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What Makes A Man?: A Historiography On The Common Soldier And Masculinity, Brianna E. Kirk
What Makes A Man?: A Historiography On The Common Soldier And Masculinity, Brianna E. Kirk
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
The American Civil War ended with Union victory on April 9, 1865, in the front parlor of the McLean House in Appomattox, Virginia. Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant ensured the southern states would return to the Union and begin the process of Reconstruction. Union soldiers, flushed with victory, reveled in the knowledge that their cause triumphed, that their masculinity and honor was upheld while the southern men were forced to reconcile with their failure as soldiers and men. This victorious sentiment and love toward the Union Army has transcended the celebratory jubilees in which northern soldiers engaged …
Soldier Experiences In Elmira Prison Camp: A Common Captivity, Megan A. Sutter
Soldier Experiences In Elmira Prison Camp: A Common Captivity, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Elmira’s history is very similar to that of Camp Chase. Before it was a prison camp, Elmira had been a military depot for training. The Elmira Depot in Elmira, New York, was a great place for a military training camp because of the railroad junctions running in and out of the town. These railroads would be necessary for transporting prisoners to Elmira later in the war. Like Camp Chase, Elmira became an overflow prison camp after the cartel failed in 1863. Many of the prisoners came from Point Lookout along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Elmira was made up of …
A Reasonable Captivity: Soldier Experiences In Camp Chase, Megan A. Sutter
A Reasonable Captivity: Soldier Experiences In Camp Chase, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Even compared to Libby Prison and Andersonville, one can recognize that conditions in Northern prisons like Camp Chase and Elmira Prison Camp were not ideal. Indeed, disease, death, and starvation were abundant in both Camp Chase and Elmira. However, they contrast greatly to the even more appalling conditions later in Libby and Andersonville. [excerpt]
Baltimore On The Border: The Occupation, Kevin P. Lavery
Baltimore On The Border: The Occupation, Kevin P. Lavery
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Though Baltimore and Maryland were preserved for the Union, it was a victory won at gunpoint. Historian Harry Ezratty describes one occasion when Governor Dix, Butler’s successor in the Middle Department, demonstrated “a genuine display of gentlemanly tactfulness” and Victorian cunning when he invited overly influential local ladies to discuss matters of the occupation. According to his memoirs, he then pointed to a gun stationed at Fort McHenry and diplomatically asked his guests where it was directed. They observed that it was pointed to Battle Monument Square: a site of local importance commemorating the War of 1812. He promised them …
Baltimore On The Border: First Blood, Kevin P. Lavery
Baltimore On The Border: First Blood, Kevin P. Lavery
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
In the study of the Civil War, the violence between brothers, neighbors, and countrymen is most frequently explored through the eyes of great armies clashing on the field of battle. But in the American Civil War, as in any modern conflict and especially those dividing a people amongst themselves, a citizen did not have to wear blue or grey to feel passionately about the war. In Baltimore, Mayor George William Brown and paper merchant Samuel Epes Turner, took strikingly different stances on the war despite their geographical proximity to the fighting. Fort Sumter may have seen the first shots of …
“All Hope Is Banished”: Life In Andersonville Prison, Megan A. Sutter
“All Hope Is Banished”: Life In Andersonville Prison, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Libby Prison in Richmond became known for its horrible conditions; however, no prison during the war can compare to the cruelty at Andersonville Prison. It was built in February 1864, fourteen months before the end of the war, and in that short time devastating atrocities occurred which made Andersonville the most infamous of the Civil War prisons. [excerpt]
History Is Good Drama: Bbc’S “Copper”, Valerie N. Merlina
History Is Good Drama: Bbc’S “Copper”, Valerie N. Merlina
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
BBC America’s programming covers a wide range of genres, presenting characters, and settings that appeal to viewers around the world. In 2012, BBC began airing Copper, a period drama set in the ethnically diverse, crime and disease-ridden Five Points neighborhood in New York City in the late-Civil War years. The title, taken from the slang term for a police officer, centers on police detective work in the rapidly growing urban center. The characterizations, as well as the situations presented are not far off from historical fact. For various reasons, many of the characters have returned to the Five Points, …
