Back at it on the blog

Well, my furlough had to be extended as a “French Furlough,” but I’m back!

Not only was I dealing with a hectic ending to the semester, but faced an immediate (though highly anticipated) flight to Louisville, Kentucky for the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. I wrapped up my last project and turned it in on April 30 and turned around for the flight out at around 6 a.m. on May 1. It was a crazy week leading up to it, but we pulled it off. My wife and I had a great time and all of the time spent in Louisville wasn’t focused exclusively on all the events surrounding the Derby.

Not long after touching down in Louisville, the task to find our way around town was on. A lot of wrong turns were made, but we did eventually find a restaurant and took in a few sites prior to our attendance at the famous 2.5 hour (!) Pegasus Parade (part of Derby Days and one of the largest parades in the U.S.).

Friday was a bit more relaxed. We had debated on whether or not we wanted to go to the Oaks race, but ultimately, our decision not to go seemed the best one, especially considering the downpour of rain in the afternoon. Nonetheless, we made our rounds, starting off in the morning with a short hop across the Ohio River to the Falls of the Ohio site.

Quite an interesting museum at Falls of the Ohio… and I especially enjoyed the story about possible Welsh explorers in the area, many, many years before Columbus was even a thought. On top of that, we found it particularly interesting to read about some of the people with connections to the famous site, including many Virginians (even some from the Shenandoah Valley).

From there, we began our search for a place to eat… and man, did we find it! No, it wasn’t some well-known Louisville establishment, but rather, a chain restaurant - Famous Daves! We had heard about Famous Daves - actually we saw some commercials in which Nascar driver Jeff Gordon sang the praises of the chain. We had also seen one during our visit to Sandusky, Ohio (just outside the famous Cedar Point Amusement Park) last summer, but couldn’t find time to stop (too busy doing the roller-coaster thing). Anyway, darn good food! I highly recommend the BBQ and beef brisket.

Next, after going through some of the brochures we had picked-up from Falls of the Ohio, we decided to make the trip to New Albany to see the Underground Railroad Exhibit at the Carnegie Center for Art and History. I think the thing that tipped-me in that direction was that I wanted to see just how advanced the attraction would be in the way of interaction design. I wasn’t disappointed. It is well-worth the time to make the trip to see this. There were some design features that I think could be improved upon, but you really have to understand the “big picture,” which ultimately goes back to funding. The Center had spent a great deal of time coming up with the funds necessary to get the attraction up and running and a lot of in-kind donations were made from those who actually put the attraction together. The director there, Sally Newkirk, was extremely helpful and fielded a number of questions that I had. All-in-all, I’d give the attraction a solid “A.” I loved the use of color and the flow of information that impacts the visitor with each step. The last part of the feature is an interactive kiosk, at which the visitor sits. It is a touch-screen feature, and permits a visitor to select what he or she wants to see/hear about. Really, I think that the first “chapter” should be enough to make a person want to go onto the second chapter and so on until the end (in all, this would take about an hour at the kiosk). I think the most interesting part of the kiosk is following a slave from Tennessee, who runs away, making his way through Kentucky and into Indiana. Yet, making it across the Ohio (as many know) wasn’t enough to make a slave a free man… That’s about all I’ll say about it as I don’t want to spoil another person’s visit and experience. Just know that it is time well-spent and a great attraction!

Friday was topped-off with a two hour dinner cruise (as if we weren’t full enough from our visit to Famous Daves) on the Ohio aboard the Spirit of Jefferson. Quite a full day!

