According to an article that recently ran here in The Free Lance-Star, members trying to find new homes for the Museum of the Confederacy met with the local chapter of the NAACP. Why? With no disrespect to the organization as a whole, why meet with them, or any other special interest group? Are they investing monies in it? Are they going to have any direct influence into the decision making and operational aspects of the museum? No. This is a touchy subject for me as I live in the immediate area and would love to work there. However, I am dumbfounded at the ridiculous amount of politics that it takes to open a museum. The amount of meetings and forums that have already taken place (in which everyone and their mother think they have a say) is astounding too.

The goal, according to the story is to make sure that the ‘whole’ story of the Confederacy is told. I agree that this is crucial, BUT I also challenge those attempting to build the nearby slavery museum to tell the whole story of slavery too. I expect there to be an exhibit on how slaves were introduced and baptized into Christianity. After all, that’s part of the WHOLE story. Of course I have NO right to demand anything - and neither do they. Once again, no disrespect to these special-interest groups or their demographics, I just don't see this as any of their business. 

Anyone that thinks that this idea of trying to make everyone happy is a good thing needs to look a little deeper. It has NOTHING to do with history and everything to do with “What’s in it for me?”

Today has been an exceptionally good day for me. I am so very blessed. First, I received the good news that I will be able to use Mort Kunstler’s wonderful “Changing of the Picket’s” as the cover art on my upcoming book Houses of the Holy: Historic Churches of Fredericksburg. I won’t discuss the terms, but I am very grateful for sure. I also firmed up the delivery of all of the digital manuscript and photography files with the good folks at The History Press. That’s another one in the can and the next time that I see anything HOH-related it will be in the form of a book galley. Life is good my friends, with or without a ‘working’ back.

I wanted to share something with a little more substance today as I will be gone tomorrow having my stitches removed. Next Wed. I will finally give that presentation on ‘Backyard History’ to the good people of the Lee’s Hill ’55 Club. One of the nearby locations that I’ll be highlighting is a manor down the road called “Hilton.” And one of the associated individuals that I will be covering is a sassy little miss named Lizzie Alsop, whose father was a wealthy and influential man responsible the construction of a variety of estates in our area. Most of them are still standing today.

Here are some excerpts from my notes for the talk on Hilton and Lizzie:

Samuel Alsop Jr, Oakley's builder, was born in Spotsylvania County in March of 1776. He was the son of Samuel Alsop, Sr., and married Dorothea "Dolly" Campbell, in 1802. Alsop began to accumulate land beginning with an inheritance of acreage from his grandfather and continued to acquire large land holdings in Spotsylvania and Caroline Counties. It is estimated that he owned over $65,000 of real estate and $75,000 in personal property, which included slaves. He was the “Donald Trump’ of the day here in Fredericksburg.

In 1816, he purchased 849 acres of land from a Dr. George French and began construction of the Federal-style house that would be Oakley Farm. This dwelling was one of four such houses that he built for each of his four daughters at the time of their respective marriages. Another Alsop construction that you are probably familiar with is the Spottswood Inn that stands out on Spotsylvania Court House.  He also supervised the construction of the Old Berea Church.

At his death in 1858, Samuel and his wife lived at what today is known as ‘Breezeland’ (during the war better known as Fairview), which still stands behind the Breezewood shopping center on Route 208. Years ago I used to live in a townhouse up there in Breezewood. They had been working on that house for years and a friend and I wanted to see how the restoration turned out, so we pretended to be investors and showed up at the open house. [To this day, I would love to pick that house up and drop it in the middle of the woods somewhere.]

‘Hilton’ is the home that I would like to focus on today. (Map / photo slides). It is private property now, so I didn’t get to photograph it. But thankfully I have plenty to talk about it as we have the accounts of Elizabeth Alsop who wrote extensively about spending the Christmas of 1862 there.

Lizzie was a teenage girl during the Civil War and she kept a detailed diary that showed her contempt for the Union soldiers. She also struggled with her own faith later after realizing that the South’s Cause was lost. Like most high-society gals in 1862, Lizzie was a big supporter of the war effort. And we can tell by here writings that she was very confident about the Confederacy winning the war.

