tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42649787322333678392024-03-05T22:29:34.668-05:00The Newport BarracksA blog on the Battle of Newport Barracks, North Carolina and other topics of interest.Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-89882136571669152672011-05-18T09:57:00.003-04:002011-05-18T10:04:37.449-04:00Speaking on May 21<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; ">* I have been invited to talk about the Battle of Newport Barracks as part of the grand opening of the Fort Benjamin Park in Newport. This will take place on Saturday May 21 from 10am to 1pm at the park site. The park which is the newest of the recreation facilities in Carteret County rests on a portion of the battlefield in Newport over which the 42nd North Carolina advanced on the afternoon of February 2, 1864. I will have a few artifacts on display and will be on site to discuss the battle and any questions the public might have. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; ">* Things have been fairly busy for me the past two months between work with the publishing company I co-own, speaking engagements, and the research and writing for my upcoming book on the 26th North Carolina. I hope within the next month to add more content to the blog so be on the look out for that. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; ">* I will be announcing shortly my next book which will be available in April of 2011, this is a project which I am very excited about. Of course this does not delay at all the release of the 26th North Carolina book which will be in June of 2013.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-49185839213887018372011-03-08T09:33:00.007-05:002011-03-17T11:41:16.974-04:00Updates and Upcoming Speaking Engagements<div><br /></div><div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I will be posting my thoughts and pictures from the February 2, 2011 ceremony commemorating the 147th anniversary of the Battle of Newport Barracks very soon. I was very pleased with the turnout and I hope this can develop into an annual event as we move towards the 150th anniversary of the battle in 2014, as well as the 150th anniversary of the charting of Newport in 2016.</span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I have two upcoming speaking engagements in Carteret County in April. On Tuesday, April 12 I will be speaking on the 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg to the local Sons of Confederate Veterans camp starting at 6:30pm. Later that month on Tuesday, April 26, I will be speaking on the Battle of Newport Barracks to the Fort Macon Civil War Round Table at 7pm. Both events are held at Carteret Community College in the Student Union Building. The location does have some Civil War connections as it was the location of Carolina City during the war, and on the site was Camp Vance which was one of the locations where the 26th North Carolina camped for a portion of their time in Carteret County during 1861-62. </span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Work is progressing well on my next book entitled <i>The 26th North Carolina Infantry, 1861-1865</i>. So far I have 465 letters and diary entries from the men of the regiment during the war. I still have a few more sites to visit in the course of the research, but the writing has begun. I am shooting for a June 2013 release date to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the start of the Gettysburg Campaign. </span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Sales continue to be steady on <i>Fight As Long As Possible: The Battle of Newport Barracks, North Carolina, February 2, 1864.</i> I want to say thank you to everyone who has bought a copy and the retailers who carry it. If you have not yet bought a copy you can purchase one through Amazon.com (the link to the book is on the main page of the blog) or you can email me and I can sent you a personalized autographed copy. </span></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Once again if you are interested in me speaking to your group, feel free to contact me via email. </li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-67935343827029632822011-02-02T10:37:00.002-05:002011-02-02T11:00:21.986-05:00The 147th Anniversary of the Battle of Newport Barracks<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At 8am 147 years ago Confederate Cavalry consisting of Co. E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry and Co. K of the 5th South Carolina Cavalry attacked a portion of the 23rd New York Cavalry and the series of military actions that made up the Battle of Newport Barracks began. Today we will take a moment to remember those who fought in and around Newport on that February day in 1864. While at times a mere footnote in history there was still a very real human cost and the impact on the families who suffered a loss here was every bit as tragic as a loss in battles more well known to history. One of the main reasons I wrote the book on the battle was to give attention to the men of both sides who struggled here and in some cases made the final sacrifice during the battle. So today I hope you can join me at 3pm at the Civil War Trails Marker in Newport located at the corner of Main and East Railroad Streets as we remember the men from Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia who fought on February 2, 1864. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also today on the anniversary of the battle, I am pleased to announce that efforts are being made to create a Battlefield Park in Newport to honor the events of February 2, 1864 and the Union and Confederate soldiers who spent time in the town during the war. I will have more details in the future, but this along with the assurances of the landowner of the Newport Barracks site that a portion will be set aside and interpreted alongside the future development near the site is certainly wonderful news and has the potential to make Newport Barracks one of the best interpreted sites and battles in Eastern North Carolina. Certainly a most fitting tribute.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I want to repost an 2009 article that I wrote on the Battle of Newport Barracks so give a brief overview of what happened in the Newport area on February 2, 1864:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">The Battle of Newport Barracks: February 2, 1864</div><br />On December 20, 1863 General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, would write to Confederate President Jefferson Davis recommending the recapture of New Bern, North Carolina. Such an operation would help to relieve pressure on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (a major supply line for Lee and his army in Virginia) and to push Union troops from key strategic points in Eastern North Carolina (areas occupied since early to mid-1862). He hoped this would force the relocation of Union forces from the main theater of war in Virginia back to North Carolina and would help to lessen the expected Union forces Lee would have to face that spring. General Lee stated that he could provide troops for such an operation until the spring of 1864. President Davis would approve the plan and as a result Lee would send troops from the Army of Northern Virginia under the command of Major General George Pickett to Eastern North Carolina.<br /><br />The major military thrust would come from Pickett and the battle-hardened veterans under his command against New Bern, but one major point of concern remained: the strong Union force near the railroad trestle over the Newport River located at Sheppardsville (now Newport).<br /><br />General Lee directed that a diversionary attack be carried out by Confederate troops located in Wilmington, North Carolina. Major General William H.C. Whiting, commander of Confederate forces in the Wilmington area, ordered Brigadier General James G. Martin to lead the attack. General Martin would have under his command two infantry regiments from his brigade (the 17th and 42nd North Carolina) along with attached companies of cavalry and three batteries of artillery. General Martin and his combined force of over 2,000 troops would march from Wilmington on January 28, 1864. By the evening of February 1 Martin and his troops would be within ten miles from Newport. General Martin planned to launch his attacks on the Union forces the next morning. The hard hand of war was about to visit Newport.<br /><br />On February 2, 1864 the main body of the Union forces defending the railroad trestle was located at the Newport Barracks just across the river from Newport. The barracks were a series of soldier’s quarters, store houses, and earthworks located between the railroad trestle and the Old County Road (roughly modern Old Hwy 70 and Chatham Street).The 9th Vermont Infantry garrisoned the barracks along with two blockhouses located near Gales Creek and Bogue Sound. Supporting the 9th was Company D of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery which provided troops to man the artillery at Newport Barracks. Along with the 23rd New York Cavalry, the total number of Union troops facing Martin’s attack was around 800. Many of the soldiers at Newport Barracks would be considered green in terms of experience, but by the end of February 2nd could justly call themselves veterans.<br /><br />About 8am on February 2nd a detachment of the 23rd New York Cavalry on picket duty near the Gales Creek Blockhouse was driven back by advance elements of Martin’s force. By 9am Martin ordered the advance elements of his force to deploy in line of battle to assault the blockhouse. Company H of the 9th Vermont was on duty at the blockhouse when the attack occurred and they fired one volley at the advancing Confederates before falling back to the Bogue Sound Blockhouse. Their line of retreat and that of the advancing Confederates was roughly the route of modern Highway 24. By 10am Lieutenant Colonel Valentine Barney, commanding officer at Newport Barracks, learned of the attack on the Gales Creek Blockhouse and met with the commander of the Beaufort Sub-District Colonel James Jourdan, who orders Barney and his troops to fight as long as possible.<br /><br />Soon after, Martin and his troops attack the Bogue Sound Block House (near Gethsemane Cemetery on Highway 24) around 11am and soon a sharp fight followed. It would take close to two hours for the Confederates to dislodge the Union defenders, who retreated back to Morehead City. After successful attacks on both blockhouses the Confederates turned down the Old Country Road with their next target being the Newport Barracks. Barney and the troops at the barracks heard the sounds of fighting at the Bogue Sound Blockhouse and as a result Barney ordered the remaining troops of the 9th Vermont to form in line of march.<br /><br />Barney advanced his force down the Old Country Road to meet the oncoming Confederates. The plan Barney devised was to form a skirmish line with his troops to slow down the advancing Confederates while orderly withdrawing back to the barracks. Once at the barracks the 9th was to make a stand behind the earthworks and rifle pits with the support of the artillery. Barney felt that between the strong fortifications and the artillery, his force had a good chance to hold off Martin and his attackers. Around 2:45 that afternoon the main body of the 9th Vermont opened with a volley on the 17th and 42nd North Carolina infantry regiments and fighting raged for 30 minutes before the 9th Vermont fell back.