ABOUT ME

I’m Harry Smeltzer, host of Bull Runnings. I live just outside Pittsburgh, and was born and raised here in Southwestern PA. I earned an undergraduate degree at The Pennsylvania State University and a graduate degree at the Katz School of the University of Pittsburgh. Neither sheepskin is in history or any art. Therefore I don’t call myself a historian, just as I don’t call myself a doctor, lawyer, or plumber (though I’ve demonstrated competency in certain aspects of those professions). I’ve been published in the journal Civil War History, The Civil War Monitor, Civil War Times, and America’s Civil War. I was a Contributing Writer for America’s Civil War and am a Digital History Advisor for The Civil War Monitor. I am on the board of directors of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. I’ve presented programs on Bull Run related topics to organizations in seven states and the District of Columbia and have organized and led tours of the battlefield of First Bull Run. Groups with which I’ve worked include Civil War Roundtables, libraries, historical societies, universities, and the United States Marine Corps. (If you’re interested in a presentation to or tour for your group, go here). I’ve been hosting Bull Runnings since November 2006.

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22 04 2009: RON TAMOSCHAT (17:44:48) :

I AM INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT HOW GEN. CORCORAN ESCAPED BEING PROSECUTED FOR THE COLD-BLOODED MURDER OF A FELLOW OFFICER , LT. COLONEL KIMBALL , SIMPLY BECAUSE COL. KIMBALL INSISTED THAT THE COUNTERSIGN BE GIVEN WHEN CORCORAN ATTEMPTED TO ENTER UNION LINES WITH A GROUP OF HIS MEN AT 2 AM IN THE DARK. I AM UNABLE TO FIND AN ANSWER FOR THIS IN MY READINGS AND RESEARCH. RON TAMOSCHAT.

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22 04 2009: Harry Smeltzer (18:13:10) :

Ron,

Thanks for visiting. In the future, please only post comments relative to the post you are commenting on. If you have a general question (like this), send me an email. My address is in the right hand column of this page.

Corcoran requested and faced a court of inquiry over the incident, censure was recommended, and a court martial was ordered. Corcoran died before the court matial convened. The facts of the case are not etched in granite. By many accounts Kimball was not on duty, never identified himself, used abusive language, drew his sword, assaulted Corcoran’s horse, and may have been drunk. I have no dog in the fight, so to speak. There are a number of different accounts available at this site: http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/9thInf/9thInfCWN.htm

Good luck with your research.

Harry

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6 09 2021: Timothy Michael Antosy (20:27:14) :

Hi Harry. I think last year I read one of your stories about Capt. John C. Tidball, Co. A, 2nd U. S. Artillery, On Battle and Retreat. In that article you mention the name Joseph Crain Audenried. He and Colonel Sherman meet at Bull Run for the first time. Later in October 1863 they meet again when Audenried who by that time was a major meets General Sherman and becomes one of his aide-de-camps. He remains Sherman’s close associate till Joseph dies in June of 1880. You had asked me to send you a little more information about Joseph and I am hoping you can do just that. I would really appreciate that.
Tim Antosy

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6 09 2021: Harry Smeltzer (20:57:53) :

Tim, check out this post: https://behind.aotw.org/2007/04/11/audenried-61/

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7 09 2021: Timothy Michael Antosy (09:22:59) :

