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Tag Archives: Civil War

Latest Book Read: A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas

09 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by pastsmith in Books, History

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Arkansas, Civil War, Gutenberg, Missouri

SoMO-andNoAKThis book is exactly what it’s title says. The first part is about the early settlements, the main part of the book covers the author’s experiences during the Civil War. The latter part covers a little about The Kuklus and peace times.

The author, William Monks, was born in Jackson County, Alabama. His grandparents immigrated from Ireland during the Revolutionary War.

I choose the book to learn more about the area due to researching relatives in northern Arkansas and western Tennessee. The section about early settlements in Missouri and Arkansas was informative, but not exactly captivating. However it did give good descriptions of the land and how people picked homesteads.

What was gripping was Monks’ descriptions of his service during the Civil War. He went into great detail about various treks here and there around the State line, and how the Rebels continuously tried to get the Union boys to switch sides. I didn’t realize it was as cut-throat as he described. Many of skirmishes between the two sides were pretty graphic, almost horrifying. A lot of shooting, hanging, and downright abusiveness between men that were neighbors and friends before the war.

On one occasion, when the weather was very cold and bleak, I knew of their capturing some of the Federal soldiers within one mile of the fort, kept them until the coldest part of the night, just before day, stripped them naked, turned them loose, and they were compelled to travel a mile before they could reach a fire, and they were almost frostbitten. Every Union man was driven away from his home and moved his family to different posts.

And another instance:

..there was a man by the name of Rhodes, he was about eighty years of age and had been a soldier under General Jackson. His head was perfectly white and he was very feeble….About twenty-five men, organized themselves and commanded by Dr. Nunly and William Sapp, proceeded to the house of Rhodes, where he and his aged wife resided alone, called him out and told him they wanted him to go with them. His aged wife came out, and being acquainted with a part of the men, and knowing that they had participated in the hanging and shooting of a number of Union men, talked with them and asked: “You are not going to hurt my old man?” They said: “We just want him to go a piece with us over here.” Ordering the old man to come along, they went over to a point about one quarter from the house and informed him of what he had said. There they shot him, cut his ears off and his heart out. Dr. Nunly remarked that he was going to take the heart home with him, pickle it and keep it so people could see how a black republican’s heart looked. They left him lying on the ground…

ColAndMrs

Author Col. and Mrs. Monks at close of war

The book served it’s purpose. I learned a lot about the area of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri during the time some of my relatives settled there, and it did help me understand some of the things they may have experienced.

 

 

Family Search’s Blog

30 Friday May 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Education, Genealogy, History, Holidays, Tips

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Civil War, Family Search

Did you know May 30 is the old traditional day to celebrate Memorial Day? Are you old enough to remember celebrating on May 30?! In 1971 Congress passed the law to set the holiday on the last Monday in May. So Happy Memorial Day again!

On this traditional day which used to be called Decoration Day, I’m posting about a new webpage that could help you find information about your ancestors who fought in the Civil War.

FamilySearchLogoYesterday I wrote about an article I found on Family Search’s blog. Of course you use Family Search in your genealogy research. But do you follow their blog?

If you don’t check in with Family Search’s blog regularly, you could be missing important updates to their website, or postings of recently added collections.

Don’t know how to find their blog? If you’re like me when you visit Family Search, you probably go directly to their search feature.


Family Search "Search" featureNinety-five percent of the time when I head to Family Search, I’m clicking that Search button!

But I also read their blog frequently to see what’s happening and especially to see what new collections have been added. Scroll to the bottom of any of their pages and you’ll see a link for the blog.

Family Search Blog Screen Shot

 

In checking their blog, I found these recent topics:

  • Family History Research Keeps Getting Easier! (my blog post yesterday)
  • The Family History Library Announces Free Classes and Events for June
  • Great Web Tools for Searching Historic Newspapers
  • Memorial Day—A Day of Remembering
  • Happy 15th Birthday FamilySearch!
  • Gracias, Obrigado, THANK YOU!
  • The Joy of a Signature

All great reads. But I was most excited to see:

  • New Online Collection of Civil War Records Released in Observance of Memorial Day

Yippee! More military records!! Since I have some relatives that fought in the Civil War, I’m anxious to check these recently added collections to see if I can put “more flesh on their bones.”

