Thanks to all my loyal visitors!

Thanks to all my loyal visitors as you have noticed of course no new info here at my blog. I have only been keeping up my obligations at civilwarblogger.com {They pay me} because I have been fighting a bout of tendinitis! It doesn't look as bad as this one but it sure hurt like hell!
Hopefully I will get back up to snuff this week.

Once more Thank you for your loyalty!

Howdy Friends

"I want to first of all Thank all my faithful friends to this blog for taking time to visit
civilwarblogger.com"

I have been adding input on cwb.com about the opening of the new Gettysburg Visitors Center. I have been working with Bob Horner, the creator of LearningwithEase.com an educational process teaching history to the masses.

Currently available at dickbloom.com in the Catalog are products teaching about Jamestown and The Revolutionary War.

Bob is currently researching information about the Civil War which will be available in a quick learn chart much like the Revolutionary War Stair Learning product. Other interesting history products are in the pipeline and are also going to be available on the Catalog page at dickbloom.com as well.

Okay lets get back to the information on the blog!

The images at the top of the blog are a clip from the newly restored Cyclorama Painting and a photo of the Edward Everett
Gettysburg Address Copy.

The Everett Copy was given to him by Lincoln at his request for a remembrance package the long winded orator was putting together to auction off to assist in raising funds for helping the tattered soldiers who fought in the bloody conflicts in the War of the Brothers. Lincoln obliged. The copy has been visiting the new visitors center for three days it is on loan from the Lincoln Museum in Illinois.

The visitors center is huge but it seems as though to me much space has been wasted of course that is only my humble opinion!

The Cyclorama Painting is Great! A wonderful venue for viewing the phenomenon has been created.

My hats off to the restoration crew and I want to; Thank Lisa Hadesman and Dru Neil for the gracious help in my accessing the venue!

This week I will be back to beating the keys on the various topics I bring forth on this blog, I will continue my exploration of "Being a Patriot." Please join the discussion by commenting on my thoughts and positions. Whether pro or con all reasonable input is Welcome.

Till next time Happy trails.

"Success in war,like charity in religion covers a multitude of sins."
Napier

"Waste not, want not. Wilful waste makes woful want.

It has always been more difficult for a man to keep than to get;for,in the one case,fortune aids,but in the other,sense is required. Therefore,we often see a person deficient in cleverness rise to wealth; and than in the want of sense, roll head over hills to the bottom."
Basil

"Sound like anything in the news today?"

Dick Bloom

Patriot Thoughts

Patriots

Please visit

civilwarblogger.com

Flag Retirement Ceremony "A Moving Tribute to the American Flag"
by Dick Bloom


"Captured prisoners"

I recently viewed "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson in the lead, he portrayed Ben Martin a man who knew how to fight during the bloody Wilderness Campaign in 1755 but wanted no part of war no more. Unfortunately for the British he felt a vendetta in his heart when his one son was captured and another shot down in cold blood in full sight of his brothers and sisters.

That cruel action by a Brit officer stirred an emotional trigger that brought him to be called by the Brits "a ghost". The reason I bring this up is the word

Dictionary.com definition

"Patriot"
{1. a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

2. a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, esp. of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.

3. (initial capital letter) Military. a U.S. Army antiaircraft missile with a range of 37 mi. (60 km) and a 200-lb. (90 kg) warhead, launched from a tracked vehicle with radar and computer guidance and fire control.}
I have given much thought to the controversy that is being brought to light in this smoke and mirror magic show we choose to call an election.

I will be spreading this topic out over several posts!

"I am a veteran. I put my hand up is what makes me a veteran!"
D.Bloom

I worked as a photojournalist for a stretch of years of which included September 11, 2001 for a local newsrag in PA. Over many years and many heart wrenching events from various Veterans and Veterans Organizations. When questioned if I was a vet. I would always reply that I am a Vietnam era vet but not a "Nam" Veteran! The so called true strife which I was lead to believe I raised my hand to help stop, The "communist scourge" or at least the recruiter told me so and once upon a time in a land far far away....blahblah blah.I lost many friends to "Nam"some died there,some died from agent orange,and some from suicide, some are the walking dead still suffering "SHELL SHOCK" yet today Nam vets are dying every day. Some are HOMELESS and know exactly how many homes they OWN...!!

