Legal Secession!

We the Delegates of the People of Virginia

( June 26 1788)

duly elected in pursuance of a recommendation from the General Assembly and now met in Convention having fully and freely investigated and discussed the proceedings of the Federal Convention and being prepared as well as the most mature deliberation hath enabled us to decide thereon Do in the name and in behalf of the People of Virginia declare and make known that the powers granted under the Constitution being derived from the People of the United States may be resumed by them whensoever the same shall be perverted to their injury or oppression and that every power not granted thereby remains with them and at their will: that therefore no right of any denomination can be cancelled abridged restrained or modified by the Congress by the Senate or House of Representatives acting in any Capacity by the President or any Department or Officer of the United States except in those instances in which power is given by the Constitution for those purposes ...

A Yankee Hero!

The following account of Colonel Ellsworth's murder is from the pen of Mr. House, the Tribune correspondent, who actually had his hand on Colonel Ellsworth's shoulder when Jackson shot him: / http://www.fairfaxrifles.org/incident.html



"On entering the open door, the Colonel met a man in his shirt and trowsers, of whom he demanded what sort of a flag it was that hung above the roof. The stranger, who seemed greatly alarmed, declared he knew nothing of it, and that he was only a boarder there. Without questioning him further the Colonel sprang up stairs, and we all followed to the topmost story, whence, by means of a ladder, he clambered to the roof, cut down the flag with Winser's knife, and brought it from its staff. There were two men in bed in the garret, whom we had not observed at all when we entered, their position being somewhat concealed, but who now rose in great apparent amazement, although I observed that they were more than half dressed. We at once turned to descend, Private Brownell leading the way, and Colonel Ellsworth immediately following him with the flag. As Brownell reached the first landing-place, or entry, after a descent of some dozen steps, a man jumped from a dark passage, and hardly noticing the private, leveled a double-barreled gun square at the Colonel's breast. Brownell made a quick pass to turn the weapon aside, but the fellow's hand was firm, and he discharged one barrel straight to its aim, the slugs or buckshot with which it was loaded entering the Colonel's heart, and killing him at the instant
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Fourth Amendment - Search and Seizure

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

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Second Amendment
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
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The Second Amendment,
This provision allows private citizens the right to keep the Government in check!
(“being necessary to the security of a free state”)
Although it allows citizens to protect their homes from criminals, burglars, rapist, home invasions—Its intent “as written” is to prevent the Government from running roughshod over private citizens!

The Fourth Amendment,
This provision protects citizens from the actions like the one attempted by Col Ellsworth!
In true Lincoln fashion Ellsworth invaded the home of a private citizen, with no warrant, and acting on his own accord removed the property of a law abiding citizen! This violation of the 4th amendment led to the use of the 2nd amendment.

But somehow the Northern factions paint Ellsworth as a Hero!

Heros aren't hard to find! North or South!

Sgt Furney Rryant
1st NC Colord troops.


A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It.
By Wm. S. White, Third Richmond Howitzers.

FIGHTING AT THE McCoul HOUSE AND LAUREL HILL CHURCH,
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th 1864 —JAMES RIVER, NORTH SIDE.

Early this morning the enemy broke through our lines near or rather between the Drill and McCoul houses, a short distance to the right of New Market Hill, on which the Rockbridge Artillery was posted. Our first section. Lieutenant Carter commanding,
was on picket some two hundred and fifty yards to the right of the McCoul House, whilst the " left " or second section was back in battalion camp near the Henrico poor-house and under command of Lieutenant W. P. Payne.

When the enemy pierced our lines near the McCoul House our first section engaged them until it was compelled to retire for want of proper support—our infantry force being very weak This section moved towards Richmond, halting for a time where the New Market road is crossed by what is known as the second line of entrenchments. At this latter point it was joined by the second section—here no stand could be made on account of Fort
Harrison, on the same line and but a short distance to the right, having been captured by the enemy and almost without a struggle on the part of our troops. Our company then fell back towards Laurel Hill Church, and after some little marching and countermarching went into position at that place, supported, and that too most gallantly, by Gary's cavalry brigade.

The enemy, advancing in heavy column, were driven back from the front, but having great preponderance of numbers completely flanked this small Confederate force left to hold them in check. Our troops fell back rapidly to the main line on the New Market road, and shortly afterwards my company went into position on the left of Fort Gilmer, but did not reach that point until the enemy had charged the position and had been repulsed. Directly in front of Fort Gilmer was a ditch some twelve feet deep, and as
no earth was banked around it, it could not be seen fifty yards, though it could be easily flanked by going either to the right or left of it.

A negro brigade charged this fort squarely to the front and when they came to this ditch hundreds jumped into it, not one of whom got out alive, for our men rolled hand grenades in upon them and not one was left to tell how the white men refused to charge it and they made the attempt.

