Wednesday, March 03, 2010

"The Spirit of the Age"


The Sixty-second U.S. Colored Infantry is perhaps best known for its commitment to educate the mostly illiterate slaves who joined its ranks in late 1863 and early 1864. In reading various accounts of the regiment's history, I am impressed with the African American men and the strides they made to better themselves and the white officers who linked leadership to literacy and education to citizenship.

These officers were more than men of their time. They were visionaries who contributed to the immediacy of a brutal and bloody war with a long view to addressing the future needs of what most assuredly would be a dramatically changed society in peacetime. This brings to mind the engraving of the eagle pictured here, with arrows and an olive branch gripped in it talon. It was scanned from the enlistment paper of a slave who joined the army in 1864. It represents the extremes that these men faced.

Last week I read through the original regimental order book of the Sixty-second, part of the collection of the National Archives. Preserved in this volume are all the handwritten general and special orders issued by the staff officers. Page after page, I was struck by the commitment of these men to the betterment of freed slaves.

General Order No. 36, transcribed here, caught my attention, for it illustrates both the weakness of man and the strength of human character. I like the phrase "the spirit of the age," which acknowledges this unique moment in history that transformed a race and rebuilt the very foundation of our modern democracy.
Hd. Qrs. 62nd Regt. U.S. Cold. Inf.
Brazos Santiago, Texas
November 9th 1864
General Orders
No 36

The Lieut. Col. Comdg. has learned with regret that several officers of this command have been in the habit of abusing men under their command by striking them with their fists or swords, & by kicking them when guilty of very slight offenses. This is as unmanly and unofficer like as it is unnecessary. An officer is not fit to command who cannot control his temper sufficiently to avoid the habitual application of blows to enforce obedience. Men will not obey as promptly an order who adopts the customs of the slave driver to maintain authority as they will him who punishes by a system consistent with the character and enormity of offenses and the spirit of the age. The time for enforcing authority with the sword is in case of willful disobedience of orders, mutiny, or cowardice in action, which in the ordinary course of events, will rarely occur.

While censuring the officers referred to, their commander makes allowance for the fact that, generally, the men who have received such punishment have been of the meanest type of soldiers; lazy, dirty & inefficient and provoking to any high spirited officer. But he is satisfied never-the-less that such treatment will not produce reform in them, while it has an injurious effect on all good men, from its resemblance to their former treatment while slaves.

By order of
Lieut. Colonel David Branson
Comdg. Regt.
R.B. Foster
1st Lt. & actg. Adjt.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Colored Troops in Non-Combat Roles: A Question of Military Necessity?

The most common explanations I've read or heard pertaining to the deployment of African American regiments in non-combat roles are racial bias by white soldiers who believed black men would not make good fighters, or that federal armies in desperate need of manpower used them to garrison occupied areas in the South.

A letter in the National Archives offers another reason for using colored regiments in support roles, and offers an explanation why.

On Oct. 9, 1864, Brig. Gen. James Lowry Donaldson, the Chief Quartermaster of the Military Department of the Cumberland, sat down in his Nashville, Tenn., office and penned a reply to a letter he had received a day earlier from Col. Reuben D. Mussey, a strong advocate of enlisting black troops and using them on the front lines. Mussey at the time was actively engaged in recruiting and organizing men from Tennessee and Georgia for colored regiments. His role often put him at odds with the top general in the region, William T. Sherman, who did not support the U.S. government's position on raising African American forces.

Col. Mussey fired off a letter of protest to Donaldson after he learned that colored troops were diverted to assist the quartermaster's department. Donaldson's four-page reply:
Colonel,

Your communication of the 8th inst. relative to the two Regiments of U.S.C.I. [U.S. Colored Infantries] now reporting to the Chief Quartermaster of the Dept., and requesting a statement of the duties they are assigned to and how they have discharged it has been received.

In reply I have the honor to state as follows: Last Winter and Spring when the whole resources of the North West [of the Department of the Cumberland] were being poured in upon this Depot, by both rail and river, in order to accumulate, if possible, a six months supply for Genl. Sherman's Army, in anticipation of the Summer Campaign [which ended in the capture of Atlanta], the Q.M. Dept. found itself at its wits-ends to receive and handle the vast amount of all kinds of stores that soon thronged our lines and streets. We made extra exertions to secure stevedores and laborers from the North, and speedily ran up our force of employees from six or eight thousand (6,000 or 8,000) to twelve and fifteen thousand (12,000 & 15,000) but with all our efforts we were still short of men and, as a derrier resort [last resort], I called on the Major Genl. Comdg. for one or two Colored Regts to report to me for such fatigue and guard duty as I might find necessary.

