A New Gettysburg

As I discussed in my previous post, this week has been of particular significance to Civil War scholars and “fans” alike. This is because of the one-hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg. From what I saw on Facebook and on the news, there was quite a celebration at the site itself. Re-enactors, preeminent historians, government representatives, and many civilians partook in the festivities.

What was not as well documented, though, were the changes that are being done to Gettysburg’s battlefield. Later that day, there was an event that celebrated those changes. Interestingly enough, the site is now in the process of being restored to how it appeared in 1863. From the battle to the modern era, the apple trees were cleared, and the forest began encroaching on what was previously the battlefield. This became confusing for historians and citizens alike that visited the site. (When I went to Gettysburg this previous spring, I encountered the same problem.) So, this restoration effort marks a new era in Gettysburg’s interpretation. As author Adrian Higgins states, “…the reclamation of the Bliss Orchard caps an effort to replant 3,263 fruit trees in a total of 39 orchards on 112 acres of the park since 2005. This endeavor, in turn, is part of a broader, 14-year plan by the Park Service, Pennsylvania state agencies and nonprofit allies to peel back decades of accumulated natural and man-made clutter…” (Higgins, 1) in order to restore the battlefield and to obtain a better understanding of the events at Gettysburg.

Although this has proven problematic to some residents’ homes, roads, and chain businesses, I personally support this process! When I visited Antietam, I preferred the “purer” state of the battlefield much more in comparison to Gettysburg. I look forward to hearing more about the ongoing changes at Gettysburg in the future.

Link to the article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/gettysburg-battlefield-is-restored-to-a-landscape-civil-war-soldiers-would-recognize/2013/11/18/5adfb2b2-4ef0-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html

The 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

                  In honor of the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's presentation of the Gettysburg Address, I decided to do my own reading of it! I worked a lot over this weekend to memorize the rest of the address (I had known approximately half of it previously) in order to recite it for this video. Forgive my nervousness and quite somber attitude! I believe knowing it will come in handy one way or another this upcoming week. 

Reconciliation at the Cost of Reconstruction

               Without a connection to the modern era, many people find that there is no reason to study the past. Out of this idea comes a new CD project being marketed for this year, called “Divided and United”. Previously a music collection published during the twentieth century that has been long forgotten by most, it is being revamped for the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Civil War. Apparently, it is intended to bring back to the public eye famous Civil War songs as well as offer commentary on the recent political polarization that plagues the country. In order to have this album come to life, there will be a plethora of musical artists; “most of the artists on this two-CD set are country, bluegrass and folk musicians, with a few from other genres, notablyJohn Doe of L.A. punk band X, veteran blues musician Taj Mahal and Jefferson Airplane founding member Jorma Kaukonen. The participants also include veterans Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Ralph Stanley and Del McCoury as well as young Turks Jamey Johnson and Shovels & Rope” (L.A. Times, 1).

            While I am normally one of the first people that would support bringing Civil War subjects into modern “mainstream” social culture, I find the development of this album problematic. The use of these songs, it appears, are intended to bring the nation together in a way that mirrors Civil War reconciliation. (This term was first mentioned on Monday in class.) The idea of reconciliation became increasingly popular after the Civil War, commonly romanticized in the concept of white brothers from both North and South coming together to promise peace. This may paint a pretty picture that was believed for quite some time, but it is hardly what we should choose to emphasize in today’s society. Reconciliation came at the cost of neglecting the plight of the African American and of actually addressing the changing nature of the Union during Reconstruction. This album almost reflects the exact same attitude, with its use of pro-Confederate and, in some cases, outwardly racist material. (For instance, if you read the article, they mention that several of the songs on the album were originally sung by black-face minstrels.) Characterizing and marginalizing racial minorities in a time when they are the fastest growing voting class is not wise nor practical. In my opinion, we do not want to use this form of “reconciliation” to solve our current political crisis.

Link to the article: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-ca-civil-war-music,0,5384766.story#axzz2k5cW0RwE

A New Civil War Rebellion?

