Author: Patrick Teegarden
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Washington, D.C. — ‘The Great Volcano’
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Instead of a column this week, I wanted to share a quote I recently came across, penned by our greatest President at a relatively young age (30). Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, right-wing, left-wing, or somewhere in between, you have no doubt heard an example of overly provocative political speech or writing which…
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“Abraham Lincoln, a Prince of Men.” Just ask his harshest critics
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This weekend, the much-anticipated movie, Lincoln, will be debut across the country to much fanfare and pre-release hype. In preparation for what will likely be another Stephen Spielberg masterpiece, starring, among others, Daniel Day Lewis and Sally Field, it seems appropriate to reflect upon a few of the complexities and ambiguities of our 16th and…
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May 1862: A Civil War status report after one year of protracted fighting
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In the coming months, I look forward to writing in more detail about 1862, including tragedies (like Antietam and Fredericksburg) and triumphs (like the Emancipation Proclamation) which are part of this year’s Sesquicentennial remembrance, as well as other core antebellum and post-bellum issues. For this week, however, since so many readers of The Colorado Statesman…
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A reflection on Shiloh and Passover
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The two-day Civil War Battle of Shiloh, sometimes referred to as the “Battle of Pittsburgh Landing,” began in the predawn hours of Sunday, April 6, 1862, when Confederate General Albert Sydney Johnston’s army rushed out of the dense woods upon the more or less unsuspecting Union army of General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant’s troops were,…
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Trying to understand Veterans Day: What and whom are we honoring?
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Here’s how well I understand Veterans Day — I told my publisher/editor/friend, Ms. Strogoff, how thrilled I was to write about this important national holiday, because it had in fact been originated by Civil War General and Congressman John “Blackjack” Logan. Which would have been correct if we had been talking about Memorial Day! In…
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Beginning of the end of slavery in the Union
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On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln publicly announced his intention to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, effective on January 1, 1863. Under the terms of this Presidential Order, any area in a state of rebellion against the Union would immediately forfeit the institution of “legal” slavery without compensation. Lincoln had actually come to his own…
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Single day of fighting in Civil War resulted in twice the deaths from terrorists of 9/11
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September 17, 1862 was the bloodiest single day in U. S. history-by a long shot. Total deaths — the worst. Total casualties (killed, wounded and missing) — the worst. Deaths and total casualties adjusted as a percentage of total population — worse yet! During this past week, as we’ve all appropriately reflected on the horrors…
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Civil War Generals: Part I — The Union Army
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Over the four-year duration of the Civil War, the Union Army included close to 2,500 “generals.” But that number is somewhat misleading in that it includes almost 2,000 “Brevet” Brigadier Generals. While the “Brevet” rank is somewhat complex to understand in its entirety, it is roughly analogous to a modern day combat medal or other…
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Happy Birthday, America!
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As an undergraduate student, I once had the temerity to ask a Lincoln/Civil War scholar which of Lincoln’s numerous speeches should be considered his greatest. For a moment he looked piteously down at my lesser being, then smiled and suggested that, rather than pick one favorite, all good citizens should simply read, assimilate, and reflect…
