After African American soldiers were not allowed to participate in the Union army’s Grand Review in Washington DC in May 1865, Harrisburg residents organized their own event on November 14, 1865 for those who served in the United States Colored Troops. While this earlier post provides an overview, several other newspaper articles offer interesting accounts […]
29
Oct
10
Grand Review in Harrisburg, PA – November 14, 1865
Posted by sailerd Published in Historic Periodicals, Reconstruction (1865-1880)no comment
27
Oct
10
As the 150th anniversary of the 1860 election is next week, the House Divided project has just published seven interactive essays at Journal Divided that focus on different aspects of Abraham Lincoln’s campaign. These essays have been adapted with permission from the unedited manuscript of Michael Burlingame’s Abraham Lincoln: A Life (2008). One can read […]
15
Oct
10
Election of 1860 – “Illinois Sure for Douglas”
Posted by sailerd Published in Civil War (1861-1865), Historic PeriodicalsIn late October 1860 the (Montpelier) Vermont Patriot confidently predicted that Senator Stephen Douglas would win Illinois’ electoral votes. “Illinois has never yet voted against the Democratic party for President,” as the Vermont Patriot noted. Democratic papers like the Vermont Patriot argued that voters had to support Douglas in order to remain “high above the […]
8
Oct
10
Burning of Chambersburg, PA (July 1864)
Posted by sailerd Published in Civil War (1861-1865), Historic Periodicals, Images, Letters & Diaries, MapsOn July 30, 1864 Confederate cavalry under General John McCausland’s command entered Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and demanded that residents pay $500,000 in greenbacks or $100,000 in gold. Confederates planned to use the money to compensate Virginia residents whose homes in the Shenandoah Valley were burned by Union General David Hunter’s troops. After Chambersburg residents refused to […]
29
Sep
10
White Hall School – Camp Hill, PA
Posted by sailerd Published in Civil War (1861-1865), Images, Places to VisitOn Thanksgiving day in November 1863 two children whose fathers were killed during the Civil War went to the executive mansion in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and asked for food. Apparently this experience inspired Governor Andrew Curtin to ask the Pennsylvania legislature to establish an organization to care for orphans of Union soldiers. While legislators did not […]
28
Sep
10
Election of 1860 – “Mr. Lincoln A Black Man”
Posted by sailerd Published in Antebellum (1840-1861), Historic PeriodicalsWhen European newspapers discussed Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the Election of 1860, their reporters did not always provide the correct details. In January 1861 the (Montpelier) Vermont Patriot highlighted a mistake in an editorial from the Drogheda (Ireland) Argus, which discussed the implications of “a black Man’s” victory for the United States. “No Presidential election has excited […]
24
Sep
10
Election of 1860 – Ulysses S. Grant
Posted by sailerd Published in Antebellum (1840-1861), Images, Letters & DiariesThe Ulysses S. Grant Association at Mississippi State University has digitized all 31 volumes included in the Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. This project also offers a chronology and a nice collection of images. In August 1860 Grant observed that “the Democratic party want a little purifying and nothing will do it so effectually as […]
7
Sep
10
Skirmish at Oyster Point (June 1863)
Posted by sailerd Published in Civil War (1861-1865), Places to VisitThe skirmish at Oyster Point was a small engagement that took place in late June 1863 in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania between Confederate forces under General Albert G. Jenkins’ command and Union militia from New York under General William F. Smith’s command. After Confederates entered Mechanicsburg, General Jenkins set up artillery and sent Virginia cavalry in […]
30
Aug
10
While previous posts have discussed political cartoons from American publications like Harpers Weekly, Punch was a popular periodical in England. Art Historian Allan T. Kohl works at Minneapolis College of Art & Design and has put together an interesting collection of Punch’s “principal cartoons” related to the Civil War. Weekly editions “featured a principal cartoon, […]
29
Aug
10
Rupp House – Mechanicsburg, PA
Posted by sailerd Published in Civil War (1861-1865), Places to VisitThe Rupp House in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania served as the headquarters for Confederate General Albert G. Jenkins’ brigade during the Gettysburg campaign in late June 1863. On June 28 Jenkins’ troops captured Mechanicsburg without encountering any resistance. Two days later, however, Jenkins received General Robert E. Lee’s order to regroup at Gettysburg. As Jenkins’ brigade left […]
