As we celebrate the coming of 2014 and remember all we wish to do in the future, this is also the time to recall what we have done in the past. The year 2014 will mark the 150th anniversary of the year 1864. In honor of those 150 years America has lived, I would like to share what was happening during the American Civil War in 1864. Remember that 1864 marked the third year of the four year long brother vs. brother conflict. 1864 was also the final full year of war, though no one knew it at the time.
As a note, I'm writing this while watching the Walking Dead for the first time. These dates are nowhere near chronological order.
June 30, 1864 saw the beginning of the Siege of Petersburg in Virginia. This would last until April 3, 1865 when Petersburg and then Richmond would fall.
On September 1, 1864, General Hood evacuated Atlanta as General Sherman moved closer.
September 2, 1864 found General Sherman and his army at the gates of Atlanta, Georgia. The capture and burning of the city was a massive boost to morale in the North and helped to ensure the reelection of President Lincoln.
On November 15, 1864, Sherman’s army left Atlanta and began their March to the Sea. Sherman decided to leave his supply line behind and live off the land.
November 30, 1864 marked the Battle of Franklin in Tennessee. General Hood's Confederate forces fought 40,000 troops left behind by Sherman. Hood's army was crippled and, when later asked where his men were, he replied that they were "dead on the field."
In March of 1864, President Abraham Lincoln made General Grant commander of all Union armies. General Grant and the Army of the Potomac would eventually defeat General Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia.
May 31 to June 12, 1864 saw the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia, one of General Grant's later regrets.
On June 15, 1864, General Lee's home in Arlington, Virginia became Arlington National Cemetery.
On July 18, 1864, President Lincoln called for 500,000 military volunteers since the crumbling southern armies were running low on man power.
October 20, 1864 was marked when President Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday.
On November 8, 1864, President Lincoln was reelected to his second term as President.
December 10, 1864 found General Sherman and his army in Savannah, Georgia. The city would fall on December 21, 1864.
Sometime in 1864, John Wilkes Booth and his fellow conspirators began planning to kidnap President Lincoln. They met at least once in early December of 1864.
The Confederacy began to fall apart and a cold winter fell across the southern states. In the North, the situation seemed brighter than ever before.
Of course, this is only a handful of important dates. Many more events happened during the year of 1864. It was marked by many battles and countless amounts of bloodshed, including many Confederate leaders. No one knew but, by December of 1864, the bloody Civil War was reaching the end of the road.
Wishing everyone a very happy New Year :)
Until next time,
XOXO Kate
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
A Civil War Christmas
Merry Christmas!
I'm currently in the middle of cooking dessert for Christmas dinner. So while the cookies are cooling, I thought I would share some fun facts about Christmas during the American Civil War.
Christmas and its customs fell in and out of practice between the time of settlement and the American Revolution. It was not until the early 1800's that Christmas, with elements such as Santa and the tree, began being celebrated as the peaceful family holiday we know today. In 1870, in an effort to unite the states, President Ulysses S. Grant, former General of the Army of the Potomac, made Christmas a Federal holiday.
Speaking of Santa and the Christmas tree, in 1853 Eleanor Custis Lee wrote about how her family had a Christmas tree that sat on a table at West Point. At the time, her father, Robert E. Lee, was the superintendent of the school.
It was Thomas Nast, an artist for Harper's Weekly, who created the "American Santa." In the January 3, 1863 issue, Nast drew Santa on a sleigh and had him hand out presents to Union soldiers. The image would remain unchanged until 1931 when Coca Cola created a new version of Santa. After the Civil War ended, Nast made the North Pole Santa's official residence.
Due to the various shortages being caused in the South by the Union blockade, southern children were told that Santa might not be able to pass through. This helped reinforced the evil image of the Yankees. Nevertheless, one little girl attempted to diagram the best way for Santa to avoid the Yankee troops.
The tradition of singing carols was revived and tunes such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "We Three Kings," and "Up On The Housetop" became popular. When famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow learn that his son, a Union solider, had been wounded, he wrote a poem that would later would be set to music and become "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."