Not only that, there’s a new FamilySearch Civil-War landing page. It’s described as providing a quick overview of the vast array of historic records and aids for those researching casualties and veterans of the Civil War. Our nation is still in the middle of celebrating The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War.

Whether you’re a certified genealogist or just beginning your genealogy quest (and everyone else in between), there is always something new you can learn. It is my firm belief, “If you quit learning, your genealogy wheels quit turning!”

So I was interested to see what they had to share.

Family Search Civil War Screen Shot

A long list of their collections related to the Civil War. A Family Search Wiki specifically about the Civil War (love their wikis). Faces of the Civil War — could you be related to one of these famous faces?

And research courses. Oh boy! Multimedia courses, available at your convenience. Free online courses, taught by experts to help you discover more about your ancestors in the Civil War.

Looks like I got a nudge in what direction my genealogy research may be heading in the near future!

If you have ancestors who fought in the Civil War, or think you might have ancestors who fought, go take a look around. And let us know what you find there about your relatives.

 

Current Book Read: The Civil War Through the Camera

21 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Books, History

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Civil War, Gutenberg, History

Civil War Through The Camera

The Civil War Through the Camera by Henry W. Elson, Professor of History, Ohio University. Published 912: Patriot Publishing Co., Springfield, Mass.

Described as “A Complete Illustrated History of the Civil War,” this book contains hundreds of vivid photographs taken in Civil War times.

Reading descriptive letters written during the Civil War by my 3rd great Grand Uncle is one thing. Actually seeing the battlefields and the destruction rendered is quite another.

What I like about this book is the fact that it was published closer to the event than modern books. Of course, I love old books, so I am more likely to search at Gutenberg for my historical topic than the local bookstore.

Whether you call it “The War of the Rebellion,” “The Civil War,” “The War of Secession,” or “The War Between the States,” these photos bring home all too clearly the bitter, gritty side of war.

The Union mustered 2,865,028 men according to official reports. In the Adjutant-General’s report after the war (February 7, 1869), 303,504  of these men died:

  • 61,362 were killed in battle
  • 34,773 died of wounds
  • 183,287 died of disease
  • 306 were accidentally killed
  • 267 were executed by sentence

Nearly a third of a million Union lives lost, on the battlefields, in the forests, under tents, in hospitals, or in prison. The number is mind boggling.

ConfWhile browsing the book I learned a few interesting things. Did you know a child was imprisoned in Washington, D.C.?

This is Mrs. Rose O’Neal Greenhow, the Confederate Spy, with her daughter in the Old Capitol Prison. She remained jailed there until April, 1862 when she was sent south of the lines of the Union Army.

I can’t help but begrudge her, considering the part she may have played in the war which contributed to my 3rd Great Grand Uncle’s death. But we must remember each side thought they were in the right.

20 gun

A 117,000 pound gun, the only 20-inch gun made during the war — the biggest gun of all.

It was made at Fort Pitt, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1864, and then put in Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor.

This mammoth gun was only fired four times during the war on account of the tremendous size and destructive effect of its projectiles. It was almost impossible to get a target that would withstand the shots and leave anything to show what had happened. Can you imagine sailing into the harbor and seeing that thing pointed at you?

Vain Ride

The caption under this photo says “A Vain Ride to Safety.”

The injured men were loaded onto this railroad flatbed car to be taken for help, since their comrades were forced to fight rather than treat their wounds.

Sadly, Lee’s forces fell upon the Federal rear guard, and instead of being transported to safety, they were railroaded towards the field of carnage. Their companions, of necessity, had to retreat, thus leaving them behind.

