Gettysburg '09 Itinerary

Dan sent me the itinerary of our summer trip! This is the last entry for '08. We are almost in the year of our trip. Six months and a few days.
We'll have a good combination of standard activities with many new things to do, too. A good mix.
With my new responsibilities with the AP classes, I was unable to reach my goal of reading 52 books this year. Only 38. My reading time has been cut drastically. That means many of my CW books on my shelf are going unread for the time being. I have numerous titles to catch up on. I still am unfinished with a book I started last summer! (General Lee's Army) It's a great read. Looking forward to finishing it in the coming weeks (months?).
My time is also consumed with more writing this year. In addition to all the new stuff I'm doing with the AP's, I'm trying to write more, vis., this blog and journaling. Other activities as exercising, cooking, etc., are also time consuming.
It seems that there is not enough time anymore. As a 51 year old my time has become more and more filled with day-to-day regimen. I used to have the perception of lots of time...even being bored sometimes. Ha, that's a joke now.
Anyway, I wanted this blog to concern itself with CW material only. I've gone off and journaled a bit. I guess I'm waxing poetic because of New Year's Eve. Oh well, Happy New Year and a good year ahead is anticipated by this writer!

New CW Books!

I bought two books at Booked-Up today (Larry McMurtry's bookstore in Archer City).
They are :
In War Time by J.G. Whittier, published in 1864 in Boston-a collection of poems and inscribed "...from you Pa, A New Year's Token, Jan. 1.1864."
And The Blue and the Gray Or War is Hell revised by C. Morley from an old script by Judson Kilpatrick and J. Owen Moore, 1st ed., published in 1930-a play.
I'm excited to obtain these two antiquated books. They were worth the effort to procure them (and the money paid). These are two different kinds of books for my CW library that will add to its variety.

Tennessee Veterans Civil War Questionnaires

I finally got the Ten. Vets. Questionnaire books. The set has 5 books and I only have 3 but that's a start.
I started this journey last July by ordering them through Amazon. I then went through several delays and postponements. Finally, they canceled the order...just like that. "Oh well, I guess we can't do it" after wasting several months of my time.
By a flash of inspiration, I called the publishers. They had 3 of the volumes. I'm such an idiot. I should have attempted this a lot sooner and would have saved myself my grief.
I got them last week and waited for the family Xmas to open them. They were $50 each which was a bit more than their price online and at Amazon's. I now have the other 2 volumes to look for to complete the set.
I have many hours to enjoy perusing them. A good buy, those.
I'm still very busy and don't have much time to blog lately. I'm almost through with the Lee's Army book. It's very good, and I will comment on it later. I can't believe how much teaching AP classes has changed my life. Now there's very little time for pleasure reading. Life's too short to not include CW literature frequently.
Dan will email me the first itinerary of our summer '09 trip soon. Looking forward to that. I'm not sure how many days that is from now...Dan would know. One thing's for sure, it will be here before you know it!

11th Mississippi Infantry

Guywayne Taylor, my first cousin, emailed about reading his dad's book on the 11th Mississippi. I remember that book. Uncle Roger and I discussed that book quite a bit. When he was first considering buying it he was undecided whether or not it was worth the $75.
I remember telling him that if I had a book on my ancestor's regiment that at any price it'd be worth it. He did buy the book and later he and I perused it together. I enjoyed the time we spent together with it. It would be the last time we saw each other.
Although we did correspond after that, we never saw each other in person. We corresponded that next summer when our Gettysburg group did a dedication to Uncle Roger's ancestor, R.N. Taylor, at his grave site in Hagerstown, Maryland.
We even taped it. Regretfully, I never got it to him before he died. I told him what we did; I could tell he was very appreciative and moved by our honoring his ancestor. I'm just so sorry that I did not get the video to him in time.
Who knew? We think we have forever in this world. Boy, are we deceived.
Anyway, he knew we took the time to do the grave dedication and I'm glad that it pleased him. I'm very in dept to Dan, Jim, and Randy for taking the time to do this.
Back to the book. I was half-way hoping that Aunt Jane would give the book to me because of my connection with Roger and all that. Of course, it belongs to the family. I'm glad that Guy has an interest in his ancestors. The book will mean a lot to Guy because of what it meant to his father.
It's funny about the things we cherish. Quite often it's those little things. Sometimes quite insignificant things. Although the regimental history book is not insignificant, it's value by the owner and shared joy it brought to others give it great meaning.
I hope to get a copy one of these days, if I ever run across it.

