tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36676717424485583682024-03-19T00:27:17.661-04:00Civil War Navy, the History Profession, and Other Historical MusingsA blog about the navies of the Civil War, living history, and much more; basically whatever historical topics cross my mind. And obviously some miscellaneous stuff too!Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.comBlogger456125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-58081659074423652732022-08-03T14:07:00.000-04:002022-08-03T14:07:32.586-04:00What Am I Even Doing Here?<p> So yeah, its been almost two years since I've posted on this blog. Holy cow. What prompted me to come here today? Well, you see, I was going through a lot of my bookmarked websites and deleting links that were no longer active. When I got to the folder labeled "Blogs" I thought to myself, I wonder how many of these are still active? I didn't know because by and large I don't even look at them anymore. The two that I do look at are the ones that post links to their latest posts on Facebook and/or send me email alerts.</p><p>I was not surprised to see that most of the blogs I follow are basically dormant. One hasn't had a new post since 2012! One must be a disciplined and dedicated writer to keep up a blog, I think. It is akin to keeping up a diary or journal in my mind. So, how long had it been since I posted? Here I am - 23 months since the last time. I am not going to try to catch up on the past two years in this post (or any subsequent posts, for that matter). But what am I doing here? I have questioned whether I should keep this blog going or not in the past, and I always chose to leave it up just in case I got a mind to start posting more regularly. Why start over from scratch somewhere down the road if I already have the established platform here? But really, am I going to one day come back to regular musings on here?</p><p>I think blogging became somewhat of a lost art (and maybe a bit of a chore) as social media became ascendant. When I started this blog, I had barely dipped my toes into the world of social media, but then social media took off and I went along on the ride. I am on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Slack (for whatever that's worth; I still haven't figured out what the heck to do with Slack). They all serve their own purpose for me. I have noticed at least one prominent blogger has recently abandoned social media and gone back to simply blogging. I understand their reasons for doing so and everyone has their own way of handling the cesspool that social media can become if you let it. But social media is still a very important tool for me in keeping up with my hobbies and friends that I want to keep up with.</p><p>I'm not going to answer any of my own questions today. I'll give it some more thought and decide sometime, somewhere down the road what to do with this site. Maybe I should broaden the focus and start doing craft beer reviews, disc golf stuff, and concert reports along with the history stuff. Then again, that might get too chaotic. For now, I'll just leave things as they are and surprise myself by how long its been the next time I check in. š<br /></p>Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-79376855745465612862020-09-10T09:09:00.001-04:002020-09-10T09:14:48.606-04:00A Change in My Reading HabitsIn March, as the quarantine was beginning I posted a photo of a group of books I intended to read while working from home:
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I managed to read all of those except the Living History Anthology. At the same time, I was also working on a number of writing projects for "Civil War Navy, The Magazine." By the time I returned to working in the office around mid-May, I realized that I was really burned out on reading history books (or at least the typical sorts of things I usually read). I set out a plan to broaden my horizons by reading things that wouldn't normally be in my reading pile, including some different types of history books.
On the one hand, I was still reading history, but a different style. I finished this book by the late Tony Horwitz:
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I hadn't read anything by him since <i>Confederates in the Attic</i> and that was 20 years ago. I found <i>Spying on the South</i> to be very engaging and entertaining, spurring me to pick up a copy of Olmstead's book (though I haven't read it yet).
In the same vein (sort of) I read two books by Colin Woodard:
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<i>American Nations</i> has been on my shelf for years and I started reading it at one point, but never got too far. It is a wonderful book that looks at the founding of the various regions of the United States in a unique way. I am actually thinking of using this in my American History survey course. <i>Union<i> </i></i>was a recent selection of the History Book Club and it did not disappoint. A unique history of the country from the Federal period to the 1920s, told through the lens of four or five people. I learned a lot of things I did not know and it was a different approach to writing history than what I normally read. I am getting ready to start another by Woodard,<i><i> <i>American Character</i>:
</i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1mlM6y1BIRW1QiM4w3vewpsz2Z0ga4fUjnty_7nwKZzxTi55kdZ6sm2kTtSl6cIUmRLomMhtPBNOkVqPkiWUZKiIpKifCORJy4mYLiNlSEvHT31k_7DBOaVUK82wVUuOm707HxE6pcXV/s2048/Woodward.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1mlM6y1BIRW1QiM4w3vewpsz2Z0ga4fUjnty_7nwKZzxTi55kdZ6sm2kTtSl6cIUmRLomMhtPBNOkVqPkiWUZKiIpKifCORJy4mYLiNlSEvHT31k_7DBOaVUK82wVUuOm707HxE6pcXV/s400/Woodward.jpg" /></a></i></i></div><i><i>
</i></i>This summer's racial upheaval spurred me to read some things outside of my normal wheelhouse, which is probably long overdue:
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</i></i>Having read about Baldwin in David Blight's<i><i> <i>American Oracle</i> </i></i>I decided to pick up<i><i> <i>The Fire Next Time</i> </i></i>and I knew that I had long overlooked Coates' <i><i><i>Between the World and Me</i>. </i></i>Both books have been enlightening and should be read by many more folks out there who are having a difficult time understanding the current climate. <p></p><p>So all of this seems pretty much history related, right? Not to worry, friends; I did stray farther afield than that. To start with, I read Scott Stokely's autobiography <i><i><i>Growing Up Disc Golf</i>. </i></i>For those who don't know, Stokely was widely hailed as the second best disc golfer of his generation, behind 12-time world champ Ken Climo. Stokely was the bad boy of the sport, who never did things the conventional way. Its a different sort of read in that Stokely writes as if he's narrating or telling a story. At times its very stream of conscience, but its entertaining and you can learn a lot about the early days of the sport.</p><p><i><i></i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSwaWnlYp2GC9JzerNbUDfQosxuD_ULJjRHgEOlyf6Ua5zc523jMt8sUIcOOBk9DvN8spVivN7gD6kp3oYQW0KnegpGpjzlIGFW66ia5ODsaLjlRNwTxBY5z0f0S1dGGrNcsw1VR-yneR/s500/Stokely.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSwaWnlYp2GC9JzerNbUDfQosxuD_ULJjRHgEOlyf6Ua5zc523jMt8sUIcOOBk9DvN8spVivN7gD6kp3oYQW0KnegpGpjzlIGFW66ia5ODsaLjlRNwTxBY5z0f0S1dGGrNcsw1VR-yneR/s320/Stokely.jpg" /></a><i><i> <br /></i></i></i></i></div><p></p><p><i><i> </i></i>I also picked up the memoir of Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman,<i><i> <i>Hard to Handle</i>. </i></i>The Black Crowes have long been one of my favorite bands and this book did not disappoint, although it has changed my opinion of some members of the band.