I did not want to do this, for I believe in Colored Troops and think they should take the Field and fight the same as White ones, but I know there were Colored Regts in the Dept. not yet fit for the Field and that, for obvious reasons, they had more work in them than I could get out of any other troops.

General [George H.] Thomas approved of my Requisition, and late in March sent me the 15th Regt. U.S.C. Inft., Col. T.J. [Thomas J.] Downey Comdg., and soon after, in April, the 17th Regt. U.S.C.I., Col. W.R. [William R.] Shafter Comdg., these two Regts. at that time did not number over 1,500 effective men, but they at once proved to be a great assistance to me.

They furnished me details for Fatigue purposes exceedingly large for such an effective strength, and no men ever worked better or more cheerfully. Their Officers all readily saw the necessity of hearty cooperation in order to be prepared here to sustain Genl. Sherman when he moved, and that the Colonels Comdg. especially deserve my warmest thanks.

Subsequently, when supplies were well here for the Summer and Nashville had been denuded of troops in order to concentrate every thing at the Front, I relieved these Regts from all Fatigue duty, and since then have used them only for guard purposes.

At present the 15th Regt. is stationed on the line of the Edgefield and Kentucky R.R., guarding it from Nashville for a distance of some 40 miles, with Hd. Qrs. at Springfield Tenn. At Springfield they have thrown up quite respectable and serviceable fortifications, and at various other points they are now engaged in the construction of Block Houses.

The 17th Regt. has its Hd. Qrs. here at Nashville, several of its Companies are doing duty as guards to Public Store Houses &c here, and the balance I have sent to various points, up and down the Cumberland [River] from 10 to 20 miles from Nashville, to protect Govt. Wood Choppers and guard Govt. wood piles. At times I have found it necessary to detail some of them, temporarily, as guards for Govt. Steamers, to protect them from Guerrillas on the river, and they have always conducted themselves, so far, admirably.

The effective strength of both Regts. is thus fully consumed by our necessary operations here, and about here, and so far I have nothing but praise for both of them.

The Regts. are both well disciplined, and exceedingly soldierly in appearance and conduct, and no better troops could be desired any where, considering their opportunities.

The prejudice they awakened at first among some here has disappeared, if not died out, and I ask no better guards or garrisons for any purposes of the Q.M. Dept. then those furnished me.

I have only to add further, that they have discharged well all the duties to which I have found it necessary to assign them, and that, so far as my observation extends, here the Organization of "Citizens of African Descent" into U.S. Troops has, in this Military Department at least, proved an eminent and entire success. God grant that the problem of Human Slavery on this Continent may thus, at last, receive its solution, and the race so long down-trodden and oppressed be thus permitted to repay "the proud man's contumely and the oppressors wrong," by fighting to the death their rebellious masters beneath the flag of Freedom and the Union.
I find this letter of interest not only for its explanation, but for what it suggests about the officers involved: Donaldson must have been aware of the conflict between Mussey's advocacy of and Sherman's negative position on black troops, and had to have known that Sherman would readily agree to his request. Mussey's obvious concern that Donaldson's request would fuel Sherman's desire to keep African Americans off the front lines of his army are well founded. Donaldson takes the high road in declaring his support for colored troops in the field, then falls back on the tired excuse that the black soldiers "had more work in them" than others, and describes how cheerfully they fulfilled their labors. Donaldson goes on to praise the two regiments in the highest terms, but then qualifies his comments with the caveat that they are only as good as the opportunities available to them (not including a combat role).

I suspect Mussey was not at all assuaged by this reply. Leading the charge for racial equality, Donaldson's conservative attitude as implied in his explanations likely infuriated and frustrated Mussey further. However, his protest letter did produce a thoughtful, careful response from Donaldson.

Notes: Donaldson's quote "the proud man's contumely and the oppressors wrong," appears on page 393 of The Works of Vicesimus Knox, D.D., Vol. II (London: B. Bensley, 1824). Donaldson's letter is contained in Letters Received, Colored Troops Division, entry 360, file M-750-(CT)-1864, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, Record Group 94, at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

"You Can Whip the Whole World"


In December 1864, Maj. Gen. Quincy Adams Gillmore, pictured here, conducted an inspection of the post at Helena, Arkansas. During his visit, the troops marched in review for him. Two African American regiments, the Fifty-sixth and Sixtieth U.S. Colored Infantries, participated in the event.

