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7th Maryland, Now in our 21st year! Volume 21, Issue 2 “We are but few in number but formidable.” -Pvt. James Shelton, 7th Md. Co. B The National Union (Republican) Convention The nominating convention of the National Union Party, dominated by Republicans with a scattering of War Democrats, met in Baltimore on June 7-8, 1864. By that time, Lincoln’s supporters had thwarted various insurgencies and secured control of the proceedings. The platform called for pursuit of the war until the Confederacy surrendered unconditionally; a constitutional amendment for the abolition of slavery; aid to Cedar Creek Camp Meals Deadline: October 12th disabled Union veterans; continued European neutrality; enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine; encouragement of immigration; and construction of a transcontinental railroad. It also praised the use of black troops and Lincoln’s management of the war. On the first presidential ballot, Lincoln got all of the votes except for 22 cast by Missouri delegates for General Grant (506 of 528). The Missouri faction, however, quickly changed their votes to make Lincoln’s renomination unanimous. October 2014 Like many presidents, Lincoln gave little thought to the vice presidency; therefore, he left the selection of his running mate to the convention, expressing no opinion publicly or privately. Vice President Hannibal Hamlin desired to be renominated, but he generated little enthusiasm. Some thought it was important strategically and symbolically to nominate a War Democrat, such as former U.S. Senator Daniel Dickinson of New York. Dickinson’s election, though, would likely put pressure on Secre(Continued on page 5) Contact Miss Sarah Harris At [email protected] Inside this issue: Captain’s Report 3 Ladies’ Knapsack 7 McClellan’s Letter 8 Greetings to all my 7th Maryland friends and family. By the time this is published, October will have arrived along with much cooler weather and our last big event of the season will be just around the bend. This summer has seemed strange to me, with several very long breaks between events, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone again for the 150th Cedar Creek. This should be a busy and engaging weekend both on the battle field and in camp. If you haven’t already been in touch with me re- garding the annual Ladies’ Tea for the Ladies of the FVB, please give some thought as to how we can make this important activity even more enjoyable and memorable. Please send me a message with any ideas or requests for any particular entertainment that might be arranged. Please volunteer your skills and talents, or nominate someone to provide us with something that you know they have in their bag of tricks. This is our opportunity to really stand up and show all of the ladies who do so much to support us and our organizations just how much we appreciate them, and how Cpl Stephen Blumberg much President their support means to us. I will be anxiously awaiting your communications on the subject. Something new in the camps this year, as General Henson has previously communicated, will be the Presidential Campaign activity. I suspect that this (Continued on page 9) PAGE 2 October 17-19th h th 150 Anniversary Battle of Cedar Creek. Middletown, VA (7 MD Company Event) (FVB ) At Cedar Creek Battlefield. Several exciting scenarios are planned for the three-day event. Most notably are the battles of 3rd Winchester, and a better scenario of the Battle of Cedar Creek. Also several camp scenarios are planned. The USV will be campaigning for their candidate, Abraham Lincoln, while the Army of the Potomac will be boosting their choice, Gen. George McClellan. Actual voting will take place along OUR CAMP JOURNAL with oratories, and rallies by torchlight. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the election campaign. General McClellan MUST win the election. November 14, 2014 Federal Volunteer Brigade Brigade Annual meeting Gettysburg Fire Hall, Gettysburg, PA (7th MD Company Rep) (FVB) VO LUM E 21 , IS S UE 2 November 15, 2014 150th Remembrance Day Parade Morning Ceremonies and Remembrance Day Parade Gettysburg, PA (7th MD Company Event) (FVB) Join the regiment for morning ceremonies in the National Cemetery 7:30 am. Parade then forms up at Gettysburg High School and steps off at 12:00 noon through the streets of the town. Additional details and directions to come. The Annual Meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The company is requested to have a representative present. This is a preliminary business and review meeting for the FVB. the troops. The Stephens City United Methodist Church Food Pantry will be the inaugural recipient of the Federal Volunteer Brigade’s Community Campaign food drive at the 150th Cedar Creek event. Please, please, remember