THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER
Gettysburg Seminary Spangler said Schmucker Hall played The museum is expected to be ready a significant role in the first day of the by spring 2013. receives grant for Civil battle. The cupola at the top of the Army museum's oddities War museum building has been a prominent feature By Steve Maroni, The (Hanover, Pa.) for many historians, and was where resettle in Silver Evening Sun, November 7, 2011 Union cavalry Gen. John Buford Spring One of the most historically significant observed the approaching Associated Press, October 21, 2011 Civil War buildings in private hands Confederate army and met with Gen. SILVER SPRING, Md. — The bullet will soon be refurbished into a state- John Reynolds to develop a plan. that killed Abraham Lincoln is of-the-art museum and will be open to Bradley Hoch, chairman of the mounted under glass, like a diamond the public just in time for the 150th Adams County Historical Society in a snow globe, in its new home at anniversary of the Battle of board of directors, said the Union's the National Museum of Health and Gettysburg. First Corps suffered 5,700 casualties Medicine. Schmucker Hall at the Lutheran -- killed, wounded and missing -- out The lead ball and several skull Theological Seminary at Gettysburg of 8,000 soldiers as they defended fragments from the 16th president are was a lookout point and the center of the position at Schmucker Hall, giving in a tall, antique case overlooking a the Union's defenses the first day of the Union time to fortify other key Civil War exhibit in a museum gallery the three-day battle. In the following points along the battlefield. He said in Silver Spring, just off the Capital days, it served as a field hospital for the Union essentially traded lives for Beltway. hundreds of wounded soldiers. time. The military museum, known for its John Spangler, president of the Each floor of the museum will have collection of morbid oddities, moved Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation interpretive displays, bringing to life in September from the former Walter Foundation, said the museum will the history of Schmucker Hall, Reed Army Medical Center in teach people about the building's role Spangler said. Washington. At Walter Reed, visitors in the battle, as well as the The fourth floor will be dedicated to had to pass through a security gate significance of religion in the lives of the events of the first day of the battle and find the museum on the campus, Americans during the Civil War. that occurred around Schmucker Hall. where parking could be a problem. "What's amazing to me is that on both The third floor will follow Schmucker The new building stands outside the sides, Union and Confederate troops Hall's use as a field hospital during gates of Fort Detrick's Forest Glen sat by the fire at night and read from the remainder of the battle, and Annex. Visitors can just drive up, walk the same Bible," Spangler said. through September of that year. in and come face-to-face with a The seminary, along with the Adams The second floor will focus on the perpetually grinning skeleton directing County Historical Society and the moral and social history of the period them to an exhibit on the human preservation foundation, received a and will feature displays on faith, body. There, one can see a hairball $4 million state grant last week for the issues of slavery and freedom, and from the stomach of a 12-year-old girl Voices of History campaign, which the Underground Railroad, Spangler and the amputated leg of a man with will transform the 1832 building into a said. elephantiasis — a disease that four-story, state-of-the-art museum. The first floor will be a reception area. causes limbs to become bloated. The The building, once called the Old The museum will include murals, leg floats upright in a glass jar like an Dorm, has not been in use for artifacts, and audio and video enormous, pickled sausage. students since the 1950s. Currently, displays. It will also feature interactive The museum's collection of 25 million the top two floors are not being used maps and re-creations of hospital objects includes plenty to inspire at all because of unsatisfactory scenes with die-cast statues. fascination or disgust — or both. But heating and cooling and lack of The historical society is packing up it's also a treasure trove for humidity control, but the bottom two artifacts, and moving them out of researchers like Candice Millard, are a part of the historical society, Schmucker Hall in preparation for author of the new book "Destiny of where much of its collection is on construction, which is expected to the Republic," about the display. begin in December. assassination of President James Garfield. She wrote in her