My last comment til next post.... does my hitch {no hero, no gun tot'n,not out of America service} make more of, not as much of, or even a patriot at all in the thoughts on patiotism of the upcoming election? You will see a new poll. Please take it......
Thanks
Happy trails til we meet again!

We may never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

Speaking to Benjamin Vaughan, 14 March 1785.
We Americans have no commission from God to police the world.
~Benjamin Harrison

A serious looking Custer during the Civil War. More on Custer @ Gettysburg doing some research currently.

Gett'n Up to See down

Thomas Ottenstein wasn't the first man to think that to see the battleground one needed to get a birdseyeview.

Images

This image taken by Gardener at Devil's Den in Gettysburg speaks volumes, it took some 80 odd years for folks with a sharp eye to detail to figure out this was a fake. Wrong Gun, Wrong Uniform, this poor soul was dragged from the killing field known as the Triangular Field, The Field saw such intense action that the soldiers were troding on dead comrades bodies as they moved toward the top of Devils Den. What a horror that a photographer would do that to find a so called shot. Guess what folks that just goes to show that
Don't be taken in by what seems real. Never believe what you see specially on TV and only half of what you hear! These days it might be a lot less than half.

Always remember "Buyer Beware"


"Get your facts first,then you can distort 'em as you please."
Mark Twain

"Eternal Vigilance is the price of Liberty."
Jefferson

Till next time Happy Trails!

Poor Paddy

Paddy O'Rorke: The Forgotten Hero of Little Round Top





A little history on Patrick Henry O'Rorke he was born March 28, 1836 in County Cavan Ireland.

His parents Mary and Patrick Sr. immigrated to America when Paddy was just a year old. The family finally settled in Rochester NY in 1842 in the Irish section of town known as Dublin. Patrick Sr.was killed in a work accident in 1850, having three older brothers he was able to continue his schooling. He was offered a scholarship to the University of Rochester but turned the opportunity down at his mother's behest because the family was strictly Catholic and the University's administration was Baptist.

Ultimately Paddy was recommened to attend West Point after graduation in June 1861 he saw his first action at the first Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 as a line officer. He was subsequently assigned to the Engineer Corps and helped in the defense of Washington and Fort Monroe, Virginia.

In the fall of 1962, he was offered the command of the newly formed 140th
New York Volunteer Infantry assigned to the Fifth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. In December the regiment was involved in a minor action at Fredericksburg. For a short period in the beginning of "63" he led the brigade in which the 140th served during the battle of Chancellorsville, Va

O'Rorke was a skillful leader of his brigade during the epic Chancellorsville campaign and for his performance gained the rank of a brevet promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army. A reorganization in June, Brigadier General Stephen Hinsdale Weed, took command of the brigade. O'Rorke resumed command of the 140th New York as the Army of the Potomac under its new commander, George G. Meade, began its foray north into Pennsylvania in pursuit of Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

Brigadier General Gouverneur K. Warren, the Army's Chief Engineer, together with some signalmen on the crest of Little Round Top, spotted the movement of Confederate General James Longstreet's Corps, which threatened to turn the left flank of the Union Army, and rushed to find Union troops to guard Little Round Top against this action. Warren found the brigade commanded by Strong Vincent, who posted his troops on the ridge of the southern slope of Little Round Top, in front of the advancing Confederates.

On the opposite end of the battle line a gallant leader, Joshua Chamberlin in command of the 20th Maine put up a heroic man to man bayonet counterattack. Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine has become legend and verse for the bravery displayed on that fated rocky crag July 2, 1863.

