The (now) controversial Robert E. Lee monument unveiled in Richmond (1890)…

August 28, 2017 by · 1 Comment 

Whether or not the Robert E. Lee monument will remain in Richmond has yet to be determined, but considering the controversy, we thought it might be interesting to post the original Harper’s Weekly report from June 14, 1890 concerning the unveiling of the monument. The link provides the full text related to the image. The text reads, in part:

“The occasion of the unveiling of the Lee statue at Richmond, Virginia, on the 29th of May, possessed features that render it unique in history. It was a mighty tribute to the central figure of a lost-cause, attended by an undercurrent of satisfaction even that the cause was lost… The Confederate flag was everywhere conspicuously displayed…  The military companies affectionately bore it in the line of march, but with it they bore the Stars and Stripes, and bore them loyally. The paradox is explainable only by the fact that the former no longer meant disunion… The opinion has with much reason been expressed that the occasion of such magnitude as the one described, with reference to the late Confederacy, is not likely ever to be repeated. General Lee personified what was best in a bad cause. His individual virtues gave the Southern people, who craved a demonstration commemorative of an indelible epoch in their lives, some substantial and unquestioningly credible to rally around. The honor to the hero of their vain struggle has been paid, and the full conditions for another gathering are wanting. It may therefore by surmised that in the great outpouring of the ex-Confederates at Richmond the final obsequies of the war of session have taken place, and the circumstances attending it show how completely the wounds of conflict have been healed, and a mist important chapter of American history closed. AMOS W. WRIGHT

The Civil War… April, 1865

April 10, 2015 by · 2 Comments 

What news was reported in April, 1865 – 150 years ago? Such a walk back in time through the eyes of those who read the daily and weekly newspapers of the period can be quite Blog-4-3-2015-Lincoln-Shotrevealing. This is why we often say, “History is never more fascinating than when it’s read from the day it was first reported.” The following link will take you back in time to show the available newspapers from the Rare & Early newspapers website. There’s no need to buy a thing. Simply enjoy the walk back in time:

April, 1865

A sampling of what you will find may include articles and info regarding: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln (along with much on his funeral), the capture and death of John Wilkes Booth, the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, the Fall of Richmond, and more. Enjoy!

The Traveler… Gen. Lee’s wagon train… Davy Crockett makes a monkey…

May 19, 2014 by · 2 Comments 

This week I traveled back to New York City by the means of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper of May 21, 1864. There I found on the front cover the illustration of “Rebel Attack on Gen. Lee’s Wagon train at Mansfield, LA., April 8”.  Davy Crockett Quote“In the late reverses in Louisiana one of the most disgraceful points was the loss of the wagon train of Gen. Lee’s cavalry, which had been sent so far forward that it became impossible for the defeated cavalry to retreat. This led not only to the disgraceful rout of the men but also the capture of the train…”

Also in the issue was the following: “The celebrated David Crockett, on visiting a menagerie, was comparing the countenance of a monkey to that of one of his fellow-members of Congress. Turning, he saw the gentleman had overheard his remarks; so, to make matters pleasant, he said, ‘I do not know which to apologize to, you or the monkey.'”

~The Traveler

Gettysburg revisted… 150 years ago…

June 28, 2013 by · 2 Comments 

Since the birth of the United States, there may not be a single more formative event than The Battle of Gettysburg. Authentic newspapers containing first-hand accounts continue to be one of the most sought after within the collectible. Over the years several History’s Newsstand posts have been written about these contemporary reports. A sample of a few are:

The ultimate optimist…

Beyond the big, historic headline…

The Civil War…

The “top ten”: 19th century…

Most historic Civil War event…

The following are the currently available original newspapers with reports related to the Battle of Gettysburg. Please enjoy a brief walk into the heart of “America in crisis” (arranged in chronological order):  Battle of Gettysburg

Robert E. Lee… a touching tribute…

April 27, 2012 by · 3 Comments 

Buried deep within a September 3, 1868 issue of The New-York Times is a touching tribute to Robert E. Lee.  This, along with several other articles from throughout the newspaper, provide a glimpse of this difficult post-Civil War period – with Nathan Bedford Forrest’s interview, the tension over support for Ulsysses S. Grant’s run for the Presidency, and reports from both the Republic and Democratic Party’s conventions providing the backdrop for this almost overlooked intimate letter from the editor of the Fredericksburg News.

The Civil War… 150 years ago today… June 22, 1861

June 22, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:

Page 3 of today’s paper (June 22, 1861 issue of Harper’s Weekly) has a comic design “for a new coin for the C.S.A.”, noted at the top: “Owe Ever – Pay Never”. One of the prints shows soldiers in the Zouaves uniforms, taken from the soldiers of Algeria in Northern Africa. They seem to be a strange sight in our Yankee army. The centerfold print actually has ten prints, one showing a wagon with lager beer, another showing soldiers putting up telegraph wires, and another showing Arlington House, which is the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Another print shows a huge crowd at divine services at Camp Dennison in Ohio, and another has a partial view of the Pensacola Navy Yard in Florida. Two other prints show the action at Fortress Monroe in Chesapeake Bay, apparently a strategic location to protect this important harbor.

The back page cartoons–when they appear–are always interesting. This issue has one showing: “The American Eagle surprising Jeff Davis in his attempt to rob her next.”