Michigan Civil War Blog

Appearance in Benzonia

Bruce Catton: Civil War and Civil Rights

June 13, 2013, 7-8pm at Mills Community House, Benzonia. In his 2011 landmark study of the Civil War Centennial, American Oracle, David Blight took fellow Michigander Bruce Catton to task for his troubling omission during the heart of the civil rights movement of the African-American dimension to the conflict. Jack Dempsey, former chair of the Michigan Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, will present a spirited defense of America's greatest Civil War historian and put Catton's work in a more balanced framework. Jack Dempsey is author of the 2012 Michigan Notable Book Michigan and the Civil War: A Great and Bloody Sacrifice. He and his brother Dave co-authored the 2013 Michigan Notable Book Ink Trails: Michigan's Famous and Forgotten Authors. For info contact Louis Yock, bmuseum@att.net or call the Benzie Historical Museum at 231-882-5539.

Book signing in South Haven

From the website of Black River Books, 330 Kalamazoo St., South Haven, 49090, 269-637-7374:

Jack Dempsey Visits Black River Books

 

"Ink Trails," by Jack and Dave Dempsey, "...takes you on an amazing ride on the back roads and highways of Michigan's literary history, visiting eighteen authors where they lived and worked. Jack Lessenberry is quoted saying "Ink Trails" is a "literary adventure" and "...a book that belongs on every Michigander's shelf. Jack Dempsey also wrote "Michigan and the Civil War." He dropped in last summer, (see below,) and signed our copies of that book. He'll be signing both books on Saturday, June 8 from 2:00 - 4:00pm.

Civil War Expert in Plymouth

Historian Dave Finney will speak at the Plymouth District Library on June 12 about how G.A. Custer and the Michigan Cavalry Brigade came together. It is well worth the effort to come hear him, just because Dave has labored long and hard in the CW commemoration vineyard, but also especially in light of the forthcoming marker dedication mentioned here on May 30. Info here: PDL

Do we really remember?

On this third Memorial Day during the Civil War Sesquicentennial, reading the article "The Union Dead" in the NYT Disunion blog yesterday, which included an account of the disgusting behavior of the U.S. Secretary of War about the graves of those soldiers (and having recently visited and taken some photos of Michigan dead in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery, with the stones carved as described in the article), and also reading an item in today's Freep about a couple who have made it their mission to visit and care for the graves of every Michigan soldier lost to the Vietnam conflict, one comes away with mixed feelings. The Freep also recounts the story of a woman pilot from Michigan who died in service during WW2 whose sacrifice only recently was recognized by her country. There is also a story about WW1 memorials that are coming down, with one person commenting how that conflict and the service of our soldiers doesn't mean much to today's Americans.

The confusion comes because, against human avarice and neglect of our history, there are so many examples of individuals and institutions not letting us forget. The Henry Ford in Dearborn MI is a great example: this is yet another Civil War Remembrance weekend, designed to commemorate and educate today's citizens, young and old, about the events and people of one hundred fifty years ago. Does that war mean much today? The answer has to be: yes, given the continuing deluge of CWS events here in Michigan and around the country. Perhaps they don't get the same kind of publicity as current news events, but it doesn't take one too much effort, like simply reading the NYT, to continue their contact with the American Civil War in order to try to glean lessons from it applicable to our lives today.

Having recently lost a loved one to old age, all this hits particularly close to home. Perhaps as a nation we should embrace as a solemn commitment, both as leaders and as followers, the words of a military officer in the recent PBS Death and the Civil War:

"There is no more sacred obligation I don't think that the United States of America has than to those who have borne the burden and sacrificed so much -- not just the military members but is also the family members because they too have sacrificed so much. The Civil War is the foundation for this. 

When I am at a graveside, at a funeral and I engage a family who's lost a son or a daughter or a brother or a sister, I always say that 'I promise you, we will never forget.' I want them to know that sacrifice was meaningful and will never be forgotten. We should never forget as a country those who served and those who sacrificed and ultimately those who've paid the ultimate sacrifice." - Admiral Mike Mullen, 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Civil War Remembrance Weekend

Nothing compares -- no thing -- to CWR weekend, three full days chock full of Civil War experience at The Henry Ford in Dearborn MI. CWS at CWR Words do not suffice. Go check it out!

Michigan at Fredericksburg Cemetery

Yes, the Chancellorsville 150th is the most recent major battle anniversary, but on a recent trip up I-95 came the opportunity to visit the Fredericksburg NBP and to walk the sunken road and then follow the path through the national cemetery. For those who haven't visited recently, the walking path and the reconstructed stonewall more clearly educate on what it was like for the Confederates to defend the position against the Union charges from their comparative safety:

More to the Michigan point, however, it takes the visitor just a few more minutes to follow the trail into the cemetery.
There, immediately after entry, one finds this:
A closer look reveals a Michigan grave:

And the story of James T. Avery? Died May 12, 1864. He was a member of Company A, 17th Michigan Infantry, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, IX Corps, Army of Potomac. Residence: Adrian MI; 19 years old, enlisted on June 4, 1862 at Adrian, Lenawee Co., MI as private; on August 19, 1862 he mustered into "A" Co. MI 17th Infantry. Wounded in February 1864 at Knoxville, TN. Promoted to Sergeant. Killed In action in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, VA.

