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The
next time you and your group are talking around the campfire, keep in mind some
of the events prior to the war.
These events are what shaped the memories of those your portray, and are an
interesting side track down "memory Lane."
In May 1859, a proposal to reopen foreign slave trade was made by the Southern
leaders in. Jefferson Davis and William L. Yancey denounced the Slavery
Importation act of 1820 as unconstitutional.
On December 19th of that same year the Buchanan administration stated that all
legal means would be taken to block the importation of slaves.
However, as you talk about this over the campfire, remember that at the
same time the administration also ordered American ships to be protected from
search by foreign vessels.
A boast to speak over a nice meal is that of being at Niagara Gorge in June of
1989. On the 30th day of that month
the Great Blondin walked across a tightrope, which was set 190 feet above the
raging river. The French acrobat
(whose real name was Jean Francois Gravelet) walked on a two-inch cable, which
was stretched across the 1,300 foot gorge.
Its anchors were an oak tree and a boulder, and it understandably sagged
and swayed in the middle.
There in the middle, Blondin lowered a rope to the deck of the sightseer
steamer, Maid of the Mist, almost twenty stories below.
He drew the cord up, to which a bottle of water had been attached!
He drank his fill and finished the unreal crossing.
Yet, he would do many more crossings in the summers of 59 and 60!
Of these, his feats included wearing a sack down to his knees, pushing a
wheel barrel, and carrying someone else on his shoulders.
The acrobat returned to Europe where he retired.
On 27 August 1859 a new boom occurred. In Titusville, Pa, oil was struck!
This allowed for the replacing of whale oil and tallow candles with his
petroleum.
On 27 March 1860 Japanese emissaries came to see America for over seven weeks.
Here the doors of trade were truly opened to the orient.
In April 1860 The Pony Express first raced across the western prairies.
These are the stories which are missed by reenactors and visitors alike.
The Civil War reenactor has so much history to work with, and this is the place
to remind the others of those great events.
Amongst the various activities which shaped the war, here are the memories that
some soldiers would have carried into battle and beyond.
Gettysburg
1-3 July 1863
Upon a recent visit to Gettysburg, I found some rarely seen information.
Although the battle was fought by more than 170,000 souls, over 50,000 became
casualties of it.
Yet few ever searched out what happened to these who witnessed the true horror
of war.
Although Lee had lost his try for a decisive victory, his troops still had two
years of war ahead of them. His
casualties were marked at 28,000 men.
Meade's Army of the Potomac had won, but at what cost?
His losses were marked at
23,000 men.
These souls were lost to the war. Many
who did survive had gone to the hospitals, where overworked doctors did their
best to aid them.
As anyone who has been injured knows, injuries can take many months to heal to
where a person can function somewhat normally.
This is where I picked up on the idea of doing some research.
Where had these poor, injured souls gone?
Some letters which I had been privileged to view showed the men up and about in
August, but these were the least injured.
Some who survived the battlefield surgery were transported to hospitals.
However, one letter read something to the effect that 'If you have to go
to the hospital, you might as well say goodbye.'
Some were taken to local hospitals, while others were transported home, and yet
others to far off hospitals.
The war raged so violently that there were over sixteen Union hospitals in
Washington alone! Yet the overflow
was so great, that the injured were cared for in the patent office, jail, and
even the House and Senate chambers.
Now some of you may question why I would place an article like this, in this
month's issue. My answer is simple.
So that none may ever forget those who suffered through the holidays, and to
appreciate what you have.
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