Michigan Civil War Blog

Honored Flags

On July 4^th, 1866, Governor Henry Crapo and Adjutant General John Robertson accepted on behalf of the State of Michigan the war-weary, bullet-torn and blood stained flags that our proud Michigan volunteers bore into battle during the recently ended Civil War.  On that hot day in Campus Martius in Detroit, Governor Crapo pledged that the flags “would not be forgotten and their histories left unwritten”.

On July 2, 1991, Governor John Engler and the Adjutant General assisted in recreating the return of the battle flags on the 125^th anniversary of their original return and initiated the Save The Flags project.

Since 1991, Save The Flags has worked to fulfill Governor Crapo's and Governor Engler’s promises  by raising funds and awareness for this incredible collection of 240 battle flags, carried by Michigan soldiers in the Civil War, the Spanish American War and World War I.

Saturday, July 9, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. will mark the 150^th anniversary of the return of the Civil War battle flags and the 25^th anniversary of Save The Flags.  The ceremony will take place on the Capitol steps. Please join numerous state dignitaries, historians and Civil War re-enactors, many of whom will be in attendance with their replica battle flags, as Michigan pays honor to the sacrifice of our proud Michigan Civil War soldiers.

A thought and memories on Decoration Day

A friend of my dear departed son wrote this in a Facebook post, hoping to remind us all of the sacrifice made by many on our behalf that is well worthy of our remembering:

""On this Memorial Day weekend, I would like to pause and think of all of my friends and colleagues both civilian and military, as well as their families who serve and served our country. Heroism has many faces. And some people paid the ultimate price after their service due to conditions they experienced while serving. Let's not forget about them on this Memorial Day especially when we look around in our
own community and see those who struggle. Many of our homeless are veterans. We often forget about the fact that we are in the longest war we have ever been in in Afghanistan and that our diplomats work in some of the scariest country on Earth. Men and women put their lives on the line for us every single day in military bases, as well as embassies and consulates. Thank you for all you do, I'm so humbled to know so many amazing public servants. You are what makes our country great."

Ebru was there; she knows.

Having spent time these past nine months immersed regularly in the bloodbath known as Antietam for a forthcoming book, I almost feel I know -- though I truly cannot. I can only imagine. Combat is horrifying. Civil War combat certainly was.

Thank you to all who have and will place their lives at risk so that I may be free.

Eventually wrapping up the Sesquicentennial

It is not over. Not yet. There is still much to do to fulfill the purposes in Michigan of commemorating the Civil War Sesquicentennial. There is the idea of a Michigan monument at Antietam. There is the ongoing work to preserve and promote the Grant Home in Detroit. There is ...

And there is now the beginning of a plan for how to report to the people of Michigan, and to posterity, on the work that has been undertaken over the past years relating to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve that came along in the lives of those who have seen the American Civil War as such an important, and ever so, epoch in our Nation's history. Brian James Egen, Chairman of the Michigan Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, has sent out an invitation along these lines:

Let us submit a report of all the CWS activities that took place over the 150^th. We have website info that is awesome and perfect for the record and would be instrumental in documenting what Michigan did. As much as possible I would like to see every group, unit, museum, city, club, roundtable, etc. submit a list of what activities they did/participated in over the sesquicentennial. I don’t think we would need a huge amount of detail as we can always link back to websites, etc.  I have proposed the idea to the Michigan Historical Commission and they are indeed supportive of the idea. To a person, they recognize all that has been done by you/your groups and others. This would of course be voluntary but most groups have a list or an idea of what they did. I would take on the responsibility of merging them together into a report.

My thought is that we use the rest of this year and the first part of 2016 to collect information and roll this up into the report to be submitted (to the State Archives, State of Michigan, Governor’s Office, etc.) by next summer to coincide with the anniversary of the battle flags being turned into the State under Governor Crapo. Where I do think your assistance will be invaluable, is to spread the word of this effort. 

