Letters To The Editor

Originally published September 2016 · p. 3

Response To Bonekemper’s Confederacy Article TO THE EDITOR: In response to Mr. Bonekemper’s Confederate article, I thought the following points would be helpful, as a part of this ongoing discussionI lean heavily on Bruce Catton’s causes of the war from his book The American Picture History of the Civil War, in it, Mr. Catton goes over slavery’s role leading up to and during the war. He also covers many other valid issues leading up to the war and how they influenced the conflict. I’ve read that while traveling to see U.S. Grant in the field, his wife bought one of her slaves, named Julie, with her. Source NPS link to their site, covering this topic: www.nps.gov/ulsg/learn/historyculture/jdgrant.htm (Don’t forget Grants anti-Semite General Order #11) As far as white supremacy taking place in the north during that era, I’d suggest reading about the Black Codes in the state of Illinois – here is the link to the Illinois State Historical Society’s coverage of this: www. illionois.gov/ihpa/research/pages/ AfAmHist.aspx As far as states with a low ratio of slaves/family’s owning slaves seceding, Maryland is unique in terms of its being prevented from voting on secession. The POTUS had select state delegates arrested (no charges/ trial/representation) and jailed to prevent a vote. Here is the Maryland State Archives web page link: http://teaching.msa.maryland. gov/000001/000000/000017/html/ t17.html It includes some interesting first person accounts of being arrested off the street and being incarcerated, something many would expect in a third world country. Noted journalists have had their say on Lincoln’s ties to White Supremacy – check out Ebony Magazine’s Lerone Bennet Jr.’s book Forced into Glory-Abraham Lincolns White Dream, Henry Louis Gates Feb 12, 2009, article in The Root, among others. Was this the Lincoln, the seceding states were afraid of? The war is long over, best to study and honor those that lived during that time. Regarding the accuracy of the sources I recommend, I think you should draw your own conclusions. Bob Brewer Gaithersburg, MD

Please email your letter to the editor to [email protected] or mail to: 6175 Hickory Flat Hwy. Suite 110-355 Canton, GA 30115 Due by August 23

Why The Confederacy? TO THE EDITOR: In response to Ed Bonekemper’s essay, “Why the Confederacy?” in your August issue, I will simply fall back on the old saw, “It’s complicated.” A statement, written by a member of Hood’s Texas Brigade, and published in the Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph, Dec. 29, 1862, says it well. “Wanderer,” as he penned himself, found it hard to believe, after examining the battlefield of Cedar Mountain, that “two lines of fellow-humans of the same country, speaking the same language, professing the same holy religion, can stand and hurl these death missiles at each other by the ton—all for the sake of our peculiar views on an instrument called a constitution.” (Quoted in Edward B. Williams, Hood’s Texas Brigade in the Civil War (Jefferson, NC, 2012. p. 120). Stephen Davis Marietta, Ga.

Canadians Serving In The American Civil War I have an addition to make to Mr. Punola’s interesting article about Canadians serving in the American Civil War. At Ontario Military Musters and elsewhere I have talked to Canadian descendents who told that the farm owned by the family was paid for by bonus money received for Civil War service. This seemed to be quite true for farm land purchased in the Canadian West. Ken Baumann Milan, Mich.

Author’s Corrections To Book Review TO THE EDITOR: This is to correct the spurious statement by Allen C. Guelzo, Ph.D. in your July 2016 issue of Civil War News that my book, Gettysburg 1863—Seething Hell, does “not contain photographs of ‘ordinary soldiers’.” Guelzo is wrong—by a long shot. What makes his remarkable claim particularly odd is the fact that the very visual feature a reader immediately sees upon opening the front cover of my book is a broad collage of photographic portraits of 21 Confederate soldiers spread over the front two endpapers. Their faces are haunting; eyes stare out from 150 years ago. This special presentation is not accidental. Our talented graphic designer placed these images here on purpose. The studio portraits these doomed young men sat for so long ago are riveting. The rear endpapers display parallel portraits of 18 Union soldiers. All 40 of these men in opposing uniforms were killed, wounded or captured at Gettysburg. In prominent graphic keys on pages 394-97, each individual is accurately identified by name, rank, and regiment. I cite the source of each original picture. In addition to the 40 endpaper images, 18 other portraits are placed throughout the full narrative in chronological order, generally according to when the boys, South and North, were in battle. Some accompany written biographical sketches. Many appear as large insets on the double-page landscape photos opening each chapter. These rare portraits are not hidden. I can’t imagine how anyone turning the pages could have missed them. An alert 10-year-old, shown what ambrotypes and tintypes of Civil War soldiers look like, could have easily found them. Here, in order, are the everyday soldiers on display throughout Gettysburg 1863— Seething Hell that reviewer Guelzo says aren’t there: Page 1: Private Joseph B. Rahl, 150th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, killed at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Page 3: Sergeant Patrick Henry Taylor and Private Isaac Lyman Taylor (killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863), First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. Page 62: Lieutenant George Washington Wood, 60th Georgia Infantry, killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.

