Articles tagged with: Emancipation Proclamation

I Saw the Emancipation Proclamation, With My Own Eyes!

Date: February 20, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 4 Replies

Discovering the Civil War

For those of you that follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you have probably seen mention that I was going to see the Emancipation Proclamation. The “Discovering the Civil War” tour is currently in Nashville, Tennessee, and the main attraction for this exhibit was the Emancipation Proclamation. For the first several days, the original Emancipation Proclamation was on display; however, because of the age and condition of the document, the amount of time that it was allowed on display was very limited. For the rest of the exhibit, facsimile documents will be on display.

When I heard that the reservation tickets had all sold out and that the museum was offering “limited walk-in availability,” I was concerned that I would travel the whole way there and not get to see the document. My brother, a resident of Nashville, was kind enough to allow me to stay with him and accompanied me to see the exhibit–so lodging wasn’t an issue. Because it was Presidents’ Day, we weren’t sure how many people would be there for the opening at 10:00 am. Upon arrival we parked, went inside, and waited in line hoping to get advanced tickets. Luckily, arriving about an hour early, there were only a few people ahead of us in line. We got our tickets and toured the rest of the museum while we waited for our turn to see the document.

Emancipation Proclamation Admit Ticket

The Tennessee State Museum–which by the way is always free–had an excellent variety of exhibits on display. There was a lot of Andrew Jackson material and a lot of Civil War material, both of which I find interesting. The thing about museums is that you will always learn something. I have never been to a museum and not had the opportunity to walk away with some additional knowledge. I have yet to exit a historical establishment and say to myself, “Gee, what a waste of my time! I didn’t learn a single thing.”

Hanging out with Felix Grundy

For instance, I had never heard of Felix Grundy before. He played a very important role in early American history. He was a Tennessee politician and was influential in the lives of three United States presidents. More importantly, this portrait was on display to show the potential of historical restoration. I wish I had taken a before picture to show you, but trust me, they did an excellent job restoring this 1858 oil on canvas painting.

An exhibit that I thought was very interesting was the wall display of Confederate states’ money. If you’ve visited Hankering for History for a while, you know that I’ve written before about the 9000% inflation rate that the Confederate States of America faced at the end of the American Civil War. So while this particular exhibit in the museum may have had the most pieces in its collection, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on. (Well, it may be worth something now…but you get what I am saying.)

Hundred and hundreds of Confederate State bills.

Let’s get back to the Emancipation Proclamation though. Because of the fragile state of the document, no one was allowed to take pictures. (Unfortunately, some people can’t be trusted to take pictures and not use their camera’s flash.) I was hoping to be able to have a picture for you guys.

One of my very first post was about the Emancipation Proclamation. Through my writing, I implied that the Emancipation Proclamation was a joke. It didn’t free the slaves that were under Union control or that lived in the North. It was seen by many as an empty gesture. President Lincoln’s Secretary of State William H. Seward, the penmen of the Emancipation Proclamation, stated the following:

“We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them and holding them in bondage where we can set them free.”

William H. Seward

That being said, in my original post I did not give this document its proper acclamation. While it is true that it wasn’t an effective tool at the time (it was politically, but it didn’t help end slavery), it did lay down the foundation for the 13th Amendment.

What I wasn’t expecting was to see the 13th Amendment. I had missed that tidbit of information on the Tennessee State Museum website. So not only did I get to see the original Emancipation Proclamation, but I also got the chance to see the original 13th Amendment. As I was leaving the room with the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, I noticed a long line had appeared. The people (pictured below) were waiting to get in to see the Emancipation Proclamation. This was a steadily moving and constantly growing line. It made me proud–proud to see people interested in history.

Emancipation-Proclamation-Crowd.

On a holiday, where so many could have been at home or doing something they deemed more interesting, hundreds of people were lining up to walk past documents that had such a profound impact on America. The ripple effect of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment would forever end slavery and change America’s ideology and beliefs about cultural issues–such as rights for minorities and women.

People from all over the nation flocked to Nashville to spend seconds with these documents. Men dressed in Civil War reenactment attire, along with a Tennessee State Trooper, stood guard over the documents and in typical State Trooper fashion exerted a “move along” presence, pushing the people along.

There are few events–of historical significance–that I have attended in my short life, and I am glad to have added this to my list.

Today in History, January 1st!

Date: January 1, 2013 Author: Today in History Comments: Leave a reply

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A few of the great historical events that happened today in history, January 1st!

