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It is always inspiring to hear stories of about the courage of soldiers during battle. George Bravard was a flag bearer serving the 1st Texas infantry regiment during the Civil War.

Confederate Colonel Philip A. Work, the commander of this famous “Ragged Old First,” pointed to a rise in the distance and said,

“Follow the Lone Star Flag to the top of the mountain.”  

At that moment a Union cannon shell landed in their midst. Branard vowed he would wave his flag over the gun that fired that shot. He set out toward the mountain with his fellow Texans as shells fell all around him. Nearly a third of the men were killed or wounded during the advance, but Bravard kept on going.

He passed well beyond the rest of the men. The regiment left behind shouted and urged him to turn back.  His death was near certain, but Branard was on a mission. He had made a vow. All of a sudden they heard this command coming from the Federal lines,

“Don’t shoot that man! He is too brave to kill!”

For a brief time, all gunfire stopped. But then a shell suddenly exploded at Branard’s feet. A fragment struck him in the forehead, gashing his face, blinding his left eye and destroying hearing in his left ear. The blast ripped the Lone Star colors from his hand. He managed to recover it and clutched it closely again. As he struggled to move forward, he passed out. Fellow soldiers thought he was dead and carried him off the field.

But that was not the end of Bravard, as he did survive. Amazingly, after only one day of recovery, the brave color bearer was back on duty. He was wounded again in following battles, but he never quit.

He proudly carried that Lone Star flag and wore his uniform until the very end of the war.  

George Branard, Flag bearer of 1st Texas

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The Federals from the start of the Civil War wanted to defeat the Confederacy by blocking access to southern ports for supplies and exporting cotton for revenue.

In response, the Confederacy began building a fleet of ships “clothed in iron panels” to make them resistant to enemy cannon fire. These “ ironclads”, also armed with an underwater ram, could slam into and sink the enemy’s wooden vessels. Three elements made up the ironclad: a metal-skinned hull, steam propulsion and guns that fired explosive shells.

Starting from scratch, the South was able to put into action more than 20 such warships. The North followed with a considerable fleet.

The Confederates had salvaged the Northern built Steam frigate Merrimack and rechristened her the Virginia. The upper hull was cut away and armored with iron and resembled what one source said, “a floating barn roof.”

The Union ironclad Monitor under the command of Lieutenant Worden, was described as a “Yankee Cheese Box on a raft. ” It had water-level decks and an armoured revolving gun turret.

Commodore Buchanan, with support of other Rebel vessels, had just successfully destroyed a Union fleet of wooden warships off Newport News. They managed to wreck the sloop Cumberland, the 50 gun frigate Cumberland, and run aground the frigate Minnesota. Confederate spirits were high.

Now the stage was set for the first real face off of two ironclads in the dramatic, history making Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack, also called Battle of Hampton, Virginia, on a March morning in 1862.

It was 8 AM. Crowds of Union and Confederate supporters gathered to watch from the decks of nearby vessels and the shores on either side.

The Virginia opened fire on the vessel Minnesota, and then the Monitor appeared. They passed back and forth on opposite courses, firing at each other without causing any damage. The Monitor could fire only once in seven or eight minutes, but was faster and more maneuverable. The Monitor’s pilothouse was finally hit, blinding Worden, forcing it into shallow water. The Virginia, figuring the enemy was disabled, turned again to attack the Minnesota. But with low ammunition, a leak in the bow, and lack of steam, the Virginia headed for its navy yard.

By 12:30 PM, the battle was over. The two ironclads had fought to a draw. But the event went a long way to boost morale. Maybe more importantly, from then on, naval battles would never be the same. This historical first duel between the ironclad warships marked the death of wooden ships as fighting vessels, and ushered in a new era of warfare.

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Holt Collier was an amazing young man. He was only 14 and working on Howell Hinds’ plantation in Mississippi when the Civil War broke out. Holt was already an expert horseman and experienced sharpshooter who could hold his own. In fact, he shot his first bear at age ten.

As Hinds was about to set off to fight with the Confederacy, Holt pleaded to go with him, but Hinds refused. Holt was just too young. But instead he gave the boy his freedom, since he had been born a slave.

Holt was determined to join the fight, and would not be denied. So in the adventurous style of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, he stowed away on a riverboat and made his way to join the Texas Cavalry. It was certainly uncommon for a young black man to want to serve for the Confederacy, but he did and, and he put his exceptional skills to good work. Advancing from camp servant to fighting soldier, he was soon involved in the action. He even served as a military spy.

