Sorry for all the 'toxic' political posts lately. I just deleted them out of frustration. It appears that I am being sucked into the black-hole that is the 2008 presidential election. No more Glenn Beck radio on the way home from the office! Today I brought some of my Civil War battlefield tour CDs. That should relax me.

Frankly, as a registered Libertarian, I am not voting for either of these gentleman, so why even worry about it. Honestly, I despise the state of our government and the media because they have both turned me into a cynical, miserable citizen. Even my wife and kids are sick and tired of hearing me rant. It's not healthy. I love what this country is supposed to be, but I hate living in what it has become. As a devout Presbyterian, I have to move on and accept that America's future is in God's hands now. So I will leave this topic with these timely words:

On April 30, 1811, Thomas Jefferson wrote to William Duane from Monticello about political compromise and the role of journalists in the political process:

I think an Editor [of a newspaper] should be independent, that is, of personal influence, & should not be moved from his opinions on the mere authority of any individual. But, with respect to the general opinion of the political section with which he habitually accords, his duty seems very like that of a member of Congress. Some of these indeed think that independence requires them to follow always their own opinion, without respect for that of others. This has never been my opinion, nor my practice, when I have been of that, or any other body. Differing, on a particular question, from those whom I knew to be of the same political principles with myself, and with whom I generally thought & acted, a consciousness of the fallibility of the human mind, & my own in particular, with a respect for the accumulated judgment of my friends, has induced me to suspect erroneous impressions on myself, to suppose my own opinion wrong, & to act with them on theirs.

This particular project is intended to take some pressure off of two neighboring elementary schools (Riverview and Parkside). The engineering logistics have spilled over to the rebuilding of our bridge-overpass and an eventual ‘straightening’ of much of our winding country road. It’s a mess to say the least, but our younger kids will probably go there and the road improvements will be nice.

Unfortunately, they have decided to christen the school as “Cedar Forest Elementary, “ which, IMO, is a very lame name. Cedar Forest was all they could come up with? I guess this kind of mediocrity makes sense as Riverview Elementary is near a river and Parkside Elementary is beside Patriot Park. Still, how utterly boring and historically insignificant.

Of course with all of the controversy surrounding Southern schools that are named after Confederate commanders, it doesn’t surprise me that they would go with something safe. We do have Robert E. Lee Elementary and Lee Hill Elementary, but I have always been surprised that “Stonewall” Jackson isn’t represented by any of the schools. His legacy in our proximity is more than his commander’s and this new school will be located in the general vicinity of Jackson’s Ambulance Route, a few miles from the Stonewall Jackson Shrine, and just across the road aways from the woods that host the ruins of Belvoir. What a great opportunity to introduce “Stonewall Jackson Elementary,” or even “Thomas J. Jackson Elementary.”

I did a little research online and have found that there are only a handful of schools bearing his name across the United States. I found: Stonewall Jackson Elementary (Dallas and Denton, Texas), Stonewall Jackson Elementary (Bristol, VA), Stonewall Jackson Elementary (Jacksonville, FL), Stonewall Jackson High School (Prince William County, Virginia), Stonewall Jackson High School (Shenandoah County, Virginia) and Stonewall Jackson High School (Kanawha County, West Virginia) which closed in late 1980's and is now a middle school.

Apparently our school district isn’t as fearless. So despite the significant Jackson sites and history that saturate our area, we will have “Cedar Forest,” which must mean that the trees in the school's parking lot are cedar. [Yawn]

This afternoon I came upon a wonderful article titled ‘DID “WILD JOHN” STARNES KILL STONEWALL JACKSON?’ It originally ran in the New York Times on June 18, 1911 and presents the tragic story of a man who may – or may not – have shot his country’s beloved commander. It also presents other men who suffered remorse for the accidental wounding at Chancellorsville. It is a stunning read and you can view a PDF of the entire newspaper page here. I have often wondered about this very subject and am lucky to have stumbled upon this gem during a Google search.

This topic begs for an article and perhaps I will pursue one later this year. The emotional conflicts and virtues that are exhibited here including guilt, remorse, shame, forgiveness, scrutiny and others could make for an interesting commentary on man's tendency to pass judgment on himself and others whether it is justified or not. I'll keep you posted if this manifests into something publishable.

If I remember correctly, our good friend and fellow blogger Richard Williams posted about this very subject a couple years ago, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, this is one of the most cherished and celebrated historical trees in all of America. It has been christened as “The Stonewall Jackson Prayer Oak” and is estimated to be 275 to 300 years old.

General Jackson is said to have prayed under this magnificent tree each morning that he camped there in June of 1862. It stands next to an abandoned farm lane in the Shenandoah Valley near Grottoes, Virginia and has become a favorite photo spot for tourists. As Jackson’s legacy has flourished, so has the tale of the esteemed general’s presence under this tree near Mount Meridian. It is certainly a beautiful specimen and one can only imagine the fervent power of prayer that this tree witnessed as the Confederacy’s most pious commander sought guidance and inspiration from his Lord and Savior.