1500	The Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral searches the coast of Brazil and claims the region for Portugal.
1586	Sir Francis Drake launches a surprise attack on the heavily fortified city of Santo Domingo in Hipanola.
1698	The Abenaki Indians and Massachusetts colonists sign a treaty halting hostilities between the two.
1766	The Old Pretender, son of James III, dies.
1788	The Times, London’s oldest running newspaper, publishes its first edition.
1808	A U.S. law banning the import of slaves comes into effect, but is widely ignored.
1824	The Camp Street Theatre opens as the first English-language playhouse in New Orleans.
1830	William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first edition of a journal entitled The Liberator, calling for the complete and immediate emancipation of all slaves in the United States. William Lloyd Garrison
1863	Confederate General Braxton Bragg and Union General William Rosecrans readjust their troops as the Battle of Murfreesboro continues.
1863	President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the Confederacy.
1892	The Ellis Island Immigrant Station in New York opened.
1898	New York City was consolidated into five buroughs.
1901	The Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed.
1907	The Pure Food and Drug Act becomes law in the United States.
1915	The German submarine U-24 sinks the British battleship Formidable in the English Channel.
1918	The first gasoline pipeline begins operation. Along the 40 miles and three inches of pipe from Salt Creek to Casper, Wyoming.
1919	J.D. Salinger, author of “The Catcher in the Rye,” was born in New York City.
1923	Sadi Lecointe sets a new aviation speed record flying an average of 208 mph at Istres.
1937	At a party at the Hormel Mansion in Minnesota, a guest wins $100 for naming a new canned meat–Spam.
1945	In Operation Bodenplatte, German planes attack American forward air bases in Europe. This is the last major offensive of the Luftwaffe.
1953	Country singer Hank Williams Sr., 29, died of a drug and alcohol overdose. Hank Williams Sr
1958	Treaties establishing the European Economic Community went into effect.
1959	Fidel Castro seizes power in Cuba as General Fulgencio Batista flees.
1979	The United States and China established diplomatic relations.
1984	AT&T was divested of its 22 Bell System companies under terms of an antitrust agreement.
1986	As the United States builds its strength in the Mediterranean, Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi threatens to retaliate if attacked.
1990	David Dinkins was sworn in as New York City’s first African-American mayor.
1993	Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two new countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
1994	The North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect.
1999	The euro became the official currency of 11 European countries.
2012	Oprah Winfrey launched the OWN cable TV network.

Today in history facts are from various sites including, but not limited too: the History Channel, The New York Times, WHG Historynet.com, and HistoryOrb.com.

First Battle of Memphis / Sesquicentennial

Date: June 6, 2012 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 5 Replies

*I have had some technical difficulties, so I am sorry If I have been spamming your feed all day!

If I told you that there were 10,000 Memphians, with blankets and picnic baskets, sitting on the bluff, you would assume I was referring to a local, minor league Redbirds’ game or young whippersnappers jamming out at Memphis in May’s Music Festival; however, in this instance, I am not. On this day, one hundred and fifty years ago, in Memphis, Tennessee, 10,000 Confederate-supporting Memphians gathered on the banks along the Mississippi River to cheer for an upcoming battle. It was known that the Union’s offensive strategy was to take control of the Mississippi River, in doing so effectively alienating Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas from the rest of the Confederate states. This would also stop all incoming goods coming into the CSA, as the Union was already pressuring the Confederates from the north, had an operative blockade on the east coast, and David Farragut had just recently stormed the gulf and taken control of New Orleans, Louisiana, on their south. The Battle of Memphis would prove pivotal for the Union in vanquishing the Confederate stronghold along the Mississippi River.

As far as battles go, this one was fairly short-lived. The fact that it lasted roughly ninety minutes and that it was exceptionally hard to see because of heavy fog, the onlookers were very disappointed. Of course, it probably wasn’t very enjoyable either since the ‘home team’ lost. Yes, the Confederate’s River Defense Fleet was no match for the skillfully trained crews onboard the Union’s ships. While the specifics, as far as the number of boats (roughly seven or eight for each side), the casualties (ranging from ~80 to ~180 for the Confederates and only 1 for the Union), and the actual events which took place on the river, are unbeknownst to us due to the fog, it was clearly a Union victory. As the Confederate ships were all commanded by civilian boat captains, they were not properly trained for battle and were quickly overpowered. This complete annihilation paired with the defeat at the earlier mentioned Battle of New Orleans, proved–and continues to prove to this day–that naval operations must be commanded by trained professionals subject to military discipline. This battle serves as a milestone in the development of professionalism in today’s United States Navy.

As Union ships ported in Memphis, Tennessee, they removed the Confederate flag hanging from the Post Office, replaced it with an American flag, and quickly occupied the city.

