Friday, October 25, 2013

Lee, Jackson Day / Jan 17th 2014


Ya won't see it on any calendars, it won't be announced on TV.

But Virginia still observes Lee, Jackson Day. Yep it's a state holiday !

I've already put in for the day off, I work at a state site, but I'm a contractor,
So I have to request the day off.  A fine holiday for all !

DT.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Confederates " Infernal Machine"

The Confederates had to use a bit of imagination / creativity to fight the Yankees.
Having nowhere near the resources as the North, the South had to use what they had.

July 7th 1861 Capt. Rudd of the Steamer USS Resolute removed an ingenious device set adrift by the confederates form Aquia Creek.


The Infernal Machine was removed from the Patomac as it drifted towards the Pawnee.

This description was sent to the Navy Department ---

"Two large 80 gallon oil cask perfectly watertight, acting as buoys, connected by 25 fathoms of 3 and one half inch rope, buoyed with large squares of cork, every two feet secured to casks by iron handles, A heavy bomb of boiler iron fitted with a brass tap and filled with powder, was suspended to the casks six feet under water. On top of the cask was a large wooden box, filled with fuse in a gutta percha tube. In the center of the cork was a platform with a great length of fuse that coiled away, occupying the middle of the cask."

OH THEM CRAFTY CONFEDERATES !

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Other Battle of Iron Clads !

I'm sure we all have read about the battle between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor.
It happened just a few miles from where I live.

While I was looking around in my book collection I found this.

The Confederate RAM "ARKANSAS" vs The Union Gunboat Carondelete.

JULY 15th 1862.
 July 14th-15 miles above Vicksburs the union gunboats Tyler and Corondelete ( sent by Commorde Farragut to survey the Yazoo river and locate the ARKANSAS.
About 7:00 pm the union ships anchored for the night, the next morning they steamed up river.
Soon Capt Gwin of the Tyler saw a plume of smoke he assumed was from the ARKNANSAS which was rapidly advancing on the Tyler, A thunderous report was heard and a huge round of shot went howling over the deck of the Tyler. Capt. Walke of the Carondelete ordered the Tyler to steam at full speed to alarm the fleet and advise it to prepare for the Confederate Monster.

In Ten minutes the ARKANSAS and Carondelete were along side each other and the battle started.
The  two ships fought a desperate dual, The heavily clad ARKANSAS showed little effect from the direct hits, while shot from the ARKANSAS passed clear through the Carondelete.

Seeing his predicament Capt Walke ran along side the Confederate ship and Grappled her, The Union sailors quickly boarded the ARKANSAS but could find no way to engage their foe. The Confederates had gone below and sealed the hatches. 

This battle is reported to have been a draw, just as with the Virginia and Monitor.



This is what it's all about !

June 11 1863, Confederate forces cross the Potomac !

A lot of people seem to know what is in the hearts and minds of we who choose to fly the Battle Flag to honor our ancestors. They seem to think we have a hidden agenda, calling us the Klan, Neo Confederates, or whatever other convenient derogatory term comes to mind.

As for me and many others, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT !
It's the Soldiers Flag ! Not the KKK, or Neo-Nazis !

It's the flag our ancestors followed into battle and rallied around.

Makes me Damn Proud to be from the South !
And you can quote me on that !!

DT.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Will of Obedieance Tatum 1821

Wow talk about inflation !
My Great Grandfathers aunt, Obedieance Tatum left a will that list everything she owned!

I guess by the standard of the times she was very well off.

If you download the pictures and put them in Windows Picture viewer you can zoom in and easily read the list. 

JC Tatum made this copy of the will !



Insight into the Bermuda Hundred.

The VA Flaggers put up a flag along I-95  near the Bermuda Hundred road.



I found a bit of info about the area in family journals.


( Download the picture, put it in windows picture viewer and you can zoom in )

FYI !

DT.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Howitzer shenanigans !

