Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789

By the President of the United States of America,
A Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington

Washington issued a proclamation on October 3, 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 as a national day of thanks. In his proclamation, Washington declared that the necessity for such a day sprung from the Almighty’s care of Americans prior to the Revolution, assistance to them in achieving independence, and help in establishing the constitutional government.

From Mt Vernon.org

Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1863

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

GAR Civil War Museum Receives $50,000 Gift

Yesterday, a day that will be long remembered in the annals of the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum, The Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War donated $50,000 to the Museum's building fund.  A fund that will be used toward the purchase a new Museum building. 

Presentation of $50,000 donation from The Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Mary Morris Husband Tent 58, to the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library located in Philadelphia. This donation was made possible due to the bequest of Sara Vonderheid, a deceased, long standing member of Tent 58. 

  Left to right - Jack Kauffman, Tom Donnelly, Ellen Higgins, Joe Perry, Kathy Wible, Mary Wible and Walt Lafty. Missing is Ann Kauffman who took the photo. This was taken in front of the grave of Mary Morris Husband at Laurel Hill Cemetery.   

  Ellen Higgins, Kathy Wible and Mary Wible are members of the DUVCW, while the others are members of the GAR Museum.

  The DUVCW is a long time supporter of the Museum.  From the DUVCW website, https://www.duvcw.org/, we read "In the Articles of Incorporation of our Order there is a key phrase that stands out, "keep green the memory".  What insight these young women who founded this organization had so long ago."

  Together we will "keep green the memory". 

  The DUVCW's generosity has overwhelmed us. Thank you.

 Joe Perry
President and Librarian
Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum

Nov 21 Illumination Day Event Cancelled in Gettysburg

Dear Friends

It is with much disappointment that the Gettysburg Foundation must announce the cancellation of the 18th Annual Remembrance Day Illumination event originally scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020.

In place of the traditional Illumination, we will conduct a virtual tribute with a reading of the fallen that will be posted on GettysburgFoundation.org and social channels Saturday, Nov. 21.

The decision to cancel the event was not an easy one. We know many of you travel from out of state each year to join us for the Illumination. With the Pennsylvania Health Secretary’s announcement that all visitors to the state are required to have a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine for 14 days prior, we were not going to place any of our Friends or volunteers in a position of inadvertently violating the mandate or potentially risking their health in order to attend.

Thank you to all of you who volunteered, sponsored candles, made plans to attend and continue to make the commemoration ceremonies a moving and inspirational event.

Please join us for the virtual tribute on Saturday and we hope to see you next year.

Death of Civil War Author - Winston Groom

Winston Groom’s Writing “A Trust to the Exceptional”

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Chris Mackowski
Emerging Civil War blog

Winston Groom, who died on Thursday this week at the age of 77, is best known as the author of Forrest Gump, whose titular character became a beloved icon following Tom Hanks’ Oscar-winning movie portrayal. But Civil War buffs might also know Groom’s excellent nonfiction trilogy about the western armies in the Civil War:

• Shrouds of Glory: From Atlanta to Nashville: The Last Great Campaign of the Civil War (1995)

• Vicksburg, 1863 (2010)

• Shiloh, 1862 (2012)

Forrest Gump overshadowed pretty much overshadowed everything else Groom wrote, but as Dr. Rick Frederick wrote in an essay in our ECW collection Entertaining History: The Civil War in Literature, Film, and Song, “There’s More to Groom Than Gump.” Rick’s essay focused on Groom’s Civil War trilogy. “Each of the Civil War books is meticulously researched…” Rick says, adding “there are no stuffy moments…. Each book is replete with heroes and goats, searing descriptions of battle, and clear explanations of strategies and tactics, of what went right, what went wrong, and why.”

Groom wrote a number of history-based nonfiction works, with a joint biography of Hamilton, Jefferson, and Adams due this coming November. One of his earliest works, Better Days Than These, was a finalist for the Pulitzer.

Those who love Forrest Gump can even find a Civil War connection there. As Forrest explained in the book, he was named after Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest:

Mama always said we was kin to General Forrest’s fambly someways. An he was a great man, she say, cept’n he started up the Ku Klux Klan after the war was over an even my grandmama say they’s a bunch of n0-goods. Which I would tend to agree with…. So whatever else ole General Forrest done, startin up that Klan thing was not a good idea—any idiot could tell you that. Nonetheless, that’s how I got my name.

