Civil War Judge Advocate/Provost Marshall (living history) (1)
This unit will work closely with surrounding re-enactments and re-enactmentunits. Our main focus will be that of being assistance to those of the EasternRe-enactors Association located in western New York, Gabriel's Legion located inwestern and central New York, 36th Virginia-Echoes Through Time Civil War Museum & Learning Center located in Williamsville New York.
We will be at the submission to the overall commander of those units in the venue that they are working. This unit is to be one of leadership, proper onduct and control. It shall mirror those of the Corps. Used during the war. In other word...s, a small group which can attach itself to other Provost Marshall units if need be. Headed by an overall commander of which in my past there is always a lacking of.Such commander as per many times during the way, the Asst or Judge AdvocateGeneral. This is title and not rank. Rules and Regulations dictate the rank. Being that this is regimental size, Capt or Major is quite high enough.As for equipment. Provost Marshall badge, manacles (handcuffs) and leg irons, of course would be nice but I do believe (handcuffs) will survive.During re-enactments and when the battle scenarios are on, many times instead of being a part of the battle we are used for crowd control and other necessities which may be required of us. Or one can join in the battle. For me, being disabled, this works.At this point it is a southern impersonation but I do hope to be able togalvanize in the future and see no problem.I am also currently working on obtaining necessary paperwork, passes, leave requests, orders etc. to add to the realism of what we intend to do.There is no unit association as to a number as of this time other than we will be with the Army of Northern Virginia. There is also no necessity for a member to be Cavalry, Infantry or whatever. Anyone can be a provost.Contact me at anytime via emai
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Cherokee Nation Wishes for a Confederate Alliance
The Cherokee Nation Wishes for a Confederate Alliance
The land that is, in modern times, known as “Oklahoma” was, at the time of the Civil War, known only as “Indian Territory.” It was to Indian Territory that the Trail of Tears led in the 1830s. The Five Civilized Tribes (Choctaw, Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Creek) were forcibly relocated from the South to west of the Mississippi River. By 1861, the Nations, as they were known, were divided on how to react to the Civil War.
On one hand, it was the states in the South that lobbied for their forced relocation. On the other, many of the prominent chiefs of the Nations were slaveholders. Also, if the South was victorious, they thought, perhaps there was a chance to secede from the Union as well.
As per treaty obligations, the Federal Government was to make annuity payments to the Tribes, but had stopped in a supposed fear of the money falling into the pockets of the Confederates. For many natives, this was the last straw. The Choctaws and the Chickasaws threw in with the Confederacy. They even organized a regiment of dragoons to fight with the South. President Jefferson Davis agreed to take over the annuity payments, promised the Natives self-government within their borders, and even let the Nations send delegates to the Confederate Congress.
All was not as it seemed, however. Albert Pike, a newspaper editor sent by Davis to broker treaties in Indian Territory, had plans of his own. He wrote Davis of the territory’s good farming land, its natural resources and how the Confederacy could use them with or without the consent of the Indians. Pike saw the value of settling Indian Territory as a Confederate state with free whites and their slaves.
The Cherokees were divided on the matter. One faction, the more traditional, full-blooded and nonslave-holding Keetowahs were for remaining neutral. Countering them were the Knights of the Golden Circle, mostly made up of mixed-blood slaveholders, who wished to side with the South.
Representing the Keetowahs was John Ross, ironically a slaveholder who was only one-eighth Cherokee. The Knights were led by Stand Watie, a slave owner who was three-fourths Cherokee. Watie had already raised a mixed-blood cavalry regiment.
Ross was holding out for peace and neutrality as long as he could. “We do not wish to be brought into the feuds between yourselves and your Northern Brethren,” wrote Ross to the Confederacy’s Commissioner of Indian Affairs. “Our wish is for peace. Peace at home and Peace among you.”1
On this date, a Cherokee national conference was held at Tahlequah (sixty miles southeast of Tulsa). Four thousand Cherokees had assembled and John Ross, leader of the peaceful Keetowah faction, spoke.
