Closing in on Victory at Cedar Creek

From Shenandoah Valley Battlefield…

Friends,

It’s 5:00am. A dense fog blankets the Shenandoah Valley as it slumbers ahead of a cool October day in 1864. Just south of Middletown, Union soldiers of the Army of West Virginia under Colonel Thoburn from Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania rest after having dug in above Cedar Creek. All is quiet in the crisp pre-dawn. Without warning, a bone-chilling Rebel yell pierces the fog as ghostly lines of Confederates come racing up to the trenches. They’d been stealthily marching since 1:00am, crossed Cedar Creek, and had their dander up. Among these men of Kershaw’s Divisions were Humphrey’s Mississippians, boys raised from the heart of their native state in 1861, men who had been in hard service in Virginia since First Manassas – veterans of Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and even Chickamauga.

As these soldiers advanced from Cedar Creek towards Thorburn’s trenches, they crossed the Hite Farm. This ground has yet to be permanently saved… until now. An opportunity presents itself to us here at the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation to save nearly 74 acres that was part of the Hite Farm in 1864. This ground was marked by the intrepid drive of Humphrey’s Mississippians against the valiant defense of Wildes’ Brigade and Munk’s Battery. The blood of Mississippi permeates this ground, which ought to be preserved to ensure Mississippi’s story can be told to future generations.

That is why I am asking you today to support our noble mission and forever save these 74 acres of the Hite Farm at Cedar Creek. This is our chance to provide a more encompassing understanding of what happened at the greater Cedar Creek Battlefield – from its early start to chaotic finish. Doing so will also honor the tenacity of men from Kershaw’s Division and shine a light on a state whose boys were just as committed to the thick of the fight as their counterparts from Georgia and South Carolina. Our goal is $100,000 and if every one of our supporters made a gift of $100 today, we’d secure victory tomorrow.

Saving the land itself isn’t where this effort stops. Just as Humphrey’s Brigade pressed on and drove the remnants of Thoburn’s Division towards Middletown, our campaign has another opportunity to keep pressing and erect a monument to Mississippi near this property. Our team is in dialogue with artists to devise a tasteful marker to commemorate the advance of Humphrey’s Brigade and tell Mississippi’s story for generations to come.

Join the ranks as we boldly advance with steadfast determination to save this hallowed ground. Add your name to the annals of history as we fight to save it. Those of tomorrow will thank you for your commitment to the memory of those who have come before us. The future of our past depends on you.

Forward to Victory,

Franklin Van Valkenburg, Development Officer

Remembrance Day Events, 2023

Remembrance Day Events, 2023

Sat Nov 18th 1:00pm - 9:00pm

Join in the 2023 Remembrance Day events, to commemorate the dedication of the National Cemetery in November 1863.

1:00 p.m. The annual parade of Civil War living history groups is held in conjunction with the Gettysburg Address anniversary. The parade will line up on Middle Street and then proceed to Baltimore Street and then turn onto Steinwehr Avenue.

This event is sponsored by the Sons of Veterans Reserve, the Military Department of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Numerous roads will be closed during this time.

5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Luminaries and flags adorn the Civil War graves in the Soldiers' National Cemetery.

This solemn commemoration features a luminary candle on each of the 3,512 Civil War soldier’s graves. Names of the fallen soldiers will be read throughout the evening.

This event is sponsored by the Gettysburg Foundation.

Civil War relics discovered in South Carolina river during clean up

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/civil-war-cannonballs-swords-bullets-congaree-river-south-carolina/

Two 10-inch shells are displayed at a press conference celebrating the early completion of the Congaree River cleanup on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 in Columbia, S.C. Hundreds of Civil War relics were unearthed during the $20 million project.

CBS NEWS NOVEMBER 14, 2023 / 6:42 AM EST / CBS/AP

Hundreds of Civil War relics were unearthed during the cleanup of a South Carolina river where Union troops dumped Confederate military equipment to deliver a demoralizing blow for rebel forces in the birthplace of the secessionist movement.