This national cemetery is full of such headstones, such graves, such stories. And each one is worth stopping at to pay silent respect to the sacrifice of one of our Michigan forebears.

Michigan Cavalry Brigade Painting Rediscovered

I've heard from fellow Commissioner and MI CWS Committee Chairman Brian James Egen of the following amazing story ... with a request for help:

We found an oil painting of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade Monument at Gettysburg in our collections here at The Henry Ford. It is a great painting of a bucolic scene with sheaves of winter wheat shocked in piles around the monument with the Rummel Farm in the distance. We are very excited about this painting and have been frantically doing research trying to find the back-story of whom, when, where, and more importantly why – particularly the Michigan Cavalry Brigade monument of all the others on the main battlefield? 

The painting was done, we believe in 1890, by Jessie C. Zinn (Lohr) who was born in Gettysburg (possibly in nearby York Springs to be exact) on July 4, 1863. She was married on July 15, 1891 to Lindsy [sic] Luther Lohr Lohr who was supposedly trained at the Lutheran Seminary in town. Since the painting was signed Jessie C. Zinn we presumably speculate that it was done between June 12, 1889 (Michigan Day at G-burg) and July 15, 1891 when she was married. We have found an amazing amount of information and tracked down her grandson, Lawrence Lohr. The family is not aware of any other military themed paintings that she did – at least that they are aware – except for one. Mr. Lohr told us his cousin John Zinn, who lives in Gettysburg, has another Jessie Zinn painting done around the same time of people out visiting the “High Water Mark”. He described it as “people on a Sunday afternoon stroll visiting the battlefield.” 

Our painting, which is approximately 43” x 57”, is substantial enough and unique to the artist’s other works, that we are currently thinking it may have been a commissioned piece. That being said, someone from Michigan (probably from the Brigade) must have commissioned it. Russell Alger? Libby Custer? James Kidd? Custer family? Cavalry Brigade Association? Although the accession record contains very little about the particulars we understand it was donated to The Henry Ford with a Tecumseh, MI/Detroit connection. Although we have found a ton of material on the artist and her family from Gettysburg, the trail goes cold as to the Michigan connection and why. Here is what we know about the Tecumseh/Detroit connections at the moment:  Joseph Elliot Gray was one of the founding family members of Tecumseh. His son Elliot was 1st Lt. Company B, 7th MI Cavalry. He was wounded at Gettysburg and discharged about 10 days later somewhere nearby. He apparently was instrumental in the GAR 140th Post in Tecumseh, MI.  Alger, who just ended his term as Governor, mentions Lt. Elliot in his speech during the Monument’s dedication so we presume Elliot was in attendance – did he meet the artist during that time? Did someone commission her after the dedication? So many questions. 

As you can imagine, it is pretty exciting and we are eager to find out more and have it displayed during Civil War Remembrance weekend. It is also has recently been published to our online collections web site - THF You will see it in the middle of the thumbnails. 

Brian asks: Is anyone out there with more information?

Honor to the 1st Michigan Colored

Being near the Beaufort National Cemetery last week, several of us from Michigan went over on a brilliant Spring afternoon to pay tribute to the sacrifice of black Michiganders who never made it home from their Civil War service. To stand near their graves and think of the measure of courage they had to risk their lives down in the Deep South is truly humbling. Our memorial wreath attempted to pay honor, but Dudley Randall's poem of that name, which we read aloud (trying not to choke up), says it perfectly.

Pictures also help the account.

Grant in Detroit: an anniversary

One hundred sixty-four years ago today, Ulysses S. Grant reported to Detroit. It was not the first time; he had reported on November 17, 1848, only to be told of reassignment to Sacketts Harbor, NY, where he promptly set out for. But on April 18, 1849, he was back in Detroit, reporting to the headquarters of the 4th U.S. Infantry. He would remain here on duty until reporting again at Sacketts Harbor on June 12, 1851.

These next two years may, in fact, have been the happiest of U.S. Grant's entire life. He had been married to Julia Dent on August 22, 1848, and so spent only a few months as a newlywed before the posting in New York. It was during their Detroit residence that Frederick Dent Grant, the Grants' first child, was born, on May 30, 1850. You do the math.

More to come -- let us hope, during this momentous 150th of the Civil War -- about the Grants in Detroit, and, let us hope, soon.

U.S. Grant and MI: little known facts

As promised, here are some never-before-heard-about items connecting USG to Michigan, well beyond what's been written in all (so far as we know) the major works on him.

1. One of USG’s sons married a Michigan girl, from Adrian.
2. USG’s only daughter married an Englishman, and the General/President agreed to the union (pun intended) on one condition, that Mr. Algernon Sartoris become a U.S. citizen and live here. So, preparatory to that, Mr. S purchased land … in Michigan! But then a family member died in Jolly Old England, Al inherited the estate, and the newlyweds made their home in the Old Country, not Michigan. If only.
3. When USG came back from Mexico after the war, and finally settled in Detroit, he brought with him – for the benefit of his Missouri born-and-bred wife who grew up in a household where slaves, er, servants were at her beck and call – a servant for her. Not someone of African extraction, but … of course … a Mexican. His name was Gregorio. How appropriate for Detroit's 20th/21st century Hispanic influx!

But there's more. To come.