Louisa May Alcott

photo from Wikimedia Commons

Her [Louis May Alcott ] diary of 1862 contains this characteristic note: ‘November. Thirty years old. Decided to go to Washington as a nurse if I could find a place. Help needed, and I love nursing and must let out my pent-up energy in some new way.’

She had not yet attained fame as a writer, but it was during this time that she wrote for a newspaper the letters afterwards collected as Hospital Sketches.

All in all, a very enlightening, albeit sad, book about the Civil War. One hundred and fifty years later, we need to remember this part of our country’s history. Thanks boys — to those who returned home, and those who gave their lives for the cause.

Civil War Relative-Part 2

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Genealogy, History

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Civil War, History, relatives

CW Graphic

Graphic from Wikimedia Commons

On June 7, from a camp near Fair Oaks, Virginia, just outside of Richmond, Alpheus wrote home to describe the details of the battle of May 31 at Fair Oaks.

Dear Sister Delie — I wrote to Harriet a few days ago to let you know that I was safe, until I could get time to send you the particulars of the battle, which I know you will all be anxious to hear. The newspaper reports are not altogether reliable, as they are more or less interested in distorting, hiding or misrepresenting the facts in the case. Newspapers are like men, each has its particular prejudice and interest to support, and must puff everything on its side, and blow everything on the opposite side, at least this is too much the case; and it is best for wise men to sift the true from the false, accept the truth let it out where it will, and discard the false let it have been ever so long a cherished falsehood. The newspapers we have received since the battle, all seem to be viewing with each other into puffing it into a great victory. The simple truth of the matter is that they made a sudden, unexpected and concentrated attack on our left wing, with the hope of turning it, which if they had been successful would have ruined us. They drove us in the course of the day about two miles, and darkness put an end to the fight. During the evening and night reinforcements came to our help, and the next morning we drove them in turn and recovered our lost ground. They failed in the accomplishment of their object, and so far it was a victory for us, but they had the best of the first days’ fight. Sunday evening after the fight our lines were almost exactly where they were Saturday morning before the fight began. The general disposition of the forces on our side before the battle, so far as I could see, I consider to be good.

Gen. Casey’s division held the front. — Gen. Crouch’s division next — and Gen. Kearney’s [sic] (our own) immediately within supporting distance, in the rear. The enemy had made an attack upon Casey’s pickets for four or five days previous to the real attack, at just about the same time of day, and when the real attack came, the mend had grown careless. Some of them were washing their shirts, some had them on the bushes drying, expecting the attack was a feint, like the previous ones. A fatal mistake for them. — As the enemy was upon them in overwhelming numbers, Casey’s division was driven back, a mob, instead of a division of fighting men. They lost everything, artillery, camp equippage and all. Some of the regiments ran without firing a gun, others made slight resistance, but not enough to stop the enemy a moment. — Couch alarmed by the firing and the fugitives, got his division under arms and here the enemy met the first serious resistance. And although Couch outnumbered, outflanked and driven from position to position, yet he gave back blow for blow, shot for shot, and held them until we came up to his support. We got there not a minute too soon; his men were breaking and giving way in every direction. The enemy flushed with his success was pressing them back in every direction. Our regiment led the brigade, and were ordered to the left, into the pine woods, and we piled in without much order or regularity, but finally got into something of a line, and let me assure you that for an hour it was no child’s play. Our loss tells its own story. Old Kearney [sic] is the most notorious fighting man in the army, and he declared on the battlefield that he was satisfied with the conduct of our regiment. After the first hour the enemy’s fire slackened in front of our position, and we held the ground until dark. But in the meantime the enemy had turned our right [flank], and our brigade fell back to the line from which we had marched to support Crouch’s division. At this place we had a good position, and expected to make another fight in the morning.

But when daylight came we found old Dick’s division in front to relieve us, and our part of the work was done. The fight on Sunday was soon over, our troops drove them at every point of attack, and by the time you at Middleville were wending your way quietly to church, everything here was quiet also. On Monday we buried our dead. I was so used up on Saturday that Id did not have the heart or strength to go out on the battlefield a second time. Those who did go out report the loss in killed to be very large on both sides, and that there was nearly two rebels to one of ours lying on the ground, though I think perhaps some allowance must be made for such reports.

