Tromp Shot 5: Ball's Bluff

Today's Tromp Shot:

Viewed from the muddy foot of Ball's Bluff, the autumnal trees of Harrison's Landing meet a crystal blue sky in the reflective waters of the Potomac River.

Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park (near Leesburg, Virginia)

Jacob's Pen 7, plus Muddy's Return

After sinking in the cesspool of winter, Muddy Boots is ready to climb out and breathe new life.

Upcoming posts include a number of topics, including: overdue eyewitness accounts of Civil War Sesquicentennial events in Harpers Ferry and Charles Town; anniversary hikes at South Mountain, Antietam, and Ball's Bluff; and tromp reports from Brawners Farm, Blackburn's Ford, and Monocacy. Other topics will include touring Carroll County Civil War sites; battlefield witness trees; monuments of peace at Gettysburg; and a review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates-inspired play The Rivalry at Ford's Theater. Of course, we'll continue to post "Jacob's Pen," "Tromp Shots" and "Living Memory" pieces, as well.

Sesquicentennial events for 2010 will focus largely on educating us about pre-war sentiment. How did John Brown's raid propel sectional conflict? Which other events forced us to think more deeply about our convictions? What rhetoric and ideologies helped to push our nation to war? Was it possible to stay neutral in the midst of mounting hostilities? I would imagine a major theme will focus on the political factions vying for the presidency in the election of 1860. How did the campaign unfold in your community? We'll follow all of this and more, with a special focus on Maryland, generally, and Frederick County, specifically.

For now, it's time to catch up with our good friend, Mr. Engelbrecht. On this day, 150 years ago, Jacob's Pen writes:

Harpers Ferry raid - Aaron D. Stevens & Albert Hazlett were last week tried & found "guilty of murder in the first degree" for being engaged in the Harpers Ferry raid, in company with Captain John Brown (Ossawattomie Brown) & others in October last. The sentence was pronounced by Judge Kinney day before yesterday (February 13) and they are both to be hung on Friday March 16 1860 between 10 A.M. & 2 P.M.
- Wednesday February 15, 1860 2 P.M.

Aaron D. Stevens

http://rustbeltradical.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/arron_d_stevens.jpg

Albert Hazlett

http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/files/images/HD_hazlettA2c.jpg

For a fascinating discussion on John Brown, check out this post by 'sailerd' over at Blog Divided. Included is a link for video of the entire conference on Brown at Yale University last October, featuring historians and authors such as David Blight and Tony Horwitz.

As the snow melts and the days grow longer, many of us are itching to get back on the field. I hope to see you there!

All Engelbrecht photos and diary entries in the "Jacob's Pen" series come directly from The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, published by The Historical Society of Frederick County, Inc.

Gettysburg Lectures

Thanks to Scott Mingus over at Cannonball for posting the following, regarding free lectures at Gettysburg over the winter. I'll definitely be there for a few. Will you?

http://www.yorkblog.com/cannonball/2009/12/gettysburg-offers-special-wint.html

Jacob's Pen 6

Today's post remembers a poignant event through the voice of Frederick, Maryland, diarist Jacob Engelbrecht. If interested in attending Wednesday's commemorations in Charles Town, West Virginia, you will find information here.

Jacob's pen writes:

Execution this day - Captain John Cook & Edwin Coppie (Coppoc)white men and Shields Green & John Copland (John Anthony Copeland, Jr.) Negroes are to be hung at Charlestown, Jefferson County Virginia for treason and murder at Harpers Ferry Virginia on the 16 17 & 18th of October 1859. John Brown the leader of the conspirators was hung on the 2d instant the black men are to be hung this forenoon & the white men this afternoon.

- Friday December 16th 1859 9 o'clock AM

P.S. 2 1/2 o'clock PM December 16 Shields Green, & John Copeland were hung at 15 minutes after 11 o'clock. Cooks Corpse will be taken to Brooklyn New York & buried tomorrow (December 17, 1859). Edwin [Coppoc] corpse was taken to Ohio to be buried.

Edwin Coppoc

http://strattonhouse.com/index.php?section=inn&content=john_browns_raid

John E. Cook

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/jbrown/jecook.gif

John Anthony Copeland, Jr.

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/copeland-john-anthony-jr-1836-1859


"Shields Green Under Guard"

http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~rstephen/livingeaston/local_history/slavery.html

Although events surrounding John Brown's Raid are winding down, the Jacob's Pen series is just under way, as we will continue to witness the Civil War period throughout the sesquicentennial through the eyes of our favorite diarist. For brief summaries and biographies of those events and historical figures covered in the John Brown segments, click here.

All Engelbrecht photos and diary entries in the "Jacob's Pen" series come directly from The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, published by The Historical Society of Frederick County, Inc.

Dusty Diamond: An Unexpected Gift

My Civil War bookshelf has a lot of volumes that have seen their share of battle. Some were heavily researched, dog-eared, and marked for college papers and essays; others I've re-read for pleasure so many times they're permanently deformed for life - paperback covers peeled back like permanently half-eaten bananas; many are stained by rain, mud, sweat, and ink, as they've tromped the fields with me over the years.