After successful service in the war, Holt started working as a cowboy for his former commander General Sullivan Ross on his Texas ranch.  Ross went on to become Governor of Texas, and Holt returned home to Mississippi. He made a good living hunting and providing wild game to railroad crews and loggers. His skills as a bear hunter made him quite famous. Holt is credited with killing over 3,000 bears.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt came to Mississippi to hunt bear.  Holt was naturally the go to guy to help the President, or anyone, wanting to hunt.

As the story goes, Holt captured a bear, but Roosevelt spared its life and did not shoot it. The famous image of the “Teddy Bear,” spread over the nation. A clever New York store owner then created a stuffed toy he called “Teddy’s Bear” and you know the rest of the story.

Teddy Roosevelt with Holt Collier

Live Oak Cemetery, on the old plantation where he grew-up in Mississippi is Holt’s final resting place. A Confederate headstone honoring his service to the Confederacy was placed on his burial site. The Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge is named after him, and he has been inducted into the Western Heritage Museum Hall of Fame.

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Confederate Sam Watkins of Company H, 1st Tennessee Regiment, had a lot of stories to tell about the happenings on and off the battlefield during the Civil War. You probably have read one of them in one a recent email or blog “Halt! Who Goes There?” and blog about how he spent hours in a Federal camp, pretending to be a Yankee, gathering valuable intelligence for General Polk.

Sam had an amazing career as a soldier. When he enlisted 1861 there were 120 men in his company. Two weeks after Appomattox, he was one of only seven remaining. He had been shot three times, captured three times, and escaped three times.

After the war, he put all of his experience into a book. In one excerpt he wrote: wrote:

“I always shot at privates. It was they that did the shooting and killing, and if I could kill or wound a private, why, my chances were so much the better. I always looked upon officers as harmless…”

A soldier’s life was often dull with not much to do to kill the boredom. Soldiers would invent ways to entertain themselves, but most did manage to spend a lot of time playing poker and chuck-a-luck (gambling with three dice). Their commanding officers were not too happy about the gambling, and discouraged it, but it was pretty hard for them to stop.

One of their most unusual competitive games involved a plate and some lice. It seems that the boys of Company H would hold races with lice. Watkins explains how one guy in particular named Dornin would always win the money:

“We could not understand it … The lice were placed in plates … and the first that crawled off was the winner. At last we found Dornin’s trick; he always heated his plate.”

Boys will be boys, no matter where they are!

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Both Union and Confederates had excellent sharpshooters during the Civil War. The North had an advantage because the very fine Sharps rifle was produced in Connecticut.  But the favored weapon of the Rebel sharpshooters was the British-made Whitworth, known as the most accurate rifle in the world. (See picture below.)

Union General Sedgwick would to find out just how true this was at the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia.

Bullets for the Whitworth were hexagonal in shape, not round. So they made a distinctive, whistle as they sliced through the air. A soldier who heard that sound was smart to take cover.

General Sedgwick was with his aide, General McMahon, when he decided to change placement of some of his troops near an artillery unit. Just as they arrived at the position, the Rebels started firing from a range of 500 to 1000 yards. Some of those Rebs were sharpshooters, so when the Federal artillerymen heard that unmistakable whistle, they dropped to the ground.

Sedgwick teased his men for dodging at this distance. General McMahon, described what happened next:

“A few seconds after, a man who had been separated from his regiment passed directly in front of the general, and at the same moment a sharpshooter’s bullet passed with a long shrill whistle very close, and the soldier, who was then just in front of the general, dodged to the ground.”

“The general touched him gently with his foot, and said, ‘Why, my man, I am ashamed of you, dodging that way…They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.’ The man rose and saluted and said good-naturedly, ‘General, I dodged a shell once, and if I hadn’t, it would have taken my head off. I believe in dodging.’’

The general laughed and replied, ‘All right, my man; go to your place.’”

As the man walked away, another “shrill whistle, closing with a dull, heavy stroke, interrupted our talk,” Sedgwick fell, mortally wounded.

Death of Union General Sedgwick

Yes, General, it’s a virtue to be brave on the battlefield, but maybe more importantly, it’s OK to know when to duck!

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Most of the Civil War battles happened in states other than Florida. Of the 16,000 Floridians who fought, all but about 2,000 joined the Confederate ranks. Those who didn’t want to fight for either side, hid out in the woods and swamps to avoid being drafted. Nearly 5,000 Floridian soldiers were killed during the war.

But the state’s role was no less important because of the smaller number of battles. In fact, Florida’s role was of great importance because it provided a vital food and supply source to many Confederate soldiers. And the men of “Cow Cavalry” were there to make it happen.  

People on farms and plantations raised crops and cattle to send to the soldiers. They also provided pork, fish, fruit, and salt for meat preservation. Citizens collected clothing and iron for making swords, guns, and other weapons.