Saturday, well, that was the Derby, all day. We got to the track around 10 a.m. and were there until after the tenth race (the Derby proper). We didn’t hang around for the 11th and 12th races. Our first time ever at the event, but we had a great time (and didn’t miss out on the tradition of the mint julep). I wagered a little on the races, but it didn’t pay out, but that was ok. The most incredible part of it was that, for the Derby race, the starting gates were moved to within 15 yards of our seats (128A). You have to understand, our seats were trackside - all we had to do was jump over the fence in front of us and we were on the track! Anyway, when the gates were pulled up in front of us, I think the real thrill began. When the horses were in and the gates sprang open, it sent shivers down my spine. Wow, what a time. My wife got a great photo of the horses coming out of the gates. We couldn’t see the finish line, but the race was exciting enough. Sad to say, we didn’t hear about Eight Bells and her fate until after we got back to the hotel.
Let’s see, what else… oh yes, Sunday. To top things off, before our flight on Monday, we headed to Hodgenville, Ky. to see Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace. Pretty neat drive from Louisville to Hodgenville - the same ride that i took 23 years before when I arrived in Louisville and headed to Fort Knox for Army R.O.T.C. Basic Camp. I hadn’t been back to Ky. since then. Anyway, I really enjoyed the scenery on the drive down. Especially thrilled when we crossed into Hardin County, for that is where my g-g-grandmother’s family was from (there and Breckinridge County). Interesting stories about them and I’ll have to tell a few at a later time , and especially in the way that the stories relate to Civil War memory. Two of my g-g-g-grandfather’s brothers were actually in the 27th Kentucky Infantry, US (many men in that regiment had to break through Confederate lines to enlist - really amazing story).

Oh, I almost forgot, we also made our way to Cave Hill Cemetery (was that Sunday? I can’t remember!) and saw Colonel Sanders grave! Also had to drive over to the National Cemetery section and saw the graves of the Union soldiers… and, next to them were the graves of many Confederate soldiers. I have to say, kudos to the SCV and MOS&B of that area. The flag pole that they erected over the Confederate section, well, that was done with class and intelligence. Seriously, I mean that. No, it didn’t have a battleflag or, God forbid, a Confederate Navy Jack. The flag on the pole was a Third National Confederate, as well it should be. In my opinion, that’s a reflection of intelligent remembrance of Confederate soldiers, unlike the hundreds of thousands of bumper stickers I hear that have been produced for “Confederate Heritage and/or History Month,” that bear… what did you expect!?… the Confederate naval jack. But, that’s another blog for another day… and this blog posting is getting wayyyyyy too long.

Bottom line - we just really had a great time in Louisville… and Southern Indiana!

On “furlough” until 6 May

Well, finals are in full swing and, despite efforts to make a post, this is the best I can do until after all the dust settles. So, with that in mind, I am taking a respite from my postings and plan on entering my next post around the 6th of May. Until then…

Looking forward… and the thought of analyzing Southern Loyalist Claims

It might seem like I have laid aside my focus on Civil War “memory,” but I’ve actually been looking into beginning a run of posts that analyze Southern Loyalist Claims. In fact, what I may do is begin focusing on several regions (small groupings of counties in close proximity) within states and begin comparing the differences between regions. How, for example, does a grouping of counties in the Tidewater of Virginia compare with a grouping of counties in the Shenandoah Valley? What were the number of Southern Loyalist Claims, what was the referendum on secession, what were the population figures and so forth? In the case of Virginia, I might even go as far as to analyze the number of companies “recruited” from the respective counties and interlace that data in the analysis.

I just really believe that Southern Loyalist Claims aren’t given nearly the amount of consideration that they deserve. I also think they reveal a lot that stands in contrast with the way that a number of people think today (specifically, I’m talking about the way that some people believe that a solid South existed during the Civil War, and the way that they relate a moonlight and magnolias mythology of the Southern Confederacy to others, thereby misrepresenting real history and thus, they being the ones who are actually guilty of “revisionist history”).

This undertaking may consist of blog posts (for the analysis), hyperlinked to other pages where I lay out the raw data (tables, graphs, etc.). Depending on the time I have available, this may be better served later this coming fall when I begin understanding the possibilities provided through php fed maps, which will create an excellent set of visual features.

What makes an historian a “digital historian?”

Just some passing thoughts today. I say passing because I’m more preoccupied with completing three final projects for the semester. One more week to go and the spring semester of ‘08 is history!