I just received the final cover from The History Press for 'Historical Churches of Fredericksburg: Houses of the Holy.' View PDF of entire cover wrap.

Thanks to the great designers at THP for a beautiful cover.

I've been fairly busy since returning from Winchester and have the following duties that may impact the frequency of my blogging for the next week or so.

• First and foremost is my son Jackson’s baptism this weekend. Our Yankee relatives from PA are coming into town and it will be a blessed experience indeed.
• I have been consulting with the publisher on the final photo selections for ‘Houses of the Holy’ as that book is being paginated as I type this. There will be at least 70 photos (leaning toward 80) and some have been rarely seen. Details to come.
• I will be posting on a rather remarkable photograph taken at the Hall of Great Americans in NY by an associate from the Fredericksburg CWRT. This dramatically lit image was taken at dawn and features busts of Grant and Jackson facing one another. It is going to be available in a print. Details to come.
• I have been asked by the parent of a young student who is participating in a living timeline to provide transcripts of Richard Kirkland’s private letters. They in turn will be providing me with a copy of their Christian tract on our hero titled “Water for the Wounded.” Details to come.
• I am currently exploring the possibilities of taking over the volunteer position of Church Historian at Spotsylvania Presbyterian as well as planning a release party for ‘Houses of the Holy’ to be held there with all proceeds (minus book sales) going to the church’s missions or ministries. There will be food, a raffle w/ prizes, a short talk by myself, and of course a book signing. Details to come.
• I also have a meeting with the good folks at the Civil War Soldier’s Life Museum to discuss book sales, a possible lecture and an invitation to assist as an exhibit advisor. Details to come.
• I have a couple book reviews coming up, one in the paper (One Continuous Fight) and one online (Two Brothers). After that I’ll be taking a much-needed break until the end of August when I will be speaking up at the Manassas museum on 'The Great Revival.' Details to come.

After that, I’ll be getting back to work on the baseball book. I have completed several sections and will be dedicating the majority of my free time in pursuit of that venture. It’s nice to have a book project with no clear deadlines as it makes it more fun. I’ve published a bunch of articles and five books (4 print and 1 digital) in just over 3 years, I need some slack.

Many of my fellow bloggers have already posted their condolences and thoughts on the tragic and untimely passing of journalist Tim Russert. He was one of the good guys and will certainly be missed by many. Over the weekend, I watched some of the network news coverage, and the countless tributes to the man testified to just how much he is loved and respected by his peers. Of course Russert was best known for his work in the political arena. As a Libertarian, my disgust for all things government kept me out of his audience. Sunday mornings were always 'booked up' with church service, so I never saw a single episode of ‘Meet The Press,’ nor did I watch any of the Presidential debates that he hosted during this election year. My only exposure to Mr. Russert was through my work as a baseball writer.

Some of my regular readers know that my writing career started out at Baseball-Almanac back in 2000 and between there and freelancing, it would take me years to write and publish half as much Civil War material as I have on the history of our national pastime. (Heck, I’m working on a baseball book now.) Over the years, I spent a great deal of time communicating with historians and archivists from the Baseball Hall of Fame. One specific project that jumps out at me (and has yet to be completed) was a piece that I wanted to write on baseball’s combat veterans. The HOF was able to provide me with some great reference materials on players who actively participated in wars.

This was back in 2003 and it was then that I learned of the appointment of Tim Russert to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s prestigious Board of Directors. I never met the man, but heard wonderful things from HOF employees and SABR members who cited his infectious enthusiasm for the preservation and presentation of the game's legacy.  

I am gathering that many people were not aware of the fact that Mr. Russert was a devout baseball fan that loved the New York Yankees and was completely enamored by the great Yogi Berra. I understand that he had also taken a liking to the Washington Nationals and was a season-ticked holder. Before the return of a franchise in DC, Russert could also be seen attending Orioles games and truly cared about the state of the sport. He once said, "Baseball has been central to my life, as a son and as a father. I am honored to join the Board of the Hall of Fame to help preserve the history of baseball and educate a new generation about the glory of the game." (Russert even had his own bobble head doll, which is THE sign that you’ve made it in ‘the Show.’)

Baseball crept into his media work from time to time. During the Major League strike of 1994, Russert hosted Donald Fehr, who is the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig on his show 'Meet the Press'. During the show, the host mentioned how he was able to take his son to his first All-Star Game at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh and as he and his son walked the field, his son Luke turned to him and said "Dad, I'd play this game for free."

Fellow baseball enthusiasts Bob Costas and Keith Olbermann both fondly remembered their friend’s love of the game and life. Costas called him ‘a humanist’ and Olbermann recalled his passion. Both baseball and political fans alike will surely miss Tim Russert. Here’s hoping that he’s up at the big diamond in the sky right now, watching Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams taking BP.