Today [June 7] the field of battle can be smelled for a mile. The enemy buried but few of their own men and left part of their wounded although they had possession of the field all of Saturday night and part of Sunday. We found a few of our own wounded who had been missed Saturday night in the darkness and hurry. One poor fellow of our company had been forty-eight hours badly wounded before we found him, and then he was found by men of another regiment. O! the horrible, terrible, sufferings one such an action as this entails upon its victims. Imagine to yourself every house and dooryard in Middleville filled as thick as they can lay on the floors and grass, and have the attendants pass among them; some groaning in their agonies, others lying quietly and apparently easy, but the quickening breath and glazing eye tell their own sad tale of approaching death.

Ab. has just come in from Fortress Monroe where he had been in care of our wounded. He looks strong and healthy, and I think will get through all right. From his position as musician he is not very much exposed to the dangers of the battlefield, his duty being to carry off and care for the wounded. Many of the newspapers seem to carry the idea that the great battle is fought. I don’t think so. I think our last action was the skirmish which precedes the main battle. And there is every indication that it will come off immediately, perhaps before you receive this. We are gradually tightening our lines around the city [Richmond] step by step, today the division in front of us advanced to a new position. One or two moves more and we shall be within shelling distance of the capitol of the Confederate States. McClellan tells us that we must expect to fight and I think he is right.

In case I should get wounded I shall try to get to Washington or Baltimore. Harriet could not get here if she was to try, they would not let pass Fortress Monroe, unless she could get strong influence in official quarters. If I should get wounded I have not much expectation of surviving it, because I have not strength. My vitality seems to be expended. The coming battle will no doubt be decisive of the war, should it prove to be so, sick or well, I shall go home as nothing would induce me to stay here a moment beyond the actual necessity of the case. 

I have just received two letters from home, one from Albert and one from Harriet and Lottie for which I am much obliged and will answer as soon as possible. Enclosed Ab. sends to grandmother a ball which passed through the leg of one of our poor fellows. Good-by, a kiss for little May. 

Sometime in the summer of 1862 Alpheus became seriously ill and was reportedly hospitalized in August and September of 1862. By October was on detached service in Michigan, apparently recruiting for the Regiment in Barry County. While Alpheus was at home recruiting, a curious story appeared in the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune on December 20, 1862, which reported that one “Alpheus M. Hill, of Middleville, Barry County, who served for some time as a private in the 3d Michigan regiment, has been commissioned a Captain in the 7th cavalry, and will raise a company in Barry County.”

In fact, Alpheus remained with the Third Michigan and was reported on recruiting duty in Michigan from through April of 1863 when he probably rejoined the Regiment.

Alpheus was admitted from the field to Douglas general hospital in Washington, DC, on June 12, 1864, suffering from “typhoid pneumonia,” and he died of “typhoid pneumonia” on June 16, 1864, at Douglas hospital. It was noted by the hospital that his sister sent his remains home, although the War Department reported that he was buried on June 18 in Arlington National Cemetery. In fact there is a marker for him, along with his wife and son, in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Middleville, Barry County.


It appears as though my poor 3 great grand Uncle had little incentive to live from his statement that if he was wounded, he didn’t think he would survive. I attribute this to losing his wife and only child a few years before he enlisted, plus it seems the war was not at all what he thought it would be. Although he was not wounded in the war, he caught an illness that was the death of him. He said he would come home, sick or well, but instead he came home to be buried beside his wife and son he mourned. May he rest in peace – his service to our country will not be forgotten.

The above is a reblog from The Men of the 3rd Michigan Infantry: The Life Stories of the 1,411 Soldiers who Served in the 3rd Michigan Infantry Between April of 1861 and June of 1864. Alpheus M. Hill was posted on February 25, 2009.

My thanks for the many hours of research represented on this website.

