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A Christmas wish… 2013…
December 23, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
While Christmas is certainly a time when many who would not normally do so reflect on the spiritual, historic newspapers reveal a time when the lines between the spiritual and the physical were not nearly so distinct. Religion, while largely stripped from the currently public square, was part and parcel of daily conversation in the not to distant past. An example would be the following report of the importance of religion in the lives of Civil War soldiers found in the Hammond Gazette (Point Lookout, MD) of September 22, 1863. My Christmas wish is that we would regain our previous understanding of the role of true religion in everyday life, minus the driving harsh conditions of the past. Please enjoy.
A good reason to stand & fight…
December 20, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “Hammond Gazette” hospital newspaper from the Civil War, dated August 25, 1863, has an interesting front page item concerning the “Gray Beard Brigade” (see below) and why they are inclined to stand & fight. And also a likely reason why one of their elderly members joined the army.
A lament of a dying soldier…
December 13, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Occasionally the human side of war comes through in the newspapers of the day, giving hard evidence of the tragedy of lost life and how it affects those back home. The front page of the: “Hammond Gazette” from Point Lookout, Maryland, Jan. 27, 1864, contains a poem titled “Who Will Care for Mother Now?” (see below) It reflects the sorrows & concerns of a dying soldier, and obviously attracted much attention as the internet is full of references to this poem, which at some point was to music as well.
Soldier gets a “Dear John” letter…
December 9, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The tragedies of the Civil War touched many facets of life, from the pain & hardships of the soldiers to dealing with the loss of loved ones. The war affected the love lives of many as well, as evidenced by this letter found in the “Hammond Gazette” hospital newspaper from Point Lookout, Maryland, September 15, 1863.
The Traveler… a proclamation with a fishy smell to it…
December 2, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed to Boston through the Boston Gazette of December 2, 1813. There I found numerous reports pertaining to the Battle of Chrysler’s [Crysler’s] farm. Within this one issue is the “American Un-Official Accounts”, the “British Official Accounts” and the “American Official Accounts”. This battle took place on November 11th between the British under the command of Lieut. Col Morrison and Canadian under the of command Capt. Mulcaster against the Americans under the command of Maj. Gen. Wilkinson, fighting on both land and on waters. The American troops encountered a high number of injuries and deaths “…The dead rest in honor, and the wounded bled for their country and deserve its gratitude…”.
Also included is a proclamation from *Maj. Gen. Wilkinson. “…Those, therefore, among you who remain quiet at home, should victory incline to the American standard, shall be protected in their persons and property — But those who are found in arms must necessarily be treated as avowed enemies. To menace is unmanly — to seduce dishonorably — Yet it is just and humane to place these alternatives before you…”. If one didn’t know better, this proclamation sounds as if it may have come from a non-American General (see note below).
~The Traveler
*Background (wiki): James Wilkinson (March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825) was an American soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but was twice compelled to resign. He was twice the Commanding General of the United States Army, appointed first Governor of the Louisiana Territory in 1805, and commanded two unsuccessful campaigns in the St. Lawrence theater during the War of 1812. After his death, he was discovered to have been a paid agent of the Spanish Crown.
Civil War era reflections on Thanksgiving…
November 28, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Since we are in the midst of the 150 anniversary of the Civil War, we thought some might enjoy exploring the mention of thanksgiving (holiday and otherwise) within CW era issues arranged in chronological order. The issues may be viewed at:
Thanksgiving through the Civil War
Happy Thanksgiving!
Guy Heilenman
The Gettysburg Address… What did he actually say?
November 19, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
“Four score and seven years ago…”
150 years ago this month, President Abraham Lincoln delivered what we now consider to be one of the greatest speeches of all time. Interestingly enough, since 5 different manuscripts exist, there is some disagreement amongst historians concerning what he actually said. Might original newspapers of the day with eye witness accounts provide the answer? If the speech had been long we probably wouldn’t have a high degree of confidence in the newspaper reporters’ accounts, but the brevity of the speech certainly increases the probability of an accurate transcription. Original reports may not have the definitive answer to this question, but they certainly provide reasonable evidence regarding what was actually spoken. Once again, “History is never more fascinating than when it is read from the day it was first reported.“
View Authentic Newspapers with Gettysburg Address Coverage
The Traveler… at the theatre…
November 4, 2013 by The Traveler · 1 Comment
Today’s journey took me to Washington, D.C. via the Daily National Intelligencer (November 4, 1863). There I found an article advertising a new theatre tragedy at Ford’s 
Theatre entitled “The Robbers” written by a German author. What is most intriguing is find that a cast member that they are applauding is the son of Junius Brutus Booth, John Wilkes Booth “…probably as good an interpreter of its interpreter of its many intricate and difficult portions as could be desired… Mr. Booth will, as a matter of course, appear as Claude Melnotte, a character which he is admirably suited to sustain, both by personal and mental gifts… those desirous of witnessing the honest and sincere efforts of an aspiring young actor in all of the best acting tragedies should make their arrangements accordingly.”
It is hard to image his following appearance on April 14, 1865…
~The Traveler
Long live the dead… a zombie love affair?
October 31, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The New-York Observer (August 14, 1856) has a report which seems right out of a Hollywood Halloween-Thriller script (or crypt?). Was this a bogus story? Perhaps the blockbuster “Ghost” (1990) wasn’t fiction after all. I’ll save the “being married to a dead-beat” jokes for another post.
Lincoln’s famous letter to Lydia Bixby…
October 28, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The photo shows the report in the December 2, 1864 issue of “The Liberator” of Lincoln’s very famous & heart-felt letter to a woman who lost five sons in the Civil War. A very sobering report which gives one a small sense of the horror of war not just on the battlefield, but at home as well. This letter has been praised by many as among Lincoln’s best works of writing, along with the Gettysburg Address and second inaugural address.
