Download History 202 Meeting of Minds Character Questions - Linn

Louisa May Alcott: First, I'll ask when and where Louisa May Alcott was born. Then,
I'll ask how she and her family felt about the issues of slavery and secession in the years
before the Civil War. Did they have strong feelings about slavery? If so, what were those
feelings? And how dedicated was she and family to preserving the Union? Who were the
best known friends of her family, and how did they influence her views on these
subjects? When the war began, how old was she, and did she have any men friends or
relatives who volunteered for the Union army? Why did Louisa decide to help the Union
cause, when did she begin to be a nurse and to care for wounded, and where was this?
How did she react to what she saw? Here, I'll ask you to tell us one particular story from
her writing about the sad and gory things she saw while helping the soldiers? How long
did she continue as a nurse before she returned home? Did she get sick, and if so, what
was the disease and how long did it last? What did her family think of her work--were
they proud of her or did they think she was foolish? What was the name of the book
which she wrote about her nursing experience? Did she help the Union cause in other
ways besides nursing? I'll also ask about one of her most famous books, "Little Women"-when did she write this, and what did she write about her family or herself during the
Civil War in the book? Finally, I'll ask what we can learn about women in the Civil War
from her story.
Bloody Bill Anderson: I'll first ask when and where Bill Anderson was born. Then, I'll
ask how he felt about the major issues facing the North and South as he grew up,
especially slavery and secession. Did he have a strong opinion on these topics? If so,
what were his opinions? If not, why not? Then, I'll ask where he was living when the
Civil War began in 1861--did he have a career or job? If so, what was it? Did he favor the
Confederacy strongly when the war began, or did something happen to push him toward
the South? You should talk about the deaths of some women he knew while they were in
prison, and then describe how he reacted to their deaths. Why did he become a guerilla
leader? Why didn't he join the regular Confederate army? When did he raiding and
guerilla fighting begin? How many guerilla did he ride with, and how soon did he
become the leader of a band? How did he and his fellow guerillas try to damage the
Union army--was it mostly ambushes of soldiers? Capturing of supplies? Or was it a
combination of these? How did he get his nickname "Bloody" Bill? Did he and his men
kill pro-Northern civilians? Did they murder or hang people? How did they mutilate their
victims? Scalping? Cutting off body parts? Don't spare any details. Then, I'll ask you
about the infamous raid at Centralia, and I'll ask what happened--be ready to tell us this
story in detail. When did Bill himself get killed, and how did it happen? Why did he kill
so viciously? Was it being mentally deranged? Or was it just something which he found
that he enjoyed? You should rely on the theories provided in your sources. Finally, I'll
ask what "Bloody" Bill's career can teach us about the Civil War.
Lewis Armistead: I'll first ask you when and where Armistead was born, and about his
education as a soldier--did he go to West Point? How well did he do there? Where was
he stationed in the army before the Civil War, and what was the highest rank he earned?
Then, I'll ask about his friendship with Winfield Scott Hancock--when and where did
they meet and how close was their friendship in California? How many years did they
stay in California as friends? Then, I'll ask about why Armistead chose the South when
the war came, and how Hancock chose the North. How did Armistead feel about leaving
his friend Hancock to fight on the other side? Tell us about the pledge they made not to
fight against each other in the war if possible. Then, I'll move to Armistead's career
during the war--what were the major battles he fought in and how many troops did he
command as part of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia? I'll them move to the battle of
Gettysburg--what happened to Armistead and his men on July 3, during Pickett's Charge?
How did Armistead die? He knew that Hancock's men were opposing him, and did
Armistead ever get to see Hancock on that day before he died? Where was Armistead
buried? Finally, I'll ask what the story of Armistead and his friendship with Hancock can
teach us about the Civil War.
Clara Barton: First, I’ll ask where Clara Barton was born, and what experience with
nursing or healing others did she have when she was young? How did this influence her,
and how was she influenced by Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War? Why didn’t
Clara Barton marry and have children when she was a young woman? What made her
more independent than other women of her time? Then, I’ll ask why she favored the
Union and the North when the Civil War broke out—was she strongly against slavery or
an abolitionist? Or was her loyalty to the North and the Union more about her desire to
keep the Union together? When the war broke out, what job was she doing, and where
was she living, and were there many other women doing that type of job? Then, we’ll
move to her nursing—when and why did she first decide to nurse soldiers? In which
battle did she start her nursing, and how did she try to help the wounded soldiers? What
did she do for them? Did she join a nursing organization and receive training, or did she
simply go to the Union army and offer her help? How did the male doctors respond to
her? I’ll also ask about her experience as a nurse during the Battle of Antietam? How
close to the fighting was she while she was nursing the soldiers? What were the
conditions like? Here, you should give gory details of the blood, the wounds, and how
one wounded man was killed by a bullet which went through her sleeve. Did she assist
in surgery and amputations, or did she mainly apply bandages, feed men, and comfort
them? Did Clara Barton stay in one area during the war to serve as a nurse, or did she
follow the armies far and wide to help the wounded? Then, we’ll move to her search for
missing soldiers after the war—how and why did she get involved in this effort? How
successful was she at finding out what happened to soldiers and letting their families
know? About how many soldiers did she find—either dead or alive? Finally, we’ll move
to her life after the war and her role as founder of the American Red Cross. How did she
get this idea? When did she first organize the American Red Cross, and what was its
purpose? How long did Clara Barton lead the organization before she died?
Mary Mother Bickerdyke: I'll first ask where Mary Bickerdyke was born. Then, I'll ask
about her life before the Civil War began--did she marry and have a family? Did she
enter a profession? Was she a nurse already with experience when the war began? Why
did she side so strongly with the Union? Was it her views against slavery, or was it her
deep feeling for the Union? Then, I'll ask how she got involved with helping the Union
soldiers with their health and sanitation. What motivated her to volunteer and to go to the
armies to inspect the conditions in the camps and hospitals? Was she working with the
U.S. Sanitary Commission, or did she work independently on her own? Where and when
did she first visit the soldiers' camps, and which Union army did she visit? What were the
conditions in the hospital and camp, and what did she do to improve these conditions?
You should tell us a particular story here, with lots of gory detail, to illustrate how things
were and how Mary was determined to improve it. What did she teach the soldiers about
proper drinking supply, preventing disease, cleaning up, and cooking? Did she meet
much opposition from Union officers because she was a woman? If so, how did she deal
with it? Did she ever back down in the face of this opposition? Here, you should find a
good story to illustrate her courage and her determination. Why did the soldiers
nickname her "mother"? How did she get along with the soldiers and what did she call
them? Did Mary travel and stay with one particular army, or did she travel from one
army to another, coordinating sanitary work and improving health conditions? What did
Union General Sherman say about Mary when one of his officers complained that she
was interfering too much with his men and his camp? Is there any particular episode
which dramatically shows how Mary's actions actually saved lives? Did she write about
her experiences during the war? Was she paid for all of her work, or was she strictly a
volunteer? If there's time, I'll ask about how long Mary lived after the war, and what she
did as a profession afterward. Finally, I'll ask what we can learn today from studying her
life.
John Wilkes Booth: I'll first ask where and when John Wilkes Booth was born, and why
he grew up sympathizing with the South rather than the North. What did he do for a
living before and during the Civil War? How did he help the Confederate cause when the
war began? Did he enlist to fight for the Confederates? Why or why not? What was his
opinion of President Lincoln during the war? Then, I'll ask you about his plot to kidnap
Lincoln--who were the people who helped him develop this plan? What did he plan to do
with Lincoln once he kidnapped the president? Did Booth ever try to kidnap Lincoln?
Did he ever come close to trying this? Then, I'll ask when Booth changed his plan to
killing Booth. Who else was in on this plot, and who besides Lincoln was going to be
killed? What was Booth's hope by doing this? Did he think the South could still win its
independence this way? Or was he just after revenge, or a combination of both? Then,
we'll move to the day of the assassination--we saw a brief summary in the video
yesterday, but I'd like you to go into more detail and how Booth prepared for the
assassination. You should describe what happened, and how successful the other parts of
the plot. What did Booth really cry out as he leaped onto the stage? Where did he go
after he left the theatre? Did he find a doctor to work on his leg and who was the doctor?
Did this doctor get into trouble for doing this? What did Southerners think of Booth--did
they praise him as a hero or condemn his murder of Lincoln? How many days was Booth
on the loose, and when and where was he caught? What are some of the thoughts he left
in his diary during this time? How as Booth killed? Why didn't Booth surrender? Finally,
I'll ask what we can learn from studying his life.
Belle Boyd: I'll start by asking where and when Belle Boyd was born, and then I'll ask
about why she was such a strong Southern patriot during the Civil War, and why she
decided to become a spy. Was she approached by someone in the Confederacy to spy, or
was she inspired to help by Stonewall Jackson and his Shenandoah Valley campaign, or
was it something else? I'll also ask about her specific spy missions: what kind of
information did she get, how did she get it, and then how did she get it to the
Confederates? How did she help Stonewall Jackson's troops during the Shenandoah
Valley campaign? Did she ever get caught or come close to being caught? How long
was she a spy--throughout the entire war or for just short periods of time? Besides
spying, how else did she help the Confederate cause? I'll also ask if her family suffered
because of the war and the invasion and destruction of the Shenandoah valley, and then,
if there's time, I'll ask you to summarize her life after the war. I believe she became an
actress, so you should tell us briefly about that. Finally, I'll ask you why we should still
learn about Belle Boyd today and what she can teach us?
