathing reviews of books that I actually enjoyed. To each his own. I plan on reading this one in chunks as it is a large book.
7. The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command by Edwin Coddington. I have heard that the Licensed Battlefield Guides at Gettysburg refer to this book as the "Bible" of the Gettysburg Campaign. This was Dr. Coddington's magnum opus but he died shortly before it was published. It has been a standard work on this subject for 50 years. I really have no excuse for not already owning a copy.
So that is what Confederate Claus brought me for Christmas this year. I am going to be busy over the break doing lots of reading. That's fine, I don't really have anything else to do anyway.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who wishes all of you a Merry Christmas (or Winter Solstice if you prefer me to be politically correct)!
So what Civil War gifts did Santa Claus (or Confederate Claus) bring you?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Civil War Animals
Dear Readers,
Since college is out for Christmas break at the moment, I am spending time with my feline companions. This has got me thinking about regimental mascots during the Civil War. I read a very interesting article here that details many of the mascot stories from the Civil War. Naturally, "Old Abe" the eagle is perhaps the best known, but there are many other stories out there. Dogs seem to be the most common as they are, after all, man's best friend. But there are others too. I haven't seen anything about cats though, much to my dismay.
I have two questions for you today, Dear Readers. 1. Who had the best mascot of the war? 2. Does anyone know of any good stories about cats during the Civil War?
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who lives with a hot redhead and the following feline friends:
Simon Diogenes Legree
George Armstrong Custer ("Autie")
Charles Dickens
Margaret Mitchell ("Maggie")
Bedford Forrest
Remember, as Mark Twain said "When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade without further introduction."
Since college is out for Christmas break at the moment, I am spending time with my feline companions. This has got me thinking about regimental mascots during the Civil War. I read a very interesting article here that details many of the mascot stories from the Civil War. Naturally, "Old Abe" the eagle is perhaps the best known, but there are many other stories out there. Dogs seem to be the most common as they are, after all, man's best friend. But there are others too. I haven't seen anything about cats though, much to my dismay.
I have two questions for you today, Dear Readers. 1. Who had the best mascot of the war? 2. Does anyone know of any good stories about cats during the Civil War?
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who lives with a hot redhead and the following feline friends:
Simon Diogenes Legree
George Armstrong Custer ("Autie")
Charles Dickens
Margaret Mitchell ("Maggie")
Bedford Forrest
Remember, as Mark Twain said "When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade without further introduction."
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Fire Bells in the Night
Friends,
When I was eight years old or so, I was thumbing through a copy of Bruce Catton's The Civil War. I believe it was published by American Heritage Press. There was a Civil War timeline included in the appendices. As I scanned through it, I came across the following entry for November 25, 1864: "Confederate agents try to burn New York City". For some reason, that caught my eye, so much so that I put a star next to it. And then I promptly forgot about it.
Fast forward several years (actually about two decades). I again rediscovered the subject by virtue of research that I was doing on another topic. Pardon the pun, but this rekindled the fire! (He who would pun would also pick a pocket!) I filled two notebooks while investigating this event with the idea towards writing a book about it. But finally, someone beat me to it. (See here.) Not to be deterred, I had always thought this might translate better into a novel anyway. For that matter, it would make one heck of a movie too!
Eight Confederate officers traveled from Canada to New York City full of promises that the Sons of Liberty (no, not the Revolutionary War ones) would rise up and help them take over the city on election day. They promised that they had 20,000 armed men just waiting for the signal. That signal would be a series of fires set by the Confederates at various points throughout the city. Though hotels were the eventual target, the evidence suggests that the plot actually involved setting fires in other locations.
But the New York City authorities were ready. They learned their lesson from the Draft Riots. Certain measures were put in place to prevent any unrest and the "Sons of Liberty" backed out of the plot. The Confederates decided to return to Canada but then they read stories in the paper about Sherman's March to the Sea. Suddenly revenge became the motive. They picked up "Greek Fire" from a chemist in Washington Square. (Incidentally, the site of another famous fire.....the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.)
