Genealogy and History Fan

When the Civil War began on April 12, 1861 firearms for both the Union army and the Confederates were in short supply. Many of the early volunteers were given old weapons that were very ineffective.

Eventually about 2 million single shot, muzzle-loading muskets were made at the U.S. Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts and at a few other locations. The troops referred to these rifles as “Springfields”. The Springfield’s barrel was 39 inches long and could hit targets 500 yards away. It’s large bullets were actually capable of reaching 1500 yards!

These large bullets were called minnie balls and were developed in 1849 by Captain Claude Minie for the French Army. This bullet was made of soft medal which expanded under pressure, then tended to deform upon firing and disintegrate upon striking the target. It is believed that about 90% of all battle wounds in the Civil War were caused by minnie balls. (The Enfield, a less popular rifle used in the war also fired minnie balls.)

At it’s first introduction, generals on both sides of the war saw the Springfield as a revolutionary piece of equipment that would change the way the war was being fought. Nevertheless, massive frontal attacks, cavalry charges and front line placement of cannons continued throughout the war.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction… The chain reaction of evil, hate begetting hate, and wars producing more wars must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1929-1968

The American Civil War took over 600,00 lives and led to over 1,000,000 casualties. The war officially began on April 12, 1861. It lasted four long years where father fought son, brother fought brother and neighbor fought neighbor.

My second great-uncle, James Anthony Brown of Jackson County Indiana enlisted August 11, 1862 in Captain Ralph Applewhite’s K Company. This was the 67^th Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry. From September 14 -17 1862, the regiment was at the battle of Mumfordville, Kentucky. The regiment was captured on September 17^th but was paroled and sent to Indianapolis to reorganize. The 67^th went on to fight battles in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. The 67^th lost one officer and 52 enlistees to wounds. Two officers and 194 men died from disease. Sadly James Anthony Brown died March 25, 1862 of a staph infection at the Washington Military Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Back in Indiana, James’ wife Jemima Johnson Brown waited at home with their four month old son and five other children. According to family stories, when word came of James’ death, Jemima “took to her bed” to die also. While in this depressed state, their house caught on fire. She was carried from the house in her bed sheets. It was reported that she sat on a nearby hillside and watched her house burn to the ground. Jemima did recover and raised her children on the government pension she received of $16.00 a month. Jemima remained in Jackson County where she died at the age of 81.

James and Jemima’s story is just one example of why the Civil War has been called the bloodiest and saddest war in American history.

“We here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that the government by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” ( portion of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address given November 19, 1863.)

Genealogy tip:  If your immigrant ancestor served in the Civil War he automatically became a U.S. citizen without going through the naturalization process.