You, Me & Bobby Lee

In the wake of much public outcry from the tens and tens of people who read The Sable Arm, an update from your humble blogospondent:

Greetings and happy summer to everyone!

I apologize for the dearth of posts over the past three months – life has been crazy as of late.

I’ve had the privilege of working at Arlington House: The Robert E. Lee Memorial since May and I’ve had a blast delving into the history of America’s most hallowed ground. For those of you who may be interested, we will be commemorating the 181^st anniversary of the marriage of Mary Custis to God’s Second Son (Robert E. Lee to you mere mortals) this Saturday with period dancing, burnt sacrifices and offerings to Ole Marse Robert, and more!

OK, I lied about the whole sacrifice thing, but it will still be a great event…

Also going into effect soon will be a Civil War tour led by yours truly that will explore the history of Arlington House during the Civil War and visit the graves of such Civil War luminaries as John Gibbon, Phil Sheridan, Johnny Clem, Fighting Joe Wheeler, EOC Ord, Hiram Berdan, Phil Kearny and more!

One fascinating aspect of working at Arlington House is getting to know the little-told tale of Freedman’s Village, a contraband camp that was transformed into the first home that thousands of former slaves would live in as free people until it was shut down by the government in 1900.

In terms of the USCT story, over 1,500 USCTs are buried in sections 27, 23, and 13 including Medal of Honor recipients from New Market Heights. In addition, Fort Corcoran, training ground of the 107^th USCT (seen below in this famous photograph) was located on the former grounds of the estate that Robert E. Lee knew as home for 30 years.

I hope to post more on Freedmen’s Village and United States Colored Troops buried at Arlington in the near future, but until then please stop by and say hey.

More to follow…

A Discussion Question (Don’t Worry, It Won’t Be Graded)

Traditional histories of the American Civil War tend to state that the Union success that cemented the re-election of Abraham Lincoln was the capture of Atlanta at the beginning of September, 1864. However, if one is to believe Dr. Gary Gallagher’s thesis that citizens of both the Union and Confederacy always had their eyes glued on what was happening in the eastern theater and gave it more importance than what was happening in the western theater, what impact – if any – would the Union successes gained during the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm (including New Market Heights), fought September 29-30, 1864, have had on Northern morale and the re-election possibilities for the President?

Discuss.

Rare photo of black Civil War vet acquired by presidential library

Rare photo of black Civil War vet acquired by presidential library

New Market Heights, The Game?

Why yes, actually.

All things considered, it doesn't look too shabby either...

Great detail on the flag.

Profile in Courage: Milton M. Holland, Part 2

When we last left Sgt. Milton Holland of the 5^th USCT, he had described his life up until the Battle of the Crater, where he was “sorely disappointed” that he had not had a chance to participate in the attack. In the latter half of his autobiographical letter (oddly described in the third person) he describes the action that won him the Medal of Honor and a chance at promotion to the rank of Captain – the Battle of New Market Heights:

In the latter part of August, 1864, his regiment moved to the right in front of Richmond at Deep Bottom. It was at this point that his regiment made its brilliant and famous charge on the 29^th day of September, 1864. And it was there that Sergeant Major Holland led the assaulting company of his regiment in their famous charge. Brilliant as had been its past record, and courageous as the men had shown themselves to be on other fields, this one occasion seems to have been reserved as the crucial test of their fighting qualities. When they met the enemy, they fought hand to hand with a desperate valor that beggared description. The shot and shell of the enemy mowed down the front ranks of the colored troops like blades of grass beneath the sickle’s deadly touch. But, with a courage that knew no bounds, the men stood like granite figures. They routed the enemy and captured the breastworks. The courage displayed by young Holland’s regiment on this occasion called for the highest praise from General Grant who personally rode over the battlefield in company with Generals Butler and Draper.

Holland was wounded in this battle but did not leave the field. Later in the day the regiment made a charge at Fort Harrison to relieve a brigade of white troops that was unable to get back to the Union lines.

Immediately after the charge at New Market Heights, Holland was examined on the field by order of General Butler and passed for captain, but was, on account of color, refused his commission by the War Department. Twice he was presented with medals which were awarded him for bravery and distinguished services on the field of battle. One of these medals was voted him by Congress and forwarded to him through President Lincoln, and the other was awarded by General B. F. Butler [the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Butler Medal.]

He served with his regiment at Dutch Gap until October 4^th, when the regiment went over to Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines, where the Union forces achieved a victory of which they were afterwards deprived by a successful ruse of the enemy.

In December, 1864, the regiment went with the great naval fleet under General Butler to Fortress Fisher at the attempt to break up the blockade-running. [When the] regiment landed at Fortress Fisher, they were compelled to withdraw on account of the insufficiency of support. They returned in January, 1865, under command of General Terry when this fort was captured.

He was with his regiment on its marches through Wilmington, Bentonville, Goldsboro, and Raleigh. He was present when General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to General W. T. Sherman, and it was here that his regiment received the sad tidings of the death of President Lincoln, when men of iron nerves shed tears like broken-hearted children.

After the war, Holland was employed by the Federal Government, working in the Auditor’s Office. He was eventually promoted to chief of collection for the 16^th District. In the late 1800’s he founded the Alpha Insurance Company in the District of Columbia, which was one of the earliest insurance companies in the nation owned and operated by an African American. He died from a heart attack on May 15, 1910 and is buried with his wife Virginia in Arlington National Cemetery.

Oh Jimmy, Where Art Thou?