After some thought, I have decided to hang my CSA First National Flag at the homestead. This is a beautiful banner that I purchased down at Fort Macon in North Carolina last summer and have been saving. I use a cheap, nylon ‘replica’  battle flag as part of my table setup at events, but this is a gorgeous cloth flag. I'll be putting up a special mounting out back near my pool and will take some pics. Why fly the First National?

Well… After my posting about the lack of any Confederate banners at the Stonewall Jackson Shrine, I took an impromptu ‘poll’ with some neighbors and associates and I am quite bothered by what I’ve discovered. Here I am living in the heart of Civil War country, aka Fredericksburg Virginia, and I have yet to have an adult properly identify this flag. All of those that I’ve queried have absolutely no idea. I even had a guy confidently tell me that it was the state flag of Texas. Another said it was the Continental Army's flag. BOTH were born and raised here.

That’s a big problem IMO, and a sign that Confederate history is slipping away. To be fair, I may not have known what this particular flag was either if I had no interest in CW history. Still, I petitioned a 'broad demographic' and was surprised that nobody could come up with the right answer. This group was made up of white-collar professionals, both white and black adults, ages 27-40+, all college educated.

Every one of them could instantly identify the CSA battle flag and they were split 60-40% on the symbolism of it. 60% of them being ‘against’ it or considering it to be a divisive and racist image. None of them had the same initial reaction for the First National flag. I find that fascinating.

I pray that all of you dads out there had a wonderful Father's Day. Mine was extremely busy, but blessed. This morning I wanted to post something related and decided to quote an excerpt from my religious bio on J.E.B. Stuart titled "Christian Cavalier." I spent quite a few pages in the beginning of this book tracing his ancestry and presenting J.E.B.'s family and upbringing. I also described his grandfather and father as being men of great virtue and how I believe their positive influence on the flamboyant and impressionable Stuart kept him on the ‘straight and narrow.’ One example that I used to illustrate this dealt with his conduct at West Point and how his father handled the situation:

Despite his success in the classroom, there was one negative and recurring experience during J.E.B.’s pursuit of higher education. It is seldom discussed, rarely documented and in retrospect, a bit difficult to believe. Due to the lack pictorial references during Stuart’s formative years, we only have the accounts of those that knew him personally. Unlike the handsome cavalier we have seen in photographic portraits, J.E.B. was rumored to have suffered from a facial deformity. One photo does exist on record (left) that was taken in Washington shortly after Stuart’s graduation that somewhat supports this theory. In it, J.E.B. appears as a sullen 21 year-old without his trademark beard. Although his chin is partially covered in shadow, the lack of a strong jaw is evident. Major H. B. McClellan later recalled the malformation as well as the resulting heartache caused by malicious upperclassmen that teased Stuart.

His face was marked by one feature, which would have misled a physiognomist in predicting his character and future. A prominent chin, and firmly set lips, are generally considered indicative of firmness and tenacity of purpose. But Stuart’s chin was so short and retiring as positively to disfigure his otherwise fine countenance; and among the cadets at West Point he bore the nickname of “Beauty Stuart,” a lucus a non-lucendo. This disfigurement was, in maturer years, entirely concealed by a wealth of flowing brown beard, above which appeared a well-shaped nose and a broad and high forehead.

As a result, J.E.B. was often involved in physical altercations that dramatically contrasted his academic performance. Although his grades were impressive, the list of yearly disciplinary actions marred his record significantly. One letter sent from his father during his third year issued a mild warning:

I am proud to say that your conduct has given me entire satisfaction. I heard, it is true (but no thanks to you for the information) of the little scrape in which you involved yourself; but I confess, from what I understand of the transaction, I did not consider you much to blame. An insult should be resented under all circumstances. If a man in your circumstances gain credit by submitting to an insult as a strict observer of discipline, he loses more in proportion in his standing as a gentleman and man of courage.

However, six months later, his father’s tone changed significantly as he 'scolded' his son:

I have received your letter, and much regret that you have been involved in another fighting scrape. My dear son, I can excuse more readily a fault of the sort you have committed, in which you maintained your character as a man of honor and courage, than almost any other. But I hope you will hereafter, as far as possible, avoid getting into difficulties in which such maintenance may be determined at your hands.

Unfortunately this also would not be the last incident. By the time of his graduation, Stuart’s conduct rating stood at one hundred and three out of two hundred and six with 129 total demerits. Fortunately, J.E.B.’s suffering over his appearance would soon come to an end. Several months later, while serving in the frontier, Stuart began to cultivate his infamous cinnamon beard and mustache. To a friend he proudly wrote:

My beard (which by the way is in a flourishing condition) has so much altered my physique that you could not recognize me. Davant says that I am the only man he ever saw that a beard improved.

I knew this group was cool when we met them in Charlotte...

All Summer Long (Rock am Ring 2008)