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8x8dFdonyrHp32PJzNhrYZSvHbHeAZdmcKS6xMF5XL3wXpm2AKb61-9XWzCiPqd4o-xiyZ_iT0Z8SNQg8CUTzpG9E8CSe5a3BEiMkohvZtUuMeaVGef-bNyqO6phWrBZviZmoqM6QhJJ/s500/Gorman.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8x8dFdonyrHp32PJzNhrYZSvHbHeAZdmcKS6xMF5XL3wXpm2AKb61-9XWzCiPqd4o-xiyZ_iT0Z8SNQg8CUTzpG9E8CSe5a3BEiMkohvZtUuMeaVGef-bNyqO6phWrBZviZmoqM6QhJJ/s400/Gorman.jpg" /></a></i></i></div><i><i>
</i></i>In another departure, I read<i><i> <i>Into the Wild</i>. </i></i>Though I own the soundtrack to the movie because I'm a fan of Eddie Vedder, I had not seen the movie, nor read the book. I knew the very basic story, but the book was a gripping account that I would recommend to anyone. I do plan to try find the movie somewhere and watch it now.
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</i></i>I am even diving into some fiction. Upon the recommendation of one of my favorite musicians, BJ Barham, I decided to give the work of David Joy a try and randomly selected this one start. Joy is a North Carolina author, based in the mountains, where his books are set. I'm looking forward to getting started on this:
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</i></i>What's next, you may ask. Aside from the aforementioned Woodard book, I have two in the pile to follow David Joy. One is a continuance of my reading from Baldwin and Coates, while the other is another non-fiction human interest sort of thing. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
<i><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75tZKmp_LjxcHmM_mXyRWyjQFmUYs6iO8XNuxQi6aCLCuBKz0H58-XJr37pSoMo9ffQkABNr7xbaE8ZrcpItMe3Ja30a4ORPk_O-MzcemFIbW9yel6Xo-zz5g-uND0mbVwas54IAA6qyV/s2048/Color+Chesapeake.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75tZKmp_LjxcHmM_mXyRWyjQFmUYs6iO8XNuxQi6aCLCuBKz0H58-XJr37pSoMo9ffQkABNr7xbaE8ZrcpItMe3Ja30a4ORPk_O-MzcemFIbW9yel6Xo-zz5g-uND0mbVwas54IAA6qyV/s400/Color+Chesapeake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></i><p></p>Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-49665070032698591502020-05-27T10:09:00.002-04:002020-05-27T10:09:19.219-04:00Mea CulpaI am writing today to correct a misrepresentation from an earlier post. An article was published in the Winter 2020 issue of <i>Civil War Navy, The Magazine</i> about the US Navy's role in the Battle of New Bern in March 1862. I mentioned in a blog post last year that I coauthored the article, but never mentioned the primary author by name. The primary author of that article is Steve Shaffer of New Bern. Steve has been involved in the New Bern Civil War Roundtable and New Bern Battlefield for many years and is part of a large and enthusiastic group of Civil War historians in a town known more for its history as the colonial capitol of North Carolina. What they have done over the years is quite impressive.<br />
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Steve had researched and written the article, sending it to me and asking for comments and suggestions. I thought that it would be a good fit for the magazine, and Steve graciously offered to add my name as coauthor for help in getting it published. The editor liked the article and made numerous editing suggestions. My role in this project was to respond to those editing suggestions and to format the citations. In answering the editor's requests, I added some material to the manuscript (usually extra information or quotes from the Official Records, or other things of that nature). I also worked with the editor to select some of the images used in the finished article. All revisions that came back to me from the editor were sent to Steve for his comment and approval before being finalized. The groundwork for this article (research and original draft) were Steve's.<br />
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I never intended to misrepresent my role in this project, but by not including Steve's name in the blog I did just that. For that, I humbly apologize to Steve; I never meant any slight. The issue was brought to my attention and I felt that a public apology was necessary.Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-2061768549684629772019-07-25T11:20:00.000-04:002019-07-25T11:20:05.489-04:00Finished a Few Books (Two are "Must Have")I've been plowing through a lot of reading lately, trying to finish some things up. The stack on my desk keeps getting taller, but I have made some progress. I was recently asked to review two books for the <i>Nautical Research Journal</i>, a publication I review books for quite frequently (a dozen reviews over the past decade or so). Along with getting through those two, I finished one I've been working on for a few months now.<br />
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R. Thomas Campbell's latest, <i>Confederate Ironclads at War</i> was the first review. If you know Civil War naval history, you know Campbell. He's published no fewer than 20 books and who knows how many articles over the past quarter century. The problem is, he has started recycling a lot of material (and considering that some of his earlier works are out of print that isn't entirely problematic). I'll share the review when it is published, but suffice it to say this book is good, and if you are really interested in Confederate ironclads and don't already own a lot of Campbell's previous works, you may want to pick it up.<br />
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The second review was <i>Our Little Monitor</i> by Anna Gibson Holloway and Jonathan White. Again, I won't spoil the review, but folks, do yourself a favor and get this book! It should have a place on every Civil War bookshelf in America, even if you don't really care much about the naval war. I think it should be THE standard work on the topic for a long time to come.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVKw5cR2DysfBNFjKXKwowPgPdcrzFD1iJ-mdZfXPGQdP7P8W92_4piaEqE3947dggLZXNLCraBU340c0XWRhUb2WZgJm5okA4eOqVu8OkauWMip0WjFY7HEo0Ows5DQMKTHXBR83hdkP/s1600/Monitor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVKw5cR2DysfBNFjKXKwowPgPdcrzFD1iJ-mdZfXPGQdP7P8W92_4piaEqE3947dggLZXNLCraBU340c0XWRhUb2WZgJm5okA4eOqVu8OkauWMip0WjFY7HEo0Ows5DQMKTHXBR83hdkP/s320/Monitor.jpg" width="228" height="320" data-original-width="357" data-original-height="500" /></a></div><br />