While the 20th Maine was holding Vincent's left, two Texas regiments were on the verge of breaking through his right, Vincent had been cut down while attempting to rally his men. Seeing the problem Warren rushed down the north slope of Little Round Top and found O'Rorke and his 140th New York on the Wheatfield Road awaiting orders. Warren demanded that O'Rorke move his troops to the summit of Little Round Top. O'Rorke, seeing that there was no time to clear the movement with Weed, led the 140th up Little Round Top. As Paddy and the boys reached the top of the hill, he assessed the situation, dismounted and drew his sword and lead the attack head long into the Texans advance. As the tale goes according to O'Rorke's adjutant, Lieutenant Porter Farley, "His sword flashed from its scabbard into the sunlight," and O'Rorke commanded, "Down this way, boys!" running down to meet the advancing rebels. As he lead Companies A and G of the 140th New York down the slope O'Rorke was shot through the neck and fell at the head of his troops, the 140th continued the attack, just in time to save the right flank of Vincent's Brigade, the summit of Little Round Top, the left flank of the Army of the Potomac, and the day for the Union.

For all his bravery Paddy is favored with a monument on the field where he gave his life for his country. It is said to bring Good Luck if one rubs ol' Paddy's nose on the 104h monument where the forgotten brave Paddy fell July 2 1863.

Antietam Anniversary Approaches

Confederate dead on the Hagerstown road at the Battle of Antietam
Alexander Gardner. "Antietam, Maryland.." September 17, 1862.


The battlefied on the day of the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862

Alexander Gardner. "Antietam, Maryland. Battlefield on the Day of the Battle." September 17, 1862
On September 13, 14, 15, 2008 Antietam will offer various Ranger programs to commemorate the 146th Anniversary of the Bloody Fray that ensued !




What I consider to be a compelling and awe inspiring tribute is the lighting of 23,000 luminaries to pay tribute to each soul who paid the ultimate price at Antietam will take place Saturday evening @ 6:00 December 6, 2008 Please make arrangements to see this spectacular sight.

This information comes from the archives of the Library of Congress:

The Battle of Antietam
September 17, 1862

At dawn, the hills of Sharpsburg, Maryland, thundered with artillery and musket fire as the Northern and Southern armies struggled for possession of the Miller farm cornfield during the Civil War. For three hours, the battle lines swept back and forth across the land. More lives would be lost on September 17, 1862, than on any other day in the nation's history.
By mid-morning, General Robert E. Lee's Confederate troops were crouched behind the high banks of a country lane. They fired upon advancing Union troops, but the Union General, George B. McClellan, held a strategic advantage--a scout had discovered a copy of the Confederate army's battle plan.
An overwhelming number of Northerners broke through the Confederates' line. Union bullets rained down the lane onto Confederate soldiers, and the former Sunken Road came to be known as Bloody Lane because of the tragic death toll suffered there.
Covered by cannon fire from General Stonewall Jackson's artillery, the Southerners retreated toward Sharpsburg, while the Union troops fell back. New Southern troops arrived in time to repel a second Union attack led by General Ambrose Burnside.

By nightfall, the Confederates occupied the town of Sharpsburg, but the battle was a Union victory. More than 23,000 men were killed, wounded, or missing in action. The next day, Lee began his retreat across the Potomac River. Lee's plan to find new recruits and supplies in Maryland, a slave-holding state that remained in the Union, had failed. The next year he would launch another assault into Union territory, which came to a head at the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.

John Burns known as the "Old Patriot" was the only civilian wounded during the actual battle in the battle of Gettysburg, and despite the taunting his fellow soldiers gave him for his out of date flintlock, out-of-style clothes, Burns was a fierce patriot a veteran of the War of 1812 who fought for the Union until gunshot wounds--at least three of them--put him out of the battle. Several years after the war had ended, Burns, now seventy-five, since his notoriety was often asked to give tours of the field on which he fought so valiantly one day while he was was walking in the woods where he had stood against the Rebs at the McPherson farm an apparition of a Reb soldier stepped into his path to menace him with a rifle. Burns turned and swiftly walked out of the woods, never to return to that part of the forest again. He said that he could fight the Rebs but could not fight the ghosts.

The Old Patriot

This image is of "The Old Patriot" John Burns

Contributed by: James Johnson, 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

The following thrilling narrative was related by B. D. Beyea, who spent several days on the battle-field in search of the body of Captain C. H. Flagg, who fell in that terrible fight:

In the town of Gettysburg live an old couple by the name of Burns. The old man was in the War of 1812, and is now nearly seventy years of age; yet the frosts of many winters have not chilled his patriotism, nor diminished his love for the old flag under which he fought in his early days. When the rebels invaded the beautiful Cumberland Valley, and were marching on Gettysburg, old Burns concluded that it was time for every loyal man, young or old, to be up and doing all in his power to beat back the rebel foe. and, if give them a quiet resting-place beneath the sod they were polluting with their unhallowed feet.