For example, on Sunday night June 29th 1862 she wrote:

Hurrah for the Southern Confederacy!!!!! Joy! Joy! Joy!!!! Glorious news! Mr. Marye has just been over to tell us the joyful news-viz! To night Mr. Green Howe Daniel came down from Mr. James Scott's, about 30 miles distant, and brought a true copy of telegraphic dispatches received by Col. Fontaine from his son in Richmond. First ran as follows McClellan's Army in retreat, our Army pursuing already they have gotten so far that the guns cannot be heard in Richmond.

According to NPS historian John Hennessy “Lizzie was just 16 when she started her diary, and it’s remarkable in many respects. She was a first-rate flirt and chronicles her flirtations thoroughly (in fact, I think hers is one of the best testimonials in existence on 19th Century courting practices). But she was also politically and culturally aware and offers some great commentary on the Union occupation, family, and destruction.”

On Dec 29th 1862 Lizzie wrote what brought them from their main estate, which I believe was called Sunnyside, to Hilton manor on the hill:

Oh the changes, the changes, to which we are subjected, some for better some for worse, but all of which are the workings of a "Mysterious Providence." I am spending Xmas, with Father Mother Nannie & Em, yet not at home. How strangely all things work together for good, if it is for our true good, that we should be driven from our loved home; so many cast on the cold charities of the world; and yet this war develops people's characters. Some we formerly believed, unselfish gentlemen of refinement & polish, show that they too can act as rudely as the merest mechanic. Others whom we consider, close, cowards, selfish & c have now come out & manifested their real selves.

Five weeks ago Father Mother Nannie, Mr. & Mrs. Allen fled from Fredericksburg, thought to be in imminent danger; and took refuge in this house [Hilton], and here they have been ever since & are likely to remain for some time. During the shelling of Fredericksburg, November 11th 1862, very few citizens remained in town, not more a hundred & fifty if so many. Uncle William & Mrs. Foulke were at our house, but after the Yankees crossed over they left. The house was very much injured, every room rendered not inhabitable except two. The garden & yard turned into the common, the furniture nearly all cut up or very much injured...

[Thanks to the wonderful folks at the NPS, I have the entire transcripts of Lizzie’s diary and plan to write something much more extensive for the newspaper, perhaps even a series if possible. It is amazing to see how even teenagers back then had such a mature and patriotic grasp on the world around them. Sadly it is something that is less common today.]

Last night I watched about 20 minutes of a documentary on paparazzi, the scourge of the entertainment world. It got me thinking about another scourge, paparazzi historians. What are those? Well much like the guerilla photographers, they themselves seem to only be able to create something by disrupting the lives of their subjects. The unfortunate reality of their existence is that they appear to be so distracted by the constant assault on the work of others; they themselves fail to contribute anything on their own. What surprises me is the self-appointed qualifications to do so that they thrust upon themselves.

• They criticize books, yet they themselves have never published one…
• They criticize films, yet they themselves have never produced one...
• They criticize heritage organizations, yet they themselves belong to none…
• They criticize newspapers and magazines, yet they themselves don’t contribute to one…
• They criticize religion, yet they themselves don’t practice one…
• They criticize declarations and license plates of states that they don’t live in…

They are the unpleasant bully in the corner of the sandbox, waiting for some one else to build something, so they can walk over and knock it down. They create nothing tangible themselves, contribute nothing for others to critique, and ultimately hamper the preservation and presentation of history despite their adoration of it.

Teenagers sometimes go through that stage when they ‘hate everything’ and walk around sulking and itching to pick an argument. These paparazzi historians never grew out of that stage. They troll the Internet, blogs, magazines, and papers, looking for something to harp on… anything remotely related.

In the end, they are so obsessed with what other people do, their entire existence turns into the criticizing of it. The worst part of all is that they think their opinions matter so much that their destructive, and at times, ignorant analysis will garner them the same respect as those that they critique.

It’s a bothersome existence to say the least. In fact, it’s a little sad as if they spent half of the energy that they do tearing other people down in the creation of something themselves, it would probably be very good.

I know, that you know these kinds of paparazzi historians too. It must be a terrible feeling to have to attack everything that you see around you all the time. Certainly, it’s no fun to be the bully.

