Research, reading, things like that are my favorite "War" activities plus anything extracurricular that comes along.
For instance, this past week-end, since this month is Confederate History Month, my husband and I took a Confederate tour of Montgomery to see all the sites of importance during the time that Montgomery was capital of the Confederacy. We also learned more about the Nashville which was built in Montgomery and someone quite knowledgeable gave us a good "What If" had she been ready when the Battle of Mobile was fought.
And we learned more about the prison here that held about 700-800 prisoners at one time. The second day was devoted to cemetaries but unfortunately we had to pass on that one because our daughter came down from Birmingham to visit for the afternoon.
The Battle of Selma is coming up and we'll probably attend that and there are several other reenactments that we enjoy throughout the year.
__________________ Thea
No one has permission to use any material from any of my posts on any CWT forum, the archives, or any other forum without my express written permission.
I love re-enacting. Get withdrawls when the season ends. I love getting out there and talking with spectators and with my fellow re-enactors. And let me tell you, when my husband first came up with the idea about 3 yrs ago I told him he was, well, I can't write it cause it would get blurbed out LOL!! But I wasn't crazy about it. Now I love it. The people you meet is so well worth the work.
I love researching cdv's. That is where allot of knowledge of every day life can be found. It's interesting to look at these people and think about life. I look at pictures and notice things like trim on dresses, watch bobs, rings and what hand they go on, and what fingers ( the Victorian's had a code for all that, did you know?). I love reading diaries, though I must admitt I have been lacks in reading as of late. You need a break from it every once in a while.
Jenna, on the note of research my friend Brian who is into geneolagy and researching family trees shared the story of a man who started out in Alabama born in the late 1830's, served in the CW for the CSA, after the War went around the world. By the time he died at almost 100 he had outlived seven wives and Brian thinks he can trace almost 100 children to the man...
He survived every major battle Longstreets Corps was in and apparently made it through the war w/out a scratch. Worked on one of the RR crews building the Transcontinental RR, became a mercenary and served abroad in China, Turkey, Egypt and finally came back home to Alabama. He had fought battles on four continents and married women from each continent fathering an average of 12 children w/ each wife and quite a few out of wedlock. Apparently, he was married to at least two of them at the same time and he didn't seem to mind... What scares me is that Brian says that he has traced most of 1000 people that can claim his as an ancestor. I don't think he ever slept. I suppose fight and... what a life!
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
Read a lot of books and magazines. Watch DVD's such as the Civil War Minutes series. Surf the net looking for Civil War sites. I'm glad I found this one!
Shane, That's incredible. It's amazing how many of those old codgers did live way past the age of 80! Considering their lives were so rough anyways. I have never really gotten into genyology. Too much time. I know that my uncle found allot about my mom's side of the family, and unfortuantly they were all up in Canada during the war and didn't start moving into the states until afterwards. My dad's side of the family is a little difficult to research, since one relative down the way was thought to be the parents of this boy and turned out they were actully the aunt and uncle, and that the "aunt" was really the mom and there is no record that we can find of who the "dad" really was. Very strange. This was all around the time of WWI.
Researching the common soldier gives me the most pleasure. I usually latch on to one guy and follow him from birth to death. I've purchased headstones in the case of unmarked graves, I've found.
I dress up in my frock coat, Hardee hat, pants, brogans, gaiters, etc. and tell Civil War stories to kids and adults. I also will play period songs on the fiddle and mandolin. But the most fun a guy can have is shooting water filled milk jugs with a Springfield 58 calibre rifle. Almost as good as sex....almost
Calicoboy
__________________ My dear mother:- I have come safely through two more terrible engagements with the enemy, that at South Mountain and the great battle of yesterday (Antietam). Our splendid regiment is almost destroyed. We have had nearly 400 men killed and wounded in the battles. Seven of our officers were shot and three killed in yesterday's battle and nearly 150 men killed and wounded. All from less than 300 engaged. The men have stood like iron....Maj. Rufus Dawes, 6th Wisconsin Volunteers
That is easy, reading all the CW books I can purchase at Half Price Books.
__________________ F. S. Powers
Union Ancersor: Pvt Arnuah Norton, 60th Ohio. (G-G-G Grandfather) Died at Salisbury NC, November 3, 1864
Confederate Ancestors: Captain Thomas A. Morrow, 29th Texas Cavalry (G-G-G- Uncle) and 2LT George W. Morrow, 31st Texas Cavalry (G-G-G Grandfather). Both survived the war
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