Finally, I was able to finish Hampton Newsome's <i>The Fight for the Old North State</i> and oh my, what a terrific book! There is nothing to dislike about this book. It is the most comprehensive thing written on North Carolina during the first half of 1864. Well-researched, well-written, balanced, and well-illustrated, if this book doesn't win some awards, people simply aren't paying attention. The Conclusion alone is the best summary of the topic one could hope to read. It includes the most detailed coverage of the Battle of Plymouth that you will find anywhere. Newsome's understanding of what was going on in North Carolina during this time is second to none and I encourage ANYONE interested in the Civil War, or even simply North Carolina history, to read this book. It will ultimately give you a better understanding of the time.<br />
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With these three finished, I turn to the stack on my desk and continue on.<br />
Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-77333850582734981972019-07-15T09:43:00.000-04:002019-07-15T09:43:47.100-04:00First Half of July ExperiencesThe last two weeks have provided some memorable moments. After a relatively quiet Independence Day weekend, I ventured to the Outer Banks with my pal Jim McKee to see Gov't Mule for the second time this year (having seen them in April in Wilmington). They played the outdoor venue at Roanoke Island Festival Park, and despite a steady rain for most of the evening, it was an awesome show. After the show was the real highlight however. As we stood in the parking lot, the last ones waiting for an Uber back to the hotel, the band's tour bus pulled up and stopped, waiting for the remainder of their entourage. Then, Warren Haynes himself got off the bus. He saw us standing there, asked how we were doing, and we approached and had a short, but nice conversation with him. We told him we had been at the Wilmington show, he asked where we were from, and was very appreciative of our attendance. He was a genuinely nice guy and even indulged us for a couple of photos. Now Jim and I begin every conversation with, "Dude. We met Warren Haynes." It really made our night.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4kLfVNCpaxgnMk_cSPFfiQOi3eBwLW-sL554WUhUY6D0R8YELZeDb-l9TtkiHASATA-cgly9xIiu0jO2RA5p-A0Luuy2sUmwEWV8Wcs-0x4Mc8kSMdVMsUZOr0EPABhKifeDIk5dAibU/s1600/66454883_10158008519059298_5775399981280133120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4kLfVNCpaxgnMk_cSPFfiQOi3eBwLW-sL554WUhUY6D0R8YELZeDb-l9TtkiHASATA-cgly9xIiu0jO2RA5p-A0Luuy2sUmwEWV8Wcs-0x4Mc8kSMdVMsUZOr0EPABhKifeDIk5dAibU/s320/66454883_10158008519059298_5775399981280133120_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWTe6hHGZhn48nNW9ZmBqc5E8_V-DOFXHLCMjn0vsmsWqVdHaeyYgueEFBrze5rKEcIO-DKlsBfcD_TJI3MFZffWVO6GQpWwht3GzbgDO_9S_6IevWRDfcHcQlYGiprEhLG5i3PDSToeX/s1600/66458621_10158008524059298_4920226083741106176_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWTe6hHGZhn48nNW9ZmBqc5E8_V-DOFXHLCMjn0vsmsWqVdHaeyYgueEFBrze5rKEcIO-DKlsBfcD_TJI3MFZffWVO6GQpWwht3GzbgDO_9S_6IevWRDfcHcQlYGiprEhLG5i3PDSToeX/s320/66458621_10158008524059298_4920226083741106176_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAS_eOOLSfAOhDN_JqQF5fKt9tpZ747z_uQqo3cU5b3APWxIPU37PW8qnUgg7uzutLARCTjsp18DaDF65PxC9sxXFGWcwhtC-8_L6jnPIyPpa7HYBhKWACYMWqdEhyphenhyphenVFF_7kll3WixoKaJ/s1600/66124685_10158008523994298_6764698998734323712_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAS_eOOLSfAOhDN_JqQF5fKt9tpZ747z_uQqo3cU5b3APWxIPU37PW8qnUgg7uzutLARCTjsp18DaDF65PxC9sxXFGWcwhtC-8_L6jnPIyPpa7HYBhKWACYMWqdEhyphenhyphenVFF_7kll3WixoKaJ/s320/66124685_10158008523994298_6764698998734323712_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><br />
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This past Friday night, Laura and I ventured to the State Theater in Greenville to see Songs From the Road Band and The Grass is Dead, a bluegrass Grateful Dead cover band. Songs From the Road was good, but I was really there to see The Grass is Dead and they did not disappoint. Their bluegrass versions of classic Dead songs are really great and I would go see them again.<br />
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Finally, on Saturday and Sunday, I played in back-to-back PDGA C-tier disc golf tournaments. Saturday was the Zebulon Cha-ching & Zing tournament. I really enjoy playing at Zebulon Community Park and this was my first time playing this tournament. Tournament Director Chris Dimsdale teamed up with Fly Guy Disc Golf to run the tournament and they had a food truck on site for both breakfast and lunch, which was a nice touch. I enjoyed getting to play the first round with Fly Guy owner and all-around good dude, Hannable "The HP" McGarity. I also got to play both rounds with child phenom and rising 5th grader, Judah Berman. I had heard about this kid, but never even seen him play. Folks, he's legit. The kid can play and as he gets older, stronger, and continues to improve, the disc golf world better keep an eye on him. He's already sponsored by Innova. His dad is a great guy and very good disc golfer in his own right, and I enjoyed getting to know him as well. I shot +12 (69) both rounds and finished 9th out of 16 in my division. My putting was the most consistent its been in months so even though I ended up middle of the pack, I felt good about the tournament.<br />
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Sunday it was on to Greenville and the ECO Tour stop at West Meadowbrook Park. Jay Clark's series has become one of the "must play" series in NC. He and his team (Brian Gilmette and others) do a great job each and every time. This course has always been a difficult one for me and over the past two years there have been changes made that have made this course even tougher, stretching it to a par 60. The work that the Greenville Disc Golf Club has put in on this course is amazing and to be commended. Max Crotts, Vince Tricarico, Jarrett Wallace, Jon Upchurch, and ALL of GVDG should be proud of this course. The heat was a factor as the heat index hit around 105. Everyone was worn down and beat when this thing ended (a few folks even left at lunch and didn't return). I shot a +13 (73) and +14 (74), which was disappointing, but good enough to tie for 5th place out of 9 in the division and that was good enough for "last cash." <br />
