Hockey and the Civil
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DUTY / VALOR THE ESPRIT DE CORPS BLUE and GRAY EVENTUAL BROTHERHOOD CUP The Civil War and Hockey At the mention of the words work...brotherhood and sportsman- 1861-1865 and could apply today to “Civil War” and “hockey” in the ship. these young hockey players as well. same sentence, a puzzled look ap- We just needed to find the historical Seeing the opportunity the histori- pears on peoples face as they at- bridge from the past to the present cal past provided, my immediate tempt to imagine how there could be concern was how to be respectful of With the knowledge that the a connection. SPONSORED BY: the fact that in the Civil War, young Third Michigan Infantry Regiment and In July of 2012, Mr. Phil Sweeney, men fought and died and, while in- the Sixth and Seventh Michigan Cav- THE MICHIGAN head coach of the Davenport Univer- tense and spirited, a hockey game is alry Regiments had formed in Grand COMMANDERY sity hockey team of Grand Rapids, just that, a hockey game. Rapids, I conducted some research OF THE Michigan, contacted me to ask that for units from Lynchburg and learned MILITARY very question - was there a way to of the Eleventh Virginia Infantry and ORDER OF THE share the history of the Civil War on the Second Virginia Cavalry Regi- LOYAL LEGION an ice rink versus a classroom. ments. (More information about OF THE Phil’s question was whether the those units is provided later in this UNITED subject of the Civil War could be document.) STATES combined with an annual three game My name is Bruce B. Butgereit hockey series between the Panthers and I serve as the Commander of the of Davenport University and the Michigan Commandery of the Mili- Flames of Liberty University from tary Order of the Loyal Legion of the Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty head United States (MOLLUS). coach Mr. Kirk Handy had expressed The Commandery proudly an- genuine interest as well. I then determined that many nounces the creation of the - historical moments provide examples I too had that puzzled look on my BLUE & GRAY CUP face but then started thinking about which can use to effect change or to build upon. The words of DUTY, - to be awarded annually to the Michigan and Virginia...North and VALOR, ESPRIT de CORPS, and school which is the victor in two of South...Blue and Gray...fields of valor EVENTUAL BROTHERHOOD had the three games played between and a sporting event...victors and the applied to those boys of Blue & Gray Davenport and Liberty Universities. defeated...esprit de corps and team- CONTACT: The Civil War Sesquicentennial BRUCE B. BUTGEREIT Both Michigan and Virginia er to promote events, facilitate Fort Wayne, and History Re- 1691 are commemorating the 150th communication, and to ensure membered, Inc. SUMMERFIELD anniversary of the American Civil that “Michigan Remembers the History Partners Website STREET SE War from 2011-2015. Civil War.” GRAND www.micw150.us/ In Michigan, there is a part- The Partners include: the RAPIDS, MI Seeking Michigan Website 49508 nership between the Michigan Michigan Commandery of the Civil War Sesquicentennial His- Military Order of the Loyal Le- seekingmichigan.org/civil-war 616-827-3369 tory Partners and the Civil War gion of the United States; the Virginia Sesquicentennial Website Sesquicentennial Committee of Department of Michigan, Sons of CIVIL-WAR@ the Michigan Historical Commis- Union Veterans of the Civil War; http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/ COMCAST.NET sion. This alliance works togeth- iMichigan Productions; Historic MILITARY NEWSLETTER DATE Civil War Basics The idea that a nation could soldiers from North and South SPECIAL POINTS OF exist without a ruling king or returned home, and became the INTEREST FROM dictator had never been tested leaders of the industrial revolu- CIVIL WAR TRUST: before America claimed her tion and were active in their How many soldiers fought - freedom in 1776. communities. They formed vet- Blue 2,128,948 erans groups to maintain the Gray 1,082,119 camaraderie they had established in the War. How many soldiers died* - Blue 360,222 They would also shake hands Gray 260,000 in an effort to bring unity back to *Recent research into medical and the nation. pension records indicate this number may be low. The Spanish-American War would also serve to reunite What caused the Civil War? - While many still debate the ultimate these formers foes and serve to causes of the Civil War, Pulitzer Prize restore a truly united America. -winning author James McPherson writes that, "The Civil War started because of uncompromising differ- The Civil War was the first ences between the free and slave test of that new government. states over the power of the national Fought for many issues that are government to prohibit slavery in the still important in our lives today - territories that had not yet become civil rights, states rights, individu- states. When