Ross was nearly convinced that the South was about to win their independence. With victories at Bull Run and Wilson’s Creek, it was no wonder. In the past, said Ross, he was for neutrality. But now he was for unity within the Cherokee Nation.
“Union is strength; dissension is weakness, misery, ruin,” warned Ross. “In time of peace, enjoy peace together; in time of war, if war must come, fight together. As brothers live, as brothers die. While ready and willing to defend our firesides from the robber and murderer, let us not make war wantonly against the authority of the United or Confederate States, but avoid conflict with either, and remain strictly on our own soil.”
Ross, however, moved from his stance of neutrality to one of, what he viewed as, practicality. Indian Territory was bordered on three sides by the Confederacy, whose fate was linked to that of the Cherokee. “The time has now come,” concluded Ross, “when you should signify your consent for the authorities of the nation to adopt preliminary steps for an alliance with the Confederate States upon terms honorable and advantageous to the Cherokee Nation.”
The meeting at Tahlequah did not officially bind the Cherokee Nation with the Confederacy. In fact, the resolutions passed at the conference favored neutrality and friendship with people of all of the States, “particularly those on our immediate border.” Clearly, the Nation was paving a path that would soon lead them to an official alliance with the South.
Another of the resolutions addressed slavery. It was resolved: “That among the rights guaranteed by the constitution and laws we distinctly recognize that of property in negro slaves, and hereby publicly denounce as calumniators those who represent us to be abolitionists, and as a consequence hostile to the South, which is both the – land of our birth and the land of our homes.”
The meeting concluding by assuring that “the relations between the United and Confederate States of America… may render an alliance on our part with the latter States expedient and desirable.”((Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 3, p673-675.))
__________________
Two Generals Set Aright
Meanwhile, two Confederate generals were chastised by their respective commanders. In Missouri, General Polk admonished General Pillow for disobeying orders concerning the 4th Tennessee regiment. Polk wanted the 4th to occupy Island No. 10, but Pillow, who had no command over the Tennessee troops, ordered them to march north. As it was too late to recall them, Polk instead scolded Pillow for giving an order to a regiment not under his command and decided to report him to the War Department in Richmond.2
In Western Virginia, Generals Wise and Floyd were constantly bickering while marching towards the Federals at Gauley Bridge. All Floyd wanted was for Wise to hurry along and all Wise wanted was to keep his brigade, called Wise’s Legion, together. Intervening, General Robert E. Lee wrote to Wise, again explaining that since Floyd was the commanding officer, it was up to him where specific regiments were brigaded. Under Wise’s command were two Virginia regiments not in his Legion. Lee moved both to Floyd’s command, leaving Wise with only his Legion to head. Floyd was still in ful command of the Army of the Kanawha.3
A People’s History of the Civil War by Davis Williams, The New Press, 2005. [↩]
Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 3, p668. [↩]
Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 5, p799-800. [↩]
The land that is, in modern times, known as “Oklahoma” was, at the time of the Civil War, known only as “Indian Territory.” It was to Indian Territory that the Trail of Tears led in the 1830s. The Five Civilized Tribes (Choctaw, Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Creek) were forcibly relocated from the South to west of the Mississippi River. By 1861, the Nations, as they were known, were divided on how to react to the Civil War.
On one hand, it was the states in the South that lobbied for their forced relocation. On the other, many of the prominent chiefs of the Nations were slaveholders. Also, if the South was victorious, they thought, perhaps there was a chance to secede from the Union as well.
As per treaty obligations, the Federal Government was to make annuity payments to the Tribes, but had stopped in a supposed fear of the money falling into the pockets of the Confederates. For many natives, this was the last straw. The Choctaws and the Chickasaws threw in with the Confederacy. They even organized a regiment of dragoons to fight with the South. President Jefferson Davis agreed to take over the annuity payments, promised the Natives self-government within their borders, and even let the Nations send delegates to the Confederate Congress.