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I played in the Recreational division in both tournaments this weekend. I had been playing in the Amateur Over 40 division, which is as you may guess, an age restricted division. I have never been competitive in that division, as most players in AM40 are much more advanced players than I am. Over the past few years there are a lot of guys in their 40s and 50s who have started playing in the Rec division because like me they are not advanced level players. So I've decided to step down and play most of the remaining tournaments this year in Rec. Maybe I can get my game on track, improve a little bit, and return to AM40 in another year or two. I really enjoy playing with the guys in AM40 - they are all super nice guys. But it wears you down a bit when you are finishing dead last every single tournament. So I'm hoping to improve my game and my frame of mind with the also super nice and fun guys in the Rec division. Next tournament is in two weeks!<br />
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Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-50793211455594834132019-07-12T08:27:00.000-04:002019-07-12T08:27:12.872-04:00A New (to me) Blog Worth Checking OutThanks to Hampton Newsome, who shared a recent review of his book, I have discovered the Random Thoughts on History blog. Admittedly, I do not follow nearly as many blogs as I used to, mainly due to the increased use of social media platforms. Random Thoughts on History will be added to my blogroll on the right side of the page, but here's a link for quick reference. Enjoy!<br />
<a href="http://randomthoughtsonhistory.blogspot.com/">http://randomthoughtsonhistory.blogspot.com/</a> Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-49137903222612131432019-05-21T16:37:00.000-04:002019-05-21T16:39:54.874-04:00The Crazy Mad Rush is Over......And Also, What Am I?The crazy mad rush that started in mid-February has finally come to a close and I have a little bit of time to catch my breath. <br />
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I just finished reviewing Philip Gerard's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Battleground-Civil-Comes-Carolina/dp/146964956X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=13WNFWE0XK6NM&keywords=the+last+battleground+the+civil+war+comes+to+north+carolina&qid=1558469022&s=gateway&sprefix=The+Last+Batt%2Caps%2C1115&sr=8-1-fkmrnull">The Last Battleground: The Civil War Comes to North Carolina</a></i> for H-CivWar and the review will hopefully be posted sometime this week. Follow H-CivWar on Twitter and you'll see it when it drops. Without spoiling the review, I'll say that you'll view this book depending upon how you approach it. I'll share the review on my social media (Twitter and Facebook) when it is published and you can read it for yourself.<br />
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This past weekend I participated in the annual "Fight for the Backcountry" program at <a href="https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/alamance-battleground">Alamance Battleground State Historic Site</a> near Burlington, NC. This is always a great event and there are always lots of folks I enjoy spending time with. They have an active <a href="https://alamancebattleground.org/">Friends organization</a> that, together with the site staff, is working to make this site even better. It's just an all-around good time when we do programs there.<br />
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Someone asked me a question at the Alamance event that, while I answered quickly, gave me pause to consider all weekend and even into this week. The question was "Are you a reenactor? Do you consider yourself to be a reenactor?" On the surface, it seems like an easy Yes/No question to answer, and in some ways it is, but in other ways it is much more complicated. My quick answer was "No, I do not consider myself a reenactor," and that is true, but again there's nuance to this that most folks who don't do this kind of thing wouldn't understand. They would think that anyone who goes to historic places, dresses in historic clothing, and does historic stuff is a reenactor. But there are so many levels to this for those of us who are either a) engaged in the hobby, b) work in the history field, or c) both, that it isn't always so cut-and-dried. Let me clarify further.....<br />
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If I did not work in this field, it is doubtful that I would be engaged in these types of activities. While I was a Junior Historian with our local historical society in Pennsylvania when I was a kid (we dressed in pseudo-historic clothing and gave house tours and did historic crafts) it wasn't until my first ever NC Historic Sites job as a seasonal interpreter at Fort Fisher that I ever even thought about participating in "reenacting." I became a first-person interpreter a few years later at Tryon Palace and that's when I started to get more serious about it because I was doing it every day. Finally, when I got my first full-time sites job at the CSS Neuse, I started "reenacting" more seriously. I put the word "reenacting" in quotation marks and I'll explain why next.<br />
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To me (and others) there is a big difference between "reenacting" and living history/costumed interpretation, but that's a whole other blog post. The bottom line is, I do what I do to help educate the public and hopefully teach them something about whatever part of the past I'm working in at the given moment. I do not do what I do to get some kind of "period rush" or for my own personal experience of what it was like "back then" or any kind of personal gratification. I feel safe in saying that most of the fine fellows in my group feel the same way. Over the past 20 years I've done a lot of things in this hobby. I've camped out in the coldest, hottest, and wettest conditions imaginable. I've visited some spectacular places and taken part in some really great programs. I've been emotionally moved on a few occasions. I've always tried to do things as correctly and properly as possible, but have never obsessed over every minute detail as some folks do (though I appreciate those who do and applaud them for their dedication). But in the end, I still say I am not a reenactor. I am an educator, I am an interpreter, I am a costumed interpreter, I am a demonstrator. I am many things, but in the end it all goes back to the public and what I am teaching or imparting to them.<br />
