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Death of a mascot – Sallie
During the Civil War, many regiments had mascots to lift their spirits and provide a sense of companionship during the difficult and often terrifying days of battle. One such mascot was Sallie, a Staffordshire Terrier who became the beloved pet of the 11th...
William Henry Johnson – Abraham Lincoln’s Valet
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln's visit to Gettysburg was a whirlwind affair, lasting just 24 hours, yet packed with a relentless schedule. Despite retiring to bed late, Lincoln rose early on the 19th, embarking on a guided tour of the battlefield. The pivotal...
Serenading President Lincoln with Dixies Land
On April 10, 1865, the day after the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, despite rain and mud there were some 3,000 people in the streets of Washington celebrating. Crowds serenaded President Lincoln throughout the day. “At length,” wrote a reporter for the...
The Election of 1864
Voting for President during the Civil War In November 1864 Abraham Lincoln was running for reelection against his former top Civil War general, the Democratic candidate, George B. McClellan. Interestingly, since the 1864 election occurred during the Civil War,...
Colorization of the Camp of Captain John Hoff in Gettysburg
Colorizing original photographs of the Camp of Captain John Hoff Recently I spent some time doing colorizations of a series of photographs of the Camp of Captain John Hoff. Captain Hoff was the Commissary of Subsistence during that time and was in charge of...
Saint Patricks Day During the Civil War
The following are a few letters from soldiers sent on St. Patrick's Day during the Civil War. Fort Sumter, S.C. March 17, 1861 Hon. D. F. Jamison, Executive Office, Department of War: Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the...
Happy Halloween
On October 31, 1863, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon by artist Henry Louis Stephens about the controversial campaign of Clement Vallandignham, a leading Peace Democrat or "Copperhead" who was running for governor of Ohio. Under the image it states: The...
Two New Gettysburg Rock Carving Videos
Family Fun Finding Rock Carvings in Gettysburg National Military Park The kids had the Monday after Easter off and it was a beautiful day so we packed a lunch and headed to Gettysburg for the day. While there, we did a lot of walking around Devil's Den, Little...