An observer, James M. Alexander, watched the soldiers on parade as he stood near an artillery battery. He recalled an incident that occurred at the conclusion of the review. His account appeared in a letter published in the December 31, 1864, edition of The Christian Recorder. "There was an old colored man present, who had recently made his escape from the interior of this State, and who had been a silent spectator of the scene. As the General and his staff rode off, the artillerymen fired a salute. The old man advanced to the soldier nearest him, threw up his arms in amazement, and enthusiastically exclaimed, "Gentlemen, it's no use talking. You can whip the whole world."

I can imagine the old man's excitement, coming out of slavery and seeing others like him marching in precision along the path to freedom.

Photo of Maj. Gen. Gillmore from the Library of Congress.

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Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Sarah's Story


On March 14, 1900, Sarah Commodore appeared at the federal pension office in Baltimore and was interviewed by a special examiner regarding her recent application for widow's benefits. Her husband, George William Commodore (right) served as a landsman in the navy from 1864 to 1867. Sarah told the examiner about her marriage and life after his death. Her four-page testimony is preserved in her pension file (with his tintype) at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Here is the transcript of her statement. The original is one long paragraph. I divided this transcript into paragraphs, inserting breaks where it appears the special examiner asked a question. The line of questions is based upon a preliminary investigation in 1899 and a review of Commodore's service record.
I am about 65 years of age but cannot state positively. My post office address is 1623 Brunt St. Balt. Md. & a laundress. I am the widow of George W. Commodore who served in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. I cannot say when he enlisted or was discharged. I think he enlisted early in the war. He served for three years. He enlisted at Baltimore and a few days afterward I visited him in the ship he was on. I think it was called the “Allegheny.” I did not see my husband again until he was stationed at the Washington Navy Yard & I then visited him often. He was not then on a vessel but was a cook on shore in the Navy Yard.

The picture that I now show you was taken at Washington, I think, while he was there in the Navy Yard. I know that he sent it from there to me & I have kept it ever since.

The enlistment I have stated was the only time he was in the Navy & he was never in the Army or in any other service. I am sure he enlisted under his own name which was George William Commodore.

My husband died in April and I think 15 years ago. A society he belonged to gave me a lot at the time of his death & my husband is buried in that lot. I show you the deed. (She owns that lot 385. B. Sharp St. Cemetery, Balt. Was deeded by the Trustees of said Cemetery to Sarah Commodore on Apl. 23, 1885. The deed is signed by the Pres. & Sec. with seal embossed. M.A.W. Spl. Ex.).

I was married several years before the war but cannot give the date or even approximate. I had a certificate but lost it years ago & failed to have it renewed. I was married to sailor Geo. W. Commodore by Rev. Savage Hammond a minister of the A.M.E. Church, & was pastor of the Bethel Church Baltimore. I was married at the house of a cousin of mine, Mrs. Susan Golden who lived on Little Monument St. bet. St. Mary and Orchard St. Mrs. Golden is dead. Georgiana Jefferson was my bridesmaid. She is now Georgiana Clayton & is still living. Mrs. Harris was also present when I was married and she is now dead. Rev. Hammond died years ago, either during the war or soon afterward, in Baltimore. I do not recall any one except Mrs. Clayton who was present when I was married & who are now living.

My maiden name was Sarah Jones. Both my husband & myself were raised in Baltimore and both were freeborn. We were boy & girl together & I had known my husband for six or more years before we were married. He was about 3 years older than I was. I have not remarried since my husbands death but am still his legal widow. Neither my husband nor myself have been married before our marriage to each other. We were never separated but lived together for about 40 years & he was with me & I nursed him during his last illness & until his death.

We then lived on St. Mary St., had half a house with a man named Pearce & my husband died there of heart disease. We had 7 children but all are dead. The last child died about 7 years since. But one was living when my husband died & she was married at that time.

I do not know my husbands age when he enlisted. Cannot say whether he was 39 or 40 or what, but my oldest living child was about 8 years old when her father enlisted & she was my fifth child then being 4 children older but who were dead at that time.

My husband had no marks or scars of any kind that I remember. My husband never had small pox since I first new him. He has said that when young he had small pox but he had no marks of such so far as I ever saw or knew of.

He was a dragman when he enlisted. He was short in height, not very stout, was dark in complexion, hair & eyes. He wore his mustache as shown in likeness when he went away to enlist, if I recollect correctly. My husband was at the Washington Navy Yard most of his time. I think he only served on vessels for a few months not a year altogether.

