Category Archives: 150 Years Ago This Week

News from 150 years ago

Philadelphia Frenzy

Posted on June 18, 2013 by SUMPTER

As the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia moved northward, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was the focal point for militia units from other Union states arriving to help shore up the Keystone state. The June 18, 1863 issue of The New York Times … Continue reading →

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It must be an emergency …

Posted on June 17, 2013 by SUMPTER

… Governor wants to cut red-tape New York was not mentioned in President Lincoln’s call for 100,000 militia to help stave off the Confederate invasion, but somehow or another New York authorities got the word. In a repeat of the … Continue reading →

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“threatening to make inroads”

Posted on June 15, 2013 by SUMPTER

150 years ago today some Confederate troops entered Pennsylvania as part of the Army of Northern Virginia’s invasion of the Union. Civil War Daily Gazette explains that the federal War Department was ignorant of the exact disposition of the rebel … Continue reading →

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Peace: Politics and Perceptions

Posted on June 14, 2013 by SUMPTER

150 years ago there were more and more indications that at least a good chunk of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was heading north of Mason-Dixon. A Democrat newspaper apparently thought it would be a good idea to postpone … Continue reading →

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“a rather dismal joke”

Posted on June 13, 2013 by SUMPTER

From The New-York Times June 13, 1863: IMAGINARY FEARS. – One of our neighbors affects great alarm over the “fearful danger of a centralization and consolidation of the Government.” Just at this moment this sounds like a rather dismal joke. … Continue reading →

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“intolerance and bigotry”

Posted on June 11, 2013 by SUMPTER

The South … has never proscribed any man on account of his creed or race From the Richmond Daily Dispatch June 11, 1863: The Yankee Know Nothings. A suggestive item of Yankee news has been published in this paper, which … Continue reading →

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Not ’til there’s nothing left to sell

Posted on June 8, 2013 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch June 6, 1863: General Pemberton to the army. –The Mississippian, of Saturday morning, publishes a speech made by Gen. Pemberton, after repulses of the enemy. It is as follows: You have heard that I was … Continue reading →

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Show Troops?

Posted on June 7, 2013 by SUMPTER

We know that Phineas Taylor Barnum was on the lecture circuit early in 1863, but apparently the South has not heard anything of his exploits since the beginning of the war. A Richmond newspaper from 150 years ago surmised the … Continue reading →

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“the hardest thing I ever saw”

Posted on June 5, 2013 by SUMPTER

150 years ago today a detachment from the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rappahannock once again to probe Confederate strength on the other side. Members of the 50th New York Engineers tried to build a pontoon bridge as the … Continue reading →

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Norfolk parasol spy

Posted on June 4, 2013 by SUMPTER

I loved watching The Wild Wild West as a scared youngster. I guess back in the 1800s a parasol could be used for more than clunking U.S. agents over their heads. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch June 4, 1863: The … Continue reading →

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