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LATEST ARTICLES
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An Interview With Living-History Educator Miss Ellie
Uploaded November 16, 2006
by Barbara Peterson
While the mandate of Ghost Guns Virginia is to cover the historical scene in Virginia, we also conduct interviews with historians, re-enactors, and other people of interest around the country.
Ellen M. DiMaggio has been speaking about the ladies of the Civil War era to the school children, and others, of Arkansas for almost ten years, as you can see from her website, www.speakingofladies.com/.
Please read the complete Interview with Miss Ellie.
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The Virginia versus the Monitor: A summary
Uploaded November 16, 2006
by Joseph Umberto
The battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia is one of the most famous naval battles of all time and certainly the most famous that ever took place in Virginia!
Below is one of several articles that will be forthcoming on the Battle of Hampton Roads.
The USS Merrimack was a 275-foot sail and screw frigate built at the Boston Navy Yard, launched on 15 June 1855; she was commissioned less than a year later on 20 February 1856. The Merrimack made an initial deployment to the Caribbean, her shakedown continued in Western European waters.
Please read the complete Monitor and Virginia, a summary.
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An Interview With Living-History Interpreter Wes Stone
Uploaded November 6, 2006
by Caroline Miniscule
I had just been discharged from the U.S. Air Force and was working at a temporary job in the daytime and acting at night. I saw an ad in the Richmond paper for "Living History Interpreters" at Richmond National Battlefield.
Intrigued with the idea, I called the number and spoke with Ranger Hyman Schwartzberg. I got an interview, went on to be one of several hired to work as Union "soldiers" in a full-scale army camp circa 1864. It was amazing!
We had all the material culture "stuff" to hand and were trained intensively for weeks before being allowed to interact with the visiting public. In camp - at work (though it was far from "work" for me) we followed the daily routine of a soldier in the Civil War, right down to the several hours of drill each day! (I can still do the Civil War Manual of Arms at the drop of a hat!) I credit Hyman with being the major influence on my working life. He set the standard and set it very high for all of us and then gave us the chance and the encouragement to succeed.
Click here to read more of Wes Stone and his career. |
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Witnessed: The 3rd Annual York Towne Tea Party Re-enactment
Uploaded November 6, 2006
by Caroline Miniscule
On December 16, 1773, in response to the hated British Townsend Acts (taxing necessities such as tea) a group of men disguised as Indians boarded vessels in Boston Harbor and tossed the tea overboard.
Several cities and towns followed Boston's lead, in particular prosperous Yorktown, who held their own Tea Party on November 7, 1774.
Yorktown history enthusiasts decided to re-enact this event two years ago, on the 230th anniversary of its occurrence. 60 lucky people attended this inaugeral event. Last year, the audience numbers climbed to 450. Yesterday, at least 500 people were on hand on a sunny, but chilly November day to see the 3rd annual re-enactment.
Click here to read more about the Yorktown Tea Party. |
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Writing The Ghost Guns Guide To Yorktown,
Uploaded November 2, 2006
by Caroline Miniscule
For the past few days I've been conducting location research, preparatory to writing the Ghost Guns Guide to Yorktown. I've got a few more days of research left, and a few days of writing before it is ready to be presented here. The goal is to provide a guide that will enable visitors to Yorktown to see everything, and understand what they see, so as to enrich their experience of this storied town.
What goes in to the preparation of such a guide? I share that information in a series of 'blog-like' entries below. So, here we go.
Click here to read more of Writing The Ghost Guns Guide to Yorktown. |
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Caring For Hallowed Ground: Yorktown National Cemetery,
Uploaded November 2, 2006
by Caroline Miniscule
On October 27, 2006 I visited Yorktown National Cemetery, the Civil War-era cemetery that lies between the first and second siege lines (reconstructed) of the Revolutionary War Yorktown Battlefield.
As I walked past the meticulously maintained markers, I noticed that a couple were missing, and that a couple of trees, that used to grow between two of the markers, had been removed - only the stumps remained, and these were cut off to about an inch above the ground. Also, a couple of the shrubberies had been uprooted.
Click here to read the rest of Caring For Hallowed Ground: Yorktown National Cemetery. |
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Walking Tour of Redoubts 9 and 10,
Uploaded October 25, 2006
by Caroline Miniscule
It was a cold, windy October day in York County, Virginia, and I decided to drive over to Yorktown Battlefield and do some shooting (with a camera, of course).
It's possible to drive, or even bike, around the battlefield in a day, but to really experience it properly, visitors should take their time. Set aside at least two days to take it all in.
Today, I decided to look at the British Redoubts 9 and 10.
To get to these redoubts, following my route originating in York County or Newport News, drive north down George Washington Memorial Blvd, also known as Highway 17. You'll pass through York County (not to be confused with Yorktown), and then Grafton.
Click here to read the rest of Walking Tour of Redoubts 9 and 10. |
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Yorktown National Cemetery,
Uploaded October 29, 2006
by Caroline Miniscule
Between the First and Second Siege Lines of the Revolutionary War Yorktown Battlefield is the Civil War-era Yorktown National Cemetery.
The cemetery is enclosed by a brick wall, and in one corner of the enclosure is a two-story house. A large plaque giving Lincoln's Gettysburg address is affixed to the wall beside the door, but there is no other identification, and the porch door is locked.
If you turn to your left immediately after entering the grounds, and walk along the bushes, you will see a few markers underneath the foliage. There are no weeds around these markers, of course, but still - almost obscured. If you circle the bushes and walk back towards the front of the cemetery, again along the line of these bushes, you'll see two larger monuments, each for a husband and wife.
Click here to read the rest of Yorktown National Cemetery. |
There's many more articles at our Ghost Guns Articles index page.
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