So far as I know or heard my husband had good health while in the service. Never knew or heard of him being sick at any time until after the war, when he first had trouble with his heart.

Soon after my husband left the Navy he bought a little piece of land across the river from Washington, in Maryland, & his mother & sister went there to live. We never received any benefit from it and after his mother & sister died I do not know what became of it. We never attended to it or paid taxes on it & never visited it. After my husband died I just let it be as before & have never paid taxes on it. I can’t say what it cost but my recollection is that my husband paid about $80.00 for it. He did not own any other property. He had no life insurance. He belonged to the Odd Fellows & they buried him & gave me the lot. I have never received any other benefits from any society or in any way, and have never had any income of any kind except from my own labor.

My daughter could not help me for she had to work for her children, for her husband did not help her. After her death I have had to take care of my daughters children, & I have them still with me. The two eldest help me a little & the two youngest are at school. The eldest is nearly 19.

After my husbands death I went out to service, first with Mr. Arthur Palmer with whom I worked 11 months. I then went to Bishop Paret & served there 4 years. Then my daughter died & I had to take care of her children, so rented two rooms & have had them with me ever since supporting myself & them, by washing & other work that I can get to do.

My husband did not apply for a pension during his life time. He had good health & so have I & we get along comfortably so did not think we were entitled. He was only sick about a year before he died. After his death I did not apply for a pension because I had lost my marriage certificate & my husbands discharge. Lately I was told by a friend that I could get a pension under another law, & would not need the papers I had lost, so I put in a application as I was greatly in need of help & was getting old. I do not know who I can furnish to prove that my husband or myself were not married before our marriage, except Mrs. Clayton. I know that Richard Owens and Maria Johnson both knew me when I was young and since but I don’t know where they live. Sarah Chambers also knew me.

I will be present here if I can when my witnesses are examined by my attorney. Mr. A. Parleff Lloyd is prosecuting my claim. I have made no arrangement with him as to fee, and have never paid him any fees. My statement has been read to me, I have understood your questions & am correctly recorded.

Witness: N.N. Hill

Sarah (her X mark) Commodore
Deponent

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

"The Happiest Moments of His Life"


Col. Ozora Pierson Stearns (1831-1896) of the Thirty-ninth U.S. Colored Infantry, in an interview with an historian, recounted his participation in the ill-fated Battle of the Crater along the front lines at Petersburg, Virginia, on July 30, 1864. In this excerpt, Stearns' graphic account of the battle caught my attention:
At the mine explosion in front of Petersburg July 30, Colonel Stearns’ regiment was the last to go into the fight after the rebels had rallied and formed a cordon of fire along the whole front. As they were passing the crater, moving by the flank, a cannon-ball took off the head of one of his men near the front of his regiment, and threw the head of the column into some confusion. The air was full of grape canister-shells and minie-balls. The colonel mounted a chunk of clay about three feet high, and drew his sword and shouted to his regiment with a voice that could be heard above the din of the battle, and it immediately came into line and filed past him in excellent order. Those were, he declares, the happiest moments of his life.
The last sentence brought to mind Gen. Robert E. Lee's often repeated quote, "It is well that war is so terrible — lest we should grow too fond of it." I suspect that Stearns, who went on to become a respected judge, serve a stint as U.S. Senator, and become a staunch supporter of women's suffrage, would not have ever wanted to be in such a position of danger again. And yet, it is clear that in that moment at the edge of the Crater, as he stood atop a boulder with a commanding view of the utter chaos unfolding around him in contrast to the orderly procession of his men, he experienced two extreme emotions almost simultaneously, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

How you or I would react to such battlefield stress is an unknown. Would we feel elated, as Stearns recalled in later years, or would we be forever damaged by the experience? Or both?

Stearns' recollection of the Battle of the Crater continues:
When the rebels made their final charge, after nearly the whole line had given way, Colonel Stearns rallied a few men and was holding a short piece of the line just at the right of the crater, when a shell burst, seemingly right in his face, which stunned him for a moment. When he recovered he was alone — all others had fallen or fled. There were some still fighting in the crater. He went into it to see what could be done. He saw it was impossible to hold it. This was just after the Forest massacre. He thought, if captured, he would be hung. He concluded to try and reach the Union lines, one hundred and fifty yards away. As he started, several started with him. They had gone but a few yards when every man that started with him had fallen. In his mind he gave up all hope and said: “Well, you’ve got me now, and you’ll shoot me in the back, but you shan’t shoot me running.” He then stopped running, took out his sword and walked slowly, clipping weeds. He reached the old line of works, leaped over them, and commenced preparing for an expected assault on that line. Just then another shell burst, seemingly in his face. Against his right shoulder was a cavalry soldier and against his left a colored soldier. The shell tore off the shoulder of the cavalry soldier so he could see the beating of his lung, and tore away the chin of the colored soldier. The colonel was unharmed. He lost in this engagement ten officers and one hundred and eighty-five men killed and wounded. His colors had thirteen ball holes through them. His color-bearer, at his request, was voted by congress a medal of honor for bravery in the battle.
— Butterfield, Consul Willshire. “Bench and Bar of Duluth.” Magazine of Western History (March 1889). Photo from Wikipedia.