An amusing story from-- 
 
REMINISCENCES   
of the First Company 
Richmond Howitzers 

By T. J.MACON, 
 
  
 
It was at Mead's Farm that a piece of fun occurred. 
At the battle of Manassas, an ambulance with a horse 
was captured. The ambulance was a clumsy affair, 
shaped like a large box poised up on two wheels, with 
a seat in front, and doors in the rear, with shafts 
attached to it. At Fairfax Court House two recruits, 
brothers, joined the Company, Benjamin and John 
Grover. Benjamin was the youngest, not over sixteen 
or seventeen years old. He was as wild and unlettered 
as a Comanche Indian. Ben was detailed as driver of 
the ambulance. He used it to sleep in. One night, 
when he was sleeping soundly, a cannoneer tied his 
feet to the seat, and threw the shafts up. His feet 
were up and his head down, He bellowed like a good 
fellow. His brother came to his assistance, and cut 
him down. Ben complained to Captain Shields of the 
treatment he had received. The Captain took the situ- 
ation in at once and told Ben that he should have re- 
dress for the ill treatment. The Captain said that he 
would hold the guard that Avas on duty the night it 
occurred responsible. The guard consisted of six can- 
noneers. They were court-martialed. Everything was 
conducted in accordance with army regulations, charges, 
specifications, and finding of the court. Lieutenant 
Henry Williams was judge-advocate; Taylor Martin was
 prosecuting attorney; Robert Styles was Benjamin's
 counsel. The finding of the court was, that the 
guard was guilty, and the punishment named was that 
each member of the guard was to be bumped three times, 
kneeling on all fours, using Benjamin as a battering 
ram. I was appointed sheriff, to execute the sentence. 
I appointed James Ellett my deputy. Several of the 
guards were staid and dignified fellows, and they did 
not relish the procedure, yet there was no evading it. 
The speeches made were of the highest order, and 
abounded with wit, humor and pathos. 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

What would you do ?

OK this is for anybody who wants to jump in and comment.

An army is gathering at the border of your hometown, an invasion is imminent.

What would you do ?  Fight to protect you home, or roll over ?

All answers are welcome as long as you STICK TO THE QUESTION !

DT.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Who was the Confederate soldier?

So who was the Confederate soldier?
He was a man of every color, every income range, every religion, a man who was highly educated or had no education at all. A farmer, a lawyer, a politician, a store clerk, a blacksmith, a ship captain, a dock worker, a military man, a civilian, a slave , a slave owner,A free Black man, a native American, A Doctor, He was every man who resisted the despotic Government of Abe Lincoln; and all had one thing in common, they were Southerners!

Men to whom Honor was more than an idea, it was a way of life.
Men of courage, outnumbered, without supplies’, Men who when the enemy had repeating rifles and endless amounts of ammunition , stood their ground and threw rocks at the invaders.

Men who at Appomattox upon General Lee’s return from the surrender told the general,
“Just give us the word general and we’ll charge em again”!

That is who they were, and that is why we honor them


.

Friday, October 11, 2013

More stuff you won't find in Text Books.

The attached story if from
Reminiscence of The Richmond Howitzers
By TJ Macon


Sounds like something I would be involved in !



DT.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

JC Tatum a Confederate Soldier remembers--

It's a rainy day, just perfect for going over old family records.
I ran across a page written by JC Tatum, My great grandfather, written 30 years after the War Between the States.

" After an interval of over thirty years of time my memory takes me back to my wartime days 
(1861 1865) it seems strange about my experience as a Confederate soldier , yet it is true. And that I am proud today as a prince of that experience 
. I rejoice with exceeding great joy to know that I and my brother William were  soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia and that I lived in the same days and generation and breathed the same liberty loving atmosphere as Generals Lee and Jackson and that incomparable host of patriots whose valor and  heroic achievements for our cause has challenged the admiration of the civilized world .
My brother and I did our duty to the last, we had guns and used them in many hard fought battles to our satisfaction, without either being taken prisoner or receiving only slight wounds once in a while"
                                                                                                         John C Tatum


I guess rainy days are good for something !

DT.


 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

House cleaning !


 


Notice anything missing ?

I cleaned house on 99% of the I-95 stuff, and all the other Who-ha.

so I hope ya saved what ya wanted !

I'm gonna try to get back to the original intent of the blog, which was to show the WBTS from the soldiers viewpoint.

Yea, I got caught up in a lot of time wasting arguments.

I'm waiting for my computer to come home, the hard drive died and I ain't sure how much if any thing will come back.

So I'm gonna focus on the Richmond Howitzers and other Confederate view points, from the man in the field
at the time it happened.

Sorry I got caught up in the dumb stuff,  I will try and do better.

DT.