<br /><br />Martin deployed the 17th North Carolina on the right side of the Old Country Road and the 42nd North Carolina to the left with artillery support between the two regiments. The 9th Vermont fought quite well, only stubbornly giving up each inch of ground as it fought back to the main earthwork defenses at Newport Barracks. The Union plan seemed to be working in good order until the 9th reached the barracks. To the shock of the 9th Vermont, the men of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery without orders had spiked the artillery defending Newport Barracks and retreated back into the town. Without the artillery support Barney realized his force could no longer defend the barracks and so he orders his troops to retreat across the Old Country Road and the railroad trestle. The Union troops barely made it across thanks in large part to a courageous rear guard action by elements of the 9th Vermont. Three members of the 9th Vermont (Adjutant Josiah Livingston, Lt. Erastus Jewett, and Lt. Theodore Peck) would be awarded the Medal of Honor in 1891 for their actions in the rear guard action at Newport Barracks.<br /><br />Once across Barney ordered both the trestle and the bridge over the Newport River burned, placing the river between his command and Martin’s troops. Now safely across the river, the Union defenders of Newport Barracks marched twenty-three miles through the night, down what is today Mill Creek Road and Highway 101, to Beaufort. Martin and his Confederates captured the barracks and the town and would remain in Newport until February 4 before withdrawing back to Wilmington after the unsuccessful attempt by Pickett to recapture New Bern. The next day the 9th Vermont recaptured the town and barracks without a fight.<br /><br />After the battle Union forces would report 3 men killed, 13 wounded (two would later die of their wounds), and 49 captured. 31 of the 49 captured would later die in Confederate prison camps. Martin and his Confederates would report that 2 officers and 5 enlisted men were killed with 14 wounded.<br /><br />Today a Civil War Trails marker at the corner of Main Street and East Railroad Boulevard commemorates the battle and those who fought. February 2, 2009 marked the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Newport Barracks and while those who took part have long since passed on, the record of their courage and sacrifice remains. Those who fought at Newport Barracks are certainly among those, in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, “who gave the last full measure of devotion.”</blockquote> </div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-42276766723925586522011-01-28T11:28:00.002-05:002011-01-28T11:36:54.078-05:00Commemoration of the 147th Anniversary of the Battle of Newport Barracks<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wanted to give this reminder about the ceremony to be held in Newport on February 2. It will take place at the Civil War Trails marker in Newport located at the corner of Main and East Railroad Streets. The purpose of the ceremony is to honor the men of both sides who took part in the largest and bloodiest battle of the Civil War in Carteret County. It will consist of a prayer, a brief program on the battle, the reading of the casualties from the battle, and a wreath laying. It should last no more than 30 to 45 minutes. It is my hope this can become an annual event to honor the sacrifices made in Newport on February 2, 1864. If you can attend please do. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-85493441031411057632011-01-24T12:11:00.002-05:002011-01-24T12:34:00.786-05:00Various notes and updates<div><br /></div><ul><li>I am pleased to announce that on February 2, 2011, I will be leading a ceremony to honor the 147th anniversary of the Battle of Newport Barracks. The ceremony will begin at 3pm at the Civil War Trails Marker at the corner of East Railroad and Main Street in Newport. I am hoping this can become an annual event in the town to honor the sacrifices of the men on both sides who fought on February 2, 1864.</li></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">On January 20, 2011, I had the honor to be invited to speak to the Hershey Civil War Round Table. My topic for the evening was The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg. The presentation was around an hour and a half and was attended by over 30 people, despite the threat of snow that evening. It was truly a wonderful evening and I want to thank the Hershey Civil War Round Table for inviting me and being very hospitable hosts. I recorded on video my presentation and I hope to add those clips on the blog in the very near future. I am still booking speaking engagements for 2011 and 2012 so if you are a part of a group or know of one who might be interested in having me speak please feel free to contact me. </li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">I want to also officially announce the title and expected release date of my next book. It is entitled <b>The 26th North Carolina Infantry, 1861-1865</b> and the expected release date is June 2013. It will be a socio-military profile of the 26th North Carolina along with being a full regimental history of their role in the Civil War. So far the research has progressed wonderfully and I am well into the writing process. While the 26th was composed of men from the Piedmont and Mountains of North Carolina the first assignment of the war for the regiment was in Carteret County from September of 1861-February 1862. During this period they spent time on Bogue Banks helping to support the garrison of Fort Macon and their winter camp was in Carolina City (what is today Carteret Community College). </li></ul>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-6687287105617134802010-12-07T10:06:00.005-05:002010-12-07T17:43:36.974-05:00Interesting Research Finds<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Recently while researching for my book on the 26th North Carolina, I came across two interesting finds. While they are not earth shattering or change the overall narrative of what happened at the Battle of Newport Barracks, they are still important and help to further our understanding of the battle. Even though my book on the battle was publishing in June, the research on Newport Barracks never really ended and I will always at some level continue to search for more information (still holding out hope for a few letters from Confederate troops in the 17th and 42nd North Carolina!).<div><br /></div><div>The first find I found at the Chatham County Library in Pittsboro, North Carolina. While going through the family history binders in the Local History and Genealogy section, I found a group of letters by William W. Edwards who belonged to Company E of the 26th North Carolina. As I continued to thumb through the family histories I came across a mention of Thomas West Harris who was the captain of Company E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry. Co. E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry made the initial attack on elements of the 23rd New York Cavalry at the Gales Creek Blockhouse on the morning of February 2, 1864. While no letters or other primary source material was found in his family file, I did come across a great sketch of the life of Harris written by his wife. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thomas West Harris was born on December 15, 1839 two miles from Pittsboro, North Carolina in Chatham County and was raised there as well. His father, Thomas Brooks Harris was a farmer and stock raiser, he also was described as owning "many slaves." His mother, Nancy Clegg Harris, was a descendant of President James K. Polk on her maternal side. Thomas West Harris "entered the university of his state in 1855 and graduated in 1859." One can assume this was most likely the University of North Carolina. </div><div><br /></div><div>Harris enlisted on April 15, 1861 (a few days after the attack on Fort Sumter and over a month before North Carolina leaves the union) as a sergeant. On June 4, 1861 he was mustered into service with Company M of the 15th North Carolina. It appears that on July 4, 1862 that Harris transfered to Company I of the 32nd North Carolina. Shortly thereafter Harris was commissioned a captain on August 3, 1862 and assumed command of Company E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry. Captain Harris would remain with the 5th cavalry for the remainder of the war. </div><div><br /></div><div>The service of Captain Harris in the fighting in and around Newport on February 2, 1864 is described in the sketch of his life as follows:</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>During the winter of 1863 and 1864 Gen. Pickett attacked Newbern, and a force of cavalry, infantry, and artillery under Brig. Gen. Martin was sent to Newport. Capt. Harris was the senior cavalry officer and was engaged in fighting the Federal cavalry near Newport, leading the first charge upon the Federal outpost. His horse was thrown into a deep mud-hole in the road breaking its neck, and Capt. Harris was completely immersed in the black mud. He lost his hat, and with a handkerchief tied over his head, covered with the black mud, he mounted the horse of one of his men, and in this plight continued to fight for two or three hours until the enemy had been completely routed. During this engagement he showed the same daring, dashing spirit and cool deliberate bravery that always characterized him when duty called.</blockquote><blockquote><br /></blockquote> </div><div>This account was given to the wife of Captain Harris by Edmund W. Atwater who served as a sergeant in Company E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry. </div><div><br /></div><div>After the battle, Harris and the rest of his command joined the rest of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry which was part of the Army of Northern Virginia. Harris would be wounded three times with the final wound coming on April 1, 1865. He would be hospitalized in Danville, VA on April 2, 1865 and soon transfered to Raleigh, NC on April 5, 1865. From the sketch of his life it appears he was recovering from his wounds at his home with Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, VA on April 9, 1865. </div><div><br /></div><div>Harris was one of eight children when the war began and when the war finally ended in 1865 only four remained. Two of his brothers died serving in Confederate forces and two of his sisters died of disease. </div><div><br /></div><div>After the war, Thomas Harris "decided to take up the study of medicine." He was married in November of 1865 and soon after joined by his bride left for Paris, France to continue his medical studies. After he completed his studies, Dr. Harris returned to North Carolina and practiced medicine in the eastern portion of the state and later near his hometown of Pittsboro, NC. In 1878 he was made the Professor of Anatomy and Materia Medica at the University of North Carolina and would remain there until 1886. On November 19, 1888, Dr. Thomas Harris passed away from a stroke, leaving behind a family of five. </div><div><br /></div><div>His death was reported throughout North Carolina. In the <i>Christian Advocate </i>it was written that "he was a master of the healing art, and his gentleness and thoughtful care in the sick room won him a place in the hearts of all who came in contact with him." The editor of <i>The Raleigh Sentinel </i>stated that Harris "was one of the best physicians North Carolina ever had." <i>The Chronicle </i> described him as follows: "Dr. Harris had one of the brightest minds of any physician in the state. Educated in Paris, and well educated, he taught classes in medicine at the state university. He was an excellent physician and ranked with the best."</div><div><br /></div><div>The second interesting find that related to the battle I discovered at Duke University. I was going through a collection of letters written by Artemus Caddell from Moore County, North Carolina who served as a private in Company H of the 26th North Carolina. Caddell was a teacher before the war in Moore County. Included in the collection were letters to Caddell from his family and friends while he was serving in the 26th. One of those letters was written by Caddell's long time friend Noah F. Muse. Noah F. Muse later served as a lieutenant in Company E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry under Captain Thomas Harris. Muse was killed during the charge led by Captain Harris against the 23rd New York Cavalry on the morning of February 2, 1864 near the Gales Creek Blockhouse. Less than a year before Ashley Muse, the younger brother of Noah Muse, was killed in action with the 26th North Carolina on the afternoon of July 1, 1863 during the regiment's successful fight against the 24th Michigan. In the same action Private Artemus Caddell was wounded. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-79910020530376602742010-06-22T21:17:00.004-04:002010-06-22T21:28:13.834-04:00Unfortunate incident with the unattributed use of a 2009 article of mine in a recent book<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In February 2009, I wrote an article on the Battle of Newport Barracks for the Newport Voice, the monthly local paper. The article was later linked on this blog. This week I picked up a copy of Newport: The Town of Old Fashioned Courtesy by Jack Dudley, published in June of 2010, and looked over the Civil War section of his book, pages 10-11. To my surprise I found a large portion of his section was lifted, at times almost word for word, from my 2009 article. There was no citation, or even a mention in Dudley’s book of my article. In addition to the lack of citation, there were a number of errors in his book. He even managed to take sections of my article and turn them into incorrect statements.</div><br />The opening paragraph by Mr. Dudley:<br /><br />The community saw plenty of action during the Civil War. The Confederate troops built an earthen fort (called Fort Benjamin by the locals) just east of the Newport River, between present day Highway 70 and the railroad track. (There is no record of the fort being called Fort Benjamin in archival sources researched by William Pohoresky.) In March of 1862, Confederate troops evacuated Newport Barracks and burned the railroad bridge in order to impede movement of Union troops by train. The Union troops, the 9th Vermont under the command of Colonel Valentine Barney, subsequently occupied and revamped the fort and barracks.<br /><br />I will address each incorrect statement in the opening paragraph:<br /><br />1. The location of the Confederate barracks was located north of Shepardsville (now Newport) and was between the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, the County Road (roughly modern Business Highway 70) and what is today the Masontown Road. The camp, known as Camp Graham , consisted of log huts and was the winter camp from October 1861-March 1862 of the 7th North Carolina Infantry. No fort was located at the camp, but a line of earthworks was.<br /><br />2. The camp of the 7th North Carolina was abandoned in March of 1862 as the regiment was sent to New Bern to reinforce the troops located there. Never was this camp known as Newport Barracks, it was Camp Graham. The military post known as Newport Barracks was south of the Newport River and built by Union troops with construction starting in April of 1862.<br /><br />3. The Union troops that arrived in Newport on March 21, 1862 were not members of the 9th Vermont Infantry (the 9th Vermont was not even organized at this point in the war). The troops who captured the town were soldiers from the 5th Rhode Island Infantry. Two weeks later the 9th New Jersey relieved the Rhode Island troops and shortly after began construction of new barracks and earthworks south of the Newport River. This would become the post known as Newport Barracks. The 9th Vermont arrived in Newport in October of 1863.<br /><br />4. Valentine Barney was not the colonel of the 9th Vermont; he was second in command, as lieutenant colonel, to Colonel Edward Ripley. Ripley commanded the entire post of Newport Barracks, with the command of the regiment falling to Barney. During the Battle of Newport Barracks on February 2, 1864, Ripley was in Newport News, Virginia and Barney was in temporary command of Newport Barracks. Captain Samuel Kelley assumed command of the 9th Vermont during this time.<br /><br />Mr. Dudley proceeds to follow this paragraph with an entry from the Diary of Valentine Barney, but does not cite the source or where this document can be found. After the second paragraph comes the section which was lifted almost entirely from my 2009 article.<br /><br />The following are excerpts from Mr. Dudley’s 2010 book, followed by the similar sections from my 2009 article.<br /><br />Dudley 2010:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">On January 28, Confederate troops, numbering about 2,000, under the command of James G. Martin, were dispatched from Wilmington to attack Newport Barracks and divert Union troops from New Bern during Confederate General George Pickett’s ill-fated attempt to regain the city. General Martin’s troops easily overcame pickets at the blockhouses on Gales Creek and Bogue Sound (located near present-day Gethsemane Cemetery).<br /></span><br />First point, the attacks on the Gales Creek and Bogue Sound Blockhouses occurred on February 2, 1864. Martin and his command left Wilmington on the 28th. Secondly, the aim of the Confederates was to cut the rail line to prevent reinforcements from Beaufort and Morehead City heading to New Bern, not to draw New Bern forces away.<br /><br />Lindblade 2009:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">General Martin and his combined force of over 2,000 troops would march from Wilmington on January 28, 1864. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Soon after, Martin and his troops attack the Bogue Sound Block House (near Gethsemane Cemetery on Highway 24) around 11am and soon a sharp fight followed.<br /></span><br />Notice the use of the location of the Bogue Sound Blockhouse, not only that the use of the parenthesis.<br /><br />Dudley 2010:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">On February 2, Martin launched an attack on the Union troops defending Newport Barracks. Barney’s plan was to engage the enemy west of the fort and retreat orderly to the fort, which had rifle pits and artillery. The 9th Vermont fought valiantly, and the plan seemed to be working until the troops reached the fort where they found the men of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery- without orders- had spiked the artillery and abandoned the fort.<br /></span><br />Lindblade 2009:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Barney advanced his force down the Old Country Road to meet the oncoming Confederates. The plan Barney devised was to form a skirmish line with his troops to slow down the advancing Confederates while orderly withdrawing back to the barracks. Once at the barracks the 9th was to make a stand behind the earthworks and rifle pits with the support of the artillery. Barney felt that between the strong fortifications and the artillery, his force had a good chance to hold off Martin and his attackers.<br /></span><br />Notice the use of “orderly withdrawl” and the general context.<br /><br />Dudley 2010:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The 9th Vermont fought valiantly, and the plan seemed to be working until the troops reached the fort where they found the men of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery- without orders- had spiked the artillery and abandoned the fort. The Confederates easily overpowered the Yankees, who crossed over the railroad trestle and hastily retreated to Beaufort by way of Mill Creek. Barney ordered the bridge and railroad trestle burned after the troops had crossed. But over 40 Federals were captured along with the fort and most of the provisions. </span><br /><br />Lindblade 2009:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The 9th Vermont fought quite well, only stubbornly giving up each inch of ground as it fought back to the main earthwork defenses at Newport Barracks. The Union plan seemed to be working in good order until the 9th reached the barracks. To the shock of the 9th Vermont, the men of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery without orders had spiked the artillery defending Newport Barracks and retreated back into the town. Without the artillery support Barney realized his force could no longer defend the barracks and so he orders his troops to retreat across the Old Country Road and the railroad trestle.<br /><br />Once across Barney ordered both the trestle and the bridge over the Newport River burned, placing the river between his command and Martin’s troops. Now safely across the river, the Union defenders of Newport Barracks marched twenty-three miles through the night, down what is today Mill Creek Road and Highway 101, to Beaufort.</span><br /><br />Notice the “spiking” of the guns and the use of “without orders” along with stylistic similarities. Also the mention of Mill Creek, I used the modern Mill Creek Road to give readers a general idea of the route of retreat. Mr. Dudley, altered my line to have the 9th Vermont passing through the community.<br /><br />Dudley 2010:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">General Martin and his troops remained in Newport until February 4 before returning to Wilmington after the unsuccessful attempt by General Pickett to recapture New Bern. The following day the 9th Vermont occupied the town and barracks. </span><br /><br />Lindblade 2009:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Martin and his Confederates captured the barracks and the town and would remain in Newport until February 4 before withdrawing back to Wilmington after the unsuccessful attempt by Pickett to recapture New Bern. The next day the 9th Vermont recaptured the town and barracks without a fight.</span><br /><br />Mr. Dudley quotes my 2009 article almost word for word. It should be noted that the 9th Vermont “reoccupied” the town and barracks. The changing of a few words does not mask the fact that this was lifted almost word for word.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dudley 2010:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Today a historical marker on Chatham Street, east of the Newport River Bridge, commemorates the battle fought on February 2, 1864.<br /><br /></span>Lindblade 2009:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Today a Civil War Trails marker at the corner of Main Street and East Railroad Boulevard commemorates the battle and those who fought. </span><br /><br />What is troubling beyond the outright taking of the quote from my article, is that Mr. Dudley in an attempt to change my words has the wrong sign. The North Carolina Historical Marker on Chatham Street that he mentions acctually states “Newport Barracks- Command post for Union defense system from New Bern to Morehead City, 1862-1865. Was 1/3 mi. E.” There is no mention of the battle of February 2, 1864. That marker can be found where I mentioned in the 2009 article. If you are going to lift someone’s work at least get the location and information correct.<br /><br />Mr. Dudley ends his paragraph there, similar to how I used the same line in the final paragraph of my 2009 article. He closes his Civil War section with another entry from the Diary of Valentine Barney that is not cited.<br /><br />On page 11 there is a photograph of the 9th Vermont at Newport Barracks. This image was the cover of the 2009 Newport Voice, with my caption of <span style="font-style:italic;">“The 9th Vermont ready to march at Newport Barracks. It’s believed this photo was taken shortly after the arrival of the 9th Vermont to Newport in the fall of 1863.” </span> In his 2010 book, Mr. Dudley captions the photograph as follows: <span style="font-style:italic;">The 9th Vermont Infantry in military formation at Newport Barracks. The photograph was probably made in 1863, shortly after arrival of troops.</span><br /><br />Once again almost word for word from my 2009 article.