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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Visit to the Butler Civil War Round Table

I knew I was going to enjoy my visit to the Butler Civil War Round Table soon after arriving when one of its members, Dottie Cress, pulled a small album out of her bag and showed me some of the original cartes de visite and tintypes she has collected. Beautiful images all. She is on the hunt for original photographs of two of her ancestors who fought, James and Joseph Nunamaker of the Tenth Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry.

I also met Paul Means, a artist and photographer who specializes in painting murals. We had a great conversation about art and its impact on our lives.

Bill May, the leader of the group, wore a Santa hat and led us through a trivia contest, raffle and Christmas carol singalong. I've spoken before a number of round tables, but this is the first singing round table!

My presentation, Faces of War, has three parts: The history of early photography, a sampling of cartes de visite of Pennsylvania soldiers, and a collection of charts from my soldier database. Judging from the comments afterward, I was very pleased with its reception.

The presentation has been a work in progress this year. I have been honing it from event to event. I will continue to refine it for future engagements.

Perhaps my favorite moment of the evening was talking with a schoolteacher named Steve. He appreciated the cards I handed out. (Each member receives a card in the beginning of the presentation which features a soldier image, his name and hometown; after the presentation, each member receives another card with the soldier's story.) Steve would like to use to help his eighth graders relate to the Civil War through the stories of the soldiers who fought. I will make all the cards available to him.

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Sunday, November 08, 2009

On a Rant About Time Off and Pay

Like many Americans throughout history, the Civil War soldier had his frustrations with government. Leroy D. House was no exception. A clockmaker from Bristol, Conn., House served as a captain in the 108th U.S. Colored Infantry. On duty guarding Confederate prisoners at Rock Island, Ill., during the holidays, he made the best of life far away from the front lines in sub-zero temperatures — but couldn't resist venting in this excerpt from a letter penned on Dec. 24, 1864, to friends at home in Connecticut:
"Congress has adjourned over the holidays, and the members have gone home to receive their Christmas & New Years Presents. They ought to give the army power to adjourn over the Holidays and let the soldier go home. But we do not expect the same privileges as citizens. A member of Congress when he thinks his pay is insufficient can vote himself more, while the soldiers must wait with patience for Congress to do him justice. We expect an increase of pay before Congress adjourns in the spring. We view it as an act of justice, but if the powers that be do not see fit to do it, we shall not find fault with Uncle Sam, but try to bring our expenses within our means. Nearly all Civil officers of the government as well as all clerks and Provost Marshals have had their pay raised since the commencement of the present war, while the officers in active service receive no more to day than he did four years ago when all of the necessaries of life cost but little more than one third the present price."
This letter is part of the collection of the Connecticut Historical Society.

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Thursday, October 08, 2009

Rare Artistic Pose of a Union Artillery Officer


Securing image scans and permissions, and researching and writing about African Americans who participated in the war is my top priority. However, I remain an avid collector of cartes de visite. A recent addition is this image of John Aiken Millard Jr., photographed in the studio of Pine & Bell of Troy, New York.

Millard's artistic pose in certainly unusual for the period. He reclines against a fabric and tassel covered box surrounded by the trappings of an officer: Binoculars and case, sword and scabbard. A leather bound journal lay open, leaning against his forage cap. On the page most visible to the camera appears to be writing. Upon closer examination, the "writing" is nothing more than wiggly lines added in ink by the photographer or an assistant. The presence of the book is perhaps symbolic of an man of letters. Millard's well-tailored uniform, cuff links, and lace handkerchief suggest he hails from a family of privilege and wealth.

The ink inscription in the upper left of the print area identify the sitter as "Lieut Millard 1 Reg Art'y A.P." He officially served as a second lieutenant in Battery H of the First New York Light Artillery, part of the the Army of the Potomac. On the right side of the image is stamped a large letter M, and is written the date, Nov. 29, 1864. Millard officially mustered in to the First a month later. He survived the war and left the army in June 1865.