Soldiers tried to enjoy Christmas any way they could. Games were played and small Christmas trees were decorated with hardtack. Some stories from sailors describe music being played aboard ships as the crew danced and the captain gave out an extra ration of grog. Some camps even received a special dinner.
Cyrus Goodwin of the 59th Massachusetts wrote from City Point, Virginia on Christmas of 1864 that "for Christmas we had turkey, preserved peaches, and apples...We are going to have oysters for dinner today."
On Christmas in 1861, Newburyport’s homefront hosted a celebration that served ice cream, coffee, and tea and featured a decorated tree, dancing, recitations, a vocalist, and the reading of an original poem. In 1862, Newburyport City Hall held a Christmas Fair to benefit the Soldiers' Relief Society. The Newburyport Daily Herald reported that "the women of Newburyport have acted nobly in this humane work."
John Haley of the 17th Maine wrote that "it is rumored that there are sundry boxes and mysterious parcels over at Stoneman’s Station directed to us. We retire to sleep with feelings akin to those of children expecting Santa Claus."
However, many soldiers still had to perform guard duty and other tasks of war. Sometimes Christmas went by unnoticed. Thomas Cutter of the 35th Massachusetts only wrote in his diary that it was cloudy in Knoxville on Christmas in 1862.
Most families were still separated and many men were more homesick around Christmas than any other time of the year. Christmas during the Civil War always seemed to represent going home.
The following picture was published in Harper's Weekly on December 31, 1864.
Also printed was this picture of Christmas morning.
This must be depicting a northern household since another article carried the headline "Sherman Reaches Savannah" and two more showed Warren's Raid and the destruction of southern railroads.
Though spirits were heightening in the North, the South was reaching its breaking point by the winter of 1864. In four months time, the war would finally reach the end of the road.
The first sketch was drawn by Thomas Nast and given the rather long name of "The Union Christmas Dinner, Peace on Earth, and Good Will Toward Men." The image reflected the nationwide hope that the long and bloody Civil War would soon end. Abraham Lincoln holds out a hand of friendship to the South and is opening the door to a large banquet hall, inviting hungry rebel soldiers in from the cold. The scene in the lower left corner shows Robert E. Lee surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant. At the time Nast finished the drawing, this was simply a hope for the future. No one knew it would occur four months later. However, not all southerners would accept a peaceful handshake from Father Abraham and I think we all know how that story went.
Okay, I think the cookies have cooled long enough now. From my home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas.
Christmas Day will always be, just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand.
Until next time.
XOXO, Kate
I'm currently in the middle of cooking dessert for Christmas dinner. So while the cookies are cooling, I thought I would share some fun facts about Christmas during the American Civil War.
Christmas and its customs fell in and out of practice between the time of settlement and the American Revolution. It was not until the early 1800's that Christmas, with elements such as Santa and the tree, began being celebrated as the peaceful family holiday we know today. In 1870, in an effort to unite the states, President Ulysses S. Grant, former General of the Army of the Potomac, made Christmas a Federal holiday.
Speaking of Santa and the Christmas tree, in 1853 Eleanor Custis Lee wrote about how her family had a Christmas tree that sat on a table at West Point. At the time, her father, Robert E. Lee, was the superintendent of the school.
It was Thomas Nast, an artist for Harper's Weekly, who created the "American Santa." In the January 3, 1863 issue, Nast drew Santa on a sleigh and had him hand out presents to Union soldiers. The image would remain unchanged until 1931 when Coca Cola created a new version of Santa. After the Civil War ended, Nast made the North Pole Santa's official residence.
Due to the various shortages being caused in the South by the Union blockade, southern children were told that Santa might not be able to pass through. This helped reinforced the evil image of the Yankees. Nevertheless, one little girl attempted to diagram the best way for Santa to avoid the Yankee troops.
The tradition of singing carols was revived and tunes such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "We Three Kings," and "Up On The Housetop" became popular. When famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow learn that his son, a Union solider, had been wounded, he wrote a poem that would later would be set to music and become "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."
Soldiers tried to enjoy Christmas any way they could. Games were played and small Christmas trees were decorated with hardtack. Some stories from sailors describe music being played aboard ships as the crew danced and the captain gave out an extra ration of grog. Some camps even received a special dinner.