Hi again Harry. I have just about everything possible from Google and I have the article you talk about here. Joseph had a book he read all about his experiences in the Civil War. This man probably fought on more battlefields than anyone else but nobody seems to know much about him. Joseph graduated from West Point in June of 1861. Because of his association and it was a personal one with General Sherman anything he is connected to is very expensive. Gettysburg College has for some reason taken a great deal of interest in Joseph but the personal book that he wrote about his experiences is not available and I have no idea who owns it or if there is more than one edition. His service started at Bull Run of course and then the defense of Washington and then the Penninsula, then Antietam and then Fredericksburg At Bull Run he was one of General Tyler’s aides at Antietam and Fredericksburg he was Bull Sumner’s aide-de-camp. After Sumner dies in 1863 Joseph serves on General Wool’s staff for a short time. From there he becomes one of General Grant’s aides and is at Vicksburg and the surrender of Vicksburg then in October of 1863 he becomes General Sherman’s aide and is with Sherman all the way from the battle of Memphis till the end of the war including the March to the Sea and General Johnson’s surrender in North Carolina. After the war he stays with Sherman and is with him during the Indians Wars. in 1871 he and Sherman and Fred Grant the President’s son go on a 10 month tour of Europe where they meet all the heads of Europe and the military leaders. This of course is after Sherman is now the head of the army after General Grant resigns to become President. When that happens Sherman moves his headquarters to Washington and so does Joseph. In the spring of 1880 Joseph develops some disease possible liver disease and then it turns to pneumonia and he dies on June 3, 1880. General Sherman and his staff escort his body to Philadelphia where there are more services after the services in Washington and again escort his body to West Point where he is buried. I have also included General Order 45 written by General Sherman announcing Joseph Audrnried’s death and some of Sherman’s feelings about Joseph Audenried. There is much more to this story. I would love to write a book about him. Joseph is my first cousin 4 times removed. He was my great-great-great Grandmother’s brother’s son.
Thanks Harry. Hope you can help me is some way.
Tim Antosy

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY
ADJUTANT GENERAL’ OFFICE
GENERAL ORDERS No. 45
Wednesday June 3, 1880
It is with pain and sorrow that the General of the Army has to announce the death of Colonel Joseph Crain Audenried, his Aide-de-Camp, who died at his residence in Washington at 4:30 o’clock this morning, after a painful illness of seven weeks.
Colonel Audenried was born at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1839; entered the Military Academy with the Class of 1857, and graduated June 24, 1861. The civil war had just begun. He was hurried forward to Washington as a 2d Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry to assist in organizing and drilling the troops then hastily assembled, and took part in the first campaign under General Daniel Tyler, as Aide-de-Camp. From July, 1861 to March 1862, he served with Company A, 2d Artillery; and in the Peninsular campaign was Acting Assistant Adjutant General to General Emory’s Cavalry command. July 10, 1862, he was selected by General E. V. Sumner as an Aide-de-Camp on his staff as commander of the 2nd Army Corps, in which he served continuously till General Sumner’s death, In March 1863, being wounded at Antietam and brevetted Captain.
After a few days’ service with General Wool, in New York, he was ordered as an additional Aide-de-Camp to General U.S. Grant, to whom he reported in person on June 20, 1863. And was present at the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, and continued as a member of General Grant’s staff till October 1, 1863. When on the application of General Sherman, commanding the 15th Corps, he was assigned to him in the same capacity as Aide-de-Camp, and reported to him in person at Memphis, October 1, 1863. He has been on the personal staff of General Sherman from that day to this, always present for duty, prompt, energetic, intelligent, courteous and knightly, the very impersonation of a thorough staff officer.
General Sherman first noticed Captain Audenried when he brought him a verbal message at Jackson, Mississippi, from General Grant. In Vicksburg, in July, 1863, and soon after, having a vacancy on his staff, he tendered it to Captain Audenried, who accepted, an thus has shared every battle, campaign, and command of he General during the last seventeen eventual years, embracing the Chattanooga and Knoxville campaign; that to Meridian; the Atlantic campaign; the march to the sea; that of the Carolinas; several extensive tours through the Great West, among the Indians; the trip through Europe in 1872-73 and the incidental and delicate duties of the command of the Army since 1869.
It is impossible to summarize his share in all these events, now matters of history, but no one who has not served in actual war can measure the importance and responsibilities of an Aide-de-Camp, carrying orders involving complicated movements, always verbal, and needing the highest order of courage and intelligence to execution. Thousands still live who will bear willing testimony to his great courtesy, and his elegant manners and address, by day and by night, in sunshine and storm; and still others who have observed in him the model gentleman in the social circles in which he moved and where he was so great a favorite. In Europe whether in the palace or on the wild steppes of Tartary, he formed the type of the American soldier and gentleman. Charged with public property, he watched with the same faithful care as of his own, and in disbursing money his accounts are models of accuracy and neatness.
In the death of Colonel Audenried the General feels that he has sustained an irreparable loss, personal and official, of one in whose honor and fidelity, and integrity he reposed absolute confidence, for whom he entertained feelings rather of a son than of an officer, and he believes the Army generally will experience a similar feeling. Though dead, his example stands out in bold relief, inviting imitation by all the young officers of our Army.
He will be buried at his own request, at West Point. The funeral will take place from the house, No. 1023 Vermont Avenue, at 3 p.m., Friday, June 4, to the Sixth-street cars, and will conclude from the chapel at West Point, New York, at 10 a.m. of Sunday, the 6th instant.
Officers of the General’s staff will wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days.
By COMMAND OF GENERAL SHERMAN:
E.D. TOWNSEND,
Adjutant General
Official:
Assistant Adjutant General