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If I left the world of historic sites/museums tomorrow would I still engage in this hobby? Probably, but selectively. I have many friends in the hobby, some of whom I consider as family. They are like brothers, sisters, cousins to me and I would still want to spend time with them. However, unlike 10-15 years ago when "reenacting" was the only hobby I really had, I now have other hobbies that interest me equally, if not more. As with anything else in life, you keep doing it until it isn't fun or rewarding anymore, then you have to decide whether or not to give it up. I'm nowhere near ready to give it up, but I also know that I am not a "reenactor" by some accounts, and I'm good with that.Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-33065190100816708452019-05-01T12:09:00.002-04:002019-05-01T12:09:23.451-04:00Catching My BreathThe month of April was a complete blur. In the first two weeks of the month I was on the road 9 out of 10 days, driving over 1,600 miles in that time. It all started with the Two Weeks of Fury bus tour sponsored by Bentonville Battlefield, a three-day tour that explored the 1865 Carolina Campaign. I played chauffeur for Eric Wittenberg and drove the chase vehicle behind the bus all weekend. Much fun was had with some good history buddies, particularly Chris Meekins, Wade Sokolosky, Colby Stevens, Derrick Brown, Amanda Brantley, and Chad Jefferds. The highlight for me was touring the Monroe's Crossroads battlefield, which is aboard Fort Bragg and not generally accessible to the public.<br />
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Next up was North Carolina's Independence Day, better known as Halifax Day, April 12. After doing musket demonstrations for school groups on Friday, we settled in for living history and a small skirmish reenactment on Saturday. The program was titled The Road to Yorktown and highlighted the forces of Cornwallis and Tarleton as they moved through North Carolina toward Virginia, coming through Halifax along the way. Good times were had once again and even the bad weather didn't dampen our spirits.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWUeR3ASmt0gv1AH3gnT2LwLxHlwq6UWG8XxBzBpGyEdyI2ugS8ryRb0ZxLFv-zEcep-28198J-p5EoBxDJpi_L-NsPfxhCOUP__IjJS65HyxAUqy4BtqXA9hm4jQfEA83PPx_wI48iv8/s1600/56869928_10156804000451075_2988218483965165568_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWUeR3ASmt0gv1AH3gnT2LwLxHlwq6UWG8XxBzBpGyEdyI2ugS8ryRb0ZxLFv-zEcep-28198J-p5EoBxDJpi_L-NsPfxhCOUP__IjJS65HyxAUqy4BtqXA9hm4jQfEA83PPx_wI48iv8/s320/56869928_10156804000451075_2988218483965165568_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyDZsKP-6tSqIWAuf_-kRTTcqKmEG5gk7j-lgsKB_r0iexkWsSg23cZUt_2VkJK_pK00qDN1ZXxPQ4KN_SHQrSeEmhL6jZyj4FDbE9wwwe_e45oUygSV7FwlKgD4Lh-bGSTqcXICwDKma/s1600/57038235_10216111160265292_7908260687271428096_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyDZsKP-6tSqIWAuf_-kRTTcqKmEG5gk7j-lgsKB_r0iexkWsSg23cZUt_2VkJK_pK00qDN1ZXxPQ4KN_SHQrSeEmhL6jZyj4FDbE9wwwe_e45oUygSV7FwlKgD4Lh-bGSTqcXICwDKma/s320/57038235_10216111160265292_7908260687271428096_n.jpg" width="320" height="213" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="640" /></a><br />
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I managed to work in a couple of concerts at the end of the month with my good buddy Jim McKee, which was a much needed respite from the craziness of this month. After seeing Umphrey's McGee and Widespread Panic at the Trondossa Music and Arts Festival in Charleston, SC we made stops on our return trip in McClellanville and Georgetown to check out the SC Maritime Museum, the Gullah Museum, and some old churches. Then it was back to Wilmington to see Gov't Mule. Both shows were great and the side trip for history stuff was fun as well.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUprZ47RYAYYazLqITRdiH4qBQ-ZyoXvU_q8F-CDiAnCxXgJdlpI6rK4FS1qCVLQMXKX7tfdhcnzv1dkKjrg3r11RaVZw3tku4BU-Kw69WO_uMxX2Y2Psh5Gs9dmcuF4kGTicLyplqnR-/s1600/58689309_10157841622974298_4948385955212951552_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUprZ47RYAYYazLqITRdiH4qBQ-ZyoXvU_q8F-CDiAnCxXgJdlpI6rK4FS1qCVLQMXKX7tfdhcnzv1dkKjrg3r11RaVZw3tku4BU-Kw69WO_uMxX2Y2Psh5Gs9dmcuF4kGTicLyplqnR-/s320/58689309_10157841622974298_4948385955212951552_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8vBpfhTIYQ9OZ8d4__Wq7j7rBvNbk0HNz9Z_cdU6rlCG2e2bmN4-79h_EfoB8ZS3XfN_KLAlM5pIEL_wYIGRI-CgR-hZI2ANYsDkL9JkJn4DMswFoqMlDRVziwUOJC-O1UrvUNWBj1Jy/s1600/58701302_10157841622924298_7982791984903356416_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8vBpfhTIYQ9OZ8d4__Wq7j7rBvNbk0HNz9Z_cdU6rlCG2e2bmN4-79h_EfoB8ZS3XfN_KLAlM5pIEL_wYIGRI-CgR-hZI2ANYsDkL9JkJn4DMswFoqMlDRVziwUOJC-O1UrvUNWBj1Jy/s320/58701302_10157841622924298_7982791984903356416_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA07KV0ZiiGcAPtG6AtoSQaYQ1plWMjEdhHfHLGip8Ln-EABviRPK0PGdsimzL4qvpj5qZTCNyMTHc1iw1kqXY5M3JpN7zFg9K-3WATF-OZRvUE1aSq5z0zcXBCRZdAtuzmcX6kP47Zifo/s1600/58784840_10157841622649298_3196680644436426752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA07KV0ZiiGcAPtG6AtoSQaYQ1plWMjEdhHfHLGip8Ln-EABviRPK0PGdsimzL4qvpj5qZTCNyMTHc1iw1kqXY5M3JpN7zFg9K-3WATF-OZRvUE1aSq5z0zcXBCRZdAtuzmcX6kP47Zifo/s320/58784840_10157841622649298_3196680644436426752_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-66d35WE4DH4TLxZcpiLb-6sVfjnrjpR7tMgtoCEMSz-5_hICwSPYb492FgZkvzZPjTjCgUtxMELHCiWX4dHbsPL2LEMJPkAEKlcpjgWvtGkqvvvV7q5RrDveiR-CzGm96SzNaR7ALm6/s1600/59450937_10157841622844298_1628778841344311296_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-66d35WE4DH4TLxZcpiLb-6sVfjnrjpR7tMgtoCEMSz-5_hICwSPYb492FgZkvzZPjTjCgUtxMELHCiWX4dHbsPL2LEMJPkAEKlcpjgWvtGkqvvvV7q5RrDveiR-CzGm96SzNaR7ALm6/s320/59450937_10157841622844298_1628778841344311296_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><br />