Page 66: Captain Thomas Goode Clark, 42nd Mississippi Volunteers, killed at Gettysburg July 1, 1863. Page 67: Private Albert Henry Clark, 42nd Mississippi Volunteers, killed at Gettysburg July 1, 1863. Page 67: Corporal Jonathan Clark, 42nd Mississippi Volunteers, killed at Gettysburg July 3, 1863. Page 68: Private John E. Ryder, 24th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, killed at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863 Page 69: Corporal Alfred G. Ryder, First Michigan Cavalry, mortally wounded at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863 (died July 24). Page 104: Private Caleb E. May, 13th North Carolina Troops, wounded and captured at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Page 107: Colonel Henry King “Harry” Burgwyn, 26th North Carolina Troops, killed at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Page 148: Private Charles Baker, First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Page 151: Sergeant John Webster Chase, First Massachusetts Light Artillery, fought at and survived Gettysburg. Page 226: Private Simon W. Creamer, 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, killed at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. Page 229: Colonel Edward Porter Alexander, Alexander’s Battery, Army of Northern Virginia, fought at and survived Gettysburg. Page 250: Sergeant Jeremiah Sanders Gage, 11th Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, killed at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. Page 292: Private Benjamin Franklin Taylor, 26th North Carolina Troops, wounded at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Page 294: Captain Decimus et Ultimus Barziza, Fourth Texas Infantry, wounded and captured at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Page 377: Private John Cassidy, 69th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, mortally wounded at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863 (died July 16). I spent the better part of a year tracking down these surviving images from diverse organizations ranging from the Virginia Military Institute to the Kenosha Museum System in Wisconsin to the Maine State Archives, as well as many other reputable public and private sources. In my often frustrating search, I, of course, discovered that photos of Civil War soldiers are relatively easily to find. But try finding those positively identified by name. And then try verifying those individuals who fought at Gettysburg! I sifted tediously through some 6,000+ pictures to get to these precious few. Anything suspect was rejected, no matter how interesting the portrayal—or how much I wanted to believe the individual may likely have been at Gettysburg. As it stands, this collection of authentic period portraits of soldiers who fought at Gettysburg may be the largest such group heretofore published in a single book. If Allen C. Guelzo, Ph.D. (or anyone else, with or without “credentials”) can point to a book in print that includes more, I’m sure your readers will welcome the information and the illumination. In recent issues of Civil War News, Guelzo has voiced vociferous distain for my new book. (“Oh, Yuck!” he declared in your May 2106 issue.) Fine. That’s his prerogative. Yet, in considering his latest shoot-fromthe-hip salvo, with some amusement I am reminded of the indelible words of the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan on the floor of the U.S. Senate: You, sir, are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. Civil War News has a long literary reputation. Your publication prides itself on running more book reviews than all other periodicals in the genre combined—impressive. But I believe quality also matters. Accuracy matters. It seems to me that readers of Civil War News deserve to enjoy each new issue with confidence that your selected reviewers at the very least know what’s in a book he or she has been assigned—and report it fairly and thoughtfully. Basic intellectual integrity should never be in question. To print, as your newspaper did, the obviously incredible assertion that no photographs of actual Gettysburg soldiers appear in my book— in effect denying the 58 well-documented historic photos that my careful research has assembled—is beyond regrettable. In describing Gettysburg 1863—Seething Hell as empty of real portraits of Union and Confederate soldiers, Ph.D. Guelzo is either extraordinarily lazy (as in barely-examining-the-book lazy), or he is responsible for deliberately spreading falsehood. Which is it? There’s not much wiggle room. I believe an honest explanation from Civil War News is in order, to me and to your loyal readers. Thomas R. Pero Author Gettysburg 1863—Seething Hell: The Epic Battle of the Civil War in the Soldiers’ Own Words EDITORS RESPONSE: The review of your book was not objective and this type of review will not be tolerated with our new Book Review Editor. Guelzo is no longer on the Civil War News book review staff.