GO WHERE THE FIRE IS HOTTEST

The Civil War Round Table that I attend in the San Fernando Valley recently enjoyed a presentation by Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America, and his First Lady, Varina Howell Davis.

John and Sheila Smoley of Corona, California are historians, living history interpreters, and members of the American Civil War Society. While attending numerous Civil War events over the years, they noticed that there was always a “President Lincoln” in attendance, but never a “President Davis.” Further investigation revealed that there are hundreds of Abraham Lincoln presenters nationwide, but very few living history interpretations of Jefferson and Varina Howell Davis. After extensive research, they filled this void in 2006 and now portray the First Couple of the Confederacy at various Civil War reenactment events.

Staying perfectly in character, John and Sheila relate the life stories and family history of President and Mrs. Davis. A very educational and thought-provoking part of the program is the presentation by President Davis of his views on the constitutionality of secession and the trials and tribulations endured as the first and only President of the Confederacy. 

I cannot think of a better way to learn, appreciate, and understand our nation’s rich history.

If any visitor to this blog would like to access a complimentary download of a professionally produced, unabridged audio book version of Two Brothers, One North, One South, please send an e-mail to me at david @ davidhjones.net  . . .  two spaces have been added to this e-mail address, so copy and paste the address onto your e-mail message form, then remove the spaces before and after the @ sign. I look forward to hearing from you. This exclusive preview will be available for a short period of time.

A few years hence, the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War will provide an auspicious occasion during which we can reflect on what the historical event should mean to us.

I’m certain that the enthusiasm for this Civil War observance won’t match the level of unabashed infatuation experienced by many Americans during the Centennial; for better or worse, we aren’t the same country that we were in the early 1960s. Nevertheless, it’s important that we understand how the war forever changed and re-shaped our great nation. For real insight into this transformation, we must grasp mid-nineteenth century perspectives as we contemplate the participation of unionists, secessionists, African Americans, and women during the conflict.

This broad spectrum of human experience was confronted when I researched, then wrote Two Brothers: One North, One South. It’s the story of Clifton and William Prentiss of Baltimore, their fellow soldiers, civilian friends, and acquaintances.  Closely based on real people and actual events, the novel follows these characters from early 1861, before the war began, until mid-1865, after its conclusion. Walt Whitman encountered the Prentiss brothers at Armory Square Hospital and later eulogized them in Memoranda During The War, thereby commemorating the sacrifice that each made for his cause. Whitman became the navigator of their story in Two Brothers.

While Whitman’s fervent support for the Union and his abhorrence of slavery never wavered, his devotion to visiting wounded soldiers of both the North and South furnished him with a unique perception of patriotism and courage. His intuition is revealed in this passage of The Wound Dresser:

(Arous’d and angry, I’d thought to beat the alarum, and urge relentless war, 

But soon my fingers fail’d me, my face droop’d and I resigned myself,

To sit by the wounded and soothe them, or silently watch the dead;)

Years hence of these scenes, of these furious passions, these chances,

Of unsurpass’d heroes, (was one side so brave? the other was equally brave;)

As we approach the sesquicentennial of a war in which 600,000 American deaths were suffered, the poet’s words should be remembered and embraced. Walt Whitman was right. Many of the participants were unsurpassed heroes: Federal and Confederate soldiers; women on the home front whose role in society was forever changed; and African American soldiers who fought for the Union to achieve dignity and freedom. They were, one and all, American patriots.

Surely we have much to celebrate during the Civil War Sesquicentennial.

We spent our last morning in Richmond visiting the historic Tredegar Iron Works and The American Civil War Center which is situated nearby. The National Historical Landmark is operated by the National Park Service as the Richmond National Battlefield Park Civil War Visitor Center. Its interpretive exhibits are very well done and provide a good overview of Richmond’s experiences during the war.

The theme of The American Civil War Center is “In the Cause of Liberty” and its films, interactive displays, and historic artifacts allow the visitor to explore the Civil War’s causes and legacy from all perspectives . . . Union, Confederate, and African American . . . a worthwhile endeavor as we approach the Sesquicentennial. 

Our favorite place to stay overnight in Richmond, Virginia is Linden Row Inn, which has special meaning to us for several reasons. Originally built as ten row houses in the 1840s, Linden Row is now an historic, boutique hotel featuring period architecture, decor, furnishings, and high ceilings. It certainly has an ambiance that you won’t find at the Holiday Inn and we recommend these accommodations to anyone visiting Richmond to absorb and enjoy the city’s rich and vibrant history. We stay in Mrs. Pegram’s Parlor, one of the seven parlor suites available at the inn.