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER acknowledgements that she held in pound cannonball like the one that hit more than half the land, including her gloved hands at the museum the him during the 1863 Battle of hundreds of acres of undeveloped section of Garfield's spine pierced by Gettysburg. waterfront property and the moated a .44-caliber bullet from Charles Most of the museum's objects, stone fortress itself. Guiteau's gun. including 2,000 microscopes and Tuesday marked Obama's first use of Guiteau's brain and partial skeleton hundreds of thousands of human the Antiquities Act of 1906, which are also in the museum's collection. brain specimens, are in an off-site empowers presidents to designate Deputy Director Tim Clarke Jr. said warehouse. They will be moved by federally owned land of significant the museum will close in January and next spring to a renovated warehouse historical value as a national reopen by May 21 with its largest- across the street from the new monument. Politicians from both ever display of objects to mark its museum. parties supported the idea, which was 150th anniversary. The scope of the Clarke said the requirement to safely first suggested and long advocated exhibits is still being decided, he said. pack, move and unpack each artifact for by a local group of history buffs "We are sure, though, that we are will enable the museum to get a that formed an alliance called programming and planning an exhibit better handle on the number of Citizens for a Fort Monroe National that will astound our visitors," Clarke artifacts in any given collection and Park. said. the grand scope of the entire "This is going to give an opportunity collection. for people from all across the country If You Go... to travel to Fort Monroe and trace the THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF history that has been so important to HEALTH AND MEDICINE is at 2500 making America what it is," Obama Linden Lane in Silver Spring, Md., at said before signing the proclamation. the Fort Detrick-Forest Glen Annex; "I am looking forward to not only http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/ visiting myself, but also taking Malia or 301-319-3300. Open daily 10 a.m.- and Sasha down there so they can 5:30 p.m. Free admission. get a little bit of a sense of their Obama designates Fort history." Obama noted that the first slave ship The bullet that killed President Abraham Lincoln on Monroe as national April 15, 1865 is among the items on display at the to arrive in the Colonies landed at an National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver monument early fort on the site in 1619. More Spring. Photo courtesy National Museum of Health By Julian Walker and Kate Wiltrout, than two centuries later, Fort Monroe and Medecine The Virginian-Pilot, November 2, became a refuge for slaves during the The $12 million relocation established 2011 Civil War and "helped to create the a permanent home for an institution President Barack Obama signed an environment in which Abraham that has had 10 addresses since executive order Tuesday granting Lincoln was able to sign that 1862. That's when Surgeon General national monument status to Fort document up there," he said, pointing William Hammond directed medical Monroe, ending a five-year, to a copy of the Emancipation officers in the field to collect grassroots effort to protect a storied Proclamation. "specimens of morbid anatomy" for spit of land that witnessed the Work on the stone fortress began in study at the newly founded museum beginning and end of slavery in the 1819 under President James Monroe, along with projectiles and foreign United States - and lots of military who sought to protect the fledgling bodies. A photograph nearly covering history in between. democracy from invasion after the one wall of the museum's new Civil Obama's proclamation on Hampton's British navy sailed up the War exhibit shows amputated legs Fort Monroe, which he signed in the Chesapeake Bay and burned stacked like firewood. Oval Office before more than a dozen Washington during the War of 1812. The exhibit also includes the witnesses, signals the start of a new When it was completed in the 1830s, shattered bones of U.S. Army Maj. chapter for the former Army base, the "Gibraltar of the Chesapeake," Gen. Daniel Sickles' lower right leg, built between 1819 and 1834. The surrounded by an 8-foot-deep moat, mounted for display beside a 12- National Park Service will manage enclosed 63 acres.
