News in brief...

Fields takes U.S. Grant portrayal into Civil War Trust video series

Sometimes things and events just happen at the right time.

That was the case for videographer Garry Adelman who was shooting footage at a recent Civil War Trust board of directors meeting in Greenwood, Miss.

Adelman was covering the event at Greenwood’s Museum of the Mississippi Delta that included an address by Curt Fields, who portrays Union Gen. U.S. Grant. Fields was speaking about the importance of Fort Pemberton in Grant’s Yazoo River expedition.

The videographer approached Fields following his presentation and asked if he would appear in the Trust’s Civil War In4 video series, portraying the commanding general of Union forces. Fields agreed and the shoot was done in two takes immediately behind the museum.

In the video, Fields provides a description of the life and accomplishments of the Ohio native who became the 18th president of the United States. A Collierville, Tenn., resident, Fields began portraying Grant in 2009 and has expanded his presentations from Tennessee into Kentucky and other states.

His wife, Lena, often joins Fields in his portrayals and assumes the role of Julia, Grant’s wife.

Civil War In4 is a series of videos featuring historians discussing basic Civil War topics. Videos are generally no more than four minutes long and subjects range from a description of notable Union and Confederate generals, to an explanation of Civil War artillery, to a description of the significance of the Western Theater.

Currently, there are 19 videos in the series.  Go to www.civilwar.org for viewing.

By Department of Interior
Camp Nelson designated national historic landmark

The National Park Service presented and unveiled a plaque Jan. 4 designating Camp Nelson as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Such designations are provided to nationally significant historic places as they possess “exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States,” Gordon Wissinger, acting regional director of the National Park Service’s Southeast Region, announced.

Camp Nelson is part of a select national network of historic places with less than three percent of the properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places as historic landmarks.

Rep. Andy Barr was the principal speaker at the event along with the National Park Service’s Bill Justice, superintendent at Abraham Lincoln National Birthplace. Numerous state and local representatives also were present at the event.

Camp Nelson was established 150 years ago to serve as a Union supply depot, recruitment center and hospital facility. The camp also performed a critical role as the supply center and rendezvous point for three major Union campaigns and battles.

On Sept. 6-7, the Camp Nelson Education and Preservation Foundation will conduct commemoration of the site with the anniversary of the enlistment and training of African- American men.

Fort Duffield commemoration conducted Nov. 2

A commemoration of the beginning of earthen fort construction at Fort Duffield was conducted Nov. 2, 2013, highlighted by morning and afternoon skirmishes.

Larry Elliott portrayed Abraham Lincoln and Steve and Lisa Lindsey portrayed Gov. and Mrs. John LaRue Helm at the event. A Civil War music concert and sing-a-long was provided by the Kentucky Home Guard Band.

The event was hosted by the Fort Duffield Heritage Committee, Friends of Fort Duffield support group and the 9th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Re-enactors.

Fort Duffield, constructed in November 1861, is Kentucky’s largest and best-preserved Civil War fortification. The fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

New name, logo now in effect for Lexington bureau

As of Jan. 1, the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau has a new name and an updated logo.

VisitLEX will continue its purpose “to serve as an invaluable resource to visitors, the community, and partners as one of the nation’s premier destination marketing and service organizations.”

The new logo, VISITLEX, is reminiscent of the brass nameplates used on horse halters and the Edward Troye portrait of the horse, Lexington, which has been converted to blue and trademarked by the bureau.

Lexington has long been known for producing champion racehorses and handcrafted quality bourbon and has a rich Civil War history.

Perryville one of 10 great Civil War places to visit

Perryville is one of the 10 great Civil War places to visit, according to author Jeff Shaara.

Shaara lists the top 10 in his new guidebook, Jeff Shaara’s Civil War Battlefields:  Discovering America’s Hallowed Ground.

In addition to Perryville, other great places to visit are Antietam, Md.; Vicksburg, Miss.; Petersburg, Va.; Manassas, Va.; Shiloh, Tenn.; Mobile Bay, Ala.; Glorieta Pass, N.M.; Chickamauga, Ga.; and Olustee, Fla.

“You don’t have to be a fanatic history buff to go to these places,” Shaara states.  “You can get something out of it just by taking the time to visit.”

Lincoln’s gloves bear blood stains of his death

President Abraham Lincoln didn’t like to wear gloves, but did so in consideration for the purposes of hygiene and etiquette.

The President always carried several pairs of gloves when outside the capitol and his office. He went through many pairs as he shook hands with thousands of strangers each year.

On the evening of April 14, 1865, when he was assassinated at Ford’s Theater in Washington City, Lincoln carried a pair of white kid gloves in his front left pocket. He was shot just behind his left ear and blood ran down his sleeve and pooled in the pocket containing the gloves. Stains remained on the gloves’ cuffs.

The gloves were given to Mrs. Lincoln after the President’s death and eventually were provided to the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill.

Trust receives fifth straight Charity Navigator honor

For the fifth consecutive year, the Civil War Trust has earned a coveted four-star ranking from Charity Navigator, America’s leading charity evaluator.

The Trust continues to receive accolades for its sound fiscal management and commitment to top-notch donor relations. Only four percent of charities assessed by Charity Navigator have earned such a consistent level of recognition. After evaluating recent financial and other documents, the watchdog group gave the Trust an overall rating of 65.87 on a 70-point scale.

The Civil War Trust is America’s largest non-profit organization (501-C3) devoted to the preservation of the nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields. The Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public of the war’s history and the fundamental conflicts that sparked it.

Secession not ruled illegal until after Civil War

Was secession legal?

No, although it was not ruled illegal until after the Civil War.

This was a complex question at the time with able legal minds to be found arguing both sides, but the United States Supreme Court, in Texas v. White, 74 U.S. 700 (1868), determined that secession was unconstitutional. Chief Justice Salmon Chase wrote in his majority opinion that, “The ordinance of secession ... and all the acts of legislature intended to give effect to that ordinance, were absolutely null. They were utterly without operation in law.”