Cartes de visite like this are rare. I am aware of only one other like it. Check out a larger version on Flickr.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Visiting Owens Dawson


Researching the life and times of Q.M. Sgt. Owens Dawson of the Twenty-fifth U.S. Colored Infantry has provided me an opportunity to get to know a man who died fifty-nine years before my birth. I've imagined him waiting on tables in a Philadelphia restaurant before the war, marching to the sound of drum and fife on the drill ground at Camp William Penn, mourning the untimely death of his first wife, traveling to Washington, D.C., to begin a new life, and, in his dotage, chatting up aged veterans at a Grand Army of the Republic reunion.

Today, I visited his grave site at Arlington National Cemetery, located a few miles from my home. I enjoyed a quiet moment to reflect on a life of joy and sorrow, in service of country, for the betterment of our nation.

Little could he have imagined that 105 years after his death that I would be standing at his grave site, snapping pictures of a cool marble slab that marks the spot where his earthly remains lie undisturbed, a silent stone witness to the memory of a man.

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Saturday, September 26, 2009

"The Men Always Felt This a Grievance"

If there was ever any question that African American soldiers could and would fight, no one bothered to tell Frederick Lyman Hitchcock, an officer in the 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry who suffered two wounds at Fredericksburg and went on to be colonel and commander of the Twenty-fifth U.S. Colored Infantry. After the war he had this to say about the character of the men in the Twenty-fifth:
"I desire to bear testimony to the esprit du corps, and general efficiency of the organization as a regiment, to the competency and general good character of its officers, to the soldierly bearing, fidelity to duty, and patriotism of its men. Having seen active service in the Army of the Potomac, prior to my connection with the Twenty-fifth, I can speak with some degree of assurance. After a proper time had been devoted to its drill, I never for a moment doubted what would be its conduct under fire. It would have done its full duty beyond question. An opportunity to prove this the Government never afforded, and the men always felt this a grievance."

From Bates' History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Vol. V, pp. 1026-1027.
I admire Hitchcock's confidence in his men, and his clear dissatisfaction for never having been sent to see the elephant with his command.

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Monday, September 07, 2009

A Most Unusual Photo Album


First Lieutenant Theodore Francis Wright of Dorchester, Mass., was described as a student of a serious turn of mind and a dedicated diarist. In the spring of 1864 he wrote in his journal, "I have for some time been deliberating about leaving college to go to the war, and I have, at last, with the consent of my parents, determined to study for a commission in the colored troops."

Wright (pictured here, standing on the right, in his uniform) received a commission as first lieutenant. He explained his first assignment:
"My assignment to the 108th U. S. Colored Infantry organizing at Louisville, Kentucky, came June 14th, 1864, and I was ordered to report immediately. Attached to 'F' Company, Captain John H. Lee of New York, I spent one month at Louisville, the month of August at Maysville, Ky., aiding the enlistment of negroes; September at Muldraughs Hill, Ky., guarding from guerillas the Louisville and Nashville R. R., enjoying military life exceedingly. About October first the entire regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel John J. Bishop of Indiana, started for Rock Island Barracks, Illinois, where we spent the long and very severe winter, guarding rebel prisoners. The men improved scanty moments of leisure to learn to read and write, while I studied over my old classics."
In March 1865, 1st Lt. Wright and his company stepped into a Rock Island photographer's studio. Each man had their carte de visite portrait taken. Wright penned a brief note on the back of each image. On the reverse side of Kendrick Allen's carte, Wright wrote, "Now Serg't and an excellent one, and commands dedication." Allen made the army his career after the war as a Buffalo Soldier. Wright wrote honest appraisals of his men: On the back of the carte de visite of Pvt. Alfred Thompson is written "Second rate man."

Wright placed the entire collection of company cartes into a photograph album and presented it to his mother, Sarah Augusta (Hunt) Wright.

Wright (1845-1907) went on to study theology and earn two degrees from Harvard University. He is best remembered for his contributions as a pastor and author. Yet the photograph album he presented to his mother, filled with brief, honest remembrances of a company of African Americans who fought for freedom, is among the most unique of all Civil War photograph collections. The album is part of the Randolph Linsly Simpson African-American Collection, James Weldon Johnson Collection in the Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.