A Jaded Romantic: Uncovering The True Nature Of Ambrose Bierce, S. Marianne Johnson
A Jaded Romantic: Uncovering The True Nature Of Ambrose Bierce, S. Marianne Johnson
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Ambrose Bierce, 1842-1913?, has become renowned in the Civil War world for his sharp-witted and cynical short stories that frequently feature ghastly death and the terrible irony of survival. His life has become somewhat of a caricature, used by historians such as Mark Snell and Gerald Linderman to demonstrate the utter disillusionment of the common soldier and the retreat into hibernation in an attempt to escape the trauma experienced during the war. This view of Bierce fails to capture the complexity of the man and his war experience. Rather than a skeptical realist, Bierce demonstrates the characteristics of a jaded …
Commemoration, Past And Present: An Interview With Emmanuel Dabney In Three Parts, Part Three, Valerie N. Merlina
Commemoration, Past And Present: An Interview With Emmanuel Dabney In Three Parts, Part Three, Valerie N. Merlina
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Emmanuel Dabney, one of the Civil War Institute Summer Conference speakers, is a park ranger at Petersburg National Battlefield. At the Summer Conference, “The War in 1864,” he will give a lecture titled, “Catching Us Like Sheep in a Slaughter Pen”: The United States Colored Troops at the Battle of the Crater. In anticipation of the Institute, Emmanuel Dabney answered questions on intepretation, Petersburg, and the future of the Civil War. This is the final installment in a three part series. [excerpt]
Complicating History: An Interview With Emmanuel Dabney In Three Parts, Part One, Valerie N. Merlina
Complicating History: An Interview With Emmanuel Dabney In Three Parts, Part One, Valerie N. Merlina
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Emmanuel Dabney, one of the Civil War Institute Summer Conference speakers, is a park ranger at Petersburg National Battlefield. At the Summer Conference, “The War in 1864,” he will give a lecture titled, “Catching Us Like Sheep in a Slaughter Pen”: The United States Colored Troops at the Battle of the Crater. In anticipation of the Institute, Emmanuel Dabney answered questions on intepretation, Petersburg, and the future of the Civil War. His responses will be posted in a three-part series. [excerpt]
Spotsylvania Undercover: An Interview With Dr. Keith Bohannon, S. Marianne Johnson
Spotsylvania Undercover: An Interview With Dr. Keith Bohannon, S. Marianne Johnson
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Dr. Keith Bohannon, one of this summer’s Civil War Institute Conference speakers, is an Associate Professor dealing in the subjects of the American Civil War, Reconstruction, Southern U.S. History, and Georgia History at the University of West Georgia. During the upcoming Institute Conference, Dr. Bohannon will be speaking on Sherman and the Atlanta Campaign and giving the tour for the Wilderness & Spotsylvania battlefields. [excerpt]
“The Scorpion’S Sting”: Dr. James Oakes And The 2014 Lincoln Lyceum Lecture, Megan A. Sutter
“The Scorpion’S Sting”: Dr. James Oakes And The 2014 Lincoln Lyceum Lecture, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
The annual Lincoln Lyceum Lecture took place on Thursday, March 27th at 7:30pm in Gettysburg College’s Mara Auditorium. This year’s Lincoln Lyceum guest speaker was Dr. James Oakes, two- time winner of the Lincoln Prize for his books The Radical and the Republican: Frederick Douglass (2008 Prize) and Abraham Lincoln and the Triumph of Antislavery Politics and Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861 -1865 (2013 Prize). He has previously taught at Princeton University and Northwestern University and is currently the Distinguished Professor of History at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. …
Clark Gardner: The Curious Case Of Mr. Rich And Mrs. Gardner, Brianna E. Kirk
Clark Gardner: The Curious Case Of Mr. Rich And Mrs. Gardner, Brianna E. Kirk
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
The story of Clark Gardner, his double amputation, and his pension records are still surrounded by two other clouds of ambiguity concerning his neighbor and friend, Edward A. Rich, and Gardner’s wife. Rich relayed information to a special examiner about the nature of Gardner’s injuries. He claimed to know Gardner before the war began, revealing that Gardner had running sores on his right leg prior to enlisting in the 10th New York Heavy Artillery. This made the amputation he received in 1879 a result of this pre-existing condition instead of the sickness Gardner claimed to acquire from Staten …
Of Causes And Casualties: Safeguarding The Legacy Of The American Civil War, Bryan G. Caswell