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER
Fort Monroe was a military base until sat by the fire at night and read from the remainder of the battle, and mid-September, when the Army the same Bible," Spangler said. through September of that year. moved its personnel to comply with a The seminary, along with the Adams The second floor will focus on the 2005 base realignment and closure County Historical Society and the moral and social history of the period decision. A little over half of its 570 preservation foundation, received a and will feature displays on faith, acres will be managed by the park $4 million state grant last week for the issues of slavery and freedom, and service. A state entity, the Fort Voices of History campaign, which the Underground Railroad, Spangler Monroe Authority, will oversee the will transform the 1832 building into a said. reuse of the rest of the property, four-story, state-of-the-art museum. The first floor will be a reception area. including limited development in The building, once called the Old The museum will include murals, certain sections. Dorm, has not been in use for artifacts, and audio and video "This national monument designation students since the 1950s. Currently, displays. It will also feature interactive is going to give us the credibility, the top two floors are not being used maps and re-creations of hospital name recognition and national status at all because of unsatisfactory scenes with die-cast statues. that will help us encourage people to heating and cooling and lack of The historical society is packing up visit and jobs to relocate here," Glenn humidity control, but the bottom two artifacts, and moving them out of Oder, the authority's executive are a part of the historical society, Schmucker Hall in preparation for director, said after watching Obama where much of its collection is on construction, which is expected to sign the proclamation. display. begin in December. Gettysburg Seminary Spangler said Schmucker Hall played The museum is expected to be ready a significant role in the first day of the by spring 2013. receives grant for Civil battle. The cupola at the top of the The first decorated War museum building has been a prominent feature By Steve Maroni, The (Hanover, Pa.) for many historians, and was where soldier of the Civil Evening Sun, November 7, 2011 Union cavalry Gen. John Buford War? One of the most historically significant observed the approaching By Gregg Clemmer, DC Civil War Civil War buildings in private hands Confederate army and met with Gen. Heritage Examiner, October will soon be refurbished into a state- John Reynolds to develop a plan. 25, 2011 of-the-art museum and will be open to Bradley Hoch, chairman of the Colonel (and Oregon Senator) the public just in time for the 150th Adams County Historical Society Edward Baker was dead. Bodies of anniversary of the Battle of board of directors, said the Union's Union soldiers littered the Potomac Gettysburg. First Corps suffered 5,700 casualties River as far down as Chain Bridge. Schmucker Hall at the Lutheran -- killed, wounded and missing -- out And after dual, devastating defeats-- Theological Seminary at Gettysburg of 8,000 soldiers as they defended in July along Bull Run and now at was a lookout point and the center of the position at Schmucker Hall, giving Balls Bluff--Baker’s outraged the Union's defenses the first day of the Union time to fortify other key colleagues in Congress formed the the three-day battle. In the following points along the battlefield. He said Joint Congressional Committee on days, it served as a field hospital for the Union essentially traded lives for the Conduct of the War. hundreds of wounded soldiers. time. But in the victorious Confederacy, the John Spangler, president of the Each floor of the museum will have South Carolina General Assembly Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation interpretive displays, bringing to life decided to celebrate valor, passing a Foundation, said the museum will the history of Schmucker Hall, “concurrent resolution” citing one of teach people about the building's role Spangler said. their own, Brigadier General Nathan in the battle, as well as the The fourth floor will be dedicated to “Shanks” Evans, “for conspicuous significance of religion in the lives of the events of the first day of the battle gallantry at Leesburg.” As a token of Americans during the Civil War. that occurred around Schmucker Hall. their esteem for their heroic native "What's amazing to me is that on both The third floor will follow Schmucker son, the General Assembly sides, Union and Confederate troops Hall's use as a field hospital during commissioned James Allan &
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER
Company of Charleston to strike a side. Court-martialed for intoxication Russellville in the winter of 1864. The gold medal for Evans. and acquitted, then tried again for home was built in 1820. It would prove the high point of disobedience of orders and again Five years ago, the home was about Evans’ service to the Confederacy. acquitted, "Shanks" Evans eventually to be destroyed when a group of Yes, he had led the victorious crossed General P. G. T. Beauregard concerned citizens formed a non- Southern forces at Balls Bluff. And who deemed him incompetent and profit association to save it. It has yes, at Manassas, he had redeployed removed him from command. since been restored and is getting in time to confront the enemy’s After the war, Evans garnered a job ready to open to the public. turning of the Confederate left, an as a high school principal in Alabama, Thornton, who has written a action one historian said “went far but lived only another three years. genealogy of his family, said he towards saving the day for the Yet for his actions at Balls Bluff and wanted to help straighten out some South.” Manassas, Evans became the first "misconstrued aspects of my noted soldier on either side to receive a ancestor's career." medal. He dismissed Longstreet's critics who In 1936, Gen. Evans’ gold medal was faulted the general for not showing donated to the Museum of the enough support for Gen. Robert E. Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia. Lee, commander of the Army of Enclosed in a purple velvet case 83 Northern Virginia. mm square with a silk lining imprinted "Longstreet's reputation declined with the maker’s name, the medal precipitously after the war owing to reflects a golden proof finish and the efforts of an underhanded effort of measures 51 mm in diameter. Other a cadre of Southern officers, termed examples of the Evans’ medal, either by historians as a 'Lee' cult," in silver or bronze, are rumored to Thornton said. exist. At least one bronze specimen is Longstreet's criticism of Lee in known. newspaper accounts after the war Photo: Museum of the Confederacy Longstreet Museum also worked against Old Pete's reputation. He also joined the Yet despite the accolades, Evans dedicated Republican Party and that "made him was quite the rascal. Gruff and By Fred Brown, Knoxnews.com, a convenient scapegoat for the roughhewn to the point of October 14, 2011 South's defeat," Thornton said. insubordination, his piercing stare RUSSELLVILLE, TN — Clark The two-story home in Russellville and full beard aided his bullying. Thornton of Baldwin, Ga., says his was saved by the Lakeway Civil War Noted one of Gen. James great-great grandfather, Confederate Preservation Association, which Longstreet’s staff officers, Gen. James Longstreet, became the bought the property from a private “Evans was difficult to manage … He scapegoat for the Lost Cause after owner. had a Prussian orderly, with a the end of the Civil War when a cabal Volunteers and the Tennessee Civil wooden vessel holding a gallon of of officers worked to undermine "Old War National Heritage Area, a whiskey always strapped on his back, Pete's" reputation. statewide program administered by and there was the trouble.” Thornton, who researched his the Center for Historic Preservation at Remembered another contemporary, illustrious ancestor's family and Middle Tennessee State University, “If Nathan is the bravest and best military history for 15 years, was the have helped with the restoration. General in the C.S., if not in the featured speaker Thursday morning The museum dedication drew state, world, he is at the same time about at the dedication of the Gen. federal and local political officials the best drinker, the most eloquent Longstreet Museum in Russellville on including Carroll Van West, director of swearer (I should say voluble) and East Andrew Johnson Highway. the MTSU preservation center, and the most magnificent bragger I ever The museum was a house owned by Susan Whitaker, commissioner of the saw.” the Nenney family during Longstreet's state Department of Tourist His “Barrelita,” as Evans called his occupation of Morristown and Development. whiskey man, was never far from his
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER
About 100 people huddled inside two Similarly, Soldiers' National Cemetery tents due to rain and another 30 or so was temporarily closed but it has stood outside in the drizzle. West and since been reopened to visitors. Whitaker praised the museum, which The unusual October snow was they said is one of a kind for the caused by a low-pressure system off state. the East Coast and cold weather, West said the development of the according to one meteorologist. The Longstreet Museum is important in 4 to 6 inches of snow in the area was telling the story of the Civil War in the heaviest snowfall on record in Tennessee because Longstreet's role October for Adams and York NPS monument preservation specialist Lucas in East Tennessee has been Flickinger prepares to connect a crane harness to the counties. overlooked. The general died in 1904 figure