Archive for June, 2008
« Previous EntriesGiants of the Nineteenth Century
Monday, June 30th, 2008Do you know who else was born on February 12, 1809?
The father of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin, was born on the same day as Abraham Lincoln.
Malcom Jones of Newsweek thinks this coincidence is a big deal, but he is not alone. Not one, but two dual biographies will hit bookstores next year, the [...]
Lincoln on Ebay: Un-Reconstructed Southerner
Friday, June 27th, 2008
This week’s edition of Lincoln on Ebay comes to us in the form of a letter, written some eight months after the assassination.
D. M. Wharton, a citizen of Huntsville, [...]
The Problem with Statues
Thursday, June 26th, 2008The United States Supreme Court is making headlines today. They have struck down the District of Columbia’s 32-year ban on handguns, claiming it is a clear violation of the Second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution:
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to [...]
One Man’s Rebellion Record Blog is No More
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008I’m sorry to report that Rob Wick has decided to pull the plug on his blog, One Man’s Rebellion Record.
Believe me, not all blogs are created equal, but his blog was one of those that seemed to raise the bar in terms of quality posts. I hope the blog will remain available online; there really [...]
Joseph T. Glatthaar, General Lee’s Army
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008I have been making my way through Joseph T. Glatthaar’s new book, General Lee’s Army: From Victory to Collapse and wanted to pass along some initial thoughts.
To put it simply, Glatthaar has produced one of the most detailed portraits of the Confederate army I have ever seen.
The research is meticulous. Based on primary documents, [...]
Soldiers in the Same Struggle: Jim Limber and Black Confederates
Monday, June 23rd, 2008A few weeks ago I mentioned that the statue controversy in Richmond was back in the news.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans have unveiled their proposed statue design, featuring Jefferson Davis (pictured above).
Their design is breathtaking.
Compare it to the current statue of Lincoln and his son, Tad:
Notice: Lincoln is sitting, while Davis is standing; Lincoln is [...]
Lincoln on Ebay: Everything that Says A. Lincoln is not a Lincoln
Friday, June 20th, 2008The Lincolniana on Auction beat is overflowing with examples today; however, I thought it might be fun to explore a couple potentially dubious items.
First up, let’s start with a seemingly innocuous textbook, circa 1835 (pictured above). Though the owner provides very few details about the book, I did a quick Google Book search of one [...]
Lincoln on Ebay: Relisting
Thursday, June 19th, 2008No need to adjust your monitor, we covered this Ebay auction a few weeks ago. However, this hand-written note, measuring approximately 4.25 x 3.5,” failed to attract a winning bid. The asking price was reduced from $6,000 this time around. I notice that someone has indeed placed a bid this time.
The document reads as follows:
If [...]
Jonesboro Dedication Ceremony
Wednesday, June 18th, 2008With the statues of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas already at the Jonesboro debate site, organizers have planned a dedication ceremony.
A Lincoln-Douglas Breakfast and Statue Dedication will take place on July 4th, just north of the Jonesboro Square, from 7:30-9:30. The event begins with an old-fashioned country breakfast.
Following breakfast, you are invited to “Walk [...]
Lincoln’s Niagara Falls: Never Dried, Never Froze, Never Slept, Never Rested…
Tuesday, June 17th, 2008Though we aren’t really sure when he wrote it, Abraham Lincoln penned a 500-word meditation on Niagara Falls. It was discovered after the assassination by Lincoln’s secretaries, John Hay and John Nicolay. They estimated that Lincoln wrote it about July 1, 1850, though no one has really offered a sufficient explanation for the date.
The editors [...]