In his essay about Groom’s Civil War books, Rick Frederick points out that Groom ends his book on Shiloh with a quote that might now stand as a testament to Groom’s own career as a writer:

When they [Civil War veterans] were gone, the trust they passed along remained exceptional in the American character, a willingness to fight, and to die if necessary, for ideas instead of conquest and territory, and for ideals rather than plunder and pillage—an exalted distinction by any measure.

Groom’s writing remains as a trust to the exceptional in the American character.

Death of Legendary Historian and Preservationist - Ed Bearss

Historian Ed Bearss, one of the legends of the battlefield preservation business and a long-time member of the Civil War Trust board died on September 15, 2020. Ed’s career is unmatched in the Civil War community – from his discovery of the USS Cairo in the Yazoo River to his role as chief historian emeritus of the National Park Service. For many of us, our love of history and preservation was nurtured through battlefield tours led by Ed and his appearance on Ken Burns’ series The Civil War. His knowledge of history was encyclopedic – and his ability to convey that knowledge in a relatable way mesmerized his audiences for generations.  

Ed was born in June 1923. His early interest in history was sparked by books read by his father in the evenings. After graduating from high school in 1941, he spent the summer hitchhiking across the country to visit Civil War battlefields. That next year, he demonstrated his love of country by enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps, fighting in the Pacific Theater during World War II and receiving grievous wounds in the 1944 Battle of Suicide Creek. 

After World War II, Ed pursued a career in the National Park Service – gradually rising through the ranks and gaining recognition as the utmost authority on the Civil War. During the Civil War Centennial, he led efforts to create two new national battlefield parks at Pea Ridge and Wilson’s Creek. In 1991, he was named to the federal Civil War Sites Advisory Commission – the blue ribbon panel that set the battlefield preservation priorities we still use today.  

I am honored that in lieu of flowers, the Bearss Family has requested that donations in Ed’s memory be made to the American Battlefield Trust. Recognizing the special place that these battlefields held in his heart, such gifts will be used to secure additional lands associated with the Vicksburg Campaign. Please visit www.battlefields.org/RememberingBearss for more information. 

Untold Americans have cherished memories of Ed’s vast knowledge and indefatigable energy. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to know him and benefit from his love of history. Rest in peace, Ed. 

Jim Lighthizer

President, American Battlefield Trust

New President Named for American Battlefield Trust

I write to you today with some very exciting news: After conducting an eight-month nationwide executive search utilizing the services of an independent firm to find my successor, the Board of Trustees has unanimously selected David Duncan, currently the Trust’s Chief Development Officer, as our new president, effective October 1, 2020.

Please let me tell you why I believe this is the best possible news for our organization.David has worked side by side with me for the past 20 years, as we have both dedicated two decades of our professional lives to this organization and to this cause. David has played a key role in many, if not most, of the organization’s successes over the years, with he and his teams raising nearly $240 million from the private sector, which has led to the preservation of more than 53,000 acres of hallowed ground.

There is no one else who has worked more closely with me since March of 2000, with literally thousands of substantive discussions between us about tactics, strategy, management, mission, fundraising, board relations, personnel, advocacy, organizational structure, culture and philosophy, and dozens of other relevant topics. David already has a deep knowledge of the functions of all departments, as well as the support of his colleagues, so there is no doubt he will hit the ground running, and the organization will not miss a beat. As he is taking the reins of the organization in the middle of global pandemic and a time of deep economic uncertainty, he faces significant challenges.

David Duncan

But again, if you know him from our events, or from the thousands of personal handwritten notes he has penned on thank-you letters over the years, I think you will agree there are few – if any – more prepared to step into this role at this time. His relentlessly positive attitude and deep passion for this cause, along with the help and support of dedicated members like you, will help ensure our success going forward.  David believes that we are accomplishing work that is vital to the country, and through his unique combination of experience, knowledge, and skills, he understands the depth of the challenges and opportunities we face. He also understands fully how important you and your fellow members have been in making the Trust the premier historic preservation organization in America.  

You will be hearing more about David’s vision for the organization in the coming days, but I want you to know that I support the Board’s decision 100 percent, and I know he is ready to build on the success that we have already achieved. He is passionate about preservation, and as the son, husband, father, and brother of teachers, he is just as passionate about education. As for me, I am gratified to be able to tell you that I will remain involved in the organization, first as an on-call advisor to David as he transitions into his new role over the next six months, and also as a member of the Board of Trustees with the title of President Emeritus, working on special projects from time to time.