from the 121st New York Infantry In the next few days, park staff will and is buried in Gainesville, Ga. monument. Photo by Shane Dunlap, The Evening compile a cost estimate and timeline Whitaker said that the museum is the Sun to repair the 121st New York Infantry only one in the state that served as a monument and cannon carriage. But Civil War general's headquarters. The bronze statue atop the 121st as of Monday afternoon, they were She said the museum would now be New York Infantry monument was still working to clear and reopen placed on Tennessee's Civil War bent away from its stone pedestal closed roads in the park. Trails, part of a five-state trails after a heavy branch crashed down. Eight strange and system to help in the exploration The bronze was cracked and bent of the Civil War's 150th and park staff removed the damaged obscure facts about the anniversary that began in April of statue from the north slope of Little Civil War you probably this year. Round Top. "We handle everything from didn’t know Trees crash on vandalism to what Mother Nature Smithsonian.com, November 15, Gettysburg throws at us." said Lucas Flickinger, 2011 monuments The statue now joins the never- Gertrude Stein said it best: “There will ending list of monuments and never be anything more interesting in By Tim Prudente, Hanover Evening markers in need of repair. America than the Civil War.” Even Sun, October 31, 2011 "You're never going to be ahead. with the war’s vast bibliography— The 121st New York was on the While it's a bit frustrating, we're going more than 60,000 books have been verge of collapse. Splintered trees to deal with it," Flickinger added. published since the last shot was littered Culp's Hill. And a historic Last week, park staff were finalizing fired, in June 1865—some of the cannon carriage was crushed. repairs to the 4th New York Artillery odder coincidences and bizarre facts Parts of the Gettysburg battlefield monument above Devil's Den. For of the period are overlooked. Wilmer appeared almost war-torn in the nearly five years, that vandalized McLean became one of the legendary aftermath of the weekend's bizarre statue, a six-foot bronze soldier, had figures of the war merely by trying to snowstorm. loomed headless inside the escape it. (After his house was Several inches of wet, heavy snow maintenance facility. shelled during the First Battle of Bull caused trees to topple on Also during the storm, a historic cast- Run, he moved—to Appomattox monuments, fences and roads in iron cannon carriage on West Court House, where General Lee Gettysburg National Military Park. Confederate Avenue was crushed surrendered to General Grant.) Here under a fallen tree. Trees fell across are some other noteworthy people several park roads over the weekend, and artifacts: resulting in closures that continued The Unusual Bunker Brothers. into Monday afternoon. The road Chang and Eng Bunker are best leading up to Culp's Hill was closed known as “the original Siamese as were roads south of Wheatfield Twins.” Natives of Siam (modern Road, according to a park Thailand) and joined at the sternum, spokeswoman. they became a popular attraction with
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER traveling museum exhibitions. In than a year after her son Willie’s 1839, they bought 110 acres in the death, dressing in black veils, black Blue Ridge Mountains in North crepe and black jewelry. Flora Stuart, Carolina and settled down. They the widow of Confederate General married sisters, built a successful J.E.B. Stuart, remained in heavy farm (with slave labor) and became morning for 59 years after the 1864 naturalized citizens and devoted death of her husband, wearing black Confederates. In 1865, Union until she died in 1923. By contrast, a General George Stoneman raided widower was expected to mourn for North Carolina and decided to draft only three months, simply by some of the locals, regardless of displaying black crepe on his hat or sympathies; the names of men over The "rectal acorn." Photo courtesy of the Museum armband. 18 were put into a lottery wheel. of the Confederacy. Glowing wounds. After the Battle of Eng’s name was drawn, but he General Lee’s chicken. Shiloh in 1862, soldiers reported a resisted the draft. Since Chang’s In 1862, a Virginia farmer gave peculiar phenomenon: glow-in-the- name was not drawn, there was little Robert E. Lee a flock of chickens. dark wounds. More than 16,000 General Stoneman could do; the Confederate General John Bell soldiers from both armies were brothers were not only joined at the Hood’s men ate all of them—except wounded during the battle, and sternum, their livers were fused. for one, who had survived by making neither Union nor Confederate Neither one served in the war, but her roost in a tree overhanging Lee’s medical personnel were prepared for their eldest sons both enlisted and tent. Lee took a liking to the chicken. the carnage. Soldiers