Tag Archives: American Civil War

No men who are determined to succeed can fail

HEADQUARTERS, November 28, 1863 General M. JENKINS, Commanding Division: GENERAL: Your letter is received. The work of the enemy is not inclosed. The ditch is probably at some points not more than 3 feet deep and 5 or 6 feet … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Fort Sanders, Gen. James Longstreet | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Highlanders march

The Seventy-Ninth New York Cameron Highlanders marched through NYC on their way to the cars and thence to Baltimore, Washington City and a rude and deadly introduction to war at First Manassas. They would have to wait until Knoxville in … Continue reading

Posted in New York Cameron Highlanders, The Northwest Bastion | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Pipes and drums for the Highlanders

Stirring new “Kilted Warriors” CD available here (with excerpts) of period music associated with the Seventy-Ninth New York Cameron Highlanders who defended the critical Northwest Bastion at Fort Sanders. The Seventy-Ninth took no pipers and drums into battle (as the … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Fort Sanders, New York Cameron Highlanders | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Claw-hammer coats

“Men in claw-hammer coats and tall, beaver hats and ladies in silk dresses and sunbonnets were standing looking down at us from above the red-clay walls we had tried so hard to climb…” The man on the right in the … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Knoxville, The Northwest Bastion | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Brass bands

Both sides at Knoxville had regimental brass bands, usually playing the over-the-shoulder sax horn like these at the Smithsonian Institution—one of the most popular instruments of a Nineteenth Century American Wind band because of its warm, mellow tone. Each band … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Knoxville, Regimental bands | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Brig. Gen. Isaac Stevens

Brig. Gen. Isaac Stevens, ex-Congressman from Washington, West Pointer, Mexican War veteran and Indian fighter whom Gen. McClellan appointed commanding officer of the Seventy-Ninth New York Cameron Highlanders after the death of their elected commander at First Manassas/Bull Run. He’s … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", New York Cameron Highlanders, The Northwest Bastion | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Enfield vs Springfield

The novel’s Private Burton Laing hated to give up his British Enfield rifle, even after it misfired and he had trouble extracting the Minie ball from the barrel for a reload. He especially hated it when Corporal MacGavin handed him … Continue reading

Posted in "Knoxville 1863", Civil War armament | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Danville Leadbetter

“Leadbetter,” First Lieutenant J. Thompson Brown of the Boy Battery muttered when he heard that the Rebel infantry were to be expected to surprise the Yankees in Fort Sanders, instead of the fort being subjected to a concentrated artillery pounding. … Continue reading

Posted in Boy Battery, Fort Sanders, Gen. Danville Leadbetter | Tagged , , | Leave a comment