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As I move into May, I am working on a book review for H-CivWar on Philip Gerard's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Battleground-Civil-Comes-Carolina/dp/146964956X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Philip+Gerard&qid=1556726550&s=gateway&sr=8-1">The Last Battleground: The Civil War Comes to North Carolina</a></i>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0fbHSsgcmHEjhtegcLEoeJlsxth0ZfFKlqM07-vkHHwVXzddyn1JinHuuTwX50seZ_0TmAQ9pAvVrRyJM_6shUG04BdY4cXP7-P-pN9Cznt2RemkuatvmU8zB-5oG0GHNEYcAxurfRG9/s1600/91bm8sqwgDL.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0fbHSsgcmHEjhtegcLEoeJlsxth0ZfFKlqM07-vkHHwVXzddyn1JinHuuTwX50seZ_0TmAQ9pAvVrRyJM_6shUG04BdY4cXP7-P-pN9Cznt2RemkuatvmU8zB-5oG0GHNEYcAxurfRG9/s320/91bm8sqwgDL.jpg" width="211" height="320" data-original-width="1053" data-original-height="1600" /></a><br />
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I will also be involved with a number of programs, including the annual meeting and symposium of the NC Military Historical Society, of which I am Treasurer, and the annual Fight for the Backcountry event at Alamance Battleground. As usual, there will be some concerts and disc golf events scattered in as well. It might not be as busy as April, but it will be plenty busy enough.<br />
Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-82790766153976563302019-03-14T12:54:00.001-04:002019-03-14T12:54:48.799-04:00Things Are Picking UpThis time of year always seems to be very busy and it is no different this year. March-May are, as usual, going to be very hectic and it starts this weekend.<br />
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<a href="https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefield">Bentonville Battlefield</a> - "A Fighting Chance for Life"<br />
I will be participating in this program Saturday and Sunday. During the day, our group will be portraying Federal artillery and crewing the site's 3-inch ordnance rifle. But the real meat of this program is the Saturday evening portion which will recreate field hospital scenes in and around the Harper House. This program has been revamped from previous iterations and will be much more serious, thought-provoking, and graphic this time. It will not be for the faint of heart and guests are being warned ahead of time about the physical and psychological nature of what is being portrayed. The site staff has put some really solid research behind this and I'm looking forward to how it comes off. My group will be portraying surgeons and hospital stewards for this portion of the program.<br />
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The first weekend of April sees me yet again at Bentonville to participate in their three-day tour of the Carolina's Campaign, titled "Two Weeks of Fury." Guest speakers/tour leaders include Craig Symonds, John Marszalek, Eric Wittenberg, and Wade Sokolosky. I'll be serving as chauffeur for at least some of them for the weekend. Should be fun.<br />
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Writing - I just finished and sent to the editor the article I co-authored on the US Navy's role in the Battle of New Bern. I'm very happy with the way it turned out and can't wait to see it in print sometime late this year (hopefully). It will be my third feature length article for <i>Civil War Navy Magazine</i>. I am considering expanding upon this article to write about the US Navy's role in the Burnside Expedition, possibly for submission to <i>Military Collector & Historian</i>, but I'll have to see what time allows.<br />
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Reading - If you look at the What I'm Currently Reading sidebar on the blog you'll see that I've inserted Hampton Newsome's just released book at the top of the list. If the first chapter is any indication, this is going to be a great book and should be the standard on the topic for a long time to come.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfD0yJSFAaOLVlhbTWg2vaXf4GKsQimRCyKG1gkfgJdJak2P4Pnw6OQKu-eOKqBcY0y2Jlx9YlPJu-JU5dFlcVqX0i3QFX4gabm4KVrFRux-CbaJ-yKwp0GJ6rFbTDE2p0LdPHTurBFSD/s1600/51AflfehcuL._SX329_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfD0yJSFAaOLVlhbTWg2vaXf4GKsQimRCyKG1gkfgJdJak2P4Pnw6OQKu-eOKqBcY0y2Jlx9YlPJu-JU5dFlcVqX0i3QFX4gabm4KVrFRux-CbaJ-yKwp0GJ6rFbTDE2p0LdPHTurBFSD/s320/51AflfehcuL._SX329_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="212" height="320" data-original-width="331" data-original-height="499" /></a></div><br />
Otherwise, I will be giving a few presentations to various groups, participating in two 18th century living history programs at <a href="https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/historic-halifax">Historic Halifax</a> and <a href="https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/alamance-battleground">Alamance Battleground</a>, and working on another book review.<br />
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Of course, there are four disc golf tournaments and numerous concerts sprinkled in among all of this as well. It's enough to keep me hopping, for sure.Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-27890205822907407342019-02-15T12:44:00.000-05:002019-02-15T12:44:03.490-05:00Projects Keeping Me BusyNormally the month of January is pretty easy going for me, but not this year. Among the regular work responsibilities, I have been working on two articles, a book review, and organizing a two-day PDGA B-Tier disc golf tournament. That's enough to keep anyone hopping.<br />
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I just finished up a review of Myron J. Smith's latest book, <i>Ironclad Captains of the Civil War</i>. Smith is a well-known historian of the Civil War's western theater, specifically the brown water navies. This book is well-researched and is a valuable encyclopedia for anyone interested in the Civil War navies. My only real problem is with the publisher, not the author. The price of this book will make it cost-prohibitive for a lot of folks to buy. The paperback volume lists at $75 and the Kindle edition is over $30. Had I not received it free for writing the review, I wouldn't buy it. My review will appear in an upcoming issue of <i>The Nautical Research Journal</i>. Over the years I've written a dozen reviews for this publication, most of them online rather than in print.<br />