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7 09 2021: Harry Smeltzer (10:51:33) :

Did you find anything on the alleged affair between Mrs. Audenried and Gen. Sherman?

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7 09 2021: Timothy Michael Antosy (11:37:37) :

The more I study that situation the more confusing it is. Mary Audenried was of course one of my aunt’s through marriage. The Audenried and Sherman families did things socially. As an example when one of General Sherman’s daughters gets married Florence Audenried Joseph’s daughter is one of the flower girls. So their relationship was more than just involving military decisions. I have always gotten the feeling that the General basically thought of Joseph as a son of some kind. Joseph was of course only 23 or 24 and almost a Major when he joins Sherman’s staff. Joseph as I mentioned earlier had known nothing but war from his graduation from West Point in 1861 till 1865. His own father died I think in 1850 and may Sherman kind of took hum under his wing so to speak. That’s why I wish I had more information about Joseph’s Civil War experiences, maybe some of those thoughts would be in the book. I do have his manuscript that he wrote about the trip to Europe but it isn’t the easiest handwriting to understand. Have you ever noticed that. Some writers during he Civil War are very hard to understand while others are very easy to understand. My fiancee’s great great Grandfather fought with the 88th Pa. Infantry and their self proclaimed Regimental Historian John Vauteer had handwriting that was very easy to understand. I have his entire diary which is located at the Military Library in Carlisle. Well that’s all part of studying history I suppose. Back to the affair. I have read other letters that you would think that the General and Mary Audenried were dating while in other letters the General is basically trying to give Mary advice on how to handle Florence a teen ager who like any other teenager is not the easiest person to handle. One letter I have seen talks about the General and Mary while they lived in Washington together making plans to see the Opera several times over a two week period and to me it was like two lovers deciding what they were going to be doing together. She also accompanies the General on various trips around the United States and it was not a secret he was doing this because some of those trips are reported in the newspaper and included her name as a part of the traveling party with the General and sometimes Mary would even bring her daughter along. May Audenried lives a long time. I think she dies just after Teddy Roosevelt is inaugurated and she of course was at those parties. May Audenried was a very big time social light in Washington for many years after Joseph dies and when Florence gets married to a French Count it was one of the biggest weddings ever in Washington. In the article by John C. Tidball where he is talking about seeing Sherman and Audenried at the first battle of Bull Run I got the impression he knew Audenried fairly well or met him later in the war. I’m not sure which one although Audenried for a time is assigned to the 2nd US Artillery after Bull Run. Coincidentally John C. Tidball eventually also becomes a aide-de-camp to General Sherman so I sent for a biography on Tidball that his son wrote and I am hoping to get more information from that book. I live near Reading, Pa. so I’m not that far from Gettysburg and on Saturday I will be with the Harrisburg Round Table on a trip to Antietam with Dennis Frye. Joseph Audenried was wounded at Antietam in the West Woods. I am looking forward to visiting there on Saturday. I hope you know Dennis he is a great guide and speaker we have had him at our round table the First Defenders of Berks County several times. So, for now I will leave it here. I wish I could find our who has Joseph Audenried’s manuscript. I can’t believe there is only one copy of that in the world. I would love to write about him or at least make a presentation at my round table but I just don’t have enough information.
Thanks,
Tim Antosy

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7 09 2021: Harry Smeltzer (11:45:47) :

Yes, I know Dennis. I serve on the board of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation with him. Tell him I said “Hello!” Yes, I believe Edith Carow Roosevelt encountered Mary at an inauguration ball or some such event for her husband Teddy. Joseph served on the staff of Edith’s grandfather Daniel Tyler at First Bull Run. You can find a photo I snapped of Joseph’s grave at West Point in this post: https://bullrunnings.wordpress.com/2021/02/06/capt-john-c-tidball-co-a-2nd-u-s-artillery-on-battle-and-retreat/

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7 09 2021: Harry Smeltzer (11:57:08) :

Tim,

Here’s some stuff I included in my very first Bull Run presentation a decade or so ago.

General WT Sherman and the Widow Audenried

24 year old Joseph Auderied had married 18 year old Mary Jane Colket in 1863. She was also from well-to-do Philadelphia, her father Coffin Colket (1809-83) a rags-to-riches success story, then President of the Long Island Rail Road. Her mother Mary was a Pennypacker; another notable Pennsylvania family.
At her husband’s untimely death in 1880, 35 year old Mary and daughter Florence (1867-1932) were financially independent due to a large annual income from Father Colket, but were apparently ‘taken under the wing’ of General Sherman.

In his 1995 book Citizen Sherman author Michael Fellman makes much of Sherman’s difficult relationship with his wife Ellen Ewing (1824-88), and says he was unfaithful on many occasions. He proposes that the relationship with Mary was far more than one of fatherly concern, that, in fact, they had a sexual affair beginning as soon as six weeks after Audenried’s death. An affair which lasted through the decade.

Fellman makes his case by interpreting the language in a number of letters from Sherman to Mary, but notes that all of Mary’s replies were burned–so her feelings and actions can only be inferred.

Mark Grimsley hit it on the head–sharing my discomfort with this author’s approach–in a review on h-net:

“Not everyone will agree with Fellman’s emphases or interpretations, and his conclusions sometimes outrun his evidence. For example, although Sherman assuredly liked to flirt, there is precious little to support Fellman’s contention that the general actually bedded either the sculptress Vinnie Reams or Mary Audenried, the widow of a trusted aide. I think Sherman probably did, but I’m guessing, just as Fellman is guessing.”

“Not to mention the rather extreme father-daughter/lover fantasies associated with Mary Audenried which Fellman attributes to Sherman. And his characterization of Sherman as ‘homicidal’ and in almost continuous ‘rage’.”

(Personally, I find the practice of psychoanalyzing dead people hard to take seriously. Such analysis is marginal at best even on live subjects.)

Mary Jane (Colket) Audenried had the last laugh, though, as she likely inherited the $2 million Coffin Colket reportedly left in his estate when he died in 1883. She remained prominent in Washington society through at least 1905 when she was noted entertaining at the inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt.
——————————
John Tidball, who was also with McDowell’s army in the summer of ‘61, would wind up on Sherman’s staff years later, when “Uncle Billy” held the highest military office in the land. Tidball’s biography (discussed here) includes his sketch of his boss at that time which touches on Sherman’s affection for the ladies (page 415):

“He was exceedingly fond of the society of ladies, and took as much delight in dancing and such pleasures as a youth just entering manhood, and with them he was as much of a lion as he was a hero with his old soldiers.

“With those of the romantic age he was often sprightly upon their all absorbing topic of love and matrimony, a condition of mind that he regarded as a mere working out of the inflexible laws of nature; but while regarding it in this light he did not condemn or ridicule the romantic side of it as mere nonsensical sentimentality. From young ladies with whom he was intimately acquainted he was fond of extracting the kiss conceded by his age and position, and which they were not loath to grant, nor upon which neither parents or beaux were disposed to frown. By the envious it was said that in these osculatory performances he sometimes held in so long that he was compelled to breathe through his ears.”

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8 09 2021: Timothy Michael Antosy (14:34:49) :

Harry. One of the reasons I do think the Genral had some kind of affair with Mary Audenried is the Rutherford B Hayes Library at least it is online. In it are many letters. The General was still communicating with Mary Audenried in June of 1890. There is one more letter there for December but I’m not sure about the date but if it is 1890 the General only dies the following February so it can be said that he was in communication with her almost to the time of his death. I don’t know if that means it was just a great friendship or that they were lovers. You can make your own judgment and so can anyone else but by todays standards based on everythng I have seen so far I would say yes they probably did have an affair. I haven’t decided if I want to join that library in Ohio and read all those letters. Being a long lost relative I don’t know if it is important to me to drag his memory through the dirt but that is what I think.

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7 05 2009: James Hagy (14:50:11) :

No one seems to be familiar with my “To Take Charleston: The Civil War on Folly Island”, published in 1993 with a second printing in 1997. Copies sold rather quickly and it is out of print. I hope to have it republished in a year or so.
The book deals with the union troops on Folly Island and the invasion of Morris Island.

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7 05 2009: Harry Smeltzer (15:04:34) :

James,

I suggest if you want more exposure for your book, at least on this site, you attach this comment to either Charleston Related Civil War Readings or A Few Charleston Civil War Sites

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29 06 2009: Brandon Samuels (16:44:18) :

Hello Harry,

My name is Brandon Samuels and I really like some of the posts you have on your blog. Since you have an interest in blogging, I thought that you might want to know about a new web site, timelines.com. The idea is to create an interactive historical record of anything and everything, based on specific events that combine to form timelines. We’re trying to achieve a sort of user-created multimedia history, in which no event is too big or too small to record. Feel free to create events using excerpts and/or links from your blog. You will generate traffic and awareness of your blog, and you will be contributing to the recording of history.

With your interest in the American Civil War, you should check out this timeline. So far it is a work in progress and we would definitely love for more people to contribute. http://timelines.com/topics/american-civil-war/page/1.

Give us a try and let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Brandon Samuels

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14 06 2010: Joe Scott (12:23:17) :

Harry, my name is Joe Scott. I was reading your blog about General Richard Ewell. My great grandfather, Joseph Scott, to whom I was named after fought under General Ewell. My grandfather was in the North Carolina 4th. Regiment Company D. From what I have been told he was not that great of a general, especially at Gettysburg.

I am doing research on my grandfather and would like your insight on this general. Can you help me?

Thanks,

Joe Scott

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14 06 2010: Harry Smeltzer (12:54:53) :

Glad to help any way I can, Joe. Contact me at hjs21 at comcast dot net.

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9 08 2010: Brett Hale (01:51:14) :

Just came across this site. I traveled back to Virginia with my family this last July to visit my parents and my sister’s family after a number of years. I lived in Virginia for twenty plus years before moving out to Arizona. We spent a number of hours at the Manassas Battlefield and Brauner’s Farm. It was really moving for me to think of the passions and motivations that caused our country battle itself so. I was really ‘bitten’ by the Civil War bug. I have only begun studying and I cannot get enough info. Your site is a great resource. BTW, I told my wife and sons that I was partial to the Confederacy, but they are all ‘Yankees’. Oh well. Anyway, a great work. Thank you.

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25 05 2015: jmgandolfo (19:27:29) :

Oh, well, their loss, Brett.

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22 06 2011: Ray Ezell (17:07:53) :

Harry
I am very interested in the brief battle at Blackburn’s Ford, as well as determining if there were any CS or US encampment on the south side of Bull Run on the high ground overlooking the ford (to the east of Hwy 28. I am a professional archaeologist and will be beginning excavations on what appears to be a CS encampment in this area.
Any assistance you can provide will be appreciated
Ray Ezell, RPA
ECS Mid-Atlantic< LLC
Fredericksburg, VA
rezell@ecslimited.com

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22 06 2011: Harry Smeltzer (18:10:22) :

Ray, while I’m happy to help you all I can, I think the folks you should talk to are at the park, both in interpetation and cultural resources. That would be the first place I would go.

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13 10 2020: Brian McEnany (20:26:14) :

Ray, contact Mark Trbovitch at Bull Run Civil War Round Table. He was responsible for the Civil War Trails sign at Blackburn Ford. Rob Orribison, Prince William County staff, may also be able to assist.

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23 07 2013: dixie wells (23:29:28) :

The PBS American Experience Biography of Robert E. Lee coins the term revisionist history. Filled with half-truths, missing or self-serving politically correct facts and slanted opinions, it is amazing how a man can be crucified, so tastefully, so smugly, some 140+ years after his death. How a man’s duty, self-sacrifice, devotion to family, neighbors, his native state, and the principles of independence upon which it was founded, and His Creator can be twisted so smugly with such condescension by those who, i suspect must even admit to themselves, never experienced a fraction of the responsibility or insurmountable odds this man faced, exceeds my comprehension of the gall of these “scholars.”

Were the man alive today to watch his “biography”, i doubt he would deign to reply publicly, though privately he might very well go into his closet, kneel and pray, “Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

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25 05 2015: jmgandolfo (19:47:33) :

It’s possible that you may’ve meant to say “begged” the term “revisionist history”, rather than “coined”, but nonetheless you are quite correct with your comment. However, it should be noted that this is nothing new, especially considering the recent and mounting exposures of the history of revisionist propaganda and editorial “hit pieces” that the South has had to endure for the past one hundred and fifty years. Sadly, one could even say that we in the South had become “used to it”. However, it is PAST time for this to come to an end, and for us to stop accepting this and becoming “used to it”. Perhaps with the help and input of people like you, as well as mine and other honorable persons with respect for truth, justice and history, we can finally begin to bring about some much needed, and tragically overdue, change. Deo Vindice.

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6 09 2015: Michael Davis (13:49:26) :

Hi
I wanted to share with you a link to a recent film I produced called UNION BOUND… due out in early 2016.
I share your passion for the south and the Civil War and I was hoping you would help us promote our film. Union BOUND is based on the actual dairy of Joseph Hoover a member of the N.Y. 121st Volunteers and recipient of the Medal of Honor by the State of NY.
I can also get you access to the actual diary. :)
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=union+bound+official+trailer

anything you can do would be greatly appreciated … Thank you!

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8 06 2016: Jim Bruns (14:22:25) :

Hello Bull Runnings!! And lovers of authentic American Culture!

We are presenting our Civil War drama, CONFEDERATES in the 11th Annual Capital Fringe Theatre Festival in Washington DC next month.

As you know this July is the 155th anniversary of the battle of First Manassas (Bull Run). Our play which is entered in the largest theatre festival in North America concerns the heady aftermath of the Confederate victory following July 21, 1861. The story is told from the perspective of Virginians and is mainly about Stonewall Jackson and his role in that battle.

Directed by long time Little Theatre of Alexandria director, Roland Brandford Gomez it was written by Falls Church playwright, James F. Bruns.

CONFEDERATES
A Play about First Manassas

Performing in the 11th Annual D.C. Capital Fringe Festival

Upstairs Theatre – Logan Fringe Arts Space, 1358 Florida Ave NE Washington D.C.
Showtimes are:

Saturday July 9, 5:30pm
Tuesday July 12 6:30pm
Thursday July 14 7pm
Friday July 22 8:15pm
Sunday July 24 2pm

Tickets go on sale June 20 at capitalfringe.org or by calling 866-811-4111

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27 09 2016: Thom Hickey (02:48:12) :

I get a real education when I visit. I’ll return often!

Regards thom

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8 10 2018: webbpros (19:11:37) :

Mr. Smeltzer,
I couldn’t help but notice you have a pretty amazing civil war blog. I am on a mission to produce an independent Civil War film, which rewrites history in relation to the mysterious murder of Confederate General Earl Van Dorn. I adapted the screenplay from the novel, Where Elephant’s Fought, by Bridget Smith.

I invite you to please take a look at our kickstarter campaign and watch our 4 minute teaser. If it intrigues you, We would really appreciate your consideration to post to your blog. We would love to do an interview or Q&A with you if you are willing to help support us. John Banks recently interviewed us for his latest article.

John Banks writes in Civil War Times: “Perhaps no one knows more about Earl Van Dorn than Bridget Smith, author of Where Elephants Fought, a historical novel about the twists and turns of his sordid life and death. A 53-year-old Tennessee native, Smith has devoted more than 20 years researching the man she calls a “typical 1860s frat boy.” Read more:

http://www.historynet.com/rambling-death-frat-boy.htm

Logline: The womanizing Confederate General Earl Dorn has his sights set high on Southern Belle Jessie Peters whether her husband Dr. George Peters likes it or not, but his sights are not on the Doctor’s wife alone in this epic true story that’s nearly as colossus as the war itself.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Please feel free to give me a call to discuss further.

Sincerely,
Britton

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1 12 2018: Bull Runnings Spring 2019 Battlefield Tour | Bull Runnings (08:01:06) :

[…] ABOUT ME […]

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13 10 2019: joe rzotkiewicz (13:40:05) :

NOOO ONE TRULY LIVES NEAR PITTSBURG !!! THEY EXIST >>…

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13 10 2019: Harry Smeltzer (13:49:20) :

Hi Joe! Hope all is well with you in the City of Brotherly Homicide.

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13 10 2020: Brian McEnany (20:28:34) :

Harry, I am in process of finalizing a document that addresses the movement of Union troops across the Warrenton Turnpike on July 21, 1861. Be happy to discuss. I am working with two others to create a class about the battle for 6th graders at Bull run Elementary School
Brian

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13 10 2020: Harry Smeltzer (20:30:32) :

Sure, Brian. Anything I can do to help, just ask.

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19 02 2023: Laura H (23:33:57) :

I just found your blog and it is wonderful! The resource list with links is just fantastic, thank you for all the hard work! My great great great uncle was Captain George Cuthbert of the Palmetto Guards, his brother (my great great great grandfather) fought in the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery (under Captain Stephen Elliott and then Captain Stuart).

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19 02 2023: Harry Smeltzer (23:49:48) :

Great Laura! If you have any of your relatives’ correspondence you’d like to share, fire away!

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13 05 2023: Jeff Malakoff (14:17:04) :

Good morning,

I am a newbie to this website and have a couple of questions concerning the Battle of First Manassas that I was hoping someone could answer, or at least put me on the right track to find the answers.

1) How many cannons did Jackson have with him on Henry Hill? Were they all 6 lb. smooth bore cannons? Any ideas about the color of the gun carriages- red, green , grey?

2) What about Rickett’s and Griffin’s batteries? Were they 10 lb rifled cannons or larger ? How many cannons in each battery? Which regiments were they assigned to?

3) How many Zouave units were present at the battle? Which ones were they?

4) Cavalry is not really mentioned in the battle scenario except for Jeb Stuart’s First Virginia. There are a number of cavalry units attached to regiments that fought in the battle but did any other Cavalry units on either side fight in the battle?

Thanks in advance for any insights into the answers to these questions. And I greatly appreciate being part of this forum and for the opportunity to learn more about the war.

Jeff

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13 05 2023: Harry Smeltzer (14:51:09) :

Hi Jeff. The answers to most of your questions can be found in the Orders of Battle in the margin. Number and types of cannon, and cavalry units present. Zouavevregiments and companies take more digging, but the answers can also be found in the Orders of Battle.

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13 05 2023: webb follower (14:58:38) :

BRX.. Hope he credits you when he finishes his book.

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20 03 2024: Rob (09:11:13) :

I just found your website It’s great.I am the president of the Castle Pinckney historic preservation Society. As you know, we’re the ones who are the stewards of the castle, fly the flags and generally maintain it as best we can. We are flood the Irish flag today because of St. Patrick’s Day and have recently flown the St. David’s flag of Wales, the Bonnie blue flag and several other flags.

If you are ever in Charleston and would like to take a visit we have volunteers that routinely go about to do maintenance work and I could invite you to go on one of those trips. They go usually on Saturday mornings and we stay from two to 5 hours.

our website is Castle Pinckney.org and you can look at it what’s flying now and catch up on any news that we have. Thanks a lot. Best wishes, Rob Mikell

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23 03 2024: Harry Smeltzer (10:37:05) :

Rob – John Mahoney took me out to Pinckney in 2021. I had a big post with photos and links to your organization all set up, but was asked at the time not to publish it, which I understood. I’m down that way every couple of years – I speak at the Ft. Sumter CWRT every now and again, and my brother lives on James Island. So maybe I’ll take you up on your offer.

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