As I have said before, my health is fine, but I will be 75 years old next spring, and this is a natural time for me to transition into retirement. I am grateful beyond words for the support and encouragement I have received from members like you over the years, and I am more proud of what we have accomplished together for the good of our country than anything else I have done in my life. Now, as we all must do, it is time for me to pass on the baton, and I do so with a very glad heart. 

Please join me in congratulating David as he assumes this new role, and please do me the honor supporting him as you have supported me.  Our work to preserve, educate, and inspire is so important for the future of our nation – we need you now more than ever. Thank you. In grateful appreciation, 
Jim Lighthizer
President
American Battlefield Trust

PS Dave is also a hobbyist painter. He painted a work entitled “Sunset Over Manassas,” which shows the iconic Stonewall Jackson statue on that battlefield against the vibrant colors of the evening sky. He donated the painting to the trust to raise additional funds for its work.

Campaign for the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum & Library

The CWRT of Eastern PA has just donated $500 to the GAR Civil War Museum & Library. We encourage you to consider joined as an individual to help support this Gem of our history.

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The mission of the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum & Library is to preserve the heritage and history of the Civil War era through the presentation of historical programs, forums and exhibitions designed to promote a better understanding of American history.

Visit the website of the GAR Museum

During the 19th century the veterans organized over twenty Posts in the City of Philadelphia. The largest Post hall was the memorial Hall established by Post 2 at 667 N. 12th Street.  The Post 2 Hall was a magnificent structure composed on multiple meeting rooms, a grand hall, and an extensive collection of artifacts, relics, photographs and memorabilia.

In the mid 1960's the Post 2 Hall was closed and is no longer standing.  Several members of the Sons of Union Veterans were able to bring a portion of the vast collection to the Ruan House, the 1796 home of physician Dr. John Ruan that is now the home of the G. A. R. Museum & Library.

In the mid-1980's, Margaret and Elmer "Bud" Atkinson of Philadelphia had a vision of creating a Civil War museum to honor and remember the veterans.  The museum then opened for its first visitors in 1985.  Since that date, the museum has hosted thousands of visitors and presented historical programs and speakers.

 TODAY WE ARE THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA  DEDICATED TO THE CIVIL WAR.  WE ARE ALSO A 501(c)3 NON- PROFIT ORGANIZATION.

CAMPAIGN TO SAVE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

CIVIL WAR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY

The Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library is currently the only museum in this area that is solely dedicated to preserving the history and telling the story of the Civil War. 

The museum’s holdings were formed from the historic relics, artifacts, documents and photographs from the Memorial Hall collection of Philadelphia’s Post 2 of the Grand Army of the Republic.   The collection is recognized for its historical significance and features numerous relics of singular historical importance.

Our home in the 1796 Georgian mansion of Dr. John Ruan is in need of extensive and expensive repairs. The number of visitors and volunteers continues to decline due to our remote location that has very limited off-street parking.   Additionally, due to many donations of museum items and documents by concerned citizens, our collections have outgrown the space that we have. 

In order to preserve the collection and the future of the museum, it is critical that we find a new home.  To accomplish this, we need to create an endowment that will help finance our relocation.  The very existence of the Museum and public accessibility to the collection is at stake. 

We need to take action now so that the Museum's future will be secure.  Your contribution will help maintain the legacy that has been handed down to us from those veterans who gave their last full measure of devotion to save the country. Don't let their history be forgotten and their memorabilia disappear.

Our campaign goal is to raise $500,000 in the next 6 months. Please help us save the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum.   The museum is a non-profit organization under the Federal income tax section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

Name: ________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________  

______________________________________________________

 E-mail: _______________________________________________

 DONATION: _____________________      (Payable to the GAR Museum)

Please mail your donation to the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum, 4278 Griscom Street, Philadelphia, PA  19124

In grateful appreciation,

The GAR Civil War Museum & Library Board of Directors

https://garmuslib.org/

LICENSED GUIDES RAISE ALARM OF MAJOR THREAT TO GETTYSBURG MONUMENTS

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Licensed Battlefield Guides at Gettysburg are raising the alarm over a recent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to have all Confederate monuments, statues and “commemorative placards” removed from Gettysburg National Military Park as well as all other federal parks nationwide.

“We urge the U.S. Senate to strip out this provision that would destroy the unequaled collection of monuments, Union and Confederate, that set Gettysburg apart as a great battlefield park and a top visitor destination,” said Les Fowler, president of the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides.