lay in the mud fought for the Confederacy. He named her “Nellie” and raised the for two rainy days, and many of them The secret hiding place. flap of his tent so she could come and noticed that their wounds glowed in In 2009, a woman visited the go as she pleased. She began laying the dark. In fact, the injured whose Museum of the Confederacy in eggs nearly every day under the wounds glowed seemed to heal Richmond, Virginia, with an acorn- general’s cot. On the eve of the Battle better than the others. In 2001, two shaped object in hand. It was made of the Wilderness, Lee invited a Maryland teenagers solved the of brass and had no inscriptions or group of generals to dine with him, mystery (and won a top prize at an markings. She that according to but his slave cook, William Mack Lee, international science fair). The family lore, one of her ancestors couldn’t find sufficient food to make a wounded became hypothermic, and (edit: whoops! thanks for the catch!), meal. Although he “hated to lose her,” their lowered body temperatures a Confederate soldier, used the the cook said he “picked her good, made ideal conditions for a device to smuggle secret messages, and stuffed her with bread stuffing, bioluminescent bacterium called hiding it in his posterior until he mixed with butter.” He said it was the Photorhabdus luminescens, which reached his destination. Museum only time in four years that Lee inhibits pathogens. officials were intrigued by what she scolded him. “It made Marse Robert The other Jefferson Davis. called a “rectal acorn,” but she awful sad to think of anything being Union General Jefferson Davis declined to donate it. killed,” he said, “whether ’twas one of shared a name with the Confederate his soldiers or his little black hen.” president, a circumstance that didn’t Mourning rituals. cause as much confusion as might be Wartime convention decreed that a expected—with one notable woman mourn her child’s death for exception. During the Battle of one year, a brother’s death for six Chickamauga in 1863, as darkness months, and a husband’s death for fell on Horseshoe Ridge, members of two and a half years. She progressed the 21st Ohio saw a swarm of men through prescribed stages of heavy, approaching but couldn’t tell if they full, and half mourning, with gradually were friend or foe. Most assumed loosening requirements of dress and they were Union reinforcements, but behavior. Mary Todd Lincoln a few feared they were Confederates. remained in deep mourning for more
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER
As the troops grew closer, one Union an issue that could come up again in School bus company soldier called out, “What troops are his bid for the Republican presidential you?” The collective reply was “Jeff nomination. argues driver fired Davis’s troops.” The Ohio soldiers As the Austin American Statesman's over Confederate flag relaxed, believing they meant the Jason Embry reports, the plate has Union general. A few moments later, been proposed by the Sons of not protected by First they were staring down the muzzles Confederate Veterans, an ancestral Amendment and bayonets of the 7th Florida. The history group that has been involved Jeff Barnard, AP, November 11, 2011 Ohioans surrendered. The in litigation to display the Confederate GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A school Confederates won the battle. flag in state buildings and on bus company being sued by a driver Stonewall Jackson, monuments around the country. fired for refusing to take a hypochondriac. The Confederate The Texas Department of Motor Confederate battle flag emblazoned general thought himself “out of Vehicles board has been considering with the word "Redneck" off his balance.” Even under fire, he would the application for months. In April, pickup truck has asked for the case to raise an arm so the blood might flow the board deadlocked in a four-to-four be dismissed, arguing the flag does down into his body and re-establish vote on the plate, with another vote not amount to free speech protected equilibrium. (His hand was wounded scheduled for next month. by the U.S. Constitution. when he did this during the First On Wednesday, Perry broke his First Student, Inc., filed the motion for Battle of Bull Run). His refused to eat silence on the issue and said in an summary judgment Monday in U.S. pepper because it seemed to make interview with the St. Petersburg District Court in Medford. his left leg weak. He sucked lemons, Times and Tampa's Bay 9 News that The company said Ken Webber, who believing that they helped his he opposes the measure—an opinion drove a bus carrying students in the “dyspepsia.” He was most that could very well shape the vote Phoenix-Talent School District, comfortable standing upright so that since the DMV board are all Perry considered the flag an expression of all of his organs were “naturally” appointees. his identity and lifestyle, not