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I have also been working on two articles for <i>Civil War Navy</i> magazine. My first article for them was a history of the Confederate ironclad CSS <i>Neuse</i>. Since then, I have produced a sidebar piece to accompany another article about the Confederate capture and destruction of USS <i>Underwriter</i> and am in various stages of completing the current two articles. The first, which is finished and I've received the page proofs of is a biographical piece about Lt. Francis L. Hoge, a Confederate naval officer who ended his career as executive officer of the CSS <i>Neuse</i>. I am really excited to see this article published because Hoge has been a particular interest of mine for a number of years. The second article is being coauthored with an acquaintance from New Bern. He did most of the research and wrote a rough draft, which I have edited extensively, added some information, and gotten formatted for publication. The topic of the article is the US Navy's role in the Battle of New Bern in March 1862. I believe it too will be a good article. The sum total of all these projects amounts to the most writing I've done since graduate school and it's been really refreshing to write something other than book reviews or exhibit text.<br />
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Once all of this is finished I'll have another book showing up for review on H-Net. I'll save that for a future post.Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-49275585567476083012019-01-08T11:17:00.001-05:002019-01-08T11:20:29.878-05:00Recent Reading (Finishing Up a Few Things from 2018)Keeping myself on any kind of a regular reading schedule is difficult due to the chaotic nature of my calendar. There never seems to be enough time to read everything I want to, but I finally knocked out a few things toward the end of 2018.<br />
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Steven Hahn, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nation-Without-Borders-1830-1910-Penguin/dp/0143121782/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1546962827&sr=8-2">A Nation Without Borders: The United States and Its World in an Age of Civil War, 1830-1910</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uWo-hJ5mpviyXW3vYXfsiHW000yvAsQdfvTDa14SI1RA4NqIAiPHALgfrgiMnIINXq5I6DfCQcWOwV8mkXqPJegbfOUkHnk6NUDptsuRT1fsA_3RjT2HXiyOQxajPjBVtdRdBeVohE63/s1600/51yths7tW4L._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uWo-hJ5mpviyXW3vYXfsiHW000yvAsQdfvTDa14SI1RA4NqIAiPHALgfrgiMnIINXq5I6DfCQcWOwV8mkXqPJegbfOUkHnk6NUDptsuRT1fsA_3RjT2HXiyOQxajPjBVtdRdBeVohE63/s200/51yths7tW4L._SY346_.jpg" width="133" height="200" data-original-width="230" data-original-height="346" /></a></div>I started this book it seems like six months ago. It is a dense book, coming in at over 600 pages. I'll admit that I did not actually finish the book. I got about two-thirds of the way through it and just could not complete the journey. The author views the eight decades in question through the lens of imperial expansion and capitalist development. Populations negatively effected by such activities are spotlighted including the enslaved, American Indians, Mexicans, and others. While the book is very well-written and thoroughly enjoyable, by the time I got to the 1870s I was simply bogged down and ready to be done with it. I will betray my own bias here, as my interest in US history past Reconstruction is pretty feeble. Most of what I read tends to be focused on the period from 1740-1875.<br />
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Joan Cashin, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/War-Stuff-Environmental-Resources-Cambridge/dp/1108413188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546963507&sr=8-1&keywords=War+Stuff">War Stuff: The Struggle for Human and Environmental Resources in the American Civil War</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1OBkzwy5ouiFs4Y8jHEK6ehcZzZTuOlTCn10yuqMEIU6jHDpyzhm_IAqp1nR8ewrJS3CVJlbFHu2kyQTeeDADny6ZWRlIjYDueU6dW1o-LRgZlA-H5-2A2qQ6Nhz7KPM-7kFdbuCRBDg/s1600/41hSVZ9W3fL._SX333_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1OBkzwy5ouiFs4Y8jHEK6ehcZzZTuOlTCn10yuqMEIU6jHDpyzhm_IAqp1nR8ewrJS3CVJlbFHu2kyQTeeDADny6ZWRlIjYDueU6dW1o-LRgZlA-H5-2A2qQ6Nhz7KPM-7kFdbuCRBDg/s200/41hSVZ9W3fL._SX333_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="134" height="200" data-original-width="335" data-original-height="499" /></a></div>This book was sent to me by the publisher back around October while I was in the midst of trying to get through the Hahn book. I started very slowly on this book, but was able to knock most of it out over my Christmas break, as it is only 171 pages. The book highlights the struggle between the armies and civilian populations for resources, particularly food, timber, shelter, etc. After setting the stage with the Introduction and a chapter on the Old South, the author launches into a series of what become very predictable chapters, each focused on a different resource. The story is the same: both armies pretty well ignored regulations and acquired what they needed by any means necessary. These four chapters (People, Sustenance, Timber, Habitat) cover the years 1861-63. The arc is the same for each. Early in the war there was some feeling of communalism, the armies tried not to impact civilians any more than necessary, but over time each got worse. The next chapter covers 1864 and basically everything got much worse. The final chapter on 1865 and the aftermath of the war basically details how the war devastated the southern landscape, scarred the southern populace in numerous ways, and led to an internalized hatred of northerners. Once you get into the pattern of these chapters the book ends up being a very quick read. The research is deep, and the examples given are numerous and varied. This is what made the book interesting to me. Even though the chapters were predictable, the first hand accounts and examples given were all very interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the day-to-day logistics of the war, as it really does focus on resources, their acquisition, and use.<br />
