behind AotW

I admit I’m something of a research snob.

I prefer sources primary and delight in finding fault (at least in my own head) with the over-simplification and same-old tired anecdotes found in many mass market publications. The ubiquitous Time-Life Civil War series is a good example of this sort. Last week, however, I found a gem among these weeds.

cover, Voices of the Civil War: Antietam

Also by the Editors of Time-Life, this 1996 volume is packed with carefully selected eyewitness quotes, stunning photographs, and excellent explanatory text. I’m embarrassed to tell you I didn’t even know the book existed til I found it in a neighboring library.

A likely explanation for its unexpected quality can be found in the list of “consultants” credited in the back of the volume. These were the late Brian Pohanka, ANB Historian Ted Alexander, and Gettysburg’s Scott Hartwig. I see their fingerprints all over it.

Some of my Antietam boys are much better known for action elsewhere. One such celebrity was Henry Reed Rathbone (1 July 1837 – August 1911). He’s at the far left in this famous scene from 1865:

Currier & Ives–Assassination of President Lincoln (1865, US Library of Congress)

At the fatal shot

[i]nstantly, Major Rathbone sprang upon the assassin. Booth dropped the derringer, broke from Rathbone’s grasp, and lunged at him with a large knife. Rathbone parried the blow, but received a deep wound in his left arm above the elbow. Booth placed one hand on the balustrade, to the left of the center pillar, raised his other arm to strike at the advancing Rathbone, and vaulted over the railing. Rathbone again seized Booth but only caught his clothing…

Being webmaster of Antietam on the Web has its challenges, but big rewards, too. Once of the greatest is the steady stream of correspondence I get from people all over the world who have pieces of the puzzle to share.

Just before stepping off the grid for vacation a couple of weeks back, I had a note from a delightful person in Arizona who’s family owns the painted portrait you see here.

MGen Thomas C Devin, artist unknown; poss. Healy (c. 1870, courtesy of the owner)

This noble warrior is Thomas Casimer Devin (1822 – 1878), here in the uniform of Major General: the (honorary) rank he attained by brevet in March 1965 and by appointment in the US Volunteers after the War was over.

He was Colonel in command of the 6th New York Cavalry at the battle of Antietam in 1862, and led a detachment from his Regiment in that action, their first significant combat of the War.

We’ll touch later on the battle of Five Forks for which he is celebrated here, but first let me skip ahead to the punchline of this post. Take a peek down in the bottom left corner of the picture and note the flag draped at Devin’s right knee. Yes, those are actually dinner forks …