Category Archives: Postbellum Society

feeding frenzy

You could say it’s a (very brief) tale of five Union generals. When Ulysses S. Grant became President of the United States in March 1869 he promoted his friend William T. Sherman to be the Commanding General of the U.S. … Continue reading

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cabinet kerfuffle

In its March 5, 1869 issue The New-York Times kept coverage of Ulysses S. Grant’s inaugural address off its front page, unlike the previous two inaugurations. The times were certainly different, relatively crisis-free. After all, in 1861 a couple weeks … Continue reading

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nothing to hear here?

Back around the New Year a couple New York City periodicals seemed to be eagerly awaiting the March 4th 1869 inauguration of President-elect Ulysses S. Grant “with the guarantees of future peace and prosperity and of a final settlement of … Continue reading

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civvies lesson

According to the February 23, 1869 issue of The New-York Times Washington’s Birthday 150 years ago was kind of a humdrum day in the great metropolis, a day that “had the air of something that has missed fire. It was … Continue reading

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ethno-cupid

150 years ago Harper’s Weekly observed Valentine’s Day with a cartoon featuring six cupids representing different ethnic groups. The New-York Times noted that the post office was being swamped with valentine missives. That apparently wasn’t a new phenomenon – eight … Continue reading

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scalped

From the January 16, 1869 issue of Harper’s Weekly (pages 41-42): THE INDIAN WAR. THE Indian Peace Commission of 1867 accomplished greater harm than benefit. Treaties were entered into with The Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, Kiowas, Comanches, and at the recommendation of … Continue reading

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lest you forget

In January 1869 a National Convention of the Colored Men of America was held in Washington, D.C. On January 19th a delegation from the Convention called on President-elect Ulysses S. Grant to congratulate him for the victory and to remind … Continue reading

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happy new wheels

Based on its January 9, 1869 cover, it seems that Harper’s Weekly had pretty great expectations for the new year in general and president-elect Ulysses S. Grant in particular. It’s true that General Grant did successfully carry out the political … Continue reading

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nationalist reunion

From the January 9, 1869 issue of Harper’s Weekly: THE ARMY REUNION AT CHICAGO THE immense congregation of officers and soldiers assembled at Chicago on the 15th and 16th of December were representatives of our volunteer armies. Many were present … Continue reading

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the velocipede revolution

The times they are a-modernizin’. Back in April 1868 an American periodical urged better preservation of historically important places. 150 years ago this month the same paper enthusiastically described a new device – a traveling machine. It wasn’t just the … Continue reading

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