Today, I noticed a book on the shelf whose outer appearances out-nastify all of the others combined. The hardback cover clings desperately to life, shredded and frayed around a spine that long ago succumbed to an unknown fight. A heavy front cover is now a loose, floating, dead weight, only connected to the spine by a thin and withering cloth. Binding? Surprisingly, if you don't count the cover and a missing early chapter, the binding is actually the book's strongest physical asset.

Yet, this book has not suffered the pangs of research; I have rarely read it for pleasure; and it's certainly never been on the field with me. Due to its delicate condition and the allergens contained in century-old dust, I can count on my hand the number of times I've turned its pages.

'Century-old dust?' That's right. This recently rediscovered book is The Civil War through the Camera: with Elson's New History of the War, published in New York by McKinlay, Stone & Mackenzie in 1912. The ancient tome gives a narrative history of the war, aided by over a dozen reproduced paintings and hundreds of wartime photographs.

"Flanking the Enemy," by J.W. Gies (1901) For a better view, see 'n106' in the link provided below.

I feel like I've hit a gold mine. This diamond in the dust is blasting my eye-holes with images that reach to me straight from army camp, ship deck, and rail yard.

"SIGNALING ORDERS FROM GENERAL MEADE'S HEADQUARTERS, JUST BEFORE THE WILDERNESS" (1864) For a much closer view, see 'n351' in the link provided below.

Although I'm missing the title page and portions of the book up to Forts Henry and Donelson, my gut tells me that what I have here is a very early (1912-1920?), mostly complete edition of this spectacular resource. The only other information I have is from my good friend who gave it to me over ten years ago, who said that he got the book from his grandmother in West Virgina. In fact, there is (in my opinion) a beautifully handwritten inscription - in red ink - of a name and address on the front, inside cover.

A quick Internet search led me to some interesting initial results. First, I learned that "Elson" was Henry William Elson (1857 - 1935), a prolific writer and professor of history at Ohio State University. Also, in this period of the sesquicentennial, I was interested to learn that another edition of the same year (1912) was published by the Civil War Semi-centennial Society, Patriot Publishing Company. As the centennial commemoration was affected by the context of the times - namely, the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement - what context(s) helped to color the commemoration during the semi-centennial? Finally, I was excited to find that this very book is offered in digital format, so that all of us can enjoy its jewels online, without further deteriorating my precious find.

"CAIRO CITIZENS WHO MAY HAVE RECALLED THIS DAY" (1861) The caption reads, in part: "With his hands thrust in his pockets stands General Grant, next to General McClernand, who is directly in front of the pillar of the Cairo post-office. The future military leader had yet his great name to make, for the photograph of this gathering was taken in September, 1861, and when, later, the whole world was ringing with his praises the citizens who chanced to be in the group must have recalled that day with pride." For a much closer view, see 'n44' in the link provided above.

As always, I'd love to hear from you. If you have similar stories of surprising finds, more information about anything mentioned in this post, or enjoy browsing the digital version, feel free to share your thoughts!

Silent Night: Antietam Illumination

What a day for the first snow of the season!

Tonight's Antietam Illumination looks to be one of the most poignant yet. As they do every year, volunteers are lighting 23,000 candles around the battlefield to represent each casualty on that horrific day in 1862. Seeing the field aflame while slowly winding through the park is a stunningly somber reminder of the human cost of war. The glow of the flames seems to form one collective light that reaches back in time to offer a voice for the departed, urging us all to appreciate the true spirit of the holiday season with those we love. Last time we drove through the illumination, we listened to Mozart's Requiem; tonight, I think we'll reflect in silence.

Click here for information about tonight's illumination. For a park video about the occasion, click here.

For the record - I've called the park and they emphatically shared that, despite the snow, the event is definitely happening as scheduled.

Finally, if you make it tonight, please let us know about your experience!

Jacob's Pen 5

Our favorite diarist, Frederick's own Jacob Engelbrecht, covers the news on this day, one hundred fifty years ago. But first, a final message from Old Man Brown:

Images from: Nelson, Truman. The Old Man: John Brown at Harper's Ferry. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.

Charlestown, Va. 2nd, December, 1859.


I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with Blood. I had as I now think vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.


Twenty-eight miles east of the gallows, Jacob notes the occasion:

Execution - This day between the hours of 8 o'clock AM & 12 o'clock M [noon], Captain John Brown (commonly called Ossawattamie Brown)is to be hung at Charlestown, Jefferson County, Virginia for insurrection & murder at Harpers Ferry on the 16, 17, & 18 of October 1859. He had his trial & was found guilty October 31 after 5 days of trial. Four others were subsequently found guilty for the same offence (abolitionists, freeing the Negroes)and are to be hung December 16. Their names are Captain John E. Cook & Edwin Coppie - white men, & Shields Green & John Copeland [-] Negroes.

- Friday, December 2d, 1859, 10 minutes till 10 o'clock AM.

PS - 2 1/2 o'clock afternoon. He was hanged 30 minutes after 11 o'clock AM. His body was taken by his widow to North (?) Essex County, New York.

All Engelbrecht photos and diary entries in the "Jacob's Pen" series come directly from The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, published by The Historical Society of Frederick County, Inc.