7th Mississippi Infantry
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2013
- Location
- Southwest Mississippi
I have really enjoyed your Civil War News series. What is the value of these cards today ?
Thanks. I'm sure these cards did renew/create interest among many youngsters.I had the entire set as a young boy....it's what got me interested in the CW in the first place. I either lost it or it was stolen around the time we moved in 1963. About 5 years ago I bought the cards again, on EBay. A complete set of representative cards (not necessarily high quality specimens) runs about $600 IIRC. There was also a set of smaller cards issued for sale in the UK, same pictures and "news", but slightly less expensive to acquire now.
As I understand it these cards were issued to renew/create interest in the Civil War amongst younger people, during the centennial years.
After a month's rest, Civil War News returns with the events of November, 1863! As often with them, the very first subject is something of a mystery: what exactly is this Ohio "battle" in which the drummer boy dies? The only Ohio actions I remember were connected with Morgan's Raid, which was back in the summer of 1863. The idea itself was a "popular" and typically Victorian nostalgic and maudlin one; there was a poem of the period that was later set to music, The Drummer Boy of Shiloh - "...who prayed before he died", so there's a precedent for this sort of thing. Does anyone have any idea if there's any actual historical event this is intened to represent or where New Lisbon is?
I used to collect these as well and I loved the gum. Never compiled the complete set and I forgot some of the gore they featured. I seem to recall one of a gas-filled ballon being blasted out of the sky and another of a Union Cavalryman being gored on a cheval-de-frise. Why do these images stick in my mind after 50-some-odd years?
You are quite correct, but those two particular scenes represent for some reason Fair Oaks on the Peninsula and Port Republic in the Shenandoah Valley respectively, both in Spring, 1862, so I don't plan on getting around to posting them for a couple of years or more!