<br /><br />I do not know Mr. Dudley and truly hope this was not an intentional attempt to use without attribution my work, but unfortunately the evidence seems to point that it was. I would have not had a problem at all if I had been properly credited for the research and writing that went into the article from 2009. If asked I would have gladly given permission and offered other information, but I never was and instead saw my work blatantly lifted and used under the guise of historical research by Mr. Dudley.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-59563741228838818472010-06-16T10:20:00.004-04:002010-06-16T10:33:29.569-04:00Fight As Long As Possible: The Battle of Newport Barracks, February 2, 1864 to be released June 21<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWMNe48hg8B2yaOOhfjUHl2hfwMwDMg5-HS5Sg4vmtRoAzbBSxnv9v4RVhsD_NihdzgSAmJ_GaQnrg8W1flRvgwwqhflKsE4oTMiGegmHrtGmBp10GY-NmEwrj9f20Vd2ySDxBkF0xHS7/s1600/book+cover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWMNe48hg8B2yaOOhfjUHl2hfwMwDMg5-HS5Sg4vmtRoAzbBSxnv9v4RVhsD_NihdzgSAmJ_GaQnrg8W1flRvgwwqhflKsE4oTMiGegmHrtGmBp10GY-NmEwrj9f20Vd2ySDxBkF0xHS7/s320/book+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483379438813630338" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><ul><li>Today I sent my book to the printer and expect copies within a week. It will retail for $15.95 and can be purchased from the Ten Roads Publishing website or Amazon.</li><li>I am also starting to take dates for speaking or book signings. So any groups who would like to have me just shoot me an email at eric@tenroadspublishing.com and we can set things up. </li><li>Once again wanted to let everyone know that I will be in Newport for around ten days starting on Friday, June 16. I will be taking a part in the First Annual Newport Heritage Days that will be June 25-27 in Newport, North Carolina. </li><li>On June 26 I will be conducting a living history program portraying a solider from the 7th North Carolina and later one from the 17th North Carolina. Both of the units had connections to Newport Barracks during the war. I will be discussing the life of a solider as well as doing a few musket demonstrations. </li><li>On June 27, I will be conducting two tours on the Battle of Newport Barracks. The times will be confirmed soon and once I know I will post it here. I hope everyone can make it to this event, it will be a great time and hopefully the start of a long tradition in Newport.</li></ul>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-36500790532582943672010-06-03T16:43:00.003-04:002010-06-03T17:28:21.297-04:00A very long overdue post<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">First and foremost, my book, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fight As Long As Possible: The Battle of Newport Barracks, North Carolina, February 2, 1864, </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will be released this month by Ten Roads Publishing. I do not have an exact date to when I will have copies in hand, but they will be for sale during the Newport Heritage Days. </span></span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Secondly, the first annual Newport Heritage Days will be taking place on June 26-27 at the Town Park in Newport, North Carolina. I have been put in charge of the Civil War section of the event and that Saturday I will be presenting a living history on the life of a Civil War soldier, giving history of Newport during the Civil War, as well as musket demonstrations. I will also have a collection of artifacts from my collection on display and selling copies of my book. That Sunday, I will be giving two battlefield tours of Newport Barracks. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small; ">So please stop by for what is shaping up to be a great event.</span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I want to apologize for letting the blog somewhat fall to the wayside over the past few months. Between the work with my publishing company and finishing my book, things have been a bit hectic. I hope to be back on a regular posting schedule soon though. </span></span></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-51013944344749978272009-11-03T09:23:00.004-05:002009-11-03T09:27:53.420-05:00Meeting tonight to determine the fate of the Newport Barracks!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Tonight if you are able please attend the meeting of the Newport Town Council, if you cannot please urge anyone who can to attend. The meeting will take place at 6pm at the Newport Town Hall. If you cannot attend, you can always call the Newport Town Hall and ask to speak with the mayor or manager to express your concerns over the threat of development to the site at 252-223-4749.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br />If unchecked development is to take place, we will lose this site forever. Please do what you can to help, every bit helps!</span><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-28436734117540478622009-11-01T05:10:00.000-05:002009-11-01T05:19:36.295-05:00My thoughts on the request to rezone the Newport Barracks site and the potential development there<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Before I go further with my thoughts on this matter, I would like to state that the purpose of this blog has never been, nor will it ever, be political in nature. The purpose of this site was, is, and will continue to be a place where information, primarily on the Battle of Newport Barracks, can be shared in hopes that it can shed light on the events that took place in and around Newport during the Civil War. This is an emotional issue for me in that I feel a strong connection to the site and to those men who struggled there 145 years ago. For a number of years researching the various aspects of the battle and the site has been a passion and a labor of love for me, so clearly I do have a biased opinion on this, but I hope that it is not viewed as a political position as I feel this issue transcends political ideology. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />On Friday, October 30, I was informed about the public hearing taking place in regards to the request for rezoning of the 44 acres that includes the site of the Newport Barracks, as well as the location of the final phase of the February 2, 1864 battle there. My initial reaction was one of sadness at the prospect that a historical site that is very close to me personally will begin to feel the pressures of development that have long threatened other historical sites in the last 30 years.<br /><br />I expect that the motion requesting to rezone the area will be approved, thus paving the way for a future development on the site. While no actual plan for development has appeared, the approval of the motion will undoubtedly put that process in motion. You do not put on a football helmet unless you are going in to play in the field, and you do not rezone an area to residential unless you have options or a plan in mind. With that said I do not believe that this request or any future development at the site is malicious in nature, nor do I feel the people involved harbor such feelings. What I am concerned about is the lack of concern or consideration of the site and the events that took place there. It has been stated that now is not the time to look into that and once a plan is in place it should be considered. I personally feel that is a narrow-minded and short-sighted means of going about this. The time to consider this is now, and the more time in discussion and deliberation can only be beneficial in the long run.<br /><br />Now in a perfect world the best case scenario for this site would be for it to be preserved and interpreted correctly for future generations of visitors. At the end of the day this is what I would like to see done, but I also understand that politics, practicality, and the power of the all mighty dollar come into play. I am not, nor was I, anti-growth during my time on the council and I was always a proponent of smart growth. I often said there was a way for the town of Newport to grow in a manner that was beneficial to the citizens, as well as preserving the identity and heritage of the community. Now, more than ever, local governments are feeling the crunch of the current economy on their budgets, and any chance to increase the tax base and revenue should be considered. Also for consideration should be the impact that the growth will have.<br /><br />I hope that any decisions that are made are not made in haste, but after a deliberate and thorough period of consideration. Any plan for development should look at including provisions for adequate archaeological study of the area, in addition to </span></span><em></em>a plan of historical interpretation of the site. Often politics is a study in compromise, and I am open for such on this issue. I believe that ultimately there is a way to have smart development in a way that can still preserve the historic nature of the site and allow for a proper interpretation that would educate and enrich the lives of not just citizens, but visitors to the site.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Carteret</span> County is a county that lives and dies on tourism money, but Newport sees but a fraction of the overall money spent by visitors to the county during the year. By interpreting this site it will create an immediate draw for people to come into the town of the Newport and hopefully spend money in the community. Historical tourism is a big, and lucrative, business. Beaufort and New Bern are perfect examples of this, and while Newport would never receive the same amount of that proverbial pie, it still does not mean they should not at least sit at the table.<br /><br />I am more than willing to help the town, and any developers of this site, in any way I can to insure that a proper plan of development is implemented. I would also be happy to develop a plan of interpretation for the site, and I would do so free of charge and I sincerely hope the town might consider me for such.<br /><br />In the end the men who fought, and in some cases died, at Newport Barracks deserve to have their story told and remembered in a way befitting their memory. Simply paving over the site and throwing up houses does not honor or remember them, and in some ways is a desecration of their memory. I know that the people of Newport, and the government that represents them, values the history and heritage of the town. Those are two of the many qualities that make Newport special. While I no longer live in Newport, I still consider it home and consider the site of the Newport Barracks sacred ground, and I am convinced that a plan can be put in place that can be beneficial to all and insure that the most historic location in Newport is not simply bulldozed over and forgotten. <br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-11614662723503124812009-11-01T01:19:00.002-04:002009-11-01T04:48:35.645-05:00Carteret News-Times article on the rezoning request effecting the Newport Barracks site<ul><li>I will be writing more on this subject later in the day, but I wanted to share the article that appeared in the Sunday, November 1 edition of the Carteret News-Times. Already the site visits to the blog has jumped since the publication of the article online, so I welcome all first time visitors to the site and I hope that your visit here helps to educate and enlighten you on the events that took place in and around Newport during the Civil War.<br /><br /><br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>Civil War site targeted for rezoning<br />NEWS-TIMES<br />Published: Sunday, November 1, 2009 1:06 AM EST<br />MARK HIBBS<br /><br />NEWPORT — Town council will consider Tuesday night a rezoning request that involves a Civil War site here.<br /><br />The board is set to meet at 6 p.m. at the town hall. Two opportunities for public comment are on the agenda in addition to two public hearings for rezoning requests, which will be held soon after the start of the meeting.