Memorial Day Tribute...

The first time that Handsome and I watched Ken Burns' "Civil War" series, we were moved to tears when we heard the letter written by Sullivan Ballou to his dear wife, Sarah as he prepared to leave for his first battle. Being read against the background of the musical piece, Ashoken Farewell, made it that much more poignant. Since that first time, I've heard it performed by Handsome, and on one occassion, I sang in our local Chorale as the letter was once again read to an audience that was equally moved.

Oftentimes, these war experiences belong to someone else, and are only stories we read about with scholarly concern. However, in going through our own family documents, we have found a series of letters written by an ancestor, A.F. Davis, to his loving wife, also named Sarah, whom he nicknamed "Sally". 

One of his first letters so reminds me of the Sullivan Ballou letter that I'm unable to read it aloud without tears streaming down my cheeks. The stories of the Civil War are so poignant and touching, and the devastation of war touched nearly everyone. There were neighbors killing neighbors and the skirmishes were such that you looked your enemy in the eyes as they died.

Our ancestor joined the Union Army in 1861 and served for four years. He survived the war and lived to the age of sixty one, keeping a journal of his letters and experiences. He had a long, happy life with his "Sally" and their children.. Even so, that first letter as he prepared to leave for war continues to hold my heart.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlqRZibnPn8)

As we sit down to share a meal with our loved ones this Memorial Day, let us not forget to give thanks for all of the soldiers who served, paying the ultimate price for our freedom. Whether in the Civil War or the too many wars since, may their sacrifices never be forgot.

Civil War Tribute...

It was a warm July day, and people were going about their daily lives. There was a breeze which kept the temperatures from being uncomfortable. Women were saying goodbye to their husbands and posing for pictures they'd hold close to their hearts.

Our country was at war with itself, and men - young and old - were leaving home to fight for their beliefs. The women would find strength to run their households from deep within themselves. They wanted to make their contributions to the war, too, and homekeeping was one of the ways they could help. It wasn't easy work in the 1860s, yet these women were heroes on the homefront, too.

They made blankets to send to their soldiers, wrote letters and conducted businesses. They also ran farms and cotton plantations and engaged in physical labor, the likes of which had not been seen by women in many generations. If their men returned, they found women with calloused hands and a new-found determination.

We heard the fifes announcing another brigade heading off to battle. Women and children marched along, waving flags and cheering for their loved ones.

Members of the 150th P.V.I. - "Bucktails" Co. C & Co. K

They didn't have far to march. Most of the battles were being fought close to home. Many of their men would never return...young lives lost on the field. Families - and our country - would never be the same.

Late in the day, some of the families stood to listen to the drum and fife music. There were camp and marching songs that delighted the listeners. Once it was discovered that Handsome is a drummer, he was invited to play along with the fifes to entertain the people milling around their tent village.

This was a Civil War Reenactment camp that we recently attended. There were mock battles that reminded you that this wasn't just setting up tents and making believe. It was a reminder of just how much our forefathers held dear their principles. They lived in difficult conditions with little or no comforts of home. They missed their families, their lives before war, and their sweethearts.

 

I have this book in my library, "The Civil War Sewing Circle" by Kathleen Tracy (available here). There are stories, letters and patterns for quilts from the era, including the U.S. Sanitary Commission quilts. I'm going to add a Civil War quilt to my To Do List. I'm going to use reproduction Civil War fabrics to make it. I'll have the remainder of the summer and into the fall to choose my colors and patterns. (Now there are three quilts on my list: The Farmer's Wife quilt, a hobo quilt and a Civil War Quilt.) I think I'm going to have a busy winter, don't you?

Sorry for the delay in posting today...Blogger (or my Internet service) was giving me trouble last night. I'll keep this post up for today (Tuesday and Wednesday) and will be back with a new post on Thursday. See you then!