The Original Corwin (13th) Amendement!

Thomas Corwin



With all the hoopla about the Confederate States wishing to continue slavery, Lets see what the North had to offer!

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Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution, namely:

ART. 13. No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which will authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or interfere, within any State, with the domestic institutions thereof, including that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of said State.

--12 United States Statutes at Large, 36th Congress, 2nd Session, 1861, p. 251.
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Seems to me the "MORAL" North was ready to sell out the Black man for all time for money!

Strange how the selective memory of Yankees avoids this topic!

Terrorist of the 1860s

http://terriorist1864.blogspot.com/

When I did the interview I was afraid it would be twisted!

It turns out They printed what I said, and how I feel!

The Christmas Dinner!

William Henry Tatum
1st Co Richmond Howitzers

Click on letter, it will be large enough to read!

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By

WILLIAM MEADE DAME, D. D.



Christmas Dinner
When Fiction Became Fact

One bright spot in that “winter of our discontent”—lives in my memory. It was on the Christmas Day of 1863. That was a day specially hard to get through. The rations were very short indeed that day—only a little bread, no meat. As we went, so hungry, about our work, and remembered the good and abundant cheer always belonging to Christmas time; as we thought of “joys we had tasted in past years” that did not “return” to us, now, and felt the woeful difference in our insides—it made us sad. It was harder to starve on Christmas Day than any day of the winter.
When the long day was over and night had come, some twelve or fifteen of us, congenial comrades, had gathered in a group, and were sitting out of doors around a big camp fire, talking about Christmas, and trying to keep warm and cheer ourselves up. One fellow proposed what he called a game, and it was at once taken up—though it was a silly thing to do, as it only made us hungrier than ever. The game was this—we were to work our fancy, and imagine that we were around the table at “Pizzini’s,” in Richmond. Pizzini was the famous restauranteur who was able to keep up a wonderful eating house all through the war, even when the rest of Richmond was nearly starving. Well—in reality, now, we were all seated on the ground around that fire, and very hungry. In imagination we were all gathered ’round Pizzini’s with unlimited credit and free to call for just what we wished. One fellow tied a towel on him, and acted as the waiter—with pencil and paper in hand going from guest to guest taking orders—all with the utmost gravity. “Well, sir, what will you have?” he said to the first man. He thought for a moment and then said (I recall that first order, it was monumental) “I will have, let me see—a four-pound steak, a turkey, a jowl and turnip tops, a peck of potatoes, six dozen biscuits, plenty of butter, a large pot of coffee, a gallon of milk and six pies—three lemon and three mince—and hurry up, waiter—that will do for a start; see ’bout the rest later.” This was an order for one, mind you. The next several were like unto it. Then, one guest said, “I will take a large saddle of mountain mutton, with a gallon of crabapple jelly to eat with it, and as much as you can tote of other things.”
This, specially the crabapple jelly, quite struck the next man. He said, “I will take just the same as this gentleman.” So the next, and the next. All the rest of the guests took the mountain mutton and jelly. All this absurd performance was gone through with all seriousness—making us wild with suggestions of good things to eat and plenty of it. The waiter took all the orders and carefully wrote them down, and read them out to the guest to be sure he had them right. Just as we were nearly through with this Barmecide feast, one of the boys, coming past us from the Commissary tent, called out to me, “Billy, old Tuck is just in (Tucker drove the Commissary wagon and went up to Orange for rations) and I think there is a box, or something, for you down at the tent.” I got one of our crowd to go with me on the jump. Sure enough, there was a great big box for me—from home.

We got it on our shoulders and trotted back up to the fire. The fellows gathered
around, the top was off that box in a jiffy, and there, right on top, the first thing we came to—funny to tell, after what had just occurred—was the biggest saddle of mountain mutton, and a two-gallon jar of crabapple jelly to eat with it. The box was packed with all good, solid things to eat—about a bushel of biscuits and butter and sausage and pies, etc., etc.We all pitched in with a whoop. In ten minutes after the top was off, there was not a thing left in that box except one skin of sausage which I saved for our mess next morning. You can imagine how the boys did enjoy it. It was a bully way to end up that hungry Christmas Day. I wrote my thanks and the thanks of all the boys to my mother and sisters, who had packed that box, and I described the scene as I have here described it, which made them realize how welcome and acceptable their kind present was—and what comfort and pleasure it gave—all the more that it came to us on Christmas Day, and made it a joyful one—at the end, at least.

No Swastika, No Sheets! No Problems!

I found a Yankee Blogger at the Event!

Eye witness to Pickett’s Charge

A DIARY OF THE WAR ,WHAT I SAW OF IT.
BY William S. White,
Third Richmond Howitzers, First Virginia Artillery,
Second Corps, A. N. V.