Matthew Brady: I'll first ask where and when Matthew Brady was born. Then, I'll ask
how and why he became interested in photography. Did he know he wanted to study it
when he was young? Where did he learn the craft of photography and when did he open
his first photography business? What type of photographs did he specialize in before the
Civil War began, and how successful was his business? Then, after the Civil War began,
how did he expand his business and what kinds of photographs did he mostly take early
in the war? Why did he decide to start photographing the dead after battle, and what was
the first battlefield that he went to? When did Brady set up his exhibit of Antietam
photographs in his studio, and how did the public respond to them? Did Brady himself
take most of these dead soldier photos, or did he hire people to take most of the
photographs? Did his workers often pose the dead to make shots look more pitiful or
dramatic? How many people worked for him during the war? Also, I'll ask how long it
took to take a photograph and then how long it took to develop it then. How many
photographs of President Lincoln did he take, and which one of these has became the best
known? I'll put an image of it up on the screen. I'll also ask you to tell us about the
portrait which he made of Robert E. Lee shortly after the war ended (Lee is standing on
the steps of his home), and also, I'd like you to show his photograph of a dead soldier
after the Battle of Gettysburg. I'll put them up on the screen, and then I'll ask you to talk
about when the photographs were made, and what messages Brady was trying to express
in the photographs. I'll ask you about how many photographs Bradys and his workers
made during the war, and then, I'll ask what happened to his photographs of the war after
1865, when the war ended. Where did they end up? How much money did Brady make
off them? Finally, I'll ask what Brady's photographs of war can teach us today about how
photos and other images can influence peoples' attitudes toward war.
John Brown: First, I’ll ask where and when John Brown was born, and where he grew
up. What were the young John Brown’s views about slavery while he was growing up?
How religious was he when he was young? Did he have a conversion experience or
vision, or did he grow up religious because of his family? How old was he when he
stood up in church and pledged to end slavery? Where did this happen, and what were
Brown’s exact words? What types of jobs did John Brown do to make a living when he
was a young man? Was he ever able to make himself successful at any of these jobs?
Did he travel widely or did he live in one place for a long time? How many times did
John Brown get married and how many children did he have? How did Brown try to help
freed slaves or free black people during his early life? Why did Brown decide to go to
Kansas and fight pro-slavery forces there, and once he got there, what did he do to some
pro-slavery families? How many of these pro-slavery settlers did Brown and his sons
kill, and how did they kill the settlers? Did Brown face any legal prosecution for this act,
or did he escape? When did Brown come up with the idea to raid Harper’s Ferry, and
why did he pick Harper’s Ferry? How much damage did Brown hope to do to slavery
with this raid, and how many slaves did he think he could free? What was his plan for
the raid? Give us plenty of detail, a blow by blow account of what Brown expected to
happen. How did he prepare for this raid? Did he consult abolitionist leaders and ask for
help, and if so, did they help him with money or supplies? What types of weapons did
Brown buy in preparation for the raid? On what day and year did the raid take place, and
how well did Brown’s plan work at first? When and why did things begin to go wrong?
What were Brown’s biggest mistakes or biggest miscalculations, and how did they hurt
his chances for success? Where did Brown and his men get surrounded, and how long
was it before troops showed up? Which regiment of troops were sent to Harper’s Ferry
and which officer commanded them? How long did it take the troops to storm Brown’s
defense, and in the process, how many of Brown’s men were wounded and killed? Was
Brown himself wounded, and if so, how did it happen and what kind of wound did he
suffer? When was Brown’s trial, what were the charges against him, and who was the
jury—civilians or military officers? After he was found guilty, on what day was Brown
hanged and where? On that day, Brown handed a note to one of his jailers—what did the
note say? Did Brown say anything to the crowd before his execution? How did
moderate Northerners and abolitionist Northerners respond to Brown’s raid and death?
How did most Southerners react to Brown’s raid? How did Brown’s failed raid lead to
the rise of the Confederate army , even before the Civil War began? In the end, although
Brown failed to end or even to weaken slavery, did he succeed because of the Civil War
and the eventual freedom of the slaves?
Anthony Burns: First, I’ll ask where and when Anthony Burns was born, and what life
was like for him growing up as a slave. Did he stay with one slave master, or was he sold
at least once? What job or jobs did he do as a slave? Was he able to learn to read and
write as a slave? Was he whipped? Did he know his parents? Then, I’ll ask when and
how he escaped. How old was he when he got to the North? Who helped him escape, and
how well did he do in Boston finding a job and making a living? How long had he been
in Boston when he was re-captured by his former slave owner? What happened when
Burns was put in jail in Boston? How did abolitionists try to free him? Did they resort to
violence? Did they storm the jail? Did anyone get wounded or die in this attempt? Did
the abolitionists try to buy Burns’ freedom? In the end, how long did Burns stay back in
slavery before his freedom was bought? Then, where did he settle and how did he join
the campaign against slavery? Was he an effective anti-slavery speaker? Did he write
his story as a slave and a freed slave? Did he fight in the Civil War, and did he get
married and have a family which was free? How important was his re-capture in 1854 in
pushing the nation toward Civil War? What can we learn today about race in America
from his story? What moral lessons can we draw from his story which can inspire us
today?
Fanny or “Fan” Butler: First, I’ll ask where and when Fanny Butler was born, and who
were her parents were. Where did Fanny grow up, and what kind of education did she
receive? How much contact with slaves did the young Fanny have while she was growing
up? Did she visit her father’s plantations in Georgia during her childhood? How old was
Fanny when her parents got divorced, how did Fanny feel about the split, and with which
parent did Fanny live after that? Which parent was she closer to, and why? Where was
Fanny living during the American Civil War, and what was her opinion of the issue of
secession and slavery? Did she support or oppose slavery? How did she react when her
father lost his slaves during the war? When did her father die, and why did Fanny decide
to run her father’s farms and hire African American workers? What did Fanny think of
the former slaves whom she hired as free workers? How did the “share cropping” system
work under which Fanny hired black workers? Were there written contracts between her
and her workers, or did she operate on verbal promises? How well did this sytem work
for Fanny? Did she make the farms profitable and did she make a profit? How did the
system work for her workers—did they also prosper? What kinds of conflicts did she
face with her workers during this time, and how did she try to resolve them? How
successful was she at resolving them? How much did Fanny deal with the Freedman’s
Bureau, and what did she think of it? Did Fanny marry and have a family on the
plantation? What were her political views during Reconstruction? Was she a Democrat or
a Republican, and what did she think of the Ku Klux Klan and their terror activities
against black people? When and why did Fanny Butler die, and how big were her farms
at the time of her death? Did her workers gain enough wealth to become land owners
themselves, or did Fanny’s policies help keep them confined to being poor workers?
Tunis Campbell: For Tunis Campbell, I'll first ask when and where he was born and
where he grew up. Then, I'll ask what kind of an education did he receive? I'll also ask
about the prejudice or discrimination which he faced growing up black. I'll ask about his
role in the Civil War? Did he fight for the Union or serve in another capacity during the
war? How did he try to help the freed slaves of the South? After the war, how did his
political career start? What party did he belong to, and what was the first political office
which he held? What was the highest political office he held during Reconstruction, and
how long did he serve in this office? What were his main goals and what did he actually
manage to achieve during the Reconstruction period? Did he face threats and physical
violence from the Ku Klux Klan or other white groups? Was his life in danger? How did
he respond to this danger? How and why was he expelled from Congress, and how did he
get back to Congress, and for how long did he serve in Congress altogether? I'll also ask
how he ended up on a chain gang and in prison for a year, and what he did after that.
Finally, I'll ask what we can learn about race relations then but also what his story can
teach us today, when we are still dealing with problems between black and white
Americans.
William Carney: First, I'll ask where and when he was born and what his name was when he
was young. How did he gain his freedom from slavery, and how did his father help get William
free? Where did William live in the North once he escaped from slavery, and how did he take the
last name "Carney"? What kind of education did he get in the North, and what profession was he
thinking of pursuing in the years just before the Civil War? When did William join the 54th
Massachusetts regiment, why did he join, and how old was he at this time? What were his
feelings about helping to end slavery and how did he think African Americans fighting in the war
would help improve their lives after the war? What was his rank in the 54th Massachusetts and
how much military action did he see before the attack on Fort Wagner in July 1863? Then, we'll
move to the Fort Wagner attack. How did Carney end up holding the regimental and Union flag,
or the "colors"? How did he get pinned down by Confederate fire, and what kind of protection
did he have? How many times was Carney shot by the Confederates, and what part of his body
was hit each time? How did he manage to get back to the Union lines despite being wounded?
Did he hang on to the colors all during this time, or did he have to give them to some other
soldier? How did his fellow Union soldiers, both white and black, respond to Carney when they
saw him coming back from the battle? How serious were Carney's wounds, and how long did he
take to recover from them? Did he see any military action later in the war, or was his service
over after Fort Wagner? Where did he live after the war, who did he marry, and did they have
children? When did Carney receive the Medal of Honor? Was he still alive to receive it, and why
did it take so long after the war for him to get the award? How did his wounds impact his health
after the war, and when did he die? How many African Americans received the Medal of Honor
before Carney won his medal?
Mary Chesnut: First, I’ll ask when and where Mary was born, and what her maiden
name was. Then, I’ll ask about the kind of educations he got, and about the main subjects
which she learned. How wealthy was her family? Did she have relatives in high political
positions? If so, what were they? Did her family own slaves? What was Mary’s opinion
about slavery? Did she mostly support it, and why? Or did she criticize it? If so, why?
Then, I’ll ask when and how she met James Chesnut, and when they married? What
places did they live during their marriage, and which of the places they lived did Mary
like the most, and why? How many children did Mary have? How much did Mary like to
go to parties, socialize, and gossip? How interested was she in politics and the issue of
slavery which led to the war? When the war broke out, where was Mary and how much
of the first battle of the war did she see? When and why did she start writing a diary? As
the war went on, did she write much about various battles? Which ones? What did she
write after the Union navy captured New Orleans? What did she think was the main
reason for Confederate defeats? What did she think of the job Jefferson Davis did as
president of the Confederacy, and what did she think of Varina Davis, the First Lady of
the Confederacy? How much did she write about relationships and personalities? I
would like you to read at least two paragraphs from her diary—one focused on a battle
and the war effort, and another quotation to illustrate how she wrote about other peoples’
personalities. How many of Mary’s friends died or were wounded during the war? Was
she critical of people in her diary, or did she avoid making moral judgments about them?
