New Site for Historic Newspapers is Helpful Resource

I've often benefited from the content in old newspapers, but have been less than enthusiastic about combing through poor-quality microfilm or difficult to navigate web sites. In truth, it is almost always a painful experience, but one that I endure because the payoff — an obituary or other article of interest — breathes life and adds context to my research subjects.

Recently I learned about NewsinHistory.com, a digitized collection of more then 1,100 newspapers spanning two centuries. I arranged for a trial subscription and determined to test it with one of my more difficult subjects, Edwin S. Likens, a Civil War veteran who has proved hard to track.

Civil War military service records list two men named Edward S. Likens who wore Union blue: One who served in two New York regiments, and another who served in two Pennsylvania regiments. But a search of other sources suggest only one man, a Philadelphia native, with this name. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to solve this history mystery, I reluctantly moved his file to the bottom of the priority list.

After my NewsinHistory.com user name and password arrived, I entered the name Likens in the search box. The results included an article in the March 12, 1863, edition of the Philadelphia Public Ledger announcing the marriage of Lieut. Edwin S. Likens to Josephine Ophelia Dodd. This article is the missing link to my research, for it connects Likens the Pennsylvania officer to the New York Likens whose widow, Josephine O. Likens, filed for a government pension after her husband's death.

Mysery solved! Thank you NewsinHistory.

The site's strength, aside from the number of newspapers and search capability, is the functionality that makes it easy to pan and zoom, scroll, flip and scan pages. The yellow keyword search highlights are also a plus. Reminds me of Google Books and Amazon. (I am a fan of both sites.)

Two minor changes would improve the site experience:

1. Add the name of the publication and date to the pdf download, a detail offered by the New York Times on its archived articles.
2. Move the search bar to the top of the home page and all the results pages. The strength of this site is the search, and yet it seems to be hidden in the design.

Overall, NewsinHistory gets a big thumbs up. I plan to add it to my research tool kit, and recommend it to any individual or institution involved in genealogical and other historical studies.

Kendrick Allen, Buffalo Soldier

A note penned on the back of the carte de visite of Kendrick Allen, written by his commanding officer, praises him as an excellent soldier — a fine compliment to an eighteen-year-old sergeant new to soldiering in the 108th U.S. Colored Infantry. Allen served in the regiment from 1864 until 1866.

Five years later he returned to the military, this time in the regular army as a corporal in the Twenty-fourth U.S. Infantry, one of the Buffalo Soldier regiments. He later transferred to the Ninth Cavalry and retired as a sergeant in 1897.

This the first Buffalo Soldier I've documented. If you have any information about Sgt. Allen, please contact me.

Visit to Fort Fisher

This weekend, Anne and I drove to visit our old friend Linda and see her new home in Wilmington, N.C. Went to the beach on Saturday, and stopped by Fort Fisher. It's a spot I've wanted to see since researching a Massachusetts soldier who participated in the successful capture of the fort and its garrison in January 1865.

I enjoyed touring the small, informative museum — the centerpiece of which is an electric map. I've been a sucker for electric maps since seeing the twinkling lights display at Gettysburg when I was a boy. Sadly, the Gettysburg map is not part of the new visitor center. The map at Fort Fisher is complete with gunboats, accurate topographical features, and contemporary voices that bring the battle to life.

I was especially interested to learn about the role of the Twenty-seventh U.S. Colored Infantry. It participated in the capture of the remaining Confederates who fled the fort after it was occupied by federal troops. I've yet to uncover an image of a member of the Twenty-seventh, but am hopeful one will surface.

The map and surrounding museum exhibits is a perfect warm-up for the walking tour around the ruins of the earthen fort structure overlooking the beach and Atlantic Ocean. I took the panorama photo shown here standing in front of the Confederate memorial looking north towards the remains of the fort. Note the storm clouds to the left of the monument. They belong to Hurricane Bill.

USCT Soldier Surfaces at Richmond Show

I had not been to the North South Trader's Show in Richmond for some years. My gut told me to make the trip yesterday and am glad I did. About a quarter of the way through the show I walked by C.J. Delery's table (he operates The Historical Shop, and I have a fond memory of a Pennsylvania show some years ago at which I of purchased a pristine group of officer cartes de visite, all members of the Fifty-third Massachusetts Infantry). Delery asked if he could help. I told him about my latest project and he pointed me in the direction of Howard Norton's table.

Within a few minutes I was at Howard's table looking at a quarter plate tintype of Pvt. William Wright of the 114th U.S. Colored Infantry. An airtight identification by way of a piece of paper attached to the back of the metal plate, inscribed in period pen.

To be certain that Wright was a member of the regiment, I whipped out my laptop only to find there was no wireless access in the building. So, I called up Anne at home and joked that I was stuck at the Civil War show and required immediate table-side assistance from "AnneStar." She logged on to our home computer and I guided her through the American Civil War Research Database operated by Historical Data Systems. In minutes she verified that Wright did indeed serve in the 114th. I left with the image, a detail pictured here.