There is an old-saying that I would like to skew for purposes here: “There are those that can do, and those that live to criticize those that can do.” I pray that I never become the latter.

Today I was meditating, OK… I was really sitting around stoned on pain meds and watching the movie 'Gettysburg' when it came to me... WHAT is historically significant about US in our time that future peoples will look back on their ‘History Channel’ and learn about?

The nauseating conclusion is that there is really nothing that we (collectively) do today that is worthy (when compared to the ancients that we study). Today, we could never engineer an empire, or build an underworld, or be considered the 'greatest generation.' Really. What have we done? It would be funny if there wasn't any truth in it.

Here’s a list of future History Channel shows that will be most likely showcasing our pathetic contributions to the timeline of man:

• Ancient Reality TV: Anything Goes
• The Idolization of American Idol
• Steroid Sports and Criminal Competitors
• Internet Porn and the First Amendment
• The ‘Me’ Generation: A History of Entitlement
• Ebonic Nation: The Secret Language of Rap
• Illegal Immigration: Everyone's Doing It
• The 2008 Election: Great Slogans - No Substance
• Cultureless: America's Forgotten Past
• 300 Channels And Nothing's On
• Ice Truckers (*I assume there will still be ice and truckers)
  

Shave and shower.

Clean jammies. 

New sheets. 

Fresh bandages.

And a Priority Mail Envelope stuffed with a fresh copy of The Southern Cross hot off the press!

Things are finally looking up.

FYI: new book signing events in the works as I type including something with the U.S. Christian Commission Museum up in Gettysburg. (details to come)

Last week I mentioned a new side-book project that I am undertaking with our friend Eric Wittenberg on Major League Baseball’s Terrible Teams and Pathetic Players. The working title is ‘USTINK’ and I have only just begun to look into the outline. I have a fairly detailed plan of action, but I am also trying very hard to pace myself. This book will take a while, perhaps a year or more, as it will be an on-again – off-again project.

One aspect of the book will be the inclusion of sidebars that include a few ‘high points’ for some of the teams that we are covering. This will be a worthwhile tidbit as even the worst bunch of bums had a run at a lucky streak once in a while. One team (IMO) personified the best of the worst. That franchise was the St. Louis Browns. Several years ago, I wrote a short piece on this team of lovable losers for the St. Louis Brown’s Society’s ‘Pop Flies’ newsletter. Here is an excerpt, which will most surely end up in one of these sidebars:

The ‘44 “St. Louis Series” by M.Aubrecht

The ongoing war between the Allies and Axis powers certainly had an impact on Major League Baseball, but never like it did in 1944. Many of the games' best players were called away for tours of duty and the result was a seriously depleted pool of talent. During an interview with the St. Louis Dispatch Marty Marion of the Cardinals (and later the Browns) reflected on the '44 season stating "Common sense had to tell you the competition wasn't as good as it was before, but as a player, you don't notice that sort of thing at all. We just played the game like that was it. We never mentioned the War. You put out nine players, we put out nine players, and we played."

The top team in the American League that year was the St. Louis Browns who collectively batted .252 in route to their only pennant. They only had one .300 hitter in outfielder Mike Kreevich (who barely made it at .301), one man with twenty home runs, shortstop Vern Stephens (who hit exactly twenty); and one player over the eighty-five runs batted in mark, Stephens, who knocked in one-hundred nine runs. On the mound, the Browns boasted Nelson Potter and Jack Kramer who combined for a mediocre thirty-six victories. Despite running a close race for first, the Browns recorded the worst A.L. attendance in history on September 29th with a total of only 6,172 fans witnessing their sweep of a double header against the New York Yankees (thanks to outfielder Chet Laabs drilling two final-day homers).

The following day, attendance doubled to an slightly-less-embarrassing 12,982 as Dennis Galehouse went the distance, winning 2-0 for his ninth victory of the year. Amazingly, just two days later, the Browns were tied with the Detroit Tigers and boasted their first sellout in over twenty years as 37,815 packed Sportsman's Park to watch their "forgotten" team clinch the pennant on the final day of the season. The victory, combined with Detroit's loss to Washington, enabled St. Louis to finish one game ahead of the Tigers in the American League. Across town, the other Major League team from St. Louis was doing business as usual. In making off with their third straight National League pennant (leading by 14½ games over Pittsburgh), manager Billy Southworth's Cardinals had won one-hundred five games and ran their three-year victory total to three-hundred sixteen.