           In class, Dr. Simpson has discussed prior that some historians prefer to discuss the Civil War in terms of military history, whereas others have greater inclinations towards emphasizing the cultural context of the Civil War. This disagreement apparently came to a breaking point at a conference in St. Louis on the topic of "Should Military History Be Central to the Study of the Civil War?". The previously civil and pleasant conference turned into a riot. Large amounts of yelling, pacing, and other aggressive behavior were displayed. For those that are acquainted with the Civil War sphere, this is certainly odd (but not totally surprising) situation. According to the author that covered the event, Thomas E. Ricks, the reason behind the outburst was due to changes in academic research. As he states, “The funny thing is that part of the emotion supposedly comes from fears of academic Civil War historians that they are being ‘marginalized.’ Yet the Civil War, along with World War II, actually dominates the military history book market” (Ricks, 1).

            The strange circumstances of this conference truly brings this issue to the forefront: Is Military History vital when discussing the Civil War? Seeing as the defining event of those four years was the ongoing war itself, I find that in some way or another it is always necessary. However, among some sources I have read, I find that too much focus is put upon military history at the expense of cultural context. If large amounts of effort are only placed upon this topic, then I feel that the narrative loses sight of the greater meaning of the war. In a way, I agree with Ricks, in that “…I would fault some non-academics, who in delving into brass buttons trivia sometimes lose sight of the larger issues. Real military history, I think, should endeavor to combine the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of war” (Ricks, 1). Essentially, military history is definitely worth something, just not everything.

Link to the article: http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/11/08/civil_war_historians_riot_in_st_louis_over_the_question_of_the_centrality_of_milita

What Was Once Lost...

       When one thinks about archaeology and artifacts, usually the concept that comes to mind revolves around discovering objects from ancient history. It is easy to forget that items from the recent past can be as equally obscured from the passage of time. In reality, there are still many unfound artifacts from the Civil War. In Chicago, students and volunteers from Pershing East Magnet School are attempting to find some of these relics of the past. They have recently started an excavation site in Chicago's South Side Bronzeville neighborhood, which was once a part of the 60-acre Camp Douglas training center for Union soldiers. It also housed many Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. It is estimated that the excavation project will be long and ongoing, due to the fact that the students and volunteers must carefully unearth layers upon layers of additional construction from later eras prior to reaching the Civil War period artifacts, but individuals are hopeful of discovering interesting and pertinent material.

            I found this of particular interest due to our class’ recent emphasis on the importance of capturing the opposing army’s soldiers. It was not always the most important thing to kill or ward away an enemy, but it was a significant gain to capture as many soldiers as possible. For instance, the most prevalent example of this given in class was Grant’s siege of Vicksburg. The Southern states already were lacking in recruits for its army (this was because, as Stephanie McCurry in Confederate Reckoning describes, “…the C.S.A. lacked access to 40 percent of its adult male military-age population, men enslaved and thus ineligible for service…[and had] a total population roughly one-third that of the Union…” (McCurry, 315)). Capturing men took the strength away from the Confederacy and gave the Union more bargaining power. With the capturing of soldiers being important to understanding military operations during the Civil War (and, by extension, making prison camps important), it is interesting if we will learn more with Chicago’s excavation of Camp Douglas.

Link to the article here: http://thesouthern.com/news/local/students-seek-artifacts-at-chicago-civil-war-site/article_82319ed0-3e87-11e3-a8e0-001a4bcf887a.html

Remembering and Forgetting

                Throughout our class, the emphasis has not just been on the objective facts and statistics of what occurred during the Civil War, but instead how people viewed these events after the fact. This latter interpretation has not stayed stagnant either. Rather, each generation continues to re-interpret events from the past, and the mindset of the generation determines what major characters, lessons, and other normative values will be extracted from the historical events. This new model of time may create a convoluted and complex understanding of the nation’s past. However, it is a much preferable perspective than blindly accepting modern interpretations as a reified reality.

                This understanding of history has led to more analysis on how we implement our comprehension on old battlefields, cemeteries, and other places of remembrance. For instance, there are reasons why certain battlefields are well preserved, but others are vastly overgrown with foliage and mostly forgotten. Some, like Gettysburg, have numerous monuments that are scattered all across the landscape, but there are also battlefields, like Antietam, that mirror almost exactly how they looked during the Civil War. Each of these have their own story as to how they developed and changed over time.