his aligned. He suffered from poor "That's just a part of history . . . . You feelings on politics, race or racism. eyesight, which he tried to treat by don't need to scrape that wound "It is a physical manifestation of the dunking his head into a basin of cold again," Perry said. "It just doesn't lifestyle with which he identifies — water, eyes open. And yet he once need to happen." living in the back woods, preferring told a captain that he felt “as safe in But Perry's position could come back country life to city life, putting family battle as in bed.” to haunt him in South Carolina, a key first, hunting, fishing and driving The Things He Carried. presidential primary state that has trucks," the brief said. "It does not After President Abraham Lincoln embraced its Confederate history and signify his political ideology. It does died, on April 15, 1865, his leather has approved its own license plate not signify his position on racial wallet was found to contain a $5 featuring the Confederate flag. issues. It does not even signify an Confederate bill, imprinted with the Presidential candidates in past identity that he intends to share with image of Confederate President election cycles have run afoul of the others. It is simply a possession that Jefferson Davis. Lincoln may have state's tricky politics on the issue. is important to him. gotten the bill when he visited Ahead of the 2000 GOP primary, a "As such, his flag is not Petersburg and Richmond earlier in debate erupted over whether the flag, constitutionally protected speech the month. which then flew atop of the South because its message is not a matter Rick Perry comes out Carolina state capital building, should of public concern." be removed. Webber's lawyer, Tom Boardman, against Confederate The flag was removed from atop the said he would be filing a response flag license plate South Carolina capital in 2000, but arguing that even as an expression of Yahoo News, October 27, 2011 the issue still comes up during the lifestyle, the flag amounts to Texas Gov. Rick Perry has come out South Carolina's presidential primary, protected speech. against the marketing of a as supporters of the flag continue "Just because you don't articulate it Confederate license plate in his state, their efforts to return it to the building. fairly well doesn't mean you are not
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER thinking something more intellectual," on purpose just to agitate people,” Threats of violence have been Boardman said. Williams said. exchanged both at the school and on Webber filed the lawsuit to get his job To her, it’s not just the Confederate the web. back. Married with four children, he flag she finds offensive, it’s the “It is kind of scary going to school and has not gotten another job and is students who are wearing it and their knowing that anything could happen focusing on college classes in reasoning behind it. “A lot of them because everyone is upset,” said juvenile counseling, Boardman said. don’t interact with black people,” Gabrielle Williams. No trial date has been set. Williams said. “So a lot of them, I Matthews said when he walked into First Student also argued that as a think, are being racist.” school in his t-shirt, another student private entity, it is not subject to First “We’re just standing up for what we threatened to beat him up. “I was Amendment protections that might believe in,” Wayne Matthews said. confronted by one, a colored kid and apply to the school district. He’s one of the students who helped he was calling me names and stuff.” The buses are owned and operated pass out t-shirts before school And it’s not just the students, other by First Student, but parked on Wednesday morning. His mother people in the community are now property owned by the school district. made 32 Confederate flag t-shirts and involved, eager to voice their own School Superintendent Ben Bergreen stacked them up in the back of her thoughts and opinions. saw the flag on a visit to the bus lot trunk. “My brother had gotten called a little and demanded it be removed from Williams lives next door to the mixed breed by one of the parents school property, citing a policy Matthews family, “They’ve never liked yesterday,” Brittany Williams said. prohibiting symbols that could be us and we never did anything to Police officers have posted up offensive to minorities. Webber was them, so I do think it’s because we’re outside the school for the last two fired for insubordination after refusing black.” days, and the school’s administration to take down the flag, or park his Matthews said this has nothing to do told students they are looking into all truck off school property. with race; it’s about his right to freely of the threats. The students who wore Confederate flag causes express himself. To him, the the Confederate flag t-shirts to school Confederate flag does not represent on Wednesday did not return the next