Book Review--Burying the Dead But Not the Past

Janney, Caroline E. Burying the Dead but Not the Past: Ladies' Memorial Associations and the Lost Cause (Civil War America) . University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 2008. 290 pages, 199 pages text. Index, bibliography, notes, b/w photos. ISBN 9780807872253, $24.95.


The "Lost Cause" is a standard mythology in Confederate history as to why the states in rebellion against the Union were unable to secure their freedom. One of the groups responsible for the Lost Cause mythology were the Ladies Memorial Associations, the subject of a fascinating book by Caroline Janney.


Ladies Memorial Associations, or LMAs as they are called in the book, were groups of mostly elite, solidly white women that took shape almost immediately after the war. Within a year of the surrender at Appomattox there were more than seventy such groups. With the federal government of course giving priority to Union soldiers and dead the LMAs in effect took on a governmental role. Some of their goals were the helping of the poor and injured but most important was memorializing the dead and bringing dead Confederate soldiers home for a proper burial.

For Janney the women of the LMAs were becoming more political despite the traditional view that women were not interested in politics. Janney's definition of politics is the "ability of individuals or groups to wield influence in their community, state, or region". Using this definition there can be little doubt that many Southern women were indeed becoming more political.

While there were Associations across the former Confederate states this book focuses almost exclusively on those from Virginia with those from the cities of Richmond, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Winchester. The Hollywood Memorial Association and Oakwood Memorial Association, both of Richmond, appear to have been the leading organizations and take the lead in this work.

These groups experienced much success including the formation of Confederate Memorial Day which helped lead to the celebrating of our current Memorial Day. Due to the hard work and fund raising undertaken by various LMAs many Confederate monuments, including the famous Pyramid at Hollywood Cemetery, were built. Perhaps the greatest achievement however was the finding and returning of Confederate dead and burying them in what Janey calls National Confederate Cemeteries. Thousands of Confederate dead were eventually brought "home" due to the efforts of these women.

While there were great accomplishments all was not roses for these groups. There was the constant struggle to raise money. In fact the Hollywood Memorial Association was unable to pay for the removal of all the Confederate dead from the Gettysburg battlefield. This debt haunted them for many years. Another struggle was with former Confederate men who were regaining their ability to be active politically. The men who had played a supporting role to women for many years in the immediate aftermath of the war expected the women to return to their prewar social position. These women were having no part in this and fought the men bitterly. Another struggle was declining membership as time went on. During the 1890's the rise of the United Daughters of the Confederacy also raised concerns as the UDC was seen as a younger and more vibrant organization.

Janey has put together an impressive listing of sources. She has scouted through many manuscript repositories, has referenced the remaining records of several LMAs, and has a large listing of other primary and secondary sources. The research looks to be very thorough and it shows in the writing which is smooth and easy to read.

This is a book that should be read by anybody with an interest in the post Civil War period, those wanting to learn about a seldom discussed aspect of Confederate women's history, or those interested in the memorializing of Confederate dead. Highly recommended!

Book Review: The Houses of St. Augustine

Nolan, David, Jean Ellen Fitzpatrick, and Ken Barrett Jr. The Houses of St. Augustine . Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL. 1995. 102 pages, index, bibliography, color photos and illustrations. ISBN 9781561640690 $24.95.


Founded in the mid 1500's the city of St. Augustine, FL is heralded as the oldest continually inhabited city in the nation. It has survived several changes in "ownership", war and peace, boom and bust, and progress and preservation. The architecture of the city is a testament to these changes and author David Nolan along with artist Jean Ellen Fitzpatrick and photographer Ken Barrett, Jr. take us on an educational, fun, and at times moving tour of the city.

What we have here is part travel guide, part art/photography book, and part history. This slim and handsome volume melds the three together well. The chapters are broken into seven time frames each of which contains a descriptive essay and many photos of houses corresponding to the essay. Each photo includes a description some of which are in more depth than others.