to bring any items from the list below with you to the event. Items the pantry particularly needs are cereal, boxed potatoes, rice, noodles, macaroni, peanut butter, soups, canned meats such as tuna, chicken, corned beef hash, Vienna sausages and canned ham. Also needed are toiletries such as Lots of good events are in the offing. Next year is the culmination soap, toilet paper, and other hygiene of the 150th Anniveritems that cannot be purchased with sary. In which direcfood stamps. tion will our cherished hobby go? Will we, and I would personally like to thank, in event organizers, let the Gen Jay Henson advance, all who will be participating things slide? Federal Vol. Brigade in the donation drive. As reenactors we are fully aware of the hardships Or do we renew our visibility, and in suffered by the troops in 1864 and are the coming year, following the last, sensitive to the need of those who suffer great surrender, renew our recruiting today, on a daily basis. efforts by attending as many smaller events, as a Brigade, that we can. We will make the donation to the food pantry on Saturday morning, prior These are questions we need to ponder to any engagement that we will be inand talk about in the coming months. I volved in, and after any drill or parades personally find our Brigade a family, we may schedule. I encourage everyone too important to let fall by the wayside. to be present. I will do everything in my power to keep us in the forefront, and favorable In the coming months we hope to in the public eye. have additional campaigns. Another food drive is scheduled for RememThe anniversary cycle may be drawbrance Day in Gettysburg, and hopeing to a close, but our work as reenactor fully before the Christmas holiday, we / educators is hardly done. would like to plan a trip to the Walter See you at the Creek... Reed National Medical Center to visit VO LU ME 21 , ISS UE 2 OUR CAMP JOURNAL PAGE 3 transferred to several different prisons, even though early on they had been paroled, their continued imprisonment likely due (in their opinion) to the fact that they worked for the Tribune. We have all read accounts about the war written by the individual soldier, through letters home and books written after the war. These writings have become important in the development of our impressions and mind set. We also are able to take news accounts for our sources; newspapers were, until recently the way that everyone got their information on current events. Just as now the news wasn’t always true or accurate. Hey, the photos don’t always represent what was real either do they? Just as the photographers didn’t always give us a true representation of the war, the newspapers didn’t either. Of course you also have to take what was written by the individuals who experienced the war with a grain of salt too. Embellishment was one of the favorite ways to tell a story! So what happens when you have a tail about the experiences of newspaper men of the day? Junius Browne and Albert Richardson had been Capt. Jeff Bush friends for over Company Commander ten years having Junius Browne There are stories of many people they met, friend and foe while imprisoned. It accounts their struggles with illness and the surprising accommodations that they were given. During their confinement they were able to obtain southern newspapers to read. They did receive correspondence from home but it wasn’t regular. Between the letters and the papers they realized that the southern papers exaggerated as much if not more than their own at times! Finally their escape and perilous journey to friendly territory finds them meeting some brave souls who had their own lives on the line. The escape itself was one of those actions that seems almost so simple it has to have actually happened. The book gives a lot of insight into the noncombatants as well as the “unofficial” combatants of the war. Slaves, outlaws, deserters, home guard troops and civilians are all covered to an extent. The book is one of those that I couldn’t put down. If the accounts are true then several of the mishaps and encounters have become the basis for a number of fictional tails. There are at least two movie plots there! The 150th anniversary of the battle of Cedar Creek is fast approaching. It has been some time since we last got together. I hope to see you all there….I’ll see you at the fire! Albert Richardson “Junius and Albert’s Adventure In The Confederacy, A Civil War Odyssey”, is a book not written by the men but about the men from their books and letters. Peter Carlson’s book follows these New York Tribune writers from just before the war began to the end. met in 1853. By 1863 both were working for the New York Tribune. They had already covered several engagements. They headed south to cover the war and their true adventure began. Captured