Trivia 12-21-18 Merry Christmas!

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ami

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True or False?

The Confederacy desperately tried to buy or commission new ships in various European countries, several not being ready in time. But two ships intended for their navy were sold to somebody else, one before they got their hands on it and one by the Confederates themselves. The buyers were two European countries who currently fought a war against each other as well, however neither ship being ready in time for that.

credit: @GELongstreet

Bonus:
Born into a wealthy family in Georgia, he entered the CSA army as a private and eventually rose to Brigadier General. Considered by many to be the best staff officer in the Confederate army, he also commanded a brigade in combat and was twice wounded. After the war he was an executive of a steamship company. His memoir was considered to be excellent and objective account of the major Confederate personalities.

Who was he?

credit: @Jimklag

Christmas Bonus:
Christmas Comes to the Civil War

Another day, another fight, another time of stress,
soon it will be Christmas, yet there will be no rest.
Two armies have been fighting with no end in sight,
“Deck the Halls”? Not this year!, nor a “Silent Night”.

“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”, and people were afraid,
it’s Christmas day in ’62, and a Rebel leads a raid.
Union lines are destroyed, it’s such a major loss,
while “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, sounds from choir lofts.

Union blockades in the South, no goods are getting through,
with inflated prices, what can families do?
“Up on the Housetop” all is quiet, Santa Claus won’t come,
mothers tell their children; Yankees killed him with their guns.

In ’64 (the story goes), Union soldiers brought some cheer,
when they used tree branches, to make “mule reindeers”.
With “Jingle Bells”, they delivered goodies and supplies,
to the war-torn countryside for Christmas had arrived.

“O Come All Ye Faithful”, the voices rise to sing,
the war continues on; no “Joy to the World” it brings.
The battlefields are soaked with blood, the dead lie within,
as the Christmas message echoes, “Peace, Good Will to Men”.


  1. Who is the Confederate General that led the raid on Christmas?
  2. What state were the Union soldiers from that brought Christmas cheer?
  3. In what state did the Union soldiers distribute their Christmas cheer?
credit: @DBF

Trivia Will Resume January 7 2019
 
1st Question - Still working on it.
Bonus: Credit for question.
Christmas Bonus John Hunt Morgan
On Christmas Day, 90 Michigan men and their captain loaded up wagons with food and supplies and distributed them to destitute civilians in the Georgia countryside. The Union "Santa Clauses" tied tree branches to the heads of the mule teams to resemble reindeer.
 
True or False?

The Confederacy desperately tried to buy or commission new ships in various European countries, several not being ready in time. But two ships intended for their navy were sold to somebody else, one before they got their hands on it and one by the Confederates themselves. The buyers were two European countries who currently fought a war against each other as well, however neither ship being ready in time for that.

credit: @GELongstreet
True.

Bonus:
Born into a wealthy family in Georgia, he entered the CSA army as a private and eventually rose to Brigadier General. Considered by many to be the best staff officer in the Confederate army, he also commanded a brigade in combat and was twice wounded. After the war he was an executive of a steamship company. His memoir was considered to be excellent and objective account of the major Confederate personalities.

Who was he?

credit: @Jimklag
Moxley Sorrel (1838-1901).

Christmas Bonus:
Christmas Comes to the Civil War

Another day, another fight, another time of stress,
soon it will be Christmas, yet there will be no rest.
Two armies have been fighting with no end in sight,
“Deck the Halls”? Not this year!, nor a “Silent Night”.

“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”, and people were afraid,
it’s Christmas day in ’62, and a Rebel leads a raid.
Union lines are destroyed, it’s such a major loss,
while “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, sounds from choir lofts.

Union blockades in the South, no goods are getting through,
with inflated prices, what can families do?
“Up on the Housetop” all is quiet, Santa Claus won’t come,
mothers tell their children; Yankees killed him with their guns.

In ’64 (the story goes), Union soldiers brought some cheer,
when they used tree branches, to make “mule reindeers”.
With “Jingle Bells”, they delivered goodies and supplies,
to the war-torn countryside for Christmas had arrived.

“O Come All Ye Faithful”, the voices rise to sing,
the war continues on; no “Joy to the World” it brings.
The battlefields are soaked with blood, the dead lie within,
as the Christmas message echoes, “Peace, Good Will to Men”.


