Category Archives: Southern Society

lotta hate going around

Posted on December 3, 2013 by SUMPTER

“I hate victims who respect their executioners.” – Jean-Paul Sartre 150 years ago a Southern newspaper tried to reconcile rebel guerrilla attacks against civilians with notions of Southern chivalry. How to do it? Blame the Yankees- William Quantrill and his … Continue reading →

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138 miles

Posted on November 29, 2013 by SUMPTER

After their victory at Chattanooga Federal troops pursued the retreating rebels into Georgia. 150 years ago today the “Sallust” correspondent of the Richmond Daily Dispatch telegraphed home a description of the situation. It was published last in a series of … Continue reading →

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managing well in North Carolina

Posted on November 27, 2013 by SUMPTER

150 years ago today a Richmond newspaper published a portion of an address by North Carolina Governor Zebulon Baird Vance to the state legislature. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch November 27, 1863: Governor Vance’s message. –The North Carolina Legislature assembled … Continue reading →

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railroaded in Ireland?

Posted on November 23, 2013 by SUMPTER

A Southern editorial that found the British hands-off policy regarding Union recruiting efforts in Ireland not exactly neutral: From the Richmond Daily Dispatch November 23, 1863: Yankee recruiting in Ireland. From the intercepted letter of Mr. De Leon, which the … Continue reading →

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“dignified address”

Posted on November 20, 2013 by SUMPTER

This is the first review I saw of November 19th’s Gettysburg cemetery dedication in the Richmond Dispatch. It focused on Lincoln’s and Seward’s responses to serenaders the evening before and the main speech by Edward Everett on the 19th. From … Continue reading →

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swarming with yankees

Posted on November 15, 2013 by SUMPTER

Richmond was just about overflowing with Yankee prisoners. Some were being disposed to Danville and Lynchburg. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch November 14, 1863: The prisoners of War in Richmond. The morning report of the Libby prison yesterday shows the … Continue reading →

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ladies’ night

Posted on November 13, 2013 by SUMPTER

I’m pretty sure the Dispatch editors found the following document historical for the racial component. My added take: it’d be a lot better party by making sure the women got there; therefore, the 50% price reduction? From the Richmond Daily … Continue reading →

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in pain

Posted on November 12, 2013 by SUMPTER

To paraphrase Shelby Foote: Before the Civil War many Americans said “The United States are …”; after the war they said “The United States is. It’s been well-documented how when the war started many Southerners had to choose between their … Continue reading →

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that European diet

Posted on November 11, 2013 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch November 10, 1863: Eat Press [Less] meat. –The great scarcity of meats of all kinds in this Confederacy renders it absolutely necessary that all classes should be exceedingly economical in its use, in order to … Continue reading →

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and yet so far

Posted on November 8, 2013 by SUMPTER

Going on three years now Charleston and especially Fort Sumter have been hugely symbolic (New York City Republicans fired a “miniature Fort Sumter” at a Washington’s birthday celebration back in 1861). The Union has been banging away all year, but … Continue reading →

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