The old hero took down an old State musket he had in his house, and commenced running bullets. The old lady saw what he was about, and wanted to know what in the world he was going to do. 'Ah' said Burns, 'I thought some of the boys might want the old gun, and I am getting it ready for them.' The rebels came on. Old Burns kept his eye on the lookout until he saw the Stars and Stripes coming in, carried by our brave boys. This was more than the old fellow could stand. His patriotism got the better of his age and infirmity. Grabbing his musket, he started out. The old lady hallooed to him: 'Burns,where are you going?' '0,'says Burns, 'I am going out to see what is going on.' He immediately went to a Wisconsin regiment, and asked them if they would take him in. They told him they would, and gave him three rousing cheers.The old musket was soon thrown aside, and a first-rate rifle given him, and twenty-five rounds of cartridges.

The engagement between the two armies soon came on, and the old man fired eighteen of his twenty-five rounds, and says he killed three rebels to his certain knowledge. Our forces were compelled to fall back, and leave our dead and wounded on the field; and Burns, having received three wounds, was left also, not being able to get away. There he lay in citizen's dress and if the rebs found him in that condition, he knew death was his portion: so he concluded to try strategy as his only hope.

Soon the rebs came up, and approached him saying: 'Old man, what are you doing here?' 'I am lying here wounded, as you see,' he replied.Well, what business have you to be here? and who wounded you? wounded you our troops, or yours?' 'I don't know who wounded me; but I only know that I am wounded and in a bad fix. 'Well, what were you doing here? - what was your business?' 'If you will hear my story, I will tell you. My old woman's health is very poor, and I was over across the country to get a girl to help her; and, coming back, before I knew where I was, I had got right into this fix, and here I am.' 'Where do you live?' inquired the rebels. 'Over in town in such a small house.' They then picked him and carried him home, and left him. But they soon returned, as if suspecting he had been lying to them, and made him answer a great many questions; but be stuck to his old story, and they failed to make anything out of old Burns, and then left him for good.

He says he shall always feel indebted to some of his neighbors for the last call; for he believe someone had informed them of him. Soon after they left, a bullet came into his room, and struck in the wall about six inches above where he lay on his sofa; but he don't know who fired it. His wounds proved to be only flesh wounds, and he is getting well, feels first-rate, and says he would like one more good chance to give them a rip.

This story along with many others exists about Burns. The story of ghosts comes with one told by Burns himself, being a somewhat famous individual because of his patriot status he was many times asked to guide folks on a personal tour of the field where he fought on July 1.

More on that in the next post.

Abe's Pocket's Contents Revealed

Just three days after the Confederate surrender by Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865 10:15 p.m., while taking in a performance of "Our American Cousin" The contents of ol' Abes pockets was very curious, he had two pairs of spectacles and a lens polisher, a small pocketknife, his watch fob, a linen handkerchief, and a brown leather wallet containing a five-dollar Confederate note and nine newspaper clippings, including several favorable to the president and his policies.The question long asked by historians and speculated by many a researcher is. Why the five-dollar Confederate note.

Speculators claim it could have been to remind him of the struggles that lead Lee to surrender after fighting a long hard war.

We will never truly know what was in the man's mind, As Byron said "I loathe that low vice, curiosity."

Till Next Post Enjoy the world around you but always be vigilant and aware of your enviornment!

Dick Bloom

Whats in your pocket?

The blurry image is the only known image of Lincoln at Gettysburg!

Thanks to the Library of Congress for the image. {update:recently there is to have been a second photo found}

These images are of James Getty, Gettysburg's Renown Abe Lincoln Impressionist jimgetty.com/


On the night Abe Lincoln passed to his reward April 14, 1865.. the items found in his pockets were a curious lot. Got any idea what the items were? The why is the mysterious part of the items. Stay tuned, read the next entry and you will find out the anwser.