<br /><br />Ballou Enterprises of Morehead City seeks to change various zoning classifications now in place for property it owns at the end of Fort Benjamin Road, off East Chatham Street near Newport Middle School to an all-encompassing R-20 residential classification. That would allow for development of home sites of about a half-acre each.<br /><br />The site and the battle that took place there are the subject of an historical marker on East Chatham Street (Old Highway 70) and also described on a state Civil War Trails marker at the corner of Main Street and East Railroad Boulevard.<br /><br />The roughly 44-acre parcel currently falls into a “mixed bag” of zoning classifications including R-20, R-15 and industrial warehouse, Town Manager Dick Casey said Friday.<br /><br />Mr. Casey said he was unaware of any expressed concerns regarding the significance of the site or any town policy in place for handling historic preservation concerns.<br /><br />“I don’t think we have a specific procedure for that but it would be part of the whole review process,” said Mr. Casey.<br /><br />John Davis, chairman of the town planning board, which already reviewed the request, said the potential historic significance was discussed but, so far, no subdivision plans have been submitted.<br /><br />“But we really didn’t have any discussion of what the impact would be,” he said. “It would become an issue once a subdivision request is submitted.”<br /><br />According to CivilWarTraveler.com, Confederate soldiers built the barracks here early in the war but they were occupied by Union forces during the Fort Macon operations in 1862. A battle here in early February 1864 resulted in a short-lived Confederate re-occupation of the area.<br /><br />Former Newport Councilman Eric Lindblade, now living and working at the Gettysburg, Va., historic site and set to release a book on the battle of Newport later this month, said any development of the site would be a tragic loss.<br /><br />“It’s a pretty significant historic site in that not only were three Union regiments at that site through the duration of the war but it was also the scene of the battle of Newport Barracks,” Mr. Lindblade said.<br /><br />He said Carteret County has already lost many of its Civil War sites to development, such as the site of the Bogue Sound Blockhouse now part of Brandywine Bay near the corner of McCabe Road and Highway 24. That site is also marked on a Civil War Trails marker at Gethsemane Cemetery.<br /><br />“If a subdivision comes in, you’ll lose an entire battlefield in Newport,” he said. “The site, there is obviously not much out there now and I’ve never heard of any efforts to preserve it, but this is a battle site where three members of the 9th Vermont won the medal of honor. Nowhere else in Carteret County can make that claim and there’s a chance Confederate soldiers are still buried on that site.”<br /><br />Mr. Lindblade’s book is based on years of research of the Newport battle. He also recently purchased a U.S. flag that was flown over Newport Barracks by the 9th Vermont. He has posted photos of that flag on Facebook and on his Civil War blog site at http://newportbarracks.blogspot.com.<br /><br />Calls made Friday to Ballou Enterprises’ listed phone number were not answered.<br /><br />The other rezoning public hearing on the agenda concerns a request for a townhome development just off Roberts Road. That request relates to a subdivision zoning nuance few other than bank loan officers would appreciate. But it does reflect the current state of the residential lending market.<br /><br />Developer Kim Willis, a former member of the County Board of Education, plans to build townhomes on the sites of two former mobile home parks, which have since been cleared, in the town’s one-mile extra-territorial jurisdiction outside the corporate limits. Town building inspector Bob Chambers described those parks at “substandard.” Although there will be no difference regarding the construction, a zoning change is needed to allow the units to be sold as townhomes with the developer’s desired layout.<br /><br />Originally planned as duplex apartments to be sold as condominiums, Mrs. Willis was previously granted a special-use permit to build four duplexes on the north side of Oscar Hill Road and three on the south side. Two units have since been built, along with a common sewer system and well to accommodate four buildings and a paved driveway on the north side of the property. But the economic downturn made financing condos “impossible,” according to Mr. Chambers’ report to town council.<br /><br />“She now wants to convert the whole project to townhomes,” Mr. Chambers said.<br /><br />That’s because banks are more willing to make loans for townhomes, he said.<br /><br />“A condominium is an ownership concept only and has nothing to do with the construction or type of building,” Mr. Chambers said, adding that the buildings in place are “structurally independent.”<br /><br />The only zoning classification that would allow the type ownership and site plan desired is a planned unit development (PUD).<br /><br />PUD approval is a multi-step process, beginning with the council’s approval of a sketch plan. Then, a hearing must be held for the PUD zoning amendment and conditional use permit. The town planning board must review the preliminary plat prior to that hearing. The preliminary plat will be presented to the public at the hearing.<br /><br />At the close of the hearing and after council deliberates, there is a three-part process for PUD approval, including a vote to approve the zoning amendment for Phase 1 on the north side of Oscar Hill Road and Phase 2 on the south side; a vote to approve the conditional-use permit for phases 1 and 2 and requirement of organization of a homeowners association; and a vote to consider the plat on the north side of the road as “Phase 1 final,” which will allow conveyance of the two buildings (four units), which are ready for occupancy.<br /><br />The Phase 2 final plat for the south side of the road will be presented for council approval at a later date.</blockquote></div>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-29510105125449676272009-10-29T19:03:00.012-04:002009-10-29T19:38:06.340-04:00Flag of the 9th Vermont<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">I wanted to share some pictures of the flag of t</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">he 9th Vermont that I now own. These were the National Colors that the regiment carried,along with the state flag of Vermont, from 1863 through at least mi</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">d to late 1864. This flag was also carried at the Battle of Newport Barracks, and is one of the few artifacts that can be connected to tha</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">t battle with any level of certainty. This is not the only connection the flag has to the battle.<br /><br />General Theodore Peck was</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> presented the flag in </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">1907 by the veterans of the regiment, and it was at the Battle of Newport Barracks that Peck (then a lieutenant) would win the Medal of Honor for his actions in the rear-guard action of the 9th Vermont. There is the slight chance that this flag was also with the regiment when they entered Richmond in April of 1865 as one of the first Union troops to enter the fallen Confederate capital city.<br /><br />I hope at some point to bring the fla</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">g with me on one of my trips home to Newport, which will be the first time in 145</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> years that this flag was in Newport.</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />I am grateful to my friend Erik Dorr, who is the owner </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">and curator of The Gettysburg Museum of History, for letting me keep the flag in his museum for the public to see. I will be making a long overdue post on his museum very soon. It is in my opinion the best museum in Gettysburg and even better it has free admission.</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxL_Hh-wz1A59PKH0mF6cWvEBbXYKfW2BGKNmENBKEQg7BgszNwqivqUU-OySPcxIXp_lMjvBB8V4fNx88HGEUhlYAmJ9juSoQWnKocpAFoohSi_s7A0XhUX_-YaK9Owvv_1vtDg5lW4w/s1600-h/049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxL_Hh-wz1A59PKH0mF6cWvEBbXYKfW2BGKNmENBKEQg7BgszNwqivqUU-OySPcxIXp_lMjvBB8V4fNx88HGEUhlYAmJ9juSoQWnKocpAFoohSi_s7A0XhUX_-YaK9Owvv_1vtDg5lW4w/s320/049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398166058257915474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1a3Kpd9SFFFjhjHbWelsKkhXmZJlZ_YmOd9_gxys_w5PF8Y4ZJ29nU3pJt_1VCYRz3-T7OPnb8nV3N1fIxu4T6sHtR33ZOAUQUvdmBtc3-QuWwek7RzCRRzEagzyGfToWV7kgjayPbr9/s1600-h/056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1a3Kpd9SFFFjhjHbWelsKkhXmZJlZ_YmOd9_gxys_w5PF8Y4ZJ29nU3pJt_1VCYRz3-T7OPnb8nV3N1fIxu4T6sHtR33ZOAUQUvdmBtc3-QuWwek7RzCRRzEagzyGfToWV7kgjayPbr9/s320/056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398168550037995506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JPFvsySSiDDT7hFwqJegKYn-QKLQLfe7AnS_bOOZY0sO_X5h8kVK6lIJsi0TbQdqthduafjBsSVVbgJDq8FCs8tAHrFjfGeBKw2c4FHFHvF2_PcjmoXskgQtgwdkrGR8-P-2MBOL-PQO/s1600-h/055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JPFvsySSiDDT7hFwqJegKYn-QKLQLfe7AnS_bOOZY0sO_X5h8kVK6lIJsi0TbQdqthduafjBsSVVbgJDq8FCs8tAHrFjfGeBKw2c4FHFHvF2_PcjmoXskgQtgwdkrGR8-P-2MBOL-PQO/s320/055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398167769532382626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBOSalKfZluXooolLb_VkIZXMuKMpYQ15FIJEYV7R-Acb9xSpec1SvqWgU4DyMbSUOuiQ5gXuaFjRgGxXZgMEqhsXHQF5UvHe9Dy5CfBKzYEozbpmL75zOyCtsdXH0onfpOYDAykBYONg/s1600-h/054.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBOSalKfZluXooolLb_VkIZXMuKMpYQ15FIJEYV7R-Acb9xSpec1SvqWgU4DyMbSUOuiQ5gXuaFjRgGxXZgMEqhsXHQF5UvHe9Dy5CfBKzYEozbpmL75zOyCtsdXH0onfpOYDAykBYONg/s320/054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398167509386980754" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-53184850325757591402009-10-11T20:03:00.002-04:002009-10-11T20:28:01.062-04:00Update on what I have been doing and working on<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><ul><li>The biggest news is that my book <span style="font-style: italic;">Fight As Long As Possible: The Battle of Newport Barracks, February 2, 1864 </span>is finished other than the final editing and formatting process. Expect to see it out in early to mid November. The reason for this is that it will be the last release of the year for my publishing company, Ten Roads Publishing, and we have an upcoming title that we would like to get out before mine. </li></ul><ul><li> My next projects are in the works as well and they all center on North Carolina soldiers in the Gettysburg Campaign. The first is a comprehensive roster of North Carolina soldiers who were casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg. This roster will include those killed, wounded, and captured during the July 1-3, 1863 battle. The second is a spin off project from my overall study of North Carolina soldiers in the Gettysburg Campaign and that will be a brigade study of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Iverson's</span> Brigade. Lastly my third project is the overall study of North Carolina soldiers, and admittedly it is a gigantic task that is at least five years from being complete, but the first two projects will aid greatly in it. <br /></li></ul><ul><li> The company I co-own, Ten Roads Publishing, is also taking up a great bit of my time but it is truly a labor of love and I am very excited about the authors and books that we have released and will be releasing soon. One great honor is that we will be publishing <span style="font-style: italic;">The Gettysburg Bicentennial Album </span>by William A. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Frassanito</span>. Ever since I read Bill's book <span style="font-style: italic;">Gettysburg: A Journey in Time </span>when I was in the sixth grade, he has been one of my favorite authors and I am lucky to have gotten to know him well since my move to Gettysburg. I could never have imagined when I was 11 that one day I would be working with him to publish one of his books. The conversations I have had with him have been one of the great experiences I have had in Gettysburg and are a major influence on me in my continuing development as a historian. </li></ul>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-86339220834462490002009-09-16T12:19:00.003-04:002009-09-16T12:25:33.975-04:00Update on the Newport Barracks book<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><br />I wanted to give a quick update on the status of my book <span style="font-style: italic;">Fight as long as possible: The Battle of Newport Barracks. </span>It should be ready by the end of October or early November. It is finished, just minor reworking of text, adding maps and pictures at this point. It will be published by the company I co-own Ten Roads Publishing and I am</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> very excited to be this close to a completed product. <br /><br />I am also in the process of looking at my calender and starting to schedule book signings and lectures, so if you are interested feel free to contact me at eric@tenroadspublishing.com and we can set up a time.<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIosOYMDUuzYWWh_s8_zPEjaRs8xwgKmTtlkt-cNZFwZLMCtVZQBoGsf6AmwZWK1ZK6uzx-AnO8eRbrEA9Sk9CP6oQZuxL3rggKu790GiPxTRFx0NE29z4fnJAJ54bkPQDG2rPS3okbUVh/s1600-h/newport+barracks+cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIosOYMDUuzYWWh_s8_zPEjaRs8xwgKmTtlkt-cNZFwZLMCtVZQBoGsf6AmwZWK1ZK6uzx-AnO8eRbrEA9Sk9CP6oQZuxL3rggKu790GiPxTRFx0NE29z4fnJAJ54bkPQDG2rPS3okbUVh/s320/newport+barracks+cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382102098957681170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-37622651538002553742009-08-11T13:36:00.002-04:002009-08-11T13:39:23.886-04:00Our Company Blog<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Just wanted to let everyone know that the company I co-own now has a blog, so feel free to check it out. <br /><br />On it there is also information on to our company website, Twitter, and Facebook pages. Any support and help in getting the word out about us would be greatly appreciated.<br /><a href="http://www.tenroadspublishing.blogspot.com/"><br />Ten Roads Publishing Blog</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-82350020980255917062009-07-19T11:52:00.003-04:002009-07-19T11:57:54.893-04:00Back in the Old North State for the week<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I am home for the week in Newport and it is nice to be back. I will be finished up some work for the Newport Barracks book, in addition to the continued book on North Carolinians at Gettysburg. While I am home if anyone would like a tour of the battle sites feel free to shoot me an email and we can set something up.<br /><br />This week I will put up some posts here on a few topics of interest including information of a Carteret County soldier killed in Iverson's brigade on July 1st at Gettysburg.<br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-34590550880140352022009-07-14T19:31:00.003-04:002009-07-14T19:38:26.667-04:00A long overdue postIt has been quite some time since I last made a post on the blog so one is most overdue. The fault solely rests on yours truly as the last three months have been pretty hectic for me. Things have settled down for a bit so I promise to be more attentive to the blog than I have been. So the natural question then to me is “well what has been going on?”<br /><br />The major news is along with my friend Jim Glessner, we have started our own publishing company, Ten Roads Publishing, LLC. We are based here in Gettysburg and will focus primarily on Civil War titles. We are shaping up to have a very good lineup of titles and authors and we are both quite excited about it. Our company website is <a href="http://www.tenroadspublishing.com">www.tenroadspublishing.com </a>so feel free to check it out, currently there is not much up on the site but that will soon be changing. As for the name, it is a reference to the ten roads that converged at Gettysburg during the time of the battle in 1863.<br /><br />As for my book projects they are coming along quite well. The Newport Barracks book is almost finished and I am in the process of doing the final drafts and edits on the text. In addition, I am putting together the maps and pictures that will be included in the book. The book will be for sale this fall and will be published by our publishing company.<br /><br />With the Newport Barracks book drawing to a close (I must say it will never fully draw to a complete close as I am always in search of new information on it) my next project on North Carolina soldiers at Gettysburg is advancing along. I am almost finished compiling a list of all known North Carolina soldiers killed during the battle. This data will be included into a fully searchable database I am creating of all known North Carolina casualties (killed, wounded, and captured). I did not intend to originally create such an extensive database and it has almost evolved into a project on its own. I am also still compiling contemporary first-hand accounts from North Carolina soldiers during the campaign. There is a true wealth of information out there and the research itself to this point has been a wonderful experience.<br /><br />With all this going on I am taking a much deserved and needed break with a trip home to North Carolina on Saturday. I will be doing some research but mostly will be spending time with family and catching up with friends.Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-67681964185138690482009-04-22T19:34:00.003-04:002009-04-22T19:48:25.188-04:00Update on my next book project<span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">original</span> plan for my next book project after the Newport Barracks book, was to be on the 43rd North Carolina during the Gettysburg Campaign. Well I have revised that a bit and have expanded my scope. The plan now is to use letters and diaries from North Carolina soldiers to tell the story of the states involvement in the campaign and battle. My focus will begin with letters and diaries written after the Battle of Chancellorsville and end around early August of 1863 when the Army of Northern Virginia was back across the Potomac River in Virginia. <br /><br />The major reason for the change due to the lack of good primary sources for the 43rd in the campaign, but also because in the course of research I was finding letters and diary entries from other regiments that I was finding to be quite compelling. I know there will be the natural reaction to say "oh great another Gettysburg book," but I feel this will give a different perspective of the campaign. Another hope is that it will give attention to portions of the fighting that are often overlooked such as the attacks on Oak Ridge and the final attack on Seminary Ridge on July 1, 1863.<br /><br />I do hope to revisit the 43rd North Carolina in the future, but I am excited about the prospects for this project. So if anyone has any letters or diaries from North Carolina troops during the Gettysburg campaign or know of any particular ones please email or contact me through the blog.<br /><br /></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-19711952767955591472009-04-22T19:05:00.005-04:002009-04-22T19:24:55.529-04:0012th New York Cavalry Letter from Newport and other items<span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />While looking up some information on the 23rd New York Cavalry I found a great site for information on New York troops in the war, but also a letter written by a member of the 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> New York Cavalry while stationed at Newport Barracks. The letter is part of an online project of the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, you can read the entire letter here: <a href="http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/cavalry/12thCav/12thCavCWN.htm">Letter From the Twelfth New York Cavalry.</a></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> The 23rd New York Cavalry, who fought at Newport Barracks, was often attached to the 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> New York during their service in the New Bern area. I have quoted the section that discusses Newport from the letter dated July 10, 1863:<br /><br /><blockquote>We are stationed at a small place known by the name of Newport, (it should have been called No-port, for hang me if I can see anything that entitles it to such a name,) on the military railway that runs from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Newbern</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Morehead</span>. In the beginning of the war our camp ground was occupied by the 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> N. C, (rebel) regiment, who erected log barracks as much for the accommodation of their invaders as themselves. We find our log houses much preferable to the crowded tents in which we lately took shelter, and half bless the labors of the defeated enemy for the comfort they afford us. Two companies of the 98<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> N. Y. Volunteer Infantry, with an excellent staff of officers, are companions of ours in camp, and all do duty together—our pickets doing the outside guard some six or eight miles from camp, in woods and swamps as dreary as any ever pictured by the romance writers of ancient times. Lonely occupation is this picket work, I assure you, and as dangerous as one can imagine. No sleepy heads are wanted in our army, and I am somewhat pleased to relate that the Erie county boys are careful upon their posts and can be depended upon in every time of danger. A great many incidents, as laughable as they are ludicrous, might be related in regard to some of our midnight picket duty, when the more superstitious among the men fancy approaching rebels in the sonorous squeaking of reptiles, and the short spasmodic grouts of hogs, half wild, around them. And no wonder, for, I believe, there is not in the world such a swarm of loathsome reptiles, from alligators down to ants, as is to be seen and heard here. Confound their noise; they make one wish that some St. Patrick would visit us in mercy and give us rest from such a provoking plague.</blockquote><br /><br />You can search for any New York unit here: <a href="http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/civil_index.htm">New York Civil War Regiments.</a><br /><br /></span><ul><li>I also want to mention that the blog now has over 1000 views and I want to thank everyone who has visited here since I have started posting. I plan to keep updating the blog even after I am finished with the book on Newport Barracks so please keep checking back.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><br /></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-40285663199694283612009-04-17T13:00:00.001-04:002009-04-17T13:18:21.466-04:00A 103rd Pennsylvania connection to Newport Barracks<ul><li><span style="font-family:georgia;">I want to first apologize for the delay in posting for the past few weeks. Between writing, working, and researching I have just not had as much time as I would like, but I hope to be back posting regularly for the foreseeable future. </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:georgia;">Quick update on the book I am about two months away from having it finished, then comes the edit and revision process, and finally laying it out to publish. Once I have a clear date on when I will have copies I will let everyone know.