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A note to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and all the best in the New Year. And to also thank my fellow debaters for another year of learning, understanding, and above all...great fun!
Dawna
"The rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting." ~Louisa May Alcott~
To you and yours, I wish nothing but the very best for the coming holidays.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
was published in Harper's Weekly on January 1, 1881.
Although the world around us seems to be in such an upheaval now days, within each of our lives is a rainbow of blessings that we should acknowledge and be thankful for. May you all be blessed with peace and joy in the coming year.
Steven Noel Cone
Please take the time to remember the hardships & troubled times between Christmas 1860 and Christmas 1865.
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3yr old Robert Martin said he was "tired of the war" because Santa Clause forgot to come to the shenandoah Valley"
"I have written so much that it is now after 9 o'clock and yet I have said nothing of Turner's and Mary Bell's party which we gave them last week in lieu of the Santa Claus presents. Mary Bell has been told that Santa Claus has not been able to run the blockade and has gone to war--Yet at this late hour when I went upstairs Thursday night of the party I found that the trusting faith of childhood they had hung their little socks and stockings in case Santa Claus did come. I had given the subject no thought whatever but invoking Santa Claus aid I was enabled when their little eyes opened to enjoy their pleasure to find cake and money in their socks." Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas
"Peace on Earth, Good will to men should prevail. We certainly would preserve the peace if they would go home and let us alone.." Johnny Green, 4th Kentucky Infantry Orphan Brigade
And there was little cheer in and around Middle Tennessee after the Battles of Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville and the skirmises that occured as the Army of Tennessee retreated south again.
In Franklin Moscow Carter "Carter House resident" - Speaking about Christmas Day 1864 - "It was not until Christmas 25 days afterwards (after the Battle of Franklin Nov. 30th 1864) that I was enabled to borrow a yoke of oxen, and spent the whole of that Christmas Day hauling seventeen dead horses from this yard.
The union dead who had been hastily buried near the trenches around the Carter House, were also reinterred about this time on a hill behind the house.
At Carnton Plantation, where many wounded and dying were taken after nov. 30th there were no holiday parties, no dress balls, as the wounded were still being nursed by Col McGavocks wife Carrie. "Carrie was very kind and attentive to us, wrote a soldier named Smith of the 43rd Mississippi. "I Soon began to eat heartily, and my wound began to heal. A regimental surhion, Dr. Trip from a Louisiana regiment, attened the wounded of our room regularly every day"
Capt William V. Davis of the 30th Mississippi (who was wounded in his foot Nov 30th and is in the Figures Home)wrote in his diary "Christmas Eve - Foot sore, Have breakast and toddy. Yanks robing citizens. Dr Gourier lances foot. Oh the pain and agony i endure. Have ale sand whiskey, Sleep but little." "Christmas dawned cloudy", though said Davis. "Have eggnog. Dr Temple dresses wound. Dr Brothers calls in. High Fever in foot. Gourier sent to Nashville under arrest. Mitchell the nurse stays all night with us. Have turkey"
15year old Harding Figures recalled "Col William L. Butler of the 25th Alabama (had been ) shot clear through from side to side with a Minie Ball and was desperatley wounded. The officer in charghe of removing the wounded had him examined by a surgion, whoo opinion was that he had sufficently recovered to be sent to prision. Butler knew his own condition and that to be removed that day would ne certain death, so he replied to the officer. 'This is murder to remove me know.' the officer replied 'you are a prisoner and must go'"
As the Confederate's continued to re treat and the Federals took control of the area again.
Nimrod Porter from Coulumbia wrote - "Nothing is safe, no help is anywhere for our unfortunate condition. Gen. Croxton's headquarters is in our house, with his whole brigade camped all over out yard, lots, lane and everywhere they can get near enough a fence to keep them in wood. With reluctance the Gen. Ordered the provost guard to station out their guards all around the house, but it only gave the guards a better opportunity for marauding than the common soldiers, and they made the best of it. They took all the apples out of the cellar. They broke the weatherboarding off the house for fires, burnt the yard fences, went in our smoke house and took the meat. They cooked the last old gobbler and all the chickens over a fire in the yard. They even took the boots off the blacks [i.e., slaves]. Considerable fuss over that. They should not rob the blacks. Last night they took all all my corn and what little oats I have left. There is great tribulation in the country, stealing horses, mules, hogs, breaking in houses. The soldiers are very insulting and impose on everybody, stealing and encouraging the blacks to steal and do every manner of rascality. All, all that we have is nearly gone. How will we live? What will we eat? I wish there was a river of fire a mile wide between the North and the South that would burn with unquenchable fury forever more and that it could never be passed to the endless ages of eternity by any living creature. Is there no hope for this dying land? Tomorrow is Christmas day, a bitter one for us, black or white. A grey fox ran under the kitchen walk. I shot it for dinner. We have a little parched corn.
