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This Day in Civil War History July 2nd, 1863 Second Day of the battle of Gettysburg
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-second-day-of-battle-at-gettysburg ^

Posted on 07/02/2010 4:06:00 AM PDT by mainepatsfan

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To: bravo whiskey
Great to hear. I tell my students what the names of the towns mean on the flag.

They like the flag.

41 posted on 07/03/2010 2:24:16 AM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: NellieMae
There are stories of ghostly soldiers seen every now and then.

A friend of mine and I were going to set up a time to meet there at Little Round Top to have a cup of coffee and watch the sun come up. Sadly he passed away in 2001. I had already purchased a couple of reenactor's cups of the Civil War time period to use.

I went to his memorial service in Pottstown, PA. I gave the cups to his two sons.

42 posted on 07/03/2010 2:28:12 AM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Lee'sGhost
Can you tell me the story of Mary Ryan? I am not sure I know that one.

My compliments, Sir!

43 posted on 07/03/2010 2:30:55 AM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Northern Yankee
In March 1863 an accidental explosion in the Richmond arsenal caused a great deal of damage, killed about 50 people, and halted the production of artillery fuses for a number of weeks. The investigation placed the blame on a woman named Mary Ryan, who was middle-aged and not teen aged, and her carelessness in handling the friction primers she was making. During the shutdown the confederacy had to rely more on the Charleston arsenal to supply Lee's army prior to the Gettysburg campaign, and the Charleston arsenal had a history of shoddy quality. Some people blame the ineffectiveness of the confederate bombardment prior to Pickett's charge on the unreliability of the artillery shells caused by the quality issues of their fuses and primers.

I think it's just another example of the rebels blaming their failures on Irish immigrants.

44 posted on 07/03/2010 5:44:32 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur (Abraham Lincoln: For when it happened too long ago to blame on George W. Bush)
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To: mainepatsfan

Don’t worry about it. I was cranky yesterday, anyway. Thanks for thinking of it, though.


45 posted on 07/03/2010 6:59:23 AM PDT by Redleg Duke (RAT Hunting Season started the evening of March 21st, 2010!)
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To: Non-Sequitur; SkyDancer; Victoria Delsoul; mainepatsfan
Wow... thanks for the story.

I had not read about that during my readings of the battle of Gettysburg. (Damn those Irish. ; ) )

I do know the Irish Brigade served with distinction under the commands of General Thomas Francis Meagher, Colonel Patrick Kelly (killed), General Thos. A. Smyth (killed), Colonel Richard Byrnes (killed), and General Robert Nugent during the course of the war.

God Bless them all, and every soldier that served with distinction then and now. These are the real heroes of this country, not the contemptible politicians we have today.

Happy Independence Day!

46 posted on 07/03/2010 7:32:02 AM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Northern Yankee

I went up to Little Round Top today. That would have been an awesome thing to have done with your friend. Sorry that you did not get to do that. I believe that if a place could be haunted that that would be a likely spot. It was such a stronghold and the terrain is so unbelievably rough and rocky that it is no wonder that the casualties there were so high. I am glad that I got to go see that battle field. It gives one a whole different perspective on what went on there.


47 posted on 07/03/2010 5:17:40 PM PDT by NellieMae (Here......common sense,common sense,common sense,where'd ya go... common sense......)
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To: NellieMae

Didn’t it surprise you to find that Little round Top is so small? I’m always amazed at the scope of the fighting there in such a condensed space. My favorite site in Gettysburg.


48 posted on 07/03/2010 5:19:32 PM PDT by moose-matson (I keep it in my head)
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To: Northern Yankee
Happy Independence Day to you too, Jay.

More than ever, those words still hold a very strong meaning. In times when the Obama administration has cultivated a mindset of dependency, and a time of stale, intellectual conformity peddling outdated ideas and policies, they should be encouraging individual thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.  A word like Independence has a great resonance, indeed.

May freedom rules our lives and may liberty be on our side forevermore!


49 posted on 07/03/2010 6:08:01 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul
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To: NellieMae
I am so envious of you being there. What a grand experience that must be. You must get to Brunswick, Maine to see Joshua Chamberlain's home. Amazing home to walk through, and to see the artifacts that have been preserved there.

If you go back to the charge scene of Gettysburg and watch it all the way through, there should be another video that appears right after it.

The music is from the musical, The Civil War, and the show some stunning clips from the movie, Gettysburg. I think it is done very well. (We have the soundtrack to The Civil War.)