The artifacts were discovered while crews removed tar-like material from the Congaree River and bring new tangible evidence of Union Gen. William T. Sherman's ruthless Southern campaign toward the end of the Civil War. The remains are expected to find a safer home at the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum in the state capital of Columbia.

Historical finds include bullets, cannonballs and even swords, CBS affiliate WLTX reports.

Also discovered was a wheel experts believe belonged to a wagon that blew up during the two days of supply dumps. The odds of finding the wagon wheel "are crazy," according to Sean Norris.

"It's an interesting story to tell," said Norris, the archaeological program manager at an environmental consulting firm called TRC. "It's a good one - that we were able to take a real piece of it rather than just the written record showing this is what happened."

One unexploded munition got "demilitarized" at Shaw Air Force Base. Norris said the remaining artifacts won't be displayed for a couple more years. Corroded metal relics must undergo an electrochemical process for their conservation, and they'll also need measurement and identification.

Dominion Energy crews have been working to rid the riverbed of toxic tar first discovered in 2010, at times even operating armor-plated excavators as a safeguard against potential explosives. State and local officials gathered Monday to celebrate early completion of the $20 million project.

"We removed an additional two and half tons of other debris out of the river. You get focused on coal tar and yes we took care of the coal tar but you also had other trash," Keller Kissam, Dominion Energy President said, according to WLTX.

South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster said this preservation is necessary for current generations to learn from history.

"All those things are lost on us today. They seem like just stories from the past," McMaster said. "But when we read about those, and when we see artifacts, and see things that touched people's hands, it brings us right back to how fortunate we are in this state and in this country to be where we are."

Previously found war relics

Relics from the Civil War have been discovered in South Carolina before. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew unearthed Civil War cannonballs from the sand on Folly Beach. A similar discovery was made by a couple on the same beach three years later after Hurricane Dorian.

Last year, in neighboring Georgia, 19 cannons were found in "amazing condition" in the Savannah River. Experts said the cannons likely came from British ships scuttled to the river bottom during the American Revolution.

In 2015, wreckage of the Confederate warship CSS Georgia was raised to the surface of the Savannah River. The vessel was scuttled by its own crew to prevent Gen. Sherman from capturing the massive gunship when his Union troops took Savannah in December 1864.

Click here to read the origianl article and see additional images

Special Guests for Dedication Day Events in Gettysburg Sunday, Nov 19.

Susan Eisenhower, J’Nai Bridges, Graham Sibley, Harold Holzer, and Doris Kearns Goodwin to appear at Dedication Day Events in Gettysburg Sunday, Nov 19.

November 8, 2023 by Community Contributors

UPDATE ALERT: CHANGE OF DEDICATION DAY CEREMONY VENUE FROM THE GETTYSBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY TO GETTYSBURG COLLEGE’S MAJESTIC THEATER, 25 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg, PA.

The Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania is honored to invite the public to the Majestic Theater on November 19th, 2023 for a special Dedication Day ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the historic 1963 ceremony that marked the centennial of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The venue change is due to a potential U. S. government shutdown. The Majestic Theater is located at 25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg; doors will open to the public at 9:30 a.m. The ceremony is free, however seats are limited. NO FIREARMS OR WEAPONS OF ANY KIND, REPLICA OR NOT, WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE THEATER. 

This year’s keynote speaker is the distinguished Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Emmy®-nominated actor, Graham Sibley, star of the History Channel’s series Abraham Lincoln, will present the Gettysburg Address. Two-time Grammy® Award-winning American opera singer, J’Nai Bridges will deliver a special performance honoring opera singer and civil rights pioneer, Marian Anderson. Renowned Lincoln scholars, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Harold Holzer, also will be joining us.

