Harper’s Weekly – December 14, 1861

Harper's Weekly archives ^ | December 14, 1861

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous Harper’s Weekly thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4019024/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

A Chart Map of Georgia – 1-2
The Meeting of Congress – 1, 3
The Lounger – 3-4
Humors of the Day – 4
Domestic Intelligence – 4-5
The Dangerous Playmate-A Singular Instance of Fascination – 5
Beaufort, South Carolina – 6-7, 21
The Rat-Hole Squadron – 7, 21
Our Army at Washington – 8-10, 12
Urbanna – 11-12
Building Pontoons – 12
Scenes At and Around Fort Pickens – 13
A Strange Story, by sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Ch. XLIII-XLV – 14-17
General Henry W. Benham – 18, 21
General Nelson, U.S.A. – 18, 21
Scenes At and Around the Island of Tybee, Georgia – 19
In Charleston, December, 1860 – 20-21
A Short Blanket – 22

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Mary Chesnut’s Civil War, edited by C. Vann Woodward

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Major-General Henry Wager Halleck to Elizabeth Hamilton Halleck, December 14, 1861 (“I enclose a letter just received from Mrs. Sherman. How do you suppose I answered it? I could not say her husband was not crazy, for certainly he has acted insane.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2019/09/major-general-henry-wager-halleck-to.html

Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith to Mrs. Eliza Walter Smith, December 14, 1861 (“My only anxiety now is to get my men in marching trim and march and keep on marching for the balance of my days.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/02/colonel-thomas-kilby-smith-to-mrs-eliza.html

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Saturday, December 14, 1861 (“Western Virginia is redeeming itself. Our men think there is something wrong.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/05/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford_10.html

Francis Lieber to Senator Charles Sumner, December 14, 1861 (“Nothing is more dangerous to modern civil liberty than a large democratic army.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/francis-lieber-to-senator-charles_18.html

[Celerity]

Wanna hear a real tragedy?

My tail started to wag when you posted this. I HAVE THIS BOOK.

I setup my cameras and pulled out the book to photograph it for Freepers. I’ve had it for about 20 years. I store it in a pretty well sealed box.

I opened the box and removed the book. Somehow, a bad reaction occured. The entire book is a gel of pulp. It’s destroyed.

I’m so heartbroken now.

[Celerity]

Not sure of a complete copy, but there was a great article in there about the Bush family in New Haven.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Sorry for your loss. Do you mean you had the Harper’s for 1861 in book form?

[Celerity]

Yes. It was in my rubber gloved hand this morning.

Then I found the mold. I attempted to examine it. I was horrified. I open the cover and my fears were confirmed. The whole thing melted.

It provided me with 20 years of important reading, and I hoped it would do the same for my progeny. Drawing connections that no one ever talks about anymore. The specific journals detailing minutia in battles that are now only a sentence in a paragraph.

There was a detailed piece in that book about revolutionary encampments built along the Delaware river on the PA/NY line where I actually lived. It made the very dirt under my feet full of meaning. I knew the names of people who died there. I knew why they died, and how.

I’ve been offered a few grand for the book, but never took it seriously. Like Art, books will only get more valuable as copies are destroyed (Like mine, 2 hours ago) or burned in censorship.

[Celerity]

In fact, a since-passed freeper from yesteryear “Legion5999” was a good friend of mine. He spent YEARS trying to discover the true color “Panzer Grey”. I have his books on the topic. Rare, low-run printings of researchers throughout America and Europe describing the color grey.

It’s minute, but also important because it is the definitive collection of writings on the topic.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from November 8 (reply #50.)

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4008968/posts#50

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Sunday, December 15, 1861 (“All well at home.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/05/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford_30.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard, December 15, 1861 (“The people hereabouts, many of them fresh from the Rebel armies, come in, take the oath, and really behave as if they were sick of it, and wanted to stop.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayes.html

Major Wilder Dwight: December 15, 1861 (The 2nd Massachusetts has problems being supplied by regular army channels.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/04/camp-hicks-near-frederick-december-15.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 15, 1861 (“The President’s private secretary, Capt. Josselyn, was in to-day. He had no news.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/08/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-december_99.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals

[Homer_J_Simpson]

With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G. Nicolay, 1860-1865, edited by Michael Burlingame

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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Mary Chesnut’s Civil War, edited by C. Vann Woodward

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Commandant Samuel F. DuPont to Gustavus V. Fox, December 16, 1861 (Report to the Navy Department on operations at Port Royal Sound.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2019/02/commandant-samuel-f-dupont-to-gustavus_27.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, December 16, 1861 (Brief note to the wife.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayesto.html

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Monday, December 16, 1861 (“The bold enterprises are the successful ones. Take counsel of hopes rather than of fears to win in this business.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford.html

Major Wilder Dwight: December 16, 1861 (Some officers are worthy of respect and admiration, others, not so much.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/04/major-wilder-dwight-december-15-1861.html

Major Wilder Dwight: December 16, 1861, Evening (The 2nd Massachusetts did itself proud in today’s review.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/04/major-wilder-dwight-december-16-1861.html

1st Lieutenant Charles Fessenden Morse, December 16, 1861 (H. Company as a new commander.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/05/1st-lieutenant-charles-fessenden-morse_10.html

George Bancroft to Elizabeth Davis Bancroft, December 16, 1861 (The former SecNav & Minister to the United Kingdom visits several prominent figures in Washington – Chase, Lincoln, MeClellan, Gen. Lander, and others.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/02/george-bancroft-to-elizabeth-davis.html

Frederick Law Olmsted to John M. Forbes, December 16, 1861 (Olmsted thanks Forbes for his contributions to the Sanitary Commission.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/frederick-law-olmsted-to-john-m-forbes.html

John L. Motley to Anna Lothrop Motley, December 16, 1861 (“I simply feel that if a war is to take place now between England and America I shall be in danger of losing my reason.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/john-l-motley-to-anna-lothrop-motley.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 16, 1861 (“We hear to-day that the loyal men of Kentucky have met in convention and adopted an ordinance of secession and union with our Confederacy.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/08/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-december_4.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today’s posts:

“Team of Rivals,” reply #13
John G. Nicolay, #14
George Templeton Strong, #15
Draft of a letter from Ward Lamon to the Senate, #16
Mary B. Chesnut, #17
Links to 10 items at Civil War Notebook, #18

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Tuesday, December 17, 1861 (Hayes hears he may be up for a promotion to full colonel, but doesn’t believe it.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/diary-of-lieutenant-colonel-rutherford_5.html

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, Tuesday, December 17, 1861 (“Rode to the scene of the naval expedition on this side of New River, a romantic place.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/lieutenant-colonel-rutherford-b-hayes_6.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 17, 1861 (“Bravo, Col. Edward Johnson! He was attacked by 5000 Yankees on the Alleghany Mountains, and he has beaten them with 1200 men.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/08/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-december_52.html