Years ago I also purchased a Union officer's uniform from a reenactor's site called, Grand Illusions. Everything about it is authenticly reproduced. I use it when I perform Civil War music.

It's great to be able to teach the students about what really went on in the Civil War, including the fight for State's Rights!

Thank you for the description. Someday I will get there, and have that cup of coffee on Little Round Top.

50 posted on 07/03/2010 6:47:54 PM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: moose-matson; Northern Yankee

Yes, I was just amazed at all that I saw there. Little Round Top is very small.
I was pretty disappointed in my states (Tennessee) monument on Confederate Avenue though. I heard that the money had been saved to build a nice one and all that we got was a plain slab of granite stood on end. Pretty sorry in comparison to all of the other state’s grand displays. That cup of coffee sounds very nice.


51 posted on 07/04/2010 12:20:03 AM PDT by NellieMae (Here......common sense,common sense,common sense,where'd ya go... common sense......)
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To: Victoria Delsoul
I think the greatness of this country has always been that we have had a sense of liberty and freedom. From our Founding Fathers to today's soft tyranny that seems to prevail among those that cherish this country. We are willing to fight and die for it.

Snot nosed punks like obama will never understand the greatness of this country. They don't see the America that we see, and will never get it.

52 posted on 07/04/2010 3:08:21 AM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Northern Yankee; Non-Sequitur; SkyDancer; Victoria Delsoul; mainepatsfan

Sorry I didn’t see your question earlier. Unfortunately you were given a pant load instead of an honest, correct answer.

If you go through the historical record as outlined on this site (www.mdgorman.com/Other_Sites/CS_laboratory.htm) showing news stories of time, Mary Ryan is described as “young girl”. Specifically here: www.mdgorman.com/Written_Accounts/Sentinel/1863/richmond_sentinel,_03_18_1863.htm.

And on this site (www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=24098) you will see an historical marker/headstone (see #6) showing the ages of those who died. Either we must conclude that Mary Ryan was 18 or the youngest middle aged woman ever noted in history. But who are you gonna believe, the historical record or some ass clown who butts his face into our conversation for the sole reason of trying to show that I’m wrong and to insult the South?

No, this was not an “example of the rebels blaming their failures on Irish immigrants” or some other asinine Southernphobic theory. It is a sad story about a young girl who died — along with 45 others, mostly who were very young, one who was only 10 — in an accident she did not mean to cause. (Note that Mary Ryan’s is the first name to appear on the monument demonstrating a position of respect.)

Also, the implication that the fuses from Charleston were somehow inferior is ridiculous. According Lt James Dinwiddie, (http://tinyurl.com/34tqz66) working for the Confederate Ordnance Department, tests he conducted a few weeks after Gettysburg showed that, while the fuses manufactured in Charleston and Selma were made of exceptional quality, the rate of burn for those fuses was markedly less. He found that the fuses from Charleston and Selma burned at a rate of one second longer for the same length of fuse. The result of course was that those fuses in shells intended to explode over the Federal position at Gettysburg ranged anywhere from 150 to 200 yards farther to the rear before exploding. In other words, the artillery barrage, intended to soften the Union line, was almost totally impotent. But, who are you going to believe, the guy who actually tested the fuses or some ass clown who’s only joy in life is spewing hate and vitriol against people he never knew?

The History Channel had a great analysis of this on the Battlefield Detectives. I did a quick search but unfortunately was unable to find it on line. Perhaps you will have better luck.

While there were many points that could have been “the turning point of the war” I believe this is one of the most interesting because of Mary Ryan and the series of events that followed.

I hope that know the actual facts will make the story more enjoyable for you.

Happy 4th of July, and beware of ass clowns.

Thank you.


53 posted on 07/04/2010 6:38:28 AM PDT by Lee'sGhost (Johnny Rico picked the wrong girl!)
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To: Lee'sGhost
Happy 4th of July, and beware of ass clowns.

Something he should have been warned about with your very first post.

54 posted on 07/04/2010 6:46:08 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur (Abraham Lincoln: For when it happened too long ago to blame on George W. Bush)
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To: Lee'sGhost

Thanks.


55 posted on 07/04/2010 7:04:27 AM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Northern Yankee

You’re welcome.


56 posted on 07/04/2010 10:19:38 AM PDT by Lee'sGhost (Johnny Rico picked the wrong girl!)
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