Fowler said the legislation in question – HR-7608 – recently passed the full House. It would direct the National Park Service to remove all Confederate monuments, memorials, placards and statues at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Antietam, Chickamauga, Manassas, Petersburg, Fredericksburg and 18 other battlefields and historic sites within six months. These Civil War battlefields and their monuments and interpretive plaques have been preserved to help Americans and foreign guests visualize and understand the terrible ordeal that forged this nation. The monuments at Gettysburg from both sides allow us to interpret this national struggle for freedom as it continues today.

Gettysburg is the largest Civil War battlefield commemorating the bloodiest battle ever fought in North America. Licensed Battlefield Guides have provided tours of the battlefield since 1915 and today are the nation’s oldest professional guide service, providing interpretation and context for the battlefield and more than 1,300 monuments and markers.

“The monuments representing all of the soldiers who fought here are a critical component of interpreting these sacred grounds,” Fowler said. Veteran battlefield guide Deb Novotny said, “The monuments serve as tools for us to tell the story not only of this battle but of the struggle of our nation to heal itself after the war.”

Decorated combat veteran Elliott Ackerman, a columnist for the New York Times, recently wrote: “An area of our complex past that should be left untouched are battlefields... Blood consecrates a battlefield, and it is never the blood of only one side.”

The provision to remove Confederate monuments and markers was buried deep within a 727-page bill that also funds the State department, Agriculture department and the EPA. Despite the House’s action, there is still an opportunity to save the important story told at these Civil War parks by urging the Senate to remove this provision from the final funding legislation.

 “We will do what we can to convince all members of Congress to address and to oppose this removal provision. We encourage all advocates for Gettysburg to join our effort and reach out to their representatives,” Fowler said.

 Ralph Siegel
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide
Mercerville, NJ

Arkansas Memorial vandalized? Nope, preservation work in progress at Gettysburg NMP

Arkansas Memorial vandalized?
Nope, preservation work in progress

Gettysburg, PA: A passing rainstorm pushed through the area in the late afternoon of July 22, 2020. After the clouds parted, some park visitors who passed by the Arkansas Memorial quickly concluded that the memorial had been vandalized as it was now covered with what appeared to be a dark colored foreign substance. Some quickly took to social media with photos of the memorial to proclaim the alleged vandalism. However, the reasons for the dark colored foreign substance on the memorial turned out to be very beneficial rather than dubious in nature.

Monument preservation staff at Gettysburg National Military Park sprayed a biological cleaning solution, commonly referred to as D2, on the Arkansas Memorial on the afternoon of July 22, 2020 as rain began to fall. This biological cleaning solution requires the surface to be cleaned to be wet before application and passing summer rains provide a perfect opportunity to quickly and effectively begin this process. The solution was allowed to set up overnight and monument preservation staff began cleaning the memorial the following morning on July 23.

During any rain event, it is common practice for the park’s monument preservation staff to apply D2 Biological Solution to monuments in order to kill any bio growth, such as mold, algae, and lichens, on the stone. Staff have found, over many years of experience, that passive application of this cleaning agent in the rain has provided favorable results. This has been most notable on the Gettysburg National Cemetery headstones and the Soldiers’ National Monument marble figures. The rain wets the stone and then provides a rinsing action for the solution. When applied, each of the bio growths (mold, algae, lichens, etc.) that is present on the memorial stone turn different colors when it is being killed. When the reds, yellows, and oranges mix over time, the overall color turns very dark. This is what was reported as vandalism by park visitors.  

Monument preservation staff will focus on applying as many D2 Biological Solution applications as needed in a wash, rinse, repeat style until the Arkansas Memorial is completely clean. The residual yellow and orange "staining" that is seen is dead bio growth that will be bleached out by the sun over the next 3-5 days. This work and the process is all part of our normal monument maintenance.

Gettysburg National Military Park staff appreciates public interest in protecting the many battlefield resources, but we cordially ask visitors who suspect monument vandalism to contact park staff first before taking to social media. This can best be done by email via the Contact Us link on our website, send us a Direct Message on our Facebook page, or contact any park employee anywhere they might be working on the battlefield or at the Museum and Visitor Center.

 Click through the slide show below to see the progress…

1.     Arkansas Memorial at 7 am on 7-23-20 prior to first pressure washing.

2.     First pressure washing of the day.

3.     After first pressure washing of the day.

4.     Monument preservation staff spray another layer of D2 biological solution.

5.     The spray bottles sit near the Arkansas Memorial as the biological solution soaks.

6.     Monument preservation staff gently clean the Arkansas Memorial before a second pressure washing.