I had to run to the doctor’s office tonight. The back of my leg (just above the calf muscle) has been giving me fits for a couple days and, since I couldn’t diagnose it, I figured I’d get a second (well, actually a first) opinion. It turned into a big nothing…a bit of tendonitis. I’ve [...]
Archive for the ‘Civil War period (1861-1865)’ Category
The Flat Tax: An Idea Whose Time Already Came
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Lincoln's administrations (1861-April 15, 1865), United States, tagged 1861, Flat Tax, Income Tax, President Abraham Lincoln, Revenue Act of 1861 on August 5 | 2 Comments »
The Missing Link Between Ships and Computers
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Naval history, United States, tagged 1862, CSS Virginia, Portsmouth, USS Merrimack, USS Monitor, Virginia on May 11 | Leave a Comment »
If you mention the CSS Virginia around a bunch of computer nerds (like me), they’re liable to get all excited, albeit for the wrong reasons. They’ll probably suppose that it’s a new-fangled add-on that will make development of Cascading Style Sheets easier and more enjoyable. You can easily crush their hopes with a two-part response. [...]
Cuff ‘Em and Stuff ‘Em
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), The Civil War (1861-1865), United States, tagged 1861, Habeas corpus, President Abraham Lincoln, President George W. Bush on April 27 | 1 Comment »
I’m no law expert, and as you read Today’s History Lesson, you’ll figure that out. We’re going to talk (for just a minute or two) about habeas corpus. It’s probably one of the most important rights given to the individual to protect him or her from government power. And it’s probably good to visit the topic, simply because [...]
Jefferson Elected First and Last President
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Confederate States of America, United States, tagged 1861, Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, Mississippi, President on November 6 | Leave a Comment »
Without doubt, there are others who have done a far better job writing about the importance of the 2008 elections than I ever could. They’ve talked about the incredible voter turnout. They have spoken eloquently concerning the call, by the American people, for a change in leadership and a new direction. And, of course, they’ve highlighted the historical significance [...]
Richmond’s End
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Confederate States of America, tagged Richmond on April 3 | 2 Comments »
On April 3, 1865, Union forces finally captured the Confederate capital of Richmond. The end to the American Civil War was in sight. But if you can believe it, the activities of the night before are even more interesting.
Knowing that Grant’s army was on its way, an order to evacuate the city was given around 4 [...]
The Case of the Missing Forts
Posted in Armies. Troops, Civil War period (1861-1865), Confederate States of America, tagged Fort Stedman, Grant, Lee, Petersburg on March 25 | Leave a Comment »
In accordance with his nature, Robert E. Lee wanted to make one final assault in what everyone knew to be the last days of the Confederacy. All he hoped to do, he told Jeff Davis, was “delay the impending disaster.” He decided that an assault on Fort Stedman just outside Petersburg, VA might break the [...]
We the Rebels
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Confederate States of America, tagged Confederate States of America, constitution on March 11 | Leave a Comment »
On March 11, 1861, the Confederate States of America unanimously (sort of) adopted a Permanent Constitution. Rather than starting from scratch, they used the U.S. Constitution as a model and went line-by-line inserting the changes they wanted to make in their new country. Let’s take a look at the interesting ones:
After some in-fighting (which was [...]
Ironside
Posted in Civil War period (1861-1865), Naval history, tagged CSS Virginia, ironclads, Merrimack, USS Monitor on March 8 | 2 Comments »
When I was around 10 or 11, I found a reproduction print called “Battle of the Ironclads” in a discount store called Hammer’s and convinced my mom I needed it. There was something about the funny-looking ships that I just loved and I remember thinking that this was “real adult history,” and I needed to learn [...]
Lincoln’s Sword
Posted in Lincoln's administrations (1861-April 15, 1865), tagged Civil War, Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address on March 4 | 1 Comment »
March 4th was Inauguration Day in the U.S. until 1933 when the Twentieth Amendment relocated it to January.
As luck would have it, yesterday I finished reading Douglas Wilson’s prize-winning Lincoln’s Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words. It’s a magnificent book that shows Lincoln’s grasp of words and writing and how he used them to [...]
