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Branch County Civil War Days/Memorial Day Weekend 2018

5/29/2018

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It was a long, hot, fun weekend. I am now tired and hopefully will manage to make this an interesting AAR. I am going to do this perhaps a little differently than usual.

Thursday: We arrived at the park around 4:30-ish, if I recall correctly, and as we began to unload, with some slight assistance from Josh, Luke and Abigail arrived with their tent fly and wall for us to borrow again (our tent is a leaker, so the fly actually served as an extra roof). The finished set up looked like this:
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I slept better this event--I now have my own cot!!
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We need to lengthen the fly poles as like this it's about right for Hobbits.
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I spent some serious quality time with this fire set-up...
Our next door neighbors on our right were, by choice, Hawk and Jill...and they had a new set-up!! What do you think?
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While it is on a trailer, the cabin is based off original 1700's cabins.
We hung out under their fly and got eaten alive by skeeters...but still had fun.
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Josh polished his boots...and then he did Hawk's. We had a nice conversation with General Lee later that evening...
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Katherine working on one of Hawk's flags.
Friday: Being School Day we prepped for the kids to walk through. Once again, we weren't official presenters, but were open to questions. A little over half way through the day, I suddenly realized why people kept asking about candles....
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Due to the number we had on our front table, people were assuming we were candle makers!
We made some new friends, due in part to a baby's bottle needing to be warmed and we having a close at hand fire...
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The two ladies on the right are Jan and Susie--twins!
Josh "strutted" around in his new Captain's uniform... ;)
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Abigail and Grace came over Friday evening for supper and to spend the night crammed into our tent with us. Before heading off to the Land of Nod, we ended up photo-spreeing...
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Abigail...
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Grace...this gal has the thickest hair....
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Nobody and Anybody. At least I was behaving myself at this point. There are some pretty terrible pictures from this session... :D
Furthermore, Obadiah was called in to play "Taps". Now technically, "Taps" is to be played at 10 pm, but it was probably more like 7 or 8 pm...but it is a reenactment....
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He NAILED it.
Saturday: The big day...the day when the whole K. family turned out for the fun...and Mom and Dad came up for the afternoon!! :)
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I had the joy of rolling cartridges for the men...
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Half of the K's battlefield contingent...
From my vantage point, the battle was sub-spectacular...not bad, but nothing uber exciting. Luke got hit twice (in the same knee). He said later the first hit was because he forgot to put in his ear-plugs and he wanted to put them in. Ethan got hit in the leg too, and later "died" and Andrew and Obadiah got into the action as well.
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After the battle, Obadiah played "Taps"...
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Troop photos (plus a few of the girls cheering them on)...
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I am totally showing my ankles here...a very shocking thing for a lady of the period to do!!
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I love this particular shot of one of my favorite red-heads...
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Random shots from the day:
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Mom and Dad making the acquaintance of Mr. Craig...
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After hours, comparing notes on the day...
Throughout the course of the day, music was played. In fact, we had an official request from General Lee to surround his tent and play. There are no photos of that, since the camerawomen were playing. Luke's accordion fell apart on him, which was really sad. 

The folks left sometime after the K's did and so Katherine and I sat around with Hawk and Jill for awhile, just relaxing and listening to the music from the ball (we didn't go for a number of reasons, one of which was my feet and legs were so tired), and wondering what was up "over yonder". Turns out a youngster had a 45 minute long nosebleed that led to a trip to the ER. He was apparently fine the next day because he was running around playing with other boys.

Sunday: A fairly peaceful day. Hot and humid. Hawk preached a good sermon out of John 4 (the Samaritan woman at the well), which just so happens to be where Pastor is preaching from at church. 
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There wasn't a huge amount of interaction with spectators on this day, but we talked to friends and watched the battle which took it's toll on the Confederates. After that we watched the medical demonstration led by Mr. G (who is friends with the K's, sings "Messiah"...and has defeated Lyme disease himself). 