near Vicksburg they are Confederate Prison Pen PAGE 4 OUR CAMP JOURNAL VO LUME 21 , ISS UE 2 dered his resignation from the army effective October 31, 1864. Significant Events of October 186 Cpl. Dan Paterson Jr. Vice President October 1864 was a busy month for the Army of the Potomac as well as the 7th Maryland. The period was one for several running battles and reconnaissance in force. The first fire-fight listed in the regimental history is Chapel House Farm, October 1 to 3, 1864. According to the 7th’s regimental history, The Battle of Peeble’s Farm occurred a week later, October 7-8. My searches for anything about the action at Chapel House turned up several Medal of Honor Winners but no general description of the battle action itself. I went to the trusty OR CDROM and found that there were several names for both of these early October actions. Or were they one action? According to the OR and several online sources there were several names for this battle or battles. Poplar Springs Church, Wyatt’s Farm, Chappell’s House, Pegram’s Farm, Vaughan Road, Harmon Road. Also listed as Peeble’s Farm in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. One thing is clear and that is that all of these actions were part of the extended Richmond-Petersburg Campaign. In combination with Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler’s offensive north of the James River, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant extended his left flank to cut Confederate lines of communication southwest of Petersburg. Two divisions of the IX corps under Maj. Gen. John G. Parke, two divisions of the V Corps under Maj. Gen. G.K. Warren, and Brig. Gen. David M. Gregg’s cavalry division were assigned to the operation. On September 30, the Federals marched via Poplar Spring Church to reach Squirrel Level and Vaughan Roads. The initial Federal attack overran Fort Archer, flanking the Confederates out of their Squirrel Level Road line. Laterin the afternoon, Confederate reinforcements arrived, slowing the Federal advance. On October 1, the Federals repulsed a Confederate counterattack directed by Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill. Reinforced by Maj. Gen. Gershom Mott’s division, the Federals resumed their advance on the 2nd, captured Fort MacRae which was lightly defended, and extended their left flank to the vicinity of Peebles’ and Pegram’s Farms. With these limited successes, Meade suspended the offensive. A new line was entrenched from the Federal works on Weldon Railroad to Pegram’s Farm. The next action our boys participated in was a little better known action known as the Boydton Plank Road or Hatcher's Run, October 27-28.This also took place in Dinwiddie County. This action was directed by Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock with divisions from three Union corps (II, V, and IX) and Gregg’s cavalry division, numbering more than 30,000 men. They withdrew from the Petersburg lines and marched west to operate against the Boydton Plank Road and South Side Railroad. The initial Union advance on October 27 gained the Boydton Plank Road, a major campaign objective. But that afternoon, a counterattack near Burgess’ Mill spearheaded by Maj. Gen. Henry Heth’s division and Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton’s cavalry isolated the II Corps and forced a retreat. The Confederates retained control of the Boydton Plank Road for the rest of the winter and the action was considered a Confederate victory. Captain Ephraim Foster Anderson, Company I, after being wounded and captured at Spotsylvania Court House in May and imprisoned at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, contracted tuberculosis and was exchanged. He recovered on September 23rd, was given a thirty-day leave of absence and ten- October 2 –Battle of Saltville, VA. In Augusta, Georgia Jefferson Davis meets with P. G. T. Beauregard to give him command of the Department of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. October 4 - Moving north along the Western and Atlantic Railroad in an attempt to sever Sherman's supply line, John Bell Hood attacks blockhouses and encampments at Acworth and Moon's Station. October 5 - Battle of Allatoona Pass, Georgia. Confederates under Samuel French attack entrenched Federals under John Corse protecting the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Union: 2000 engaged, 142 (k), 352 (w), 212 (m), 706 (c). Confederate: 2000 engaged, 122 (k), 443 (w), 234 (m), 799 (c). October 7 - Naval Engagement at Bahia Harbor, Brazil. CSS Florida vs USS Wachusett. October 9 - Battle of Tom's Brook, Virginia. Phil Sheridan ordered his cavalry to attack a detachment of Confederate cavalry that had been harassing his column and is beaten by General Custer & Merritt’s cavalry divisions. After a battle that covered almost 