Nevertheless, in the past few days, I’ve been thinking about digital history as a practice. Is it really ok to say that by virtue of being a recognized historian, and having created a webpage, does this make one a digital historian? The more I think about it and the more I delve into the entire process behind webpage design, I have to say… I don’t really think so.

Let’s take the example of the book. Academia has pronounced the manner in which a (or “an” - yes, I’ve seen it as being acceptable both ways) historian should go about compiling research and writing. If you don’t meet a certain level of expectations, you don’t get published. However, there are publishers outside the academy who aren’t as discriminate (a good thing and a bad thing, in my opinion, but that’s content for another post on another day). We realize that a certain level of historiography is expected, proper footnotes and the ability to express oneself clearly… it’s all a part of the expectations. The objective of writing an article or a book is to convey one’s perspective.

So, why is it any different when it comes time for a historian to create a webpage? Let’s think about this a little. As I said above, in writing an article or a book, the point is to convey one’s perspective through the work. However, putting something on the Web is not simply a matter of historiography, wordsmithing, and footnotes. There is a lot more to it than that, and, in that sense, I think that some may be missing the point of the ability of the Web when it comes to using it as a vessel for relating history. If the Web is a more effective medium than a book (and I argue that it can be and, in fact is, in some well-designed works), then to be a digital historian entails a lot more than just understanding historiography and the ability to write academically. I argue that to be an effective digital historian, one must be well-grounded in history (an understanding of historiography being a critical element), but have a very good understanding of a great deal more when it comes down to creating a webpage. In consulting or collaborating with a Web professional, I think that some perspective (if not a lot), is or can be lost in the final product. It might be an upgrade from print media, but does it take full advantage of the power of the Web? I don’t think it does. I think that being an effective (key word being “effective”) digital historian, one must understand some very basic principles of webdesign and some complex principles as well. Some of these principles include an understanding of design theory (including color and typography) and an understanding of cognitive psychology (the Human-Computer Interactive/HCI process, User experience/Ux, and so on). Yet, I’m only naming a little of what it takes to make a truly dynamic website that does justice to both the medium and the content.

Again, the point here is to convey one’s perspective.

Articles and books captured one small area of this aspect, while the potential for the Web in conveying perspective entails much more.

This is just a quick reflection, but I will expand on it further… perhaps in an academic article for a print publication.

An unconventional use of blog space — the rough draft of my hypertext nonfiction, “Being Cenantua”

It’s most certainly a work in-progress, but for what it’s worth, I’m opening access to my hypertext nonfiction, ”Being Cenantua.” Personally, I consider the site currently on par with a construction site in an early stage (READER BEWARE — there are “dead links.” O.K., by definition, they don’t necessarily qualify as “dead links,” the hyperlinked pages just haven’t been created yet!). Yet, what’s so significant about it is that I was able to show that open source blog space can be used for more than just blogs. “Being Cenantua” was (is being) created under the open source blog space available through WordPress.com (but, again, it isn’t a blog). Rather, this is an experiment in which the WordPress.com blog format serves as a platform for the creation of a hypertext nonfiction. Hypertext nonfiction is a genre of electronic literature (some might refer to it as “hypermedia“) and similar to the more popular form of interactive narrative known as hypertext fiction (for examples of both hypertext fiction and hypertext non-fiction published works are available through Eastgate).

The purpose of “Being Cenantua”
When completed (heaven knows how long that might be), “Being Cenantua” will be formally linked to and serve as supplemental text to this blog. Since my blog closely examines different issues about Civil War “memory” as well as the practice of Digital History, I figured it only fitting to create a hypertext non-fiction that serves as a form of introspection into my own “memory” of the American Civil War. I think that through the creation of a hypertext autobiographical narrative focusing specifically on my “memory” of the war, I can more efficiently interrelate different memories and experiences. Granted, this is just how my memory of the war came to be and it is not necessarily a reflection on how others think of the war, but I believe that it can provide a general idea about the different ways in which Civil War “memory” can develop in people.