Like most cities with a historical significance St. Augustine can boast of houses with a wide variety of influences. The Victorian era includes houses with towers and turrets features seldom, if ever, used in building today. The late 19th century brought about an interest in the Moorish Revival style and St. Augustine is home to one of the largest collections of this Hispanic influenced style of building. The early part of the 20th century brought the Bungalow style house to the city and with modern stylings the condominium and subdivision have taken root.

Not all has been a historical preservation success however. As author David Nolan points out the city has been through what is called "preservation by bulldozer". In a rush to recreate historical looking buildings true historical homes and buildings have been lost. Nolan points out the example of the main tourist area, St. George St., that features many new buildings featuring the look, but not feel, of Spanish Colonial architecture. These buildings are the home to many t-shirt, souvenir, ghost tour, and other tourist related shops. Lest we feel that developers are the only ones destroying architecturally significant buildings. Flagler College has played a role as well having torn down a building known as "The Shingles". Built by impressionist painter Felix de Crano the home served as an artist haven before being used by a local hospital. Despite its significance as the last "shingle style" house in the city it was demolished in 1994.

While maybe a bit dated in feel this is a fascinating book for those interested in historic preservation and for those wanting to take a deeper look at our "Oldest City". A map, or maybe several, would be an improvement for this book. If you are wanting to take a walking tour to see some of these houses a map would make planning the journey a whole lot easier. The photo captions do include addresses so modern GPS makes finding the locations easy however.

A reminder: Most of the locations included in the book are private. Please respect the owners privacy!

Villa Zorayda Museum. A fine example
of Moorish Revival Architecture in
St. Augustine.

American Experience--Death and the Civil War

A recent mail delivery brought a preview copy of an upcoming PBS episode of American Experience. The episode scheduled to air on September 18 from 8pm-10pm is titled Death and the Civil War. The work is directed by Ric Burns, the brother of filmmaker Ken Burns, with whom he produced The Civil War.

Based upon the book This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War (Vintage Civil War Library) written by Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust, Death and the Civil War traces the history of how the war became more deadly as it went along through the nations attempt to deal with the resulting huge death toll after the last shot was fired. With an estimate of up to 750,000 dead the country saw a nearly two and a half percent drop in population. That would translate to approximately seven million deaths today.

I have not yet watched this but am eagerly looking forward to it. I really enjoyed This Republic of Suffering and invite you to see my review here. Once I get a chance to sit down and watch this I will post my thoughts.

Press Release--New Civil War Book from Robert Burns Clark

DUKES OF HAZZARD PRODUCER & WRITER
ROBERT BURNS CLARK
COMMEMORATES THE 150 ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL WAR WITH HIS DEBUT NOVEL

PITTSBURG LANDING

A HISTORICAL NOVEL ABOUT A BRUTAL BATTLE
& HOW IT AFFECTTED THE LIVES OF HUSBANDS, CHILDREN, WIVES & LOVERS

Advance praise from Amazon Reviewers:

“ When I read that Robert Clark, of Dukes of Hazzard Fame, wrote a book, I had to read it. ”

“ Make sure you set aside some time to read this book
because you're not going to want to put it down.

“ I really liked the love story woven into the history of the battle. ”

PITTSBURG LANDING is a powerful story centered on the brutal Civil War battle of the same name, also known by the Union as Shiloh , which was fought April 6-7, 1862. Far beyond an accurate and moving chronicle of a Civil War Battle, PITTSBURG LANDING (Definitive Words; July 2012) is a seamless melding of true characters and events from the Civil War era and imaginative fiction, showing how real men and women, husbands and wives, lovers, families and children were affected by those turbulent and wrenching events. PITTSBURG LANDING is as beautiful as it is stirring, with complex characters and masterful storytelling that puts the reader right in the middle of one of the most dramatic and tragic periods in our nation’s history.