As the Confederacy’s condition got worse and worse, how dark did Mary’s mood
become? Did she have illnesses? Did the Union army destroy or damage her family’s
plantations or property? How much was left of her property when the war was over?
After the war, how long did she work on her diary, and did she ever publish it in her
lifetime? How long did she live? Finally, what are the most important lessons we can
learn about the Civil War from her diary?
Kate Cumming: I'll first ask when and where she was born. Then, I'll ask why she was
devoted to the Confederate cause, and why and how she became interested in being a
nurse. Did she have any preparation for nursing, or did she learn it as she went? I'll also
ask where she served as a nurse and with what arm she served, and I'd like you to
describe two or three of the experiences which she describes in her journal, to illustrate
what her daily life was like. Make these experiences good and gory. What was the
hardest part of being a nurse? What was the worst thing she saw? What were the most
important ways in which she helped the soldiers? What about writing letters, bandaging
wounds, feeding, and the rest? Did she ever help with surgery or amputations? Did she
ever treat or nurse Yankee soldiers? I'll ask about her family while she was away as a
nurse--did they keep in touch, and how did her family help her? After the war, when did
she write her Civil War memories? Did she continue to work as a nurse or in a related
field? Did she marry and have a family?
George Armstrong Custer: For Custer, I'll first ask where and when he was born.
Then, I'll ask why he wanted to go to West Point and be a military man--were
members of his family in the military? Or did he crave the adventure and the
honor that went with being a military hero? Why did Custer believe in the Union?
Was he against slavery, or did he care more about the political union staying
together? I'll then ask about his performance at West Point--when did he
graduate, and what rank did he place in his graduating class? What was his
personality like at that time? Did people tend to like him or dislike him, and why?
How many demerits did Custer have by the time he left West Point? Who were a
couple of Custer's good friends at West Point who ended up fighting for the
Confederates, against Custer? Next, we'll move to his Civil War experience-which regiment did Custer first enlist with when the war broke out? What was his
military rank at the start of the war, and how far up in rank did he rise by the
end of the war? Was he a cavalry commander at the very start of the war, or
did that come later? What was Custer's first main battle in the war, and what
role did he play in it? How did he react to battle--was he afraid, or did he like it,
and if so, why? I'd also like you to tell us the story of how he chased down a
Confederate officer to get the man's saddle. At which battle did this happen,
and what happened? Did Custer get this saddle, and if so, how? I'll then ask you
about Custer's role in the Union Peninsula Campaign of 1862--did he do much
fighting in that campaign, or was he mostly scouting? How did Custer feel about
General McClellan? Then, we'll move to Custer's role at the crucial Battle of
Gettysburg in 1863. What unit was Custer commanding at this time? What did
he and his men do during the battle to help the Union win it, and how important
was this action? How reckless was Custer at this battle? Did Custer ever get
wounded in battle during the war, and if so, in which battle, and where was he
hit? Finally, if there's time, I'll ask you Custer's role in the Battle of the Little
Bighorn, after the war. When and why did he lead his men into the Battle of the
Little Bighorn, and what happened to Custer on that day? He became a hero
after this defeat, but do you think Custer really deserved to be called a hero?
Why or why not?
Jefferson Davis: I'll first ask where and when Jefferson Davis was born, and how
wealthy his family was. Did they own many slaves and grow cotton? What kind of
education did he receive, and when did he become interested in politics? To which
political party did he belong, and what were his personal and political views on slavery?
Then, I'll ask when and how he met Varina Howell, and what he thought of her when he
met her. When did they get married? Did they share political views on issues like
secession and slavery, or was Varina more liberal than Jefferson? How many children did
they have? When was he elected to the U.S. Senate, and then when was he chosen for
Secretary of War? Then, we'll move to his reaction to Lincoln's election. Was Davis a
moderate who was cautious about secession or more of a radical or "fire-eater" who was
enthusiastic about secession? Why was he chosen as the President of the new
Confederate States of America, and how did he react when he learned the news? What
were Davis' best and worst qualities as president? How well did he get along with his
political allies and his generals? What was the main strategy which he favored in fighting
the war, and how did he try to keep up the spirit of the Southern people? What were his
physical problems and illnesses during the war, and how much of a toll did they take on
him? How close was Davis to Robert E. Lee, and did he always trust in Lee's judgment
on military matters? When did he first begin to doubt if the Confederacy could win its
independence? Did his popularity as President stay high, or did Southerners begin to
blame him personally when things didn't go well for the South in the war? When the end
came near in 1865, and the Union armies were closing in on Richmond, where did Davis
go? Did he get away, or was he captured? What happened to him after this? If there's
time, I'll ask how long he lived after the war, and how much he wrote about the war
afterward. Did he offer any explanation for why the Confederacy fought and why it lost?
Finally, I'll ask what we can learn today from studying his life.
Varina Davis: I'll first ask when and where Varina was born, and what he maiden name
was. I'll then ask about her political views, especially on slavery and secession? Was she
strongly in favor of both, or was she more moderate on those issues? Did her family own
a plantation and own slaves? How and when did she meet Jefferson Davis, and what did
she think of him when they met? How old was she and how old was he? What attracted
her to Jefferson and lead her to marry him? Did they agree or mostly disagree on
political issues of the day? When were they married, where was their plantation, and
how many children did she have with him? Then, I'll ask what life was like for her when
Jefferson Davis went to Washington, D.C. as the Secretary of War and also a U.S.
Senator. Did she enjoy it there, or did she prefer to be back home in Mississippi? Did
she support her husband's decision to go with the Confederacy when secession came?
When Jefferson Davis became president of the new Confederacy, what did she think of
it? Was she more joyous about it or more fearful? As the First Lady of the Confederacy
during the war, how did she try to help her husband and help the Confederacy? What
were the hardest things she had to endure during the war? What about the death of her
son? How did that happen and how hard did that hit her and her husband? Did Jefferson
Davis consult her on important decisions, or was she kept out of political discussions?
Did she defend her husband's reputation during the war, and how did the Southern people
feel about her? Was she more popular than her husband? Who were her main friends
during the war, and did they manage to still have a social life? Then, we'll move to the
end of the war--what happened when the Yankees took over Richmond in 1865? Did
Varina flee with her husband, or did she go separately with her family? Where did they
go, and when did they find out that Jefferson Davis had been captured? Was she captured
and put in jail, or did she have to go into exile? Where did she live after the war? You
should describe the book she wrote about her husband and how she continued to defend
him until late in her life. Did she ever re-marry? Why or why not?
Frederick Douglass: I’ll first ask where and when he was born, and who his father and
mother were. Did he have a chance to get to know either his father or his mother? Did he
grow up mostly without parental supervision? What was life like for him growing up as a
slave? What were his first jobs? Was he ever beaten or did he ever witness beatings?
What were the main restrictions which he faced, and how much food and clothing did he
get? How did Douglass try to learn how to read and write, and how successful was he?
Who was the person who tried to teach him to read and write? When and how did
Douglass escape from slavery and get North? You should describe his escape in some
detail. Once he was up North, where did he settle, and how did he continue the battle
against slavery? When did he write his autobiography, and how did the Northern and
Southern public respond to it? How much was he involved in John Brown’s raid on
Harper’s Ferry? Did he marry and have children? When the war broke out, how much
influence did Douglass have with President Lincoln on the issue of emancipation? How
often did Douglass speak with Lincoln, and was Douglass able to meet with Lincoln in
the White House? Did Douglass have a role in persuading Lincoln to issue the
Emancipation Proclamation? What was Douglass’ response to the Proclamation? Which
Union regiment did Douglass’ sons fight for, and how did Douglass himself help to
recruit this regiment? What happened to his sons during the war—did they survive? How
did Douglass react when the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, was passed? If there’s
time, I’ll ask about his career after the war as a champion of civil rights for black
Americans. Finally, I’ll ask what we can learn today from Douglass’ story about the
issue of race in America.
Elmer Ellsworth: First, I’ll ask where and when Ellsworth was born, and why and how
he became interested in serving in the military. Did he serve at West Point? What kind of
military training did he get as a young man? Did his father, grandfather, or other
ancestors serve in the military? Also, how did he meet Abraham Lincoln before the war,
and how close did he and Lincoln become? Did Ellsworth have strong feelings about
slavery, or was he more motivated by a desire to keep the Union together? What
regiment in the Union army did Ellsworth organize, and when did he do this? What made
this regiment unique, especially in their uniforms, but also in the background of the
soldiers? When the Civil War began, where was Ellsworth’s regiment stationed, and what
was Ellsworth’s rank? Then, we’ll move to the day on which Ellsworth died and became
a hero to the Union. You should tell the story of the day in as much detail as you can—
how Ellsworth saw the rebel flag above a hotel, how he took it down, and how the owner
of the hotel shot him. Did Ellsworth die immediately, or did he live for a while? What
were Ellsworth’s last words? What happened to the man who shot him? Then, I’ll ask
how Ellsworth was made into the first Union martyr and hero—what kind of funeral did
he have? How many people came to pay their respects? Was President Lincoln there,
too? Did Lincoln give a eulogy? How did the newspapers describe him, and what about
the song written about him? How did his death help the Union in recruiting more soldiers
to the cause? Finally, what can we learn today from Ellsworth’s story about service to
our country but also about how the deaths of soldiers can be used for political purposes?
David Farragut: I’ll first ask where and when Farragut was born. Did he want to go
into the military and the navy from a young age? Was military service a tradition in his
family? Why did he want to serve in the navy, and when did he first join the navy? Since
there was no Naval Academy then, how did he get his training? Which wars did Farragut
serve in before the Civil War, how much combat did he see, and how far up the ranks did
he climb before the war started? When the war began, did Farragut have any doubts
about joining the Union? Was he an admiral from the start of the war? Then, I’ll move to
his first big victory, at New Orleans in 1862—how tough was this victory for Farragut?