Something almost funny happened at this point. This lady I have been talking to at events on and off for the past two years came up behind me and re-introduced herself...and then asked a mutual friend/acquaintance, Lydia to introduce us girls to her four sons, as her daughter needed to use the ladies... It was a bit awkward, strolling with a girl in a Union artillery uniform into the Confederate artillery camp to meet the four boys. I remember all their names but one. (Philip, Nate, Curtiss...?) Anyway, I really kind of like Mrs. W. and she seems to like me. She asked how old I was and when I said, "26", her voice and body language seemed to say, "Oh...too old for my boys." :D 

We began to break camp not long after the battle and headed to the K's for Sunday evening church. Various people were taking walks or having naps when we got there, so I ended up standing in the kitchen drinking several mugs of water and talking to Luke for fifteen to twenty minutes while Katherine (poor abandoned dear!) rested herself on the front porch, alone. 

After church, some new friends of the K's arrived and we had popcorn and watermelon out doors.
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Someone must have said something funny.... :D
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We all spent the night because we were going to join them in/for the local Memorial Day ceremonies and parade. I know Abigail got photos, but we did not...and since I forgot to take my computer with me, I wasn't able to get any of her's. Therefore, no pictures.

Anyway, Katherine and I marched in our first ever parade. :) We were not too far from the head of it; the local High School band was in the lead, with something between them and Mr. S's (a WWII vet) 1939 Buick which we were behind, in the following order: Grace on a vintage bike, Luke and Abigail, then Katherine and I on either side of Obadiah. Behind us was Josiah on his unicycle. Isaac was supposed to drive his little red tractor, but it conked on him just before parade time. :( Poor thing, he was really disappointed (not that I blame him!) All of us, except Josiah were in 1940's dress (more or less), Luke decked out in his seaman's uniform. Andrew and Ethan did a fly-over in a Husky.

Before the parade though was a ceremony. Then after the parade was two ceremonies--one in each cemetery--on opposite sides of the main road. There was music and speeches and prayers which were Christian. Before the third ceremony, as people were mingling around, I accosted a WWII-vet and was allowed to plant a kiss on his cheek. I left red lipstick on his face, which he left there. The American Legion post was handing out plaques of recognition and he was one of the recipients. As it turns out, he was a sailor!! As he was coming up for his plaque, I heard Mrs. K saying something about the lipstick on his face and I leaned over and grinning said, "That's mine..." She laughed. 

Returning to the house and while waiting for lunch, Josiah and I  went out to look at his bees. In under five minutes, I had been stung twice. Once on the neck and once on the chin...so I about faced and headed in, with Josiah right behind me for ice and lavender oil. Next time, I'm taking my own bee helmet. 

After lunch, during which I bit down on my somewhat swollen lip, we talked and played our various instruments and just had a down right enjoyable time. We were the last to leave...we left around 9 pm, tired and worn out, but with another bucket full of memories. 

      Racheal

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Musket Echos

2/26/2016

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What do you know? Only five General Jones! (To go back to the end of the last post.)
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David Rumph Jones (Nickname: "Neighbor")
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John Robert Jones
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William Edmonson Jones (Nickname: "Grumble")
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John Marshall Jones (Nickname: "Rum")
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Samuel Jones
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​General Thomas Jordan was apparently in charge of some Confederate espionage and (according to Wiki) Rose O'Neal Greenhow's, I quote, "handler". Very interesting...

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Not only did General William Kirkland have a rather funny middle name "Whedbee", he was married to General William Hardee's niece, Sarah.






Moving on to a different general--there was a Union AND Confederate General James Henry Lane. From a quick glance at their records it appears they were in different theaters. I don't know how very helpful that might be, but I suppose it could have gotten a wee bit confusing if they were opposite on another.
General John H. Kelly--age 23 when promoted to Brigadier General. Age twenty-four when he was mortally wounded and died at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. 
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I really like his name: Evander McIver Law.
There were six general Lees:
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Edwin Gray Lee
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George Washington Custis Lee (R.E. Lee's eldest son)
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Stephen Dill Lee (the only one Gen'l Lee not born in Virginia. He was from SC.)
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Fitzhugh Lee (R.E. Lee's nephew)
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No caption needed--THE General Robert Edward Lee
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William Henry Fitzhugh Lee (Or "Rooney". R.E. Lee's son.)
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The faithful Mrs. R.E. Lee
I'll leave you with the Lee's this evening....

     Racheal

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Musket Echos

2/24/2016

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Now here's an interesting fact. Mrs. Abe Lincoln had a half sister married to a Confederate General--Benjamin Hardin Helm. 
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Emilie was much prettier than Mary, I think...
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​I wonder if General Theophilus H. Holmes was acquainted with some of my cousins?? He was born in Sampson County, North Carolina where some of my folks hailed from pre-war....

