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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
Review: American Experience presents… “Death and the Civil War”
As one who often takes strolls among the graves of Civil War dead (and as one who is a regular follower of American Experience), I was very eager to see how the upcoming episode would deal with the “process” of death during the war. I’m glad to say… I was not disappointed. In Death and […]
Nobody really cares (NOT!): Sesqui 150, “Live” @ Antietam
September 17, 2012
by Robert Moore
On my drive toward Antietam this morning, I wondered how many would actually be there (here) so early in the morning. Upon closing-in on the park entrance, I noticed the increased traffic. Making the left turn and rounding the corner… the Visitor’s Center parking lot was closed… already full. I continued past the Dunker Church […]
“It is a good time of the day”: Antietam
September 16, 2012
by Robert Moore
I’ve stopped briefly, after my walk from the Visitor’s Center to the Bloody Lane tower. Part of me considers the civilians on this day, 150 years ago… their concerns of what might yet come. Part of me considers relatives in gray, on the next day, near Dunker Church… Part of me considers relatives in blue, […]
Hurrah, for Thomas Walter! A Sesqui reflection.
September 15, 2012
by Robert Moore
I had hoped to have this posted on the anniversary of the event, but six days later… can’t be too bad with a “live” blog post from the actual site! So… 150 years ago, six days ago… Thomas Walter saved what is one of the most attractive features of the old C&O Canal… the Monocacy […]
Catching-up: day 3 of the Harpers Ferry-Antietam Sesqui weekend
September 15, 2012
by Robert Moore
Finding myself adequately worn-out after the hike up Maryland Heights, on Thursday… and then the “breakout” tour in Harpers Ferry, last night, I haven’t been able to keep pace with blog posts. So, drafting a hasty one before heading out this morning. It’s been great so far. The hike up Maryland Heights… with a friend/co-worker […]
The alarm goes out in Clear Spring, 150 years ago today
September 10, 2012
by Robert Moore
Following-up on my post from Saturday, I look back again at the village of Clear Spring. I have nothing to show how my ancestors felt… there and in nearby Four Locks. Instead, I rely on what is available… not so much as a reflection of what they also felt, but to add another dimension to the […]
Across the Potomac and into Maryland
September 7, 2012
by Robert Moore
It’s where my mind has been for the past few days… Since September 4th, I’ve been thinking about the Confederates crossing the Potomac and moving into Maryland, and how long the news might have taken to reach my family members, just to the west of Hagerstown. My third great grandmother Kate Moore lived near Four […]
An ironic newspaper ad
September 3, 2012
by Robert Moore
But more from our vantage point, and not from those who read it at the time… This is from the September 3, 1862 edition of Hagerstown’s newspaper… 150 years ago today. Now, I guess it seems more ironic because of 1) Hagerstown’s proximity to Sharpsburg/Antietam… and 2) the fact that, in just 14 days, the […]
Maryland’s “Treason Law” of 1862 & the “sharp tune” it played between a Southern Unionist and his Confederate son
September 2, 2012
by Robert Moore
I’m a little late on this one, and had intended to post something about it in March, when on or near the actual Sesqui anniversary, but… better late than never, I suppose. On top of that, having a severe hankering for western Maryland-related content (it’s been quite a while since I last posted anything about […]
John Albert Racer of Page County… Southern Unionist?
September 2, 2012
by Robert Moore
A friend of mine asked me if I thought his ancestor (John Albert Racer) might have been a Southern Unionist. He has a hunch he was, plus, there’s some pretty interesting stuff surrounding this fellow’s life in the war. For one, there’s a pretty cool story that comes out of Page County, about one of […]
Reflections on the Brawner Farm
August 28, 2012
by Robert Moore
It’s usually not my practice to post things without giving them much thought (at least from what you, the reader can see in my words here… but I’m surely giving it thought “off-paper” or, considering the platform… “off-web”), but… in that this is almost 150 years to the hour since it began, this evening my […]
Missing loyalist claims paperwork
August 25, 2012
by Robert Moore
Last weekend, when walking around Harpers Cemetery, in Harpers Ferry, I lucked upon a headstone that caught my attention. I wasn’t looking for it, but there it was… the headstone for “Uncle John” Neer‘s parents, George and Amelia Neer. It was a pretty cool find. I took a couple of photos and continued on my […]
The confectioner Southern Unionist of Harpers Ferry… and his Unionist son
August 24, 2012
by Robert Moore
Before writing this, I probably should have posted something about the rifts between some Southern fathers and sons, when it came to sentiments in the war, but I’ll get around to it. Tonight, I’m focusing instead on Frederick Augustus Roeder. The name might be familiar, especially if you’ve visited Harpers Ferry. Yes, THAT Frederick Roeder, […]
Our National Parks
August 20, 2012
by Robert Moore
A story hit today that is painful to read… the National Park Service is set to get the ax once again. Now, this really isn’t a surprise, because many have seen the writing on the wall for quite some time, but to see it in print is a painful reminder. The strange part of this […]
“You must choose & choose at once.”