Small militia groups of ranchers and cowhands banded together to make up the famous ““Cow Cavalry.” Their mission was to protect the cattle ranches, salt works, and small towns of south Florida, and deliver cattle to feed the troops.

Union cavalry soldiers were raiding ranches to steal cattle while their navy was trying to destroy salt work plants. The “Cow Cavalry” helped keep Florida”s inland roads and rivers protected so supplies would get to the Confederate army to the north. Numerous small battles occurred as the groups met, and most battles were never documented.

But there is no doubt that the heroes of the “Cow Cavalry” were quick to answer the call of the CSA to provide and protect. They rounded up cattle from all around Florida and took them to Georgia and South Carolina to feed the fighting Confederate troops. By doing so, these men forever forged their unique place in history.  

The “Cow Cavalry” Monument in Plant City, Florida

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After secession the new Confederate States of America had to build an identity all its own. A symbol of secession, the Bonnie Blue Flag, pictured above, was the first but unofficial flag of the CSA. It was also time to reject the national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” and other songs like “Hail Columbia,” and “Yankee Doodle.” “Dixie Land” was adopted unofficially as the national anthem. Although it was extremely popular, many thought the lyrics weren’t quite up to what a proper national anthem should be.

Harry Macarthy, an English immigrant, was a popular vaudeville entertainer who toured throughout the South. Inspired by the scene at the Mississippi secession convention in January 1861, he wrote the song “The Bonnie Blue Flag.” He took the melody from an old Irish tune,  “The Irish Jaunting Car.” The lyrics count out the eleven seceding states one by one, and include these lines:

“We are a band of brothers

And native to the soil,

Fighting for the property

We gained by honest toil;

And when our rights were threatened,

The cry rose near and far–

“Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag

That bears a single star!”

Then here’s to our Confederacy,

Strong are we and brave;

Like patriots of old we’ll fight

Our heritage to save.

And rather than submit to shame,

To die we would prefer;

So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag

That bears a single star.”

The song was an instant hit with Confederate soldiers and civilians alike. Next to “Dixie Land,” there was no other song as well loved by the soldiers as “The Bonnie Blue Flag.”

Macarthy was suddenly in demand as he had never been before. He traveled throughout the South during the war years, performing for packed houses of enthusiastic listeners. Many of his audiences included appreciative soldiers headed for the front. Macarthy wrote other patriotic songs including “Missouri and The Volunteer” and “It Is My Country’s Call.” But “The Bonnie Blue Flag” was his greatest success by far.

The tune was so popular that the publishing house, A.E. Blackmar of New Orleans, issued six editions of the song between 1861 and 1864, along with three additional arrangements, to keep up with the demand. This made the commander of the city at the time, Union General Benjamin Butler, known as “Beast Butler,” so unhappy that he reportedly had Mr. Blackmar arrested and fined for daring to publish it.

Macarthy later changed the third and fourth lines of the first stanza to:

“Fighting for our liberty                                                                                                                                                                  With treasure, blood, and toil,”

These words seemed to elevate the South’s cause from a mere defense of “property” to a noble defense of freedom itself.

Check out this excerpt of “The Bonnie Blue Flag” on this short YouTube clip at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOFtpzdJc3E

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The Rebel Yell – What did it sound like?

It’s been over 150 years since the Civil War ended, and the Rebel Yell is always a curious topic of conversation. No one really knows what it sounded like, since there are no audio recordings of actual battles. But it’s the stuff legends are made of, living on in one’s imagination.

Some Confederate veterans have reported that yell sounded like a “rabbit’s scream.” Historian Shelby Foote, from Ken Burns Civil War Series, said it was described as  “a foxhunt yip mixed up with sort of a banshee squall.”

Foote tells about an old Confederate veteran invited to speak at a ladies’ society dinner. When asked for a demonstration of the rebel yell, he refused on the grounds that it could only be done “at a run.”  And he said he couldn’t do it anyway with “a mouth full of false teeth and a stomach full of food”.

No one knows the real origin of the yell, either. Some say it may have been taken from Native American war cries as many had sided with the South in the war. Others claim it may have come from Scottish or Celtic traditional battle cries.

The closest we may come to knowing what it really sounded like is from 90 year old Thomas Alexander, a veteran of the 37th North Carolina Regiment 1935 present at a meeting of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He was asked to deliver his rendition of the Rebel Battle Cry to a local radio station. It sounded like a “wa-woo-woohoo” repeated several times. Based on that recording, many re-enactment groups have adopted it and include it in their demonstrations.

We may not know exactly what the rebel yell sounded like or where it came from, but we do know why the fighting soldiers used it. It was a “bone chilling, mortifying, hair raising sound” designed to put fear into the hearts of the enemy so he will surrender or flee. It also worked to boost the morale of the fighting men or even embolden them as they charged.