Lucy Virginia French "Tonight I have but one thought—the cause of the South has gone down. The news all around us is evident of the fact. For my part I freely acknowledge that I can see no brightness now for the Confederacy. Hood has been beaten at Nashville and is now endeavoring to get out of the state, and Sherman's rapid [march] through Ga. has been successful. He being now at Savannah if he has not possession of the city..."
And John Ward from Indiana request to know the where abouts of his son that he has heard has been killed.
"Christmas 1864 Dear Sir, I have heard that my son, David Ward, (a drafted man in your company) was killed while doing picket duty in front of Nashville on the night of the 14th instant and I wish to know where he was buried and if there was a headboard placed at his grave or any other means whereby it can be recognized so that I can obtain the body by going to Nashville. Please answer at your earliest convenience and oblige a bereaved father." John Ward - Terre Haute, Vigo Co., Ind. "
__________________ Steven Noel Cone Living Historian and Battlefield Preservationest
"Silver Spring Mess" ; "Citizens of the Bonnie Blue" ; "46th Tn Inf. Co. K"
General Lee and Santa Claus was published just two years after the Civil War ended. Hailed as "Mrs. Louise Clack's Christmas gift to her little Southern friends," the story centered around three young girls who had not been visited by Santa for four Christmas Eves. Very disillusioned with Santa, the girls wrote to General Lee to find out if Santa Claus really loved the rebel children. General Lee's response reassured the girls that Santa did indeed love the children of the South. General Lee further explained that he had asked Santa to exchange their toys for medicine and clothes needed by his soldiers, knowing that the children would understand and approve. The book not only reconciled the children with Santa, but the proceeds from its sale went to Southern orphans.
I purchased the above book for my granddaughters two years ago. It is beautifully written for children in a way that doesn't blame any person or people for Santa skipping the Southern children on Christmas. It only blames "the war". It also reassures Southern children that Santa doesn't dislike them and he didn't forget them. An excerpt from the book:
Dear General Lee:
We think you are the goodest man that ever lived, and our auntie says you will go right straight to heaven when you die; so we want to ask you a question, for we want to know the truth about it, and we know that you always speak the truth.
Please tell us whether Santa Claus loves the little rebel children, for we think he don't; because he did not come to see us for four Christmas Eves. Auntie thinks you would not let him cross the lines, and we don't know how to find out unless we write and ask you. We all love you dearly, and we want to send you something; but we have not any thing nice enough; we lost all our toys in the war. Birdie wants to send you one of our white kittens--the one with black ears; but auntie thinks maybe you don't like kittens. We say little prayers for you every night, dear General Lee, and ask God to make you ever so happy. Please let us know about Santa Claus as soon as you can; we want to know for something very, very, very particular; but we can't tell even you why until Christmas time, so please to excuse us.
Your little friends, Lutie, Birdie, and Minnie
My dear little friends:
I was very glad to receive your kind letter, and to know by it that I have the good wishes and prayers of three innocent little girls, named Lutie, Birdie, and Minnie.
I am very glad that you wrote about Santa Claus for I am able to tell you all about him. I can assure you he is one of the best friends that the little Southern girls have. You will understand this when I explain to you the reason of his not coming to see you for four years.
The first Christmas Eve of the war I was walking up and down in the camp ground, when I thought I heard a singular noise above my head; and on looking to find out from whence it came, I saw the queerest, funniest-looking little old fellow riding along in a sleigh through the air. On closer inspection, he proved to be Santa Claus.
Halt! Halt!, I said; but at this the funny fellow laughed, and did not seem inclined to obey, so again I cried Halt!. And he drove down to my side with a sleigh full of toys. I was very sorry for him when I saw the disappointed expression of his face when I told him he could go no further South; and when he exclaimed, Oh, what will my little Southern children do! I felt more sorry, for I love little children to be happy, and especially at Christmas. But of one thing I was certain--I knew my little friends would prefer me to do my duty, rather than have all the toys in the world; so I said: Santa Claus, take every one of the toys you have back as far as Baltimore, sell them, and with the money you get buy medicines, bandages, ointments, and delicacies for our sick and wounded men; do it and do it quickly--it will be all right with the children. Then Santa Claus sprang into his sleigh, and putting his hand to his hat in true military style, said: I obey orders, General, and away he went. Long before morning he came sweeping down into camp again, with not only every thing I had ordered, but with many other things that our poor soldiers needed. And every Christmas he took the toy money and did the same thing; and the soldiers and I blessed him, for he clothed and fed many a poor soul who otherwise would have been cold and hungry. Now, do you not consider him a good friend. I hold him in high respect, and trust you will always do the same.
I should be pleased to hear from you again, my dear little girls, and I want you ever to consider me,
Your true friend, General Robert E. Lee
Merry Christmas Y'all
__________________ "Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names".--J.F.K.
The War Between the States established... This principle that the Federal Government is, through its courts, this final judge of its own powers.
-- Woodrow Wilson
Dawna, I hope that you have a wonderful holiday with your family and truly enjoy your daughter's new family and your own little Taylor Grace. Will you still celebrate Boxing Day as well?
I'll be thinking of you through the holidays, my Rebel Sister!
__________________ 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.
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