Till next post adios from Dick Bloom. Check out my website dickbloom.com

"The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is, curiosity."
Burke

Interesting Newspaper

An image of Fort Deleware

click to read

This is Volume 1 of a newspaper published by the prisoners of Fort Delaware Civil War Prisoner Camp in April 1865 complete with ads!

The complex known as Fort Delaware was erected on a marshy island known as Pea Patch Island the fort covered about 6 acres and was utilized as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war

"General Terror" Albin F. Schoepf was commandant of Fort Delaware Civil War Prison and both he and the hell hole of a prison were dreaded by the Confederate troops, the majority of them had been captured during the Gettysburg campaign and were men from the 26th Georgia Regiment, CSA.

At Fort Delaware, there were, at times, 10,000 Southern prisoners after Gettysburg the population rose to some 13,000 poor souls.

A goodly number of men died of disease such as smallpox, scurvy and dysentery severe malnutrition abounded the camp. Water was putrefied and food scarce.

A prisoner, Captain John S. Swann comments on the food and conditions at the hell hole, "We formed in line and marched to the mess hall, in which were several long rows of plank tables with pieces of bread and meat arranged along the sides at intervales of some two feet. When we were in place each prisoner took one ration. The bread was made of rye and wheat flour, well cooked, but the piece very small, about half enough for a well man. The meat a small chunk of beef. Occasionally all sinew or mostly bone. It was cut up very carelessly and very small, not half a ration. Some days the bread was substituted with crackers, and these were hard days on us. We were permitted to take these rations to our bunks. I ate mine but remained very hungry. When dinner came the same thing was repeated, except there was occasionally a tin cup of what was called corn soup very tasteless and insipid, with little or no grease."

He also wrote: "Not long after my arrival I heard a cry "Rat call! Rat call!" I went out to see what this meant. A number of prisoners were moving and some running up near the partition, over which a sargeant was standing and presently he began throwing rats down. The prisoners scrambled for the rats like school boys for apples, none but some of the most needy prisoners, and the needy were the large majority, would scramble for these rats. Of course but few were lucky enough to get a rat. The rats were cleaned, put in salt water a while and fried. Their flesh was tender and not unpleasant to the taste."

I published this today as I watched the Sunday news shows with all of the horrors com'n across about Iraq and Afghanistan wondering to myself just exactly what have we learned when it comes to the humane treatment of Prisoners of War.

Will some blogger be writing and publishing about the atrocities taking place today but not to see the light of day for many a year to come.

I'd like to think not, but compassion is one thing I am sure needs to be learned from this type of history.

Think about how you feel. Are you compassionate or do you think that kind of treatment of prisoners is valid.

Would the prisoners at Gitmo be allowed to write a NEWSpaper?

Have we grown in our sensibilities or have we grown harder in our stance on prisoners.

Let me know what ya think folks Please.

"Behavior is a mirror in which everyman displays his image"
Goethe

I bid you adieu till the next post and thanks for coming by and allowing me to share my thoughts,opinion, stories and from time to time advice.

Something on my mind

Shady Sadie taking time to smell the roses! okay its a tulip she still tak'n the time RIGHT!

(Cherokee)

O'siyo Oginalii
Tsilugi
Hello Friends

Welcome!Wakan Tankan Nici Un
(May the Great Spirit walk with you)

As we walk through this world of experiences some seem only aware of their immediate surroundings never projecting beyond that comfort zone, now don't get me wrong, I fully believe that having a comfort zone is a grand accomplishment but I feel that it should not be a physical place but a zone that one operates in and it moves with them as they trod the path of life.

I've heard it called one's prayer field {what energy you project to all the world as you interact with it} hence if we learn to accept that all that exists
as fluid energy ever present and available to help us build our personal power so positive thought and balance draws a positive result, just as a negative or dark projection creates negativity,doubt,resentment and a blockage to the positive flow of the universal energy about our perceived plight.

The reason I bring this thought to the blog today is quite personal because within the last month I have been fortunate to make several wonderful contacts with powerfully positive folk, two of these per chance meetings have created a powerful charge to my personal energy system at the same time I have some dear friends that have had some setbacks in their perceived comfort zone and are creating massive stress by not making lemonade out of the bag of bitter energy they are resenting their circumstance. This just proves to me further that this universal energy pool is REAL not a DREAM we live in.

