The excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm continue to build in the reenactment community, the Gettysburg community and the international community for the 150th Gettysburg National Civil War Reenactment on July 4 – 7, according to the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee. Soldier registration has hit the 9,000 mark with 133 registered full size artillery pieces (with 10 horse drawn) and 375 registered horses. Reenactors registered by May 15 will have their name included
May 18, 1863: Siege of Vicksburg Begins One of the great campaigns of military history came to an end as Grant’s triumphant Federal army moved across the Big Black River, took Haynes’ Bluff, and began to invest Vicksburg. Confederate Johnston orders Pemberton to evacuate the city, but he decided to stay. The siege has begun. Major fighting elsewhere at Hog Island, Bates County, Mo., and near Cheneyville, La. Skirmishes broke
On alternating weeks, public can tour eight Gettysburg churches Historic Church Walking Tours of Gettysburg celebrates its 10th season of providing local residents and tourists alike with visits to their historic churches. On Wednesday evenings during the summer months, church volunteers provide short programs about their church and how it played a crucial role during and after America’s most significant Civil War battle. When the Battle of Gettysburg ended on
In 1863, a place named Port Hudson was the downriver back door to Vicksburg. At Port Hudson, the Confederates built fortifications and emplaced huge cannons on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River just north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While General Grant banged with a heavy hand on the front door to the mighty Mississippi River at Vicksburg, General Banks knocked on the back door, less effectively. When Grant finally knocked
A Day of Music, Living History, and Special Programs at Historic Ellwood Manor A cooperative program of the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield and the National Park Service On Saturday, June 1, 2013, the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield (FoWB) and the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park will host a full day of activities at historic Ellwood on the Wilderness Battlefield. “Voices of Freedom—At the Crossroads of Virginia” will recall the
It is with mixed emotions that the staff of the Crystal River Raid, Inc. announce the retirement of our event. Our land manager and event coordinator, Curtis Peters, has been offered a position with another mining company and he has decided to accept their offer. He officially left the Holcim US, Inc. Crystal River site on March 24th, and began his new job on March 25. We congratulate Curtis and
Many area houses were taken over by both militaries during the Civil War for use as hospitals. See what a hospital would have looked like around Oakley Plantation during June 1863 assaults at Port Hudson. Included are ranger led talks on Civil War Medicine and surgery. All Day Event: Yes Start Date and Time: June 22nd, 2013 10AM End Date and Time: June 22nd, 2013 4 PM Venue Description Location
Wynne, Lewis N., & Taylor, Robert A. This War So Horrible: The Civil War Diary of Hiram Smith Williams, (2007), Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 175pp., $27.50, ISBN: 0-8173-0642-0 “There is something awful in the bursting of a shell and the shrill hiss of a minnie ball that has to be heard to be fully appreciated.” (29-30) These words of wisdom came from Hiram Smith Williams, a highly
In Clash at Kennesaw: June – July, 1864, Russell W. Blount, Jr. briefly touched on the contentious relationship between General Albert Sidney Johnston and Confederate President Jefferson Davis – a relationship that seriously colored their ability to work well together. He points out that with both men “sensitive” to criticism (Page 23), Johnston’s close friendship with Senator Louis Wigfall – an outspoken Davis critic – quite possibly exacerbated the difficulties
It was October 20, 1865, and the time had come for Champ Ferguson to die. The weather had been cold in Nashville leading up to Ferguson’s execution date, but crowds still gathered near the State Penitentiary on the corner of Stonewall and Church Streets. A large contingent of soldiers stood guard not only at the Penitentiary but also along the streets in order to maintain order. Ironically, the Union troops
The excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm continue to build in the reenactment community,
Martin McHugh was the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his