A brief explanation of hypertext navigation
For those who may not be familiar with hypertext narrative, it is not read as standard linear text. Instead, hypertext is read by navigating through hyperlinks. Usually, the hyperlinks appear in each “node” (as designated by Roland Barthes; “lexia” if George Landow’s terminology is preferred). However, there is more than one way to navigate through hyperlinks. In the case of “Being Cenantua,” there are at least two additional ways to navigate through the hyperlinks; the blog format being the reason for so many different means of navigation. In addition to navigating through hyperlinks in the respective nodes, navigation can also take place as a matter of “tag surfing.” As the reader will note, at the beginning of text in each node, there is a list of hyperlinked “tags.” There are also hyperlinked “tags” available through the “tag cloud” that can be found in the widget column to the right of the node text. In any of these cases, using hyperlinks as a form of navigation empowers the reader with the ability to select a personal path through the narrative.

Though not a means of navigation through hyperlinks, readers may also make use of the “search box” that is available in the column to the right of the node text, and search for personal words of choice as a means of navigation.

Basics thoughts behind name and design
As the narrative relates how my “memory” of the war developed and evolved, when considering a name for the narrative, I use the word “Cenantua,” as I have used it for a number of years as a personal identifier in communications on the Web. It is believed to be one of the original native American words from which “Shenandoah” evolved. The Shenandoah Valley is also the place of my birth and my current residence. The title of the narrative is also an adaptation from Being John Malcovitch, a movie about a puppeteer who discovered a portal that literally lead into the head of actor John Malcovitch. Though my hypertext nonfiction isn’t so “sci-fi” in nature, it is my hope that this will offer a “portal” into the way that my “memory” of the Civil War developed over time.

The theme of “Being Cenantua” has been adopted from among the different themes made available through standard WordPress.com services. I have selected “Dusk” as the theme for the hypertext narrative as, in my opinion, it fits well with a dreamlike/memory-centered experience (not to mention that the use of the blue-gray color scheme fits quite while with the subject matter). There are also design features within the theme that are reminiscent of the Victorian Era, of which the Civil War era was part. Imagery is limited throughout the respective nodes as it is the hope that the imagination of the reader will serve to facilitate a more interactive experience.

Parting words to the reader
Please keep in mind that this is electronic narrative currently under development (at a very early stage) and will be expanded considerably over time. In the end, it is my hope that through this project, I will create an innovative form of hypertext and lend better understanding to others about how memory of historic events evolves through us, even though we were neither present or alive at the time of an historical event.

“Being Cenantua” readers are encouraged to post comments in the different nodes of the hypertext narrative. Other questions and comments about this experiment are encouraged through the comment block below.

Enter the hypertext non-fiction“Being Cenantua,” here

When saying “I am studying Web design” just isn’t enough

It’s been quite a while since I posted on anything relating directly to digital history, but the impulse struck me today. Granted, by writing this blog, I have been, to some degree, doing digital history. Yet, I haven’t posted much on theory or anything else that goes along with what really is digital history.

To recap a little… after wrapping up my M.A. in history from O.D.U. last spring, I started another program in pursuit of a M.A. (and recently shifted to the M.S. track) in Technical and Scientific Communication at J.M.U. I skimmed over some items about digital history prior to the start of the fall semester and realized the potential that the Web has as a more effective tool for the delivery of historical content… as well as perspective. So, with the start of the fall semester, the focus of my studies was on the Web (integrated with my personal interest in digital history). Fortunately, the TSC grad program is very flexible in accomodating students from various disciplines.

As the second semester of this program winds down, I’m able to look back and see that I’ve come a long way in a short time. So far, I’ve had hands-on experience with Adobe programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Flash, and Dreamweaver… as well as Framemaker and RoboHelp. I’ve also improved my knowledge of Technical Communication as a profession and have experience in (among other things) usability testing and technical editing (aka, “emendations”).