Civil War Relative

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by pastsmith in Genealogy, History

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Civil War, History, relatives

CW Graphic

Graphic from Wikimedia Commons

On July 26, 1861, from Arlington, Virginia, Alpheus wrote home, describing about the federal debacle on July 21.

I suppose that before you receive this you will have learned from the papers that we have suffered a defeat. The causes which led to this are several. In the first place we were over confident of success, and underrated the enemy. A large portion of men thought they had nothing to do but to make a triumphal march through the country, and many began to think there would be no fight at all. That illusion is pretty well disposed of, and the men who were loudest in their braggadocio were the first to run from the field of battle.

In the next place we were out-Generaled. The position of the enemy was as strong as nature and the best of military skill could make it, and he had his batteries so covered [masked] and concealed that it was impossible to tell where they were until they opened on you. Then the batteries were placed one above another so that when driven from one he fell back into another and so on for miles.

Some of the regiments behaved well and did all that could be expected of men; there were others who disgraced themselves and the country. At 2 o’clock we had the day and everything was favorable but at this time the enemy got large reinforcements from Manassas Gap while we could not reinforce without endangering our left wing and having our retreat cut off.

The Fire Zouaves and two or three other regiments charged and carried battery after battery, and suffered terribly, but was of no use, when they carried one they only found another in their faces.

Our Brigade was posted on the left wing with the view of preventing the enemy from turning that wing. All day long we lay under the brow of a hill listening to the fierce conflict going on at our right. Occasionally we sent our skirmishers into the woods to wake up the enemy, and as often as they showed themselves our batteries would open on them. This was about all the share we had in the battle until about 5 o’clock when the news came that the right wing was defeated, when instantly the woods and ravines in our front were alive with the enemy. They rushed forward with the view of taking our field pieces and driving us back so as to take possession of the road about a mile in our rear and thus cut off the retreat of our right wing. But after trying it about fifteen minutes they gave up and fell back into their batteries. At this time we were all ordered back to Centreville, a small village about five miles from Fairfax; here we met the column of fugitives, and such a sight! everything was confusion and not the leat [sic] show of order remained; regiments, officers and men all mixed up and running for life. Most of them had thrown away their arms and accouterments. Many had nothing on but their shirts and pants. The sun was pouring down terribly, and the atmosphere was thick with dust. 

The regiments that were not entirely broken up took up position in line of battle to beat back pursuit, but after the attack on our left the enemy fell back to their entrenchments and lay there without any attempt to disturb us. After dark the different regiments were formed into two squares and we lay down on the ground as we supposed for the night, but about 11 o’clock we were waked [sic] up with as little noise as possible and ordered to retreat to Fairfax. Our regiment formed the rear guard. We reached Fairfax about sun rise, supposing that we here to get rest and something to eat, but we fund [sic] nothing but orders to continue on to Arlington Heights. — About 9 o’clock [Monday] it began to rain and continued all day and I was soon wet to the skin. For three days and nights the only rest I had was to throw myself on the ground in my shirt sleeves without covering of any kind and sleep as I could; and when you consider that we fought a battle and marched about forty miles without food or rest and at night when we came to this place wet to the skin and our only bed was some hay we pulled from an old barrack, I think you will say that we have had something of a time.

I could write for a week of the incidents of this trip, but forbear. My health for a day or two is improving and I hope to get my strength soon. 

Although Alpheus’ health remained weakened, he apparently remained on duty with the Regiment throughout the winter and was present during the opening phases of McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign in the spring of 1862.


Alpheus M. Hill is my 3rd great grand uncle. He was 41 years old when he enlisted on May 13, 1861. He had lost his wife in 1855, and his little boy in 1856. He wrote the above letter to his sister, Frances. A second letter was written to his sister, Delia, which I will share tomorrow.

The above is a reblog from The Men of the 3rd Michigan Infantry: The Life Stories of the 1,411 Soldiers who Served in the 3rd Michigan Infantry Between April of 1861 and June of 1864. Alpheus M. Hill was posted on February 25, 2009.

My thanks for the many hours of research represented on this website.

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