  1. Who is the Confederate General that led the raid on Christmas?
  2. What state were the Union soldiers from that brought Christmas cheer?
  3. In what state did the Union soldiers distribute their Christmas cheer?
credit: @DBF
1. John H. Morgan (1825-1864).
2. Michigan.
3. Georgia.
 
Main question: True. CSS Cheops was sold by the French government to Prussia and renamed SMS Prinz Adalbert. Iron Clad Frigate No. 61 (aka North's ship or Santa Maria) was sold by the Confederates to Denmark and renamed KMD Danmark. Prussia and Denmark were fighting the Second War of Schleswig at the time, but neither ship served in the war.
Bonus: Gilbert Moxley Sorrel.
Christmas Bonus: 1. John Hunt Morgan 2. Michigan 3. Georgia
 
True or False?
True! The Prussians acquired SMS Prinz Adalbert (slated to be the CSS Stonewall) and their enemies the Danes acquired the Danmark (which from what I can tell the Confederates didn't have an official name for yet) for the Second Schleswig War.
Source 1
Source 2

Bonus
Moxley Sorrel
Source

Christmas Bonus
1. John Hunt Morgan
2. Michigan
3. Georgia
http://www.hardinkyhistory.org/morgan.pdf
Mule reindeer source

Merry Christmas, my fellow trivia players! See you in January! :smile:
 
Denmark vs German
Bonus
Gilbert Moxley Sorrel
Christmas Bonus
1) John Hunt Morgan
2) Michigan
3) Georgia
Regards
David

Edit - The main question called for a "True" or "False" response, not the names of the two European nations.

hoosier
 
Last edited by a moderator:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_of_the_Confederate_States_Navy

1. The CSS Cheops sister to the Stonewall, built in France and sold to Prussia on October 29, 1865 later named the SMS Prinz Adalbert.

2. "Ironclad Frigate Number 61" arranged by James H. North CSN sold to Denmark Commissioned as the Danmark.

Bonus:

https://www.longstreetsheadquarters.com/lieutenant-colonel-moxley-sorrel.html

wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxley_Sorrel

Moxley Sorrel, author of Personal Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer.

Christmas Bonus:

https://www.commdiginews.com/life/a-civil-war-christmas-santa-claus-on-the-battlefield-31588/

1. General John Hunt Morgan

2. Michigan soldiers

3. Georgia

Edit - I will give credit for your answer to the main question because you identified the two ships; however, I would have preferred that you had included the word "True" with your response.

hoosier
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Question
I believe this statement is true. I was troubled with the sentence “But two ships intended for their navy were sold to somebody else, one before they got their hands on it and one by the Confederates themselves.”, until I found a source that said, although Denmark bought one ship (when the US Federal Government put political pressure on France), the sale never was completed and the “Sphynx” was sold to the CSN in January of 1865. The other ship was sold to Prussia which was involved in a war with Denmark where neither ship saw service. The Confederates named the ship the CSS Stonewall - it sailed the Atlantic got to Nassau in May of 1865. It was feared by the USN - but never really saw any service.
https://www.masshist.org/object-of-the-month/june-2017
https://www.militaryfactory.com/shi...Sphynx-Staerkodder-Stonewall-Kotetsu-Ironclad

Bonus
You Are - Gilbert Moxley Sorrell
Confederate Casualties at Gettysburg: A Comprehensive Record, by John W. Busey, Travis W. Busey, page 19.

My Bonus
A year of trivia finished; a new one to begin,
another year of fun, just like this year has been.
To learn of famous battles, commanders, and of spies,
new questions every day - our fun was not denied.

From generals to tunnels, presidents and duels,
telegraphs, family relations, how men could be so cruel.
Who Am I? and What is This? - a frequent question asked,
but every weekday we were here, ready for the task.

The list of course goes on - What have I forgotten?,
how about the general’s wife that started kindergarten.
So many different topics - so many that I’ve missed,
from Medal of Honor winners, and even a space ship.

We looked at pictures, figured riddles, even “sang a song”,
Why can’t I find the answer? Why does it take so long?
Such “important information”; like a cannon and “burned rear”,
I can hardly wait to see the questions coming in next year.
 
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