Cyrus Goodwin of the 59th Massachusetts wrote from City Point, Virginia on Christmas of 1864 that "for Christmas we had turkey, preserved peaches, and apples...We are going to have oysters for dinner today."
On Christmas in 1861, Newburyport’s homefront hosted a celebration that served ice cream, coffee, and tea and featured a decorated tree, dancing, recitations, a vocalist, and the reading of an original poem. In 1862, Newburyport City Hall held a Christmas Fair to benefit the Soldiers' Relief Society. The Newburyport Daily Herald reported that "the women of Newburyport have acted nobly in this humane work."
John Haley of the 17th Maine wrote that "it is rumored that there are sundry boxes and mysterious parcels over at Stoneman’s Station directed to us. We retire to sleep with feelings akin to those of children expecting Santa Claus."
However, many soldiers still had to perform guard duty and other tasks of war. Sometimes Christmas went by unnoticed. Thomas Cutter of the 35th Massachusetts only wrote in his diary that it was cloudy in Knoxville on Christmas in 1862.
Most families were still separated and many men were more homesick around Christmas than any other time of the year. Christmas during the Civil War always seemed to represent going home.
The following picture was published in Harper's Weekly on December 31, 1864.
Also printed was this picture of Christmas morning.
This must be depicting a northern household since another article carried the headline "Sherman Reaches Savannah" and two more showed Warren's Raid and the destruction of southern railroads.
Though spirits were heightening in the North, the South was reaching its breaking point by the winter of 1864. In four months time, the war would finally reach the end of the road.
The first sketch was drawn by Thomas Nast and given the rather long name of "The Union Christmas Dinner, Peace on Earth, and Good Will Toward Men." The image reflected the nationwide hope that the long and bloody Civil War would soon end. Abraham Lincoln holds out a hand of friendship to the South and is opening the door to a large banquet hall, inviting hungry rebel soldiers in from the cold. The scene in the lower left corner shows Robert E. Lee surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant. At the time Nast finished the drawing, this was simply a hope for the future. No one knew it would occur four months later. However, not all southerners would accept a peaceful handshake from Father Abraham and I think we all know how that story went.
Okay, I think the cookies have cooled long enough now. From my home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas.
Christmas Day will always be, just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand.
Until next time.
XOXO, Kate
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Merry Christmas Eve Day
Merry Christmas Eve Day everyone. Both an eve and a day. It's a Christmas miracle.
Have fun trimming the tree, singing carols, and watching those Christmas classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas. It's not Christmas without Snoopy and Woodstock :)
And keep an eye out tomorrow for some Civil War Christmas excitement.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Until next time.
XOXO, Kate
Have fun trimming the tree, singing carols, and watching those Christmas classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas. It's not Christmas without Snoopy and Woodstock :)
And keep an eye out tomorrow for some Civil War Christmas excitement.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Until next time.
XOXO, Kate
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
The Civil War Music Box: The Battle Hymn of the Republic
A few days ago I posted a hint about my next blog topic that read, "He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat."
Did you guess that the posted lyric is from the song "The Battle Hymn of the Republic?" If you did, you guessed correct. Since there are no music posts thus far, I figured this would be a good starting point.
Did you guess that the posted lyric is from the song "The Battle Hymn of the Republic?" If you did, you guessed correct. Since there are no music posts thus far, I figured this would be a good starting point.
But before you start reading, please click on the link and listen to the song in the background. Thank you :)
There were many songs written during the four years of the American Civil War. However, no song is more connected to the Union or their cause than Julia Ward Howe's patriotic anthem "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."
However, the history of this famous song goes back much further. The actual tune was taken from a Methodist hymn written by William Steffe and titled, "Say, Brothers, Will You Meet Us?" The original text was as follows.
Say, brothers, will you meet us
On Canaan's happy shore
Glory, glory, hallelujah
For ever, evermore!
By the grace of God we'll meet you
Where parting is no more.
By the grace of God we'll meet you
Where parting is no more.
Glory, glory, hallelujah
For ever, evermore!
Jesus lives and reigns forever
On Canaan's happy shore.
On Canaan's happy shore.
Glory, glory, hallelujah
For ever, evermore!