For anyone reading this blog, feel free to spread the word, to respond to Brian, and to be part of recording history. His email is [email protected]

 

 

Michigan's Governor Remembers

Gov. Rick Snyder calls for flags to be flown at half-staff as part of national day of remembrance for Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday marks 150^th anniversary of president’s death
Tuesday, April 14, 2015

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder has joined President Barack Obama’s call for all United States Flags to be lowered to half-staff on Wednesday, April 15 as a day of remembrance for President Abraham Lincoln.

The day marks the 150^th anniversary of the day the nation’s 16^th president died.

“We do not lack for reminders of President Lincoln’s actions, which will live in our nation’s hearts for as long as we remain a strong and united country,” Snyder said. “Today we will remember the person – his dedication to what we should stand for and the courage to fight for it. Let us all pause today and reflect on President Lincoln’s vision for America and what we all can do moving forward in that spirit.”

When flown at half-staff or half-mast, the U. S. flag should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff or half-mast position. The flag should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. Flags should be returned to full-staff on Thursday, April 16.

For Whom the Bells Tolled ...

https://www.facebook.com/thehenryford

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When Lilacs Last Bloomed

One hundred fifty years ago at this moment, Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of these United States, drew his last breath.

As the Commander-in-Chief under Article II, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution, Mr. Lincoln's death at the hands of a Confederate sympathizer -- though not a uniformed individual, nonetheless acting on behalf of the Southern Confederacy -- constituted both a civilian and a military casualty. His sacrifice served to elevate him, as did sacrifices by everyday soldiers, nearly fifteen thousand from Michigan, into the ranks of the honored dead from whom we should find our model of service to the Nation and support for its mission to extend God-given and self-evident rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The death of President Lincoln was felt keenly in Michigan. Its soldiers felt it perhaps even more. The historian of the 24th Michigan, O.B. Curtis, recorded: "the nation was plunged into the deepest grief and the world startled by the crime of ages--the wicked assassination of Abraham Lincoln, at once the most abused and best loved President the nation ever had." There is no reconciliationist sentiment here, no Lost Cause sympathy: "Confessedly he was the man for the hour and occasion--God's instrument for the annihilation of the cause of the war, African Slavery." The regiment was granted its finest honor: "The solemn duty of performing the martial rites at his funeral devolved upon the Twenty-fourth Michigan Infantry which formed his funeral escort."

At The Henry Ford in Dearborn at this moment, chapel bells are ringing out, commemorating the loss of our greatest chieftain, and proclaiming the freedom and liberty in America that he helped extend.

Our history is what sets us apart. Our collective memory is what gives us identity. Our common heritage, despite its low moments and its too-frequent disgraces, is what we should continue to celebrate. Abraham Lincoln is ours, as Americans, and we ought never to forget his service and his sacrifice.

May we take increased devotion to that cause for which he gave the last full measure of devotion -- that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall never perish from the earth.

 

Plaudits

Sir:

I respectfully call your attention to the 150th anniversary today of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia near Appomattox Court House in Virginia. I do believe that Michigan deserves a significant portion of the credit shared by Union arms in this victory.

The war is not quite ended with this development, but it draws measurably closer. The Confederacy's best general and army are no longer in the field. The president of the Confederacy remains at large, but it is only a question of time before he is apprehended.

I respectfully submit that chapter 14 entitled "Coda" in Michigan and the Civil War: A Great and Bloody Sacrifice covers these matters with appropriate plaudits accorded to Michigan.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

Honoring Michigan's Civil War Soldiers of Color

This, the final calendar year of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, has started out well in Michigan.

Yesterday, Governor Snyder signed into law Senate Bill 93, to designate the "102nd United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) Memorial Highway". The location is "the portion of highway I-375 that is within Wayne County." Public Act 494 of 2014 is now on the books, taking effect on March 31, 2015.

Looking forward to appropriate commemorative events to unveil this signage.