August 15, 2012
by Robert Moore
Back, just an hour or so ago, from a pleasant evening drive… prompted by the writing of this post. I realized that the Southern Unionist at the center of this post rests in a cemetery not terribly far from my home. So, I ventured out… and visited Daniel and Mary Brindle. Daniel was Pennsylvania-born, but […]
Did Pope’s orders go too far… even further than he imagined?
August 14, 2012
by Robert Moore
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 19. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Near Cedar Mountain, Va., August 14, 1862. The major-general commanding discovers with great dissatisfaction that General Orders, No. 5, requiring that the troops of this command be subsisted on the country in which their operations are conducted, has either been entirely misinterpreted or grossly abused by many […]
On the trail of Stonewall’s Winchester photographer
August 12, 2012
by Robert Moore
Having spent the day out and about yesterday, on Rt. 11, in what is known as the famous (and growing) “Rt. 11 Yard Crawl”, I lucked into landing several Carte de Visite (CDVs) and cabinet cards from a number of photographers from the mid-19th century. There were several from New York, one from Philadelphia, and […]
Telling the story of the Civil War: The Joseph’s Coat* approach
August 10, 2012
by Robert Moore
Over at Emerging Civil War, Kathleen Logothetis posted something today (Let’s Talk Openly About Slavery: Interpretation at Monticello) that caught my attention and made me think a little more about what might be considered a challenge in telling the story of the Civil War. Not that it’s difficult to weave together the topic of slavery with the Civil War… that’s […]
Prewar Harpers Ferry in art… and some thoughts
August 7, 2012
by Robert Moore
A little something different this evening… While I have my fair share of Troiani battle scenes on my walls, I’m finding myself more drawn to pre-Civil War art these days. It might be that the bigger draw is the humanity… that calm in years before the storm. Sure, they had their own problems, even in […]
Teaching in front of an invisible class
August 5, 2012
by Robert Moore
Some thoughts on blogging this morning… We write… but for whom? A writer before his/her blog is somewhat like a teacher (it might be interesting to see who considers themselves authoritarian teachers and non-authoritarian teachers… and why, but we’ll not go there today) before an invisible class. We have information, perspectives and/or experiences to share… […]
Rhetorical approaches to Civil War blogging?
July 31, 2012
by Robert Moore
Are they obvious… or subtle? I don’t think everyone has a point to make… unless, of course, you also want to consider straight-out information distribution as a way to convince others that the Civil War and/or particular aspects of it ARE important. In that case, yes… there is rhetoric involved, to some degree. But, how much […]
I am a beneficiary of hard war
July 30, 2012
by Robert Moore
I don’t know, but it seems to sound about as silly as saying “I’m a victim of Sherman… or Sheridan… or fill-in name here. So let me try the “victim” angle again. Instead of “victim”, how about refering to oneself as… “One who suffers the long-term ill-effects that the war laid upon my poor departed kin-folk, so […]
Von Steinwehr comes to Luray
July 26, 2012
by Robert Moore
Still present in the Shenandoah Valley, Union forces (I can’t help but keep bringing up that Jackson had not cleared the Valley with the battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic) made their presence all-the-more known 150 years ago, over the next few weeks. On July 21, a force (brigade strength) probed toward Luray, and, by […]
… and a little more with Gen. Order No. 11
July 23, 2012
by Robert Moore
John Pope wasn’t quite done yet… and on this day, 150 years ago, he released another general order of interest… GENERAL ORDERS No. 11. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Washington, July 23, 1862. Commanders of army corps, divisions, brigades, and detached commands will proceed immediately to arrest all disloyal male citizens within their lines or within their […]
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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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September 17, 2012
by Robert Moore
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