Civil War and Reconstruction (Fall 2008)

Juniata College
Tag cloud for these 10 episodes
African-Americans Anti-slavery Battle Civil War Government Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Law Medal of Honor Migration/Transportation Politics Shenandoah Valley Slavery War Women's Right Wounded Soldiers friendly fire highdeath toll prison volunteer

Episodes

  1. "Union Soldier Writes to Enslaved Daughters"
    date September 3, 1864map ST LOUIS, Missouritags Slavery, War

    Spotswood Rice was a black Missouri soldier in the Union army in 1864. During the time of Rice's military service, he had two daughters that were still slaves in Glasgow, Missouri. While spending time in Benton Barracks Hospital, which was in St. Louis, Missouri, Rice wrote letters to his daughters, as well as the master of the two girls. In the letter to his daughters, Rice assured them that the...

  2. West Augusta Guardsman Troubled by Enemy's Lack of Respect for Wounded Soldiers
    date March 25, 1862map SHENANDOAH, Virginiatags Wounded Soldiers, Battle, Shenandoah Valley

    Jedediah Hotchkiss wrote home to his wife, Sara Hotchkiss, on Tuesday, March 25, 1862 after a skirmish with the Union army, around Woodstock, Shenandoah County in Virginia. Hotchkiss had just received news that one of his children had passed away. He longed to be at home with his family, but said, "It is forbidden of me & it is now too late to reach you before the crisis has passed." He...

  3. Susan B. Anthony Asks People to Sympathize with Slaves
    date January 1, 1859map NEW YORK, New Yorktags Anti-slavery, Women's Right

    Susan B. Anthony was born in 1820 into a Quaker family full of activist traditions. According to the Susan B. Anthony House, in 1845, after moving to Rochester the family became very active in the anti-slavery movement. Ignoring opposition and abuse, she traveled and campaigned for the abolition of slavery and women's rights to their own property and earnings. She also campaigned for women's labor...

  4. Mine their Line: Pennsylvania Coal Miners Created the Crater
    date June 24, 1864 to July 30, 1864map DINWIDDIE, Virginia, SCHUYLKILL, Pennsylvaniatags War, Civil War

    In his official report, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Pleasants of the 48th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers wrote that the mine dug under the Confederate trenches outside Petersburg exploded at sixteen minutes to five, on the morning of July 30, 1864. The Quartermaster sergeant of the 48th Pennsylvania, Joseph Gould, wrote his history of the regiment, "It [the explosion] was a magnificent spectacle;...

  5. George Boutwell Fights for Black Rights in D.C.
    date January 18, 1866map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Politics, African-Americans, Law, Government

    With the conclusion of the Civil War, came the question of what to do about the rights of the freedmen who were now considered men instead of property.  George Boutwell gave a speech to the House of Representatives, he rationalized why African Americans should be given at least partial suffrage in the District of Columbia. Among his arguments for Black suffrage in D.C. were: if the freedmen are considered...

  6. Dam Breaks, Johnstown Floods
    date May 31, 1889map CAMBRIA, Pennsylvaniatags highdeath toll

    On May 31, 1889 one of the most devastating disasters in Pennsylvania history occurred in Cambria County, starting in the town of St. Michael and ending in Johnstown. The dam of the South Fork of the Little Conemaugh, which created Lake Conemaugh was abandoned by the Alleghany Portage Railroad in 1854. It was then purchased by the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. They were to maintain the dam...

  7. Jeannie Coues: Describes Friendly Fire Casualties
    date April 16, 1869map BEAUFORT, North Carolinatags friendly fire, prison

    In February of 1869, Jane Augusta McKinney Coues and her husband, Dr. Elliot Coues were stationed at Fort Macon, a small island fort off the coast of Beaufort, North Carolina. Dr. Coues was a well known surgeon and naturalist, and was stationed at the fort to serve the troops that occupied it; Jane lived with him at the Fort. During her stay there she kept in close contact with her sister in the...

  8. John Shields: Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient
    date April 15, 1861 to 1865map CAMBRIA, Pennsylvaniatags Civil War, volunteer, Medal of Honor

    During the Civil War the 90th Pennsylvania saw some of the most intense action of any regiment in the war. Made up of volunteer men from the Philadelphia area, these troops moved shortly after their formation into Maryland to be on call as soon as they were needed for battle. They went into many of the first battles of the war including First Bull Run, different skirmishes, and the battle of Antietam....

  9. Crittenden Attempts to Stave off Secession
    date December 18, 1860map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Slavery, Migration/Transportation, Law

    Prior to the Secession of the Confederate States, many people in the United States wanted a compromise in order to prevent secession and the Civil War that would follow. James McPherson noted that in order for the Senate to filter through the proposed compromises they formed the “Committee of Thirteen” which included William H. Seward, Stephen Douglas, Benjamin Wade, and John J. Crittenden....

  10. Chamberlain Holds His Ground at Little Round Top
    date July 2, 1863map ADAMS, Pennsylvaniatags Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, War

    On July 2, 1863, the second day of Battle at Gettysburg, a crisis was at hand for the Union army. General Daniel E. Sickles, commanding the Third Corps, had moved his men off higher ground, which included Little Round Top, and created a line running from the Peach Orchard to Devil's Den. This placed the Union left flank open for an attack. Chief Engineer General Gouvernur K. Warren atop Little Round...

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