Posted inUS Civil War

March 27, 1862 – Letter from Capt. Kummel

Ossawotamie, Kansas, Feb. 17th, 1862.

Here I am on the battle-ground of old John Brown. The thaw setting in, on Monday we commenced forced marches, in order to cross the Osage river before the freshet would affect a rise in the water, but did not succeed, although I, with the right wing, (five companies) crossed on the ice. Must of our baggage and the whole train is yet on the other side, with all the provisions and stores. The ice is now gone, and the river risen 7 feet, so fording will be impossible for days to come. A communication, by canoe only has been established between our troops. We have had to cross several creeks—some on the ice and some by wading.

Although we should have reached Fort Scott on the 15th, we are yet 50 miles from it, and are hemmed in by the tributaries of the Osage, aa 1 encamped in a heavy piece of black walnut, hickory, and other timber,—Fires are, therefore, plenty, and big enough to roast an ox.

Posted inUS Civil War

March 25, 1862 – Camp Newspapers

Gen. Burnside, in his announcement of the capture of Newbern, said, —“we have taken a printing office, and shall start a daily newspaper.” He understands, not only how to win battles, but also how to make the most of his opportunities after his victories are secured. The North Carolinians round about Newbern will learn something from his daily paper. It will expose secession lies, and correct their false notions in regard to his purpose in visiting their state. It is the custom of our troops to start a paper wherever they capture a printing office and remain long enough to work it. They never lack men capable of doing anything that needs to be done. Several of these camp newspapers have found their way to our table.

From Leesburg, Va., comes “The Advance Guard,” published by the officers of the 28th Pennsylvania regiment. It is issued from the office of one of the secession papers there that have been suppressed by Col. Geary. The conductors say that one of their aims is to expose the infamous ‘’misrepresentations and fabrications” of their predecessors, they say of their enterprize:—

Posted inConnected Points

From Cabbages to Kings; From the Kitchen and Back Again

OG celebrity Chef, Alexis Soyer
OG celebrity Chef, Alexis Soyer

I was rewatching José Andrés’ documentary We Feed People (and please consider, if so inclined, a donation to World Central Kitchen) and started thinking about the impact celebrity chefs can have on the world, which sent me wandering down the rabbit holes of connectivity. 

We tend to think the celebrity chef is a creature of modern media, but in fact it goes back much earlier. One of the first modern celebrity chefs was Alexis Soyer, a Frenchman who made a name for himself in London high society. After working for a number of aristocratic families, he became head chef at the Reform Club, where his kitchen was famous enough – with innovations like gas cooking and refrigeration – that he conducted tours for the Great and Good.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History US Civil War

March 24, 1862 – The Monitor and the lost Frigates

A Fortress Monroe dispatch to the Philadelphia Inquirer says :

“It is not improper to state, while the eyes of the whole North are upon the Monitor, that her officers and crew are aware of the responsibility resting upon them, and that the greatest vigilance is constantly exercised. The round iron tower floats in such a position as to command the exit from Elizabeth river, and from a slender tube at one end of the ‘Yankee Cheese Box’ a jet of steam issues continually. The crew pace the iron clad deck, almost on a level with the surface of the water, and the glance of the watch sweeps the shores of Virginia from the unromantic ‘Pig Point’ to the rebel batteries at Craney island.

Posted inDaily News Politics

Rome Celebrates Sixth Anniversary of Birth of Fascism

Rome, Mar. 22 (By A. P.)—The sixth birthday of Fascism was celebrated today by a monster mass meeting and a parade of more than 20,000 black shirts through the Corso Umberto. But the great moment of the day came when Premier Mussolini, making his first public appearance since the beginning of his illness, emerged on the balcony of Chigi Palace and addressed a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 30.000.

Significant in the premier’s short talk was the phrase:

“What I want to say to you is that it is spring now, and now the fun begins.”

Posted inUS Civil War

March 20, 1862 – Battle at Newbern, N.C.

The Charlotte Bulletin of the 16th has the following :

The battle commenced 7.30, on Friday. The first shot was fired by the Federalists at the Atlantic railroad shops. Soon after, the firing was indiscriminate, but destructive. Our troops disputed their advance bravely. The Federals numbered 12,000 on land, and 61 transports, while our force was about 6,000. The fight lasted two and a half hours, when it became necessary for our troops to evacuate Newbern, in consequence of their being borne down upon by overwhelming numbers. The citizens, at least several of them fired their own dwelling and business houses. The cotton and turpentine stored in Newbern was first fired, and totally destroyed. Our army stores and provisions were all removed. Two batteries and two car loads, one of ammunition, and the other of arms, fell into the hands of the enemy.

Posted inUS Civil War

March 19, 1862 – Independent Cavalry

Capt. Wm. R Vaughan, the gallant commander of the “Old Dominion Dragoons,” of Hampton, has obtained permission from the War Department to raise a battalion of cavalry for “independent service in the Peninsula.” We are gratified to hear that nearly three companies have been mustered, with some prospects of a fourth.

Posted inWorld War 2

Letters From the Front

Letters from friends mean much to all of us. Some people have a knack for writing interesting letters. The following quotations are from a letter from a man in the service. You may be interested in some of the things he writes:

“As we near our rendevous with destiny many of us especially we older ones often get together in informal yet searching gab-fests and bull sessions.

“What we’re fighting for can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. But to us of the Combat Team, though we may express it in many ways, we are fighting for victory for our United States and the United Nations; we are fighting to assure ourselves, our loved ones, and our posterity the right to live in these United States in peace, security and dignity. We are fighting to justify the faith and confidence which other Americans have in us, a faith which enabled them to withstand ostracism, criticism, and ridicule, and sometimes even threats of violence.