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As a Southerner and native of the Shenandoah Valley, I offer reflections on the Civil War-era South… and sometimes a little more. But… expect the unexpected
Deconstructing “Stonewall”
I’ve seen a lot of it over the last week or so. How things like the wording of a place (“Jackson Shrine”) and the larger than life myth of a man are flawed. The man, place and myth… “bad juju”. Apparently more “bad juju” than a lot of folks realize. It’s a Sesqui moment I […]
Posted in: American Civil War, Civil War Memory - General
Who was free black Isaac Dunn?
May 8, 2013
by Robert Moore
There are certain things that sit there… in my mind… unanswered in my quest to understand better my ancestors and the people around them… and this is one of them. He appears but once, as far as I can tell, in the census records. Isaac Dunn was listed, on September 6, 1860, as residing with […]
For the memory of an uncle she never knew
May 2, 2013
by Robert Moore
It’s a major reason why I’m headed to Chancellorsville in just under six hours. I can list all my relatives in the 10th Virginia, the 33rd Virginia, and the Purcell Artillery who were there, fighting, on May 3, 1863. I can also list my relatives in the 7th West Virginia Infantry who were there, fighting, […]
He gave them victories
May 1, 2013
by Robert Moore
May 1, 2013… so begins the Sesqui of the Battle of Chancellorsville. As such, I’ve been thinking… What if Stonewall Jackson lived to command beyond Chancellorsville? Frankly, any forward speculation of his possible performances in battles after Chancellorsville is subject to so many factors that it’s not even funny. As such, forward speculation is a […]
Passing of the last real child of the Stonewall Brigade(?)
April 29, 2013
by Robert Moore
I’ve been seeing postings lately, mostly on Face Book, about the last four surviving children of Civil War veterans (actually, it focused on the last four just in Virginia alone… and I didn’t seem to catch that last part), and I added to each that I thought they were missing somebody. I’m sorry to say… […]
The future of Civil War history… yet another angle
April 24, 2013
by Robert Moore
Harry’s doing some interesting stuff over in his blog. If you haven’t seen it already, there are two polls… here, and here. Chime-in if you haven’t already done so. Now, that said… I’ve had something on my mind for several weeks. I keep meaning to write something about it, but I’m not quite sure how […]
“Missing” Southern Unionists
April 20, 2013
by Robert Moore
Pardon my absence, folks, but in the wake of neck surgery, on Monday, I’ve been recuperating… trying to feel well enough to “get back in the game” in the blog. Despite the time spent recovering, I did take a few ventures (between naps) into online Southern Unionist claims. As such, I’ve discovered… “missing” Southern Unionists. […]
Posted in: American Civil War, Southern Unionism
Tennessee Ernie Ford’s Civil War
April 11, 2013
by Robert Moore
While the recent Brad Paisley/L.L. Cool J song raises a fuss in several corridors, I feel it’s being blown out of proportion. I’ve already commented in posts by Kevin Levin and Richard Williams, regarding some of my thoughts. For some reason (probably because of Richard’s remark regarding Nashville), it also made me reflect on a song with which […]
A closer look at Galvanized Yankees formerly of the 34th Mississippi
April 2, 2013
by Robert Moore
Picking-up from where I left off, a few days back… I figured since someone took the time to compile a list of men of the 34th Mississippi Infantry who became Galvanized Yankees, I’d see if there might be something more to be said about these fifteen men. For starters, based on what I’ve seen in a few […]
Easter then is not Easter today
March 31, 2013
by Robert Moore
I spent a little time going through both the Spirit of Jefferson and the Virginia Free Press and Farmer’s Repository looking for what might be found regarding Easter in the mid-19th century lower Valley. I didn’t go through all of the papers, but did hit about a dozen years between 1842 and 1858, looking at the […]
An evening with “Bud” Robertson, part 2
March 30, 2013
by Robert Moore
The second great point that struck me while listening to Dr. Robertson was… in him, are we listening to the end of an era? He didn’t say anything about this… it’s just something that came to my mind. I think we are. Not only are we looking at one of the history community’s living connections […]
An evening with “Bud” Robertson, part 1
March 29, 2013
by Robert Moore
As I mentioned in my hasty post from just over 12 hours ago, I had the opportunity last night, to listen to Dr. James I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr., at the Hagerstown CWRT. In that distinctive south-central Piedmont Virginia accent, he engaged the audience with quick glimpses of stories from his latest work, The Untold Civil War. His objectives […]
An intermission… but a good one
March 28, 2013
by Robert Moore
I know I said that I’d have something more to say about the Galvanized Yankees from the 34th Mississippi Infantry, but I need to have a brief intermission. So, if you will please, allow me an indulgence… This evening, courtesy of my gracious host, Tim Snyder (author of Trembling in the Balance: The Chesapeake and […]
Posted in: American Civil War
With Copperhead coming… when will there be a movie about divided Southern sentiments?