Lincoln and Douglass

I went to several bookstores yesterday and bought a couple of CW books. Although I don't have the time right now to read them, I'll enjoy them soon.
I got Tony another Gettysburg book for his bookshelf. Another Phanz book to go with one I got him before.
I bought a book at Half Price on paintings of CW participants that are in the National Gallery. How cool it would be to spend some time there! Anyway, it's a neat book with many very famous paintings. I've seen most. The text is Smithsonian published so it is well done. Cheap price, couldn't pass it up. I also picked up a book at Borders about Lincoln and Douglass. Those two are several of my favorites of the CW era. Both excellent speakers and orators. I've studied Frederick Douglass some. As well as Lincoln. My Lincoln library is a bit short, but I'm working on it. I saw the author on Book TV and it seemed an interesting read.
CSPAN's series each weekend is dangerous. I see all these authors on it and want to buy lots of books! I also saw Trudeau speak on his recent book on Sherman's March to the Sea. It looks good. I liked his book on Gettysburg so I'll be looking for it at Half Price sometime in the next year.
Book TV always have lots of CW stuff on. Cool stuff, that.

George Thomas

Heroes.
I have only a few from the CW. I admire many, but only revere one or two. Lincoln, for sure. Sam Houston (although he did not fight, he tried unsuccessfully to keep Texas in the Union). Then there's George Thomas, the Rock of Chickamauga.
He is a hero to me because he sacrificed so much for what he believed in. I often wonder what I'd done during that crisis. Would I have sided with what would have been most of my family, friends, and community? Probably. I probably would have been a product of the time like everyone else. Or...would I have been the same person I am now and no lover of slavery or prejudice of color? Would I have had the guts to do what George Thomas did, that is go against my heritage, family, and culture?
Wow, what a man he was. He stood up for what he believed in and sacrificed all for it. Family, friends, community, church. His sisters didn't even attend his funeral years after the war. It was attended by presidents, present, past, and future.
He probably wasn't fully trusted by his contemporaries because of his ties to the South. Yet, he was a hero. He was my kind of hero. I love non-conformists. He was one in spades!
He also was one of the best generals the North had. Admired by Lincoln and even mentioned specifically by him in praise of his actions at Chickamauga. No markers at his birthplace. No statues in his home state. The only statue of him is in Washington, DC.
I hope to visit that statue this summer.
I admire his stand against the norm. I admire his convictions. I admire his sacrifices.
I plan to get several books about him and his exploits so I can elaborate more on what I've discussed here!

Campaign Literature

Campaign books are a category in itself. Mostly, the book will pass or fail muster on the writer's merits and style. Many of the campaign books I've read have been well researched and documented. That is not the complete criteria. A writer must "take you there, make you smell the powder and hear the thunder of the cannons".
This achieved, you can now place yourself squarely in the action and find relevance and character in the story. All good stories have unique participants and circumstances. The writer must intertwine all the leading parts into a symphony of action. Some of the campaign studies I've read have read like fiction; they're that good. It's almost as if the writer had to make up some of the plot.
I think the historian knows that truth is quite often stranger than fiction. The good writer points out these irregularities and any idiosyncrasies or flaws of character to the forefront of the story. I quite often tell people who are interested in a subject that they are not reluctant readers; they just haven't found any writer worth reading yet. All subjects have good writers. You have to dig to find them. Unfortunately, sometimes that means wadding through some tedious stuff .
I was lucky to run across a few good writers from the beginning that so piqued my interest that later I had the patience to endure the struggle to find more. And more I found!
I read books today that are totally fascinating to me, but others find very boring or unattractive. I suppose it's because these early books increased my maturity to the point that now I can almost read anything. Indeed, it's been awhile since I left a book I started unread. It may take a month or two, but I'll get through it.
Writing this journal has helped me verbalize many of my thoughts on this subject. I've always told my students that journals or letter writing will improve your reading and thinking skills. I'm practicing what I'm preaching! Amazing, that. My mom always had more confidence in my writing that I did. If she could see me now...