All was not as it seemed, however. Albert Pike, a newspaper editor sent by Davis to broker treaties in Indian Territory, had plans of his own. He wrote Davis of the territory’s good farming land, its natural resources and how the Confederacy could use them with or without the consent of the Indians. Pike saw the value of settling Indian Territory as a Confederate state with free whites and their slaves.
The Cherokees were divided on the matter. One faction, the more traditional, full-blooded and nonslave-holding Keetowahs were for remaining neutral. Countering them were the Knights of the Golden Circle, mostly made up of mixed-blood slaveholders, who wished to side with the South.
Representing the Keetowahs was John Ross, ironically a slaveholder who was only one-eighth Cherokee. The Knights were led by Stand Watie, a slave owner who was three-fourths Cherokee. Watie had already raised a mixed-blood cavalry regiment.
Ross was holding out for peace and neutrality as long as he could. “We do not wish to be brought into the feuds between yourselves and your Northern Brethren,” wrote Ross to the Confederacy’s Commissioner of Indian Affairs. “Our wish is for peace. Peace at home and Peace among you.”1
On this date, a Cherokee national conference was held at Tahlequah (sixty miles southeast of Tulsa). Four thousand Cherokees had assembled and John Ross, leader of the peaceful Keetowah faction, spoke.
Ross was nearly convinced that the South was about to win their independence. With victories at Bull Run and Wilson’s Creek, it was no wonder. In the past, said Ross, he was for neutrality. But now he was for unity within the Cherokee Nation.
“Union is strength; dissension is weakness, misery, ruin,” warned Ross. “In time of peace, enjoy peace together; in time of war, if war must come, fight together. As brothers live, as brothers die. While ready and willing to defend our firesides from the robber and murderer, let us not make war wantonly against the authority of the United or Confederate States, but avoid conflict with either, and remain strictly on our own soil.”
Ross, however, moved from his stance of neutrality to one of, what he viewed as, practicality. Indian Territory was bordered on three sides by the Confederacy, whose fate was linked to that of the Cherokee. “The time has now come,” concluded Ross, “when you should signify your consent for the authorities of the nation to adopt preliminary steps for an alliance with the Confederate States upon terms honorable and advantageous to the Cherokee Nation.”
The meeting at Tahlequah did not officially bind the Cherokee Nation with the Confederacy. In fact, the resolutions passed at the conference favored neutrality and friendship with people of all of the States, “particularly those on our immediate border.” Clearly, the Nation was paving a path that would soon lead them to an official alliance with the South.
Another of the resolutions addressed slavery. It was resolved: “That among the rights guaranteed by the constitution and laws we distinctly recognize that of property in negro slaves, and hereby publicly denounce as calumniators those who represent us to be abolitionists, and as a consequence hostile to the South, which is both the – land of our birth and the land of our homes.”
The meeting concluding by assuring that “the relations between the United and Confederate States of America… may render an alliance on our part with the latter States expedient and desirable.”((Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 3, p673-675.))
__________________
Two Generals Set Aright
Meanwhile, two Confederate generals were chastised by their respective commanders. In Missouri, General Polk admonished General Pillow for disobeying orders concerning the 4th Tennessee regiment. Polk wanted the 4th to occupy Island No. 10, but Pillow, who had no command over the Tennessee troops, ordered them to march north. As it was too late to recall them, Polk instead scolded Pillow for giving an order to a regiment not under his command and decided to report him to the War Department in Richmond.2
In Western Virginia, Generals Wise and Floyd were constantly bickering while marching towards the Federals at Gauley Bridge. All Floyd wanted was for Wise to hurry along and all Wise wanted was to keep his brigade, called Wise’s Legion, together. Intervening, General Robert E. Lee wrote to Wise, again explaining that since Floyd was the commanding officer, it was up to him where specific regiments were brigaded. Under Wise’s command were two Virginia regiments not in his Legion. Lee moved both to Floyd’s command, leaving Wise with only his Legion to head. Floyd was still in ful command of the Army of the Kanawha.3
A People’s History of the Civil War by Davis Williams, The New Press, 2005. [↩]
Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 3, p668. [↩]
Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 5, p799-800. [↩]
Friday, July 15, 2011
Hardtack Regiment: 154th New York
Hardtack Regiment: 154th New York
26th annual decendent reunion.