For ever, evermore!
The lyrics were rewritten at the start of the Civil War and the song was renamed as "John Brown's Body." According to an account written around 1890, the original song referred to both John Brown the abolitionist and to Sergeant John Brown of a certain battalion. Additional verses were published by various authors that changed the meaning of the song. Below is one of the texts from "John Brown's Body" and you can see that it has more to do with Union ideals than with Harper's Ferry.
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave
His soul's marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord!
His soul's marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back!
His soul's marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
His pet lambs will meet him on the way
They go marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
They will hang Jeff Davis to a sour apple tree!
As they march along!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
Now, three rousing cheers for the Union
As we are marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
The next set of lyrics were written by William Patton and tell the story of John Brown and his famous raid.
Old John Brown’s body lies moldering in the grave,
While weep the sons of bondage whom he ventured all to save;
But tho he lost his life while struggling for the slave,
His soul is marching on.
While weep the sons of bondage whom he ventured all to save;
But tho he lost his life while struggling for the slave,
His soul is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
John Brown was a hero, undaunted, true and brave,
And Kansas knows his valor when he fought her rights to save;
Now, tho the grass grows green above his grave,
His soul is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
He captured Harper’s Ferry, with his nineteen men so few,
And frightened "Old Virginny" till she trembled thru and thru;
They hung him for a traitor, they themselves the traitor crew,
But his soul is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
John Brown was John the Baptist of the Christ we are to see,
Christ who of the bondmen shall the Liberator be,
And soon thruout the Sunny South the slaves shall all be free,
For his soul is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
The conflict that he heralded he looks from heaven to view,
On the army of the Union with its flag red, white and blue.
And heaven shall ring with anthems o’er the deed they mean to do,
For his soul is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
Ye soldiers of Freedom, then strike, while strike ye may,
The death blow of oppression in a better time and way,
For the dawn of old John Brown has brightened into day,
And his soul is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His soul's marching on!
In November of 1861, Julia Ward Howe was touring Union army camps and heard the song "John Brown's Body." Inspired, she decided to pen new lyrics. She "awoke...in the gray of the early dawn, and to my astonishment found that the wished-for lines were arranging themselves in my brain. I lay quite still until the last verse had completed itself in my thoughts, then hastily arose, saying to myself, 'I shall lose this if I don't write it down immediately.'"
The new lyrics made their first public appearance on the front of the Atlantic Monthly in February of 1862. Editor James T. Fields, who paid her five dollars for the piece, got credit for giving the song its name.
"The Battle Cry of Freedom" has gone down in history as one of the finest patriotic songs. It was sung at a rally that was attended by President Lincoln and the story goes that Lincoln said, with tears in his eyes, "Sing it again." It was sung again and has continued to be sung more than 100 years later.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
I have seen Him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps,
His day is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His Judgement Seat.
Oh! Be swift, my soul, to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
Do you have a favorite song from the Civil War? Let me know in the comments. It may get its own entry.
Until next time.
XOXO, Kate
Monday, December 16, 2013
Alive and Well but Not Living in Paris
Hey,
You may have noticed that this Down Yonder Diary has been silent until...well, until right now. So this is a quick message to explain why...and tell you that I am still alive :)
For the past week I have been engaged in the epic battle of College Finals and my brain has either been in a front row seat at the Lincoln Conspiracy Trial of 1865 or wandering through the halls of the HH Holmes Murder Castle of 1893.
You may have noticed that this Down Yonder Diary has been silent until...well, until right now. So this is a quick message to explain why...and tell you that I am still alive :)
For the past week I have been engaged in the epic battle of College Finals and my brain has either been in a front row seat at the Lincoln Conspiracy Trial of 1865 or wandering through the halls of the HH Holmes Murder Castle of 1893.
And now that the winter semester has finally closed, my brain is doing this. (You go, Brain)
Since finals are finished, I will be posting more Civil War tales again. Keep an eye out in the coming days for new blog entries. Here is a hint to what is coming.
"He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat."
I also want to send a "Happy Birthday" shout out to my best friend who celebrated her 29th birthday December 12th. Happy birthday, bestie!
Until next time.
XOXO, Kate
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