Q & A August 1, 2020

Q & A from Readers – August 1, 2020

 Here are more questions/comments from readers and my replies. I always receive at least a few e-mails after I post a blog or article and I still get comments by readers of my books five years after publishing. I respond to every single one. In this post, I give you a very disappointed reader of my first book, published in 2015, but which he just finished. You may surmise that he is not a fan, but I enjoyed his critique. Next, I re-print a letter from a descendant of slaves who was trying to track her family history. I was not much help, but I admire her effort.  Another letter compares the horrible conditions of Civil War prison camps and the last offers a story of one family’s tragedy following that war.

 Q) I just finished reading your book, Abraham Lincoln-An Uncommon, Common Man, which was published in 2015. I bought a used copy recently from Amazon for $3.29, but I noticed that the retail price was $34.95. I think I paid a fair price, but the original owner did not. I could not believe the details you left out about the important political issues of his day and the other cast of characters who drove those issues. I found a few original observations, but I resent that you did not provide complete footnotes and more fully disclose your sources. Because of those lapses in historical protocols, I assess that your book was more of an opinion piece rather than a historical account. I have read over 7,000 history books, not all were great but most of them were more useful than your book. Historians like me expect better than such laissez faire work.

(A) Where to start? First, I wrote that book to introduce Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War to those who may not have your level of historical knowledge. I assume you intend “laissez faire” to reflect that my work is not thorough; however, I believe that I honestly described history, but in a manner easily read.  One earlier critic referred to it as “Lincoln 101” which was exactly the readers I hoped to reach, so I embraced the phrase. My concern with many history books is that they overwhelm the reader with minutiae and footnotes, which I realize are important to historians, but may cause the non-historian to lose interest. As to your having read 7,000 history books, I am amazed. I had never stopped to estimate a number, but I suppose in my lifetime I have read about 1,500 books focused on American history and about 200 on Lincoln, most of which I still have in my library. (But, nowhere near your 7,000!). However, if you are going criticize my books, and even other authors’ historical accounts and novels, please remember that most Americans probably only read a few books about history, and even fewer specifically about Abraham Lincoln; so, I am honored when they choose one of mine. You know that there is such a thing as a history snob; which is a person more interested in displaying a knowledge of factual minutiae, rather than helping others learn important lessons from history. (Of course, I am not pointing a finger.) {Note: I will not reprint the reply I received back, but suffice it to say, I lost a reader}

 (Q) I read with interest your article “An Escape Aboard the Planter” which described the sail to freedom by the slave Robert Smalls in Charleston Harbor. I am a descendant of slaves and the folklore of my family indicates my GGGgrandfather and grandmother who were slaves also escaped by boat from the Charleston area and were rescued by the Union Navy. Unfortunately, no photographs or even written records exist, however, their story was handed down verbally for several generations. Although there have been mixed race marriages by my grandparents in the 40s and my parents in the 1960s, I identify as Black. I knew my grandfather, who was Black and his version of the events was told to me as a child. My father, who was Black, passed away ten years ago, but was focused on his career and setting high expectations for my brothers and me and never wanted to discuss the family history. However, my mother who is White, has encouraged me to keep the story of the escape going through my children. When I read your article, I began to wonder if my family was on that boat with Robert Smalls in Charleston Harbor in May 1862?  Do you have access to any documents that might help me find out? I am married to a Black man who is a veteran, and we both share a love for this country, but, paraphrasing Abraham Lincoln’s words, we believe that it is important to keep the stain that was slavery in the minds of the American public. {Note: the writer provided the family name associated with her GGGgrandfather and subsequent generations, which I chose to redact}

 (A)  Your mother is wise to encourage you to research your heritage, even if it is now only oral history. New evidence is constantly being found which might tie back to the family story you have heard. The names of some of the slaves who escaped with Robert Smalls are listed in his account of the episode, however, I have not done extensive research into this matter. I know that Mr. Smalls left an extensive record of speeches and letters about the escape and you might find information there. Mr. Smalls is an important historical figure and, therefore, there is a good on-line collection of literature, articles, and opinion pieces about him readily available. I sincerely hope you can gain some details about your family history. I am sorry I could not be more help, but please let me know where your research leads.  {Added Note: I recently received an e-mail from the writer stating that her relative was not with Robert Smalls; however, she did discover that there were several other slave groups who escaped from the Charleston area by boat in the 1860s, so she is still searching for records. She is experiencing the fun (and frustration) of historical research. I hope she is successful in learning more about her family, as it will make a story to be treasured}