Ms. Eisenhower commented, “I am humbled to help commemorate the 160th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s dedication of the National Cemetery and his immortal Gettysburg Address. This magnificent speech speaks to us through the ages and articulates, like none other, the enduring values of this great nation.” Ms. Eisenhower is well known for her work as a policy analyst, much of which is focused on national security, and related strategic issues. She has brought this work to light in her writing as an essayist, opinion writer, biographer, and editor. She has authored hundreds of editorials for newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. Her articles also have appeared in the National Academy of Sciences’ Issues in Science and Technology and the Naval Institute’s Proceedings. Her most recent book has received critical acclaim nationally and internationally: How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower’s Biggest Decisions. Eisenhower has provided analysis for CNN International, MSNBC, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, FOX News, CBS Sunday Morning in an interview with Rita Braver, the BBC, and all three major network morning programs. Eisenhower will also be featured at the Lincoln Fellowship’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon at the Wyndham Hotel after the ceremony and will be available for book signing at the luncheon. 

Emmy®-nominated actor Graham Sibley will be presenting the Gettysburg Address. Sibley has appeared in many groundbreaking television series, most notably embodying Abraham Lincoln in Doris Kearns Goodwin’s definitive biography mini-series for History Channel/A&E, which was nominated for a Critics Choice Real TV Award for Best Limited Series and won the 2023 BANFF World Media Award for Best Historical Biography.

J’Nai Bridges will deliver a special performance honoring opera singer and civil rights pioneer, Marian Anderson, who performed here in 1963 at the invitation of General Eisenhower. Bridges known for her “rich, dark, exciting sound” (Opera News) is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after talents of her generation. She also will be performing at the Lincoln Fellowship’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon at the Wyndham Hotel after the ceremony.

Preeminent Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer, and presidential historian and Pulitzer-prize winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin, will be making a few appropriate remarks.

Wendy Allen, president of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, expressed the Fellowship’s enthusiasm for the participation of so many special guests who truly honor the centennial Dedication Day ceremony of 1963.

New to the event this year participants will ride in a horse-drawn carriage, retracing the route (in reverse) President Abraham Lincoln took to deliver the historic Gettysburg Address. From near the National Cemetery, they will travel north on Baltimore Street and will be dropped off at the Majestic Theater.

The Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania has hosted ceremonies on Dedication Day since 1938. Over the years, many influential and noteworthy national figures, including Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Marian Anderson, Tom Ridge, John Hope Franklin, Shelby Foote, Carl Sandburg, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Stephan Lang, Sandra Day O’Connor, LeVar Burton, Ken Burns, Stephen Spielberg, and others have appeared at the ceremony to help new generations of Americans remember Lincoln’s words and to rededicate ourselves to the ideals at the core of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. 

This year, the Fellowship will partner once again with Gettysburg College, Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, and the Gettysburg Foundation. The program also features a U.S. Naturalization and Citizenship ceremony, which will allow us the special opportunity to celebrate together, as Americans, while we welcome a new group of citizens. 

Parking for the event can be found in Race Horse Alley Parking Garage immediately behind the theater, and limited street parking at parking meters on surrounding streets. Please be prepared to wait outdoors prior to entrance to the theater. For more information, visit www.lincolnfellowship.org. 

GAR Museum and Archive "Connecting the Public" Campaign

A Recent Free Sunday Zoom Program was presented by the GAR Museum’s Research Administrator, Walt Lafty. Walt and other volunteers answer hundreds of research questions sent by our members each year.

  They know where to find answers using the Museum’s collections, but without a computer database his task is a little more difficult. We all have used databases: National Archives, Library of Congress, Fold 3 and Ancestry.com.   We know how valuable these searchable data bases are and we all rely on them to save time.

  For many years the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Archive has been an esteemed resource for researching American history. The Museum does not have an electronically searchable catalog of its holdings that include primary source documents, artifacts, books and files.  We do have paper indexes and inventories of all our collections.  Adding these indexes and inventories to a searchable database would greatly increase search efficiency and enhance the preservation our collections.

      Improving access to the Museum’s collections is extremely important. We need to purchase database software and support that will allow for multiple user access to unlimited records.

      We are asking for help in our “Connecting the Public” campaign to purchase the software.

     Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”  However, time and tide wait for no one.

     Help us to continue to be a special public American history institution. 

