- Joined
- Feb 6, 2010
- Location
- Ohio
This is a new book written by our own forum member, who coincidentally enough, is named @LostGettysburgAddress 
. Having just completed the book, I think a more descriptive title would be "The Life of Charles Anderson", but seeing as nobody knows who Charles Anderson is, the existing title makes sense. But it turns out that Charles Anderson was a very interesting guy who led a fascinating life. His story reveals sides of the Civil War that we don't normally see.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TJSH2Y/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
Charles Anderson was in fact the brother of Robert Anderson, who surrendered Fort Sumter to Confederate forces in the first battle of the war. Through Robert and other contacts, Charles came to know many of the leading figures of the American Civil War. The Anderson brothers came from a slaveholding Kentucky family, but were staunch Unionists. Charles was living in Texas when the secession movement swept through there, and his pro-Union sentiments got him arrested by Confederate authorities. He was held until he was able to break free, embarking on a long and dangerous journey to freedom through Mexico.
Returning to the northern states, he served a stint as a Colonel in the Union army until he was wounded at Stones River, then was elected Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. It was in that capacity that he delivered an address on behalf of the state of Ohio at Gettysburg, attended by President Lincoln just hours after he had given his own famous address. The death of Ohio Governor John Brough resulted in Charles succeeding him to the governorship for the last few months of his term.
Anderson comes across as a very interesting and unique individual. He kept his own counsel and refused to be pigeonholed in any of the categories that we traditionally think of regarding Unionists in the Civil War. On the one hand he spoke out in favor of African American rights (a not altogether popular stance in Ohio at the time), and yet on another hand he denounced abolitionists and refused to join ranks with them.
The book is very readable and well written, and also well researched. I personally would like to have seen more footnotes, but the footnotes that were provided were solid and informative. I highly recommend this book to all our forum members, and congratulate LostGettysburgAddress for an excellent job!
. Having just completed the book, I think a more descriptive title would be "The Life of Charles Anderson", but seeing as nobody knows who Charles Anderson is, the existing title makes sense. But it turns out that Charles Anderson was a very interesting guy who led a fascinating life. His story reveals sides of the Civil War that we don't normally see.http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TJSH2Y/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
Charles Anderson was in fact the brother of Robert Anderson, who surrendered Fort Sumter to Confederate forces in the first battle of the war. Through Robert and other contacts, Charles came to know many of the leading figures of the American Civil War. The Anderson brothers came from a slaveholding Kentucky family, but were staunch Unionists. Charles was living in Texas when the secession movement swept through there, and his pro-Union sentiments got him arrested by Confederate authorities. He was held until he was able to break free, embarking on a long and dangerous journey to freedom through Mexico.
Returning to the northern states, he served a stint as a Colonel in the Union army until he was wounded at Stones River, then was elected Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. It was in that capacity that he delivered an address on behalf of the state of Ohio at Gettysburg, attended by President Lincoln just hours after he had given his own famous address. The death of Ohio Governor John Brough resulted in Charles succeeding him to the governorship for the last few months of his term.
Anderson comes across as a very interesting and unique individual. He kept his own counsel and refused to be pigeonholed in any of the categories that we traditionally think of regarding Unionists in the Civil War. On the one hand he spoke out in favor of African American rights (a not altogether popular stance in Ohio at the time), and yet on another hand he denounced abolitionists and refused to join ranks with them.
The book is very readable and well written, and also well researched. I personally would like to have seen more footnotes, but the footnotes that were provided were solid and informative. I highly recommend this book to all our forum members, and congratulate LostGettysburgAddress for an excellent job!
Bringing the