NEWS City shops for General Reno's memorabilia * Mary Surratt is subject of solo stage piece * Morgan's death re-enacted
9/06/2004
Franklin writer interviews ghost
As part of the ongoing struggle over the conversion of a Franklin country club to battlefield parkland, local columnist Steve Hinesly stages a conversation with a Confederate ghost:
"Fact is, this here golfin’ wasn’t such a bad thing to have here for the past 35 years. Sure, there’s some cussing here and again, maybe even throwing these here clubs they use on occasion, but mostly they where having a durn good time, and keepin’ the land green and open."
Artemus Ward's got nothing on ole Steve.
"Fact is, this here golfin’ wasn’t such a bad thing to have here for the past 35 years. Sure, there’s some cussing here and again, maybe even throwing these here clubs they use on occasion, but mostly they where having a durn good time, and keepin’ the land green and open."
Artemus Ward's got nothing on ole Steve.
9/04/2004
McClellan Poetry: more Maryland themes
Continuing with our Maryland themes, here is some verse written from a Southern point of view to commemorate Lee's crossing into Maryland in 1862. The poet, Paul H. Hayne, was publishing often in Yankee magazines like Atlantic and Harpers after the war.
The viewpoint within the poem is unresolved; all is expectation and tension; no doubt it was a newspaper entry, topical and fresh. The Tyrant is, of course, Lincoln. Anaks are giants.
From Anecdotes, Poetry, and Incidents of the War, North and South: 1860-1865 by Frank Moore (New York, 1867).
{Sorry to have post-dated this McClellan Poetry Day entry, but the Labor Day holiday took precedence.)
Beyond the Potomac
by Paul H. H Hayne
They slept on field which their valor had won,
But arose with the first early blush of the sun,
For they knew that a great deed remained to be done,
When they passed o'er the River!
They rose with the sun, and caught life from his light -
Those giants of courage, those Anaks in fight -
And they laughed aloud in the joy of their might,
Marching swift for the River!
On! on! like the rushing of storms through the hills -
On! on! with a tramp that is firm as their wills -
And the one heart of thousands grows buoyant and thrills
At the thought of the River!
O, the sheen of their swords! the fierce gleam of their eyes!
It seemed as on earth a new sunlight would rise,
And king-like flash up to the sun in the skies,
O'er the path to the River.
But their banners, shot-scarred, and all darkened with gore,
On a strong wind of morning streamed wildly before,
Like the wings of death-angels swept fast to the shore,
The green shore of the River.
They behold the broad banners, blood-darkened yet fair,
And a moment dissolves the last spell of despair,
While a peal of victory swells on the air,
Rolling out to the River.
And that cry, with a thousand strange echoings spread,
Till the ashes of heroes seemed stirred in their bed,
And the deep voice of passion surged up from the dead-
Ay! press on the River!
On! on! like the rushing of storms through the hills -
On! on! with a tramp that is firm as their wills -
And the one heart of thousands grows buoyant and thrills
At the thought of the River!
Then the wan face of Maryland, haggard and worn,
At that sight lost the touch of its aspect forlorn,
And she turned on the foeman, full statured in scorn,
Pointing stern to the River.
And Potomac flowed calm, scarcely heaving her breast,
With her low-lying billows all bright in the West,
For the hand of the Lord lulled the waters to rest
On the fair rolling River.
Passed! passed! the glad thousands march safe through the tide.
(Hark, Despot! and hear the wild knell of your pride,
Ringing weird-like and wild, pealing up from the side
Of the calm flowing River!)
'Neath a blow swift and mighty the Tyrant shall fall;
Vain! vain! to his God swells a desolate call,
For his grave has been hollowed, and woven his pall,
Since they passed o'er the River!
The viewpoint within the poem is unresolved; all is expectation and tension; no doubt it was a newspaper entry, topical and fresh. The Tyrant is, of course, Lincoln. Anaks are giants.
From Anecdotes, Poetry, and Incidents of the War, North and South: 1860-1865 by Frank Moore (New York, 1867).
{Sorry to have post-dated this McClellan Poetry Day entry, but the Labor Day holiday took precedence.)
Beyond the Potomac
by Paul H. H Hayne
They slept on field which their valor had won,
But arose with the first early blush of the sun,
For they knew that a great deed remained to be done,
When they passed o'er the River!
They rose with the sun, and caught life from his light -
Those giants of courage, those Anaks in fight -
And they laughed aloud in the joy of their might,
Marching swift for the River!