What was his strategy and how well did it work? What were his best qualities as a
commander? How did his sailors and officers feel about him? Then, I’ll ask about his
role in the capture of Vicksburg in 1863—how did Farragut and his fleet contribute to
Grant’s capture of Vicksburg? Then, I’ll ask about his famous capture of Mobile Bay in
1864. What was Farragut’s strategy for capturing this city, how many obstacles did he
face, and how difficult was it for his fleet to overcome them? What famous statement did
Farragut make in the middle of this battle? How much control did Farragut have over the
Union blockade of Confederate ports? Was he able to improve the blockade and make it
tighter and more effective? If there’s time, I’ll ask how long Farragut lived after the war.
Nathan Bedford Forrest: I’ll first ask where and when he was born, and then I’ll ask
what his views were on the issues of secession and slavery in the years before the war.
Also, what did he do for a living before the war? How did he become so wealthy? Did he
own slaves or buy and sell slaves? Did he go to West Point or get any other formal
military training? When the war broke out, how soon did Forrest join the Confederacy,
and what kind of fighting unit did he create from his own money? How did he get men to
join this unit? What was Forrest’s main role or task as a cavalry leader? How often did he
lead his men on raids behind Union lines, and how successful were these raids? What was
his most famous and daring raid? How often did he and his cavalry scout for the infantry?
What was the role of Forrest and his cavalry at the battle of Shiloh? How did he avoid
surrender at Fort Donelson? What were some of the military principles which Forrest
followed when leading his men? You should tell us in Forrest’s own words and then
explain the principle. Make sure to include his famous saying: “Get there fustest with the
mostest”. Then, I’ll ask you about the battle which many consider his masterpiece: the
Battle of Brice’s Crossroads. When and where was this battle and what happened? How
did Forrest defeat the enemy? Why was it considered his greatest battle? I’ll also ask
about his role in the massacre of black soldiers at Fort Pillow in 1864. Did Forrest order
this? Did he know about it and just let it happen? Or did he try to stop it? How guilty was
he in this crime? Finally, if there’s time, I’ll ask about his role as the first leader of the Ku
Klux Klan after the war: why did he take this job, what was his goal as leader, and when
and why did he resign?
Nancy Franklin: I’ll first ask when and where Nancy Franklin was born. Then, I’ll ask
when she married, and who she married, and how many children she had. How did she
and her family make their living? How isolated were she and her family from other
people? Did Nancy or her family take sides with the North or the South when the Civil
War started? Did she have any views for or against slavery or for or against secession,
and what were those views? Even though she and her family lived in a Confederate state,
did she consider herself and her family part of the Confederacy or the South? Was she
hoping just to stay out of it, mostly? What about her sons? Did any of them join the
either the Confederate or Union army, or did any of them take sides one way or the other
or ride with raiders who were either pro-Union or pro-Confederate? Then, we’ll move to
the day she and her family were attacked while at their cabin—what day and year did it
happen, was it pro-Confederates or pro-Union men who attacked her family, and why did
they attack? What happened during the fight? Here, you should describe the event in as
much detail as you can, based on the article and other sources you can find. How many
of the attackers were killed and wounded, and how many of Nancy’s family members
were killed or wounded? After the attack, how did she and her sons react? Did she take
revenge, did she leave the area, or did she stay stubbornly? What was her attitude toward
the Civil War after this incident—did she become more involved in the war because of
this? How long did she live after the war, and how did the memory of this event live on in
her family through the years, right down to the present? Is there evidence which casts
doubt on the way her family descendants remembered the story? If so, what is the
evidence and what does it tell us about her and the attack?
Rose Greenhow: I’ll first ask where and when Rose Greenhow was born. I’ll also ask
when she first married, who she married, and how many children she had. Why was she
such a strong Southern and Confederate supporter? Then, I’ll ask when her husband
died, and where she lived at the time the Civil War began. I’ll also ask why she decided
to become a spy for the Confederates. Was it her idea or did someone in the Confederate
army or government ask her to be a spy? How did she get information from the Union
officers or from members of Congress? What type of information did she get from them?
What was her system for smuggling the information to the Confederates—did she go
South herself with it, or did she have couriers who took it? Was there a written code?
Where did the couriers hide the papers? How did Rose’s spying help the Confederate
army in the Battle of First Bull Run, which was the first major battle of the war? When
did Rose get caught, and how was she caught? Where was she put in prison, for how
long was she there, and what were the conditions like? How did she get out? Then, I’ll
ask about her mission to Europe—why did the Confederate government send her there,
how long was she there, and how successful was she in completing her mission? When
did she return to the South from Europe? Then, I’ll ask about her death at sea—where
was she, and what happened to cause her to drown? I’ll also ask about how her body
washed up on shore, and what she had with her. What kind of funeral service did she
receive from the Confederate government? Was she considered a hero for the Southern
cause? What happened to her daughter after her death? Finally, I’ll ask what her story can
teach us or how it can inspire us today.
Winfield Scott Hancock: I'll first ask you when and where Hancock was born, and about
his education as a soldier--did he go to West Point? How well did he do there? Where
was he stationed in the army before the Civil War, and what was the highest rank he
earned? Then, I'll ask about his friendship with Lewis Armistead--when and where did
they meet and how close was their friendship in California? How many years did they
stay in California as friends? What did Hancock call Armistead, and what name did
Armistead use to refer to Hancock? Then, I'll ask about why Hancock chose the North
when the war came, and how Armistead chose the North. How did Hancock feel about
leaving his friend Armistead to fight on the other side? Tell us about the pledge they
made not to fight against each other in the war if possible. Then, I'll move to Hancock's
career during the war--what were the major battles he fought in and how many troops did
he command as part of the Army of the Potomac? I'll them move to the battle of
Gettysburg--what happened to Hancock and his men on July 3, during Pickett's Charge?
He knew that Armistead's men were opposing him, but did Hancock ever get to see
Armistead on that day before he died? Finally, I'll ask what the story of Hancock and
his friendship with Armistead can teach us about the Civil War.
Julia Ward Howe: I'll first ask when and where Julia Ward Howe was born. Then, I'll
ask about her views on slavery and on secession before the Civil War. Was she strongly
anti-slavery? Was she also strongly for the Union? How did her religious views
influence her views about the Union? When did she marry, who did she marry, and how
many children did she have before the Civil War? What other social causes did she
support? When the Civil War began, where was she living, and had she written poetry or
songs by this time? What type of poetry or songs had she written? How did she help the
Union cause once the war began? Did she gather and send supplies or help as a nurse?
Then, we'll move to her famous song--when and how did the idea of the "Battle Hymn of
the Republic" come to her? Which event inspired her to write it? Did the words come
quickly to her, in a flash of inspiration? How long did it take her to write it, and did she
write it as a poem at first which later became a song? Did she think of the words only, or
the tune, too? Then, I'll ask you about the words, starting with the first verse: "Mine eyes
have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord . . and so on. What did she mean by these
words in the first verse? How many other verses did she write, and what was the main
overall message of her song? When was it first published, and how popular was it? How
much did the Union soldiers like it, and how often did they sing the song? I'd like you
the song on You Tube, and we'll play part of it for the class at this point, so they can hear
it. Finally, I'll ask how many other songs she wrote, and how successful they were.
Andrew Johnson: I'll first ask where and when Andrew Johnson was born. What was
his profession before he went into politics, and how and why did he first get involved in
politics? Where was he living when he held his first political office, and what was this
office? When did Johnson rise to become a senator? What political party did he belong to
and what were his views on slavery and secession? What made Johnson stay in the U.S.
Senate rather than resign and go to the Confederacy? Was his life threatened as a result?
How did he respond? Which position did Lincoln assign to Johnson during the first 3
years of the Civil War, and how well did Johnson do his job? Then, I'll ask why Lincoln
picked Johnson to be his vice presidential running mate in 1864. How did Johnson
embarrass himself and Lincoln during the 1865 inauguration? I'll then move to the plot
to assassinate Lincoln in April, 1865--was Johnson also to be killed as part of this plot?
Who was supposed to kill Johnson and why didn't it happen? After Lincoln died, how did
Johnson do as the president? What were Johnson's main goals for the Reconstruction of
the Confederate states, and what was Johnson's attitude toward the giving of the vote to
black men in the South? Why did he veto the bills which gave civil rights to blacks, and
what did the Republicans in Congress do in response to his vetoes? How did Johnson's
temper get him into trouble in his disputes with the Republicans? I'll ask when the
Congress impeached Johnson, and what charges they filed against him. I'll also ask if he
was removed from office, and what was the final vote count in the Senate was.
Historians have seen him as one of our worst presidents, serving right after our best
president--I'll ask you whether you agree with this view, and if not, why not?
Mary Lincoln: After asking when and where she was born, I'll ask if her family was
wealthy, if they had slaves, and what she thought about the issues of slavery and
secession. Was she strongly political one way or the other? When and where she met
Abraham Lincoln and what did she think of him? What were the most attractive features
of Abraham Lincoln to her? Did it bother her that Lincoln had been in love with Anne
Rutledge? When did Lincoln propose to her, and what did she think when he got cold
feet? Were there other men who wanted to marry her? What about Stephen Douglas?
Then, I'll ask if she wanted him to some day be president, and if she pushed him harder
toward this than he was pushing himself. When Lincoln was elected president, what was
it like for Mary in the White House? What about all her decorating and spending money?
How hard was it to go through the death of her sons during the war? Was she accused of
being a traitor since she was from a border slave state? Then, we'll move to the day of
Lincoln's assassination--what was her mood as she and her husband went to the theater
that day? How did she react when Booth shot and killed her husband? How hard was it
for her to stay stable after his death? Didn't she end up in an asylum at one point--when
and why did that happen? Finally, I'll ask what we can learn today from her story.
