Author Archives: SUMPTER

Samuel Oliver

Posted on December 8, 2014 by SUMPTER

Apparently 150 years ago this month the body of a soldier arrived home before word of his death. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in December 1864: DEATH OF A SOLDIER. – The remains of Corporal Samuel Oliver of … Continue reading →

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behavioral economics

Posted on December 6, 2014 by SUMPTER

And General Sherman (hey, it’s December 1864). On the same day that President Lincoln nominated Salmon P. Chase to serve as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court he presented Congress with his annual message. You can read about Mr. … Continue reading →

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capital shells?

Posted on December 5, 2014 by SUMPTER

150 years ago today editors in Richmond mentioned that the Union army might be sending some incendiary shells their way in the near future. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch December 5, 1864: The preparations for shelling Richmond — experiments with … Continue reading →

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“We usually take five at a load”

Posted on December 4, 2014 by SUMPTER

From The New-York Times December 4, 1864: HOSPITAL SCENES.; How the Soldiers Are Buried How Their Remains May be Recovered. Correspondence of the New-York Times. UNITED STATES GENERAL HOSPITAL, FORTRESS MONROE, Va., Thursday, Nov. 17, 1864. BURYING THE DEAD. EXHUMING … Continue reading →

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Abe’s Cornerstone

Posted on December 3, 2014 by SUMPTER

The Union must be preserved and slavery is wrong. Nevertheless, the president still released two rebel prisoners. From The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Seven: MEMORANDUM, DECEMBER 3, 1864. On Thursday of last week, two ladies from Tennessee … Continue reading →

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vandals?

Posted on December 2, 2014 by SUMPTER

A Democratic-leaning paper in upstate New York was not quite so enamored of total war in Georgia as The New-York Times appeared to be in its Thanksgiving day issue. Presumably the rebels would soon resist the Union army with a … Continue reading →

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small world

Posted on December 1, 2014 by SUMPTER

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in December 1864: PRISONERS HEARD FROM. – The following is an extract from a letter written by Mr. Lewis DeMott, of this village (now in hospital at Annapolis, Md.) to his wife, under … Continue reading →

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risks of intercourse

Posted on November 29, 2014 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch November 30, 1864: From Petersburg. During the past two days a good deal of unimportant skirmishing and cannonading has taken place on the Petersburg lines. About one o’clock on Monday, our troops on General Mahone’s … Continue reading →

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more or less on Sherman

Posted on November 28, 2014 by SUMPTER

A pretty subdued Monday morning editorial from Richmond. The paper isn’t sure where Union General Sherman and his army are headed in Georgia, but the editors “should not be surprised if they met some resistance in this march.” From the … Continue reading →

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“the eager, hungry glare”

Posted on November 27, 2014 by SUMPTER

A local paper reprinted part of a very long report in the November 26, 1864 issue of The New-York Times that detailed the bad condition of exchanged Union soldiers. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper on December 8, 1864: … Continue reading →

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