A direct link

[Parault]

I was thinking (yes I know what happens when I think) while sitting with my grandmother today, who is 93,about the direct link I have with a Civil War Soldier. Her Grandfather was in the war with the 3rd Arkansas from 61 till Appomattox. She remembers him very well. He passed away when she was 12. She has told me stories about him and stories that he told her when she was a child sitting on his lap. I have some stories that was transcribed by other members in my family years ago. I consider myself a privileged person,to have virtual contact with a soldier of that time period. Can there be others as lucky as I, that have,or had, contact with a Civil War soldier?

[Michael Comer]

Re: A direct link

My grandfather's dad, my g-grandfather, was a Federal soldier during the war. He married late in life and my g-grandmother was considerably younger than he. So, I heard some stories from my grandfather, mother and uncle about him. My grandpa had his dad's discharge certificate and I use to gaze at it in its frame on the wall when I was a kid but, unfortunately it was lost over the years. I've got his powder horn that he took with him when he went to join. That's a pretty close connection in this day and age I think.

[paulcalloway]

Re: A direct link

My grandmother is 95 and remembers her grandfather, Israel Alder who was in the 155th Indiana Infantry. He joined at age 18 in 1865 and only saw guard duty in Washington, DC.

I have my grandfather's GAR medal, Bible, spectacles and a few other odds and ends.

[Silas]

Re: A direct link

My grandmother remembered her grandfather who served with Kirby Smith. It was a strange thing to look into her eyes and know that those same eyes had looked into the eyes of a CW veteran.

My grandmother passed two years ago. At her funeral, I commented that the war seems so long ago, but we were really only one generation removed from the conflict. For my family, it's two generations now.

[Parault]

Re: A direct link

Talking about having personal items I have in my possession my Grt Grt Grandfather's pocket watch which he carried throughout the war. Now this was what my Grandmother told me,that was told to her,by her father when he gave it to her right before he died. I have it in a well protected place. No,I do not carry this in the field.

My Grt Grt Grandfather's name was James T. Bardin of Co. C " The Confederate Stars"

[Iron Scout]

Re: A direct link

Folks,

It's funny to see this as I was thinking about my "roots" just the other day as I was relaying family history to my son. My Grandmother remembers May 10th here in Camden, SC, and the procession of UCV members through downtown to Quaker Cemetery for memorial services. She was one of the schoolgirls at the time chosen to escort these veterans on that special day. She also vividly remembers Uncle Jared Anderson who was a member of a Alabama regiment. Funny story is Uncle Jared, according to family tradition, used to get drunk on corn liquor and climb into a tree with his issue rifle only to take pot shots at his wife when she came on the porch. Marital bliss I guess? I spent a lot of time as a child in Quaker Cemetery with my Grandmother doing grave stone rubbings, caring for the family plots and hunting for CS vets. I'm so very thankful for those memories.

My cousin, Ben Lacy Rose of Richmond also remembers Uncle George McNeill Rose's frock coat hanging on the back porch of the family home in Fayetteville, NC. Sure wish we still had that. Luckily though, we have his c. 1864image in CS uniform after leaving VMI for the regular army at the age of 18. Aged 18 and a 1st Lt/Adj. of the 66th NCST, that always blew me away.

Neill Rose
PLHA

[Pvt Peck]

Re: A direct link

My grandfather who passed about 12 years ago used to tell me about stories that his grandad, John Marion Childress Co. C 1st Georgia Infantry had told him. I wish I had been older and had written them down! We do know my great, great grandad was nick named 'Big Goose' in the army, but not sure why? His family owned a farm/small plantation near Chickamauga, his brother & a cousin were both wounded and the cousin died I believe. My grandad was the one who started my interest in history by taking me to Wilsons Creek as a child and walking allover the battlefield with me and telling stories about "Big Goose'! Funny how close we really are if you think about it!

Edward Parrott

[SCTiger]

Re: A direct link

Years ago in the 1970's, my Great Grandmother Martha was still alive and she was born in 1887. She died in 1989. Unfortunately I didn't have the appreciation I have now of our real "living historians".

She described the annual stories about the "home comings" of the surviving veterans that echoed from her mother when the majority of the Deas men returned from captivity at Point Lookout and other places in July of 1865. She really didn't describe the war, just talked of all the men coming home and how happy everyone would be if any Veteran showed up. Lancaster was a real close neighborhood during that time.

Most of my folks were sharecroppers and laborers, they went into the war nothing and left with the same. What money they did have was converted to Confederate script and when the war ended, people burned their Confederate money in the fireplace as it was worthless to them at that time.

She also described the house, a one room farm house with a loft. Most of the kids slept on the floor, using cotton sacks for mattresses. The reconstruction period was
the worst for the South Carolinians and they described it as "Bad Times." The family didn't participate in the Spanish American war or World War One, so that was the "War" for almost eighty years, until World War Two. Even still they hated "Yankees" in the purest sense, not to be confused with a "Unionist." A Union man was tolerated and more than a few SC types were closet Union sympathizers, however; the Yankee from New England was the lowest form of life and was blamed for all of the racial strife and the war. That was one of the few words that could cause instant anger in otherwise Christian people.