This year's reunion program will be "Adventures of a Civil War Historian" by Mark Dunkelman, author of four books of 154th New York history (with two more on the way). Mr. Dunkelman will present an overview of his forty-plus years of work on the 154th, with an emphasis on unusual events that have occurred along the way. He will also show artifacts related to the stories. The Cattaraugus County Museum will have special Civil War displays on exhibit in conjunction with the reunion
Cattaraugus County Museum, 9824 Route 16, Machias, NY 14101
Saturday, 16 July at 2 pm
26th annual decendent reunion.
This year's reunion program will be "Adventures of a Civil War Historian" by Mark Dunkelman, author of four books of 154th New York history (with two more on the way). Mr. Dunkelman will present an overview of his forty-plus years of work on the 154th, with an emphasis on unusual events that have occurred along the way. He will also show artifacts related to the stories. The Cattaraugus County Museum will have special Civil War displays on exhibit in conjunction with the reunion
Cattaraugus County Museum, 9824 Route 16, Machias, NY 14101
Saturday, 16 July at 2 pm
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Essential Fourth of July Trivia - Life123
Essential Fourth of July Trivia - Life123
Essential Fourth of July Trivia
By: Kristen Oliveri
This year, throw out some Fourth of July trivia to get your party started. You can cull the fun facts together ahead of time and print them out on red-, white- and blue- colored paper. Try pairing some music and food to go with your patriotic theme.
Fourth of July HistoryWe all assume that we know American history, but your trivia games can be a chance for people to brush up. For example, ask your guests who approved the Declaration of Independence. Nope, it wasn't George Washington. It was the Continental Congress who approved the declaration in 1776, and Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and, of course, John Hancock were among the signers.Barbeque and Fireworks Stats and StatisticsHave you ever wondered how many barbeques take place on Fourth of July? Or how many fireworks are sold across the country? More than 66 million people strap on the aprons and grill up hamburgers and hot dogs on the Fourth, and over $135.6 million is spent on fireworks. Are you also curious to know where all those American flags come from? Oddly enough, they're imported from China, more often than not. According to the Census Bureau, that made China $5.2 million dollars in 2002.
The finalized DOI was NOT SIGNED on July 4th but rather August 8th
Another fun fact to toss out to friends is that there are 30 places in the nation with "liberty" in their name. Try asking guests if they can name a few, and then wow them with answers like Liberty, Missouri, and New Liberty, Iowa.
Fourth of July Music TriviaOf course you want to listen to some patriotic tunes while you're celebrating America's favorite holiday, and you can use that music for a game. First, load up your mp3 player with tunes to play outside. Make sure to have these few on the top of the list: "The Star Spangled Banner," "God Bless the USA," "My Country -tis of Thee," "Born in the USA," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Many famous musicians have covered these songs and have put their own spin on them, so check out a few different versions before settling on a play list. Then, quiz your guests to find out how many of them really know all the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" and other patriotic tunes.
Essential Fourth of July Trivia
By: Kristen Oliveri
This year, throw out some Fourth of July trivia to get your party started. You can cull the fun facts together ahead of time and print them out on red-, white- and blue- colored paper. Try pairing some music and food to go with your patriotic theme.