26th Mississippi Infantry

Years ago I started to investigate my CW ancestors. I remember seeing my Mom's ancestor's grave at Mackey's Creek near Booneville, Mississippi, when I was a youngster. He has a confederate stone on his grave. His name was W.A.H. Shackleford and was a captain in the 26th Mississippi Infantry. Several years ago I requested his military records and have an idea of his service. Because he was an officer, there's some supplemental material too.
What this did was to give me a connection to my past, my roots, and to the conflict that I was so interested in. I have also connected with the 26th Miss Inf. site on the Internet and have made connections there, too. I underestimated the power of the past. I was surprised to find such an emotional connection. After all, he was long gone by the time I showed up. What's the deal? Quite often we don't understand something until we've immersed ourselves in the details and subject matter. That's the case with me.
Once I started on my past, I enjoyed finding Terri's , friend's, and other people's ancestors. I found that they were interested in their past and connection to all this, as well. Many people have this passion. Our reenactment unit has done several grave dedications to our ancestors. Quite moving, actually.
Although I ambivalent to the "lost cause" stuff, I do not deny my connection to the South. Who is to say what side I'd been on? Real heroes often fight their own as well as the enemy. They sacrifice everything for what they believe in. See George, the Rock of Chickamauga, Thomas, for a case in point. He is a real hero to me. My friends have all done genealogies, and it is fun to learn about their past. Some are completely taken by the "cause". Funny, quite. To each his own.

Reenacting

I have been reenacting on and off since 1975. 33 years. Wow. My friends reenact a lot more than I do these days. I guess in my later years I find the clothes too uncomfortable and my knees unable to handle the stress. I do enjoy the companionship of our unit. I seem to be too busy, however, to find the time to go to the events. Several years ago I enjoyed a couple of grave dedications (veterans who were reinterred). Our unit's main event always falls on the same weekend of ACU's homecoming or Terri's birthday. So the conflict of scheduling is an issue.
My first reenactment was at Bracketville in March of '75. I was a Mexican soldier. Sacrificial lamb, actually. I got blown away by Travis, Crockett, or whomever. A Houston PBS station was there and filmed it. That film was at the Alamo in SA for several years. I saw it in '81 or so with Terri. I was hooked for good after that experience. We were once young and vigorous!
After a several year hiatus, I got back in the hobby with Jim Williams, a fellow teacher then at Hutcheson Jr. High. Dan Pyle got into it, too. Since, he has added several members to the group. So in a way, I helped the group grow. Although, like I said, lately I've been out of the loop.
I have enjoyed getting into uniform for some pictures at the NMP's and for portraits. Fun stuff, that.

'09 CW Trip

I'm looking forward to this year's CW trip. Dan, Jim, and I will be probably going it alone. Others are busy with commitments. As the current financial woes continue maybe we'll have to abridge our trip, too. Anyway, we hope to do a bit more of DC this time. Last time it was a one day whirlwind! More GNMP will be wonderful. There's the new visitor center/museum/cyclorama to investigate. Of course the gun/relic/book fair is fun. Also, of course, more Franssanitos to do! We are planning to go to Charleston, SC, to see the sights there. Andersonville, GA. More of the Petersburg area. Dan said we might not be staying in Gett. for 13 days this time. I think he said just a week. We'll be on the move a bit more. I plan to take my MP3 and laptop. Looking forward to it! Just 9 months!!

Shiloh NMP

In the summer of 1997 I meet Harry Brown in Corinth, Mississippi, for a few days of exploring the Shiloh NMP. I remember the trip fondly. We were both well into our careers and enjoyed the break of a few days of R&R from our families and responsibilities. We were able to study the field in depth, in detail, and at our leisure.
I remember long talks about life, family, and history with one of the neatest people I know. Harry's friendship is a blessing.
That trip stands out in my mind because it was the fourth time I'd been at the battlefield. I was there before in '67, '87, and'93. I'd read up a bit on the battle so it really enhanced my perspective. Reading about the battle greatly heightens one's understanding of the place, time, and circumstances of the battle.
On another note, it was the first time that I really talked about my father's death with someone who had been through that ordeal, although H. had lost his dad at an early age. Dad had died the previous fall. We'd lunch at the park and in the evening have a couple of brews. Harry is an insightful history buff which added to the pleasant experience.
I'll cherish this trip always.