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />In a copy of a speech from March 13, 1906 by Carry Augusta Leazar, given to the Battle of Bentonville Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Morrisville, North Carolina, outlining the service of her father Lieutenant Augustus Leazar there was an interesting description of the aftermath of the Battle of Newport Barracks. Augustus Leazar, from Rowan County, enlisted in the Company G of the 42nd North Carolina on March, 15, 1862 at the age of nineteen and on the same day was given a commision as a first lieutenant in the regiment. At the time of the battle Leazar was twenty years old.<br /><br />In her speech Carry Leazar, who at the time was the historian of the North Carolina Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, states that Lieutenant Leazar was able to capture a sack of coffee, which he sent to his mother in Rowan County who was roasting rye and chipped sweet potatoes as a substitute for regular coffee. But a more interesting piece of information comes from another item that Leazar captured from the Union camp at Newport, Carry Leazar writes:<br /><br /><blockquote>Another trophy of this field is a volume of Blackstone now in our library, inscribed with the name of "John M. Laughlin, 1st Lieut. Co. A., 103 Penna. Regiment, Penna. Vols."</blockquote><br /><br />The volume was most likely a copy of Sir William Blackstone's <span style="font-style: italic;">Commentaries on the Laws of England</span>.<br /><br />The original owner John M. Laughlin was a member of the 103rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Laughlin enlisted on May 1, 1862 and, like Leazar, was promoted to lieutenant. We are able to have a general idea when Laughlin might have first come into possession of the book by the inscription. It was on January 25, 1863 when he was promoted to first lieutenant, so it had to be after this time that he inscribed his copy. The 103rd was part of heavy fighting during the Seven Day's Campaign outside of Richmond in 1862 and later sent to eastern North Carolina, where they spent considerable time in New Bern. It is most likely that Lieutenant Laughlin loaned the copy to another officer in the 9th Vermont and that is probably how the copy ended up at Newport Barracks before the battle.<br /><br />Lieutenant Laughlin would be captured, along with 455 men of his regiment, at the Battle of Plymouth on April 20, 1864. He would be sent to prisoner of war camp for officers near Florance, South Carolina. In December of that year, Laughlin would attempt to escape but was unsuccessful. He would be paroled on March 1, 1865.<br /><br />Augustus Leazar would serve until the end of the war with the 42nd. It was said "with bitterness of soul he took parole at Bush Hill, Randolph County, May 2, 1865, and faced reconstruction." Leazar would go on to become an influential political figure in North Carolina after the war serving in 1889 as Speaker of the House for the North Carolina General Assembly. During his time in the legislature be was influential on agricultural and educational issues in the state. After the war Leazar was described as "an efficient officer, is one of the most prominent men of his section of the State. He has served in the Legislature, and as superintendent of the State Penitentiary." Governor Thomas Jarvis in discussing Leazar was quoted as saying:<br /><br /><blockquote>He could have attained higher positions in the State had be yielded his convictions and accepted the situation. No temptation, no flattery, no threat could move him from the path of duty and of right as he saw it. He loved his State and he loved to serve it. He was ambitious, but his was an ambition to do the right thing and to do it in the service of his State, his fellowmen and his God. He was able and wise. He had himself written, "Whatever his profession, every man is a citizen and owes a duty to the State as he does to his God, for the State is his ordinance for the good of society." He met defeats, but he believed "the essential to success is character, loyalty to the right, loyalty to God. Without it there is no real success, with it there is no failure."</blockquote><br /><br />One of Leazar's last statements before his death was to a young legislator who had come to visit him. He simply said "it pays better- in the long run- to be on the right side." He would pass away on February 18, 1905 at the age of 61.<br /><br /></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-65931231001592651462009-03-16T20:30:00.006-04:002009-03-16T22:51:09.677-04:00Canady's Mill<span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br />As promised I wanted to share some of what I found last week at Canady's Mill on March 12. I created a map to outline what the site looks like today (Jedediah Hotchkiss, I am clearly not!) and also put up a few pictures of the earthworks that remain. In mid-February I went out to the site to do some field research only to find that the area around th</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">e earthworks was heavily overgrown. The overgrowth concealed a great portion of the earthworks, but I was able to still see the remains of part of the main fortifications, as well as a line of rifle pits. Luckily, there was a controlled burn on the site last week and almost all of the overgrowth was burned away.<br /><br />On the morning of February 2</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">, 1864, Company E of the 9th Vermont was on picket duty at Canady's Mill. Company E was under the</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> command of newly promoted Captain Elisha M. Quimby. Quimby replaced Amasa Bartlett, who was promote</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">d to the rank o</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">f major after the death of Charles Jarvis. Artillery was also present in support of Company E.<br /><br />Canady's Mill, along with Company E, would not see any</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> f</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">ighting during the Battle of Newport Barracks. Around 11am on February 2,</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Compa</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">ny E was ordered to return to Newport Barracks after the attack on the Gales Creek Blockhouse. It is unclear the route they took back to Newport, but they appear to have returned after Lieutenant Colonel Barney and the rest of the 9th had moved out to meet Brigadier General Martin and his Confederate forces. Company E would not join the rest of the 9th until after the retreat across the bridges over the Newport River.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">The picture below gives an idea of what the site looked like when I visited it in mid-February. It is quite clear the extent of the overgrow</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">th over the earthworks.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSaSAzWsrGtLd5SAYq177MBR4cK6VLh6Y5J7Xr6jC0X6Syy6gMcaLlpvsFIpwVzPs6E2LCSS19LsbOOX1dtobKPbHVMR01n062Bsu3oJ7fmBut0bPLNvpJAEo_82lede3rcX5STUrNYPX/s1600-h/DSC04125.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSaSAzWsrGtLd5SAYq177MBR4cK6VLh6Y5J7Xr6jC0X6Syy6gMcaLlpvsFIpwVzPs6E2LCSS19LsbOOX1dtobKPbHVMR01n062Bsu3oJ7fmBut0bPLNvpJAEo_82lede3rcX5STUrNYPX/s320/DSC04125.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313938710127252338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />From period maps one of the flanks of the fort rested on the Canady Mill Road (Now Roberts Road). You can still see the rough outline of the fort starting from the road, although I am not sure how much of the fort was destroyed during the subsequent widening and paving of the road over the years. The yellow outline in the picture shows the top of the earthworks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cl1tWotH_Wuannxw0kLMvYs-eQTihor15_r7dcZNxYN9utFpYuVel2G5gRnSnZgRrVCAhog9knXJn1tX30NFCyZZ6JcE667M9ZHNzO4Jt0W0krC1im_2Otb8EBRe7C4no7KuIYj6X52f/s1600-h/009edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cl1tWotH_Wuannxw0kLMvYs-eQTihor15_r7dcZNxYN9utFpYuVel2G5gRnSnZgRrVCAhog9knXJn1tX30NFCyZZ6JcE667M9ZHNzO4Jt0W0krC1im_2Otb8EBRe7C4no7KuIYj6X52f/s320/009edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313939783448357138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The following is the map I created to give an idea of what the site looks like today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3ZBAyKik6FY4YsWVRtE3WuJO2HUJhz0IzLFO-2j3zNLXQJoPr-d3LlKZ5deFpUp477aeToUAk8QrI7s3So84ioC7iyeFXjzFg-r76j-osGCGM95yRkICJN80tshtezJ4PDQQ-O6eZo9j/s1600-h/Canadys+Mill+Outline.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3ZBAyKik6FY4YsWVRtE3WuJO2HUJhz0IzLFO-2j3zNLXQJoPr-d3LlKZ5deFpUp477aeToUAk8QrI7s3So84ioC7iyeFXjzFg-r76j-osGCGM95yRkICJN80tshtezJ4PDQQ-O6eZo9j/s400/Canadys+Mill+Outline.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313937551522018722" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />David Burnette, who accompanied me to the site last week, located what appears to be a small path with rounding on each side, which seems to indicate some level of fortification. This path connected the advance entrenchments and rifle pits to the main fort. It is interesting to note that the path extends a good ways past the earth works and cuts though the fort as diagrammed on the map. The main earthworks at the fort were much more extensive and intricate than previously thought. The main fort is one continuous earthwork that parallels Nine Mile Road before angling back about forty yards and then parallels again with Nine Mile Road. There are still the rough outline of where artillery was placed at the fort, and the advance entrenchments seem to show a fairly strong position. If facing the fort from Nine Mile Road the Newport River is on the left of the position (there is also about a twenty foot drop from the area where the fort is to the river). The pictures that follow show the site on from my visit last week. There is unfortunately little contrast in the pictures, but one can still make out the remains of the fortifications.<br /><br />The first picture is of the path that David Burnette found on the site. This picture was taken looking towards Nine Mile Road and the path is in the middle of the picture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikryrW8p-9VvcUEv17opjX702KSNnC8rV5-OtDYYx6IMkeodbJZ6-ksyOMQt7vm0lYhzP3pF55yDi7COH1jCndUG6EaB1T6i_9yKU-TPJi3TjLGEQoifmzcVPEnDVMHRy5P1FKNwKYFHA0/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikryrW8p-9VvcUEv17opjX702KSNnC8rV5-OtDYYx6IMkeodbJZ6-ksyOMQt7vm0lYhzP3pF55yDi7COH1jCndUG6EaB1T6i_9yKU-TPJi3TjLGEQoifmzcVPEnDVMHRy5P1FKNwKYFHA0/s320/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313946226598410866" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The next three pictures are just of the main earthworks at the fort. In the first picture you can see Roberts Road in the background and the earthworks are to the right. The second picture shows more of the works. The lightly colored tree that has fallen is a good marker in this picture, as well as the third.