Like Chicago, New York and St. Louis before them, the "Gateway City" was electrified with the excitement of what was billed as the "St. Louis Showdown". Surprisingly, it was the eight-time National League champion Cardinals who were tenants of the American League's downtrodden Browns in Sportsman's Park which would be the venue for the entire contest. Perhaps as an answer to the lack of pre-game respect they had received in the papers, Luke Sewell's American League titleists came out swinging against their heavily favored rivals for the 2-1 opening victory. Denny Galehouse out-pitched Series vet, Mort Cooper and George McQuinn hit a clutch, fourth-inning, two-run homer that decided Game 1. Unfortunately, the blast would prove to be the Browns' only homer in World Series history.

The Cards answered back in Game 2 with Blix Donnelly's stellar relief pitching that tallied no runs, two hits and seven strikeouts in four innings. Ken O'Dea came up big as well with a run-scoring pinch single in the eleventh for the 3-2 victory. The underdogs prevailed again in Game 3 as Jack Kramer pitched a seven-hitter and struck out ten batters on the way to a 6-2 Brown's triumph. With the Americans ahead two games to one, the more experienced Nationals proceeded to show what it takes to play in the big show.

Sig Jakucki, the thirty-five-year-old who had won thirteen games for the '44 Browns after being away from baseball for five years, lasted only three innings in Game 4, a contest in which Cards lefthander Harry Brecheen, (16-5 in the regular season) kept the American Leaguers off stride. Stan Musial finished the job with a two-run homer for the 5-1 win. The following day, Cooper, who was coming off of a twenty-two-win season, beat Galehouse with a seven-hit, 2-0 shutout. In the Cardinals' 1942-1943-1944 stranglehold on the National League championship, Cooper had won sixty-five games and thrown twenty-three shutouts. For Game 6, it was Max Lanier and Ted Walks (who both had seventeen wins and shared a 2.65 ERA), that wrote the final chapter to the Brown's "Cinderella season" with a 3-1 victory that wrapped up the Cardinals' second Series title in three years. It was the eighth appearance in nineteen seasons for the World Champions, while it was the first (and last) Fall Classic in the Browns' 52-year history.

Musial later summed up the contest stating "The funny thing about that World Series (in 1944), the fans were rooting for the Browns, and it kind of surprised me because we drew more fans than the Browns during the season. The fans were rooting for the underdog, and I was surprised about that, but after you analyze the situation in St. Louis, the Browns in the old days had good clubs. They had great players like George Sisler and Kenny Williams, and the fans who were there were older fans, older men, old-time Brownie fans. But it was a tough series."

There have been a lot of articles and editorials published regarding the initial lack of interest in commemorating Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ birthday bicentennial. That ‘other’ president’s 200th birthday is also this year and of course he will deservedly get the spotlight, but I argue that Davis also deserves some respect and even in some cases, admiration. In fact, in some areas of political policy, Davis was actually more inclusive than his adversary. Here is an excerpt from 'The Southern Cross' devotional in the courage category:

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)

PROTESTANT PRESIDENT: Jefferson Davis was an American statesman who was appointed as the President of the Confederate States of America, for its entire history (1861 to 1865) during the American Civil War. A man of humble origins, he began his formal education at a small, one-room, log cabin school in the back woods of Mississippi. Two years later, his family moved and he entered the Catholic school of Saint Thomas at St. Rose Priory, which was operated by the Dominican Order of Kentucky. At the time, Davis was the only Protestant student in the entire institution, but his own acceptance, as well as an introduction to a different denomination, made a lasting impression on the Episcopalian. Later, as a West PointDavis prided himself on the military skills he had gained in the Mexican-American War as a colonel in a volunteer regiment and as U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. After rising to the highest chair in the newly established Confederate government, Davis made a concerted effort to bridge the spiritual and social gaps between citizens of different faiths. During the 19th Century, Catholics and Jews were often held in contempt and discriminated against by the country’s Protestant majority. President Davis did not share this sentiment and following his appointment to power, he set a precedent when he assembled the first administration in American history that included Protestants, Catholics and Jews. This courageous decision went against all previous political practices and ultimately sent shockwaves through all of the county’s governing bodies, as not even his contemporary, Abraham Lincoln, had appointed anyone other than Protestants to a high office. In his article Jefferson Davis, Religion and the Politics of Recognition, D. Jason Berggren stated that, “Davis practiced the politics of recognition by appointing individuals identified with persecuted religious minorities. In this regard, contrary to conventional wisdom, Jefferson Davis was a remarkable president, a president ahead of his time.”