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Friday, September 04, 2009

Setting Deadlines

One word to describe the first nine months of this book project is discovery: Locating images, securing rights and permissions, searching for primary sources, finding resources, reading articles and books on the African American war experience, sorting lists and databases. In short, getting started on the manuscript journey, traveling down unfamiliar paths, finding some dead ends, but other paths that lead to other paths and roadways.

I have a long way to go yet. However, the roads are starting to feel familiar. For the first time since last year, I have a sense of how long it will take to get there. My estimates:
By the end of 2009
75 images secured
10 profiles researched and written

By the end of 2010
95 images secured
60 profiles researched and written

By June 2011
Manuscript complete

Fall 2012
Book published
It will be interesting to find out how accurate my estimates compare to reality. Time will tell. This may seem like a fruitless exercise to some, but it helps me to know that a plan of sorts is formed.

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Thursday, August 27, 2009

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.

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Monday, August 17, 2009

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.

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

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.

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Lt. Col. John E. Arthur

Steve Thomas is searching for wartime photographs of his great-great-great grandfather, Lt. Col. John E. Arthur of the Ninety-third Pennsylvania Infantry. Arthur, a Mexican War veteran (wounded at the Belen Gate in 1847), started the Civil War by recruiting Company B of the 93rd Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers in from Reading, PA. The company mustered into service in Lebanon, PA. If you have a wartime image of Lt. Col. Arthur, or any information you'd like to share, please contact Steve at steve@arthurhistory.com. Read more about Col. Arthur.

Hope you can help Steve!

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Thursday, July 09, 2009

New Jersey Soldier

I started to research the life and military service of Pvt. Benjamin Benson, Company C, Twentieth U.S. Colored Infantry. Benson was born a free man in Bergen County, New Jersey, where he resided all his life — with the exception of his two years in the army. Benson's New Jersey connection was a pleasant surprise, for we both were born in the Garden State.

I look forward to learning more about Benson and the Twentieth, a regiment formed in early 1864 and deployed to Louisiana, Texas and Tennessee.

Benson's portrait photograph is one of two identified African American cartes de visite shared by Don Wisoski, author of The Opportunity Is At Hand: Oneida County, New York, Colored Soldiers in the Civil War. I've enjoyed getting to know Don. His cheery, upbeat attitude and passion for Civil War photography has made for several enjoyable conversations, and a new friendship.

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Saturday, July 04, 2009

Interview on ACW Essays & Research

Greg Rowe, the author of American Civil War Essays & Research, posted an interview with me based on a series of email questions I recently answered at his request. The result, The stories of Civil War soldiers as told by a visual journalist, is an excellent account of my author experience. I am especially pleased that he included a number of details, including my days as a baseball card collector.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Gettysburg USCT Cartes

During my last trip to the Gettysburg visitor center and museum, I noticed six identified cartes de visite of soldiers who served in the ranks of the USCT, and called the archives to find out if I could get scans of the images for use in my book. Spoke with Paul Shevchuk, who had helped me several years ago: I was researching Capt. Thomas R. Clark of the U.S. Signal Corps, who observed the opening stage of the battle from the Adams County Courthouse on July 1. Paul kindly showed me a collection of Clark's artifacts acquired by the museum, including Clark's cipher disk and a number of documents.

Paul came through again. He sent a CD containing scans of the six soldiers from the visitor center, and, much to my delight, four more scans of men not included in the public display.

Overnight, I was easily able to confirm the identities of eight men using Ancestry.com and the American Civil War Research Database.

Two men require further research.

The first is identified in the scan only as Jesse Keepson. Could not find him in any database. However, the same photograph is credited to the Bill Gladstone collection as a member of Company F, 108th U.S. Colored Infantry. Two other images from the 108th are also credited to Gladstone, which leads me to believe he bought them as a group. Armed with this information, I went back to American Civil War Research Database and searched through all the men of the 108th Infantry's Company F. Only one man named Jesse served in Company F, Jesse Hopson. I believe this is the same man, and will be contacting Paul to get a scan of the back of the carte de visite to learn more.

The second is identified as A.E. Jackson of the 78th U.S. Colored Infantry. Eight men with the first initial A and the last name Jackson served in the regiment, and none of the databases include a middle initial or name. To solve this mystery, I will need to visit the National Archives and request the military service records and pension files of all eight men. I also need to get a scan of the back of this image.

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Thursday, June 18, 2009

This Blog Now Available on Kindle


Amazon's now features Faces of War on Kindle. For a monthly subscription fee of $1.99, you can take this blog with you and peruse it at your leisure.

A bit of a skeptic when the Kindle first launched, I wondered why folks would use it instead of other mobile devices.