On! on! like the rushing of storms through the hills -
On! on! with a tramp that is firm as their wills -
And the one heart of thousands grows buoyant and thrills
At the thought of the River!
O, the sheen of their swords! the fierce gleam of their eyes!
It seemed as on earth a new sunlight would rise,
And king-like flash up to the sun in the skies,
O'er the path to the River.
But their banners, shot-scarred, and all darkened with gore,
On a strong wind of morning streamed wildly before,
Like the wings of death-angels swept fast to the shore,
The green shore of the River.
They behold the broad banners, blood-darkened yet fair,
And a moment dissolves the last spell of despair,
While a peal of victory swells on the air,
Rolling out to the River.
And that cry, with a thousand strange echoings spread,
Till the ashes of heroes seemed stirred in their bed,
And the deep voice of passion surged up from the dead-
Ay! press on the River!
On! on! like the rushing of storms through the hills -
On! on! with a tramp that is firm as their wills -
And the one heart of thousands grows buoyant and thrills
At the thought of the River!
Then the wan face of Maryland, haggard and worn,
At that sight lost the touch of its aspect forlorn,
And she turned on the foeman, full statured in scorn,
Pointing stern to the River.
And Potomac flowed calm, scarcely heaving her breast,
With her low-lying billows all bright in the West,
For the hand of the Lord lulled the waters to rest
On the fair rolling River.
Passed! passed! the glad thousands march safe through the tide.
(Hark, Despot! and hear the wild knell of your pride,
Ringing weird-like and wild, pealing up from the side
Of the calm flowing River!)
'Neath a blow swift and mighty the Tyrant shall fall;
Vain! vain! to his God swells a desolate call,
For his grave has been hollowed, and woven his pall,
Since they passed o'er the River!
9/03/2004
Mozart the obscure in New Orleans
Tulane's Prof. John Baron has written a great piece on ante bellum New Orleans' rejection of Mozart:
To put these half dozen Figaro performances in New Orleans in perspective: during the years 1836 to 1841, Davis’ French theater put on 364 performances of 65 operas by 27 composers, while Caldwell’s English opera put on dozens more. Or, statistcally, Figaro constituted less than 1% of the opera fare of New Orleans in the two decades of the 1820’s and 1830’s. Then, after 1840, Figaro was a forgotten opera in New Orleans.
Not that Mozart got an entirely fair shot:
It seems that Da Ponte’s original Italian text of Figaro was not sung here. Davis catered to French-speaking audiences, and his version of Figaro was in French: Les Noces de Figaro. Caldwell, on the other hand, used an arrangement of the opera by the English composer Sir Henry Rowley Bishop, which greatly diluted Mozart’s masterpiece. [...] His Marriage of Figaro, for example, included 10 songs and 6 dances of his own composition; he shifted arias from one opera to another; and he replaced recitatives with spoken dialogue.
I was thinking along these lines listening to the overture of Wagner's Rienzi (1840) yesterday, frustrated at not having pinpointed its American premier. Baron says:
Mozart’s music was old by 1800 (he died in 1791); there were exciting new works by Beethoven and Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Schumann, Verdi, Brahms, Wagner, Mahler, and Richard Strauss which [ante bellum American] audiences found relevant to their own times.
The search continues.
To put these half dozen Figaro performances in New Orleans in perspective: during the years 1836 to 1841, Davis’ French theater put on 364 performances of 65 operas by 27 composers, while Caldwell’s English opera put on dozens more. Or, statistcally, Figaro constituted less than 1% of the opera fare of New Orleans in the two decades of the 1820’s and 1830’s. Then, after 1840, Figaro was a forgotten opera in New Orleans.
Not that Mozart got an entirely fair shot:
It seems that Da Ponte’s original Italian text of Figaro was not sung here. Davis catered to French-speaking audiences, and his version of Figaro was in French: Les Noces de Figaro. Caldwell, on the other hand, used an arrangement of the opera by the English composer Sir Henry Rowley Bishop, which greatly diluted Mozart’s masterpiece. [...] His Marriage of Figaro, for example, included 10 songs and 6 dances of his own composition; he shifted arias from one opera to another; and he replaced recitatives with spoken dialogue.
I was thinking along these lines listening to the overture of Wagner's Rienzi (1840) yesterday, frustrated at not having pinpointed its American premier. Baron says:
Mozart’s music was old by 1800 (he died in 1791); there were exciting new works by Beethoven and Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Schumann, Verdi, Brahms, Wagner, Mahler, and Richard Strauss which [ante bellum American] audiences found relevant to their own times.
