CIVIL WAR AND THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL

Blog with Park Ranger Jennifer Epstein

In the start of the video, PR. Epstein is showing us a view of the Lincoln Memorial.  
The land where PR. Epstein was standing on below the Lincoln Memorial was actually
the Potomac River during the era of Abraham Lincoln.

Statue Facts

• 28 different pieces of marble
• One hand is closed up in a fist and one hand is open
• Different paintings that represent different meanings (such as, emancipation)
• The Angel of Truth picture frees the slaves

Other facts

• 7 million people (average) visit the Lincoln Memorial every year
• The Lincoln Memorial was opened to the public in May, 30th, 1922
• Abraham’s only surviving son was at the Lincoln Memorial when it was dedicated
• The statue was finished building after about 8 years (1914-1922)

The cloth behind Abraham Lincoln represents the American Flag. The Memorial was
vandalized with graffiti before. PR. Epstein is answering questions that the Interviewers
have currently. The speech of “I have a dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. was given
on the steps that lead up to the Lincoln Memorial. There is a color change of the
Washington Monument third of the way up, because they ran out of money for the
color. The Memorial Bridge was built in the 1930’s, it is the bridge to connect the north
and south. There are 8 icons that fall under the zone of ‘the mall’ that used to be in the
era when the Lincoln Memorial was being built.

-----------------------------------Harriet Tubman------------------------------------

Presented by the National Women's History Museum

Alexandria, VA

        

Harriet Tubman’s birth name is Araminta “Minty” Ross was born into slavery in Dorchester, Maryland between 1832-1833. Her family consisted of her mother, father, and eight siblings.

Because she was a slave, she had no formal education. In her childhood, she was rented out to other locations to work rather than staying in a single plantation. A two pound lead weight was thrown at her for standing up for another slave, causing her to experience
migraines and narcolepsy for the rest of her life. After she escaped and met her husband, she changed her name to Harriet in order to honor her mother, and she took her husband’s surname.

In 1840, her father was set free by the terms of the will of their landowner, and Harriet’s
mother and children were supposed to be set free by the will. However, they were not
released, and they remained in slavery. She and her two brothers attempted to escape, but
the brothers turned back. Harriet continued on through the 90 miles to freedom using the
Underground Railroad alone, and she settled in Philadelphia. She was known as the
“Moses” of her people because she returned to lead about 70 family members and friends
to freedom as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, and she never lost a slave. She
brought only a few people at a time, utilizing safe houses to shelter the slaves. This was a
great danger because she risked returning to slavery. The ransom for her, alive or dead,
was about forty thousand dollars.

       

During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse, cook, and a spy for the Union, and her
skills made her extremely valuable to the army. She is known as the first African American
woman to be a part of the military, and the first woman to lead a military raid. Through her
work in the Union, she gained vital information on the Confederate torpedos. On June 2nd,
1863, she lead 150 slaves on the Combahee River Raid in which about 750 slaves were to
be lead to freedom in just one raid. Only one slave was stopped from getting on the gun
boat. After this successful raid, not until a month later, a journalists published a novel about
her life to honor her bravery.

                                                          Underground Railroad

When the Civil War finally ended in 1865, she stayed active with supporting women’s
rights and held rallies. She didn’t have a lot of money but started a home for people who
were poor. She moved into this house and later died there. She died of old age in 1913 in
her late 80s or early 90s. Today, her legacy lives on as a primary leader for African
American and women’s rights.

RECONSTRUCTION IN TEXAS

CIVIL WAR

Hometown Hardships

Denton only existed 3 years after the Civil War started. A series of accidental fires
started across Texas one day during the summer of 1860, burning down business district
in Dallas as well as the west side of Denton. Although it was initially believed that a slave
uprising had started the fires, it was later discovered that a new type of matches- prairie
matches- had ignited.

RECONSTRUCTION

Cattle Boom

The large amounts of cattle roaming in Texas fields became an economic source after the
Civil War. With the cattle boom, men were needed to tend to these animals. Men became
ranchers and cowboys. However, in contrast to the past, not all of these cowboys were white
men; in fact, 1/3 of all cowboys were African Americans or Vaqueros (Mexican cowboys).
For African-American cowboys, being a cowboy was a paid job- something they were not
accustomed to. Black cowboys were known as some of the better cowboys in the state’s
history.
Some problems arose from these cattle drives. The cows could carry diseases that could
be spread to humans, and many towns banned any cattle from passing through for this
reason. The cattle were also easily aroused by loud sounds (like thunderstorms) and
caused a stampede.