Of Causes And Casualties: Safeguarding The Legacy Of The American Civil War, Bryan G. Caswell
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
750,000 and rising. 2.5 percent of the population. Greater than all other American wars combined. No matter how one describes them, the casualties incurred as a result of the American Civil War are nothing short of astounding. To those who study this devastating conflict, the numbers of the fallen can seem old friends, as the cost of great battles such as Antietam or Gettysburg are burned into memory. Yet is it possible that disproportionate emphasis has been placed on the bloody toll of the Civil War? [excerpt]
Special Collections Roadshow At Gettysburg College: William B. Mccreery’S Pow Memoir, Megan A. Sutter
Special Collections Roadshow At Gettysburg College: William B. Mccreery’S Pow Memoir, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Episode Two of Special Collections Roadshow at Gettysburg College explores Colonel William B. McCreery’s Prisoner of War memoir and uses the text as a segway to discuss Libby Prison and POW experience. Filmed and edited by Val Merlina, ’14
Folly At Fredericksburg: A Wound To The Pride Of The 127th Pa, Kevin P. Lavery
Folly At Fredericksburg: A Wound To The Pride Of The 127th Pa, Kevin P. Lavery
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
After three months in Washington, the Dauphin County Regiment was at last headed south. Resentment in the ranks at the last-minute transfer had been replaced by enthusiasm for the coming battle. At last, the men were to see the fight they had enlisted to join. [excerpt]
War Beyond The Battlefield: From The Potomac To The Rappahannock, Kevin P. Lavery
War Beyond The Battlefield: From The Potomac To The Rappahannock, Kevin P. Lavery
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
“Be careful what you wish for.” Had the volunteers of Dauphin County’s 127th Regiment heard the old adage before marching off to war in the summer of 1862? Undoubtedly. even if they had, it was far from their minds as they drilled and waited and guarded the perimeter of Washington. These men had enlisted to fight, but now they found themselves consigned to guard duty for their first three months in the Army. Their fortunes would soon change, however, for better or for worse; unbeknownst to them, the Battle of Fredericksburg lurked in their future. [excerpt]
Warriors Of Dauphin County: The 127th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Kevin P. Lavery
Warriors Of Dauphin County: The 127th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Kevin P. Lavery
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
When Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin charged the men of his state to enlist in July 1862, he was desperate for soldiers to fill the federal quota set for Pennsylvania. Heeding the call, William Jennings – citizen of Harrisburg and then the Adjutant of Camp Curtin – approached the governor to proffer his services to state and nation. Curtin acceded; if Jennings could form a regiment, the ambitious young officer would be granted its colonelcy. [excerpt]
Prisoner Experiences: Memoirs Of Libby Prison, Megan A. Sutter
Prisoner Experiences: Memoirs Of Libby Prison, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Numerous books have been written on the contested topic of Civil War prisons and prisoners of war. Scholars struggle with who to blame for the outrageous and horrible conditions of the prisons. Some speculate that the Southerners were crueler to their captives while others say the opposite. As well, scholars question whether the conditions of the Southern prisons were better or worse than the prisons in the North. [excerpt]
Wartime Reminiscences: The Story Of William R. Tanner’S Civil War Service, Brianna E. Kirk
Wartime Reminiscences: The Story Of William R. Tanner’S Civil War Service, Brianna E. Kirk
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Veteran war stories are some of the most fascinating windows into the past that students of history can experience. With World War II veteran numbers quickly diminishing and the risk of these accounts of history being lost, the importance of collecting and passing on veteran stories to future generations is vital. Such was the case with those who fought in the Civil War. As the twentieth century approached, droves of veterans began disappearing from the pages of history. The need for those veteran stories from America’s bloodiest war to be recorded and published became not only important to the veterans …
Special Collections Roadshow At Gettysburg College: 37th New York Infantry Kepi, Valerie N. Merlina
Special Collections Roadshow At Gettysburg College: 37th New York Infantry Kepi, Valerie N. Merlina
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Val Merlina uses a Civil War kepi as a gateway to discuss immigrant culture in America during the 1860s.