Abraham Lincoln won al freedoms, taxation, tariffs, and election in 1860 as the first Republi- can president on a platform pledging more - the Civil War was neces- to keep slavery out of the territories, sary to not only bring about the seven slave states in the deep South end of slavery but to effect seceded and formed a new nation, the change in so many other areas. Confederate States of America. The incoming Lincoln administration and Following the Civil War, the most of the Northern people refused to recognize the legitimacy of seces- sion. They feared that it would dis- credit democracy and create a fatal precedent that would eventually frag- ment the no-longer United States into The Blue & Gray Cup several small, squabbling countries." The soldiers from Grand the Civil War, the rivalry by soldiers both Blue and Rapids, Michigan and Lynch- between the Davenport and Gray. burg, Virginia met on the Liberty Universities is often This trophy is meant to field of battle numerous intense and spirited too. symbolize that in victory or times throughout the Civil The tradition of oppo- defeat, we can demonstrate War. nents shaking hands after a proper character through Although far removed hard-fought hockey game is respect and understanding from the service and sacri- similar to the handshakes fice made by the soldiers of that were eventually shared FRONT The Text on Blue & Gray Trophy Base Cup Each year, the victorious team will tie a ribbon to one of the handles of the trophy - BLUE for Davenport University and GRAY for Liberty University. In the future, a count of Awarded annually to the the number of ribbons attached will help identify which victor of the team was victorious most often. Davenport University & Liberty University Hockey Series LEFT RIGHT Third Michigan Infantry Regiment Eleventh Virginia Infantry Regiment June 10, 1861 - June 20, 1864 May 15, 1861 - April 9, 1865 Grand Rapids, Michigan Lynchburg, Virginia Blackburn’s Ford / First Bull Run Blackburn’s Ford / First Manassas Peninsula Campaign / Second Bull Run Seven Days Battles / Second Manassas Chancellorsville / Gettysburg South Mountain / Sharpsburg Wilderness / Spotsylvania / Cold Harbor Fredericksburg / Gettysburg / Cold Harbor Petersburg / Appomattox Sixth Michigan Cavalry Regiment October 10, 1862 - November 24, 1865 Second Virginia Cavalry Regiment Seventh Michigan Cavalry Regiment May 11, 1861 - April 10, 1865 January 16, 1863 - December 15, 1865 Lynchburg, Virginia Grand Rapids, Michigan First Manassas / Jackson’s Valley Campaign Brandy Station / Gettysburg / Cold Harbor Seven Days Battles / Second Manassas Winchester / Cedar Creek Sharpsburg / Chancellorsville / Brandy Sta. Five Forks / Appomattox Gettysburg / Petersburg / Appomattox BACK Established in 2012 By: Michigan Commandery Of The Military Order Of The Loyal Legion of the United States During the Sesquicentennial OF 1861-1865 The Civil War 2011-2015 To Commemorate The Soldiers Both North and South DUTY / VALOR ESPRIT de CORPS AND EVENTUAL BROTHERHOOD Images of the Third Michigan courtesy of Steve Soper: http://thirdmichigan.blogspot.com/ Some of the men who served Third Michigan Infantry in this regiment: Color Sgt. Daniel Crotty Abraham Lincoln, President of the Unknown group of Sergeants United States of America Pvt. John Strong “...Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or 1st Lt. Ernst Synold Pvt. George Wiselogel 1st Lt. Fred Stow any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure…” Pvt. Andrew Webster Sgt. Martin Taylor Pvt. Isaac Waite Gettysburg, July 2nd 1863: Byron R. Pierce, This regiment, deployed as skir- Third Michigan, mishers, held the line extending from the Peach Orchard east to Brevet the woods, was the right of de Major General Trobriand's Brigade, and connect- U.S. Volunteers ed with the left of Graham's. Went into action with 19 officers, 267 men. - Total 286 Casualties - 7 men killed, 3 officers and 28 men wounded, 7 men miss- ing - Total 45. Photo courtesy of: http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/MI/3MI.php Images of the Eleventh Virginia courtesy of Library of Congress Eleventh Virginia Infantry Some of the men who served in this regiment: Pvt. Peter Arthur Jefferson Davis, William Henry Taylor and Stephen Stewart President of the Pvt. John Anthony Confederate States of America “I worked night and day for twelve years to prevent the war, but I could not. Pvt. J. Ray Unknown Unknown Unknown The North was mad Gettysburg: and blind, would Longstreet's Corps Pickett's Division Kemper's Brigade not let us govern 1st, 3rd, 7th, 11th, & 24th Virginia Inf. July 2. Arrived about sunset and bivou- ourselves, and so acked on the western border of Span- gler's Woods. the war came.” July 3. In the forenoon formed line in the field east of the woods with right flank near Spangler's Barn. At the close of the cannonade advanced and took part in Longstreet's assault upon the Union posi- tion in the vicinity of the Angle.