'94 CW Trip

My first CW trip that was in depth and totally historic was in 1994. I went on a 18 day journey with Danny Pyle. We went to Fort Donaldson first. We documented this trip with a long, long video accompanied by much commentary and readings from primary sources. Tedious now that I look back on it, but with unbounded passion. We then met Harry and Karen Brown in Hagerstown and spent several days at the Antietam NMP. Totally cool and enthralling. I was in another world. It was so much fun being there with my friends who were just as enthusiastic about the CW. We then headed to Gettysburg. We were there during the anniversary and what a crowd. We were, once again, completely overwhelmed. I guess I ought to speak only for myself here. I was in heaven. The trip is well documented on videos, photos, and diaries. After GNMP Dan and I went to the Fredericksburg area to visit the four battlefields in that area. Supreme bliss. We then went to Virginia Beach and stayed with Gary Durham for a few days to play golf and relax. When I got home Dan and I commented on all the coincidences on the trip. Throughout the trip Ken Burn's PBS CW show was on TV. Also, we saw numerous CW specials on local PBS channels. We found many things that were connected (my Ft. Donaldson connections and Dan and Harry's connections with their shared ancestors who were in the same regiments and on and on and on it went). It was, indeed, at trip of a lifetime. My parents were so interested in all my videos and photos, and I called them throughout the trip. Very special.

Visiting CW Battlefields

Thoughts on visiting CW battlefields. My first trip to a CW battlefield was in 1967. I was 10 years old and visited Shiloh NMP in Tennessee. I remember the trip well. We visited my mom's side of the family in Corinth, Mississippi. I remember that the battlefield with all the cannons and monuments was impressive. I remember the line of cannons at the Hornet's nest. I remember seeing the mass grave sites on the field where many Confederates were buried together. My parents took some pictures so the trip is documented; I have some of the photos. I can remember a somber atmosphere there. I saw "lights" I think. Mystical. I felt either the bad karma of the place or I had indigestion. Who knows. All I know was that I loved the history of the place. I had good history teachers in school. I loved watching shows about WWII growing up. Not the gore, just the human aspect of history. I majored in history in college. Terri and I traveled to Corinth in 1987 to visit family and the battlefield on a trip we took to Charleston, SC. In that 20 years my love of history bloomed into a full time passion. In the 20 years since then, I've visited many more CW sites...and still see "lights" every time.

CW Library

I love my civil war library. I have 3 bookshelves with 5 shelves each. It's not Gallager's but it is my investment of my lifetime of reading cw literature. I enjoy reading in the same room with them. They give me pleasure just being in their presence. I like to sometimes just sit and contemplate them. I'll stare at them and think about what I was doing when I read an individual text or novel. I love my "picture" books, too. I have several "feet" of them. I like to sometimes take one down and peruse it leisurely.
I like to buy civil war books. I believe that you can't have too many books that you have not read on your bookshelves. So, obviously, I have not read all of them. I like to go to Half Price books and see what I can find there. Sometimes I can find a gem. Quite often I've been able to obtain a series book(s). They are a lot cheaper that way! I have several tomes that I've invested quite a bit of money.
In fact, right now I'm waiting on a book order. It's a long story. I hope to receive a reference series that I ordered on the Tennessee Veterans from Amazon. We'll see. It's supposed to come on October 3-10. I ordered it in July and have had trouble with the order. The order is for $230 US but now costs $1180 US to order. I don't think I'll get it. Or it will be incomplete (the series if 5 books...I bet I only get one of them). Something to look forward to, anyway.

General Lee's Army

My current read is "General Lee's Army" by J.T. Glatthaar. It is well written and keeps your attention. I am only one third of the way through it so I will withhold any judgments beyond my first impressions. In it, the author contends that the ANV was as poorly prepared as their adversary in the beginning months of the war. All the chivalry, honor, and superiority of the southern troops vanished once the real fighting began. The soldiers of the ANV were as brave and cowardly as any army of any time period. No more, no less. They got feed up with the savagery after their first real combat experiences. Those first battles destroyed any preconceived notions of bravery. The book details how General Lee came to be the commanding general. It took a good while for this to occur. I'm just now finishing the 2nd battle of Manassas. It's difficult to find the time to read due to my school obligations. Adjustments are being made on many levels, haha.