March 27, 2013
by Robert Moore
I’ve seen several previews for the upcoming movie, Copperhead. While many may be weary of another Ron Maxwell Civil War film, I think the previews are suggesting a step forward/up from Gods & Generals. I would enjoy a chance to see the movie in its entirety, prior to release. That said, however, I can’t help […]
Posted in: American Civil War, Civil War Memory - General
Southerners and those “inner battles” over decisions
March 27, 2013
by Robert Moore
I sincerely hope that nobody reads the title of this post and comes to it thinking they’re going to find a full-blown discussion on the wide range of difficult decisions faced by Southerners in the Civil War era. Since I’ve been talking a little about Galvanized Yankees, I figured I’d offer something regarding “decisions” in […]
Don’t ignore that which is contrary…
March 25, 2013
by Robert Moore
It’s interesting… the more I dig (historical research), the more I find examples to the contrary. “To the contrary of what?”… one might ask. Is it… the “norm”… whether that be a long-standing norm, or one that is acceptable at a particular time (trending)? There are times in which I hear arguments made, yet know […]
A bigger story behind Grave #418
March 24, 2013
by Robert Moore
Feeling rather inclined to write something about the USV today, so… As some folks may recall, just over three years ago, I went through records to add details to Find-a-Grave, for all the “Galvanized Yankees” buried (reburied, actually) in Custer National Cemetery. In recently flipping through my copy of Michele Tucker Butts’ Galvanized Yankees on […]
The loyal ladies of Clear Spring
March 23, 2013
by Robert Moore
This past week, WHILBR (Western Maryland’s Historical Library) posted a link on Facebook that caught my eye. It also reminds me… it’s been a while since I’ve written about my people up that way. Anyway, what strikes me is that the article (below) pinpoints such loyalty to the ladies of Clear Spring, Maryland. Indeed, both Four […]
A Virginia Southern Unionist, and guide for… Buford, Kilpatrick, and Merritt
March 18, 2013
by Robert Moore
For there to be no more than ten pages of his claim remaining, I was able to gain a fair amount of interesting information about Southern Claims Commission applicant John J. Robinson, of Madison County, Virginia (yes, once again, I took a look at claims on the east side of the Blue Ridge!). Born in […]
Posted in: American Civil War, Southern Unionism
My first glimpse at my contributions to “Lexington, Virginia and the Civil War”
March 17, 2013
by Robert Moore
Yesterday, I was very pleased to receive two copies of Richard Williams’ book, Lexington, Virginia and the Civil War, along with an additional item… Richard was very kind in adding the gift of a very special pen, made partly from the wood of the Stonewall Jackson Prayer Tree, which once stood near Grottoes, but was fallen […]
A closer look at those USCT monuments and markers
March 12, 2013
by Robert Moore
In the poll, from earlier today, I asked readers how many monuments and markers there are, that interpret the story of the USCTs. Based on the monuments/markers uploaded to the Historical Markers Database, there are 115 (using “USCT” in the search engine), and 161 (using the phrase “colored troops” in the search engine). I took […]
The state of USCT interpretation (monuments and markers): a poll
March 12, 2013
by Robert Moore
In the discussions I’ve seen regarding the future of interpretation of USCTs, I don’t think I’ve seen anything that considers that which is underway already. I believe, before we can discuss the future of interpretation, we might do well to know the current status of the same. There are several questions that I’d like to see […]
Posted in: American Civil War, Civil War Memory - General
Interpreting USCTs in places where they were not…
March 10, 2013
by Robert Moore
Recently, there’s been a flurry of posts about USCTs (see Craig Swain’s, here; Emmanuel Dabney’s, here; Kevin Levin’s, here; and Jimmy Price’s, here), and, as I’m in the process of compiling a list of USCTs born in Shenandoah Valley counties, I find it timely. Should the interpretation of USCTs be incorporated into places in which they were not… […]
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by Robert H. Moore, II
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Southern Unionists Chronicles
- In the case of Mr. Nicholas Breeden, Rockingham County, Virginia February 19, 2012
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Web-Tech and blogging "stuff"
May 10, 2013
by Robert Moore
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