10 miles the Union cavalry stopped, having captured 300 Confederates. October 12 - Roger Taney, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, dies. October 13 - Maryland, a border state, abolishes slavery in their new constitution. October 17 - General James Longstreet resumes command of his corps after suffering a serious wound at The Wilderness in May. October 19 - Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia. In the last major engagement in the Shenandoah Valley, Jubal Early [CS] defeats Phillip Sheridan [US] in the first of two fairly distinct engagements. During the second engagement, Sheridan arrived and rallied the federals, who easily repulsed Early. Confederates raid on St. Albans, Ver(Continued on page 5) VOLUME 21, ISSUE 2 OUR CAMP JOURNAL PA GE 5 Connecticut. (Continued from page 1) tary of State William Seward, another New Yorker, to resign from the cabinet. The convention swung to Andrew Johnson, the Union military governor of Tennessee, who had the double distinction of being a War Democrat and a Southern Unionist. He was nominated overwhelmingly on the first vicepresidential ballot. Since most radicals were satisfied with the party platform and the direction, though not the pace, of the Lincoln administration on emancipation, Johnson’s nomination was palatable to them. The Democratic Convention The Democrats, on the other hand, were energized by what they saw as the morass of a stagnant Union war effort: death, debt, and destruction with no end in sight. Furthermore, several of Lincoln’s key policies were extremely unpopular: emancipation, the military draft, the use of black troops, and violations of civil liberties. Democrats also benefited when the president’s outline of preconditions for peace negotiations, in his “To Whom It May Concern” letter of July 1864, included the stipulation that the Confederate states abolish slavery. Frederick Douglass had to convince Lincoln not to backpedal on that forward-looking stance, and the president did stand firm, even though it undercut his support among War Democrats and conservative Republicans. Democrats played the race card for all its worth, insisting that the Republi- cans were upending traditional race relations and advocating “miscegenation”—a word for raciallymixed marriage allegedly coined during the campaign. The Democratic National Convention met in Chicago in late August 1864, when Union military prospects appeared dim. That circumstance strengthened the Peace wing of the Democratic Party, led by Clement Vallandigham, a former congressman from Ohio, and Fernando Wood, a congressman and former mayor from New York City. Their proposals for a cease-fire and negotiated settlement with the Confederacy were ratified by the delegates and incorporated into the official party platform. Confusing the issue, though, the Democrats overwhelmingly chose General George B. McClellan, a War Democrat, as their presidential nominee over two peace candidates, Governor Horatio Seymour of New York and former Governor Thomas Seymour of “withdrawals”. The raiders than fled by stolen horses to Canada where 14 of the 18 were captured quickly by Canadian authorities with close to $90,000 of the loot. (Continued from page 4) mont. The Northernmost action of the Civil War as 18 Confederates stage an attack on the 4 banks and citizenry of St. Albans, Vermont. Led by the young CSA Lt. Bennett Young, the plan begins north of the border in Canada and was successful as over $200,000 was obtained during their prompt October 23 - Battle of Westport, Missouri. October 26 - Battle of Decatur, Alabama. October 27 - Battle of the Southside Railroad and Battle of Hatcher's Run Virginia. Battle of Burgess Mill, Vir- McClellan was the controversial former general-in-chief of the Union army, praised as an superb trainer of raw recruits, beloved by his men as the dashing “Young Napoleon,” yet much criticized for his hesitancy, which some characterized as cowardice, in committing his troops to battle, particularly at the Second Battle of Bull Run and Lee’s retreat after Antietam. U.S. Representative George Pendleton of Ohio, a Peace Democrat, was selected as the vice-presidential nominee after former treasury secretary James Guthrie of Kentucky, the leader on the first ballot, withdrew. The Campaign In accepting the nomination, McClellan rejected the peace plank of the party platform, vowing instead to prosecute the war with more skill and vigor than Lincoln. The president despaired of his chance for reelection and feared that, despite McClellan’s assurance, the momentum of a Democratic victory would fortify the Peace faction and force the general to recant his campaign promise. Lincoln, therefore, made his cabinet sign, sight unseen, a pledge to cooperate with Presidentelect McClellan during (Continued on page 6) ginia. October 28 - William Tecumseh Sherman, in Gaylesville, AL, decides to return to his field headquarters in Kingston, GA. rather than pursue John Bell Hood into Alabama. October 31 - Nevada becomes the 36th state in the United States. PAGE 6 OUR CAMP JOURNAL (Continued from page 5) the interim period to ensure a speedy Union conquest of the Confederacy before the general’s inauguration. A few days after McClellan’s nomination, however, the military tide began to turn in the Union’s favor with the fall of Atlanta on September 2 to General William Tecumseh Sherman and subsequent Union successes. Consequently, McClellan’s star began to fade and the president’s reelection seemed more likely. The Republican campaign warned the Union: “Don’t swap horses in the middle of the stream.” They went beyond that innocuous slogan, however, to equate opposition to Lincoln and the Republicans with disloyalty to the Union. They papered the North with posters of Thomas Nast’s political cartoons, “The Chicago Platform” and “Compromise with the South,” which depicted the Democrats essentially as traitors. A Republican pamphlet alleged there was a clandestine agreement between the Peace Democrats and the Confederates. In October, party officials distributed 10,000 copies of the report by the judge advocate general of the army, Joseph Holt, on secret societies of Confederate sympathizers in the North, implicitly associated with the Democratic Party. The Union servicemen were an important segment of Lincoln’s base of support. Where they had been able to vote in the 1863 off-year elections, they had voted heavily Republican. In the fall of 1864, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton saw to it that they were given absentee ballots (when state law allowed) or furloughs home to vote in person. Lincoln himself wrote to General Sherman asking him to allow his men from Indiana to return home in October to vote in that state’s crucial election. The president asked the same of Generals George Meade and Philip Sheridan regarding the Pennsylvania election, of General William Rosecrans concerning the Missouri election, and of Navy Secretary Gideon Welles relating to the New York election. Stanton and Holt also used patronage and government contracts to shore up the Republican political machine. The Election Results With 78 percent of the Union electorate casting ballots, Lincoln was reelected in an Electoral College landslide, 212 to McClellan’s 21. The 55% popular vote for the president was the third largest in VOLUME 21, ISSUE 2 the nineteenth century, surpassed only by Jackson’s first victory in 1828 and Grant’s reelection in 1872. McClellan won only New Jersey, Delaware, and Kentucky. Republicans drew support from native-born farmers, skilled and professional workers, those of New England descent, younger voters, and military personnel. Democrats were strongest in the cities and among Irish- and GermanAmericans (the most populous immigrant groups). It has been estimated that Lincoln received 78% of the vote of Union soldiers and sailors. The figure was not necessary for his reelection, but was perhaps the margin of victory in a few close states and, more importantly, of great symbolic value. Republicans also gained seats in Congress to retain unassailable control, 149 to 42 in the House and 42 to 10 in the Senate; took back several state legislatures; and lost only the governorship of New Jersey (McClellan’s home state). The Democrats, though, remained a viable party. McClellan captured 48% of the vote in a bloc of states stretching from Connecticut to Illinois, and Republican totals declined over 1860 in several key states, such as New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. The twoparty system was sound, and Democrats were well positioned to challenge Republicans in future contests. Sources consulted: William A. DeGregorio, The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents; David Herbert Donald, Lincoln (1995); Harold M. Hyman, “Election of 1864” in History of American Presidential Elections, vol. III: 1848-1868, ed. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985), pp. 1155-1178; Harper’s Weekly via HarpWeek; James McPherson, “Abraham Lincoln,” American National Biography (online); Phillip Shaw Paludan, The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln (1994); and, Jon Schaff, “The Domestic Lincoln: White House Lobbying of the Civil War Congresses,” White House Studies (Winter 2002). VO LUME 21 , ISS UE 2 O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills, For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores acrowding, For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; Here Captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head! It is some dream that on the deck, You’ve fallen cold and dead. My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won; Exult