Mary Livermore: I'll first ask when and where Mary Livermore was born, and then I'll
ask you to summarize her life before the Civil War began. Did she get any formal
education? Did she marry and have children? Was she involved in the issue of slavery
before the war--if not, why not? If she was, how was she involved and how did she
oppose slavery? Then, I'll ask you how she got involved with helping Union soldiers and
the U.S. Sanitary Commission--when did she first join the Commission? What types of
things did she do for soldiers as part of the Sanitary Commission? You should give us
specific events from her book here. How far did she rise in the ranks of the Commission?
What qualities made her such an effective aid worker and leader? How many hours on
average did she work a day? I'll also ask you when she started visiting Union hospitals,
and what types of conditions she found there. What did she do to help clean up the
hospitals and what types of things did she do for the sick or wounded soldiers: cook
food? write letters? Did she encounter any interference or opposition from Union officers
or soldiers? How did she deal with that? How far did she travel in her attempts to help
get supplies to Union soldiers? Did the wounded and sick soldiers become attached to
her? What is one very sad and pitiful story about a soldier which she tells in her book?
Make it good and sad! If there's time, I'll ask you to briefly summarize her life after the
war, but we'll move quickly to the last question: why should we still study her life, and
what can we learn from her?
Margaret Mitchell: I'll first ask you when and where Margaret Mitchell was born? I'll
also ask about how and why she became interested in writing, and I'll ask about her
education, if she went to college, and what her career was when she started working. I'll
ask you if she had family members or ancestors who were in the Civil War, and what she
learned about the war from them. Did they give her a very sympathetic view of the South
in the Civil War, and a sympathetic view of slavery, too? I'll then ask you when and how
she got the idea of writing "Gone with the Wind" and how long it took her to write it.
You will need to tell the main storyline or plot of the novel, especially the relationship
between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, and Scarlett's love for Ashley Wilkes, who
married Melanie instead. You should also talk about what happens to the Tara plantation
where Scarlett lived in the book--how it was devastated by the war, and how Scarlett had
to struggle to keep it after the war. I will also ask you about how Mitchell depicted
slavery in the novel--the movie has been heavily criticized for depicting a rosy and
positive view of slaves and slavery. Was this also the case in the novel? Did she include
any negative or brutal scenes of slavery, or did all the slaves feel happy about being
slaves in the novel? Did Mitchell really care if her novel was historically accurate? I'd
like you to read a couple of quotations from the book--one about Scarlett and Rhett
Butler, and another to show how Mitchell depicted slavery. Did she do much historical
research for it, or did she present it as a novel, not worrying that it might not be
historically accurate? I'll then ask how popular the book was when it was published, and
if many people criticized it. Then, I'll ask whether Margaret Mitchell was involved in the
making of the movie in 1939, and what she thought about it. Did she think it accurately
portrayed her novel? Did she like the film? If there's time, I'll ask you about her life after
the book and the movie, and whether she wrote other novels. I'll also ask about the tragic
accident in which she died, if there's time. Finally, I'll ask why we should still read
"Gone with the Wind" today and what we can learn from it.
Solomon Northup: I'll begin by asking where and when Solomon Northup was born.
Although Solomon was not born a slave, had his father ever been a slave? If so, when and
how was he freed? Had his mother ever been a slave? How did his father make a living
when Solomon was young? What kind of education did Solomon get? Did he attend
private or public schools? Did he ever attend college, and if so, which one? Which
instrument did Solomon learn to lay well, and how old was he when he learned to play
it? Who influenced him in the direction of music? Who did Solomon marry and when did
they get married? Where did they settle and how many children did they have? What jobs
did Solomon did for a living? When did he move to Saratoga, New York? How well off
or wealthy was he? Then, we'll move to how he was kidnapped. Who plotted the
kidnapping, and why did they focus on Solomon? Was it his ability to play music or other
factors, too? How did Solomon meet these men, and why did he agree to go to
Washington, D.C. with them? When did Solomon arrive in Washington, D.C. and what
job or jobs did Solomon do while he was there? When was he kidnapped, and how did it
happen? What kind of drug was used to knock Solomon out? Where was he kept captive
in Washington, D.C., and how long was he there? How was he treated while he was
there? How often was he beaten and how badly, and how did he respond? When he was
sold, how much did the kidnappers get for him, and where was he taken? How long was
he at this first farm or plantation, who was his master, and what kinds of jobs did
Solomon do? What name did he go by during his years as a slave, and how did he get
this name? How was Solomon treated? How often was he beaten? How hard was it for
him to adjust to the life of a slave? What were the toughest challenges for him as a slave?
Did he tell people his real name and that he was free and was kidnapped? If not, why not?
When was Solomon sold to Mr. Eppes, and where was Eppes' plantation? How did Eppes
treat Solomon most of the time? What kind of work did Solomon have to do, and how did
Eppes punish him if this work was not satisfactory? Make sure you are very detailed in
your answer to this question. Who was Patesy, and what kind of relationship did she
have with Solomon? How did Eppes abuse Patsey, and how did Solomon respond to this
abuse, if at all? What was a typical meal for Solomon while he was with Eppes? Where
did he live and where did he sleep? What kinds of clothes did Solomon wear, and were
they adequate for the weather? What was the worst episode of abuse with Solomon
suffered under Eppes? How close to Eppes come to killing Solomon, and why didn't
Solomon die? What was Solomon's physical condition during these years--did he suffer
often from diseases? How much weight did he lose? How did Solomon and other slaves
get caught up in a conflict of power between Eppes and his wife? How did Solomon
suffer as a result of their conflict? During all this time, how did Solomon's wife and his
friends back in the North doing to try and find Solomon? Who eventually discovered that
Solomon was at the Eppes plantation, and how did they find out? Who came to get
Solomon and return him to freedom, and when did this happen? How did Eppes respond
and what legal measures, if any, did Eppes take to kekep Solomon in slavery? When was
Solomon returned to his family, and when did he return to his home in Saratoga? When
did Solomon start writing his book "Twelve Years a Slave" and when was it published?
How popular was the book and how many copies did it sell during its first 3 or 4 years of
publication? When and how did Solomon die?
John Pemberton: I'll first ask when and where John Pemberton was born. Then, I'll ask
when and why he decided on a military career, and if he attended West Point or other
military schools. I'll also ask how he met and married a Southern woman and where she
was from, and where they lived together. How many children did they have? Did his
wife influence Pemberton to become sympathetic to the views of the South on slavery
and secession? Did he own slaves? When the war broke out, how quickly did Pemberton
rise to the rank of general? When was he given command of the rebel army at
Vicksburg? Did he face opposition and suspicion because he was from the North? How
did Pemberton try to stop Grant in his campaign to surround and capture Vicksburg? Did
Pemberton do enough to stop the Union boats from running the batteries? Why couldn't
Pemberton's forces keep Grant from crossing the Mississippi below Vicksburg? Once
Grant's forces got across, why didn't Pemberton either evacuate Vicksburg and save his
army or either join with Johnston's army to attack Grant? What were Pemberton's orders
from Jefferson Davis? When the siege began, did Pemberton think of trying to break out
of Vicksburg? What kind of suffering did Pemberton's men go through during the siege,
and why did he surrender on July 4? How were his men treated when they surrendered?
Were they quickly paroled? What happened to Pemberton after Vicksburg fell--did he
ever command a Confederate army again?
Pickett, George: I'll first ask you where and when George Pickett was born. Then, I'll
ask you about why and when he decided he wanted to serve in the military. Did he have
family members or ancestors who had fought in the war, and if so, who were they?
When did Pickett start his education at West Point, and how well did he do as a cadet
there? When did he graduate, and what were his military assignments before the Civil
War? Did he see action in Mexico? What action did he see in the Oregon territory, and
what was his highest rank in the army before the Civil War. Then, we'll move to the
beginning of the Civil War--what regiment was Pickett originally with, and what was his
rank? How quickly did he become a general for the Confederates? Did he see any combat
action before the battle of Gettysburg? If not, why not? If he did, which battles did he
fight in before Gettysburg? At the battle of Gettysburg, how many men did Pickett
command, and what did he think about the order to charge the Union line on July 3? Was
Pickett eager to charge, or did he think it was an impossible mission? How many men
did Pickett lose during the charge, and how did Pickett feel after the battle? What
question did General Lee ask Pickett after the battle, and what was the answer from
Pickett? What were the main battles in which Pickett fought after Gettysburg? Was he
married during the war, or did he marry after the war? Did Pickett blame General Lee for
the defeat at Gettysburg on July 3, or did he blame Longstreet more? When did this
charge become known as "Pickett's" Charge, and why? How long did Pickett live after
the Civil War, and did he write about the charge at Gettysburg on July 3? What did he
write about it and his role in it?
Clifton Prentiss: Remember that for your character, you need to get the book by David
Jones titled "Two Brothers: One North, One South", which should be at OSU's library.
I'll first ask when and where Clifton Prentiss was born, and then I'll ask what his views
were about the issue of slavery, the expansion of slavery, and secession in the years just
before the Civil War. How close was Clifton to his brother William, and how were
William's views on these topics different? When the Civil War began, why did Clifton
fight with the Union rather than the Confederacy? How did Clifton feel about his brother
William fighting for the South? Were there hard feelings between them as they headed
off to war in different armies? Which regiment did Clifton serve in, and how many major
battles was he involved in? When and where was Clifton wounded, and how badly?
Where was Clifton taken to the hospital, and how did his brother William happen to end
up at the same hospital? Who was the person who served as a contact between them? Did
Clifton and William both survive the war? Remember that this book is a novel, but it's
based on real people and real events.
William Prentiss: Remember that for your character, you need to get the book by David
Jones titled "Two Brothers: One North, One South", which should be at OSU's library.