However, the hypertext theory class that I took this spring really struck a chord in me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hypertext 3.0 and Remediation, and could certainly see how various theories could be applied to history. What’s even more significant about this class is that, as projects for the class, I 1) developed this blog, 2) created a hypertext nonfiction (based on my personal Civil War “memory”), and I’m 3) completing another project in which I remediate part of a Civil War unit history (link to follow soon!). The class has also made me realize that I want to learn more and, therefore, I’m taking a interaction design class next fall. I can’t wait!

What is interaction design? It might sound simple (perhaps at least until one starts reading the Wikipedia definition of IxD). This is what has led me to the topic of the day. When I tell somebody that I’m working on a graduate degree in TSC and my main focus is on Web design, I think I’m selling myself short. To me, saying that I am studying “Web design” sounds too basic. After all, a lot of people build their own websites these days. So, saying that simply doesn’t encapsulate all of what I want to do. Don’t get me wrong, knowing HTML, DHTML, XML, CSS, Javascipt… that can all be quite a challenge to someone who hasn’t gone down that road (and I’m still learning it all!). Yet, when I look at a lot of websites (some of my old websites included in that number), they remind me of headstones. Data in stone, immovable, cold, dead. That’s not what I want in the creations that I plan on developing for the Web. I want interaction. I want to engage the reader. I want the user experience to be so gratifying that the reader will return time and time again.

So, that in mind, my thoughts are starting to turn to one year from now. This graduate program has done a lot for me already and will do more for me in the year to come (I can’t say enough how thrilled I am to take on Applied Geographic Information Science as my science cognate - it will be a great addition to my new “box of technical tools” in delivering effective digital history). Yet, I want to know even more about how to enhance the user experience on the Web. I’ve thought about this and started making my way through the Web in search of doctorate programs. Yet unlike before, when I looked at different schools for their history programs, I’m now looking at programs that focus on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Informatics. The way that I see it, the history and the historiography will continue to serve as my content, but it is the many ways in which the content can be delivered that intrigues me now. Like I said, saying that I am studying Web design just doesn’t do it anymore. It’s deeper than that now. This week, I signed-up as a subscriber to the Interactive Design Association (IxDA) and UX: Matters. It’s my next step in seeing that the history that I put on the Web doesn’t just sit there as idle content.

The Shenandoah Valley’s Delegates to the 1861 Virginia Secession Convention

I realized that I should have included this with my earlier posts about the vote for secession in the Shenandoah Valley. This is a record of the vote from Virginia’s Secession Convention. Keep in mind that these votes were made on April 4 and April 17 respectively. The public vote on secession did not come until later in May 1861. This information comes from the Members of the Virginia Convention of 1861 which is part of the Virginia Civil War Home Page. An asterisk (*) indicates that the vote of that particular delegate on April 17 was originally against secession, but, for whatever reason, the delegate opted to change the vote to yes. As an interesting side-feature, I have included the approximate age of the delegate at the time of the vote. Of the sixteen delegates with ages known, the average age appears to have been 45.

Name	Approx. age	Representing	4/4/61 Vote	4/17/61 Vote
Baldwin, John Brown	41	Augusta Co.	–	Yes*
Barbour, Alfred M.	32	Jefferson Co.	No	Yes
Baylor, George	57	Augusta Co.	No	Yes
Borst, Peter B.	35	Page Co.	Yes	Yes
Coffman, Samuel Augustus	37	Rockingham Co.	No	Yes
Conn, Raphel Morgan	?	Shenandoah Co.	Yes	Yes
Conrad, Robert Young	56	Frederick Co.	No	Yes*
Dorman, James Baldwin	36	Rockbridge Co.	No	Yes
Gray, Algernon Sidney	47	Rockingham Co.	No	Yes*
Hammond, Allen C.	?	Berkeley Co.	No	Yes*
Lewis, John Francis	43	Rockingham Co.	No	No
Moore, Samuel McDowell	65	Rockbridge Co.	No	Yes
Nelson, Hugh Mortimer	50	Clarke Co.	No	Yes*
Osburn, Logan	49	Jefferson Co.	No	Yes*
Pendleton, Edmund	45	Berkeley Co.	No	No
Stuart, Alexander Hugh Holmes	54	Augusta Co.	No	Yes*
Turner, Robert H.	28	Warren Co.	Yes	Yes
Williams, Samuel Croudson	49	Shenandoah Co.	Yes	Yes

An obsession with the American Civil War?