This initiative was one of the Michigan Historical Commission Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee's objectives in its work plan: http://www.michigan.gov/mhc/0,4726,7-282-65121_61084_62918_65885-310616--,00.html MiCWSC

More work remains ...

Honoring Michigan's African-Heritage Civil War Regiment

Last night, on the final day/night of the current session, the Michigan Legislature passed Senate Bill 93.

The bill was introduced on January 29, 2013, by Senator Coleman A. Young II, with cosponsors Hoon-Yung Hopgood, Steven Bieda, Morris Hood, Rick Jones, John Pappageorge, Bert Johnson, and Glenn Anderson. The bill would have added a new section to the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate the portion of highway I-375 within Wayne County as the "First Michigan Colored Infantry Regiment Memorial Highway". 

The First Michigan Colored was a regiment of Michiganders of African descent who enlisted to fight in the Civil War on behalf of Union and emancipation. They were recruited in 1863 from the southern tier of Michigan counties.

The bill was referred to committee and languished. Suddenly, on October 1, 2014, the committee took up the legislation, and the bill was reported out in the form of a substitute S-2. The substitute amended the bill to read as follows: SEC. 1076. THE PORTION OF HIGHWAY I-375 THAT IS WITHIN WAYNE COUNTY SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE "102ND UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS (U.S.C.T.) MEMORIAL  HIGHWAY. " On November 6, the substitute was adopted by a vote of 37-0 with one member excused.

The bill was referred to a House committee, which reported it out on December 9 with a recommendation that it pass without amendment. On December 16, the House adopted a substitute H-1, which would amend the bill to read as follows: SEC. 90. THE PORTION OF HIGHWAY I-375 THAT IS WITHIN WAYNE COUNTY SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE "102ND UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS (U.S.C.T.) MEMORIAL HIGHWAY". On December 18, the House approved the bill by a vote of 108-0.

Because the House had adopted a different version of the bill, the Senate had to concur for it to become law. On the same day, the bill was transmitted to the Senate, and that body adopted the House version by a vote of 38-0. The bill is on its way to the Governor where it undoubtedly will be signed into law.

Thus, during the 11th hour of the current Legislature, a bipartisan consensus occurred and without a single dissenting voice action was taken -- quickly and in the only way to achieve passage -- to honor the First Michigan Colored Infantry Regiment, later denominated the 102nd United States Colored Troops.

Immediate effect was approved, so the bill will become law upon the Governor's signing it.

The bill was introduced as part of the Michigan Historical Commission's workplan to assist Michigan in commemorating the Civil War Sesquicentennial. Last night's passage is extremely gratifying. But even more, it is such an appropriate action by our elected officials to call to the attention of all 10 million Michiganders and those visitors to our State who travel I-375 the heroism, patriotism, and selfless sacrifice of the thousand-plus men who put on Union blue and carried armament to fight, primarily in the Deep South, under the flag of the United States of America. As chair of the Civil War Sesquicentennial committee would say, "Huzzah!"

Memory, the Sesquicentennial, and CWTR

Prof. Gerry Prokopowicz has been the host of Civil War Talk Radio on the internet for nearly all of the ten years' worth of shows. Both the show and his tenure have amazing longevity and quality. The website for the program can be found here CWTR.

The most recent show, on Nov. 5th, featured Caroline Janney, author of Remembering the Civil War: Reunion and the Limits of Reconciliation. It is a fascinating book, one that shatters some of the modern myths about the topic and introduces a level of complexity that makes the Civil War memory topic even more fascinating than it has been. This program is one of the best ever.

Near the end of the show is a fascinating colloquy about the Sesquicentennial, where Dr. P asks questions where Dr. J answers in a way that clarifies her judgment, a bit obscure in the book's ending, that the Sesquicentennial in many states has been done with an emphasis not just on perpetuating myths but on solid historicity, inclusion, and depth. And Michigan comes up ...

The program is well worth listening to on your laptop or other device. My habit is to listen via podcast in the car. The only problem there is getting so involved in the program that you might miss your turn. A good problem to have.