Freed Slaves

A celebrated holiday in the U.S, Juneteeth is known as the day slaves gained word that
they were free from the Emancipation Proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln. However,
slavery still continued in a different form until the 14th amendment was passed, stating that
everyone born in the United States, including African Americans, would be citizens of the
U.S. Many slaves, when released, had no job to go to. Despite the amendments passed,
freedmen were still paid less. Denton had a mass exodus of former freed slaves. They
moved into communities like Freedmantown and Quakertown. African-Americans were
forced to leave their homes after an all-white vote for eviction. A black man named Bob
Jones became the owner of some of the most property and livestock in the area. There was
only one school in all of Denton County that was for African Americans. They would have
to travel from all over the country just to go to school. The school was named after the
famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

QUESTIONS

Q: How did Reconstruction impact the lives of African American cowboys?

A: African Americans got paid and were able to buy their own land and make their own
living.

Q: How did the cattle drives affect the economy, particularly in the South?

A: Farms were destroyed after the Civil War, so cattle drives became a large source for
the economy.

Q: If an African-American wasn’t a cowboy or a slave, how did they find a job?

A: Most worked as farm laborers due to their former experience. Once they were able to
purchase their own land, many African Americans began the practice of sustenance farming,
where they farmed crops to support themselves.

ANTIETAM NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Sharpsburg, MD

Antietam is known as the bloodiest battle/day in the Civil War and US History. It lasted a total of 12 hours with equal casualties on each side. Antietam happened near the Potomac River in Maryland, about 60 miles from DC. It started in !862, when slavery was still legal. Maryland was border state. This battle was lead by General Robert E. Lee (Confederacy) and General George B. McClellan (Union).  Robert E Lee had the support of France due to cotton trading but had a disadvantage of fewer soldiers than the Union. The main part of the battle took place on Bloody Lane, before was called Sunken Road. Within * hours thousands of soldiers from both sides have fallen. Cornfield and Dunker Church saw the bloodiest part of this war where both sides wee cut to pieces.

Clara Barton,  arrives at Antietam at The Cornfield. She would walk to where the smoke was heaviest and care for the injured men in the field. As she was caring for a man in this battle, he was shot in the chest and killed. Being in the heat of the battle, she was forced to move on. Because of heroic acts like this, she was known as "the Angel of the Battle Field".

Charlie King, a little drummer was killed during the Battle of Antietam. His commanding officer promised his father he would be in a safe place before the war took place.

Bloody Lane, the second biggest part of the battle. This battle mostly consisted of Irish soldiers, and were found in the Sunken Road. Before, the Sunken road was a short cut around the town. Was Burnside Bridge was also and important battle site which was recently restored brick, by brick.

The conclusion of this battle was a very important Union Victory. General Lee retreated after having started his first invasion on Union Soil. 23,000 soldiers were reported killed, wounded or missing after Lee's troops retreated. Due to all of these deaths and wounds, the battlefield then became and hospital and memorial/burial ground. The battle lasted for 12 hour because soldiers were falling every second. The casualties are almost even but the Confederate had less soldiers than Union so the had more casualties

In the Antietam hospital, civilians would come and help with the people in the hospital. They helped with amputations, and healing those who might've been shot. This effected many of the families nearby. One family's home was burned down during the operation of this hospital.

The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the south. Abraham hoped that European countries  will begin to help the union. Jeremiah Cornelia was enlisted into the army because the proclamation let black people into the army. His owner was mad and tracked him dow. Because he was younger than 18, his owner could take him back to Maryland.

Confederates regroups back at Virginia. England and France stand back because of the Emancipation Proclamation and switch sides to the Union.

General Lee sent out copies of his plan called the Special 101. His plans stated the position of troops and amount of ammunition. Unfortunately, the plan was dropped in Maryland where Union soldiers found it wrapped in cigars. The plan went up the chain of commands and General McClennan took it. He did not act upon it though.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

(Washington, DC) 

Smithsonian American Art Museum is one of the oldest buildings in Washington D.C. It served as a hospital and was present during Abraham Lincoln' presidency.

Civil War:

620,000 soldiers died in the civil war and it was about slavery and the expansion of slavery. Some veterans are still being paid after 153 years after the war. More than 60, 000 books have been written about the civil war.

The View on the James River Canal, above, was published as a painting in July of 1861. What we noticed in this painting is that all of the people were very happy and were rejoicing by the river canal. Everyone was rejoicing in the picture including slave men.

Battle of Bull Run:

The people of Washington were watching from picnics and wagons, watching what they thought was a short war.

The painting of this war was published in 1862. It shows the scene of the war. The artist of the painting wanted to portray a feeling of violence and hatred. The artist was close enough to the war to understand what was going on. Harper's Weekly influenced many people to choose what side to be on and also the newspaper company made hundreds of drawings of the war itself.

