Why This Blog?
As Confederate Colonel Arnold Elzey was bringing up his brigade at First Manassas, General E. Kirby Smith galloped up and ordered him to “go where the fire is hottest.” This is exactly what Colonel Elzey did, placing Private William S. Prentiss and the 1st Maryland Battalion on the flank of the Federal army. Their attack made a significant contribution to Southern victory in the first major battle of the war. I’ve adopted Smith’s shouted command as the name for my blog. It’s intended to help us maintain our spiritual connection with the boys in blue and gray who fought those battles so long ago.
Two Brothers: One North, One South is an even-handed account of the Prentiss brothers and all civilian and military participants, both North and South. In my opinion, those who served honorably on either side in accordance with their beliefs were American patriots and contributed to building the great nation that we are today. It’s our common history and heritage and should be appreciated in its entirety.
Go Where The Fire Is Hottest journals my experiences and knowledge gained since writing the book. Please come along and enjoy the journey with me.
After more than 20 yrs looking for info abt my 3x grt-grandfather of 56th PA Regt, I finally have a photo of him in uniform….so your recent posting “hit home.” I KNEW he’d probably had likeness made, but dispaired of ever finding it extant. I write today on the 145th memorial of his death at Dabney’s Saw Mill (Hatcher’s Run, VA), February 6, 1865, to say that, in an odd turn of events (which included me leaving messages all over the internet, or with others searching for CW info, & so on, through these decades), a distant relative (now in Montana) idly “googled” in our soldier’s name, came across archived messages, & made contact w/a scan of his CW likeness, carefully passed down in his branch of the family all these yrs. Happily, I wished for the photo (from them) & they wished for biographical information (from me) & we all came away from this meeting grateful & doubly enriched.
I’m delighted to hear of your good fortune . . . the Internet has provided me with several of these type blessings and I encourage folks to keep looking . . . whatever it is that you are seeking, it’s out there somewhere.
Thanks for writing and sharing your story.
David