                This new concept of analysis (historiography), which I acquired knowledge of through HST 494, piqued my interest enough that I decided to look further into the subject and find this new article by the Huffington Post. Essentially, it describes American citizens’ changing perspectives on cemetery and battlefield preservation, monumentation, and destruction, and how this has altered the United States’ landscape in the process. Even today, a multitude of different Civil War societies fight to purchase land away from developers for malls, suburbs, and other infrastructure. This is merely a new chapter in the long and winding history of deciding how to interpret and comprehend the loss, suffering, and emotion that comes with war. It is a truly fascinating article, and I suggest you all to check it out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-shifting-strategy-of-preservation-how-civil-war-battlefields-have-changed/2013/04/25/57b13f32-a5e2-11e2-8302-3c7e0ea97057_story_2.html. 

Brothers in Time

In our Civil War memory class, we have been recently discussing the phenomena of reenactments, role-players, “living historians”, and other groups of people that insist upon repeating history. In order to continue along this theme, I found a quaint article recounting an interview with one re-enactor.

Hardly considering himself professional, instead this older man insists that he is honoring a soldier that has particularly struck a chord with him. The re-enactor, Jim Smith, is following the steps of Peter Guibert, a drummer who served in the 74^th Pennsylvania at Gettysburg. Smith feels a connection with Guibert because they were born exactly a century apart (1844 and 1944, respectively), they were both musicians, and that they share other “eerie similarities”. Smith has spent a significant period of time studying Guibert’s life both before the war, Guibert’s movements and participation in Gettysburg, and how he celebrated fifty years later, and thus has sustained a great interest in him over time. It is for all of these reasons that Smith finds it important to reenact Guibert’s march into Gettysburg.

The article that elaborates on Smith’s interview passes no judgment on Smith’s intentions, but our class has had other opinions of re-enactors’ actions. To many, people find their fascinations (or what others would call obsession) pointless, creepy, and in some cases, dangerous to Civil War memory. All of those points could be warranted. Yet, I feel that this could be a harsh or unfair assessment of some citizens’ honest and sincere intentions. Obviously their passions run deep, and perhaps they want nothing more than to get lost for a few hours, to connect with a time in history that has touched them in ways they cannot easily relate to others. We as individuals often do not take the time to understand people’s interests that do not follow the “mainstream”. But, it could often lead to interesting discussion and debate.

Link to the Article Here: http://www.publicopiniononline.com/latestnews/ci_23045981/gettysburgs-150th-man-retrace-civil-war-drummer-boys

More Powerful Than the Sword

                For this week, I wanted to bring to everyone’s attention a small piece of ephemera that was found from the nineteenth century. Essentially, a small letter was discovered from a chaplain, who also participated in the Civil War. From this supposedly obscure letter, the true placement of one of Abraham Lincoln’s family cabins may have been discovered. In a few passages, the letter describes the town, its name, its population, and where others claimed the Lincolns’ cabin to be.

                This may seem like a minor and inconsequential discovery; however, the location of the Lincolns’ cabin has been a mystery among historians for decades now. A lack of written documentation (due to the low literacy and writing capabilities in that region of the United States) has left modern historians with very little information to solve this dilemma. This, combined with a plethora of towns and cities that have over time wished to claim a part of Lincoln as their own, has led to a muddled research pursuit. This letter, though, gives historians new hope.

                Of course, this letter is still being verified, preserved, and further investigated. It will take time to see if this letter sheds more light on the topic. Yet, just the idea of a new piece of information about Abraham Lincoln gives excitement to us enthusiasts and Civil War die-hards.

                Link to the article featuring the letter here: http://www.bnd.com/2013/04/11/2572900/letter-from-civil-war-addresses.html

Farb Heaven on Earth

                This weekend, large crowds of citizens and reenactors alike are gathering to participate in the reenactment of the fall of Richmond. This is just one event of a series long installment of what has been dubbed the “Long Road Home” Program, which is a succession of Civil War stories. It is being sponsored by the Appomattox Historical Society.

                Apparently, they have constructed a few buildings to burn in Richmond, and will be hosting other festivities as well. There will be discussion panels, plays, and trivia challenges hosted by period characters. All of these events are planned in order to pique the interest of people in surrounding areas to view the reenactment. This sounds like it will be entirely successful, especially because the society is estimating to have a large turnout.