The search continues.
More Franklin outrage at preservationists
This is striking:
"You are lending your celebrity status to a group whose goal is to destroy a community to manufacture a battlefield."
And this:
"It seems for every expert who says it was an integral part of the Battle of Franklin, there is an expert who feels it was not a part of the battle, or — if anything — a small segment."
The pro-battlefield letters are scarce. Preservationists are seen as greedy, ignorant, confused, and disingenuous.
No major, well-funded, or national Civil War battlefield organization is organizing or even advising the Franklin Battlefield effort. I guess they are busy fundraising.
What a fiasco.
"You are lending your celebrity status to a group whose goal is to destroy a community to manufacture a battlefield."
And this:
"It seems for every expert who says it was an integral part of the Battle of Franklin, there is an expert who feels it was not a part of the battle, or — if anything — a small segment."
The pro-battlefield letters are scarce. Preservationists are seen as greedy, ignorant, confused, and disingenuous.
No major, well-funded, or national Civil War battlefield organization is organizing or even advising the Franklin Battlefield effort. I guess they are busy fundraising.
What a fiasco.
Gettysburg performance controversy continues
College president: "...we're preparing for the worst and hoping for the best."
Flag exhibit divides local arts workers: "If Mapplethorpe can do it, so can he..."
Boycott probably won't affect 2005 re-enactment: "Once this dies down, it will not have a long-term effect on people coming to visit."
Flag exhibit divides local arts workers: "If Mapplethorpe can do it, so can he..."
Boycott probably won't affect 2005 re-enactment: "Once this dies down, it will not have a long-term effect on people coming to visit."
9/02/2004
Preservationists explain Franklin plans
The war of words over plans to buy and destroy a golf course connected with the Battle of Franklin continues.
The ayes explain that "The plan of the coalition is to ... acquire the site, develop appropriate ingress and egress from Lewisburg Pike (not from Carnton Lane), restore the property to a 1864 agricultural appearance and develop interpretative elements (battlefield equipment, cannons, signage and trails), along with a visitors center."
The nays contend that "there are many battlefields in this country and in Tennessee. Many fine people tragically lost their lives on these battlefields over 100 years ago. However, there is only one Country Club of Franklin and its loss will have a detrimental effect upon many of us living today."
The ayes explain that "The plan of the coalition is to ... acquire the site, develop appropriate ingress and egress from Lewisburg Pike (not from Carnton Lane), restore the property to a 1864 agricultural appearance and develop interpretative elements (battlefield equipment, cannons, signage and trails), along with a visitors center."
The nays contend that "there are many battlefields in this country and in Tennessee. Many fine people tragically lost their lives on these battlefields over 100 years ago. However, there is only one Country Club of Franklin and its loss will have a detrimental effect upon many of us living today."
9/01/2004
August books roundup
Getting the seasonal booklists together at sister site Civil War Book News is generally slow going. For instance, the list of publisher's information posted there is just now passing into April, 2004. To compensate for this public info deficiency, I've been using this forum, since July, to publish simple notices.
This is an installment in that sereies.
