Tag: American Civil War

Volunteers Fought At Harrisburg!

CSA: The Peculiar [1863] Union Defence of Harrisburg! (17.5.2025)

At one-point a thousand White volunteers from Harrisburg joined a large group of Black people to dig trenches and build ramparts around the geographical extremities. After one day, 700 of the White people returned home – saying the labour “hurt their hands” – whilst the other 300 acted as foremen directing the Black labourers (as if they were slaves). Black people built the defences of Harrisburg – but by and large were excluded from defending the place on the grounds that Black men carrying guns (and acting “free”) would scare the women and children. The situation was a little more nuanced than this, however, as NO White person from Harrisburg possessed the courage to join a local militia to defend the place they lived in. This led to the local authorities agreeing to arm a small company of local Black men that everyone knew – who had to drill away from the sight of ordinary people from Harrisburg. Meanwhile, thousands of White volunteers poured into the area to offer their services in defence of the place (risking their lives) – but were met with indifference and hostilities from the locals. Shop-keepers, hoteliers, and bar-owners put up their prices by ten or twenty times (even charging for a glass of water) – asking for excessive amounts of money for the smallest necessity of life.

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General George Pickett - CSA

CSA: BBC Antiques Roadshow “Experts” Convicted of Fraud After Appearing on Show! (1.4.2025)

Although a small number of the Confederate soldiers managed to reach the Union lines and engage in hand-to-hand combat, they were ultimately overwhelmed. The charge ended in a disastrous defeat for the Confederates, with more than half of the men involved either killed, wounded, or captured. Meanwhile, on a different part of the battlefield, the Union scored yet another decisive victory at Vicksburg on July 4th, 1863, the day after the defeat at Gettysburg (a conflict had been raging at Vicksburg since the beginning of the war – with the defending Confederates scoring a number of victories – but nothing decisive). Nevertheless, despite these heavy-blows, General Lee managed to muster what was left of his Army and retreat in good order back to the South – and continue the war for another two-years.

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Possibly a a Photograph of the "Philadelphia Greys"

CSA: General Robert E Lee Sues for “Peace” [1863] – Pennsylvanian “Minutemen” Non-Existent! (17.3.2025)

This reflected a remarkable situation. A Confederate Army was riding rampant through the Pennsylvanian countryside – the State within which Washington DC is situated – and yet “no one” amongst the young, elderly, disabled or wounded men (considered medically “unfit” to join the Regular Army due to ill-health or age) were prepared to defend the Union. Within the city of Philadelphia, 8,000 men of the already existing “Philadelphia Greys” bravely volunteered to march to the front in defence of the Union. Due to the general lack of volunteers from the ordinary population – the city of New York sent 12,000 of its own existing Militiamen to supplement the regular Union Army. How brave these men were! Militiamen are often called “Sunday Soldiers” – as they are working men, fathers and patriarchs who live in society, work and look after their families. They come together once a week, once a month, or just a few times a year to compare notes, fire their weapons, and discuss homestead self-defence. They are not frontline soldiers. Of course, Confederate citizens showed the same extent of bravery when the time came. 

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CSA Aeronaut - Captain John Randolph Bran!

CSA: Confederate Aeronautical Ballon Corps – Peninsula Campaign [1862]! (10.1.2025)

For safety reasons, the Confederates decided to transport their balloon via the water when not in operation (to protect it from enemy fire). The silk balloon was loaded onto the armed (CSA) tug “Teaser” – to transport it from the Richmond Gas Works up to the front-lines along the James River. This system, however, eventually led to the demise of the Gazelle. The Teaser, loaded with the Gazelle, ran into Union Naval Forces patrolling the James River, and was fired upon and captured by the US Marines carried aboard the USS Maratanza. The Confederate balloon was given to the Union expert – Thaddeus Lowe – who cut it up into scraps to give as souvenirs. Some of these pieces are still in existence. The Union lost the Peninsula Campaign due to a lack of reliable military intelligence. The Confederate Aeronautical Balloon Corps was abolished on the 4th July, 1862 – following the retreat of Union Forces out of the South.

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Southern Men Arise!

How Great Britain Assisted the Formation of the Confederate Post Office [1861-1863]! (8.1.2025)

The internationally-known London, England printing firm of “Thomas De La Rue & Co.”, prepared plates and stamps for the CSA until a Southern firm was found to take over the work. That firm, Archer & Daly, began producing stamps in 1863. The US blockade of as many Confederate ports as possible often meant that British ships carrying supplies from London, the UK, or the British Empire to the Confederacy – were often intercepted via acts of piracy on the high seas by the US Navy – with the goods confiscated and/or destroyed. The US government was continuously irritated by the continuous (undeclared) British support for the Confederacy – which for at least two-years extended into the realms of Post Office support! Of course, many of the best weapons the Confederate Army possessed were supplied by the UK. The Postmaster General of the Confederate Post Office Department (POD) – John Reagan (whilst traveling with President Jefferson Davis) – was arrested on the 8th May 1865, and imprisoned at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Reagan was pardoned and released from prison almost two years later. Jefferson Davis “refused” a Pardon (on the grounds that he had done nothing wrong) – and was subsequently released anyway.

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P. G. T. Beauregard - Creole

Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard: How a “Mixed-Race” Confederate General Defeated the North! (14.11.2024)

Indeed, many of his aunts and uncles were White people who had inter-married with Black, Mexican, and Native American partners. Indeed, whilst serving in the US Army prior to the war – P. G. T. Beauregard – his advancement was blighted by the fact that the US Military Authorities purposely discriminated against him on the grounds that he was “Not Trustworthy” – as he was the product of a family that deliberately “Race-Mixed”. This judgement kept him out of West Point as a Teacher (he had trained there in his youth – but was not permitted to pursue a substantive career in that institute) – until he was mistakenly posted as an “Instructor” at this College of Officer-Training in the US during 1861 (just prior to the breakout of hostilities). His appointment lasted just one-day until the mistake was realised by a Union pen-pusher. P. G. T. Beauregard was immediately removed on the grounds that the US does not allow any but “pure-raced” individuals exercising direct influence over the developing generations of US Military Officers. Indeed, the US Authorities applied this judgement by continuously referring to P. G. T. Beauregard as a “Creole” – implying that he was psychologically and physically “inferior” due to “race-mixing”.

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