Yes, and some people just don’t get it. I mean, I know there are a lot of people out there who understand just what I’m getting ready to say, but I think most people just don’t understand “us.” What does it mean to be obsessed with the Civil War? This is no simple discussion when considering what Civil War memory is all about. What drives us? Why do we continue to go on and on and on with this stuff? We hash it out and then, think about it a little more, and hash it out again.

Actually, this came to me in my drive to Harrisonburg today. I opted to take Rt. 42, originally with the intent to stop by and visit the grave of Capt. S.B. Coyner at the Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church. I opted, instead, to do it another day, with camera in hand to take a photo with the advantage of the morning sunlight. But why? Why did I want to stop at the grave of a Civil War soldier? I’ve been there before. Why do I need to go back and visit it again? I don’t know, I just want to do it. I guess it is like returning to Gettysburg time and time again - it never gets old. Perhaps the side-trip to the grave of a Civil War soldier is my available alternative to making a three hour trip to Gettysburg at this time (especially in light of the $3.33.9 gas price I found posted on the signs this morning - the “powers that be” are killin’ us!).

But it’s not just the grave of a soldier that stirs the “memory.” Taking Rt. 42, or just about any road in the Valley (”the Valley”… it’s implied… we just know it’s the Shenandoah Valley) all the way down (yes, the river does flow north) to Harpers Ferry and on into the Cumberland Valley, I can hardly never make a trip in this area without the Civil War crossing my mind in some form or fashion. Just as an example, today, I realize I was “thinking Civil War” on the trip, but there probably wasn’t five minutes that passed between the time I saw a site and no sooner came upon another that brought to mind some factoid about the Civil War. It’s everywhere around here, and I don’t mean the number of Civil War Trails signs and Dept. of Historic Resources markers! It’s everywhere for somebody who knows… even looking at a house. I am not an architectural historian, but I know what house designs bore witness to the Civil War. Like I said, I was conscious of it all the way to Harrisonburg today - I made a point of it. Yet, I would dare say that even when I am not conscious of it, it’s rolling over in my head whenever I spot a site with which I am familiar (that has bearing on the war) or whenever I see something that looks like it was present in the right time frame.

Maybe I shouldn’t say “obsession” as it just feels negative. Let’s just call it… a passion… I think. Yet, does that even come close to understanding just how much the Civil War dominates “our” thoughts? I don’t think I’m done with this one, but for now… until another day…

“Recalling” Ford’s Theatre - a personal indulgence in Civil War “memory”

I didn’t learn about Edwin Arthur Emerson until about a year or so ago. I think the thing that most intrigued me was that, while I had been fascinated with the soldier family members who had served in the war, I did not realize that I had a family member present, on stage, on the night that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. More on Edwin in a bit.

On the Emerson side of my family, my lineal ancestor, Henry K. Emerson - was a Confederate soldier, a private in Co. D, 7th Virginia Cavalry. He enlisted in 1861 and appears to have remained with the regiment through the end of the war. He had one brother in another company of the 7th and another brother in Co. E, 33rd Virginia Infantry. They were residents of Page County, in the Shenandoah Valley.

However, my branch of the Emerson family - Henry’s father, William - had left another branch behind in Alexandria, Virginia around the early 1820s. The branch that remained behind in Alexandria included William’s brothers - John Simpson Emmerson and Harrison A. Emmerson.

Harrison had one son who fought in the war - John C. Emmerson. He enlisted as a private in Co. G, 3rd Maryland Cavalry (USA) on 24 September 1863. I haven’t had the opportunity to research his service, but ancestry.com records show that he was mustered out at Vicksburg, Mississippi on 7 September 1865. I think this may be in error and think (because I can find no trace of him after the war) that he may have died in the war.