On April 6 and 7, 1862, twenty-three thousand men were killed or wounded at a battle fought at obscure post on the Tennessee River . PITTSBURG LANDING tells the story of two of those men: their bravery, their loves and their loss.

Major William Moore, a forty-two-year-old Union Officer and West Point graduate, only reluctantly volunteers for a war where brother is turned against brother. Training his troops in Indiana he is reacquainted with Sarah Delaney, the now grown daughter of an old friend. She is twenty-two, a skilled surgical assistant, beautiful, determined and fiercely anti-war. Still suffering from the loss of his wife and child, Will finds himself falling in love. Sarah unashamedly pursues the romance, and they marry. Ten days later, he is called to the front. Believing that she will never see her husband again, she joins a surgical unit and arrives to find him on the field, critically wounded.

Amos Bingham of Alabama is a veteran of the Mexican War, during which, in one night, he single-handedly killed thirty-four men and boys. Shaken by that deed, he has sworn to never take a life again. When his son runs away to join the fighting, he rushes to save him, vowing to destroy anyone who gets in his way, no matter the color of the uniform.

Robert Burns Clark, a native of the North Carolina hills, produced Moonrunners, which was the basis for the hit TV show, The Dukes of Hazzard, and wrote many episodes of the TV hit show. Clark meticulously researched and worked on PITTSBURG LANDING for more than a decade. The book is a heartfelt attempt to rip away the mythology—though there was great heroism—from a bloody and brutal era. Its purpose is to show how real Americans—men, women and children—were affected by those events in the hope that Americans will only ever be led into the jaws of war through serious and sober deliberation.

PITTSBURG LANDING was recently recognized as a 2012 Honorable Mention Winner for General Fiction by the prestigious San Francisco Book Festival.

For more information, please visit www.robertburnsclark.com.

Book Review--The Battle of Antietam

Alexander, Ted. Battle of Antietam: The Bloodiest Day (MD) (Civil War Sesquicentennial Series).   The History Press. Charleston, SC. 2011. B/W photos, maps, index, bibliography, notes, order of battle. ISBN 9781609491796, $19.99.

Ted Alexander is the chief historian for the
 Antietam National Battlefield. In this role it would be expected that he would be able to write a clear and concise work on the battle. Overall he has succeeded. While by no means is this work going to supplant  Stephen Sears massive work Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam that is not the goal of works from The History Press. For those looking for a good introduction to the battle this may be your best option.

The book starts out with a history of the Sharpsburg area and it's surroundings. The town was originally founded in 1763. After losing a close vote to become county seat the area of Sharpsburg remained mostly rural farm land while the town of Hagertown became more industrialized. On September 17, 1862 this farm land would see some of the most violent fighting our country has known.

Mr. Alexander covers the major areas of fighting near Antietam Creek well: chapters cover the Cornfield and the East Woods, West Woods and the Dunker Church, Bloody Lane, and Burnside Bridge. Each are covered in good depth but not to a point where an unfamiliar reader is confused. While pointing out many of the "highs and lows" Alexander tends to stay away from the finger pointing and the blame game that often occurs in books. Union General George McClellan is spared the beating he is given by many historians for his slow reactions and General Edwin Sumner is spared the critisism often dealt his way in regards to his early morning actions at the West Woods.


In his book Alexander does more than cover just the military aspects of the battle. As the subtitle to the book says this was America's bloodiest day. With over 23,000 total casualties both armies took a beating. An excellent chapter covers the aftermath of the battle including dealing with the dead, both human and animal, hospitals and the civilian aid given to the injured, the spread of disease to both military and civilians, and the huge amount of property damage caused. All was not doom and gloom however as Mr. Alexander points out the medical advances brought about by Dr. Jonathan Letterman. Many of these were first implemented at Antietam.