I'll first ask when and where William Prentiss was born, and then I'll ask what his views
were about the issue of slavery, the expansion of slavery, and secession in the years just
before the Civil War. How close was William to his brother Clifton, and how were
Clifton’s views on these topics different? When the Civil War began, why did William
fight with the Confederacy rather than the Union? How did William feel about his brother
Clifton fighting for the North? Were there hard feelings between them as they headed off
to war in different armies? Which regiment did William serve in, and how many major
battles was he involved in? When and where was William wounded, and how badly?
Where was William taken to the hospital, and how did his brother Clifton happen to end
up at the same hospital? Who was the person who served as a contact between them? Did
Clifton and William both survive the war? Remember that this book is a novel, but it's
based on real people and real events.
William Quantrill: After asking where and when he was born, I'll ask what William
Quantrill's views were on the issues of slavery and secession while he was growing up.
Did he have strong views one way or the other? What profession was he interested in?
What events or people influenced Quantrill to move westward toward Missouri and
Kansas before the Civil War? Did he get involved in the dispute between slavery and
anti-slavery people in Kansas during the 1850's? What pushed him to sympathize with
the Southern cause? I'll then move ahead to the time of the Civil War--when did
Quantrill volunteer for the Confederate army? Did he spend any time fighting as a
regular army officer in a regular army, or did he become a guerilla fighter quickly after
the war began? How many men were in his guerilla band? What kinds of attacks did
they lead against Northern troops or pro-Union citizens? Why did Quantrill lead a raid
against Lawrence, Kansas in 1863? What was his main goal? What happened to the town
and to people there--were civilians murdered? Was the town needlessly burned? If you
can find any quotes by Quantrill about Lawrence or his raiding, go ahead and read a
couple of them. Besides Lawrence, what's another example of the type of raid or battle
which Quantrill and his men waged during the war? Where did he operate mainly?
Missouri or Kansas? Were and his men ever soundly defeated by the Union? If so,
where? If not, why not? Was he ever wounded in battle? If so, where (both the location of
the battle and the place on his body where he was wounded). Then, I'll ask if Quantrill
and his men committed crimes or atrocities against civilians or other soldiers--what were
some of these atrocities. For example, did they take prisoners, or execute them? Did they
burn homes and take possessions and livestock? Did Quantrill consider himself a
"soldier" or something else? Did he survive the Civil War, and if so, where did he settle
after it? Finally, I'll ask why we should still study his life and what we can learn from
him today.
John Ransom: First, I’ll ask where and when John Ransom was born. Then, I’ll ask
when he enlisted in the Union army, what regiment he served with, and what his main
reasons for joining were. Was he strongly anti-slavery? Then, I’ll ask briefly about the
battles he fought in before he was captured, but we’ll move quickly to the battle in which
he was captured. When and where did this happen, and when did he arrive at
Andersonville prison in Georgia. Then, I’ll ask about the conditions there. What kind of
shelter, if any, did he have? How much food did he get, and what type of food was it?
What about the drinking water? Did he have to drink out of the soiled and contaminated
stream running through the middle of the camp? Did he get sick like so many others?
Was there a hospital and medical care available? How effective was it? Was he able to
dig a well to get fresher water? What about the guards—were they brutal toward him and
other prisoners? What was the “dead” line and did he see prisoners shot who went
beyond it? I’ll also ask about the other prisoners called the “raiders”, and how they
terrorized their fellow prisoners—stealing, beating, and even killing other prisoners. Did
Ransom take part in the capture and then the trial of the raiders? About how many
prisoners were dying per day in 1864 during Ransom’s stay in Andersonville? When did
Ransom get released from the prison, and what physical and mental condition was he in?
I’ll also ask what Ransom thought of Capt. Wirz, the commander of the camp, and
whether he thought Wirz was cruel by intention, or whether Wirz just didn’t have the
resources to do much better. Did Ransom take part in Wirz’s trial for being a war
criminal? Did he think the execution of Wirz was fair? Finally, I’ll ask why we should
still read Ransom’s diary and what we can learn about our current prisoners of war from
his experience.
Hiram Revels: I'll first ask when and where he was born, and whether he was born as
free or slave. What kind of an education did he receive? Did he go to college? If so,
which colleges, and what did he study? What was his chosen profession before the Civil
War? What kinds of racial discrimination and prejudice did he face as a black man in the
South, and did he ever face violence against him? Did he fight for the Union during the
Civil War? If not, what was he doing during that time? Then, I'll ask about his political
career--where did it start, which political party did he belong to, and what was the first
political office which he held? When the Civil War ended, where was he living, and why
did he decide to run for the Senate? Which white Southern politician had held this Senate
seat before the Civil War? What were the arguments made by his opponents against him
running for the Senate? How big was Revels' margin of victory in his race for the U.S.
Senate? What were his most important achievements as a senator in Washington, D.C.,
and how long did he serve? You should emphasize that he was the first black man ever
elected to the U.S. Senate (the second one ever was Barrack Obama). Why did Revels
stop his career in the Senate, or did others force him to retire? I'd also like you to quote
some lines from one of his speeches about the need for racial equality while he was in the
Senate. Did Revels serve in political office after his time in the Senate, and if not, why
not? Finally, I'll ask you what we can learn today from his story, and especially what we
can learn about race relations in America today.
Elisha Hunt Rodes: I'll first ask you when and where Elisha Hunt Rodes was born.
Then, I'll ask how old he was in 1861 when the Civil War began. Was he going to school,
or was he working? When did he enlist for the Union army? Was it right after Fort
Sumter when Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers, or was it later on? What did his
mother think of him enlisting? Did she try to keep him from doing it? Why did he enlist?
Was it because he was strongly against slavery, or was it more his love for the Union?
Once he volunteered, what was his regiment, and what was his rank? How long did it
take for his regiment to move out of Rhode Island, and where did they go? How did
Elisha feel about the war at this point? Was he enthusiastic about it, or nervous about it,
or a combination? How long did he think it would last? I'd like you to quote from his
diary to illustrate how he felt about these questions. Then, we'll move to his experiences
during the war--what was the first major battle where he saw action, and what happened
to him during the battle? What were his impressions of the battle? Here, too, you should
quote a short passage from his diary. How did this first battle change his view of war and
of the rebels? We'll then move on to the battle of Antietam, in September of 1862. What
was his role in this battle--how much fighting did he see on the day of battle? You should
describe the group of dead men and shattered cannons or battery which he describes in
his diary. What did Rodes think of General McClellan and how he pursued the rebels?
Was he frustrated with the lack of action? What did he think the army should do which it
wasn't doing? Then, I'll ask about his life in camp, when he wasn't marching or fighting,
which was how most of his time was spent. What did he do to spend his time in camp;
what were the favorite activities for him and other soldiers? Did he see other soldiers
doing things which he didn't like, and what were these things? We'll then move to 1864-what was Rodes' opinion of General Grant, and how did his mood change as the Union
army fought against Lee's army in 1864? Finally, I'll ask about how he reacted to the
Union victory in 1865, and to the death of Abraham Lincoln just a few days after Lee
surrendered. I'd also like you to read from his diary at this point
George Root: I’ll first ask when and where he was born, and then I’ll ask about why and
how he become interested in music. Was it his parents who motivated him, or someone
else? Where did he get his education, and how much formal training in music did he
receive? Did he play music and perform, or was he more interested in song writing early
on? When did he go into the music business? Did he start his own music store, and if so,
when and where? How successful was it? When the war broke out, where was he living,
and why did he side with the Union so strongly? Also, why didn’t he volunteer to fight
for the Union? I’ll then play a couple of his best known war songs: “Battle Cry of
Freedom” and “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp”. After we hear these songs, I’ll ask you to
describe the message in each song, and how popular they were during the war. Make
sure to know the setting of each song—for example, “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp” is about
Union prisoners of war waiting to be released. Then, I’ll ask you to list another couple of
his popular war songs, of your choice, and, if time permits, we’ll play selections from
them and I’ll again ask you to explain what they were about and their message. I’ll also
ask how many songs he wrote altogether during the Civil War for the Union and about
how much money he made during the war. If there’s time, I’ll also ask about his
songwriting career after the war. Finally, I’ll ask why we should still listen to his songs
today and what we can learn from them about the role of music during war.
Raphael Semmes: First, I’ll ask where and when Raphael Semmes was born, and what
kind of education he received growing up. What or who caused him to be interested in
serving in the military and in the navy in particular? Why did he eventually side with the
Confederacy? Did he or his family own slaves? Was he more motivated by the rights of
the South to secede than by a defense of slavery? Did he attend West Point? Or did he
follow another profession before the Civil War? When the war began, what military rank
and assignment did Semmes have? When did he become commander of a ship? How
successful was he as a naval commander? When did he first become captain of the
commerce raiding ship the “Alabama”? Was the “Alabama” his first commerce raider? If
not, what was the first ship and why did he switch to the “Alabama”? How successful
was Semmes and his crew at capturing or sinking Union ships and supply ships headed
for the Union? How many ships total did he sink with the Alabama, and how long was
he the captain of this ship? What made the Alabama so effective? Did it have sails, steam
power, or a combination of the two? How many guns did it have, and how fast could it
move? How did Semmes treat captured prisoners at sea? Did he take them on board to
take them to a port, or did he simply leave them to drown or risk drowning or being eaten
by sharks? Did Semmes and his crew get to keep some of the supplies and money which
they captured, or did they turn all of it over to the Confederate government? How
important was Semmes and his ship in keeping the Confederacy alive in 1864? How did
the Union finally capture and defeat the “Alabama” at sea, and where and when did this
happen? Was Semmes captured, or did he escape and continue to serve in the
Confederate navy? If there’s time, I’ll ask when he wrote his memories of the war, and
what the title was.
Phil Sheridan: First, I’ll ask where and when Phil Sheridan was born. Did he grow up
wanting to be in the military, and, if so, why? Did he have family members in the
military? Did he go to West Point? If so, how did he do there and when did he attend?
