Category Archives: 150 Years Ago

long career, short retirement

When the recently-launched (January) USS Richmond departed for the Mediterranean on October 13, 1860, its namesake was the capital of one of the United States, albeit one of the original thirteen – Virginia, the Old Dominion. When the ship returned … Continue reading

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ebony and ivory

According to Wikipedia, Mississippi “was readmitted to the Union on January 11, 1870, and its representatives and senators were seated in Congress on February 23, 1870.”[*the dates are questionable] Although both new senators were Republicans and non-native Mississipians, one was … Continue reading

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the golden character

According to documentation at Project Gutenberg, President Ulysses S. Grant sent his first annual message to Congress when it reconvened early in December 1869. It was a long report; overall things seemed pretty peaceable. Reconstruction in the Southern states was … Continue reading

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Christmas Wonder

Way back in its August 14, 1869 issue, Harper’s Weekly profiled a famous American man of letters: HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. Now that LONGFELLOW — the most popular of American poets — is in England, the question is naturally asked, What … Continue reading

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what it is

Not exactly a mummy just in time for Halloween, but in October 150 years ago some folks south of Syracuse, New York dug up what appeared to be a well-preserved human being. The mysterious form didn’t seem to be preserved … Continue reading

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pre-columbian exposition

150 years ago an article considered a logical conclusion: either the ancestors of the humans Christopher Columbus found in the Americas auto-generated (a second Adam and Eve), or Mr. Columbus and crew weren’t the first people from the Old World … Continue reading

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going way back

150 years ago Harper’s Weekly noticed some Civil War-related items that were associated with earlier times in American history. From its August 23, 1869 issue: THE AMERICAN TRIUMVIRATE. A MEDALLION has been recently published by W. MILLER & Co., Artists … Continue reading

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under the influence

150 years ago a newspaper doubted the truth of what it called a “verdict of Science” regarding earth’s next-door neighbor. From Harper’s Weekly May 22, 1869: THE MOON’S INFLUENCE WHATEVER be the influence exercised upon the earth by the varying … Continue reading

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Hayti bound

From the May 1, 1869 issue of Harper’s Weekly: EBENEZER D. BASSETT. Very fitly a colored man of the highest eminence has been appointed Minister from this country to Hayti. Mr. BASSETT, whose portrait we give on page 285, is … Continue reading

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feeding frenzy

You could say it’s a (very brief) tale of five Union generals. When Ulysses S. Grant became President of the United States in March 1869 he promoted his friend William T. Sherman to be the Commanding General of the U.S. … Continue reading

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