                Now, some historians may praise such living history, in that it makes it accessible and intriguing to the public. Yet, others would disagree with this assessment. Reenactment “Hardcores”, as depicted in Tony Horwitz’s Confederates in the Attic, are most likely appalled at such a proposal as the activities being held this weekend. They feel it is of the utmost importance to endure the realities and hardships of period soldiers – from threadbare, dirty, and ill-fitting uniforms, to being attacked by mosquitoes, chiggers, and ticks. To them, the glory is in the pain and accuracy to the era. Yet, this does not attract a large interest from more moderate groups (what they dub “farbs”) and thus alienates them in the process.

                So, I believe that the diversion in interests between these two processes of reenactment continues the dialogue we have been participating in during class. Purely investing in either side is not inclusive enough. The Hardcores may get nearly everything right within their power, but there is only a negligible audience to take pleasure in it. Other than for their own enjoyment, it does not reach others. Traditional reenactments can be often “campy”, riddled with inaccuracies, and are not as “pure” due to the multitude of spectators. However, they entice others to learn about and support the preservation of Civil War memory. To modern enthusiasts, it will become increasingly important to balance these two sides.

Link to the Article: http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/civil-war-program-re-enacts-the-fall-of-richmond/article_94b1beba-f946-529c-b630-431b2fddf6a3.html

Remembering the Fallen

               Sorry for the time of absence, everyone! I intentionally did two posts before I left for Gettysburg in order to keep my blog count up. Hope you find this week's article interesting!

              I found this article particularly interesting. Apparently, two sailors from the Civil War were buried today at Arlington National Cemetery. The soldiers were from the USS Monitor, which were recently discovered. (If you go through a few of my old posts, I have an earlier discussion on the new developments made with the USS Monitor due to new technology that allowed greater access to the ship.) Unfortunately, the soldiers so far remain unidentified. Yet, a researcher, named Megan Smolenyak, has been working for a period of time now to discover who they are. She has identified that one of the sailors are either Robert Williams or William Bryan. This has been achieved by looking through documents and pictures of the ship, its crew, and other pertinent details in the National Archives. It has been difficult to ascertain much more beyond this finding, however. This research will continue to be an ongoing local project.

                For now, though, the sailors will be in a respected spot in Arlington National Cemetery. Eventually, the Cemetery has officially confirmed, they will implement a monument in dedication to all of the sailors that served on the USS Monitor during the Civil War. I had visited to Arlington prior, so I know the area, but I am not certain exactly where they would place this marker. However, the public anticipates that it will obviously be professional and well-executed.

                After our trip to both the Gettysburg and Antietam cemeteries, I thought that this would be especially pertinent. With such extensive care, use of resources, and effort that people put into cemeteries, they have become symbols that reflect how we revere and view our past. They serve as excellent parallels into our dedication, cultural influences, and existential perspective. That is why I find them and their perpetuation very important.

Link Can Be Found Here: http://commercial-news.com/local/x620882144/Civil-War-sailors-buried-at-Arlington

Student Questions for Desjardin's Book

1. Who is Daniel E. Sickles? How did he shape historic and modern societal perspectives on General Meade?

2. Who is John Badger Bachelder? Why do you believe that he spent so much effort to collect information on the battle of Gettysburg only to use a small amount of “official reports” for his project?

3. What is the Lost Cause Ideology? When did it start to emerge? Which major organizations were behind the perpetuation of the myth?

4. What is monumentation, and who governed the process at Gettysburg? What are a few examples of inconsistent beliefs on it that are illustrated in Desjardin’s book?

5. If historians cannot ever accurately prove the “facts” about many historical events, does Desjardin suggest that studying history is a fruitless pursuit? 

A Lincoln Lecturer

            If there is one aspect of college that I have enjoyed, it is the fact that Barrett and ASU host many informative lectures on campus. If I do not have class, I am nearly guaranteed to go to one of the evening lecture/events – especially if the topic revolves around history. Unlike many of the math or science ones I have been to, the history lectures often involve a lot more individual interpretation and analysis from the guest speaker.