After West Point, what were his military assignments before the Civil War (make sure to
include his time in Oregon—he helped lay out Fort Hoskins out in King’s Valley), and
how far in rank did he move before the Civil War? When the War broke out, was
Sheridan still in the army, and how quickly did he volunteer for the Union? What
motivated Sheridan the most in wanting to fight for the Union? Was it opposition to
slavery? Or was it more a belief in the Union? Did he begin as an officer, and did he start
in the infantry or the cavalry? What major battles did Sheridan see action in? Was he
wounded in any of them? When did he first become a commander of Union cavalry, and
how long did it take him to rise to the rank of general? What were Sheridan’s best
qualities as a commander? What was Sheridan’s role in the battle of Missionary Ridge in
1863? What was his role in the invasion and destruction of the Shenandoah Valley in
Virginia in 1864? How did Sheridan help keep his troops from being completely
defeated in the battle of Cedar Creek in 1864? In destroying the resources of the
Shenandoah valley, did he deliberately destroy homes as well as crops? Did he troops
commit any atrocities against helpless civilians? How effective was his campaign in
robbing the Confederates of their major food supply? How was Sheridan involved in the
finally forcing Robert E. Lee to surrender his army in 1865? If there’s time, I’ll also ask
what he did after the war, and if he stayed in the military.
Harriet Beecher Stowe: I'll first ask where and when Harriet Beecher Stowe was born.
Then, I'll ask about her education--did she attend the equivalent of high school and go to
college? Or did she learn mostly at home with private teachers? Was her education
about equivalent to that which young men could get at the time? What about her feelings
toward slavery? Did she grow up a strong abolitionist? If so, why? Was it her parents'
teaching? Did she have any experiences which caused her to feel so strongly against
slavery? What were her religious views and how did they influence her anti-slavery
views? When did she marry, whom did she marry, and how many children did they
have? When and how did Harriet Beecher Stowe get the idea to write "Uncle Tom's
Cabin"? Did she have any first-hand knowledge of slavery? Had she lived in the South
or talked with slaves or slaveowners much? Did she base her main characters on any real
people, especially Uncle Tom? When did the story first appear, and in what magazine?
When was it published in book form? Then, I'll ask you to tell us the main plot and tell
us about the main characters in the novel, especially Uncle Tom but also Eliza running
away with her baby so it wouldn't be sold. How devout and honest was Uncle Tom? Why
did Eliza flee with her baby across the Ohio river? I'd like you to quote a passage from
about Eliza's escape, several sentences, to give us an idea of her writing style. How and
why did Uncle Tom go to the St. Clare family, and what was relationship with Eva like?
How did he then fall into the hands of Simon Legree, and what did Legree do to Tom or
try to make him do? How did Tom respond to Legree? I'd like you to read from the
section in which Legree tries to make Tom whip another slave, but Tom refuses while
still remaining respectful toward Legree. Then, I'll ask you to describe why and how
Tom died. What were the main messages which Stowe wanted to send through this
book? How did people in the North and South respond to it? What was Stowe's response
to those Southerners who claimed that she knew nothing about slavery? How many
copies did the book sell its first year of publication, and how many total copies have sold
over the years? There is a great website titled "Uncle Tom's Cabin and American
Culture", which, along with the novel itself, would be a great place to start your research.
George Templeton Strong: I'll first ask where and when George Templeton Strong was
born. Then, I'll ask about his family and his education--was he part of a wealthy family,
and which schools did he attend? When and where did he attend law school, and when
did he begin his practice of law? When did he move to New York City? Was his law
practice successful? How did he feel about the issues of secession and slavery in the
years before the Civil War? What political party did he belong to, and which presidential
candidate did he support in 1860? When did he get married, and what was his wife's
name? Did they have children together, and if so, how many? When did he start writing
a diary, and why did he do it? When Lincoln was elected and southern states starting
seceding, what did Strong think of them? When the firing on Fort Sumter happened on
April 12, 1861, what did he write in his diary for that day? I'd like you to quote from his
diary for this day. Did Strong support the war against the Confederacy, and if so, how
did he support the war effort? Did he consider enlisting in the army himself, and if not,
why not? How did he wife begin to organize relief for the Union soldiers? What did
Strong think of his wife going to work in this way? Did it trouble him? Did he learn to
appreciate his wife's talents and abilities more? I'd like you to quote a passage from his
diary in which he writes about his wife's relief efforts. As the war went bad for the
Union, who did Strong blame in his diary? Did he ever think the Union would lose the
war? When things got better for the Union after the victories at Gettysburg and
Vicksburg, what did Strong write in his diary? How did his opinion of President Lincoln
change as the war went on? Toward the end of the war, what did Strong think should be
done with the former Confederates? Did he favor punishing them for treason or giving
them an easy path to become citizens again? When Robert E. Lee surrendered his army in
1865, what did Strong write in his diary? I'd like you to quote here, too.
J.E.B. Stuart: You'll be J.E.B. Stuart. I'll first ask you when and where he was born, and
about his military education--for example, did he go to West Point? What other
schools did he attend? Then, what kind of military service did he see before the Civil
War started? Where did he serve for the U.S. army, and was he always in the cavalry, or
did he start in the infantry? What was his role in the capture of John Brown at Harper's
Ferry in October, 1859? Then, I'll move to his Civil War experience. Why did he
choose to go with the Confederacy? Was he a big defender of slavery? Or was it more a
belief that Southern rights were being violated? I'll then ask about his Civil War
achievements, and I'll first ask about his ride around General McClellan's army during the
Peninsula campaign in 1862. Why did he do it? How did it
help the rebels? You should know some interesting details about this ride,
for which Stuart became quite famous. I'll also ask about his dashing
appearance and his relationship with Robert E. Lee. How close were they? How well
did they work together? I'll also ask about how Stuart's role with his cavalry in the
campaign of Second Bull Run, where he also made a daring raid. What did he capture
from the Union general Pope's headquarters? Then, we'll move pretty
quickly to his role during the Gettysburg campaign, especially how and why
Stuart got cut off from the Confederate army. Some have blamed him for the
loss of the Confederates at Gettysburg--be ready to respond to that charge.
I'll then move to his father-in-law, who fought for the Union, and ask you
how he felt about that. I'll also ask when, where, and how he died. Finally, I'll ask what
we can learn from his life?
Mary Surratt: As for Mary Surratt, I'll also start with when and where she was born, and
I'll then ask how she felt about the issues of slavery and secession in the years leading up
to the Civil War. Was she an ardent South patriot? If so, why? If not, why not? When
the war broke out, where was she living? Was she married and with children or single?
I'll ask you about her boarding house and if that was her main occupation. Then, I'll ask
how and why she got involved with the plot of John Wilkes Booth to kidnap and then
later kill the president. How did she meet him? How was her boarding house a key place
where the plotting occurred? Was she deeply involved in the plot at all? Did she know
what was being planned, and did she attend the meetings? Or was she simply the person
whose boarding house was used to plan things? What did she think about Lincoln and
how the war went bad for the South? Was she bitter about it, like Booth and others, or
was she ready to accept defeat? Then, we'll move to April, 1865 and the day Booth shot
Lincoln, and his conspirators were supposed to kill Andrew Johnson and William Seward
but failed. Did she know it was happening that day? Did she play any role in helping
Booth and the others get away? How did the Union authorities trace her to Booth and the
plot? What was the specific charge or charges against her? What kind of a trial did she
get (civilian or military court), and what was the evidence presented against her? And,
then, I'll ask you about her being hanged--did she communicate her feelings about her
impending execution in letters or other writings? Do we know how she felt--like an
innocent victim who got pulled in by a net? Had any other woman ever been hanged
before for a crime like this before?
Harriet Tubman: After asking when and where she was born, I'll ask you what her life
as a slave was like, and how difficult it was for her. I'd like you to tell at least a couple of
stories about how she was treated; I think there was an episode during which she was
whipped and received a head injury. We'd like to hear about that. What about another
key event from her days in slavery? I'll leave the choice up to you. Did she learn how to
read and write? Then, I'll ask about how she escaped from slavery, and whether she
escaped along or with a group of others. Where did she go when she was free? When
did she begin to go back and help other slaves escape? Did she set up much of the
"Underground Railroad", and if not, who did? Did it already exist when she used it to
lead slaves to safety? About how many slaves did she lead to freedom before and during
the Civil War? What was the closest she ever came to being caught and how did she
escape capture? What was her famous nickname? Then, I'll move to her life during the
Civil War--how did she help the Union cause? Was she a nurse? What about being a spy
for the Union? Was she married and with a family by this time? Was she part of the push
to get Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation? If there's time, I'll ask about her
work to help African Americans and women after the Civil War.
Clement Vallandigham: First, I'll ask where and when Clement Vallandigham was
born. Then, I'll ask about when and how he became interested in politics? What party did
he belong to, and what were his beliefs about secession and slavery. Was he ready to let
the South go their own way and secede? Or did he want the Union to stay together at all
costs? What was his first political office, where did he serve, and when was he elected to
it? When the Civil War began, was he holding political office, and if so, what office was
it? Did he support the Union war effort against the South? Was he against the war from
the start? What did he think of Abraham Lincoln and did he think Lincoln had violated
the freedom and liberties of Northerners? What was the "Copperhead" movement in the
North, and why did Vallandigham become one of their champions? What did he think of
the Emancipation Proclamation and the goal of freeing the slaves? Then, I'll ask you to
tell us about the speech which Vallandigham gave in May, 1863 in Ohio--what was his
message in that speech? Was he urging Union soldiers to leave the army or to become
deserters? How did the Union general in that area respond to this speech, and what
happened to Vallandigham because of it? You should talk in detail about how he was
arrested and then about his military trial. What were the charges against him, and what
was the verdict? Why was this case so controversial? What were the main issues in the
trial, especially about free speech and criticism of the government during a war? What
was Vallandigham's punishment? How did he try to get back into politics even after this
punishment? Was he successful? If there's time, I'll ask you what career he followed after
the war, and how he died (interesting and strange story!). Finally, I'll ask what we can
learn today from studying Vallandigham's life--you should talk about the issue of free
speech during war and how important it is for us still today.
