Author Archives: SUMPTER

Present Arms

Posted on March 28, 2013 by SUMPTER

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper, presumably sometime in early 1863: Presentation to Capt. McDonald. Capt. JAS. H. MCDONALD, of the 50th Regiment, received on Monday evening, a very substantial present at the hands of his fellow-citizens, for gallant … Continue reading →

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Burnside Exiled?

Posted on March 27, 2013 by SUMPTER

I guess if you’re a strongly Democratic party newspaper you have to pretty much criticize everything the Lincoln administration does. After the Battle of Fredericksburg a Seneca County, New York newspaper blasted the Lincoln and his War Department for the … Continue reading →

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Sambo and Coffee

Posted on March 26, 2013 by SUMPTER

A Democratic Party oriented newspaper maintained that blacks would have to be drafted to fight for their freedom. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in March 1863: Drafting the Negroes. All the highly colored stories concerning negro volunteers at … Continue reading →

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anger management

Posted on March 25, 2013 by SUMPTER

Sometimes when I reproduce racist articles I feel like me and 150 years are ganging up on the people in the story – I have no idea what my thoughts and actions would be like if I lived so long … Continue reading →

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A lynching in Montgomery

Posted on March 23, 2013 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch March 23, 1863: A Spy Hung. –Saturday morning last the Vigilance Committee resumed the examination of Dan’l S. E. Starr, who was charged with having written an Abolition book, which we believe, was found in … Continue reading →

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baptisms in a battle-scarred town

Posted on March 22, 2013 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch March 21, 1863: From Fredericksburg. [from our own correspondent.] Fredericksburg, March 17, 1863. On Sunday morning, in passing the Episcopal church, in which the religious exercises that, for the past three weeks, have excited so … Continue reading →

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Death of General Sumner

Posted on March 21, 2013 by SUMPTER

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in March 1863: Death of Gen. Sumner. Major General EDWIN V. SUMNER died at the residence of his son-in-law at Syracuse, on Saturday morning March 21st, at the advanced age of 67 years. … Continue reading →

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Unionists of New York

Posted on March 20, 2013 by SUMPTER

It’s not all Copperheads and treason in March 1863, and the Conscription Act has yet to be implemented. From The New-York Times March 20, 1863: Another Union Demonstration. Every few days now, we have a grand popular demonstration in behalf … Continue reading →

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Back East

Posted on March 19, 2013 by SUMPTER

Based on its placement in a notebook full of clippings, I believe this article from a Seneca County, New York newspaper was probably published around March, 1863. Regular U.S. Infantry had come back from the West to fight the rebels … Continue reading →

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Election in Fredericksburg

Posted on March 18, 2013 by SUMPTER

Americans are fortunate that we mostly have “free and fair” elections. 150 years ago yesterday the people of Fredericksburg, Virginia apparently relied on Confederate troops to ensure that the Yankees on the other side of the Rappahannock did not try … Continue reading →

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