O shores, and ring O bells! But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. Does Walt Whitman’s use of extended metaphor accurately represent the feelings of the nation at the time of writing? Let’s analyze the poem, in order to answer this writing prompt: Lines 1-2: These lines refer to the end of the Civil War, with the prize that was won being the reunification of the United States, and the end of slavery. OUR CAMP JOURNAL Line 3: People are celebrating the end of the war Line 4: At the same time of celebration, people are also mourning the loss of life during the war Lines 5-8: Referring to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, these lines give the first hint towards Walt Whitman’s feelings about the event. Lines 9-12: Abraham Lincoln’s accomplishments are being celebrated, through music, parades, decorations, anything people can use to celebrate the end of the war and the man who brought the country through it. Lines 13-16: The key word in these lines is ‘dream’, many people are in denial about Abraham Lincoln’s death, they do not believe it could have happened at the time that it did. Lines 17-18: Many people, including Walt Whitman, are starting to accept the fact that Abraham Lincoln is dead. Lines 19-20: Reflection, again, upon the fact that the United States is safe, and the Union is victorious. Lines 21-24: The nation continues to celebrate a victory, but also mourn the death of a great leader. Walt Whitman utilizes two extended metaphors in this poem; the first being the metaphor of Abraham Lincoln being the ‘captain’, and the second being the metaphor of the United, States, or Union, as the ‘ship’. It is, indeed, an appropriate use of metaphor, as Abraham Lincoln was a leader - a captain - of the Union - a large vessel - and guided it through difficult times and into safety. These are referred to as extended metaphors due to the fact that they are references throughout the entire literary piece. But one must return to the original question – do these extended metaphors accurately represent the feelings of the nation at the time of writing? The answer is no. Written in 1865, the poem clearly describes the feelings of Walt Whitman; he spent the Civil War bringing food to hospitals and helping to take care of Union soldiers, and so his alliances are very clear. Whitmanrefers to himself at the end of the poem, where he explains that as other people celebrate the end of the PAGE 7 war, he will continue to mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln. It is also safe to say that Whitman was not Miss Sarah Harris the only one to Civilian have these feelings at the end of the Coordinator war, and after Lincoln’s death. Lincoln’s death was mourned by many people; one would simply have to refer to pictures of Lincoln’s funeral procession to see proof of this. However, this poem does not reflect the feelings of the entire nation. The fact that Lincoln’s died at an assassin’s hand is proof enough that there were some people who would, and did, rejoice at his death. There are many Southern towns and communities that did not join in the mourning process after his death. This is an assignment that is given to 8th grade students to complete; they are asked to read the poem, read some articles about reactions to Lincoln’s death, and then they are to develop a thesis and defend it with proof from the text. The struggle is that many students, especially the students I work with, have limited knowledge on the Civil War. To make matters a little more frustrating, the students receive this assignment in the first term, but do not learn about the Civil War in history class until the fourth term. Over the past summer, many Language Arts teachers asked that this assignment be moved to the end of the Language Arts curriculum, so that it would better align with what they are doing in history class. Needless to say, this request was denied, with the reasoning that students did not require a vast amount of background knowledge in order to complete the assignment. I beg to differ. After struggling with this assignment last year, the teacher I work with was willing to skip this assignment, as a means to reduce frustration levels for our class and the particular students we work with. However, I did not want to back down from this challenge, I wanted to tackle this assignment. The first thing we decided was to reverse the order of activities within the assignment; originally the (Continued on page 9) PAGE 8 OUR CAMP JOURNAL vain, that we had abandoned that Union for which we have so often perilled our lives. A vast majority of our people, whether in the army and navy or at home, would, as I would, hail with unbounded joy the permanent restoration of peace on the basis of the Union under the Constitution, without the effusion of