Lyons Wakeman: I would like you to be "Lyons Wakeman" for the first part of our
conversation, with your hair up and covered by a hat or cap--then, about the middle of
our talk, you'll reveal yourself as a woman actually named Sarah Rosetta Wakeman by
taking off your hat or your cap. So, I'll address you as "Lyons", and I'll first ask where
and when you were born, and what led you to volunteer for the Union cause. What were
the motives for joining up? Money, adventure, or a combination of these? Then, I'll ask
you, as Lyons, where you were stationed first, and what your daily duty was like in
Washington, D.C. Then, and this will be your cue for revealing your true identity, I'll ask
you: "What was the greatest challenge in being a Union soldier"? And then, you'll tell us
about how you dressed as a man and concealed it, and if you can find any stories about
this from her letters, that would be great, though I'm not sure if she wrote about that to
her parents. I'll also ask why she dressed like a man which really was forbidden in that
time. Also, did she ever come close to being discovered? Then, we'll move on to the Red
River campaign in 1864--I'll ask you what fighting in a battle for the first time was like
and how she felt. I would like you to quote at least one or two passages from her letters
home to let us hear her first-hand voice. Also, I'll also ask about her illness, and when she
got sick and how long she spent trying to recover before she died. Finally, I'll ask you
why we should still study her lie and what we can learn from her. Thanks, and I hope
you're finding her letters, one other primary source, and two good secondary sources
(there's one good book on her in our library which I hope you've found).
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker: I'll ask you first where and when she was born. Did she
have strong political views on issues like slavery and states' rights, and what did she think
of those issues? How did she become interested in being a doctor? Were there events or
people in her childhood or youth who influenced her to go in that direction? In a time
when almost all doctors were men, what gave her the determination and strength to go for
a medical degree? Was she a nurse first before becoming a doctor? Where did she study
medicine, and when did she earn her M.D.? Was she practicing medicine when the Civil
War broke out? When and where did she first try to become a doctor for the Union? How
did the army generals and other doctors and surgeons react to her? Did she face
opposition or discrimination? What were the terrible wounds she saw, and what kind of
surgeries did she perform? Did she travel with one particular Union army or work in one
particular area, or did she move with different armies to different battles? Did she do a lot
of amputations, or did she try to avoid them? Did she only work on Union wounded
soldiers, or on Confederates, too? I'd like you to describe at least one experience which
she had which was very interesting to you. Was he paid a regular salary by the army for
her medical work? After the war, how long did she continue to practice medicine?
Finally, I'll ask why we should study her life today and what we can learn from it?
William Walker: I’ll first ask where and when William Walker was born. Then, I’ll ask
about his education—which college did he attend, what were his main topics of study,
and how old was he when he graduated? When did he become a lawyer, and how long
did he practice law? What other jobs did he have while he was young and what did he
write about? What were the young Walker’s opinions about the issues of Southern
secession and slavery? When did he first begin to think that the Southern empire and
slavery should expand to new lands? When did he begin to plot a move into Mexico, and
why? What was his original plan for his Mexico expedition, and why did he later change
it to the overthrow of the Mexican provinces of Baja and Sonora? How many of his
fellow Southerners did he persuade to join him? What was Walker’s main motive in
this—was it to become a king or dictator, was to it to spread Southern culture and ideas to
other parts of the world, or was it mostly the desire to get rich which motivated him? Did
he know that raising a private army and invading another country was illegal, and, if he
did know, did he care? How did Walker justify this idea, and how did he use examples of
other conquerors from history to justify his actions? When did Walker and his army
invade Baja, and how successful was the invasion? How long did he and his army rule
over this territory, what kind of government and reforms did Walker enact during this
time, and what did he call his temporary government? How and why did he lose control
of Baja? Did Walker himself fight bravely alongside his men, or did he stay behind the
lines? Was Walker’s life endangered during this time? How many of his men escaped
from Baja with Walker, and did they face any legal prosecution as a result? How did his
fellow Southerners feel about what he had done? How long was it before Walker began
to plan his next invasion—of Nicaragua—and why did he pick this Central American
country? When did Walker and his army invade Nicaragua and how large was his force?
How hard was it for him to gain control of the country, and how did he change the
country after he took over? What was his most controversial change, and why? Did he
rule as king or dictator, or did he share power? What did Walker call his new government
in Nicaragua, and how long did it last? What brought him and his government down, and
what happened after his army was defeated? How did Walker eventually gain his
freedom, and when and why did he return to Honduras in Central America? What was
his mission in Honduras, how did it go wrong, and how did Walker’s life end? How did
Walker’s career contribute to the feelings of distrust and tension between the North and
the South in the years before the Civil War?
Stand Watie: First, I’ll ask where and when Stand Watie was born. Which tribe did he
belong to, and what was his occupation or profession as he grew up? Was he a political or
military leader of the tribe before the Civil War? What was Watie’s attitude toward the
North and the South and their positions about the expansion of slavery and the right of
secession? Did Watie and tribe get promises from both the North and the South in return
for joining their cause? Why did Watie decide to support the Confederacy? When did he
enlist in the Confederate army? What was his rank and his position? Which battles did
Watie fight in, and what was his role in these battles? How effective was he as a military
leader? What were his best qualities as a leader? What was the most important battle in
which Watie and his fellow Cherokees fought? Who won this battle—the Union or the
Confederacy? What was Watie’s role in the battle? Did Watie help the Confederates hang
on to Indian Territory, or did the Union eventually capture this territory? Was Watie ever
wounded in battle? After the war, how was Watie and his tribe treated by the United
States government? Did Watie or his people suffer loss of land because they took the side
of the Confederacy? What can we learn about leadership from studying Stand Watie’s
experience in the Civil War?
Sam Watkins: I'll first ask when and where Sam Watkins was born, and then I'll ask how
old he was when the Civil War started, why he enlisted in the Confederate army, and
what regiment he served with. Did he own slaves? Was he a poor or rich man? What
motivated him to fight for the Confederacy? Was he excited and anxious to see fighting
at the start of the war? Did he have a wife or sweetheart whom he left back home? I'll
then ask about the major battles in which he fought, too, but we won't have time to go
into all of them, so I'll ask you about his experiences during the battle of Shiloh in 1862,
the campaign for Atlanta in 1864, and then the battle of Franklin in late 1864, where his
army was all but wiped out. You should be able to describe his role and the role of his
regiment in these battles and also quote a couple of short passages from his book to give
us a first-hand account. What was it like to be in battle for Sam? What was his most
frightening moment in battle? Was he wounded at any battles? If so, where did he get
wounded and how serious were the wounds? Did Sam have enough food, clothing, and
ammunition at the start of the war, and how much did this change as the war went on?
Toward the end of the war, in 1864, what condition was his equipment and clothing in,
and how much did he get to eat? I'll also ask what life in camp was like for Sam, since
most of the soldiers' time was spent in camp, not in battle. Did he get bored in camp?
Did he suffer from diseases like so many other soldiers? I'll also ask about his attitude
toward the war--was he confident of Confederate victory at the start? How long did his
confidence last? When did he begin to realize that the Confederacy couldn't win? Also,
I'll ask when he decided to write his book and why he wrote it, and then, if there's time,
I'll ask you how long he lived after the war and what he did for a living and whether he
had a wife and children. The last question will be why we should still read about his
experiences and what we can learn from them.
Henry Wirz: I'll first ask where and when Henry Wirz was born, and then when and why
he came to America, and where he settled once he came to America. I'll then ask about
his medical education and when he became a doctor. Then, I'll ask why he became so
sympathetic to the South that when the war began he volunteered to fight as a soldier. As
someone from Europe, why didn't he want to stay neutral? I'll also ask you in which
battle he was wounded, and what part of his body was wounded--you should wear a
bandage or sling over the arm where he was wounded, and I'll ask you to demonstrate
how much you can move it (which shouldn't be too far). Then, I'll ask how long it took
Wirz to recover from his wounds, and how he became the commander of the Fort Sumter
prison camp or "Andersonville". I'll ask you how many prisoners the camp was designed
to hold, and how many it eventually held in 1864 when all the prisoners flooded in. I'll
ask you what he did to help the prisoners with the horrible conditions there: the foul and
polluted water, the lack of latrines and the fact that prisoners relieved themselves in the
creek flowing through the camp; the lack of proper shelter (no huts or barracks of wood),
the poor food, the constant disease and rapid deaths of prisoners, the shooting of
prisoners who got close to the "dead line", and the way some prisoners, the "Raiders",
beat up and robbed other prisoners. Did Wirz know how bad things were? Why did he
let them get worse and worse? How often did he go inside the camp to inspect it? How
often did he allow prisoners to come to him with complaints? What did he do or try to do
to improve conditions? Why didn't he let small groups of prisoners out to forage for food
or to cut wood to build huts? Did Wirz try to dig wells for fresh water? And why didn't
Wirz do anything about the "Raiders"? Did he experiment with a smallpox vaccine on
prisoners which eventually went bad and killed many? Did he try to get more food,
doctors, and medicine from the Confederate government? Did Wirz ever shoot or order
the shooting of any prisoner? I know this seems like you'll be on trial, but there were so
many deaths in Andersonville and Wirz was naturally a target for much anger and rage.
You should defend yourself as best you can--don't roll over and admit guilt--be strong
and put up the best defense you can. I'll also ask if Wirz thought he got a fair trial for
war crimes, or if he thought it was rigged and that he was a scape goat. Finally, I'll ask
why we should still learn his story and what we can learn from him.