These books of interest were published (or republished) in August:
Wilson's Creek: The Second Battle of the Civil War and the Men Who Fought It by William Garrett Piston, Richard W. Hatcher * Black Soldiers in Blue: African American Troops in the Civil War Era by John David Smith * Manifest Destiny's Underworld: Filibustering in Antebellum America by Robert E. May * Civil War Era by Steven H. Cornelius * Civil War: Primary Documents on Events from 1860 - 1865 * Gettysburg: The Civil War Battle Series (Novel) by James Reasoner * Lincoln, Slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation by Carin T. Ford * Memoranda during the War by Walt Whitman, Peter Coviello * "No Man Can Hinder Me": Black Troops in the Union Armies During theAmerican Civil War by Bethuel Hunter * Passages to Freedom: The Underground Railway in History and MemoryDavid W. Blight (Editor) * Scarlett Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Southern Women in the Civil War Era by Laura F. Edwards * To Live and Die: Collected Stories of the Civil War, 1861-1876 by Kathleen Diffley (Editor) * Enemies of the Country: New Perspectives on Unionists in the Civil War South by John C. Inscoe, Robert C. Kenzer (Editor) * The Fate of Their Country: Politicians, Slavery Extension, and theComing of the Civil War by Michael F. Holt * Success Is All That Was Expected: The South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the Civil War by Robert M. Browning * Damage Them All You Can by George Walsh * Unholy Fire: A Novel of the Civil War by Robert J. Mrazek
Brigadier General Tyree H. Bell, C. S. A: Forrest's Fighting Lieutenantby Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Connie Walton Moretti, James Michael Browne * Civil War Artist by Taylor Morrison * The Civil War Letters of Colonel Charles F. Johnson, Invalid Corps by Charles F. Johnson, Fred Pelka (Editor) * A Faithful Heart: The Journals of Emmala Reed, 1865 and 1866 by Emmala Reed, Robert T. Oliver (Editor) * Testament: A Soldier's Story of the Civil War by Benson Bobrick, Benjamin Webb Baker
American Civil War An Overview by Carin T. Ford * American Civil War: Antietam 1862 the Civil War's Bloodiest Day by Norman S. Stevens * American Civil War: Chancellorsville 1863 Jackson's Lightning Strike by Carl Smith * American Civil War: Chickamauga 1863 the River of Death by James R. Arnold * American Civil War: Fair Oaks 1862 McClellan's Peninsula Campaign by Angus Konstam * American Civil War: First Bull Run 1861 the South's First Victory by Alan Hankinson * American Civil War: Fredericksburg 1862 Clear the Way by Carl Smith * American Civil War: Gettysburg 1863 High Tide of the Confederacy by Carl Smith * American Civil War: Hampton Roads 1862 Clash of the Ironclads by Angus Konstam * American Civil War: Second Manassas 1862 Robert E. Lee's Greatest Victory * American Civil War: Seven Days Battles Lee's Defense of Richmond by Angus Konstam * American Civil War: Shiloh 1862 the Death of Innocence by James Arnold * American Civil War: Vicksburg 1863 Grant Clears the Mississippi by Alan Hankinson
This is an installment in that sereies.
These books of interest were published (or republished) in August:
Wilson's Creek: The Second Battle of the Civil War and the Men Who Fought It by William Garrett Piston, Richard W. Hatcher * Black Soldiers in Blue: African American Troops in the Civil War Era by John David Smith * Manifest Destiny's Underworld: Filibustering in Antebellum America by Robert E. May * Civil War Era by Steven H. Cornelius * Civil War: Primary Documents on Events from 1860 - 1865 * Gettysburg: The Civil War Battle Series (Novel) by James Reasoner * Lincoln, Slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation by Carin T. Ford * Memoranda during the War by Walt Whitman, Peter Coviello * "No Man Can Hinder Me": Black Troops in the Union Armies During theAmerican Civil War by Bethuel Hunter * Passages to Freedom: The Underground Railway in History and MemoryDavid W. Blight (Editor) * Scarlett Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Southern Women in the Civil War Era by Laura F. Edwards * To Live and Die: Collected Stories of the Civil War, 1861-1876 by Kathleen Diffley (Editor) * Enemies of the Country: New Perspectives on Unionists in the Civil War South by John C. Inscoe, Robert C. Kenzer (Editor) * The Fate of Their Country: Politicians, Slavery Extension, and theComing of the Civil War by Michael F. Holt * Success Is All That Was Expected: The South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the Civil War by Robert M. Browning * Damage Them All You Can by George Walsh * Unholy Fire: A Novel of the Civil War by Robert J. Mrazek
Brigadier General Tyree H. Bell, C. S. A: Forrest's Fighting Lieutenantby Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Connie Walton Moretti, James Michael Browne * Civil War Artist by Taylor Morrison * The Civil War Letters of Colonel Charles F. Johnson, Invalid Corps by Charles F. Johnson, Fred Pelka (Editor) * A Faithful Heart: The Journals of Emmala Reed, 1865 and 1866 by Emmala Reed, Robert T. Oliver (Editor) * Testament: A Soldier's Story of the Civil War by Benson Bobrick, Benjamin Webb Baker
American Civil War An Overview by Carin T. Ford * American Civil War: Antietam 1862 the Civil War's Bloodiest Day by Norman S. Stevens * American Civil War: Chancellorsville 1863 Jackson's Lightning Strike by Carl Smith * American Civil War: Chickamauga 1863 the River of Death by James R. Arnold * American Civil War: Fair Oaks 1862 McClellan's Peninsula Campaign by Angus Konstam * American Civil War: First Bull Run 1861 the South's First Victory by Alan Hankinson * American Civil War: Fredericksburg 1862 Clear the Way by Carl Smith * American Civil War: Gettysburg 1863 High Tide of the Confederacy by Carl Smith * American Civil War: Hampton Roads 1862 Clash of the Ironclads by Angus Konstam * American Civil War: Second Manassas 1862 Robert E. Lee's Greatest Victory * American Civil War: Seven Days Battles Lee's Defense of Richmond by Angus Konstam * American Civil War: Shiloh 1862 the Death of Innocence by James Arnold * American Civil War: Vicksburg 1863 Grant Clears the Mississippi by Alan Hankinson
Wilson's Creek issues
This is an excellent rundown of the Wilson's Creek Battlefield predicament. I have just one thing to add to the report: notice how presevationists are inveigling government support with easement/tax roll arguments. This involves getting money into a farmers pockets in exchange for an agreement not to build on land adjacent to a battlefield; the farmer's land stays on the tax rolls, which this newspaper writer labels a win/win.
