Smith's Letters

Finally got a spare minute to scan in letters written by Smith leading up to battle at Coffeeville and his untimely death. These letters just haunt me everytime I read them.

Emailed them to a gentleman working on the events surrounding this battle.

I miss working on my Civil War research, plan to get back to it one day in the not too distant future.

Out of Touch

I really miss reading and blogging about the Civil War period. I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen. So, with that said....I am going to get back to it. Tonight I will start with reading my Great Grandfathers diary from the war.

I also need to get some information to a gentleman wanting information about the Battle of Coffeeville.

“Taps” Where did it come from?

The Myth goes something like this.
In 1862 Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia. During the night through the sounds of battle, Captain Ellicombe heard the cries of a wounded soldier. Not knowing if the soldier was Union or Confederate, Captain Ellicombe decided to risk his own life and gather up the soldier and bring him into camp for medical care. The Captain crawled onto the battlefield with bullets flying and pulled the soldier to safety. In the dark, he could only make out that the young mans uniform was Confederate. Captain Ellicombe lit a lantern and placed it near the soldier and discovered it was his own son. His son was a music student in the South when the war began and without consulting his father, he joined the Confederate forces. Captain Ellicombe asked his superiors if he could give his son a full military burial and was granted a portion of his request. He was not allowed to use a full military band, but was told he could have one musician. The Captain selected a bugler. Captain Ellicombe recovered a piece of paper with music notes on it in his son pocket. Realizing his son must have written it, he requested the bugler play it as they laid his son to rest. This haunting melody we now know as “Taps” is used at military funerals.

The Truth [An Excerpt From Twenty-Four Notes That Tap Deep Emotions: The story of America's most famous bugle call by Jari Villanueva]

Taps began as a revision to the signal for Extinguish Lights (Lights Out) at the end of the day. Up until the Civil War, the infantry call for Extinguish Lights was the one set down in Silas Casey's (1801-1882) Tactics, which had been borrowed from the French. The music for Taps was adapted by Union General Daniel Butterfield for his brigade (Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac) in July, 1862. As the story goes, General Butterfield was not pleased with the call for Extinguish Lights, feeling that the call was too formal to signal the days end, and with the help of the brigade bugler, Oliver Willcox Norton (1839-1920), wrote Taps to honor his men while in camp at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, following the Seven Days battle. These battles took place during the Peninsular Campaign of 1862. The new call sounded that night in July, 1862, soon spread to other units of the Union Army and was reportedly also used by the Confederates. Taps was made an official bugle call after the war.

The first time I heard Taps, I was 9 years old and we were burying my father at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in San Antonio. Myth or Truth, this song touches the soul.

Buglers in the Civil War

These heroic men, Union or Confederate were in large part the foundation of any camp during the Civil War. They would provide entertainment, alarm services for duties, and relayed calls during battle. Buglers were generally associated with cavalry and artillery, while drums were with the infantry.

Gustav Shurmann known as "The Little Bugler" rode with several commanders, one was Daniel Sickles…which if you have followed my blog, you know I have a fascination for this man.

Gustav was only 12 years old when he started riding in the war. Buglers would ride alongside the commanders in battle, it was thought since the sound of the bugle carried so well…it was the best source of organization during battle. During the heat of battle, you could still hear the bugles play above the cannons and guns.

The letters from Union Sergeant William A. Smith, mention the buglers regularly. After reading the letters, I felt the buglers were the glue holding the men together and helped them get through each day whether battle or at rest.

Smith's Letter dated February 15th, 1862 with location Cape Girardeau, Missouri

My Dear Wife
I once more take my pen to address you a few lines to let you know that I am still on times side of Eternity, enjoying good health and I believe a reasonable mind, hoping you and the children are in good health.
…A man cannot die in a better cause….The Captain goes to Cairo by the first boat, to get our carbines….
(and he ends his letter) …The bugle is sounding 8 o’clock roll call, so good night.

USS Constellation

USS Constellation, the last all sail warship built by the US Navy, is open to the public as a museum in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The USS Constellation Museum invites guests to discover life on board the only Civil War era vessel still afloat and explore the ship's maritime history.

I have been through this ship and it is facinating. It is well worth the time to tour through it and visit the harbor when in the area.

Knights of the Golden Circle 1860 Election

11/5/1860 a letter from Union Soldier refers to the election about to begin and how they arrested Knights of the Golden Circle!!! KGC was to lay the groundwork for annexation of territories in Mexico, Central America, & Caribbean to be included w US as slave states.

Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret society originally founded to promote the interests of the Southern United States.

Most of the time, families knew more what was going on than the soldiers. Families had the advantage of reading the paper. Soldiers would wait for newspapers to be sent from home to learn the news.

1860 was historical for many reasons, but probably the most important was the election of Lincoln! This one act would set off a chain of southern states secessions.

The Presidential Election of 1860

Abraham Lincoln won the support of the Republican National Convention.

The Democratic National Convention was held in South Carolina, with a second meeting in Maryland. During the convention, 110 Southern Delegates, walked out when the party would not adopt a platform endorsing the expansion of slavery into new/future territories. The Democrats that remained, nominated Stephen A. Douglas for the presidency. The Southern Democrats held another convention in Virginia, nominating John Breckinridge.

The former Know Nothings with some Whigs formed the Constitutional Union Party running on a platform supporting the Constitution.

November 6; Republican Candidate Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States, with Hannibal Hamlin as his Vice President. This brought on the secession of the Southern States, starting with South Carolina.