So if you are perceiving a blockage. I am going to give you two things that I was told to me by my loving parents. One time when I was burning the candle at both ends, I would work on a home I had bought late into the night and frame houses in VA. during the day spending sometimes as many as 5 or so hours on the road commuting, one night when I had stopped at my folks on the way to my project home they wanted me to stay and have supper with them, I said I'd grab something to eat later. My dad who was a man of few words but when he said something it was on point for certain. You better remember to stop and smell the roses along the path. I of course didn't really get it until he had passed and my life took an unexpected negative turn I got it then.

One must take the time to reflect on the energy we put out and take a look around ourselves and a quote I am stealing from Cheryl Crow seems to tell the tale "It ain't about getting what you want, it is about wanting what you got!" My mom, a strong and powerfully opinionated woman, a nurse for most of her life. Mom's advice was if ya want to keep moving in life, Keep moving no matter what. So with my dad wanting to smell the roses and mom's thought about moving I know why and how they had the balance in life to be together forever as I am certain they still are walking hand in hand moving down the big trail stopping to smell the roses of LIFE!


Thanks for reading my thoughts I needed to get that out of this old creaky body/brain so I too can keep on moving and still smell the sweet fragrance of positive flowing energy.


"Everyone is poorer in proportion as he has more wants, and counts not what he has,but wishes only for what he has not."
Manilius

The reason I choose to start the blog today with the Native American translations is that the first people do not work to have material goods
the had good materials that they would Thank the Great Spirit for their good fortune and abundance whether it was counting coup or a successful hunt.
They understood as my dad had learned that lesson as well and I consider myself to be blessed that my dad and mom passed that knowledge forward unto a wretch like me.

Hippie trails my friends til next time

Howdy Friends

"This image is of a United States Flag Retirement Ceremony"
A rare image

Howdy to all my friends folks and fellow photographers

Hope this day finds you still sitt'n up tak'n nourishment!

Can ya believe that this year is flying by a such a clip.

A question to all the photographers out there has anyone been contacted by a this company http://www.stockphotopro.
It seems that they're a new stockphoto company they seem to be using mass mailings for their promotion, not many people have heard of them and from the reading I've done not many folk want to be involved, they only pay 20% and 30% after you have 300 photos posted!

Does any one have any great places to sell their artwork? Please let me know so I can pass the word around.

Please be sure to check out Crosby Stills Nash and Young's New Movie
it is coming out the July 25th.

Neil Young was on Charlie Rose, a great interview with a man with a vision
the vision being trying to create energy efficient vehicles by conversion of our current cars. I personally drive a 1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero that gets over 25 mpg.

The new movie looks interesting check it out at;

http://www.csny-dejavu.com

http://www.neilyoung.com

It is short blog today but I am like Arnold "I'll be Back!"

"War is the business of Barbarians."
Napolean

I'm Back

Gee this place is kinda dusty ain't checked in to see what condition my condition was in for many a moon.

Many things changing in my life but I can see the error of my ways by not showing up everyday at the blog and my website. Please forgive me.

I am still doing some photography, but my focus is currently on the studying the local history of my area which includes Gettysburg PA. In my blog I will still be offering photo tips, but the blog will now include much more in gathering and distibuting info on the local flair of history in and around Adams County PA of which Gettysburg is the county seat.

If anyone has any stories tales, fables, rumors or just facts about the revolutionary war, American civil war,. these can be about your families friends, or stories of interest to historians, or folk interested in learning more about our beloved past.

I will be trying to gather knowledge about the much forgotten native peoples history of the area. Any First People reading this please help me if you can, I am of native descent according to my relatives particularily my late grandmother Josephine Mackley Kepner, her mother Mary Perry was from the Bolivar, New York area and was said to be a full blood {I am not sure of the tribe at this time} but am researching that currently.

Okay folks there is a short update on Dick Bloom

Please check back daily.

(Cherokee) Afrika

Ho! Mitakuye Oyasin

"We Are All Related"