Photography in 1800s:

It took 10 minutes just to process the photo so many people wouldn't be smiling in photos during the 1800s.

In 1863, after the battle photographers took a picture of a field full of dead men from the war. The feelings people endure are sad, and melancholy. In this photo, their boots are missing from the soldiers. The comrades took the boots so they would have something to wear, and so they would have more supplies. They also took a look at their pockets and left behind things they did not want.

When we compare a drawing in 1862 and a photograph in 1863, we see people fighting in the drawing, and we see people dead or dying in 1863. From the photograph, it seems more emotional because those people who fought in the war are now dead. But, in the drawing you see people fighting. The photograph is more accurate from the drawing because, it is a real photo of what happened in effect from the war. The photographer was trying to explain how war took peoples lives.

During Reconstruction, artists painted an image of Lee's surrender of the war. From the way General Grant is standing, he seems very confident, while Lee appears saddened because he knew he lost the war.

Lee Surrendering to Grant at Appomattox 

ULYSSES S. GRANT PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
Mississippi State University

-------------------------Ulysses S. Grant-------------------------

General Ulysses S. Grant was the Union leader during the Civil War. Throughout the war, Grant frequently coordinated with the U.S Navy in order to gain the resources he needed to carry out his plans, taking advantage of the Navy's strength and supplies.Vicksburg, a location in Mississippi, was essential to the strategy of the Union. If the Union forces captured it, the Confederacy would be cut in half and weakened. In addition, Orville E. Babcock, a soldier under General Grant, recorded his experiences at Vicksburg in his pocket diary along with a pressed flower from the end of the siege. Furthermore, Grant's slogan, "Let us have peace," models his desire to bring the Union together and preserve it.  

Questions

Q: What were the living conditions at Vicksburg at the end of the siege?

A: People lived in caves carved into the bluffs of Vicksburg, serving as improvised bomb shelters. 

Ford's Theatre and the Assassination of Lincoln

Lincoln's Assassination at Ford's Theater

Washington, DC

The theater box where President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth

   

Fords Theater is still standing today as a working theater and a museum to explore Abraham Lincoln's legacy. The theater was originally built in 1803 as a church, then bought by John T. Ford and made into a theater. When President Lincoln arrived, the theater was unfinished and was situated on the front lines of the Civil War. At this point, South Carolina had seceded. At the end of the war, Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant.  President Lincoln wanted to see a play, and to celebrate his success from the war. John Wilkes Booth was a passionate Confederate sympathizer and wanted to help the Confederacy. On April 11, Lincoln made a speech at the White House and had nothing prepared but the next day he had called them back and made a speech about how the country was going to reunite as a free country. He put out the idea that African American men that had fought in the war should be able to vote. John Wilkes Booth was in the crowd that night, and totally opposed that idea.

 Booth was determined to help the Confederacy and went to Ford's Theater to pick up mail, and found out that the president and guests were there to see a play. He realized this was his opportunity to help the Confederacy, and gathered a group of conspirators to assassinate President Lincoln and end the government. His plan was to send the government into chaos by decapitating three government officials. A government spy was hatching plans with the conspirators to assassinate government officials with help from his mother. David Herald also played a big role in the assassination. There was one day when he was commuting to the White House and there was a bullet hole in his hat, stating that there might have been a different assassination attempt. 

  John Wilkes Booth also tried a kidnapping attempt but it hadn't worked out in his favor. Lewis Powell had failed to assassinate his government official, as well as David Howell who had failed to assassinate his target. All of the conspirators were arrested soon after the assassination. All were sentenced to death and hanger on July 7 1865. John Serrat escaped then stood a civilian trial and they could not reach a verdict so he was sent free. John Wilkes Booth was also assassinated soon after the assassination of Lincoln. Lincoln was the first to be assassinated so there was no secret service if someone were to try and hurt him. Lincoln was a lot more accessible than our president is today. 

When John Wilkes Booth showed up to his theater and he could easily walked up to the booth Lincoln was sitting in because there had been no designated security. John Wilkes Booth had waited for the punchline of the show and knew the house was packed and would love the joke. (1700 people) The audience roared with laughter. Then, soon enough shot Lincoln. Lincoln's guest tried to stop Booth but got slashed with a knife. Then, Booth jumped off the balcony, and rode away on his horse. On April 26, soldiers captured John Wilkes Booth in a building that had caught fire and shot John Wilkes Booth in the neck. Among the last words John Wilkes Booth said, "Tell my mother I died for my country." He then asked to see his own hands and said "Useless, useless" A lot of the South had rejoiced that Lincoln had died.