 (Q)In your book and in several articles, you wrote about the terrible conditions at Andersonville prison in Georgia, which is correctly named Fort Sumter. I do not question that Andersonville was a horrible place. However, by absence of criticism, you imply that Northern prisoner of war camps were more humane. They were not! Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio and Camp Douglas in Chicago were notorious for not providing Confederate prisoners with shelter against the cold and many died as a result. But the Union prison camp in Elmira, New York rivalled the horrors of Andersonville and should always be mentioned in the same breath.  Although it was only used in the late stages of the war, it was called “Hellmira” for good reason. Over 3,000 men died out of the 12,000 Confederate prisoners housed at Elmira during its year of operation. Will you grant that Elmira was as bad as Andersonville and deserves the same condemnations?

(A) I am sorry that I cannot fully agree with you; Camp Elmira, Camp Chase, and Camp Douglas were certainly terrible places to be interred as were several other Confederate prisons. But none compared with the conditions permitted at Camp Sumter (Andersonville). Designed to house 7-10,000 men, in the fifteen months it was open, over 45,000 POWs were sent there. Some were moved to other nearby camps, but steady populations of over 30,000 were imprisoned in the squalid camp. Over 13,000 died before liberation in April 1865 and another 3,000 are believed to have died before they could be returned home. Elmira deserves condemnation as do other POW camps ran by both the Union and the Confederacy; however, Andersonville (Camp Sumter) was by far the worst and that fact cannot be mitigated by pointing out the failings of other camps. Andersonville proved to be its own special hell on earth. (NOTE: On the other hand, many people are probably familiar with Elmira for a more favorable part of its past. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) was associated with Elmira College after the end of the Civil War and he is buried there in Woodlawn Cemetery. Some of the Confederate soldiers, who died in the prison camp, are also interred there; but most were moved to Southern cemeteries after the war.  

 (Q) You wrote about General John Pemberton who joined the Confederacy out of love for his wife, a Virginian. You also devoted some space in your book and in an article about Major Sullivan Ballou whose poignant final letter to his wife spoke of a breeze being his breath on her cheek if he were killed in action; which he was the following day. I am sure there were many such stories but I ran across a brief article about General Emory Upton which told of his tragic Civil War story. Do you know about him and his wife and the tragedy that befell them during the Civil War? If so, can you add details?

(A) I do know about Colonel Upton, but to be correct, their tragedies occurred after the Civil War. Colonel Emory Upton, whose temporary ranks included Major General, had a unique career. He was a graduate of West Point in 1861, and during his stay, had once challenged a classmate to a duel; fortunately, they both survived the swordfight. During the Civil War, he was regarded as a heroic and effective officer; however, he began to challenge certain Union tactical attack formations led by more senior officers. As his career progressed, he constantly derided decisions older Generals made utilizing outdated battlefield tactics; and he was occasionally reprimanded. However, he was so effective in the field, his minor insubordinations were overlooked. After the war, he was named to the West Point faculty where he pursued his more modern approach to tactical warfare. As to his marriage, he was single during the war, but he knew Emily Norwood Martin and they corresponded. They were married in 1868, three years after the war ended. Clearly, he was devoted to his wife as their many letters before and after their marriage indicate. But Emily was never well, suffering from respiratory issues, which would eventually claim her life in 1870, likely from tuberculosis. Colonel Upton was away on assignment when she died, and he never recovered from the loss. Although he stayed in the army, he lost his zeal and, a few years later, becoming ill himself, he committed suicide. After his death, a colleague took his many notes on army tactics, compiled them into a comprehensive narrative, and over time, he became (posthumously) recognized for modernizing the U. S. Army.

Contact the author at gadorris2@gmail.com