On the night of November 25, the men set a series of fires in hotel rooms across Lower Manhattan. The fire department promptly put them out with very little damage. The newspapers the following morning had descriptions of all of the men, yet they managed to slip out of the city and made it back to Canada safely. Later on, one of them, Robert Cobb Kennedy, was apprehended as he tried to cross back into the United States. He was put on trial, convicted, and hanged on March 25, 1865.
I fear I have not done the topic justice here. There is a lot more to it than what I have time to write. One of the men, John Headley, wrote his memoirs "Confederate Operations in Canada and New York" which is available for a free download here. It makes for some interesting reading, but take it with a grain of salt! Also, the OR's contain a lot of information too.
One of these days, I'll finish the novel.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.
When I was eight years old or so, I was thumbing through a copy of Bruce Catton's The Civil War. I believe it was published by American Heritage Press. There was a Civil War timeline included in the appendices. As I scanned through it, I came across the following entry for November 25, 1864: "Confederate agents try to burn New York City". For some reason, that caught my eye, so much so that I put a star next to it. And then I promptly forgot about it.
Fast forward several years (actually about two decades). I again rediscovered the subject by virtue of research that I was doing on another topic. Pardon the pun, but this rekindled the fire! (He who would pun would also pick a pocket!) I filled two notebooks while investigating this event with the idea towards writing a book about it. But finally, someone beat me to it. (See here.) Not to be deterred, I had always thought this might translate better into a novel anyway. For that matter, it would make one heck of a movie too!
Eight Confederate officers traveled from Canada to New York City full of promises that the Sons of Liberty (no, not the Revolutionary War ones) would rise up and help them take over the city on election day. They promised that they had 20,000 armed men just waiting for the signal. That signal would be a series of fires set by the Confederates at various points throughout the city. Though hotels were the eventual target, the evidence suggests that the plot actually involved setting fires in other locations.
But the New York City authorities were ready. They learned their lesson from the Draft Riots. Certain measures were put in place to prevent any unrest and the "Sons of Liberty" backed out of the plot. The Confederates decided to return to Canada but then they read stories in the paper about Sherman's March to the Sea. Suddenly revenge became the motive. They picked up "Greek Fire" from a chemist in Washington Square. (Incidentally, the site of another famous fire.....the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.)
On the night of November 25, the men set a series of fires in hotel rooms across Lower Manhattan. The fire department promptly put them out with very little damage. The newspapers the following morning had descriptions of all of the men, yet they managed to slip out of the city and made it back to Canada safely. Later on, one of them, Robert Cobb Kennedy, was apprehended as he tried to cross back into the United States. He was put on trial, convicted, and hanged on March 25, 1865.
I fear I have not done the topic justice here. There is a lot more to it than what I have time to write. One of the men, John Headley, wrote his memoirs "Confederate Operations in Canada and New York" which is available for a free download here. It makes for some interesting reading, but take it with a grain of salt! Also, the OR's contain a lot of information too.
One of these days, I'll finish the novel.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.
Friday, December 13, 2013
War and Remembrance
Dear Readers,
I have reached the end of my first semester since I made the decision (or actually my back made the decision) to end my law enforcement career and return to the classroom. To me, final exam week is always a melancholy experience. You know, the first day of class is like a first date. It can go really good or really bad. (And is usually awkward!) The last day of class feels like a break up, though not in a bad sense. You get to know your students over several months and realize that most of them you won't see again. That feeling always makes me a little sad.
This has got me thinking about what the end of the war must have felt like for the veterans. Many of them spent as many as four years of their lives fighting alongside men who must have felt very much like brothers to them by the time it was all over. They lost many of them along the way too both to combat and the ever present threat of disease. And then one day it ended. How did they part ways? Was it as simple as a handshake and a "See you in hell"? The fact that many of the companies were raised in certain geographic locations meant that they would perhaps see each other in civilian life sometimes.
