Category Archives: 150 Years Ago This Week

News from 150 years ago

Defend the Home of the Blues!

And Earn 50 Dollars Confederate From the Richmond Daily Dispatch February 25, 1862: R. L. I. Blues. Rally! men of Richmond, to your country’s call. One hundred men are wanted, at once, to fill up this glorious command, and to … Continue reading

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Guardians of the Technology

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch February 24, 1862: Guarding the telegraph. The Second regiment E. S. Home Guards, Col. Wilkins, is detailed for duty to guard the telegraph line from Salisbury, Maryland, to Cape Charles, Virginia. Headquarters at Drummond town; … Continue reading

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Father of His Countries

150 years ago today there were celebrations throughout the Union (including the Border States) to honor the 130th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. Many localities featured the public reading of Washington’s Farewell Address per a proclamation by President Lincoln. Part … Continue reading

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Sitting on a Seat of War

Not exactly President George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin but here George McClellan and P.G.T. Beauregard appear to be gazing into each others’ eye. This cartoon was published on February 1, 1862 and it is already out of date. By … Continue reading

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“No Illumination”

In 1862 Congress authorized the expenditure of $1,000 to illuminate public buildings in Washington, D.C. on the evening of February 22nd in commemoration of George Washington’s Birthday. However, members of the cabinet requested that those plans for the public buildings … Continue reading

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Provisional No More

150 years ago today the first elected Confederate Congress convened in Richmond, Va. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch February 19, 1862: Confederate Congress. first session. Yesterday along before the hour arrived, a large crowd had assembled at the Capitol to … Continue reading

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Singing and Laughing with Fred.

From The New-York Times February 13, 1862: FRED. DOUGLASS ON THE WAR.; An Interesting Meeting at the Cooper Institute A Speech by Fred. Douglas Songs by the Hutchinsons. A very large audience assembled at the Cooper Institute last evening, on … Continue reading

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Jim Lane: Manservants and Reservations

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch February 13, 1862: What to do with our slaves. –Jim Lane made a speech last month at St. Louis, in which he said: “There are in the South 680,000 strong and loyal male slaves, who … Continue reading

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Not an Abolitionist in the American Sense

A letter to Britain 150 years ago this week. To Sir Charles Lyell. Boston, February 11, 1862 MY DEAR LYELL,-No doubt, I ought to have written to you before. But I have had no heart to write to my friends … Continue reading

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Parole and Amnesty on Offer

Friendship, romantic love … political love. 150 years ago today Abraham Lincoln ordered that political prisoners be paroled if they promise not to render “aid or comfort” to U.S. enemies. He granted such prisoners amnesty as long as they held … Continue reading

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