Books I've enjoyed and would recommend

[william42]

Miss Markie: Wasn't aware you were so close! Your location says Wisconsin, so I guess I was assuming maybe Milwaukee, Green Bay, Madison etc. Sounds like you might be closer to the Mighty Mississip!

Anyway, thanks for the heads up on the other book, "Pale Horse". I'll look for that. Gettysburg lifted the 1st into immortal history forever, along with General Hancock. Or you could say it was the other way around too, I guess. Hancock and the 1st MN helped put Gettysburg where it is in American history. I guess they found each other, eh? Thanks for the nice story about your grampa and President Coolidge. That's pretty cool.

Terry

[Miss Markie]

I am glad you enjoyed my family story. As a kid, all I knew about Colonel Colvill was that he was brave, and in the Civil War, and that my grandparents felt some connection to him because of the aforementioned presidential visit. I visited Gettysburg for the first time in 1968 as a young girl scout. I recall we rolled into town about time for the General Pickett "All You Can Eat" breakfast buffet to open! I still have my CW commemorative Centennial plate I bought that day, along with some poorly taken (read: monuments all slightly tilting) slides. The LBG did give some emphasis to the 1st MN as we toured on our coach bus. It all didn't sink in until much later when as a history student in college, I read more about the 1st.

Anyway, my parents are buried at Castle Rock Cemetary, in Dakota County MN, and near their graves are several of those of 1st MN 'boys' who later returned to become farmers in the area. The cemetery is small, started in 1863 specifically for war dead. It has the ubiquitous CW soldier, with rifle and greatcoat, dedicated in 1913. The place is surrounded with pine trees and corn fields, and I figure those soldiers would feel the land has not changed much around them since the time they got back from the war.

I do live on the Mississippi, half way between St. Paul and LaCrosse, WI. General C.C. Washburn came from our county. And Old Abe, the War Eagle, came from about 60 miles from here.

[william42]

You hail from a beautiful part of the country Miss Markie. I lived there for 6 years in Rochester. Speaking of Old Abe, I went to Wabasha many times (where the film "Grumpy Old Men" was set), to see the eagles from the platform that is built on the river, just so you can watch them.

The cemetery you describe sounds like a beautiful peaceful place. If I were to be buried, it would be in such a place. I saw some country cemeteries while traveling the backroads up there, and saw some of the graves of the boys who fought with the 1st.

You have a very definite, direct connection to that era, and sounds as if you respect it, and have made yourself a part of it. That's really great. A lot of folks just don't care, and that's a shame. Thanks for sharing all of that with the board. If you think of more, please post it.

Terry

[william42]

One more thing I thought of: If you haven't already done so, Ft. Snelling up there from time to time hosts reenactors. I went up there once and saw a really detailed demonstration on civil war artillery..answered a lot of questions I had on the different shot and shells used, elevations, yardage charts etc..

Terry

[ole]

Castle Rock Cemetary, in Dakota County MN

My antecedents were in Houston County, Blackhammer township. There's still a bunch of them there.
Ole

[william42]

Note to Miss Markie: Since this thread sort of revolves around Minnesota, several things have jumped from the recesses of my remaining brain matter to the forefront. There are a lot of things I miss there. My second wife, whom, to be honest, I would like to see again. We parted friends. My dog, who has since passed on, I really miss. And one other thing: If you haven't ever been there yet go to Mantorville, and eat a steak at the Hubble House. It will be the best steak you'll ever eat, I guarantee it. (Men's Warehouse guy). Mantorville is about 20 miles west of Rochester, right off the main highway to Owatonna. Take the Kasson exit north and you'll be at the Hubble House in about 15 minutes. It's an old stage coach stop that was turned into a restaurant a long time ago. General Grant ate there once, after the war, and before he became president. He was asked how he wanted his steak cooked, and replied "burnt". So that's how he got it. I've never had a better tasting steak in my life. Get the cajun-blackened filet, or the Teriyaki filet. It's "to die for".

I will never be able to eat there again, or enter the state either, for that matter, for reasons best left alone, (don't worry, nonviolent) but I would be cheating you if I didn't tell you about that restaurant. I'd almost bet that you've already discovered it, since you're native to that area. Anyway, take care.