     You can donate to the campaign using PayPal though our website: www.garmuslib.org or send or drop off a check made out to the GAR Museum, 8110 Frankford Ave., Phila. PA. 19136.  Please note that the donation is for “Connecting the Public”.

     Thank you.

G. A. R. CIVIL WAR MUSEUM AND ARCHIVE

8110 FRANKFORD AVENUE

PHILADELPHIA, PA 19138

https://garmuslib.org/

Observation Towers Close for Preservation Work

News Release Date: October 26, 2023
Contact: Jason Martz

West Confederate Ave Observation Tower

Gettysburg National Military Park announces temporary closures of the Warfield (Longstreet) and Culps Hill observation towers. The closures are necessary to facilitate the removal of flagpoles atop both towers due to safety concerns. Full closures of the two towers, adjacent parking areas and road access will begin at sunset on Sunday, October 29 and will tentatively end at sunrise on Wednesday, November 1.

Restoration of the removed flagpoles will be performed in coordination with a future preservation project. All three towers, including the Oak Ridge observation tower, were built between 1895 and 1896 when Gettysburg National Military Park was administered by the United States War Department between 1895 and 1933.
 

www.nps.gov  

Celebrate the 160th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

The Adams County Historical Society is pleased to announce a special series of events in commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address this November. Special guests include Harold Holzer, Garry Adelman, Tim Smith, and Jake Boritt.

The following events are scheduled for ACHS's Lincoln at Gettysburg: 160 Years Later series:

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Eternal Words: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in Perspective with Harold Holzer

Wednesday, November 15th, 12 p.m.

Join acclaimed author and Lincoln Scholar Harold Holzer in conversation with filmmaker Jake Boritt at this special luncheon as they discuss the enduring significance of Lincoln's speech and its lasting impact around the world. A lunch buffet is included with the price of admission.

$40/members; $50/general admission (Purchase Tickets)

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Lincoln at Gettysburg: 25 Hours That Changed History with Garry Adelman & Tim Smith

Thursday, November 16th, 2 to 4 p.m.

Through historic photos and rare first-hand accounts, Tim and Garry will explore every aspect of Lincoln's historic visit, including the 3-minute speech that changed history.

$20/members; $30/general admission (Purchase Tickets)

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Lincoln at Gettysburg: A Historical Journey with Garry Adelman & Tim Smith

Friday, November 17th, 12 to 5 p.m.

Garry Adelman and Tim Smith will lead a multi-stop trip that traces Abraham Lincoln’s path during his iconic visit to Gettysburg. The program will begin at noon near Lincoln Railroad Station on Carlisle St. and unfold throughout the afternoon with short programs at key locations in town. Be ready to walk approximately 2.5 miles on paved ground as we follow in the footsteps of the revered President, Secretary of State William Seward, and town residents like David and Catherine Wills who planned the iconic events of November 19, 1863. 

$75/members; $85/general admission (Purchase Tickets)

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An Evening with William A. Frassanito

Friday, November 17th, 7 p.m.

Join William A. Frassanito in the Alexander Dobbin Special Exhibit Gallery for a tour of his exhibit, "Early Photography at Gettysburg – The Frassanito Collection." The exhibit features some of Gettysburg’s rarest images, including an original print of Lincoln’s procession to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, recorded 160 years ago.

*A book signing will be held at 6 p.m.

$40/members; $60/general admission (Purchase Tickets)

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From Budapest to Gettysburg: Gabor Boritt's New Birth of Freedom

Saturday, November 18th, 2 to 4 p.m.

Join ACHS for a special screening of Budapest to Gettysburg. This film is a compelling exploration of the life and work of Dr. Gabor Boritt, one of the most recognized Lincoln scholars of the past century. Budapest to Gettysburg, created by Gabor's son, Jake, delves into the extraordinary odyssey of Gabor, from his turbulent childhood amidst the turmoil of World War II to his transformative career in Gettysburg, where he dedicated his life to studying the president who preserved American democracy. The screening will feature a Q&A with Jake and ACHS Executive Director Andrew Dalton.