As a result of the Battle of Memphis, the largest inland battle in naval history, Memphis would be affected several way, some instantly, others down the line. Immediately, General Ulysses S. Grant set up base (his tent was on the front lawn of the Hunt-Phelan Home on Beale Street) and would use the city as one of the Union’s major headquarters. Taking over the fifth largest city in the Confederate’s territory was a devastating blow to morale. Without a doubt–as far as strategical tactics go–this was the most important battle for the Union that would take place in the first two years of the war. As the war progressed, there was need for more and more hospitals. Being located on the Mississippi River and an army headquarters in the middle of Confederate territory, Memphis proved to be an ideal place for the much-needed additional hospitals. On June 6th, 1862, the day of the Battle of Memphis, there was only one hospital in the city. By the end of the Civil War, only three years later, there would be fifteen hospitals in Memphis! This has led to Memphis being the major medical city that it is today.

Another result was a substantial increase in the black population. Today–and historically–Memphis and the surrounding areas is viewed as a predominantly black city. This was not always the case. As Memphis was a safe haven controlled by Union forces, slaves that became freed because of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, journeyed to Memphis to start their new lives. By the end of the Civil War, the black population had quadrupled in Memphis.

While the Battle of Memphis was not good for the Confederate States of America, it proved fruitful for the city. Memphis is now a medical powerhouse, not only in the south, but nationwide, and the Battle of Memphis was completely fought on the water so the city itself was spared from destruction, which cannot be said for most of the cities involved in war. Most cities, such as Atlanta, Georgia; and Richmond Virginia; were not so lucky and all but burned to the ground.

Today, the city of Memphis unveiled two cannons at a dedication ceremony to commemorate this day, 150 years ago. And I took pictures… This weekend they are having a few events to celebrate the anniversary. The largest one will take place on Mud Island on Saturday and Sunday. Click here for more information on that!

Emancipation Proclamation

Date: June 2, 2012 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 19 Replies

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln, does not have the same impressiveness that it did when I was younger. While it was an essential document to civil rights, it has some history that is tarnishing to its good name. When I was growing up–(as I am sure this will ring true with you)–I was taught that the Emancipation Proclamation was an important, historical document; the fact that Lincoln’s proclamation was not just a blanketed “Slaves are Free!” was never discussed in school, not in my school anyways. I was taught that this document was as important, to our country’s history and our civil liberties, as the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution had been. As part of my “mini-series” on the Civil War, I wanted to touch on this before we jumped into 1863.

First, it is important that you, as the reader, understand the definition of emancipation. Wikipedia.org’s definition is as follows:

Emancipation is a broad term used to describe various efforts to obtain political rights or equality, often for a specifically disenfranchised group, or more generally in discussion of such matters.

Now that we have that covered, the Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by President Lincoln under his authority as “Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy” under Article II, section 2 of the Constitution. This was an order he gave using his war powers, which he was allowed because states were in rebellion and in secession, and as so was not passed as a law by Congress. This order, which went into effect on January 1st, 1863, proclaimed the freedom of slaves in ten states.

…..and it just clicked! Ten states?!? What?

“Areas covered by the Emancipation Proclamation are in red. Slave holding areas not covered are in blue.” Wikipedia

Yes, the Emancipation Proclamation only freed the slaves in the southern states, and not even all of them! The Emancipation Proclamation did not outlaw slavery and it did not free the roughly 500,000 slaves in the Union states; the proclamation did not affect slaves in Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, or Delaware. At the time Tennessee was mainly controlled by the Union, as was New Orleans, and several counties in southern Louisiana and Virginia. Because these areas were controlled by the federal army, they were not covered by Abraham’s proclamation either; therefore, all slaves in these areas were still slaves, even though there were originally part of the Confederate States of America. (This made up for almost another 500,000 slaves!) President Lincoln received lots of flak for this, as he should have. The two main reasons why he his idea was questioned were: 1) that the Union Army was not powerful enough to effectively enforce this new order, and 2) that he had allowed the Union to keep all their slaves and had “freed” slaves over which he had no authority.

Then why, you ask, would Lincoln have issued this proclamation?

Some historians argue that it was without a doubt to help the Union’s fight. Freeing the slaves in southern states would crumble their economy. The Emancipation Proclamation also allowed freed slaves to join the United States military–which about 200,000 of them ended up doing. Both of these proved vital in the South’s downfall in the war. Others argue that Lincoln was a clever, public relations expert and that by acting as if ending slavery wasn’t the main objective of the war, that when the time came…”Ooops, all the slaves are now freed.”

I cannot believe that I was never taught that the Emancipation just freed slaves in the South. Either way, the Emancipation Proclamation made abolition a central goal of the Civil War and was the major stepping stone that later led to the Thirteenth Amendment, which took effect in December of 1865, making slavery illegal.

Emancipation_Proclamation