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Page 7 |
Turning Points: Civil War Photography by Jeffry
D. Wert |
Photography was only thirty years old at the time of the
Civil War. The first recorded instance of men slain in battle were
taken by Alexander Gardner and James F. Gibson, employees of Mathew Brady.
These men arrived on the battlefield of Antietam on September 17 or 18,
1862 and took the after-combat photos before the burial details had finished
their grisly work. The resulting exhibition in Brady's New York
Gallery was a huge success, as many people were curious to see this new
form of photography. The combat photographer had been born.
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Page 11 |
Irregulars: Recruiters by Eric Ethier |
Eric Ethier explores the often unscrupulous and frustrating
world of army recruiters. These men found much resistance to their
work, especially after large casualties lists began to dissuade prospective
recruits from volunteering. Many recruiters, when faced with this
reality, resorted to any means necessary, legal and ethical or otherwise,
to induce men to enlist. As a result, many recruiters had their
lives threatened by those who resented their tactics and their goals.
Ironically, the best source of recruits lay in veterans whose enlistments
were set to soon expire.
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Page 13 |
Civil War Today: Saving the Slaughter
Pen by Chris W. Lewis |
The Slaughter Pen, a key unblemished spot on the southern
portion of the Fredericksburg battlefield, faced a serious threat by developers
wishing to devastatingly transform the landscape. The Civil War
Preservation Trust and others have rallied to attempt to raise the huge
sum of $12.3 million needed to save the land from development. |
Page 15 |
Gallery: 'A Hole You Could Put Your Fist In' |
submitted by Great-Great-Grandson John A. Thompson |
Marshall McKusick, a pre-war schoolteacher,
joined the 6th Maine Battery Light Artillery in December 1861. McKusick
and his battery participated in many of the Army of the Potomac's toughest
fights, including Second Bull Run, Gettysburg, and the Wilderness.
McKusick was wounded by a shell fragment at Cold Harbor on June 3, 1862.
His family said it created "a hole you could put your fist
in." After the war, McKusick resumed teaching, attended law
school, and became a state legislator in Maine. He died on May 28,
1908.
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Page 16 |
In Their Footsteps: North Carolina
Coastal Operations of 1861-62 by Jay Wertz |
General Ambrose Burnside's North Carolina
coastal operations are the subject of this issue's "In Their Footsteps".
This particular tour is somewhat unusual in terms of the large
distances covered. Sites include the towns of Plymouth, Washington,
Winton, Elizabeth City, Hatteras, Ocracoke, Beaufort, and New Bern.
Sites include the Dismal Swamp, Roanoke Island, Fort Macon, and the CSS
Neuse State Historic Site, among others.
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Page 21 |
Behind the Lines: Brothers In Arms? |
In this "Letter from Civil War TImes",
the discussion involves the difficulties Ulysses S. Grant and James Longstreet
had in dealing with members and fellow generals of their respective causes.
Grant had to endure attacks from above and below in the persons
of Henry Halleck and John A. McClernand, while Longstreet faced the organized
assault of Jubal Early and his "Lost Cause" allies.
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Page 22 |
The Best Subordinate: James Longstreet by Jeffry
D. Wert |
Jeffry Wert, author of this article and
also a Longstreet biographer, argues quite persuasively that James Longstreet,
and not Stonewall Jackson, was Robert E. Lee's best subordinate.
Longstreet was a happy go lucky man until January 1862, when scarlet fever
took three of his four children. From that day on, the historical
view of a taciturn, serious man was evident. Longstreet rose quickly
in the opening year of the war from command of a brigade to a division,
and he would rise to become Lee's second in command, ranking Jackson by
a day. One of Wert's main arguments is that fact. Lee himself
made it quite clear who he wanted as his second highest ranking officer
in Longstreet. Wert also covers Longstreet's impressive attacks
and counterattacks at Second Manassas, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, and the
Wilderness. Although Longstreet performed well in these and other
battles, Wert is not afraid to point out his flaws, including at Seven
Pines and elsewhere. The author spends quite a bit of time going
over the reasons why Longstreet does not have a better reputation to this
day, including his performance at Gettysburg, his friendship with Ulysses
S. Grant, and his willingness to associate with the Republican Party,
resulting in the "Lost Cause" efforts of Early and others to
discredit him.
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Page 30 |
Wrath Awaits the Invader by William
J. Stier |
On August 17, 1864, Captain John Dickinson
surprised and routed portions of two Federal cavalry regiments and an
artillery piece from Gainesville, Florida. Dickinson's lopsided
victory preserved southern and eastern Florida for the Southern cause.
A sidebar article talks about Dickinson's pre-war and early war
activity.
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Page 36 |
'The Most Extraordinary Feat of
the War' by A. W. R. Hawkins III |
Forty-four Confederates stationed in Fort
Griffin protecting Sabine Pass proceeded to drive away an invading Yankee
army and fleet of 5,000 men and numerous ships on September 8, 1863 in
what General John Magruder called "the most extraordinary feat of
the war." The Yankees could have used the area as a base for
future incursions into Texas if they had been successful at the pass.
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Page 44 |
The Secret War Between Grant &
Halleck by Brian J. Murphy |
Brian Murphy covers the feud between Generals
Henry Halleck and Ulysses S. Grant in the early days of the war.
Halleck, Grant's superior, became extremely jealous when Grant received
the credit and publicity for the captures of Forts Henry and Donelson.
From that point until he was appointed General-in-Chief, Halleck
did his best to have Grant removed from any meaningful command.
It was ironic then, that these two men became de facto allies when John
McClernand tried to secure for himself an army command out of the army's
chain of command. Halleck was furious, as was Grant, and they worked
together to ensure that McClernand's troops would eventually come under
Grant's control.
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Page 51 |
My War: The Boys from Brenham by
Tom Terrell |
Tom Terrell, a direct descendant of Virginius
Pettey, here provides readers with several letters Pettey sent from the
camps of his 5th Texas Infantry regiment. Pettey was involved in
the fighting during the Seven Days, describing here the charge of Hood's
Division which saved the day for the Confederates at Gaines' Mill.
Pettey also fought at Second Manassas, but he was wounded in the bowels
and died several days later. The last letter is from Pettey's messmate
to his brother-in-law, describing Pettey's death and relaying the deceased's
last wishes.
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Page 60 |
Civil War Times Album of the Late
War |
This issue's Civil War Times Album of the
Late War takes a look at John Pope's career after Second Manassas, patriotic
stationary, a miniature version of the Stars and Bars, and a new recruit's
experience at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, among other things.
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Page 62 |
Reviews: Books and Other Media
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Books reviewed in this issue:
1. The
Last Shot: The Incredible True Story of the C.S.S. Shenandoah
and the True Conclusion of the American Civil War by
Lynn Schooler
2. Sea
of Gray: The Around-the-World Odyssey of the Confederate Raider Shenandoah
by Tom Chaffin
3. The
Voyage of the CSS Shenandoah:
A Memorable Cruise by William C. Whittle, Jr.
4. General
Ulysses S. Grant: The Soldier and the Man
by Edward Longacre
The Classics:
1. The
Autobiography of Samuel S. Hildebrand: The Renowned Missouri Bushwacker
edited by Kirby Ross |
Page 74 |
Frozen Moment: A Defender to the End |
General James Longstreet and his second
wife Helen are the subject of this issue's Frozen Moment.
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