Free for members; $10/general admission (Purchase Tickets)

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Witnessing Lincoln with Tim Smith

Sunday, November 19th, 1 p.m.

Abraham Lincoln spent just 25 hours in Gettysburg, but while he was here, he changed the course of history. This program follows Lincoln’s visit step-by-step and highlights dozens of first-hand accounts written by people who witnessed the president deliver the most famous speech of all time.

Free, public program

More Upcoming Events

New Gettysburg E-book Announced - "Artists at Gettysburg"

STeve Sanders - “Artists at Gettysburg”

To purchase - click this link

As the 3-day Battle of Gettysburg raged, on-site visual depictions of the struggle were recording the action real-time. These have been mostly overlooked for over 160 years. Though scholars have scrutinized nearly every aspect of this historic event, drawings and paintings made by eyewitnesses — the only real visual documentation of the action — have all but been forgotten.

Artists at Gettysburg presents this unique collection — the work of two "special artists" and a Union soldier — in full color plates. This 68-page book appeals to art enthusiasts, Civil War buffs, historians, or any reader who enjoys compelling, true stories. Anecdotal essays animate the scenes, place them in context, and evoke the action of the battle. All 63 of these unique artworks have been faithfully reproduced from the originals.

Steve Sanders' fine art education, his 40-year professional career in 3-d design as well as his experience as a tour guide at the White House of the Confederacy Museum, has fostered his interest in historical events containing unique artistic elements. His research in the combat artists of the Civil War inspired him to consider whether any of their 1000s of pieces of extraordinary original art & the stories behind them still existed.

Astonishingly, Alfred Waud and Edwin Forbes, artists working for competing weekly newspapers, actually documented the action as the battle raged on. In addition to a handful of images that have been published previously, the author's painstaking research uncovered more than 4-dozen additional drawings that have rarely been seen.

The collection the author assembled constitutes the only visual documentation of the action created during the battle & its immediate aftermath. It is a compelling, valuable archive that deserves to finally be seen.

NPS Announces Gettysburg Superintendent will Move to Independence

Philadelphia, PA – Steven Sims has been named the new superintendent of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, which includes Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site and Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial. He is expected to begin his new position in mid-November.


"Steve brings extensive park management and community engagement experience from several sites pivotal to our national heritage,” said National Park Service Northeast Deputy Regional Director Cinda Waldbuesser. “His experience working closely with the community and developing his staff as superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site will be essential as we head toward the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation in 2026.”


“I am excited to begin my new role as the superintendent of Independence National Historical Park,” said Sims. “As a descendant of a Revolutionary War soldier and former Army Officer, it is an honor to steward the stories, places, and artifacts that formed the bedrock of this nation.  I look forward to working with the dedicated staff, park partners, and the great city of Philadelphia to preserve and protect our nation’s historic resources and to educate the public about them.”


Sims has been the superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site since January 2020. His previous assignments include superintendent of Valley Forge National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, and the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail. Sims has also previously worked in the National Park Service Northeast Regional Office, Independence National Historical Park and National Mall and Memorial Parks. Prior to Steve’s National Park Service career, he was an engineering consultant as well as an engineer and commissioned officer for the U.S. Army.


Sims holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Business Administration from Norwich University, and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri. He is also currently working on a graduate certificate in Environmental Policy from George Washington University.


Steve is originally from Tehachapi, California. He is married and has two children. His hobbies include hiking, gardening, fly fishing, and beekeeping.

Video of Dennis Frye's ACWM Presentation on John Brown's Raid

Click here to watch

The American Civil War Museum treats us to a video of renown former NPS ranger Dennis Frye’s recent presentation on John Brown.

Uncover the enigmatic figure of John Brown and his lasting impact on history as historian and former Harper's Ferry Park Ranger, Dennis Frye, navigates through the public's varying opinions, from viewing him as a devil or martyr to questioning whether he was a terrorist or freedom fighter.

We dive into the complexities of Brown's legacy as an abolitionist, his relationship with Frederick Douglass, and their plan to bankrupt the South in the lead-up to the American Civil War.

Click here for the YouTube Video