4th Ohio! First Call! The Magazine of the 4th Ohio Cavalry Vol. 13 Issue 3 July - September 2014 Timeline __________________________14 Contents Book Review_______________________19 Featured Articles Did You Know ______________________23 Meaning of a Flag Draped CFoffin_______2 Cooking Period_____________________25 Tips for Organizing Your Research_______4 Civil War Poetry____________________26 Collecting Signatures and Autographs___21 Brass Buttons: _____________________27 Cincinnati’s Angels of the Battlefield____40 Research Tip_______________________30 General Tubman____________________52 In their Own Words_________________36 In Memoriam______________________48 Series Lores and Legends__________________61 Tombstones________________________9 Songs they Sang____________________64 POW Camps_______________________32 Victorian Parlour Games_____________64 Passage to Freedom_________________49 Civil War Philately__________________65 Provost Marshal’s Department_________54 Letters from the Front_______________68 From our Field Correspondents________69 Departments: Pictures From the War_______________70 Crafting Genealogy__________________11 About the cover: A Union cavalry trooper at the Battle of Lovejoy Station reenactment 4th Ohio! First Call! Is published by the 4th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Descendants Association, 3116 Mid Dale Ln, Louisville, KY. 40220. William Krebs and Robert Venable, Co-editors; Cindy Freed, Staff Writer; Karen Krebs, Contributor From the Command Tent Last March I watched a History Channel program on the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In it they said that “even though the war was ended on the night of April 14th…” It brought up one of my pet peeves by these so called “historians” who do nothing but think in modern terms. They and the history books are wrong! The war did not end with Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. In fact, the war was still very much going on beyond his surrender! Though Lt. Gen. Robert E. Lee was their ablest general and commanded the largest Rebel army, Confederate armies remained in the field and battles were still being fought. Joseph Johnson’s Army of the South, which included what remained of our old enemy: the Army of the Tennessee, did not surrender until May 26, 1865, The last battle east of the Mississippi took place on May 6, 1865 at White Sulphur Springs (present-day Waynesville), North Carolina. The last battle of the war took place at Palmitto Ranch in TX on May 12-13, 1865. The last soldier to be killed in the war was Corporal John W. Skinner of Company C, 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry. Here a list of those surrendering in 1865: *On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at the home of Wilmer and Virginia McLean in the town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. *On April 26, 1865, General Joseph Johnston surrendered to Major General William T. Sherman near Durham, North Carolina (Bennett Place State Historical Park). The fighting should have been over on this date as the Confederate Secretary of War, John C. Breckinridge, was willing to surrender all the Confederate forces in the field, but Congress vetoed Sherman’s terms. *On May 4, 1865, General Richard Taylor (son of Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States) surrendered at Citronelle, Alabama. *On May 12, 1865, Captain Stephen Whitaker surrendered Walker's Battalion to Colonel Kirk. * On June 23, 1865, General Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered the Confederate Department of the Trans Mississippi to Major General Canby. * On June 23, 1865, General and Cherokee Chief Stand Watie surrendered Cherokee forces to Peter Pitchlynn at Doaksville near Fort Towson, OK. Gen. Watie's surrender was the final formal surrender of the Confederate army. *The CSS Alabama continued raiding until August 2, 1865 and the CSS Shenandoah finally surrendered to British officials at Liverpool on Nov 6, 1865. *President Andrew Johnson did not formally declare the war was over in all the states until August 20, 1866. It’s time we set the history books right. Bill Krebs President 1 | P a g e You noticed the honor guard paying meticulous attention to correctly folding The Meaning of a the United States of America Flag 13 times. You probably thought it was to Flag Draped Coffin symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of the sum of the numbers in the year life. 1776? What about that flag that’s draped over the coffin? Where did it come from and what is the meaning behind the thirteen folds? During times of war, we often see fallen war heroes returning in flag- draped caskets. This symbolizes service The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in in the armed forces of the United eternal life. States, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Anyone who served in a branch of the armed services and was not dishonorably discharged is entitled to a military funeral, as are certain elected government officials. The The 3rd fold is made in honor and Illinois National Guard states that this remembrance of the veterans departing tradition began in the late 18th century the ranks who gave a portion of their during the Napoleonic wars, when the lives for the defense of the country to flag was used to cover dead soldiers attain peace throughout the world. carried from the field. This later evolved into the flag-draped casket seen at military funerals. When the flag is draped over the coffin, the blue field, known as the "union," should be at the head and over the left shoulder of the deceased, The 4th fold represents the weaker according to U.S. History.org. However, nature, for as American citizens trusting originally, the blue field was reversed, in God, it is to Him we turn in times of over the right shoulder, to indicate peace as well as in time of war for His mourning. divine guidance. At one time or another, we have all witnessed a military funeral. Maybe it was President Ronald Reagan’s funeral. We all saw how the flag was removed from his coffin, folded, and The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, given to his wife Nancy. for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 2 | P a g e 'Our Country, in dealing with other King Solomon and glorifies in the countries, may she always be right; but Hebrews' eyes, the God of Abraham, it is still our country, right or wrong.' Isaac and Jacob. The 6th fold is for where people's hearts The 12th fold represents an emblem of lie. It is with their heart that they eternity and glorifies, in the Christians “pledge allegiance to the flag of the eyes, God the Father, the Son and United States of America, and the Holy Spirit. Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed The 13th fold, or when the flag is Forces, for it is through the Armed completely folded, the stars are Forces that they protect their country uppermost reminding them of their and their flag against all her enemies, Nations motto, 'In God We Trust.' whether they are found within or without the boundaries of their republic. After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the entered into the valley of the shadow of soldiers who served under General death, that we might see the light of George Washington, and the Sailors and day. Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, freedoms they enjoy today. and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and There are some traditions and ways of devotion that the character of the men doing things that have deep meaning. and women who have made this country In the future, when you see flags folded great has been molded. you will know why they are done that The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, way. for he, too, has given his sons and Share this with the children you love daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born. and all others who love what is referred to as the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.' The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and 3 | P a g e researchers in your family will be able to Tips for pick up where you left off. They'll thank you as much for that as for your Organizing research. When you start out, the easiest Your thing to do is to put all of these in a folder with their related surname. Eventually, this will not be good enough. Genealogy If your quest started as mine did, with Research boxes and boxes of photos, it may've There's no getting around it: already been too big to simply sort this genealogy research requires way. organization. And, unfortunately, the When your genealogy records can more you research, the better your no longer be managed by a single organization needs to be. folder, it's time to rethink the whole The following are tips, but, in the system. It's best to start as early in the end, you'll need to have a system that process as possible, and to pick a works for you. If the system doesn't system you can use for all your research work for you, you probably won't use it, going forward. And, if you choose, your which defeats the purpose of having a system can be used for all your files system.