 It is my interest in guest speakers that actually drew me to read a recent article on a Lincoln lecture. In Bloomington Illinois, the “nationally recognized” Civil War scholar Allen C. Guelzo gave a speech on the motivations that influenced Abraham Lincoln to abolish slavery. Other historians have attributed his actions to his feelings against racial injustice, or to want to weaken the Southern states’ workforce, but Guelzo does not think either of these perspectives are accurate. Rather, he finds that: “What Lincoln hated in slavery was not just its racial injustice, but the re-emergence in America of the old demon of monarchy, where some people were born with uncalloused hands, booted and spurred and ready to ride on the backs of everyone else who had to work…” (IWU, 2013, Paragraph 3). Apparently, he saw slavery as an institution that promoted aristocratic habits and violated the democratic political system.

Now, I have not heard this theory before, and I am not certain what others’ opinions of it might be. However, I find the lecture interesting and want to bring it up in our discussion of historical interpretation. Dr. Simpson had mentioned in class prior that the “President Lincoln of the early twentieth century” was a moderate racist, fully accepted as so, and was focused on reunion and preservation. It makes sense that this interpretation would be prevalent, because the reconciliationist vision was very strong at this point in time. How Lincoln was viewed then was definitely a reflection of the beliefs of society at that time. Each generation, it appears, tries to implement Lincoln in some way into their societal beliefs of the moment. Our nation is currently fraught with economic woes and threats of sequestration, and I have seen many people disillusioned with entrepreneurs at the top and those that make a significantly more amount of money than the rest of the population. Turning Lincoln into a man that could not stand the aristocratic system simultaneously validates citizens’ disapproval of the economic system today. Once again, implementing Lincoln into the current societal beliefs shows an ongoing respect and need for the man, his views, and intellect.  

No matter your opinion on Guelzo’s theory or my ideas on his interpretation, the article is still nonetheless interesting. You can check it out at the link below.

http://www.iwu.edu/news/2013/02-guelzo-on-civil-war.html

What Was Once Forgotten...

Of all the major themes in Race and Reunion, one of the greatest concepts Blight advocates for is that of the emancipationist vision. He emphasizes that the reconciliationist and white supremacist vision have contradictorily remained in the American consciousness, but the plight and history of black Americans have been a marginal part of US memory. Blight condemns this perspective and asserts that it is necessary for black history to be more prominent in modern scholarship.

            Well, it was Blight’s publication that first came to my mind when I came across this recent article. Apparently, new primary sources are being released to be put on display for a local museum. The sources include a myriad of different images that are rare depictions of African Americans during the Civil War Era. As the article states, “Rare Civil War images of African American life and battlefield scenes appear in the new exhibit, ‘The Civil War in Photographs: New Perspectives from the Robin Sanford Collection’” (Viegas, 2). Many of the scenes appear intensely personal, from African Americans in worship to someone getting a haircut. A majority of them, though, show scenes from African American military troops. Surprisingly enough, they were even taken in numerous geographic locations across the United States. I personally have never seen any of these images before, and have found all of them very interesting to view. If any of you are curious and want to view them also, they are accessible through the link below.

            I have not seen any official comments from Blight thus far, but perhaps he will find this special attention and focus on African American life and service to the nation during the Civil War a step in the right direction. He may not consider it nearly enough, though I remain optimistic that these findings will generate more interest and research for this still highly contentious topic.

http://news.discovery.com/history/us-history/rare-photos-show-civil-war-life-130221.htm

Mini Me's and Little Lincoln's

For those who have read Land of Lincoln, you all know of one chapter that particularly stands out among the series of odd events that occurs in that book. What chapter I am alluding to is the section where Ferguson goes to an Abraham Lincoln convention. At it, he meets a myriad of Lincoln and Mary impersonators that gather together to discuss historical accuracy, booking and handling events, and other anecdotal tales. I for one did not know that such a convention existed, and I find it simultaneously interesting and disturbing.

Well, it was definitely this chapter that I had in mind when I came across one elementary school’s way of celebrating Lincoln’s 204^th birthday this year. For it, a class of fourth graders dressed up as Abraham Lincoln, performed a reading of the Gettysburg address and did a post-speech answer session in Grand Central Station. Just from the video and accompanying pictures posted, it seems like quite the sight to see so many Lincolns.