another drop of blood, but no peace can be permanent without Union. McClellan's Letter Accepting the Democratic Presidential Nomination. ORANGE, N. J., Sept. 8. To Hon. Horatio Seymour and others, committee, etc.: GENTLEMEN,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter informing me of my nomination by the Democratic National Convention, recently held at Chicago, as their candidate at the next election for President of the United States. It is unnecessary for me to say to you that this nomination comes to me unsought. I am happy to know that, when the nomination was made, the record of my public life was kept in view. The effect of long and varied service in the army, during war and peace, has been to strengthen and make indelible in my mind and heart the love and reverence for the Union, Constitution, laws, and flag of our country impressed upon me in early youth. These feelings have thus far guided the course of my life, and must continue to do so until its end. The existence of more than one government over the region which once owned our flag is incompatible with the peace, the power, and the happiness of the people. The preservation of our Union was the sole avowed object for which the war was commenced. It should have been conducted for that object only, and in accordance with those principles which I took occasion to declare when in active service. Thus conducted the work of reconciliation would have been easy, and we might have reaped the benefits of our many victories on land and sea. The Union was originally formed by the exercise of a spirit of conciliation and compromise. To restore and preserve it, the same spirit must prevail in our councils and in the hearts of the people. The reestablishment of the Union, in all its integrity, is and must continue to be the indispensable condition in any settlement. So soon as it is clear, or even probable, that our pre- ISS UE 21 , VO LUME 2 sent adversaries are ready for peace upon the basis of the Union, we should exhaust all the resources of statesmanship practiced by civilized nations, and taught by the traditions of the American people, consistent with the honor and interests of the country, to secure such peace, reestablish the Union, and guarantee for the future the constitutional rights of every State. The Union is the one condition of peace. We ask no more. Let me add what I doubt not was, although unexpressed, the sentiment of the convention, as it is of the people they represent, that when any one State is willing to return to the Union it should be received at once with a full guarantee of all its constitutional rights. If a frank, earnest, and persistent effort to obtain these objects should fail, the responsibility for ulterior consequences will fall upon those who remain in arms against the Union, but the Union must be preserved at all hazards. I could not look in the face my gallant comrades of the army and navy who have survived so many bloody battles, and tell them that their labors, and the sacrifices of so many of our slain and wounded brethren, had been in As to the other subjects presented in the resolutions of the convention, I need only say that I should seek in the Constitution of the United States, and the laws framed in accordance therewith, the rule of my duty and the limitation of executive power; endeavor to restore economy in public expenditures, re-establish the supremacy of the law, and by the operation of a more vigorous nationality resume our commanding position among the nations of the earth. The condition of our finances, the depreciation of the paper money, and the burdens thereby imposed on labor and capital, show the necessity of a return to a sound financial system, while the rights of citizens and the rights of States, and the binding authority of law over the President, army, and people, are subjects of no less vital importance in war than in peace. Believing that the views here expressed are those of the convention, and the people you represent, I accept the nomination. I realize the weight of the responsibility to be borne should the people ratify your choice. Conscious of my own weakness, I can only seek fervently the guidance of the Ruler of the Universe, and, relying on His all powerful aid, do my best to restore Union and peace to a suffering people, and to establish and guard their liberties and rights. Very respectfully, GEO. B. MCCLELLAN Civil War Re-enactors; America’s Living Historians. (Continued from page 1) group impression will liven up the camps ever so slightly. I encourage everyone to put some thought into how you can contribute individually to the Army of The Potomac’s support for their candidate of choice, our own George B. (Little Mac) McClellan. Some quick research should provide you with some points of debate and guide your position on why Little Mac