General Hood and his wife had 11 children--six of them comprising three sets of twins!! General Hood, his wife, and eldest child died of yellow fever in 1879.
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The remaining ten Hood children.
Interesting: "Benjamin Huger...was born in Charleston, South Carolina. (He pronounced his name "ooh-ZHAY", although many current Charlestonians say "OOH-gee".) " 
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I get Southern, being one myself, but I'm not quite sure how you get 'ooh-ZHAY' out of Huger. 

There were SIX Confederate General Jacksons:
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Alfred Eugene Jackson (apparently nicknamed "Mudwall")
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John King Jackson
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William Hicks "Red" Jackson
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Henry Rootes Jackson
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THE "Stonewall" Thomas Jonathan Jackson
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William Lowther Jackson (Stonewall's second cousin)
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General Micah Jenkins (South Carolina) died as a result of friendly fire. He sure was a handsome young man. 

He died at age 29, leaving behind a pretty wife and four little boys. (There was a fifth, but he had died the year before.)
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And here we have General Adam Rankin Johnson (one of four CS Gen'l Johnsons). He acquired the nickname "Stovepipe" in the following fashion:

"He was well respected for his bravado, once capturing the town of Newburgh, Indiana from a large Union unit with only twelve men and a length of stovepipe mounted to a wagon. The Union soldiers, fearing the "cannon" surrendered..." (from his Find-a-Grave page)

Now...I wonder how many General Jones there were...I guess I'll find out soon! :D

     Racheal

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Musket Echos

2/23/2016

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Over to the right here is General John B. Gordon and his wife Fanny. Here is a story about them that shows the kind of lady she was:

"At Winchester, she took to the street to rally retreating Confederates. With bullets flying all around her, she shouted at them: "Go back to the front lines, you cowards. Turn around and fight." John, witnessing this spectacle, was horrified. Fortunately, no harm came to either of them. "
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Well. General Hiram B. Granbury had a head of hair....the Mississippi born Texan was also killed at Franklin (TN) November 30, 1964. 

That hair though. Do you think he lost his comb?

​On a more serious note, his little wife died shortly before their 5th anniversary. She was 25...and it was ovarian cancer. Cancer is one of those things that, as far as I can tell, was not as common then, but obviously, it did occur.
To start us out today...did you know that General James B. Gordon's middle name was Byron? I didn't. But maybe I'll remember it now--I had a fun-to-be-around great uncle named Byron. :)
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I have to say...that at first breeze glance, General Archibald Gracie, Jr. looks an awful lot like my great-great-granddad.
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Now here's a man I want to study more in depth one of these days. General Wade Hampton (III) of South Carolina. Ever hear of "Hampton's Legion"? He outfitted them out of his own pocket at the beginning of the war--even though he himself later ended up in Stuart's command.


Quoted from another blog:

"Confederate General Martin Green’s Last Words Were~“A Bullet Has Not Been Molded That Will Kill Me”
  •  He said this in response to a warning to keep his head down while inspecting the defenses at Vicksburg. Moments later he was shot in the head and killed by a Union sharpshooter."

​This falls kind of in the lines of the people claiming that even God couldn't sink the Titanic....

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Maybe you'll find a few more tidbits over here tomorrow...but that's all for today! 

     Racheal

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Musket Echos

2/22/2016

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I think that I just must make this a series...  "Musket Echoes: Historical Teasers from the War Between the States". 

Anyway...the episode was actually compiled over two days. I am just doing "skimming" sort of research at the moment, so nothing overly spectacular is going to show here. I'm rather running down three main separate, but oh-so-interconnected things right now...I'm practically living and breathing Civil War/Confederate history when my brain is moving at all.
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  • Allow me to introduce you to Confederate Brigadier General Johnson K. Duncan.  Now, let me quote tidbit from a book called "Making and Remaking Pennsylvania's Civil War" by William Blair and William Pencak:

    "Brigadier General Johnson Kelly Duncan, born March 19, 1827 in York County [Penn], was another exemplary Confederate officer who based his military service on martial allegiance." 

    He was married to a New Orleans lady by the name of Mary Grimshaw and had lived there from the 1850's--now don't you suppose that perhaps he joined the Confederate cause because he actually believed in the justice of it? 