Terry

[Miss Markie]

Yes, william42, I have been to the Hubbel House, although it has been several years since I was last there. Now that I am mostly a vegetarian, I am not too much in the market for steak!! However, the Hubbel House still does exist, and it has a guest book with Grant's signature, if I am not mistaken.

Fort Snelling is a fascinating place, and every time I go into the Twin Cities, I take the Mendota Bridge, instead of some of the freeways as I love to see Fort Snelling from the end of that bridge, and to look down at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. It has been about 6-7 years since I went to a re-enactment there, but it is a great place for them. The addition of the re-enactors really makes the place come alive. The fort and its buildings are unfortunately on an 'endangered' list for preservation, mainly officer's quarters outside the diamond shaped stone walls. I hope they can save those.

And Ole, whenever we drive to Iowa, which is often, we go through Houston county, the bottom of the state it is, and very lovely land. Not too far over the border then, into Lansing and on to McGregor Iowa, as you keep on down the river, you begin to go through towns that General Grant would have visited many times as he unhappily worked for his father's tanning business. Jesse Grant owned many wharehouses along the river, from McGregor to Dubuque, and Grant spent time in all of them.

Now, um, william42, I have a question, you said IF you were to be buried? I assume you mean your intentions are for cremation? I mean, you aren't one of the 'undead' are you?? Sorry, just a little black humor here. And like, are there folks on the border lookin' for you?

BTW, Wabasha is still a good town. Just got back from there a couple of hours ago.

[william42]

Yes, Miss Markie, I'll be cremated and my wish is for my ashes to be scattered into a Walmart dumpster.

I'm actually not banned from the state, per se. In fact I've received a couple of "invitations" to return there. Seems as though there are a couple of people who wish to have a little chat with me. It's nothing all that serious...I mean, to me, anyway. At least not serious enough for the word "extradition" to enter into the picture.

Yes, you are definitely familiar with that area, from the sound of it. There are supposedly 10,000 lakes in Minnesota. I think I saw maybe 12 of them, so I didn't get out of southeastern MN all that much, though I drove up to Duluth a few times, to see the magnificent, and very, very blue Lake Superior, and the loons. Also visited a museum dedicated to the "Edmund Fitzgerald", there, which left Duluth's sister city, Superior, on its way to its rendezvous with destiny and Gordon Lightfoot.

The city of Rochester library had an all-night research event for anybody who wanted to spend the night there and do some extensive research. For a small fee I was able to pore over originals and copies of letters written by boys from the 1st MN to their relatives, plus regimental rosters etc. It was pretty cool. They had sandwiches there and other goodies for us. It was great to actually read the letters, some of them on the original stationery issued to the soldiers, and I made a lot of copies. Thanks for your interesting posts.

Terry

[larry_cockerham]

William and Miss Markie, is it possible either or both of you could briefly describe Mitchell County, Iowa to me. My gg grandparents are buried in a cemetery just east of McIntyre. GG grandfather Cockerham served with the 10th TN cavalry US and went back to the North Carolina mountains for 35 years after the war. Many family members left for Iowa in the early 1900s to seek flatter farms! He lived from 1833 to 1922. I thought perhaps one of you might have driven through this area very close to the Minnesota line in northeastern Iowa. I'm down here in Tennessee with some cheap binoculars.

[ole]

Larry:

The Iowa side of the Mississippi is lined for miles inland with bluffs unsuitable for farming. Further west the land flattens out and becomes rolling and sparsely forested. Still further it becomes gently rolling and virtually treeless -- a far cry from western NC. McIntire is a stone's throw from the Minnesota border. Although I've not been through it, I'll wager it isn't much more than a crossroads sustained by retired and local farmers. My aged map puts its population at 166. It's corn country criss-crossed by narrow gravelled roads every mile, with an occasional tarred one, and infused with the indelible aroma of ... never mind. It would be picture-book Iowa: very rural and quiet, and populated with some of the nicest people on the planet. A good place for one's eternal rest.
Ole