One of the earliest accounts of the yell comes from the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) during the assault at Henry House Hill.  Stonewall Jackson ordered the men to  “yell like furies” during a bayonet charge.  It must have worked because the Federal forces were pushed back to Washington D.C.

Union soldiers reportedly said, “if you claim you heard it and weren’t scared that means you never heard it.” Someone described it as “a peculiar corkscrew sensation that went up your spine when you heard it.”

One Confederate soldier explained: “I always said if I ever went into a charge, I wouldn’t holler! But the very first time I fired off my gun I hollered as loud as I could and I hollered every breath till we stopped.”

General Jubal Early once told troops who hesitated to charge because they were out of ammunition: “Damn it, holler them across!”

Colonel Keller Anderson of Kentucky’s Orphan Brigade (the First Kentucky Brigade) wrote:

“Then arose that do-or-die expression, that maniacal maelstrom of sound; that penetrating, rasping, shrieking, blood-curdling noise that could be heard for miles and whose volume reached the heavens–such an expression as never yet came from the throats of sane men, but from men whom the seething blast of an imaginary hell would not check while the sound lasted.”

Almost makes you wish you were there to hear it doesn’t it?

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Jesse James was one of America’s most notorious outlaws. He hailed from the rough and tumble state of Missouri, the twelfth state to join the Confederacy. The region he came from was known as little Dixie because Southerners had settled there.

You could say that Jesse’s role model for some of his behavior may have been his very own “rough and tumble” grandmother Zerelda. One day she had quite a confrontation with the Home Guard, a militia-type group made up of Union sympathizers.

One of them had come onto her property and said, “Just show me a Southern man and I’ll show you a thief.”

He had a lot of nerve to say this as he had just stolen something from her barn. Noticing that he was up to no good, she said to him, “What is that you have under your coat?”

“Oh, that is only a bridle that I pressed into the service,” the man replied.

“Well, I will just press you,” she said. Zerelda then backed him into a corner and choked him until his face turned blue.

The same unfortunate guy came back about a month later. Zerelda, not about to have any more trouble from him, threw hot coals into his face, settling the possibility of his reappearance once and for all.

Then there’s the story from Jesse’s son about the sheriff and his men who came to the house to arrest Jesse. But he saw them coming and jumped on his horse and took off. During the chase that followed, Jesse shot and killed the sheriff’s horse.The sheriff went back to the outlaw’s barn and took his favorite horse, Stonewall.

Jesse wrote a letter to the sheriff saying he really didn’t want to have to kill him because the sheriff had fought for the South. But if he “did not return Stonewall to his stall before the end of three days, there would be trouble sure enough.” Two days later the horse was returned. That’s how Jesse rolled!

In the above featured image you see a gun once owned by outlaw Jesse James. The image is a detail of a painting by celebrated artist Bruce K. ‘The Rise of Jesse James’. The painting will be at the Coeur d’Alene fine art auction on July 29th:

http://www.cdaartauction.com/2017/lot/19180?order=lot  

The Confederate Battle Flag in the painting was modeled from one of ours. For more information about available prints, and an explanation of the symbolism in the painting, click here.

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The 1st Tennessee Regiment was camped near Corinth, Mississippi. The men of Company H were getting tired of being shot at, and losing their buddies. Private Sam Watson explained, “…our men were being picked off by sharpshooters, and a great many were killed.

No one could tell where the shots were coming from, but at one post “it was sure death.” For the past week, everyone, without exception, sent to that post had been killed. Then Sam got some bad news:

“In distributing the detail this post fell to Tom Webb and myself. They were bringing off a dead boy just as we went on duty.”

But a soldier doesn’t get much say about these things, so Sam and Tom took their posts.  Sam writes,

“A minnie ball whistled right by my head. I don’t think it missed me an eighth of an inch. Tom had sat down on an old chunk of wood, and just as he took his seat, zip! a ball took the chunk of wood. Tom picked it up and began laughing at our tight place.”

Sam glanced toward some tree tops and saw smoke rising above a tree, and noted:

“and about the same time I saw a Yankee peep from behind the tree, up among the bushes.”

Watson pointed Tom to the spot. They could see the Yankee was loading his gun, the ramrod sticking out from behind the tree.  I’ll let Sam tell you what happened:

“…both of us had dead aim at the place where the Yankee was. Finally we saw him sort o’ peep round the tree, and we moved about a little so that he might see us, and as we did so, the Yankee stepped out in full view, and bang, bang! Tom and I had both shot. We saw that Yankee tumble out like a squirrel… One thing I am certain of, and that is, not another Yankee went up that tree that day.”

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