    Just a thought...from the rest of the skimming I did...he didn't sound like someone just there to please his wife's family.

  • I just happened to see  the following while poking around: Death: Feb. 21, 1866
    Aiken; Aiken County; South Carolina, USA 
    Now the reason that stuck out to me is because a new internet acquaintance falls in on that battlefield this weekend! By the way, the dead man is Gen. Stephan Elliott, Jr. 
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  • General Joseph Finegan--born in Ireland. Fought for Florida. 

    I first "ran into" General Finegan while doing Cow Cavalry research.

    What I just learned is that his sister-in-law was a Mary Martha Reid--who started a hospital for Florida boys during the War (in Richmond, VA, I believe.) And...she didn't like him. At. All.

    And that is all for today! 

      Racheal

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Musket Echoes

1/21/2016

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Or, random findings on the War Between the States that I find interesting. If you don't care for such random things, don't bother reading this! :)
  • The Army of Tennessee, at the Battle of Atlanta. Hardee had one Corp, comprised of four divisions. Of those, one was commanded by Major General William B. Bate. Bate's Division comprised three Brigades--one of those was the Florida Brigade under Brigadier General Jesse J. Finley. The Florida Brigade had the following regiments: 1st-3rd Florida Infantry (Captain Matthew Strain), 1st Florida Cavalry (dismounted) and 4th Florida Infantry (Lt. Col. Edward Badger), 6th Florida Infantry (Lt. Col. Daniel L. Kenan), and 7th Florida Infantry (Lt. Col. Robert Bullock). 

    For explanation of why that interested me, note first the 4th Fl. Inf. Co. K of the 4th Florida was originally (if I recall correctly) the 20th Florida Militia--which was the unit that my g-g-great grandfather was commissioned Lt. Col. of in 186--2, I believe it was.

    Secondly, take a look at that last one, the 7th Fl. Inf. I had three great-uncles (at least) in that regiment. Two were the sons of my g-g-great grandmother from her first marriage, before she married the Colonel (see previous paragraph). Both were killed in Kentucky, and I think, quite likely, without going back to check, dead by the time of the Battle of Atlanta. The third, might not have been there either due to being detailed to collect cattle. He was one the Colonel's sons.

    Here's the line-up for the Battle of Nashville, Dec. 10, 1864: http://www.civilwarhome.com/confederateornashville.html 

  • Did you know that General Bernard Bee had a brother? I didn't...his name was Hamilton Prioleau Bee.
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  • Here is an interesting fact: Fort Benning, Georgia (home of the paratrooper school--Hooah!), is named after Confederate General Henry L. Benning. The most interesting part of that is that Benning was an ardent secessionist. Now why would the Federal government name a post-WBtS's military establishment after a very ardent secessionist and slavery proponent? Don't both of those go against what the Federals claimed to be opposed to? 

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  • This man here (Theodore W. Brevard) is the son of the man whom Brevard County, Florida is named after! Being a Floridian by both heritage and choice (regardless of not being born there or even currently residing there), I always get a wee bit excited when I bump into such random factoids... ;)

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  • I am going to hazard a guess that General John Calvin Brown of Tennessee might have been born into a Presbyterian family....

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I just like this picture. I like the pose. He looks rather proud of his pretty wife and she seems content, though maybe tired of staring at the camera (a feeling to which I can relate with our slow-witted digital.)
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  • Now how's THIS!! Remember Robert Bullock from the first paragraph, the man in charge of the 7th Fl. Inf.?? Well...guess what, he ended up a general!!

Ah...thank-you for putting up with me. :) I got all the way through the "B's" in Generals in Gray today. I'm actually not really researching the generals so much as their wives--for my next film project. There is no way, of course, that I could cover them all, but I've found a few interesting ladies with enough information (probably) to work with, so I'll just keep plowing through here and then decide which of the general's ladies will make the final cut....

You may get a similar post at some other date in the future, so hang in there! ;)

      Racheal

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    New post on The Bee Project! 04/26/18
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    The Middle Kid

    I chose to title this blog "The Adventures of a Middle Kid" because that is exactly what I'll be detailing (mostly). I chose 'kid' over any other word, like 'girl' (I am the middle girl so it also would have worked) or 'child'
    (since I am no longer exactly a child).

    I am a middle kid and I will always be a middle kid--even when I'm 80!

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