So judging from the amount of hits that this website has received over the past few months, it seems as if people have stopped checking in to see just where in the hell their beloved blogospondent has disappeared to.

And I can hardly blame them!

So since I have an off day today, I figured I’d fill you in on a little bit of what life has been like over the past 5 months or so.
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Passing the 13th Amendment is hard work.

First of all, yes, the rumors are true – I was involved in the filming of Spielberg’s new Lincoln movie. I filmed for about 30 hours or so (not in one day, of course) and it was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. Spielberg truly is a master at crafting a scene and explaining to both actors and extras exactly what he wants to see them do. The attention to detail that was put into the production was truly astounding – for Exhibit A, look at what they did to yours truly!

I’m also serving as a historical consultant for the upcoming miniseries To Appomattox, which will be kicking into production this year!

The New Market Heights book is selling well and I’m glad to report that it’s now available in a Kindle Edition!

Also keeping me busy is my new job as an adjunct professor at Germanna Community College. I have the privilege of teaching a great group of students a class on the Military History of the Civil War

In other news, here’s a quick update on what my reenactment unit – the 23^rd USCT – is up to:

Saturday, February 25th we’ll be hosting John Hennessy in a program entitled "Bridging the Chasm: A Public Conversation about Slavery, the Civil War, and its Complicated Legacy," on February 25th at 12 noon at the John J. Wright Museum.

Saturday, March 10th we’ll be at Battle of Hampton Roads, Mariner Museum.

Saturday, March 31st at Museum of the Confederacy at Appomattox Grand Opening - We are one the color guards for this event 10:00 a.m.

I’ll also be speaking at the OAH/NCPH Meeting in Milwaukee on Saturday April 21, 2012 as part of a session entitled “Civil War Battlefields: Imagining the Possibilities after 150 Years" with Joan Zenzen, Robert Sutton, & Ashley Whitehead.

I’ve also been invited to speak at a symposium at Antietam National Battlefield on April 28, 2012 titled "The Dignity of Freedom: Pathways through the Civil War and Beyond," with Cheryl LaRoche, Edna Medford, Mark Neely, and Edie Wallace .

Things are busy right now, but I promise – more good stuff will be coming on this blog!

George Lucas, White Officers, & “Real Heroes”

“The officers of negro troops have not received the credit to which they are so deservedly entitled, and for which the great service they rendered their country in its darkest hour of peril demands.” Maj. Edward Main, 3^rd United States Colored Cavalry

When John McMurray sat down to pen his reminiscences of his experiences as a Union officer during the Civil War, he was 78 years old. Originally written for his local newspaper, McMurray published his memoir in 1916, just four years before his death. McMurray had joined up in 1862, serving in the 135^th Pennsylvania, the 57^th Pennsylvania, and the 6^th United States Colored Infantry. Yet it was his service in the last regiment that he took the greatest pride in – so much so that he titled his book Recollections of a Colored Troop.

While it may surprise you that a former white officer would delight in calling himself a “colored troop,” it is worth remembering that approximately 7,000 white officers served in the USCT (supervised by the Bureau of Colored Troops) and that the vast majority of them underwent strict examinations at the Free Military School.

Understand my annoyance, then, with a comment made by George Lucas concerning his upcoming film about the Tuskegee Airmen:

It's an all-black movie. There's no major white roles in it at all. It's one of the first, all-black action pictures ever made. It's not Glory where you have a lot of white officers running these guys into cannon fire. They were real heroes.

While Lucas was making a decent point about how Hollywood has largely ignored the important role that African Americans have played in many of the nation’s conflicts, I don’t think he had to disparage one film in order to promote his own.

Please don’t think I’m saying that white officers in the USCT were somehow better than the men they led – there were some REALLY bad ones who treated their men like dirt (and in some instances shot them for the smallest infraction).

But let us not forget that these officers also ran the risk of being executed by Confederates for inciting slave rebellion if they were captured.

And at New Market Heights, where John McMurray received a brevet promotion to Major for his gallantry, the reason that so many enlisted men earned the Medal of Honor was that all of their officers had been killed or wounded and they had to take charge of their units and lead them through the rest of the battle.

They were all real heroes too.

Black soldiers ‘silenced every cavil of the doubters’ - Fredericksburg Features

Black soldiers ‘silenced every cavil of the doubters’ - Fredericksburg Features

An Early Christmas Present & Book Signing Tomorrow

Well, the Christmas season was ushered in with a bang yesterday when I received an e-mail from the Library of Virginia stating that The Battle of New Market Heights: Freedom Will Be Theirs by the Sword has been nominated for the best nonfiction work for that esteemed institution’s 2012 book awards. Needless to say, I was quite taken aback when I received this notification, but also truly grateful to all of you who have read the book and let me know how much you enjoyed it. What an honor!

And speaking of book signings, I will be at the John J.Wright Museum starting at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning signing books. If you’re in the area, stop on by and say hey (and buy a copy or two while you’re at it)!

Civil War Talk Radio Appearance

UPDATE, 12/3/11 - The interview went well, and here's the link if you'd like to listen to it!

For those of you who listen to Gerry Prokopowicz’s Civil WarTalk Radio, be sure to tune in tomorrow as the scheduled guest will be yours truly! The show kicks off at 3:00 p.m. and if you miss it, don’t worry – all shows are archived here.

Also, if you happen to be in our Nation’s capital on Saturday afternoon, I’ll be giving a lecture followed by a book signing at the African American Civil War Museum. The lecture begins at 2:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!