Category Archives: Military Matters

Relative Quiet in York County

Some Christmas Eve southern patriotism from the Virtus correspondent of the Dispatch. Virtus does not think there will be any general advance on up the Peninsula because it is too well defended and because the Yankees seemed to be too … Continue reading

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Using Oil As a Weapon

It didn’t take long. In 1859 Edwin Laurentine Drake successfully drilled for oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania. 150 years ago this week there was at least speculation about possible destructive uses of the material that was becoming more and more available. … Continue reading

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No Wake for Finegan?

A Christmas Killing A Seneca County, New York newspaper in January, 1862 included this Boxing Day letter home: From the Thirty-Third Regiment CAMP GRIFFIN, 33D REGIMENT, Co. K. Dec. 26, 1861. I improve the opportunity of writing you this morning. … Continue reading

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Talking Strategy for Christmas

A Seneca County, New York newspaper in January, 1862 included this Christmas Day letter home: From South Carolina A letter from Beaufort, S.C., dated the 25th ultimo, and written by a brother of one of the editors of this paper, … Continue reading

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At Camp Near Bladensburg

Christmas Festivities: Chasing a pig … and a pigskin? Through the haze of 150 years it’s kind of hard to make everything out. You can read the description at the Library of Congress. There’s information here that Camp Union was … Continue reading

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It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like …

Plenty of Time to Decorate Camp In Lieu of General Advance South Captain Guion of Company A, New York 33rd Infantry Regiment describes his quarters, the regiment’s decorating mission, the 25 mile front, and the regiment’s non-fighting role during the … Continue reading

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19th NY Will Convert from Infantry to Artillery

It’s been almost four month since we’ve heard from the 19th NY Volunteer Infantry from the Auburn, New York area. A few things have been happening, but no fighting to speak of. Since the end of September they had been … Continue reading

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Missed-cellany #1: Got Pass?

I’ve mentioned that the Seneca Falls, New York public library contains a couple three-ring binders full of local newspaper clippings from the Civil War era, divided by year. At first, I did not see a specific date associated with the … Continue reading

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Seminary Justice

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper December 1861: Army Correspondence FAIRFAX SEMINARY; Va., Dec. 14. The anticipations of battle soon to be fought in Virginia, which a few days since were general throughout nearly all the camps around here, … Continue reading

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Message to Mac?

From The New-York Times December 13, 1861: NEWS FROM WASHINGTON…. VISIT OF THE INDIAN DELEGATES TO THE CAMPS. … … The Indian delegates yesterday visited the camps in Virginia, and witnessed division drills and reviews. They expressed their astonishment and … Continue reading

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