Today I am amazed that people would sell their ancestors uniforms, pictures and letters just to make a quick buck. I would give anything to have one patch of cloth or a any relic from my ancestors. It always seems that the people with the most heirlooms have almost no connection to their ancestors, while people without have that spiritual "direct link."

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Re: A direct link

I've had the pleasure of meeting Alex McCausland who is the grandson of "Tiger John" McCausland, and even better, Alex was raised by Gen. McCausland.

Alex is about 94 years old with good recollection, he described to me first hand his grandfather, some war service stories, and his funeral. Alex wrote a little book about his grandfather called "I rode with the man who rode with Stonewall" which harkens back to his childhood when the Gen. taught Alex horseriding on the farm they lived on. Amazing stuff.

Greg Starbuck

(I did an audio recording of an interview I held with Alex)

[redleggeddevil]

Re: A direct link

My father (born 1919) had two interesting brushes with Civil War survivors.

The first was a meeting with a gentleman, an ANV veteran, who lived down the road from Dad's uncle. My father was taken to visit him one day, and my father remembered the thrill of talking with him about his adventures in the war. The most interesting part, my father always said, was that just before they left the old man said "And there's one more thing, young man. When I was your age, growing up near here, I was taken to meet a veteran of the Revolutionary War. Now you may shake the hand of a man who shook the hand of one of George Washington's men."

My Dad never forgot that moment.

The other event was a bit more dicey. My father's family were largely Virginians, but he himself was born and raised in New York. On his trips back north for school, he would sometimes stay with a distant cousin, Miss Elsie DuPont, in northern Delaware. He was admonished by his mother that he was never to mention his Empire State heritage while in Miss DuPont's presence, as she refused to have New Yorkers in her home.

The reason was this-- Miss Elsie lived in Washington, D.C. when she was a young girl. She and her nanny had been rudely jostled by New York troops on their way to the Battle of First Manassas. She still nursed the grudge 75 years later, and would never allow a New Yorker under her roof.

[tomarch]

Re: A direct link

While going back to college in my 30's (1987) I had a classmate who was older than me. (He flew a Wildact in the U.S.N. in WWII!)

When we got to talking, he told me of being a Boy Scout in Minneapolis in the early 30's and being on duty to escort Union Veterans when the GAR Convention was in town! (The awsome part of this is the record of Minn. men in the War, these guys were at Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Missionary Ridge and Nashville !)

[BumpusTN]

Re: A direct link

My mom's mother turned 91 about a month ago. Her grandfather was a corporal in the 84th Illinois. She remembers him well, though an old man by the time she was old enough to have lasting memories. My dad's mother died about 7 years ago at
96. Her grandfather was a member of Co. I of the 51st TN. The best memories I have are of her cousin, Marie. Marie actually lived with her mother, who we called Aunt Macy, and her grandfather (the same one in the 51st) in Oklahoma in the waning years before he died. She told the story of the day Aunt Macy went into town to do some shopping. While in town she met another old veteran. She told him of her father who was living out the autumn of his life with her and how much joy it might bring to spend some time with another who had endured similar struggles in the war. The old man agreed to accompany Aunt Macy to her home to visit and retell old war stories with grandpa. She left the two old warriors on the front porch and went inside to fix dinner.
Unfortunately, only 15 minutes or so went by before grandpa hollered, "MACY!!! MACY!! Come out here !"
"Yes Papa?" she inquired when she came out on to the porch.
Then, matter of factly, my great great grandfather told his daughter, "Get this G-d d-mn yankee off my porch!"

I guess she should have asked a few more questions! Thankfully, the old man was quite gracious and understanding and accepted Aunt Macy's apology and a quick ride back to town.

Listen to the stories that make up the tapestry of YOUR life. They are the greatest histories ever written.


Scott Bumpus

[boozie]

Re: A direct link

Great thread,I think the direct link to a family member is great.To have stories from a family member that knew these people is better than any book.

My Great Grandmother was born in Gibson County Tennesseee in 1896,she passed away in 1993. She and Great Grandad moved north during the depression.Since I always loved this stuff,I used to sit on the back porch of her house and ask her questions and just let her tell her stories.She told me about my Grandfather Lee in the 52 Tenn. at Shiloh. The story I liked the best was when the Federals were in Rutherford County Tennesse looking for food,they were going toward her Grandmother's, Sarah (Childress) Greer's Farm around Milton. Her son Hardy was away fighting in the 45th Tennessee,she was scared that all food and animals would be taken by the "yankees".A young slave named Sam took the hogs along with other food and went down to the fork of Stones River that the farm sat on.He took the hogs in a cave and stayed there for a week before returing to the house. He was not forced to do so,he voulenteered to do it and Sarah was grateful.I got to visit that farm in 2000 with my family,if I ever hit the Lotto,guess where I'll be.

Sorry to ramble,this thread just brought back some great memories that I really miss now.

Uncle Hardy after the war.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: A direct link

My Grandfather was in the 1st Infantry Division in WWII, his Grandfather was in the 6th Mississippi at Shiloh, he once told me that I asked as many questions as he once did.

[BumpusTN]

Re: A direct link

his Grandfather was in the 6th Mississippi at Shiloh, .

Ahh, the bloody 6th. One of the greatest and saddest stories of bravery from any outfit in any battle was the 6th Miss. at Shiloh.

A proud heritage you have.

Scott Bumpus