Howard and I talked for awhile after completing the purchase. Turns out he had come into possession of this photograph six weeks ago after buying a group of images from a Missouri collector. Howard is a long-time dealer, and I've seen him at a number of shows. His soft Southern accent reflects his Mississippi roots and birth in Arkansas. He is sixty-eight years old. His father, a Spanish American War veteran, was the same age when Howard was born. We finished our conversation reflecting on our shared joy of Civil War photography. "The ability to see the face of a soldier, then read about his life and what happened to him in the war is a powerful thing and it puts me in a different place" I explained to Howard, who nodded his head in agreement. He knew exactly what I meant, "I know, I know. You're There. It takes you There."

Howard Norton said it better than I could.

You're There.

Manassas Museum Memories

Just back from a speaking engagement and Faces of the Confederacy book signing at the Manassas Museum. Memories:

• Store Manager Jane Riley's efficiency. She made the event go off without a hitch and brought in a respectable crowd! I owe her a debt of gratitude.
• Ethel's excellent feedback: She appreciated my new introduction — The Photo Generation — and purchased the lone copy of Faces of the Civil War, the Union counterpart.
• Charlotte and Patty's late arrival: They missed the presentation due to traffic, and generously purchased copies of the book.

Speaking and Book Signing at Manassas Museum

This Saturday, Aug. 15, I'll be at the Manassas Museum speaking about Faces of the Confederacy: An Album of Southern Soldiers and Their Stories. Afterwards, I will sign copies of the book. My presentation includes profiles of several Virginians featured in Faces, including the soldier on the cover, Sgt. William Crawford Smith of the Twelfth Virginia Infantry. Also included is a statistical survey of soldiers from my database of 200 Civil War veterans.

This event is part of the Civil War Trails Old Town Walking Tour. Led by guides in period clothes, the tour is focused on the Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run), fought on Aug. 28–30, 1862. This year marks the 147th anniversary of the Confederate victory. The tour begins at 10 a.m. Cost: $10/person. For more information about this tour contact the Manassas Museum at 703-368-1873.

The museum is located at 9101 Prince William St., Manassas, VA 20110-5615.

Road Trip to Connecticut

New Haven is home to Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Among its extensive holdings are a number of excellent African American images, mostly from the Randolph Linsly Simpson collection. Many of these images are available by searching the library's online database. However, a handful were not, and I determined to travel to New Haven to view them.

I had it in mind to visit in August, but did not have a firm date planned until my friend Pete reminded me that New Haven is close to the home of our mutual friend Dave. Also that New Haven is home to two of America's finest pizza places, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and Sally's Apizza Restaurant.

A plan formed: Drive to Connecticut on Sunday, pick up Dave, and have dinner at Sally's. Monday at the Beinecke followed by late lunch at Pepe's, then drive home.

The trip was a complete success. The Beinecke staff were exceptionally courteous and helpful. The handful of images I came to see included one excellent carte de visite of a first sergeant and fifer from the Sixty-seventh U.S. Colored Infantry. Added to the other images I had previously found in the Simpson collection, all men from the Twenty-ninth Connecticut and 108th U.S. Colored infantries, I left the library after having made arrangements to receive high-resolution scans of thirty photographs — a staggering total from a single source. I like to think the photograph shown here of me in front of the Beinecke with my hands forming the big 3-0 celebrates the moment.

As for the pizza, that too became a research project. Dave, Pete and I ordered a white pie with clams and tomato pie with sausage and pepperoni from each restaurant. We unanimously agreed on the winner: Sally's. Each of Sally's pies, with ingredients fused into a complex flavor profile that includes the perfect thin, crunchy crust, easily won the day. Sally's was worth the wait, two hours from the time we lined up until the first pizza made it to our table. Pepe's had the advantage on three counts: Aromatic and richly-flavored sausage, ambiance inside the restaurant, and service. But these factors were not enough to put Pepe's over the top.

Special thanks to the guy at Sally's who held our place in line while we grabbed a quick beer!

Seeking the Story Behind an Iconic Image

The Chicago Historical Society possesses one of the finest collections of African American soldier photographs that I've ever seen. Of these twenty-seven terrific tintypes, one is identified: Sgt. James L. Baldwin of the Fifty-sixth U.S. Colored Infantry. His iconic image, shown here, has appeared in numerous publications.

All the published examples of Baldwin's likeness I've found include the briefest of captions. It is for this reason that he will be included in my book. I want to tell his story. I started researching his life and military service yesterday and found that he started the war with the Third Arkansas Infantry (African Descent). Government authorities later designated the regiment as the Fifty-sixth. Baldwin applied for a disability pension in 1889.

I look forward to learning more about him, and providing a fresh take on this image by providing details of his war service. If you have any information to share, please comment.

Recognize These Fellows?

Chris Marquez sent me a scan of an albumen photograph of fifteen Union infantrymen, most in the group are sergeants. On many of the forage caps can be seen the familiar cross-shaped badge of the Sixth Army Corps. The soldiers are gathered around a flag. In the distance is visible a group of cabins, perhaps winter quarters for these men.

Take a close up look at this large scan.

If you recognize any of these fellows, please contact Chris.