John Simpson Emmerson had at least one son who served in the war, but on the side of the Confederacy. A tin and coppersmith by trade, Benjamin Franklin Emerson enlisted as a private in the Mt. Vernon Guards in 1859. When the war came, his company was mustered-in as Company E, 17th Virginia Infantry on 17 April 1861 at Alexandria. Wounded at Frayser’s Farm, he died in Richmond of wounds received, on 19 July 1862. His remains were not returned to Alexandria until after the war.

Benjamin also had a brother, Edwin Arthur Emerson. Edwin, however, did not fight. He was an actor. In fact, he was a leading man in the Ford Stock Company [Ford's Theatre], and… he was well-acquainted with one famous actor of the time, John Wilkes Booth.

Actress Si Snider (later an actress in “Our American Cousin”) wrote that she “first met J. Wilkes Booth at a dinner given by Mr. Ford to our company on Christmas night, 1864. Booth was not a member of our company, but he was a great friend of Mr. E. A. Emerson, leading man of our stock company, and he came to the theater often to see Emerson. We all respected Booth because he was a good actor, was courteous and kindly, but none of us except Mr. Emerson felt very friendly toward him because he was cold, taciturn, aloof and at times seemed almost arrogant…”

“I knew John Wilkes Booth well,” wrote Edwin Emerson, “having played with him in dozens of cities, throughout the East and Middle West. He was a kind-hearted, genial person, and no clverer gentleman ever lived. Everybody loved him on the stage, though he was a little excitable and eccentric.” However, early on April 14, 1865, Emerson recalled that while he was “standing in front of Ford’s Theatre… John [Wilkes Booth] walked up, and evidently in an agitated state of mind. He grabbed the cane from my hands and said, ‘Ned, did you hear what the old scoundrel did the other day?’ I asked him who he was talking about and he answered, ‘Why, that old scoundrel Lincoln. He went into Jeff Davis’ house in Richmond, sat down, and threw his long legs over the arm of a chair and squirted tobacco juice all over the place. Somebody ought to kill him.’ I said, ‘For God’s sake, John, stop where you are! I am going to quit you.’ With that he pulled my cane down over his shoulders with such a force that it broke in four places.” [Emerson still had the cane in the early 1900s].

That night, Emerson was playing the role of Lord Dundreary in “Our American Cousin.” When the Lincolns arrived in their booth, one account recalled that “Florence Trenchard” (played by Laura Keene) was telling a joke to “Lord Dundreary.” Another account remembered, perhaps more accurately, that the Lincolns arrived when Emerson was delivering a line - “Why does a dog waggle his tail?” (”F. Trenchard” replies) “Upon my word, I never inquired.” (to which Emerson replied) “Because the tail can’t waggle the dog! Ha! Ha!”