Fourth of July HistoryWe all assume that we know American history, but your trivia games can be a chance for people to brush up. For example, ask your guests who approved the Declaration of Independence. Nope, it wasn't George Washington. It was the Continental Congress who approved the declaration in 1776, and Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and, of course, John Hancock were among the signers.Barbeque and Fireworks Stats and StatisticsHave you ever wondered how many barbeques take place on Fourth of July? Or how many fireworks are sold across the country? More than 66 million people strap on the aprons and grill up hamburgers and hot dogs on the Fourth, and over $135.6 million is spent on fireworks. Are you also curious to know where all those American flags come from? Oddly enough, they're imported from China, more often than not. According to the Census Bureau, that made China $5.2 million dollars in 2002.
The finalized DOI was NOT SIGNED on July 4th but rather August 8th
Another fun fact to toss out to friends is that there are 30 places in the nation with "liberty" in their name. Try asking guests if they can name a few, and then wow them with answers like Liberty, Missouri, and New Liberty, Iowa.
Fourth of July Music TriviaOf course you want to listen to some patriotic tunes while you're celebrating America's favorite holiday, and you can use that music for a game. First, load up your mp3 player with tunes to play outside. Make sure to have these few on the top of the list: "The Star Spangled Banner," "God Bless the USA," "My Country -tis of Thee," "Born in the USA," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Many famous musicians have covered these songs and have put their own spin on them, so check out a few different versions before settling on a play list. Then, quiz your guests to find out how many of them really know all the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" and other patriotic tunes.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Veterans Affairs Bans Mention of God at Funerals for Vets - Veterans Resources
Veterans Affairs Bans Mention of God at Funerals for Vets - Veterans Resources
HOUSTON, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, Liberty Institute, on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, The American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies, returned to federal court with new allegations of religious hostility and unlawful censorship by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its director of the Houston National Cemetery. Last month, Liberty Institute successfully represented Houston pastor Scott Rainey in the same federal court after Houston VA officials tried to prevent him from praying in Jesus’ name at a Memorial Day ceremony.
“The hostile and discriminatory actions by the Veterans Affairs officials in Houston are outrageous, unconstitutional and must stop,” said Jeff Mateer, Esq., general counsel of Liberty Institute. “Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behavior at the Houston VA National Cemetery.”
Today, Liberty Institute amended its original lawsuit that states the Department of Veterans Affairs and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, are engaging in religious viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, by adding new incidents of religious hostility including:
VA Forbids Mention of God at Funerals for Veterans and Requires Families to Submit Prayer for Approval to the Government: For 30 years, the VFW District 4 burial team, at the request of the family of the deceased, has honored veterans by performing the VFW burial ritual during private burial services at the Houston National Cemetery. For 20 years, The American Legion Post 586 has honored our veterans by performing its burial ritual for fallen veterans. On at least four separate occasions, government officials told the burial teams that prayer and religious speech could no longer be included in the burial ritual unless the family submits a specific prayer or message in writing to Director Ocasio for her approval. Government official Jose Henriquez also told the VFW Honor Guard Commander, Junior Vice Commander and Chaplain that the word “God” is forbidden.
VA instructs the VFW and a Private Funeral Home that they may not present the option of prayer to families: American Heritage Funeral Home, which sits next to the Houston National Cemetery and specializes in veterans’ funerals, was instructed by government officials that the funeral home may not inform the families that they have the option of requesting prayer in the VFW burial ritual.
VA Tells Volunteers to Remove “God Bless” from Condolence Cards to Grieving Families: About a year ago, Director Ocasio instructed the president of the National Memorial Ladies that the words “God” and “Jesus” are forbidden and that “God Bless” could no longer be written in condolence cards to families. Volunteers also were banned from speaking a religious message when talking directly to veterans’ families on cemetery grounds.
VA Closes Cemetery Chapel; Uses it for Storage: The chapel where families used to gather, pray and reflect has been closed and is now called a “meeting facility” and used for storage. The chapel cross and Bible have been removed and the bells that once used to chime are no longer used.