is the best choice for President, and prepare you to develop this aspect of your impression for this potentially raucous campaigning activity. Some things to consider as you prepare to support our candidate are offered here in order to get the wheels turning. McClellan is acknowledged for doing an outstanding job organizing and training the Army of The Potomac after the Union defeat at 1st Manassas. He developed tremendous esprit de corps in the men under his command. He was experienced as an engineer, explorer, and in world affairs as an observer during the Crimean War, unlike the backwoods lawyer he is opposing. He was 2nd in his class of 1842 at West Point. Lincoln himself had said, regardless of McClellan’s contemptible attitude, that he “would hold McClellan’s horse” if his skills helped win the war. He is credited with keeping Kentucky, and what we know as West Virginia, out of Confederate hands. McClellan’s Army of The Potomac headed off Lee’s attempt to invade Maryland and the North with a stalemate at Antietam after being placed back in command of that force for a 2nd time. He was nominated in 1864 by the Peace Democrats to run for President on an anti-war, peaceat-any-price platform which promised to end the war as quickly as possible through a negotiated peace with the Confederacy. Political figures in 1864, both Republican and Democrat, attempted to convince Lincoln to call McClellan back to a command position for the Union as a means of disrupting the Democratic Peace Party heading into the elections. They were very concerned about McClellan becoming the opponent in the race. Presidents hadn’t served a 2nd term since Andrew Jackson’s victory in 1832, why would we want to change that? Emancipation as a key initiative was a major point of concern for voters in the North, McClellan’s supporters would focus on that point to sway voters to their side. During the three months of the summer of 1864 alone, 65,000 Union troops, a comparatively huge number of casualties, had accumulated. Jubal Early’s Confederate forces had nearly reached Washington. Things were not going well for Lincoln and the Union. Peace Democrats wanted this to end at any cost, even if it might mean negotiating Confederate independence. Attempting to deflect negative points about McClellan and his military short-comings, Little Mac’s Democratic supporters may have derided President Lincoln using terms such as a Liar, Thief, Braggart, Usurper, Despot, Butcher, and would say that he had abused his presidential powers and acted unconstitutionally by censoring the press and instituting military rule where it wasn’t needed and by arresting critics without the benefit of trial (MillerCenter.org). Some of the many reference sources readily available for your research are; Civil War Trust at CivilWar.org, HistoryNet.com, AbrahamLincolnsClassroom.org, Shotgun’s Home of the American Civil War at CivilWarHome.com, USHistory.org, MillerCenter.org, Wikipedia, and countless other sources. In review, I need to hear from you regarding the Ladies’ Tea to be held at Cedar Creek, and do your homework regarding the 1864 Presidential Campaign as a part of your impression for the camp activities planned for Cedar Creek. And as always, go over your kit and your supplies, plan and prepare well, exercise, stay healthy and get hydrated heading into 17 October, and for newer members please know that nights in Middletown, VA, can get quite chilly in October. Reach out if you have questions or concerns, or need help with anything. Travel safely and I’ll see you in camp. (Continued from page 7) curriculum calls for students to read the poem first, and then read articles on people’s reactions to Lincoln’s death. By having students read the articles first, is it our hope that they will be able to approach the poem with an understanding of people’s feelings towards Lincoln’s death, instead of trying to figure that out after reading a poem filled with metaphors. And, of course, we will be spending a day on providing background knowledge. With their limited knowledge on the Civil War (and in some cases, where Maryland is located on the map), it can only be beneficial to provide a ‘crash course’ in the Civil War. At the start of October, I will be presenting on the causes, events, and aftermath of the Civil War, in the hopes to provide the students with a better understanding of the events that led Walt Whitman to write one of his most famous poems. I have been working on a mourning dress, which I will wear during the presentation, as a means to better create a mood and setting for the students. I hope to be able to provide pictures in the next newsletter, as well as positive news that this assignment had a little more success this year than it did last year. Knowledge of history is important, no matter what the curriculum writers say.