But if tourists must stay off the farmer's land, it is really a lose/lose proposition. The measure of success of a public battlefield is public visitation; embargoed, no-tresspassing land (under "easements" or more accurately "restricted use covenants") defeats the whole purpose of having a public battlefield.
If your preservation society is into easements, fire them now and hire an organization that will buy battlefield land for public enjoyment.
But if tourists must stay off the farmer's land, it is really a lose/lose proposition. The measure of success of a public battlefield is public visitation; embargoed, no-tresspassing land (under "easements" or more accurately "restricted use covenants") defeats the whole purpose of having a public battlefield.
If your preservation society is into easements, fire them now and hire an organization that will buy battlefield land for public enjoyment.
Re-enacting nothing
We have reached the point of "re-enacting" events that never happened. The next big thing?
8/31/2004
Troiani blasted over Franklin battlefield remarks
The letter-writing continues; it's about Franklin giving up a Country Club to create a battlefield park. Painter Don Troiani weighed in as an aye; the nayes respond:
The preservationists can better spend their money on property that was actually part of the battlefield. [...] We do not want taxpayers’ money used for this purpose and will continue to use our freedom to express our opinions.
The CWPT is implicated in this controversy, as well:
The Web site for the Civil War Preservation Trust does not show this land as a part of the battlefield.
Which is to say, CWPT is being used to justify an anti-preservation position.
Interesting.
The preservationists can better spend their money on property that was actually part of the battlefield. [...] We do not want taxpayers’ money used for this purpose and will continue to use our freedom to express our opinions.
The CWPT is implicated in this controversy, as well:
The Web site for the Civil War Preservation Trust does not show this land as a part of the battlefield.
Which is to say, CWPT is being used to justify an anti-preservation position.
Interesting.
8/30/2004
Bugle resounding for book party in in Shepherdstown
Mark A. Snell and Bruce C. Kelley will feature in a party organized for their September release, Bugle Resounding: Music and Musicians of the Civil War Era. This title is from the University of Missouri Press, of whom I cannot say enough good things (see here and here, for example).
But about the event. It's at 8:00 p.m., Sept. 17 in Reynolds Hall, Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia: "All Quiet Along the Potomac - A Night of Civil War Music." This is followed by a book signing and wine reception at the Conrad Shindler House, home of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War.
Perhaps I'll see you there.
But about the event. It's at 8:00 p.m., Sept. 17 in Reynolds Hall, Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia: "All Quiet Along the Potomac - A Night of Civil War Music." This is followed by a book signing and wine reception at the Conrad Shindler House, home of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War.
Perhaps I'll see you there.
Underground Railroad's stations are disappearing
As the grand museum honoring the Underground Railroad opens officially this week in Cincinnati, Quarles' group says many of the 400 sites where slaves hid more than 140 years ago are in danger of being lost. The preservationists are frustrated that they struggle for every dollar while millions flow to support the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Millions flowing into a museum instead of into actual sites; why would that be? Hint: this is not about history or heritage.
The center is expected to generate $40 million a year in income and tourism-related revenues.
The whole story is here, thanks to the History News Network.
Millions flowing into a museum instead of into actual sites; why would that be? Hint: this is not about history or heritage.
The center is expected to generate $40 million a year in income and tourism-related revenues.
The whole story is here, thanks to the History News Network.
Franklin battlefield: the golfers speak
The Franklin battlefield controversy continues, with this very interesting letter from a committed golfer. Leave their country club alone: "The actual battle took place between the railroad tracks and the Pizza Hut!"
Put that on your monuments, Tennessee.
Put that on your monuments, Tennessee.
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