This Mighty Scourge

OK.  I admit it.  I am always enthralled by a conspiracy theory.  I am also a Stonewall Jackson student four generations removed from one of the most venerated of  Confederate commanders.  I recently came upon the linked article about Jackson’s famous missing arm and was immediately intrigued by the possibility that I might learn the location of this most famous “arm without a body.”  I will not give you the details of the articles, but encourage you to read more.

Trail and tale of Jackson’s Arm, Part 3: apologies to conspiracy theorists

Good afternoon Civil War enthusiasts!  Are you looking for something to do this weekend?  Perhaps you might like to enjoy some Civil War rations with your kids and teach them about the food a Civil War soldier would eat while in camp?  I received a link to the following blog article, from Suzy Evans.  Suzy’s blog, The History Chef, is quite unique.  The stated goal of her blog is to “help parents and kids learn how to cook together, learn about history together, and hopefully help them create many great memories and meals together.”  Spend some time with your kids this weekend and enjoy some hardtack!

Civil War Rations and Hardtack Crackers, by Suzy Evans

I am often reminded, during my antebellum and Civil War studies, how different our country was 150 years ago. Slavery is always tied to this period of time. However, blacks were not the only class of people that did not enjoy equality. White women, north and south, while considered “citizens,” did not enjoy suffrage. It would be many decades in the future before they would enjoy such basic rights. Just think how far we’ve come in a century and a half! God Bless the United States!

Today marks the 125th anniversary of the death of US Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant.  Grant led the United States to victory in the Civil War and would serve two terms as President of the United States (March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877).  While many called him a “butcher,” for his handling of troops in the Civil War, and one of the worst presidents in U.S. history, his reputation and actions are on the rebound.  For more on U.S. Grant, check out the following two articles:

Ulysses S. Grant – U.S. Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant is dead! – A Country Mourns

This is the 147th anniversary of the close of the Battle of Gettysburg.  It is also the 147th anniversary of the “interview” between CSA Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton and US Major General Ulysses S. Grant at Vicksburg, Mississippi.  On July 4, 1863 Abraham Lincoln would learn of the Federal victory at Gettysburg and the capitulation of John Pemberton’s forces at Vicksburg.  There would be much rejoicing throughout the United States on th 87th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence.  Today, I have three new sets of photographs on my Flickr site to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Day 1
Pictures that highlight the fighting at McPherson Ridge, Oak Ridge and Barlow’s Knoll

Day 2
Pictures that hightlight the fighting at Devil’s Den, East Cemetery Hill, the Wheat Field, Little Round Top, the Peach Orchard and Culp’s Hill

Day 3
Pictures that Hightlight the fighting at East Cavalry Field, Cemetery Ridge (Pickett’s Charge), Culp’s Hill and South Cavalry Field

Enjoy your July 4th celebrations and God Bless the United States!

Greetings Civil War students and enthusiasts!  I have been on vacation this past week at Table Rock Lake.  It was a great time to recharge the batteries and recuperate from some back pain I’ve been having.  While I did recharge a bit, my back is still giving me fits.  The good news is that I am not traveling for the next couple of weeks (which is always subject to change) and I have a lot of things I’m working on:

1. My first priority, and something that I’ve been spending a lot of time on, is cataloging all the recent pictures I’ve taken.  Over the past several weeks, I’ve been to Gettysburg, Antietam, Richmond (VA), North Carolina, Washington, the Shenandoah Valley and many, many historical cemeteries.  As I’m cataloging the pictures, I’ve been updating my Flickr site.  I will have several photo essays in the near future on ThisMightyScourge.com.
2. I’ve started research on who actually captured CSA Major General G.W.C. “Custis” Lee at the Battle of Sailor’s Creek.  This is fascinating as there is no less than four Federal soldiers who have claimed the honor of capturing him – one of which received the Medal of Honor for doing so.  Keep an eye open for an analysis in the not too distant future.
3. I have no less than three author interviews lined up.  As always, these should be fun, and interesting.
4. I plan to have a Gettysburg article written, for the 147th anniversary of the battle, during the first week of July.
5. Lastly, I plan on getting back to what I really enjoy – telling the stories of soldiers and regiments.  I have several Medal of Honor portraits I am planning and a couple of different regimental histories.

Thank you for continuing to follow my blog and I wish you all a great weekend!

Mike Noirot

April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, CSA General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to US Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant

145 years ago today, after nearly four years of pitched fighting, the CSA Army of Northern Virginia ceased to exist.  General Robert E. Lee had led the army since June 1862 enjoying more victories than defeats.  Now he had to do something he could barely stomach – surrender his beloved army.  Meeting at Wilmer McClean’s house he received very lenient terms from U.S. Grant.  Lee, on his own, saved the country from future bloodshed by not endorsing Brigadier General Edward Porter Alexander’s plan to “take to the hills,” and fight a gorilla war.  Lee told his lieutenants that they needed to send their soldiers home to become good law abiding citizens.  Thus ended the Civil War in the east.

For a complete narrative on Lee’s surrender to Grant click HERE.

One hundred forty-five years ago today, March 27, 1865, President Lincoln was at City Point, Virginia to meet with the commanders of his two largest armies. US Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Major General William T. Sherman met with Lincoln on his steamer, River Queen. By this time, it was clear that the Confederacy was in effect gasping its final dying breaths. Grant would have inevitability expressed his concerns that CSA General Robert E. Lee would escape with his Army of Northern Virginia and combine his forces with those of General Joseph E. Johnston, operating against Sherman in North Carolina. During this meeting it was asked how to handle the inevitable surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lincoln instructed Grant that these men were his countrymen and that they should be “let down easy.” Grant would take this policy seriously when he received Lee’s surrender two weeks later, at Appomattox Court House. Lincoln’s conciliatory policies, as outlined on March 27, would go a long towards bringing peace to the defeated Confederacy.

After 100 plus years, the first full length analysis of Ezra Carman’s 1,800 page history of the Maryland Campaign will be released. Published by my friends at Savas Beatie, LLC, it will inevitably become the most authoritative work on the campaign. Edited by Thomas G. Clemens, it will be released in two volumes. I have just started to review the galley of the first volume, “The Maryland Campaign of 1862: Vol. 1: South Mountain.” Watch for a review in the near future.

Additionally, I have started an analysis on the controversy of the capture of G.W.C. “Custis” Lee at Sailors Creek. While the Federal forces swept up thousands of Confederate prisoners two separate regiments claimed to have captured the major general: the 121st New York Volunteers and the 37th Massachusetts Volunteers. I will try to uncover the truth in my less than scientific analysis. Stay posted!

I have been using social networking sites for the past several years.  My primary source for sharing Civil War stories and communicating with people that share similar interests is this blog.  Facebook is my secondary means of communicating with people with an interest in the Civil War.  Yesterday I signed up for a free Twitter account.  As I understand, Twitter is an excellent way of sharing short items of interest with people that want to follow what you are doing.  I plan to use Twitter to share tidbits on my travels to Civil War battlefields, but might also share some personal items.  I invite each of you to follow me on Twitter.  If you do not have an account, it is quick to set up and free.  Here is a link to my Twitter page:

http://twitter.com/MichaelNoirot

From this page you can quickly select to follow me and receive my posts.  Have a great weekend!  Tweet, Tweet!