But that raises another question. How could someone who went on Pickett's Charge or fought at the Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania simply go home and farm again like nothing had ever happened? Yet so many of them did. After the war, the men on both sides formed veterans associations. The Northern veterans and their Grand Army of the Republic proved to be a potent political force in the post-war world. The United Confederate Veterans were important in their own right in the south. My great-grandmother always talked about the UCV men that she knew as a child. She said they were "fine old men". Of course, when she knew them they were 40+ years removed from the war. She told me once that those she knew were all very old and had the long white beard which it seems that many Confederate veterans adopted. But she also said that you couldn't let their age fool you. They were tough, very tough. Their legs had carried them thousands of miles. Their shoulders carried heavy burdens. And their eyes had seen far too much.
One of my favorite songs from this period is "Long Ago" which you can listen to here. I don't know all of the back story on this song, but I do know that it was written by a Civil War veteran. I think it sums up the feelings of a lot of Confederate Veterans quite well.
And if I may end with some thoughts of a different kind. To any of my students who may be reading today's blog post, I would like to say this. It has been a long semester for us all. I've been dealing with back pain, PTSD issues, and a crazy schedule. You made it all worthwhile. Over the past few months we've shared laughter and even the occasional tear. Some of you have opened up to me about issues that you are facing and I have done the same. I can honestly say that I feel that I am a better person for having gotten to meet all of you. This semester I have had the best classes that I have ever had in all my years of being an adjunct. Thank you for not only making that happen, but for also showing me what was important in life. Remember that no matter what happens to you in life, I'll always be in your corner.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who has come to realize what my purpose in life truly is thanks to my students.
I have reached the end of my first semester since I made the decision (or actually my back made the decision) to end my law enforcement career and return to the classroom. To me, final exam week is always a melancholy experience. You know, the first day of class is like a first date. It can go really good or really bad. (And is usually awkward!) The last day of class feels like a break up, though not in a bad sense. You get to know your students over several months and realize that most of them you won't see again. That feeling always makes me a little sad.
This has got me thinking about what the end of the war must have felt like for the veterans. Many of them spent as many as four years of their lives fighting alongside men who must have felt very much like brothers to them by the time it was all over. They lost many of them along the way too both to combat and the ever present threat of disease. And then one day it ended. How did they part ways? Was it as simple as a handshake and a "See you in hell"? The fact that many of the companies were raised in certain geographic locations meant that they would perhaps see each other in civilian life sometimes.
But that raises another question. How could someone who went on Pickett's Charge or fought at the Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania simply go home and farm again like nothing had ever happened? Yet so many of them did. After the war, the men on both sides formed veterans associations. The Northern veterans and their Grand Army of the Republic proved to be a potent political force in the post-war world. The United Confederate Veterans were important in their own right in the south. My great-grandmother always talked about the UCV men that she knew as a child. She said they were "fine old men". Of course, when she knew them they were 40+ years removed from the war. She told me once that those she knew were all very old and had the long white beard which it seems that many Confederate veterans adopted. But she also said that you couldn't let their age fool you. They were tough, very tough. Their legs had carried them thousands of miles. Their shoulders carried heavy burdens. And their eyes had seen far too much.
One of my favorite songs from this period is "Long Ago" which you can listen to here. I don't know all of the back story on this song, but I do know that it was written by a Civil War veteran. I think it sums up the feelings of a lot of Confederate Veterans quite well.
And if I may end with some thoughts of a different kind. To any of my students who may be reading today's blog post, I would like to say this. It has been a long semester for us all. I've been dealing with back pain, PTSD issues, and a crazy schedule. You made it all worthwhile. Over the past few months we've shared laughter and even the occasional tear. Some of you have opened up to me about issues that you are facing and I have done the same. I can honestly say that I feel that I am a better person for having gotten to meet all of you. This semester I have had the best classes that I have ever had in all my years of being an adjunct. Thank you for not only making that happen, but for also showing me what was important in life. Remember that no matter what happens to you in life, I'll always be in your corner.
My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict who has come to realize what my purpose in life truly is thanks to my students.
One of my Civil War Ancestors.
A "Fightin' Fool" of the 8th Ohio!
And a native son of Ireland!
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