Miscellaneous: November 2007 Archives

Happy Thanksgiving, Cannonball readers!

With the recent publicity about the possibility that President Abraham Lincoln appears in an old photograph of the crowds gathering for the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery in November 1863, I thought it would be appropriate to reprint the proclamation that Lincoln penned on October 3, 1863, declaring the last Thursday of November as a formal "day of thanksgiving" for America. He traveled to Gettysburg on November 18 for the ceremony at the cemetery and his "few remarks," and then returned to Washington via Hanover Junction. A few days later, he joined his fellow countrymen in prayer and thanksgiving for what blessings could be celebrated in the midst of the worst year of strife to that point in American history.

Take time this Thanksgiving to carefully read Lincoln's words - very carefully and thoughtfully. While we are not fighting a civil war, we still have conflicts and personal pains, and can reflect on Lincoln's words of encouragement. There is a lot to be thankful for, despite all that may be going on around us.

Here are the timeless words of the 16th President of the United States, penned seven score and four years ago this month) ...

I was privileged to have been invited to speak at the November meeting of the Central Ohio Civil War Round Table in Columbus, Ohio. My presentation earlier tonight was on the burning of the Wrightsville-Columbia Bridge, a topic relatively familiar to York County history buffs, but an event almost totally unknown outside this region. For many of the 50+ attendees, it was the first time they had heard the details of the strategic importance of the bridge, the invasion of York County, and the Gordon Expedition, the subject of a new book I wrote that is due out shortly. I had dinner with my publisher, Eric Wittenberg, his graphics designer, and some of the CWRT members this evening, and it looks like the book is ready for submission to the printer after final copy edit.

The Central Ohio CWRT is one of Ohio's largest groups, with a number of active projects and field trips. This was my first time to speak to this organization, and I had a blast talking about the role Gordon's Brigade played in the campaign, and how York figured into the Confederate strategy.

It's always fun to export a little York County history to others!

America: land of the free and home of the brave!

Today is Veterans Day. After church (I attend the Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene just north of York off of Susquehanna Trail), I drove over to Gettysburg to lead a walking tour of East Cemetery Hill for fifteen wargamers from the massive wargaming convention that had just concluded. I spoke for about 90 minutes, stopping at various places on East Cemetery Hill to describe the Union defenses and the determined attack by half of Jubal Early's veteran division on the evening of July 2. We closed at the monument to the 7th West Virginia Infantry, a regiment that contained my grandmother's uncles and several of their cousins), where I paused with the attendees to remember that it is Veterans Day. What could be more fitting - bright sunshine, crisp autumn air, several good friends, and a chance to reflect at Gettysburg on the sacrifices of our ancestors?

Movie Poster for Johnny
I grew up in central Ohio in the town of Zanesville, most noted for its unique Y-bridge and as the birthplace of Western author Zane Gray. Not too far away is the city of Newark, Ohio, the birthplace of John Clem (also spelled Klem), one of the 516,000 German-Americans to fight in the American Civil War. Clem, a young drummer boy in an Ohio regiment, gained national fame as "Johnny Shiloh" and "Johnny Chickamauga." Years after the war, he became the youngest major general in U.S. Army history.

In the 1960s, Disney make a somewhat fictionalized movie based loosely on Clem's Civil War exploits, entitled Johnny Shiloh. Now, a relatively unknown film company, Historical Productions, has produced a new movie on John Clem's service in the Union army. The movie trailer can be found at the company's website. Directed by R. David Burns, this movie at least looks better than the classic Disney flick (at least, it has better reenactors and uniforms!).

I have fond memories of the Disney Johnny Shiloh flick from my childhood, although my favorite ACW movies are Glory and Gettysburg. What is your favorite Civil War movie, and why?

An old castle in Baden-Baden

I returned late this week from an interesting business trip to Germany and France for the paper company I work for. I had a little bit of time to do some sightseeing with my colleagues to historic Strasbourg, France, as well as in the old resort town I stayed in, Baden-Baden. I am descended from an early German immigrant, Christian Menges, who sailed to what is now New York in 1709, settling at West Camp on the Hudson River. He left Germany to avoid the persecution during the early part of the Palantinate Revolution. His grandson, Moses Mingus (note the spelling change), fought in the American Revolution in the 1st New York Line Infantry before resettling in Ohio on land granted by Congress to veterans for their war service.

There are many parallels to York County, not the least of which is the original spelling of my name, which lives on in Menges Mills in the southwestern part of the county. For a look at the influence of other Germans in the Civil War, click on the link.