Notation And Memorandum: Special Artists And Their Portrayal Of The American Civil War, Bryan G. Caswell
Notation And Memorandum: Special Artists And Their Portrayal Of The American Civil War, Bryan G. Caswell
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
As the first war to see the extensive use of photography, the American Civil War was brought home to civilians in hundreds of photographs portraying camp life or the aftermath of battles. Due to the nature of nineteenth century photography as well as safety concerns, however, photographers were not able to capture scenes of actual combat for their viewers. This task fell instead to men known as Special Artists or “Specials,” hired by the illustrated periodicals of the day to travel with the armies and sketch all manner of events associated with the military, including battles as they progressed. [ …
Competing Stories: The Gardner Saga Continues, Brianna E. Kirk
Competing Stories: The Gardner Saga Continues, Brianna E. Kirk
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
In 1893, two Philadelphia doctors from the Mütter Museum sent surveys to Civil War amputee veterans in order to compile records on their war amputations circa thirty years after seeing combat. One of those surveys found its way into the hands of Clark Gardner, a fifty-four year old double amputee vet who served in the 10th New York Heavy Artillery. (An introduction to Garnder can be found here.) Gardner’s responses to the survey are quite compelling and provided vivid details about his war amputations, the healing processes, difficulties he encountered, and artificial limb usage. [excerpt]
Mocking A Perilous Prediction: Currier And Ives’ Political Cartoons, Megan A. Sutter
Mocking A Perilous Prediction: Currier And Ives’ Political Cartoons, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Currier and Ives’ political cartoons, while comical, also represent the general undertones of the time as well as people’s feelings regarding this era of political controversy. The election of 1860 was an incredibly important one because, not only were there numerous political and social divides, but the South had threatened to secede. The political cartoon “The Irrepressible Conflict” or “The Republican Barge in Danger,” released in 1860, gives historians a good understanding of the reactions to not only Seward’s speech but also the wariness of Lincoln’s nomination and eventual election. [excerpt]
Satirizing Strife: Currier And Ives Political Cartoons, Megan A. Sutter
Satirizing Strife: Currier And Ives Political Cartoons, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Currier and Ives’ prints were a large part of the media during the Civil War era. Not only were Romantic prints sold and hung in people’s parlors, but cartoons were also very popular. It is important to remember that Currier and Ives’ goal was not to produce fine art, but to make a product that was attractive to middle-class consumers. Thus, political and social cartoons became a way to attract customers. They tried to stay away from controversial topics; however, their Darktown series was one of their best-selling series of the day. Today, the Darktown series is rarely displayed and …
A Living Image: Newspaper Sketches In The American Civil War, Bryan G. Caswell
A Living Image: Newspaper Sketches In The American Civil War, Bryan G. Caswell
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Photography: the ability to capture a moment in time exactly as it appeared, to then preserve it for posterity, even mass produce it for a wide viewership. A relatively new concept by the beginning of the American Civil War, photography quickly came into its own in the hands of such legends as Matthew Bray and Alexander Gardner as they sought to document the furious storm which had swept over the land. Photographs of the Civil War are prolific, and for many the memory of the conflict is intertwined with black-and-white photographs of unsmiling men and corpses bloating in the sun. …
For Those At Home: The Romantic Nature Of Civil War Lithography, Megan A. Sutter
For Those At Home: The Romantic Nature Of Civil War Lithography, Megan A. Sutter
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Lithography, the art of drawing on stone, was an important part of American Victorian culture during the Civil War. Not only did lithography provide news in pictorial form, but it also was widely displayed in the home. With the economic move from home to factory during the early 19th century, the home became more of a “sanctuary” in which women could decorate and display. [excerpt]
Tales From A Boston Customs House: “Worthy” Suffering, S. Marianne Johnson
Tales From A Boston Customs House: “Worthy” Suffering, S. Marianne Johnson
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
Despite Francis Clarke’s argument that men who suffered in exceptional ways, such as amputees, were regarded as national martyrs and held up as the emblem of sacrifice to the nation, this argument cannot be applied wholesale to all exceptional sufferers in the post-war North. Although men who lost limbs in battle were often remembered in terms of glory and treated as national heroes, those who suffered in non-heroic ways, such as prisoners of war and the victims of non-combat related accidents, were often treated as less deserving of honor. [excerpt]
Tales From A Boston Customs House: “Living Monuments”, S. Marianne Johnson
Tales From A Boston Customs House: “Living Monuments”, S. Marianne Johnson
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
The image of the amputee is a classic one in the memory of the American Civil War. Francis Clarke has argued that the long-suffering and sacrificial Union amputee became a national martyr to the righteousness of their cause. While this view was manifested in various ways throughout the postwar North, the case of double-arm amputee Lewis Horton serves to give depth insight into–and possibly push back against–this argument. [excerpt]
Tales From A Boston Customs House: Recovering From Trauma, S. Marianne Johnson
Tales From A Boston Customs House: Recovering From Trauma, S. Marianne Johnson
The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History
After losing both arms in a gunnery accident aboard the USS Rhode Island in 1863 and being told he would not live, Medal of Honor recipient Lewis Horton resolved that he would recover and be with his family again soon. The double amputation, completed within an hour of the accident, was successful, but Horton lost a significant amount of blood and could merely wait and hope. Eighty days after amputation, the ligatures — cords left in the limb to hold arteries closed until they had sufficiently healed — were removed, and healing commenced quickly. Shortly after, he was discharged and …