“On March 15, Director Ocasio told me that I couldn’t say ‘May God grant you grace, mercy and peace’ to grieving families,” said Nobleton Jones, Honor Guard Junior Vice Commander. “Today we ask the government to make it right.”
“All we wanted was to give honor to fallen soldiers,” said Inge Conley, incoming VFW District 4 Commander.
Today’s hearing took place before Federal District Judge Lynn N. Hughes who had granted the original temporary restraining order preventing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from censoring Pastor Rainey’s prayer in May. Judge Hughes gave the government until July 15 to respond to the new allegations and set a status hearing for July 21.
Liberty Institute works to uphold First Amendment freedoms in the courts, legislature and public square. Stay up to date on this case at www.libertyinstitute.org.
HOUSTON, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, Liberty Institute, on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, The American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies, returned to federal court with new allegations of religious hostility and unlawful censorship by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its director of the Houston National Cemetery. Last month, Liberty Institute successfully represented Houston pastor Scott Rainey in the same federal court after Houston VA officials tried to prevent him from praying in Jesus’ name at a Memorial Day ceremony.
“The hostile and discriminatory actions by the Veterans Affairs officials in Houston are outrageous, unconstitutional and must stop,” said Jeff Mateer, Esq., general counsel of Liberty Institute. “Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behavior at the Houston VA National Cemetery.”
Today, Liberty Institute amended its original lawsuit that states the Department of Veterans Affairs and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, are engaging in religious viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, by adding new incidents of religious hostility including:
VA Forbids Mention of God at Funerals for Veterans and Requires Families to Submit Prayer for Approval to the Government: For 30 years, the VFW District 4 burial team, at the request of the family of the deceased, has honored veterans by performing the VFW burial ritual during private burial services at the Houston National Cemetery. For 20 years, The American Legion Post 586 has honored our veterans by performing its burial ritual for fallen veterans. On at least four separate occasions, government officials told the burial teams that prayer and religious speech could no longer be included in the burial ritual unless the family submits a specific prayer or message in writing to Director Ocasio for her approval. Government official Jose Henriquez also told the VFW Honor Guard Commander, Junior Vice Commander and Chaplain that the word “God” is forbidden.
VA instructs the VFW and a Private Funeral Home that they may not present the option of prayer to families: American Heritage Funeral Home, which sits next to the Houston National Cemetery and specializes in veterans’ funerals, was instructed by government officials that the funeral home may not inform the families that they have the option of requesting prayer in the VFW burial ritual.
VA Tells Volunteers to Remove “God Bless” from Condolence Cards to Grieving Families: About a year ago, Director Ocasio instructed the president of the National Memorial Ladies that the words “God” and “Jesus” are forbidden and that “God Bless” could no longer be written in condolence cards to families. Volunteers also were banned from speaking a religious message when talking directly to veterans’ families on cemetery grounds.
VA Closes Cemetery Chapel; Uses it for Storage: The chapel where families used to gather, pray and reflect has been closed and is now called a “meeting facility” and used for storage. The chapel cross and Bible have been removed and the bells that once used to chime are no longer used.
“On March 15, Director Ocasio told me that I couldn’t say ‘May God grant you grace, mercy and peace’ to grieving families,” said Nobleton Jones, Honor Guard Junior Vice Commander. “Today we ask the government to make it right.”
“All we wanted was to give honor to fallen soldiers,” said Inge Conley, incoming VFW District 4 Commander.
Today’s hearing took place before Federal District Judge Lynn N. Hughes who had granted the original temporary restraining order preventing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from censoring Pastor Rainey’s prayer in May. Judge Hughes gave the government until July 15 to respond to the new allegations and set a status hearing for July 21.
Liberty Institute works to uphold First Amendment freedoms in the courts, legislature and public square. Stay up to date on this case at www.libertyinstitute.org.
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