Category Archives: 150 Years Ago This Week

News from 150 years ago

Where’s Jasper?

Posted on April 3, 2012 by SUMPTER

See the 57th Article of War It’s been a long time since I’ve copied anything from JASPER, The New-York Times’ antebellum Charleston correspondent. After the surrender of Fort Sumter JASPER escaped north to write again another day. In this piece … Continue reading →

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Letter from a “bagged rebel”

Posted on April 2, 2012 by SUMPTER

Fort Warren at Boston Harbor “had a reputation for humane treatment of its detainees.” Given the circumstances, I’d say that newspapers and whiskey from your home state (especially if that state is Kentucky) would go on the humane side of … Continue reading →

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“Melt the Bells”

Posted on March 31, 2012 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch April 1, 1862: To the patriotic — the value of Church Bells. The Ordnance Bureau of the Confederate States the use of such bells as can be spared during the war, for the purpose of … Continue reading →

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Turning Over in His Grave?

Posted on March 30, 2012 by SUMPTER

Disunion was off the table for the Great Compromiser 150 years ago this week The New-York Times was speculating on Union operations on the lower Mississippi. In a long article that quotes heavily from the Richmond Daily Dispatch the editors … Continue reading →

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Peninsula Prelude

Posted on March 29, 2012 by SUMPTER

As Union General McClellan ships his huge Army of the Potomac to Virginia Peninsula a couple sketchy reports are published by the Richmond press that seen to indicate things are heating up around Yorktown. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch March … Continue reading →

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Working on the Railroad

Posted on March 28, 2012 by SUMPTER

Adviser Lee’s First General Order In early March 1862 Jefferson Davis recalled Robert E. Lee from the South Carolina area to Richmond to serve as the president’s military adviser. At the time the Richmond Daily Dispatch hailed Davis’ decision – … Continue reading →

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Apathetic Farmers

Posted on March 27, 2012 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch March 27, 1862: The crops. –The crops of the present year, as we were yesterday informed by an intelligent farmer of Henrico, are very backward both in that county and all adjacent ones, the planters … Continue reading →

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White Runaways

Posted on March 26, 2012 by SUMPTER

I’m used to advertisements in the Richmond Daily Dispatch offering rewards for runaway slaves. 150 years ago today there were at least three advertisements for military deserters. Here’s an example from the Richmond Daily Dispatch March 26, 1862: Deserters. –The … Continue reading →

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A Fire-Eater Sobered

Posted on March 24, 2012 by SUMPTER

The well-known fire-eater William Lowndes Yancey has returned from a year-long diplomatic mission to Europe. He failed to get either England or France to recognize the Confederacy. Yancey stopped at New Orleans on his way to Richmond to take his … Continue reading →

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In Lieu of a Gym Membership

Posted on March 23, 2012 by SUMPTER

Do Newspaper Editors Lead Sedentary Lives, too? The soldier-power shortage is nothing new, but this sales ploy sure surprised me. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch March 23, 1862: The soldier’s life. –It is said that the frequenters of the gymnasium … Continue reading →

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