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CIVIL WAR: 150TH ANNIVERSARY
Christmas in Civil War armies
Print John Stephen Futini
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Thomas Nast illustration of Abraham Lincoln welcoming Confederates to Christmas dinner, from Christmas 1864.
(1) More Photos
Editor’s note” This is one of an occasional series of stories commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Despite war’s hardship, Christmas dwelled within the hearts and thoughts of the common soldiers of the Union and Confederacy, and also their leaders, 150 years ago during the American Civil War. For both Billy Yank and Johnny Reb, Christmas 1864 would be the last of four such consecutive harrowing Civil War Christmases.
Anxiously flocking to the colors in the spring of 1861, thousands of young men, North and South, alive with spirit, looked upon the forthcoming conflict as a grand frolicsome adventure. On Christmas Day 1861, “camaraderie, [pranks], brass bands, sports, food, and drink” abounded. “For fun, soldiers greased pigs and ran foot races.” They also conducted “staged mock parades, banging on tin pans, as they merrily marched through camp.” Naive youthful gaiety universally predominated.
More: http://napavalleyregister.com/news/...cle_499b1d01-84c1-595e-aab2-c9a1f58a58f2.html
Christmas in Civil War armies
Print John Stephen Futini
(0) Comments
Thomas Nast illustration of Abraham Lincoln welcoming Confederates to Christmas dinner, from Christmas 1864.
(1) More Photos
Editor’s note” This is one of an occasional series of stories commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Despite war’s hardship, Christmas dwelled within the hearts and thoughts of the common soldiers of the Union and Confederacy, and also their leaders, 150 years ago during the American Civil War. For both Billy Yank and Johnny Reb, Christmas 1864 would be the last of four such consecutive harrowing Civil War Christmases.
Anxiously flocking to the colors in the spring of 1861, thousands of young men, North and South, alive with spirit, looked upon the forthcoming conflict as a grand frolicsome adventure. On Christmas Day 1861, “camaraderie, [pranks], brass bands, sports, food, and drink” abounded. “For fun, soldiers greased pigs and ran foot races.” They also conducted “staged mock parades, banging on tin pans, as they merrily marched through camp.” Naive youthful gaiety universally predominated.
More: http://napavalleyregister.com/news/...cle_499b1d01-84c1-595e-aab2-c9a1f58a58f2.html