Recently, I had an opportunity to take one out for a test drive. It's simple interface, comfortable screen size, light weight and portability impressed me. I would definitely use it as an alternative to other mobile devices. And now I can appreciate the hype associated with it.

The interface, while easy to use, is a bit primitive mechanically. The button action is not as smooth as modern keypads and there is a bit of a delay once the key is pressed. I assume that will be tweaked in future releases.

I don't think Kindle replaces books, for the experience of clicking through an e-reader is completely different from holding a hardbound volume and flipping through pages. Also, the clarity of text and images on a printed page is superior to the Kindle monitor. However, it is certainly an excellent tool for distributing content, and this simple fact caused me to offer this blog for subscription.

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Monday, June 15, 2009

Militaria Week at Collectors' Quest

Some weeks back I uploaded soldier cartes de visite to Collectors' Quest, the social network for collectors. Today they launched Militaria Week, which features collections from several individuals, including me. Check it out! I like the idea that they've brought together people of diverse interests on a wide range of subjects.

According to CQ's About Us page:
Collectors' Quest is a digital media brand for the passionate collectors' community. We combine a mix of high-quality broadband video, social networking and ecommerce.

Collectors' Quest gets deep in the trenches to focus on entertaining, informing and harnessing the passion of collectors.

We enable collectors to meet others who share their interests, organize and catalog their collections, as well as buy, sell or trade with others. Collectors can also watch collecting related videos and read about the latest and greatest trends in the collecting arena.

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Saturday, June 13, 2009

Nicholas Biddle, Unofficial Soldier


That Nick Biddle went to war with a company of Pennsylvanians from Pottsville is beyond doubt, as evidenced by the carte de visite photo that shows him wearing the uniform jacket of the Washington Artillerists, which later formed the nucleus of Company B of the Keystone State's Forty-eighth Infantry. Moreover, that he suffered a serious head wound during the Baltimore Riots of April 1861 is an event for which he was recognized at the time as the first man wounded in the Civil War.

His military record is one that commands attention and respect for his sacrifice.

Only Biddle never served in the army officially. Men of color were not allowed to enlist. That would come later. Instead, Biddle served as an orderly to Capt. James Wren, who went on to become major of the Forty-eighth. By the time African Americans were allowed to join, sixty-five-year-old Biddle was finished with army life.

His story is unlike any other individual I've researched for my column and books, as all were formally enlisted soldiers. And yet his short-lived experience helps frame the larger issue of race for which our ancestors struggled to deal with in four bloody years of war, and his personal story the sacrifice and dedication of an American to his country.

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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

On "Two Ways to Approach One War"

Civil War literature can be divided into two classes of historians, non-academics writing about military events and academics focused on the home front and politics, explains Gary W. Gallagher in his essay in the August 2009 issue of Civil War Times. Gallagher observes, "Both these Civil Wars form part of a complicated story that cannot be comprehended by mastering only one." He defines a particular kind of military history, a third way that puts the great battles and campaigns in context to the broader impact on Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

To be mindful of the larger context in which events unfold is a responsibility that non-academic and academic historians share alike, regardless of the lens in which an author chooses to frame an article or book. The best writers in either class manage to do this by seeking different perspectives during the course of their research. Moreover, they reflect those perspectives in a measured and thoughtful way in their writing. This is a function of natural curiosity, education and experience.

No single volume about the war captures the complexity of the period. No volume is likely ever to be produced. It is the complete body of literature on the subject that speaks to the depth and breadth of this tragic conflict.

Current and future readers and writers have an opportunity to learn and share and contribute to this dynamic and ever expanding field of study.

As our country evolves in the wake of the great events that have shaped our past and impact the current time in which we live, it is in the best interests of those who will form our future to comprehend how we came to be. For the better informed we are, the less likely we may be filled with fear and anxiety about what we will become.

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Saturday, December 06, 2008

Research Method: Top Level Organization

Currently working by email and telephone with a descendant of a soldier who is in possession of family documents, including letters and other personal information. To explain my needs, I included this organizational detail:

My research typically breaks down into three sections:
1. Timeline of subject's life, using census data, military service records, pension files, and other source material.
2. Related material that puts his war experience and other life events into context.
3. References to subject's character and other anecdotes from letters, journals, and other personal documents.

Numbers one and two are often easy to locate. The third section can be difficult, for these documents may be in the hands of the families or private collectors, and these collections are not well documented.

While this overview may appear simplistic to some, it accurately diagrams the three broad categories that serve as the main points of organization as material is collected.

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