[Davis has also been said to have been the greatest and most influential Secretary of Defense in U.S. History.] 

My very good friend and collaborator Richard Williams recently posted a response to our friend Harry Smeltzer’s post about reviewing 'Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story' for America's Civil War magazine, which enticed other bloggers to comment on their reviews and thoughts on the film. Clearly, Richard and Ken don’t need me to defend their work and everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions, but I do want to post my two-cents here as I think this is an important factor that is far too often neglected when discussing Christian-projects:

I’m actually surprised to see this film being reviewed in such a ‘secular publication.’ I am sure that presented a challenge to you. It is good to see everyone chatting about ‘Still Standing.’ HOWEVER, one issue that people are continuing to neglect in their discussions (and I made a point of putting in my review for the Free Lance-Star) is that this is a CHRISTIAN MOVIE made by a CHRISTIAN MOVIE COMPANY. Yes, it features familiar experts, but it’s ultimately created for a Christian audience to see the power of the Holy Spirit in a man’s heart and what that can do. This story (as presented in ‘SS’) is not about challenging scholarship, or uncovering new ground-breaking factoids, it’s about witnessing for our Lord and Savior.

I would bet that most (secular people) had never heard of the film company Franklin Springs Family Media or Director Ken Carpenter, yet they are the ‘DreamWorks’ of the Christian film realm and Ken has won more awards than Spielberg. So although I fully understand your comments, I think everyone needs to keep the story and the movie in context. ‘SS’ tells of a fervently pious man who introduced those held in bondage to the pathway to eternal salvation. That’s it. Maybe they would have found it otherwise, but he did it and their souls were ultimately saved by it. It’s like 'The Passion,' you either ‘get it’ and its intent or you don’t.

'Still Standing' teaches us about spreading the Good News of the Gospel to everyone, regardless of their status or social standing. I would never expect someone to analyze a lot of my work, including ‘The Southern Cross,’ which is foremost a Devotional, as anything other than an inspirational testament for Christ using empowering stories from the Civil War. Education AND enlightenment is possible. There is a difference in context though when it comes to secular and religious films. If you are a believer, or searching for examples of how faith impacts people, ‘Still Standing’ will be just what you are looking for.

If you’re looking for the Holy Grail on the complex and contradictive life of Thomas Jackson that will satisfy both the Christian and academic world… keep wishing…that movie will never be made.

Those of you that are familiar with the field correspondence of Confederate cavalry commander General J.E.B. Stuart will understand the term “headquarters in the saddle,” which he used to identify his ‘HQ location’ while on the move. It is with great pleasure that I too use this term as I am up, out of bed, and on the move myself...so to speak. It is a step in the right direction and I type this message to you not from my laptop in bed, but from my office desktop computer (OK, it’s only a few feet away…).

My strength is still lacking, but I am responding well to the new medication and certainly headed in the right direction. Today, I spent some time on the phone, answering emails, coordinating advertising material for an upcoming speaking engagement, and getting caught up on reading everybody’s blog. (Who knew CWi’s friendly little list of the 'Top 50 CW Books' would ignite such a firestorm of debate. Whoa!)

Over the last week I have suffered terribly and I have prevailed. I finished reading a wonderful short-biography on Thomas Jefferson that I’ve been casually reading for months. (I am shocked at the similarities between the political bickering that took place then and now.) I watched about a gazillion hours of the History and Military History Channel and should now be considered an expert on Adolph Hitler and the occult. (They need more material.) I am rehearsing my Lee’s Hill talk, which will be in 2 weeks and (thanks to my publisher at Patriot Press) I am very much looking forward to seeing the final printed page-galleys for The Southern Cross tomorrow. The next time I see them, they will be arriving in cases as books.