Below is an excerpt from Two Brothers: One North, One South describing an event that occurred in these historic rooms in 1863:

“The party hosted by Mary and Jennie Pegram in their mother’s home on Linden Row was in full swing with plenty of ice cream, cake, and officers, guaranteeing that the young women in attendance were having a fine time. Several of the girls were from the boarding school and others ranged from longtime intimates of the Pegram’s to recent acquaintances who had achieved prominence in the wartime capital. Furniture had been pushed to the walls to create space for dancing in the high-ceilinged room aglow with candlelight and smiling faces. The Pegram sisters were giving the soiree in honor of their brothers, John and William, who were home on leave from the army. The returning warriors were the center of attention, not only from close friends and family, but also from the officers present as both had achieved rank and acclaim for their valor on the field of battle.

As the evening progressed, polite conversation gave way to the clatter of flying feet accompanied by merry tunes played on banjo and fiddle. At the conclusion of a dance while everyone was selecting new partners, the unexpected apparition of Hetty Cary appeared in full panoply, wearing a beautiful Baltimore ball dress, surprising everyone including John, who thought that she was in Maryland. He fell back, almost fainting with joyful emotion over the return of his beloved Hetty. The party resumed with dancing and celebration until three o’clock in the forenoon.”

If only these walls could talk! 

Also situated within a few miles of Pamplin Historical Park is the Five Forks battlefield. Here, three guns of Colonel William R. J.  Pegram’s battalion, under his personal command, were positioned at the strategic crossroads  and opened fire with canister shot on Union forces attacking their front and left flank in overwhelming numbers. Previously, Willy Pegram made a prophetic declaration. “Men, whenever the enemy takes a gun from my battery, look for my dead body in front of it.” 

I’m one of those persnickety folks who doesn’t believe that the Union victory at Five Forks caused, in and of itself, the abandonment of the Petersburg lines by the Army of Northern Virginia. While the Battle of Five Forks certainly set the stage for General Grant to order a general assault, the mission was accomplished by the Sixth Corps Breakthrough that occurred in the early hours of  the following morning, Sunday, April 2, 1865. 

While participating in the Civil War Weekend  at Pamplin Historical Park, we devoted some spare time to visiting two nearby historical sites where John and William Pegram fell in separate battles that occurred in early 1865. This marker is near the place where Brigadier General John Pegram was killed during the Battle of Hatcher’s Run as he led his division against Union forces probing the Confederate right. General Pegram appears many times in Two Brothers: One North, OneSouth while in ardent pursuit of Hetty Cary. 

Before each of my talks at Pamplin Historical Park during the Civil War Weekend, this very entertaining group was scheduled to play a selection of period tunes.  Not only were their authentic musical renditions superb, their between-songs commentary was very funny and entertaining.  Dian and I thought so much of their music that we bought all seven of their CDs and are enjoying the rollicking tunes in our California home.  

We were invited to participate in the Civil War Weekend (June 21st & 22nd) at Pamplin Historical Park near Petersburg, Virginia, the site of the Sixth Corps breakthrough of the Confederate lines on the morning of April 2, 1865 . . . and the climactic scene of Two Brothers: One North, One South. I made presentations on Saturday and Sunday in the special events tent regarding the book and its historical background.  We were blessed with good weather and a nice crowd that came to enjoy the multitude of activities of the Civil War Weekend.  The park is a 422-acre historical campus that features a world-class museum, antebellum homes, a historic Civil War battlefield, a slave life exhibit, costumed living history demonstrations, educational programs and special events. It has been called “the new crown jewel of Civil War sites in America” by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson of Princeton University.  We wholeheartedly agree!

One of the very few created characters in Two Brothers: One North, One South is Elijah Carter, a former slave employed as a servant by the Prentiss family. In my view, it was important to create this character as Two Brothers is a story about patriotism and Elijah personifies several of the unique contributions made by African-Americans during the Civil War.  I had Elijah join the 7^th United States Colored Troops, a regiment actually raised in Baltimore during the fall of 1863. Four companies of the 7th USCT gallantly attacked Fort Gilmer on September 29, 1864 at Chaffin’s Farm near Richmond. I believe this action to be of equal significance to the better-known assault by the 54^th Massachusetts at Battery Wagner in South Carolina.