In both cases, these groups of people celebrated and idealized Lincoln and wish to perpetuate his image in the modern era. Of course, with so many people acting as Lincoln, it is impossible to even perpetuate a consistent or “historically accurate” representation of Lincoln. Nonetheless, how people continue to bring Lincoln into their society will be of continued interest.

http://gothamist.com/2013/02/12/pint_sized_abe_lincolns_delivery_ge.php#photo-3

Lincolns, Lincolns Everywhere...

            This week, a news article was written on a new Lincoln exhibit that just opened at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum. This museum did not reveal a “traditional” or “old school” exhibit, however. Instead, this display focuses on the “image” of Lincoln. This theme not only revolves around Abraham Lincoln’s noticeably aging and changing features over time, but also his perceived professional and political image during his own life and after his death. The main pride and joy of the exhibit, though, is a specially made movie. It is a short, continuously looping film that introduces the museum visitors to Lincoln and his place in American history. The writer of this article, Steve Siegal, particularly emphasizes the theatricality and dramatic air the movie conveys. It is so much so, in fact, that Siegel says it follows in the footsteps of Spielburg’s Lincoln and other professional historical movies. This continuous bombardment of Lincoln images continues throughout the exhibit with a large statuary, plaster-of-paris casts, original Harper’s Weekly magazines, medallions, stamps, and even five dollar bills. Supposedly, it invites the viewer to see just how there are nearly an infinite amount of different ways that Lincoln has been depicted to the public.

            To me, the description of this museum was awfully reminiscent of the topics discussed in Andrew Ferguson’s Land of Lincoln. In the book, Ferguson asserts that it is essentially impossible to pin-point the true or original Lincoln, due to his pervasiveness in both past and modern society. Everyone has their own personal Lincoln that they either revere or despise. The exhibit at Lehigh, which possesses over a thousand images of Lincoln in a single space, shows exactly this. Also, Ferguson noted that museums are becoming increasingly interactive and technology-laden. The emphasis of a new movie and a conspicuous absence of word plaques at Lehigh portray this continuing transition. So, in a way, the new exhibit at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is an example of a trend in Museums in the modern era.

http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/events/mc-lincoln-abraham-lehigh-valley-allentown-20130208,0,4283676.story

The Power Compels You!

Whenever I read about people’s collections, I never cease to be amazed. Some pieces of ephemera are so incredibly costly that I could never imagine people actually being able to purchase them. This is especially the case with a man named Ray Riley. Apparently, he has had certain artifacts – such as Grant’s sword, J.E.B. Stuart’s sword, and Grant’s coat that he wore at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Miraculously enough, Riley is allowing a museum to display Grant’s coat! He’s been holding onto it for a couple decades, but is now letting a local Texas non-profit museum put it on display. (Though he did explicitly state that the coat will never leave Texas, due to a lack of trust of the national government with his artifact, unfortunately.) This is a great opportunity for history lovers, especially those particularly passionate about the Civil War.

The reason I brought this to your attention is because I found a lot of parallels between this article and our most recent book, Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America, by Andrew Ferguson. In the book, Ferguson discusses “the magic of stuff” or “the power of things”. He mentions a myriad of people who collect objects, museums who display them, and the force that is behind them. Ferguson elaborates on the reality that people in my generation cannot have the capacity to be patient in “traditional museums” anymore, but are more than willing to quietly revere artifacts. He also mentions about collectors, such as a woman that only collects Lincoln and Mary ephemera, believe that handing him the historic objects will give him sort of respect and understanding of the history. Through both these stories and this recent news article, it shows just how much value our society places on historical items. Museums are becoming increasingly visual and interactive (and less text based), so these items will only become more valuable over time. Although I am reluctant to see what many view as the “decline of scholarly museums”, I am interested in seeing how the value of ephemera changes with these developments.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/01/4594235/oilmans-museum-holds-unique-collection.html

We Cannot Hallow This Ground

                On January 22, 2013, the National Park Service Director, Jonathan B. Jarvis, announced that an award of $1.8 million in grants was being provided to purchase 310.79 acres of land over six different Civil War battlefields. This is extremely good news for Civil War fans, especially with recent trends that have been occurring.