racial tension in any one race. “It stands for people day. Michigan High School that believe in what the Civil War is Gabrielle Williams said she’s not sure Dowagiac Union High School still about and it stands for Southern how the students will heal. reeling from the rebel flag pride,” Matthews said. “People that are still angry about it, rebellion Brittany’s friend, Gabrielle Williams people that won’t let it go,” she said. By Rachel Glaser, ABC57 News, doesn’t buy it, “Your family is not from “I really think that they’re going to be October 20, 2011 the South. You’re not from the South. targeted when this is all over with.” DOWAGIAC, Mich. – Classrooms There is no reason to be going Housing Market Crash were noticeably empty at Dowagiac around wearing it and trying to offend Union High School on Thursday. It’s people by it.” Means Boom for Park been almost a week since Gabrielle Williams said the all of the Service administrators banned students from controversy does make her high By Tim Prudente, The Evening Sun, wearing anything with the school or her town look bad, but she Hanover, Pa., October 16, 2011 Confederate flag. hopes it will be a reality check for the Jim Bievenour owned about 2 1/2 Since then, things at the school have people who live in Dowagiac. acres directly across from the been tense, “It’s been really hectic, She also said you don’t always see entrance to the Gettysburg Museum pretty awkward,” Brittany Williams the looks or hear all the comments, & Visitor Center — prime real estate, said. but “…Behind closed doors, yeah, I he was told.Surely, it wouldn’t take Thursday was a half day for students, think racism is alive in this city.” long to sell — maybe for a hotel to be Williams and her friend spent the day So far, the battle over the built or bed-and-breakfast opened. downtown trying to escape the Confederate flag has only created But after six months on the market he controversy at the high school. more boundaries between different cut the price by $400,000 and still no “They need to stop. They’re doing it races and groups at the high school. offers. It took two years for Bievenour
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER to sell the property, finally reaching Trust, to buy up these parcels as they an agreement with a partner of the hit the market. National Park Service for $300,000. Still, there remain about 900 privately “If they didn’t come along, it very well owned acres inside the park could be still on the market,” he said. boundary today. “The Realtors all told me it was so “A combination of willing sellers and profitable, but there were no other very supportive partners has allowed offers.” us to close some really vital As a curious side effect to the crash properties in the last year,” Lawhon of the housing market, the Park added. Service has had increased success The Park Service received national buying historic properties around praise in March for buying 95 acres of Gettysburg. the former Gettysburg Country Club. “I think what has happened with the On the first day of the Battle of current real-estate market is people Gettysburg, the famed Iron Brigade are opting to call us sooner rather attacked across Willoughby Run, onto than later,” explained Katie Lawhon, what is now the golf course, driving spokeswoman for Gettysburg back a Confederate brigade and National Military Park. “In a super-hot capturing its commander, Gen. real-estate market, you might have James Archer. three offers after an open house. But Zoning in the area permitted now you might not have a single hundreds of houses and the offer.” acquisition has been called one of the The Park Service has purchased greatest preservation victories in about 112 acres since the market decades. crashed in 2008. That year, the total In May, the park also bought 8 1/2 amount of money from all home sales acres of the Josiah Benner farm in in Adams County decreased 24 Straban Township, also the site of percent, according to the Realtors fighting during the first day of the Association of York & Adams battle. Counties. Tony Giuffreda bought the farm about Park Service officials say low prices 18 years ago and, knowing the and few competitors made it possible historic significance, considered it a to buy such a large amount of land in safe investment. just three years. “I knew we could always sell it to the The six properties bought since 2008, park,” he said. “With the park it’s easy including 95 acres of the former — even in this market.” Gettysburg Country Club, are all included in the boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park as established by federal legislation. That legislation, passed about 20 years ago, added to the park 1,800 acres determined to have historic significance. Many of these lands were privately owned and the Park Service works with conservation organizations, including the Civil War
BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE