Submitted by GFS Jayne@aol.com, GFS Teg@aol.com, GFH Amy and GFSJim@aol.com

Edited by GFSGary@aol.com

Mission Statement: To serve all genealogists by providing an enjoyable online environment with as many helpful and reliable resources as possible.

Editor's Announcement: Ahhhh, a long awaited answer has arrived for you folk who aren't AOL members and some of you who are. The Genealogy Forum now how a WEB SITE that is accessible to everyone (member or not). The site URL is - http://www.genealogyforum.com/

I wrote a bit of a story for the January 2000 GFNEWS which is posted on the site, which you might enjoy. It's not Civil War History related but it's a story about an event while reading census records. :-) GFS Jayne is also listed here with her new column.... Bits of Blue and Gray

http://www.genealogyforum.com/gfnews/january00/index120.htm

Thursday night was another to remember :-) GFS TEG (Tom) wrote just an incredible account of "Perryville" for us which GFS Jayne read to all of us. Tom had the cider nice and hot and Amy did hot chocolate :D The air was a bit brisk but fire kept the chill down. Heh Heh I get a just a little fanciful at times, but you know how I am :-)

I was just running through my mind what to say to all of you on this first edition of the Weekly Fireside for the new millenium. That really sounds rather "high-fallutin" doesnt' it? If you're like me, this just seems like another day of life. Anyhow, back to my thought; I was just thinking that the most important thing I would have to say to all of you is "Please Don't Forget How to Laugh". Laughter is the healing ointment to pain, to disappointment, to dispair, and to loneliness. Me and the family were all sitting here on the holiday break just jabberin about "stuff". You know how you do. And all of a sudden my oldest daughter, Wendy (you know Peter Pan's buddy) popped up and said "Dad", "Did you really crawl in the crib with me when I was little and wouldn't go to sleep?" The whole place just erupted! Oh Lord, we laughed until we were sick. And we continued to laugh for days. It was one of the best Christmas's we've had. So here's our New Year's Wish to all of you. We Wish on You Spontaneous, and Repeated Spells of Uncontrollable Laughter!. Heh Heh I'm already starting and the minute Jayne, Tom and Amy read this lunacy from their partner, they're gonna start too. ROTFLOL <----- that's chat room language for Rollin On The Floor Laughin Out Loud!

The Music: I've been flooding you with Celtic material 'cause I'm a complete fan of that music style, so I thought this week, I'd give a two set series (thus far) from the Windham Hill folk. I really enjoy good twelve string guitar music done by good artists of the instrument and these two CDs are indeed exceptional. They are titled "Sounds of Wood & Steel 1" and "Sounds of Wood & Steel 2". A sampling of some of the artists represented are "Jars of Clay", Nanci Griffith, Clint Black, Jim Messina and Led Kaapana with Kenny Loggins sitting it. Those along ought to entice you guitar music lovers to give these two a "listen". Enjoy..........

Submitters Note: for those of you who are AOL members, I want to encourage you to feel entirely free to post any Civil War Letters, or Stories or articles that you have in our Civil War History Files. There is also an area for you to upload photos, if you would desire to share those with the Civil War History community. Use "keyword=roots" to get to the Genealogy Main Screen. Then select Files, followed by selecting History and Culture and there you will find the two upload areas I mentioned; Civil War Files, and Civil War Photos. I would also note that the New Genealogy Forum Web Site is being constructed. On that Web Site, the Civil War History SIG will have an area to link to our Civil War Library (Lectures, Letters, Songs, Poems, Files, Firesides, and Photo's). When this is complete then anyone (not just AOL Members) will have access to all our material. We'll be sure to let you know when you can access it.

For All you 1st timers on Thursday - We really welcome you to our Merry Band " We enjoyed having you, trading questions and comments and especially your comaraderie!!  :-) ... come again often, we do indeed "Relish" your company.

For your information, every first-timer to the American Civil War History SIG gets put on the newsletter distribution automatically, because we like to send you a "Thank You Card" for coming to visit and this is our way of doing so. We do this to give you an opportunity to jump right in with us. If you desire NOT to receive the newsletter, then just drop us an email saying UNSUBSCRIBE and we will quickly remove your screen name from distribution. We certainly don't want to clog your mailbox with unwanted material. Also many of you pass on the newsletter to others that don't subscribe to AOL. We really want to thank you for spreading the word. I would also like to let you know that we would be happy to add them to our list if they have email of any sort. We distribute everywhere to those that have requested it. AOL membership is not a requirement although we'd love to see you in the Chat Room:D

 

THE HELP DESK

This segment is to address specific questions that hit our plate on Thursday night that we didn't have a chance to answer or needed a bit of time to check it out. Hope these answer the mail :D

Editor's Note: Regimental Histories and Letters, etc. Postings: keyword "roots," after which will bring you to the main screen of the Genealogy Forum. Select the "Files Library Center," then "History Files". At that point select "Civil War Files." Lectures and the Letters, Songs and Poems evenings are also posted in the "Files Library Center" under "History Lectures" as the Lecture Subject. The "Firesides" when they eventually get there after their 30 days in the New Files section are posted in the "Files Library Center" under "Meeting Logs and Newsletters".

Andersonville lookupsFrom: frye@gnat.net (FRYE FAMILY)

Kevin Frye has offered his services for looking up Andersonville ancestors

http://www.corinthian.net/mccc/plookup.htm

Kevin is now building a website around Andersonville that informs about the prison as well as his "lookup" offer above. The address is: http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/Andersonvilleprison/index.html

Submitters NOTE: Please visit this website.. it is awesome..

Weekly Web Sites we've received:

From: JohnR238 (John Rigdon)

I have begun work on a Civil War in Mississippi site which I anticipate will grow to be comparable to my Civil War in Georgia and Civil War in South Carolina sites. If you have any ties to Mississippi in the war, either because of ancestors who lived or fought there, drop by and visit. 

• The Civil War in Mississippi http://www.researchonline.net/mscw
• The Civil War in Georgia http://www.reseearchonline.net/gacw
• The Civil War in South Carolina http://www.researchonline.net/sccw

John - thanks for your update and congratulations on excellent sites.

from Jowhara7

Happy New Year

http://members.aol.com/cc2bunny/page19/newyear.html

 from GFS Jayne as passed on by GFS Gary:

Interesting CW Bibliography

http://www.ionet.net/~cousin/dale31.html

An Announcement from Bulldogtjr:

Happy New Year to all of you folks, I have been off the air for three days due to a modem failure but now back and ready to go. The forwarded mail herewith just might be of interest to you, particularly you, Jim. I hope they make a videotape of this unusual event. Best to all, Ted

And The Band Played On

July 2000 National Civil War Band Festival

The American Civil War Institute of Campbellsville University and the Campbellsville University School of Music announced today the launching of the "greatest and most significant gathering of Civil War bands in the nation since 1865" with the University's sponsorship of The National Civil War Band Festival, July 28-30, 2000.

The three-day music festival will be held on the campus of Campbellsville University, which is located in south central Kentucky (82 miles southwest of Lexington; 90 miles southeast of Louisville; and 150 miles northeast of Nashville).

Organizers of the event said that they are estimating The National Civil War Band Festival to attract between 10,000 to 25,000 people to the City of Campbellsville.

Host bands for the festival are the Saxton's Cornet Band, based in Lexington, Kentucky, and the Old Towne Brass, based in Huntsville, Alabama. Bands wishing to participate or seeking further information may contact either Nicky Hughes at Soyuz11@aol.com or Bob Baccus at wrbaccus@hiwaay.net.

For more information concerning the festival, contact Marc C. Whitt at 270-789-5211--office or at whittm@campbellsvil.edu, or Dr. David McCullough, director of bands at Campbellsville University, at 270-789-5058--office or at mcdavid@campbellsvil.edu.

Marc C. Whitt

Vice President for Advancement

Campbellsville University

1 University Drive

Campbellsville, Kentucky 42718-2799

(270) 789-5211-office phone

(270) 789-5095-office fax

"Ted" thanks for this neat tip. It sounds like a "once in a lifetime" event..... If any of you Readers are interested in this, Ted has provided all the "contact" information to get "your dibs" in early. I would suspect this will fill up in a hurry and this is a "first time" gathering of this nature.... :-)

  

MEMBERS HELPING MEMBERS!!..

Here's how it works.. If you are trying to get photographs of a gravesite or battlefield, to collect for your Civil War ancestor research and records, then send us a request and we will post it here... Other members seeing your request and being in the near vicinity, and are willing to assist can email you direct (this protects your privacy) and work out the details. We HIGHLY recommend the "Requester" pay for all film costs and any postage involved for a helping member. This is intended to be a "Free" assistance between members (with the exception of defraying film and postage costs). Do unto others as.... you know :-) Keep us posted on how this is working, so we can share them in the "Fireside"!!

GFS Jim

IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED ANSWER(S) TO YOUR QUESTIONS, PLEASE BE SURE TO LET US KNOW!!!!!

Thanks!! - The Editors

We have had some gracious members offer their assistance in this area. Their screen names and areas they have offered to help in are listed.... Please honor their "goodness" and don't abuse them :-).... We ask that you do follow the guidelines indicated above....

From: CW1865

My gr gr grandfather, Pvt. Adam Schneider, 183rd Ohio Infantry, died on the Sultana on April 17, 1865, while coming home from Confederate prison with over 2,000 other parolees. Shortly after, his family in Cincinnati was visited by a survivor of this disaster who was also his friend, Pvt. Michael Conrad, and Conrad told my gr gr grandmother what happened to her husband. I am looking for descendants of Conrad in the hopes that they can tell us Michael's version so what happened the night the Sultana went down.

Thanks so much!

Pam Newhouse

{{{Pam}}} - check out the websites for this week.

IllinoisCW is looking for someone living in or near Livingston County, NY. He's trying to locate a possible gravesite. If you think you might be able to help, e-mail IllinoisCW@aol.com for further details

From: hood@rica.net (Jan Hood) and passed to us from SusiCP

SIMON POLK enlisted in the Confederate Army on 16 April 1862 at Rudes Hill, New Market, VA. He went in as a Private. He was assigned to the 2nd VA Infantry, Company F, Winchester Rifles. This Company and Infantry rode with Stonewall Jackson throughout the war and was part of "Stonewall's Brigade." SIMON POLK was listed as 'sick' in September 1862, and in a hospital at Bunker Hill, West Va. He was later moved to a hospital in Martinsburg, W. Va., where he died on 11 October 1862. The hospital is not named.

I would appreciate anyone who may be able to help me, with any lookup or

advice.

Thank you VERY much.

Jan in Shenandoah Co., Va.

"Jan" - we're glad your "plea" was passed on to us. We'll put this to the membership who many dedicated and expert researchers in all aspects of the Civil War and see what we can find..... :-) Hey Faithful!.... What say Ye??

A BIT OF COMMUNITY...

Check out the following member inputs for comments and requests for information, Feedback's, Items of Interest and Plea's for HELP...

 

More Updates from the Morris Island S.C Project

Submitter's Note: it goes to a vote on 11 January 2000

from AJWRJW

The information on the Battleground Preservation projects on the website may help lead to someone connected to Morris Island. If I find a site leading directly to Morris Island I will forward that as well. Also try the Civil War at Charleston Layout Page which may lead to some of your Morris Island connections. http://www.awod.com/gallery/probono/cwchas/cwlayout.html

These are the names of the council folks who will vote on Jan 11th to allow development on Morris Island - please if you can, write to these folks to tell them how important this area is the our nation's history. I have also included the Folly Beach Council address, along with the Morris Island Web Site.

Happy New Year!

Paula

Morris Island Preservation: http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/pres_mi.htm

.....and another article: http://charleston.net/pub/news/local/civ0102.htm

Mayor Vernon Knox

Council member Jane Theiling

Council member C. Wallace Benson, Jr.

Council member Gered Lennon

Council member Caroline Palmer Rhodes

Council member Bill Klauber

Council member Harvey Wittschen

Folly Beach Council

City of Folly Beach

21 Center Street

P.O. Box 48

Folly Beach, S. C. 29439-0048

From Alysabeth:

A Complicated Order

A resident in a seaside hotel breakfast room called over the head waiter one morning and said, "I want two boiled eggs, one of them so undercooked it's runny, and the other so over cooked it's tough and hard to eat. Also, grilled bacon that has been left on the plate to get cold; burnt toast that crumbles away as soon as you touch it with a knife; butter straight from the deep freeze so that it's impossible to spread; and a pot of very weak coffee, luke-warm."

"That's a complicated order sir," said the bewildered waiter. "It might be quite difficult to prepare."

The guest replied, "Oh? That's strange, because that's what I got yesterday!"

{{Beth}} - I love that one. :D

From: Dvgagel

A little New Years gift for those with Ohio Civil War Ancestors: There is a great deal available in various sites around Ohio on CW veterans. The Ohio Historical Society in Columbus (check their website at www.ohiohistory.org); The Center for Archival Collections at Bowling Green State University has an excellent CW collection for NW Ohio. Also in Northwest Ohio check out the Hayes Presidential Library in Fremont. They have a good CW collection since Hayes served in the CW from Ohio. For other parts of the state, check out the regional archives and local university archives. Also many of the Ohio regiments have websites.

Happy New Year.

Diane

{{{Diane}}} - thanks for the New Years treat !

From: bettydolls@prodigy.net

Would you please forward the Weekly Fireside to my friend,,,Pat,,, at

vaseska@htc.net??? and her sister, Phyllis at prveath@accessus.net

Thank you very much...

{{Betty}} I did that :-) Pat and Phyllis, welcome aboard :D It may surprise a lot of you that our distribution is about 20 to 30 % outside AOL membership. Check the Editor's note at the front of the newsletter for the AOL Genealogy Forum's Web Site which is accessible by all. :D

From: FI WATROUS

Can anyone help this fellow?

"Subj: Re: [NYALBANY] Civil War/34th NY Infantry Regt.

From: Trimmerrw@aol.com

Anyone familiar with the 34th NY, sometimes called the Herkimer Regt., but had many from Albany including my great-great-grandfather and brother? Lt. Louis Chapin of Albany wrote the regimental history in 1903.

"Ike" - we'll put this in the newsletter and see what hits.....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

From: vaseska@htc.net (Pat Vaseska)

I received your e-mail and I am very happy to be on your list. Thank you,

very much for all the good things you do.

Happy Holidays

Pat

{{{Pat}}} Bless your heart! Thanks for the kind words.

From: GFS Jayne

Peruque Fort

During Sterling Price's 1864 raid into Missouri, he sent a detachment of 100 men under Capt. Anderson, alias "Bloody Bill" Anderson to take this bridge out. Price didn't want reinforcements to arrive from St. Louis while he captured Jefferson City. Anderson failed at his mission, probably because it was so well protected. Gen. Marmaduke commanded a portion of the troops that were part of this raid.

Gen. Price reported, "Captain Anderson, who that day reported to me with about 100 men, was sent to destroy the North Missouri railroad; at the same time Quantrell, with the men under his command, was sent to destroy the Hannibal and Saint Joseph railroad, to prevent, if possible, the enemy from throwing their forces from Saint Louis in my front. These officers, I was afterwards informed, did some damage to the roads, but none of advantage, and totally failed in the main object proposed, which was to destroy the large railroad bridge in the edge of Saint Charles county."

St. Louis actually was another target for this raid, but Union Gen. Rosencrans was able to put together a "Citizens Guard" of five regiments and three battalions (one of these black), combined with whatever few Federal units that were in the vicinity. This brought the defending force in St. Louis to around 6,000-7,000.

While Price had a superior force of 8,000-9,000 Confederate (as well as

2,000 unarmed), he failed to have a 2:1 numeric advantage which would have been necessary to insure victory against the Federals who had heavy artillery and fortifications at St. Louis. So the attack here was aborted. Some Confederate Cavalry did make it into the county, such as at the Cheltenham Post office (building still standing at 6437 Manchester Rd in the City of St. Louis), which was temporarily captured.

In Gen. Price's report he gives a summary of some of his area activities:

"Whilst at Ironton, receiving information that the Federal forces exceeded my own two to one, and knowing the city to be strongly fortified, I determined to move as fast as possible on Jefferson City, destroying, the railroad as I went, with a hope to capture that city with its troops and munitions of war. I arrived at Richwoods on the 30th, having passed through Potosi. Lieutenant Christian, whom I had sent to the Mississippi river before I left Camden for the purpose of obtaining gun-caps, joined me at this place, bringing 150,000. Lieutenant Christian is a most energetic and efficient officer, and deserves especial notice. Major-General Fagan sent 300 men to De Soto to destroy the depot, which was effected, and the militia, who had gathered there in some numbers, at the same time was scattered. At the same time, General Cabell was sent with his brigade to cut the Pacific railroad, east of Franklin, which he did effectually, also burning the depot in that town."

Scott Williams

http://www.usgennet.org/~ahmostlu/grantcamp.htm

U.S. Grant Camp, No. 68 Sons of Union Veterans

Sterling Price Camp, No. 145 Sons of Confed. Veterans

http://www.sterlingprice145.org/

St. Louis, Missouri

Kelly (Meyer?) came up with the following history on Peruque Fort. This is out of the book "History of St. Charles Mo. 1765-1885

During the War of the Rebellion, the long trestle work over Peruque creek, on the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway, a few miles west of O'Fallon station, was menaced by Marmaduke's army of Confederates, and a block house or fort was erected for the accomodation >of Union soldiers, placed there to guard the trestle. The old log fort still stands near the track. It is built in a particularly strange and attractive style, the upper story consisting of logs, laid in the shape of a diamond across the square story arising from trhe ground. On bothside of the points of the diamond were cut small windows and loop holes, and from this elevated position a full view of the trestle could be had, andthe entire property was within range of the guns of the soldiers quartered there. Small detachments of Union troops garrisoned the fort until after the close of hostilities, and Peruque Fort became quite a noted and historical point.

Kelly

{{Jayne}} - this is really neat material. :-)

From: GFS Jayne

I just found this!! Some of our room members have asked about placing memorial markers for Civil War Soldiers.... this might help explain.

• Civil War Ear Headstones and Markers http://www.cem.va.gov/hmcivil.htm

There are specific style.s of upright headstones and flat markers to mark the graves of Union and Confederate Civil War and Spanish-American War dead.

Proof of military service prior to World War I requires detailed documentation, such as muster rolls, extracts from State files, pension documents or land warrants, to be considered for a Government-provided headstone or marker.

Memorial markers are not usually provided for Civil War soldiers. The mere fact that the whereabouts of the grave is not known is not reason enough for issuing a government headstone or marker. The circumstances surrounding the soldiers’ death should be such that it is assumed the remains were unrecoverable or unidentifiable due to burning, drowning or burial in a mass grave. If, however, there is documentation the soldier was buried in a mass grave, but the actual location of the body is unknown, VA will provide a memorial marker for placement in a national, state veteran or private cemetery.

{{Jayne}} - thanks Pard!

WHAT WE ARE ABOUT

OUR FOCUS: the "History of the American (United States) Civil War".

OUR GOAL: to enhance your Genealogy activity, knowledge, and "wisdom" by talking about the history surrounding their lives and actions; specifically the "Civil War" that our ancestors lived through and died because of.

Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes of the 20th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, said it so well.

"I think it is a noble and pious thing

To do whatever we may by written

Word or molded bronze and sculpted

Stone to keep our memories, our

Reverence and our love alive and

To hand them on to new generations

All too ready to forget."

OUR PROMISE: to provide an "online" environment that is NOT judgmental and to address ALL aspects of this "Pivotal Period" in our History, with honesty and truth (as we know it).

We do "Fireside Stories" about the battles, the people and the social happenings. In addition we dedicate one Thursday a month to the sharing of Songs, Poems and Letters from that era. So come back and visit; we'll save you a seat at the Fireside, and keep the Cider warm..... For a full listing of upcoming events, either look on the Schedule at the end of this Notice or in the Upcoming Events of the Genealogy Forum.

As we review the logs, and we find new visitors who show an interest or have entered into discussions on this topic in our Thursday sessions, we automatically add you to the distribution for this "Weekly Fireside."

AND AGAIN TO YOU "FIRST-TIMERS" THIS WEEK, "Welcome"... :)

We heartily enjoyed your visit and participation. We really "fire up" with what members bring to the discussions, and we hope to see more of you.... Note that for any reason, should you desire to be removed from distribution of this "Weekly Missif," just drop us a line and we will comply with your wishes "poste- haste".

Schedule of Upcoming Topics/Events*****

Time: Every Thursday Night at 11pm ET in the Golden Gates Room with Hosts GFH Amy, GFS Jayne, GFS TEG and GFS Jim and our many faithful friends :)

02/03/2000 - OPEN CHAT

02/10/2000 - It's our Monthly Special again; Letters, Songs and Poems night.

02/17/2000 - Wilson's Creek - A Treatise by Joan Rose

02/24/2000 - OPEN CHAT

We'll See You Thursday Night..!

Your Joyful, Intelligent and Fun-lovin' Host's/Hostess's :-)

GFS Jim, GFS Jayne, GFS TEG and GFH Amy