Frassanito

I have traveled to the east on 4 occasions. Each trip has had a plethora of Frassantito pictures. Since I've met him and told him we copied his work and he was honored by our devotion to his work, to say the least, it was ok. The '94 trip was a trip. Dan and I met Harry and Karen in Antietam. Harry totally enjoyed doing the Fransannito's. On the next trip, in '96, Dan and I focused almost exclusively on Frans. My next trip was in '05 and Jim and Randy totally got into Franssanito's. Finally, in '07 we got to actually meet Mr. Frassanito. That was a experience of a lifetime. How many get to meet their favorite author. Wow. Totally cool. We took a picture and I look completely star-struck...that's because I was! Dan and I spent several evenings visiting with him as we were in Gettysburg for 13 days. As this journal is a first draft experience I won't try to rewrite or clarify. It's just a stream of consciousness kind of thing. I don't have a lot of time to devote to this right now. I'll try to do an entry every so often, just to keep in practice. I write a journal at school that I mainly write about my day and to motivate me to do my best on that particular day. I write when I ask my students to write. I don't have them write daily but usually a week won't go by without an entry or two. I also try to write in a journal at home. I mainly write about what I'm reading that is not CW related.

Lincoln at Gettysburg

One of my favorite books in my civil war library is Gary Will's "Lincoln at Gettysburg". I have read this Pulitzer prize winning book multiple times. I have it on audio so I listen to it almost every year at least once. I like Will's analysis of Lincoln's style, rhetorical devices, and historical background that Lincoln uses in his dedicatory remarks at the Gettysburg cemetery. It is fascinating to see Lincoln's incorporation of the transcendental philosophies of the day as well as the funerary devices he employs. The Speech is incredible in its grammatical structure and with the rhetorical elements meshed all into just 280 odd words. As I am exhausted from my teaching endeavors, I will write more on this on another day.

Military CW Campaign Books

I can remember the first serious military campaign book I read. It was Ed Ferguson's Chancellorsville book. It read like a novel. You could hear the cannons and smell the smoke, it was that good. Then I read an exciting book on Antietam, "Gleam of Bayonets" (this blog will not allow me to underline titles...the English teacher in me is cringing...). Those books showed me that I could be mesmerized by fascinating accounts of the battlefields I've visited. As time went by, I found Cottington's "Gettysburg Campaign" an especially fun read. I thought it was SO detailed. A 700 or so page book on ONE battle! Then I found Phanz. He had a 700+ page book on ONE DAY of the battle. And he's written 3 books! Wow, I was hooked.

A CW Student

I've always been a civil war fan. It was not until college, however, that I became an avid reader or student of the war. Before then, I had read many books by Bruce Catton and some civil war fiction. Right before I graduated from ACU I picked up a book titled "Gettysburg: A Journey in Time" by William Franssanito, and it forever changed my perspective. I knew that I wanted to go to this place I'd heard about all my life. I wanted to stand where these pictures were taken. After that book I started a more in depth study of the war. I started reading books that were a bit more expansive and selective than the Catton books. Bruce Catton is one of the premier writers of the civil war, don't get me wrong. I just wanted to read about some of the campaigns individually. In 1994, twelve years after I'd read "Journey" I took my own journey to Gettysburg with my best friend. We had the time of our lives. After that, I started reading in earnest. Phanz, Ferguson, Gallager, Sears, Stewart, and of course, Wm. Frassanito. My journey to wonder, amazement, and endless curiosity began. I have not stopped since.

Reading CW Literature

My civil war library consists of several hundred titles. Since the early 80's I've been buying and reading civil war literature. I found an endless mystery and amazement over this time period. I especially can't seem to get enough of the Gettysburg story. I am obviously not the only person who is interested...how cool.
My main interest is reading. There are not enough hours in the day to read everything I want! Even during the summer, when I'm not working, I still can't get enough time to read. I try to read 52 books a year. I haven't met my goal the last couple of years, but I continue to read as much as I can. Now that school has started I will be even more limited with my time to read. Ugh. Oh well, some people have to work for a living.
I plan to go to Gettysburg in June '09. It will be my 5th trip. I'm looking forward to it already!