Pickett’s Charge!

"Cease firing!"—our infantry is about to charge, and we anxiously gather in squads upon the brow of the hill to witness that charge that will be remembered so long as brave deeds are honored, so long as the English tongue is spoken. Boldly do the troops of Hill and Longstreet advance across the intervening space, and the infantry fight commences —nearer and nearer do they advance towards the enemy's works, and a fire such as man
never stood is poured into their devoted ranks. Some waver and fall back — as mountain mist before the summer's sun, so melts our line away. Pell mell our brave boys are driven back—the enemy leaves his works and with banners flying, rapidly advances upon our troops ; our artillery opens to cover the retreat of our troops, but for some unaccountable reason is ordered to "cease firing ‘
.
" Quickly our infantry are rallied in the very face of that sheet of living flame, and with a yell turn upon the enemy who break and take cover under their works. Again and again this is repeated—sometimes our men would actually be in their works, but by almost superhuman efforts the enemy would regain them, and drive our men away. Those hills, more formidable than the heights of Fredericksburg, cannot be taken, and " Pickett's
charge" has passed into history. Failure is written upon the banner of the Army of Northern Virginia, but the end is not yet.

Will the enemy attempt to take our position?—if so, he will find that the men who could make a charge can just as gallantly repel one. 'Tis useless to cause the farther effusion of blood by another attempt, and our troops gradually fall back to our former lines, not pursued by the enemy. How my bright anticipations of a brilliant victory have been dispelled by this disastrous charge!

Many, very many of our gallant soldiers have fallen, and many have been captured, but if Meade desires to find out the strength of our position, we will show him that the Army of Northern Virginia has in no manner lost confidence in Robert E. Lee, nor in itself. We do not anticipate an attack, for Meade is also terribly crippled, too much so to make an attack upon us without receiving further reinforcements. In this he has the advantage: he can wait, for reinforcements are coming to him daily ; we must fight or quit.

A letter Home!

A letter from W.H. Tatum to His father!





(*)"When I volunteered I really did not know how a long a time it was for, and in fact did not care.

I am, with the other 12 month volunteers . Called upon to reenlist in accordance with an act of congress Dec 11 1861, and I am called on to decide what I shall do, before we are mustered out of service.

I think that with everybody else, that the period will be the most critical one in our history, our enemy are perfectly aware of the straight in which we are placed and will certainly endeavor to take advantage of it.

Now what is my duty, to go home and leave our defense to undisciplined militia who will make a sorry fight at best, leaving it in the range of probability that the Northern hessians will overrun our state before the summer is over and bringing ruin on all of us?
Or stay in the field, determined to see the end of this business before we give it up.

I might say to myself I am only one, I will not be missed, but ought we allow such selfish considerations to govern us, our whole army is made up of individuals, and suppose each was to say the same thing"?



He served until Appomattox!




(*) Page 119, The Richmond Howitzers by Lee Wallace, Jr

Good News!

The cause of conflict and the call to Arms

The Cause of Conflict and the Call to Arms

By
WILLIAM MEADE DAME, D. D.
Private, First CompanyRichmond Howitzers

In 1861 a ringing call came to the manhood of the South. The world knows how the men of the South answered that call. Dropping everything, they came from mountains, valleys and plains—from Maryland to Texas, they eagerly crowded to the front, and stood to arms. What for? What moved them? What was in their minds?

Shallow-minded writers have tried hard to make it appear that slavery was the cause of that war; that the Southern men fought to keep their slaves. They utterly miss the point, or purposely pervert the truth.

In days gone by, the theological schoolmen held hot contention over the question as to the kind of wood the Cross of Calvary was made from. In their zeal over this trivial matter, they lost sight of the great thing that did matter; the mighty transaction, and purpose displayed upon that Cross.

In the causes of that war, slavery was only a detail and an occasion. Back of that lay an immensely greater thing; the defense of their rights—the most sacred cause given men on earth, to maintain at every cost. It is the cause of humanity. Through ages it has been, pre-eminently, the cause of the Anglo-Saxon race, for which countless heroes have died. With those men it was to defend the rights of their States to control their own affairs, without dictation from anybody outside; a right not given, but guaranteed by the Constitution, which those States accepted, most distinctly, under that condition.

It was for that these men came. This was just what they had in their minds; to uphold that solemnly guaranteed constitutional right, distinctly binding all the parties to that compact. The South pleaded with the other parties to the Constitution to observe their guarantee; when they refused, and talked of force, then the men of the South got their guns and came to see about it.
They were Anglo-Saxons. What could you expect? Their fathers had fought and died on exactly this issue—they could do no less. As their noble fathers, so their noble sons pledged their lives, and their sacred honor to uphold the same great cause—peaceably if they could; forcibly if they must.