According to his account in the June 1913 issue of Theatre Magazine, Emerson noted that, later, “near the beginning of the third act… I was standing in the wings, just behind a piece of scenery, waiting for my cue to go on, when I heard a shot. I was not surprised, nor was anyone else behind the scenes. Such sounds are too common during the shifting of the various sets to surprise an actor. For a good many seconds after that sound nothing happened behind the footlights. Then, as I stood there in the dimness, a man rushed by me, making for the stage door. I did not recognize Booth at the time, nor did anyone else, I think, unless, someone out on the stage, when he stood a moment and shouted with theatrical gesture, ‘Sic Semper Tyrannis!’ (So perish all tyrants!) Even after he flashed by, there was quiet for a few moments among the actors and the stage hands. No one knew what had happened. Then the fearful cry, springing from nowhere it seemed, ran like widfire behind the scenes: ‘The President’s shot!’ Everyone began to swirl hither and thither in hysterical aimlessness. Still, the curtain had not been rung down, for noone seemed to have retained one scintilla of self-possession - and the actors on the stage were left standing there as though paralyzed. Then someone dropped the curtain and pandemonium commenced. The police came rushing in to add to the chaos and, for what seemed an hour, the confusion was indescribable. One incident stands out plainly in my memory from the confusion of men and sound that turned the stage into chaos. As I was running aimlessly to and fro behind the scenes - as everyone else was - a young lady, coming out from a dressing room, asked the cause of all the uproar. ‘President Lincoln has just been shot!’ I replied. ‘Oh!’ she exclaimed, and closing her eyes, was sinking limp to the floor in a faint when I caught her and carried her into her dressing room. She was Miss Jennie Gourlay, one of the then well-known family of actors, and that night, playing the part of Mary Trenchard. This little episode exhausts my recollection of anything coherent during the time immediately following the shooting. Those who first attempted to aid Mr. Lincoln tore his clothes from him in the most frantic manner in their efforts to locate the wound. I was told by several of the men connected with the theatre, among them young Mr. Ford, who had charge of the ticket office, that, when he was brought out, he had been practically denuded of all his outer garments. Later on, when the place was cleared, I went into the box where the assasination had occurred. Just by the side of Lincoln’s chair, was a program, half-crumpled. On it was a dark wet spot, which I do not say positively, was the life-blood of the President, but in my own mind, I cam convinced it was. This program, that no doubt was held in the hand of Mr. Lincoln…”

Actress Si Snider later recollected that “none of us, even Mr. Emerson, could ever understand Booth’s act.”

As I mentioned, I did not know about Emerson until about a year or so ago, yet, I find curious interest knowing that he, my first cousin, 4 times removed (and a 1st cousin outright to my lineal ancestor, Henry K. Emerson), was present on that evening in the very play which Lincoln enjoyed in his last conscious minutes of life.

Comparing say… a grouping of counties from Alabama with the Shenandoah Valley

I certainly believe that each area, no matter whether it be in Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina or in any of the states that made up the Confederacy, should be examined based on distinctive differences (demographics, slave population, etc.), taking each county and/or area, one at a time.

So far, I’ve just focused on the Shenandoah Valley. However, with the thought of extending this examination, I thought that I would find some interesting numbers to work with in Alabama. For starters, I found this an interesting item for consideration (the full text of which is available through http://www.swannco.net/1st_Ala_Cav/1sthurst.html) …

“Consider Alabama, the only state for which I have the figures handy. A Deep South state, the location of the first capitol of the Confederacy, yet 23 counties voted the ‘Cooperationist’ ticket. In Winston County, not a single vote was cast for secession. In the 23 loyalist counties, the vote was 21,665 to 12,042. However, the plantation states wielded the power, and in the slave-holding plantation counties, 24,865 voted to secede and 6,965 voted to remain. The totals for the state were 28,630 to remain in the Union and 36,907 for secession. Barbour, Bibb, Butler, Henry, Lowndes, Marengo, Pike and Russell Counties tallied no Cooperationist votes. Thus, 43.7% of the voters of the ostensibly solid Confederate state voted to remain within the Union.”

As for the Southern Loyalist Claims for the above-listed counties of Barbour (0), Bibb (11), Butler (3), Henry (0), Lowndes (0), Marengo (0), Pike (0) and Russell (2), they only totaled 16. By comparison, but still within the state of Alabama, I looked at St. Clair County and all the counties surrounding it. I don’t have the referendum numbers handy, but while there were sixteen total claims in the eight counties mentioned above, in St. Clair County alone there were sixteen who applied for Unionist claims. Meanwhile in the counties that border St. Clair… Etowah (4), Calhoun (1), Talladega (0), Shelby (23), Jefferson (76) and Blount (14) account for a total of 118 Southern Loyalist Claims (including St. Clair, that makes for a total of 134 for that small block of counties in the northeast/central part of Alabama). I’d be curious to see what these people had to say about the referendum vote in their respective counties, not to mention how the referendum vote played-out in each of these counties.