I am also looking forward to compiling info for the baseball book project that I am sharing with Eric Wittenberg. I already have a nice introduction ‘assembled’ in my mind. That will be an on-going piece as time permits. The doctor said that I have to learn to slow down and pace myself. After surgery #4, I believe him. I am beginning to feel my age for sure. Recovery from spinal-surgery at 35 is a lot different than it was at 30, 31, and 33.

I see my surgeon on Thursday and will let you know how it goes. I should be back to work fulltime (either from home or at the office) in 2 weeks. I have to be very cautious and not overdo it now. So that will be all for today. I will have something not about me to post in next day or two. Perhaps I will respond to the current discussions that are circulating over the lack of interest in Jefferson Davis commemorations with a post on the man that may surprise you. I know my brothers in the SCV have been addressing that issue with some nice programs. Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

First off, I want to thank each and every one of you for your ‘Get-Well’ emails, and cards. I am overwhelmed to say the least, and the Lord has certainly gifted me with a wonderful group of family, friends, and associates. The prayer notes from entire churches that had added me to their weekly petitions were especially touching. I must confess that I had started to feel quite sorry for myself as this particular case of Stenosis, a degenerative disease, has become severe in recent years. In essence, there is nothing that I can really do to prevent further deterioration and with this being my fourth back surgery, it was far too easy for me to become self-centered. This of course is ridiculous when there are so many other people out there who are much more worthy of your prayers than me. So I thank you all for lifting my spirits, and I also thank you for giving me some perspective on the matter. I am most blessed.

I had mentioned last week that this could not have come at a worse time as I have two books coming out and several lectures scheduled. Well, thanks to the great work of my neurosurgeon, Dr. Charles Azzam, I am home after only two-days in the hospital. I will be at home recovering for the next couple weeks, en route towards meeting my scheduled obligations. [The post-op pain is rather severe, although I am medicated and resting semi-comfortably. In fact, I had forgotten how bad this hurts. I pre-typed most of this post on Sunday and it is a good thing as it takes quite a while to type these updates with one finger.] At this point I have an 8” inch incision that runs from my bottom up to my middle back. The fusion hardware (6 screws) stayed the same from previous procedures, but I had another lumbar lamenectomy, and a spinal decompression. (My insurance company has had it with me for sure.) If everything worked according to the plan, the pain and numbness will be gone and my legs with have their full strength back. Then I can return to work! As you can see by the photo my father snapped, I am sleeping whenever possible. After all, it takes me 10 min. to get to the bathroom.

Before I went in to the hospital, I had several conversations with another author who proposed the concept for a new book project – a BASEBALL book project. After sharing a phone conversation and a few emails; I knew that it had the potential to be something very special. Although my attention has been strictly on publishing Civil War material for the last few years, I still get calls to do the occasional radio show as a noted ‘expert’ on the history of America’s national pastime. Over the years I had written close to 400 studies on the game for Baseball-Almanac including the entire histories of the All-Star Game, World Series, Year in Review and more. This book calls on my experience as a baseball-writer but with a VERY different approach…

The working-title of the book is “USTINK: Major League Baseball’s Terrible Teams and Pathetic Players.” The author that I’m working on it with is none other than our good friend and CW-historian extraordinaire Mr. Eric Wittenberg. This highly original study will present the storied legacies of the worst teams ever to hit the diamond. In addition it will have some of the sorriest player performances, a Hall of Shame, comparisons with some of the best teams ever, and newspaper excerpts from homer-writers tearing their own teams to shreds. There will be plenty of stats, photos, and quotes from players, as well as fans. The data will be deep, but the presentation will be light-hearted and fun. I think Eric’s idea is ingenious and as one who spent years writing about the ‘best of,’ it will be a unique and enjoyable challenge to pen a book on ‘the worst.’ Stay tuned for details on this wonderful project which will be ongoing. Eric and I will still be doing our usual stuff, but this will be a side-project that our readers also most certainly enjoy.