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM1dpzgBkN1VvP77WGp9k6D1IjH0P1-5SQ_jwnRn2UAkp5AroaXw40RIiFmI_Ez2-b53f_qEqvIblZH0rSimpL6shnRqkRzp4QrvYFOsiNVzvWQHoe-IjxAe5_pgJSrHflN4YnilKOfUb/s1600-h/014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM1dpzgBkN1VvP77WGp9k6D1IjH0P1-5SQ_jwnRn2UAkp5AroaXw40RIiFmI_Ez2-b53f_qEqvIblZH0rSimpL6shnRqkRzp4QrvYFOsiNVzvWQHoe-IjxAe5_pgJSrHflN4YnilKOfUb/s320/014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313947827645003490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpngSEaL-6O8QZ6V_0K4N1T5s2LqoGS3IdTkBulShNaY7kQrkOh0qpSLw-s86Uu98pzyBlrhCI6UGpLXTkj43NufXnYEuz-zTLgBeZdMSE8I_WyC6BeYxMRFqFrpgd1OpUTFL4EXPtdiIo/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpngSEaL-6O8QZ6V_0K4N1T5s2LqoGS3IdTkBulShNaY7kQrkOh0qpSLw-s86Uu98pzyBlrhCI6UGpLXTkj43NufXnYEuz-zTLgBeZdMSE8I_WyC6BeYxMRFqFrpgd1OpUTFL4EXPtdiIo/s320/010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313950403541618450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeXUO9WompdP-jYctVTWksazhQNAYjzokwjmbeGiWmtyJ2sk-ZDKKchaJi8y9vullQOEHwkBdjcmZOztv7h1WNvgQco6HrJvsf4eZE62d0kOPM3P5ubPNx2SUOOU4yWpNBamnNyJXS5Fs/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeXUO9WompdP-jYctVTWksazhQNAYjzokwjmbeGiWmtyJ2sk-ZDKKchaJi8y9vullQOEHwkBdjcmZOztv7h1WNvgQco6HrJvsf4eZE62d0kOPM3P5ubPNx2SUOOU4yWpNBamnNyJXS5Fs/s320/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313949445245173026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It was a very productive trip out to the site and the burning that took place really shows the features of the site quite well. Thanks again to David Burnette for emailing me about the burn and accompanying me to the site last Thursday.Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-20981087551028715972009-03-13T10:31:00.004-04:002009-03-13T13:29:11.773-04:00Update on the book and other things<ul><li><span style="font-family:georgia;">At the moment I am finished with the first two chapters of the book, or finished to the extent I am ready for them to be edited. This puts me right on track with my time table to have the manuscript finished. </span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia;">Yesterday I had the chance to go out again to the fortifications at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Canady's</span> Mill near Newport. I did some field research in that area about a month ago and found it to be very overgrown with brush. I was only able to discern a few parts of the fort and rifle pits. This week I received an email from David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Burnette</span> who let me know that a controlled burn had taken away most of the brush around the fort. He also accompanied me to the site and we were both surprised at what the fire had uncovered. The fortifications were much more expansive and intricate than we, and possibly anyone before, had thought. I hope to post fairly soon what we found along with pictures. Thanks again to David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Burnette</span> for letting me know about the controlled burn and accompanying me out to the site yesterday.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia;">Even though I am well into writing I thought I would just mention that it is never to late for me to incorporate new sources into the book. If anyone has any sources on the 17<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> or 42<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nd</span> North Carolina they would be especially helpful. My hope is to find more primary source material on them so if anyone has any information it would be a great help. The same goes for any of the units involved at Newport Barracks.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia;">Lastly, I have also started some preliminary research for my next book that will be on the 43rd North Carolina at Gettysburg. As with the Newport Barracks project, if anyone has any information or source material on the 43rd I would love to see it.<br /></span></li></ul><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-35966865225808633992009-03-10T17:35:00.005-04:002009-03-10T17:35:00.660-04:00The Death of Noah F. Muse<span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I am still in North Carolina, but I wanted to get back to updating the blog since I have missed a few days (All blame can rest with the wonderful weather, Eastern North Carolina BBQ, and the playoff push of the Carolina Hurricanes). I was going through my notes and wanted to share the accounts (or this case accounts) of the death of First Lieutenant Noah F. Muse of Company E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry. Before I go on with the accounts I wanted to give a little background on Muse.<br /><br />Muse was born in 1834, but the location is not fully clear. One source states he was born in Moore County, North Carolina; yet in <u>North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865, A Roster, Vol II Cavalry</u> it lists the place of birth as being Chatham County, North Carolina. Considering that Moore and Chatham share a border the confusion is to be somewhat expected. In November 1850 Muse is stated as being 16 years old and attending school. He would enlist as a private in Company E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry on August 3, 1862. Muse would not remain a private for long, as he quickly advanced in rank. By September 18, 1862 he would be promoted to Second Lieutenant and again on October 16, 1862 to First Lieutenant.<br /><br />The following is from the Service Records of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry Co. E: "The company formed a part of the force which attacked and captured Shepardsville on the 2nd. First Lieutenant N.F. Muse of this company was killed in the charge on the enemy."<br /><br />The change that was referred to was the opening shots of the attack on the Gales Creek Blockhouse.<br /><br /><u>Moore's History of North Carolina</u> describes the attack: <br /><br /><blockquote>At 10 o'clock A.M. of the 30th of January (Moore is incorrect on the date as the attack was on February 2, 1864) the enemy's cavalry pickets, five miles from Shepherdsville were stampeded, and in the desperate race which ensued Lieutenant Muse of Chatham North Carolina, was shot by one of the flying pickets and instantly killed.</blockquote><br /><br />The death of Lieutenant Muse was also mentioned in the <span style="font-style: italic;">The Wilmington Journal</span> on February 11, 1864:<br /><blockquote>On nearing the first pickets of the enemy and discovering them on the alert, the cavalry dashed furiously forward, and the Yankee pickets (twenty-five or thirty in number) retreated as fast as their horses would carry them. The road over which pursuers and pursued had to pass was through a swamp, and full of deep holes overflowing with mud and water. But on they sped- some of the Yankee horses and their riders turning somersets in the mud, and ours running over them, inflicting many bruises upon men and horses (breaking the neck of one of the latter) but doing no serious damage to the riders. It was at this point that Lieut. Muse, of Harris' cavalry, while gallantly leading the charge, fell mortally wounded by a pistol shot from a Yankee who was being hotly pursued. Having captured a portion and dispersed the rest of these outpost pickets, the column moved forward and soon came to a trading post of the yankees - but the enemy had fled in the direction of a block house some half mile distant.</blockquote><br /><br />This account was also carried in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Fayetteville Observer</span> on February 15, 1864 and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Southerner</span> from Tarboro, North Carolina on March 5, 1864.<br /><br />From the accounts we have we can gather that the troops Muse and Co.E of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry encountered were from the 23rd New York Cavalry. We know they were in the area and it would make sense for them to be advance pickets in a position such as the Gales Creek Blockhouse.<br /><br />Brigadier General James G. Martin in his report on the Battle of Newport Barracks also mentions Muse and the attack on the pickets:<br /><br /><blockquote>About 12 o'clock the advance came on the enemy's pickets and immediately charged them over a most dreadful piece of road, killing and capturing, I believe, the whole picket. In this charge Lieutenant Muse, of Captain Harris' company (cavalry), was killed just as he was in the act of striking his enemy. His blow fell, wounding the enemy, apparently, after he had been himself killed.</blockquote><br /><br />From these accounts it would seem that Lieutenant Muse was killed during the charge on the enemy pickets, possibly wounding one of those pickets. The next account from George Benedict's <u>Vermont in the Civil War</u> seems to corroborate the Confederate accounts to a certain extent, but at the same time offering a slightly different take on the death of Muse. The Union troops at Gales Creek were Company H of the 9th Vermont. Benedict writes on the attack:<br /><br /><blockquote>Colonel Ripley was absent, having gone to Fortress Monroe with some prisoners and dispatches, leaving Lieut. Colonel Barney in command of the Post, and Captain Kelley in command of the regiment. Company B (commanded for the time being by Lieutenant Ballard), occupied the block-house on Bogue Sound, and company H, Captain Gorham, was doing out-post duty at Gale's Creek, with a cavalry picket out<br />beyond. The first appearance of the enemy was at the latter point. About nine o'clock in the morning of the 2d the cavalry picket came in in a hurry, the lieutenant in command of it showing a sabre-cut in his shoulder. The infantry pickets next came in, less a dozen of their number who had been cut off and captured; but not without having inflicted some loss upon the enemy. One of the new recruits, Oberon Payne by name, shot a mounted man, supposed to be an officer, from his horse, and the animal, keeping on, came within reach of the pickets and was brought in with the empty saddle.</blockquote><br /><br />The lieutenant mentioned with the sabre cut might have received that cut from Muse in the attack, but of course we will never fully know. When looking over casualty reports for the 23rd New York Cavalry there is no mention of any lieutenant in the 23rd receiving such a wound though, but there is the chance it was never reported or considered that serious. <br /><br />Another interesting aspect of this account is in regards to Oberon Payne. Payne was indeed a brand new recruit to the 9th Vermont having enlisted on January 2, 1864 (one month before the Battle of Newport Barracks) and mustered into service on January 5, 1864. What Benedict writes seems to match up with Lieutenant Muse when one considers that Muse was the only casualty reported by his unit in the engagement, also the fact that he was an officer. <br /><br />Confederate accounts seem to indicate that Muse went down very early in the fight, while Benedict gives the possibility that Muse was mortally wounded closer to the blockhouse. Either way, we will probably never knew the exact details of the death of Lieutenant Muse, but this is one of the view incidents from the engagement where the Confederate accounts are in as much detail as that of their Union counterparts. <br /><br />Unfortunately, the death of Noah F. Muse was not the only tragedy to befall the Muse family during the war as two of Muse's younger brothers would die as well in the war. Ashley Muse was a private in Company H of the 26th North Carolina and was killed in action on July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg. George Muse would die of disease while a prisoner of war at Elmira, New York on May 11, 1865. <br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4264978732233367839.post-81301445971866574052009-03-07T11:39:00.003-05:002009-03-07T11:58:49.818-05:00Heading South<span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I am going to be leaving shortly and heading to North Carolina for the week. I hope to do some more field research, in addition to getting some writing in as well. I still expect to update the blog often during the week.<br /><br />Also, I have added the blog of Michael Hardy to the Blogs of Interest section, it is worth a visit for sure. <br /><br />The link is here: <a href="http://michaelchardy.blogspot.com/">North Carolina and the Civil War</a><br /><a href="http://michaelchardy.blogspot.com/"></a><br /><br /></span></span>Eric Lindbladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04171192890041671260noreply@blogger.com0