The Confederate army, tired and defeated, retreat across the Potomac on the evening of September 18. McClellan rather clumsily sends a rather small grouping of soldiers after Lee. This leads to the Battle of Shepherstown, where Union troops are defeated by a Confederate force led by Stonewall Jackson, thus sustaining another 363 casualties the majority suffered by the 118th Pennsylvania.

With the fall of 1862 being a major Confederate disappointment, and General McClellan not following up Abraham Lincoln had seen enough and removed "Little Mac" from command. While having been relieved of command there can be little doubt that McClellan and the Union army achieved a great victory that September day. So great in fact that it paved the way for President Lincoln to unveil his Emancipation Proclamation. While the proclomation's value to slaves in seceeded areas can be debated it's longer term value to the Union cause can not be.

The book wraps up nicely with a chapter covering post battle events such as the founding of the Antietam National Cemetery, the founding of the Antietam National Battlefied, soldier reunions, improvements to the battlefield, and more.

The book is really helped along by the wonderful maps provided by Steven Stanley. There are dozens of b/w photos helping visually further the story. Also included are an index, bibliography, notes, and an order of battle. This is not a book for those with a good knowledge of the battle. I doubt you will find anything new here. For those just coming to the battle, or like me have a bit of knowledge but want to know more, this is a book I can heartily recommend. It will help when you move on and read Sears, Harsh, or Carman.

For those with more interest you might like to check out Ted Alexander's appearance on Civil War Talk Radio by clicking here.

Center for Civil War Photography 2012 Image of War Seminar

Register for the 2012 Image of War Seminar!

This year the Center for Civil War Photography's annual Image of War Seminar heads back to Antietam on October 5-7, 2012, for the broadest and most detailed program to date. Attendees will experience Antietam photography in all of its formats and learn about and exploit associated methodologies-indoors, outdoors, then, now, 2D, 3D, and even 4D experiences will bring the battlefield and its photographers to life like never before.

Hike the battlefield with Ed Bearss; see 3D presentations in black and white and in color by Bob Zeller, John Richter and David Richardson; with Garry Adelman and John Hoptak tour dozens of the sites where Alexander Gardner and his crew made pictures that shocked the world; see a special presentation by Tim Smith; see Robert Kalasky unveil his groundbreaking research on the study of shadows at Antietam; get a tour of historic Shepherdstown with Nicholas Redding; and see Rob Gibson record wet plate photos right where Gardner's crew did. Gain special access to restricted sites and get a free copy of the CCWP's forthcoming Antietam in 3D book, too.

CCWP's Ambrotype, Daguerreotype, Folio, and Imperial members will be invited to a private overlook from near the site of the Elk Ridge Signal Station and climb the Pry House attic stairs and look through the roof access used by General McClellen's staff during the battle.

The seminar will be based at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Registration is now open online at www.imageofwar.org. CCWP members receive a $35 discount off the registration price. Also, all registrations submitted before July 31, 2012, receive an additional $30 discount off the registration price.

Press Release--High County Festival of the Book Civil War Symposium

 

High Country Festival of the Book’s Civil War Symposium - August 3, 2012 from 9:00 - 4:00 Blowing Rock, NC at the Meadowbrook Inn.

 

Featuring Douglas Southall Freeman award-winning author Rod Gragg and Patrick Schroeder, Historian of Appomattox Court House National Battlefield and noted author/publisher. Additional speakers include authors Patricia Garber, Dr. Judkin Browning and Dr. Andrew Slap. On Saturday we have a Civil War panel discussion as part of our larger book festival with authors, Michael Hardy, Johnny Pearson, Rod Gragg, and Patrick Schroeder.

The Symposium is part of the High Country Festival of the Book. The cost for the Symposium is $50 and includes lunch and invitation to the evening opening ceremony with NC Poet Laureate, Fred Chappell (a portion of the entry fee is tax deductible). The events on Saturday are free and opened to the general public for more information on the Book Festival and Symposium tickets: www.highcountryfestivalofthebook.com

On the website click on the Civil War Symposium link on the left hand side for further information.