Since 2010, the US has been losing land from battlegrounds at a rate of 12 hectares per day. This may be shocking to many readers, but this rapid loss of land is due to urban and suburban sprawl. The largest amount of this land has been taken up by developers for large corporations. Many Civil War preservation groups cannot keep up with these corporations, because they are not-for-profit and often do not have nearly enough money to purchase land.

However, finally Civil War enthusiasts have the chance to save a little bit of history. The money is being granted by the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program, also known as ABPP, which will give the money to a myriad of different local community programs for land and maintenance. The historic sites that will benefit include: Mansfield, Appomattox, Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Sailor’s Creek, and Buckland Mills.

In Race and Reunion, Blight discusses that the predominant theme among the dedication of the Civil War was that of selective “forgetting” and mutual reconciliation. With the disappearance of battlefields today, if appeared as if Blight’s words rang true in the modern era. However, with this purchase, the understanding of the Civil War regains a second chance. The American people are not entirely moving beyond the war, replacing the hallowed ground with suburbia and shopping malls. They are still seeking to understand the past, and perhaps revise what was missed the first, second, and third time these battles were studied. Clearly, the land grants are good news to all of those that enjoy history.

Link to the Article: http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2013/01/civil-war-battlefields-gain-ground-new-grants22727

Technology of the Future

                Have you heard of the USS Hatteras? And no, not the modern ship with the same name. Many are not aware of the very first USS Hatteras, which was a 1,126 ton steamer purchased by the Union Navy at the beginning of the American Civil War. It was first created in 1861. The ship was outfitted as gunboat, assigned to the Union blockade against the Confederate states. Yet, the USS Hatteras engaged with the CSS Alabama, which was disguised and surprised the USS Hatteras. The Alabama sunk the Hatteras. The sunk ship was found mostly undisturbed with its re-discovery in 1977.

                Today, the wreck of the USS Hatteras is one of the few shipwrecks on the National Register of Historic Places. It is considered of great importance because it is an example of the transition between wooden and steam-powered ships. Because people still want to preserve what they can of the wreck, it has been discouraged to go in and disturb the area. So, this has prevented historians from analyzing it as much as they desire. Yet, this conflict has been resolved. On January 19^th, it was announced a new form of 3D Sonar was used to provide a new view on the Shipwreck. This has given historians new details about the ship that could prior not be seen due to the fragility of the vessel and the murky water.

                Due to this progress, new insights have been shed on the ship. The place of the shell hole that sunk the ship was finally identified, and new details (such as what the paddle wheel and ship’s stern looked like) emerged. These findings are perfect timing for the Civil War’s 150^th anniversary celebration.

                This current event also has connections to our class. We are currently reviewing the book Race and Reunion, which essentially discusses the varied viewpoints that people take from the Civil War, and how these perspectives change over time. As new information emerges and events have to be re-analyzed, this narrative continues to change. With these details regarding the wreck of the USS Hatteras that have come to light, perhaps our understanding of this shipwreck will have to be revised in time as well.

Article on the Shipwreck and the 3D Sonar: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/sonar-view-civil-war-shipwreck-18258268

Yet Another Lincoln Movie...

Needless to say, the most recent Steven Spielberg movie, Lincoln, has been critically acclaimed and has been nominated for numerous awards. However, all the positive hype incites a great amount of criticism about the movie as well. More specifically, many historians have come forward to debate the historical accuracy of the depiction of Lincoln. Some of the largest critiques have included that the film makes the role of African Americans disproportionately minimal, that there is no record that Lincoln hit his son, and that the secret Union-Confederate summit was too greatly emphasized. 

Yet, this author asserts that the new Lincoln movie, which is a PBS special that airs on Tuesday, will be more accurate. I have not heard much hype about this publication, but it will be interesting nonetheless to see. Of course, Spielberg emphasizes that his film is an artistic depiction, not a documentary, and the PBS film is intended to be a documentary as a summation of research on racial relations during the mid-nineteenth century. So, in a way, these two media projects cannot be easily compared. As a Civil War enthusiast, I personally am just happy in the sheer amount of media that is being made to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War! 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/08/showbiz/slavery-pbs/index.html?hpt=hp_c3