Author Archives: SUMPTER

peace pipe dreams

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch July 28, 1864: The interview of the “peace Commissioners.” The Washington Chronicle, noticing the failure of the late “peace negotiations,” says: After considerable correspondence between the parties, it was concluded to refer the whole matter … Continue reading

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hub letter

It seems that this civilian correspondent could relate just about all his topics to the war. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in 1864: LETTER FROM BOSTON. BOSTON, MASS., July 11, 1864. FRIEND STOWELL: – Now that our “Russian … Continue reading

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pardon from the pres

Here’s a bit more about the New York First Veteran Cavalry from 150 years ago today. The commander-in-chief telegraphed Colonel Platner. From The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Seven: TO COLONEL, FIRST N. Y. VETERAN CAVALRY. EXECUTIVE MANSION, … Continue reading

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bureaucratic nightmare

Wages in DC for lower level federal clerks weren’t keeping up with prices. The civil servants were heading home. From The New-York Times July 24, 1864: NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.; HIGH PRICES AND THE CLERKS. … Special Dispatches to the New-York … Continue reading

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“undermining Petersburg”

A Southern correspondent reported that Grant was going to be leaving Petersburg any time soon; if he dug tunnels for mines at Vicksburg, you could expect the same in his latest siege. Price controls were making it impossible for First … Continue reading

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halt the juggernaut

crushing the rebellion crushing the Union? A publication in upstate New York called for the end of the war and its great costs in terms of the dead and maimed, the public debt, and the loss of Constitutional liberty. From … Continue reading

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foolish federalism

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch July 21, 1864: An inevitable fate. One of the favorite bugbears kept by the United States press before the people, to stimulate their energies in support of the invasion, is the dread of future internal … Continue reading

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raise ya 200,000

I kinda felt like I was at a card table with the most vigorous prosecutors of the war. From The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Seven: TELEGRAM TO GENERAL U.S. GRANT. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, July 20, 1864. 4.30 … Continue reading

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strength and peace

150 years ago today President Lincoln

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convalescing

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