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.