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Keep an eye on my "What I'm Reading" sidebar to see what's next up on my reading list!<br />
Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-41198412753350713802018-11-30T11:08:00.001-05:002018-11-30T11:08:49.572-05:00November, I Hardly Knew YouThe months of October and November were extremely busy, but definitely in a good kind of way. I've been afforded opportunities to visit places I'd never been and meet new people. The past six weeks seems like a whirlwind and now we turn the calendar from November to December and prepare for all the end of year/holiday/new year activities that are on the horizon. So what's been happening? A whole lot.<br />
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The last weekend in October found me in Pennsylvania for my youngest cousin's wedding. Though the weather was pretty awful the whole time I was there, it was an absolutely delightful wedding and reception. The opportunities to hang out with my cousins seem to be fewer and farther between, so it was nice to spend some time enjoying their company.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlMtA5uezWzsyY5bEYfWbT7jBZniZPcnpiU-iaIUgwesWpQ5izzRiCmlIdOceRfBtSUexmaXJfKKvG7FuGrU8uYs4sDcmrswWP6pPv3WwutOYRI-SS21YB-lI9lUsdsiI3ugH-WfFkkfN/s1600/44859421_10157416710094298_3154518299111325696_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlMtA5uezWzsyY5bEYfWbT7jBZniZPcnpiU-iaIUgwesWpQ5izzRiCmlIdOceRfBtSUexmaXJfKKvG7FuGrU8uYs4sDcmrswWP6pPv3WwutOYRI-SS21YB-lI9lUsdsiI3ugH-WfFkkfN/s320/44859421_10157416710094298_3154518299111325696_n.jpg" width="320" height="320" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="959" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrHVVXrdHcPOaLNaKuIGyca80fkNFRUN-zuOUep67vfP8Bq2wUnZjUDZ2IgPwgcqYhvO0E2aMMyf0FJB_h7VuSrrO1dnyFJUBWipr7vNlkjn2Oif5Q96_UrEHr6q8DBMb9lrpkneJ9ea2/s1600/44920446_10157416712179298_8441878011220852736_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrHVVXrdHcPOaLNaKuIGyca80fkNFRUN-zuOUep67vfP8Bq2wUnZjUDZ2IgPwgcqYhvO0E2aMMyf0FJB_h7VuSrrO1dnyFJUBWipr7vNlkjn2Oif5Q96_UrEHr6q8DBMb9lrpkneJ9ea2/s320/44920446_10157416712179298_8441878011220852736_n.jpg" width="320" height="320" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlqqa9NyAQuXsKZMDuO6kNyt4mPaeoR5hF0R10q6LnUTVG4bvO16kljtsJlNVhDoHXOdOE_I58x-I6B3x9iqmT4OSbEbsTPQbrpztFyxXLz3kjPAta2VD0Jru33_PlKRy8a517mfCR0P9/s1600/44945951_858589968071_7430931130234175488_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlqqa9NyAQuXsKZMDuO6kNyt4mPaeoR5hF0R10q6LnUTVG4bvO16kljtsJlNVhDoHXOdOE_I58x-I6B3x9iqmT4OSbEbsTPQbrpztFyxXLz3kjPAta2VD0Jru33_PlKRy8a517mfCR0P9/s320/44945951_858589968071_7430931130234175488_n.jpg" width="320" height="320" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURdUuESgprILcVQbCdZk8tFK96sOtvXji4vjoT44hgUcOlxk52NqT9bm2-6ouaSym3cLedyEym6kltke2urur4JF7NLqDyOVI1PGA4658EGB9yzKLhrx4PdZ6xjCtR5g-95L2kUI-bygK/s1600/45657564_860220440591_8197901689596936192_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURdUuESgprILcVQbCdZk8tFK96sOtvXji4vjoT44hgUcOlxk52NqT9bm2-6ouaSym3cLedyEym6kltke2urur4JF7NLqDyOVI1PGA4658EGB9yzKLhrx4PdZ6xjCtR5g-95L2kUI-bygK/s320/45657564_860220440591_8197901689596936192_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a><br />
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While in PA, my brother and I also had the chance to check off a bucket list item for our mom (and us too, if we're being honest). We got to see the Steelers play the Browns at Heinz Field. It was fun being a part of the "Yinzer Mob" (seen on a banner in the stadium) for one game.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ-kwLUv10DREfxA1hqcToibqpZzy8F7UCeEVcXu7DDYHFQ119JF8aAzN1Z4V7opdy0EiRJOF0ATZuiRIDTyBkaRdrUB4Ji224s_v0BEo_1foTzT7B3kSXmYaIoGkga8GkNr7fPUxkgRu/s1600/44929558_10157417692574298_1614481092784422912_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ-kwLUv10DREfxA1hqcToibqpZzy8F7UCeEVcXu7DDYHFQ119JF8aAzN1Z4V7opdy0EiRJOF0ATZuiRIDTyBkaRdrUB4Ji224s_v0BEo_1foTzT7B3kSXmYaIoGkga8GkNr7fPUxkgRu/s320/44929558_10157417692574298_1614481092784422912_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-l2z8Q5kriOcZyybDwGQ6HM2bnh9IyWjXZNoEw6ycNyoh3ucIWKZww3dZA6zAJl4FhxW6xJQxw16AhoMspMtDdrUYdvaUI10n7-hieFS1q4QJyLj5HjT8khVTbxL8rmEx-iFSNjIa77U/s1600/44953774_10157418874139298_367821175323099136_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-l2z8Q5kriOcZyybDwGQ6HM2bnh9IyWjXZNoEw6ycNyoh3ucIWKZww3dZA6zAJl4FhxW6xJQxw16AhoMspMtDdrUYdvaUI10n7-hieFS1q4QJyLj5HjT8khVTbxL8rmEx-iFSNjIa77U/s320/44953774_10157418874139298_367821175323099136_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><br />
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The first week in November brought the opportunity to see new places and meet new people when I attended the Civil War Trails, Inc. Board meeting in Frederick, MD. On the trip up I took a side jaunt to Harper's Ferry and Charles Town, WV. A return trip when I have more time to spend is definitely warranted. Along with meeting new folks, I also got to reconnect with some that I had not seen in a number of years. It was just a good time all around, with great people.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchx-pJNQX2e1OqEU9A1Do2j4v4by6iwwywkJhSy3YsmRr9xnpqamiArOLwbHeG8W3cKNzQLjKtFEtM2caDxHY6qhMqZS5yhQwpQrm1rtRf0SdQX1_g_a1BEKv6uiHiKiIaACMXIOENTN7/s1600/45621901_10157441648619298_6835943838930960384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchx-pJNQX2e1OqEU9A1Do2j4v4by6iwwywkJhSy3YsmRr9xnpqamiArOLwbHeG8W3cKNzQLjKtFEtM2caDxHY6qhMqZS5yhQwpQrm1rtRf0SdQX1_g_a1BEKv6uiHiKiIaACMXIOENTN7/s320/45621901_10157441648619298_6835943838930960384_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXniW1-exPbafXsFnfooJQC6Y4McQY0_qLc3IBhhfjgn1fvEc3PUXsq1rs0-BMXO8P7j226_A6sbTNkdUiJFhHOrY1_U7OUWoQYfSAG1NbJY8e62i1FC3Z9IC0Asj_wFIe3OySMg4yOL3/s1600/45831362_10157444065699298_1196216656146202624_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXniW1-exPbafXsFnfooJQC6Y4McQY0_qLc3IBhhfjgn1fvEc3PUXsq1rs0-BMXO8P7j226_A6sbTNkdUiJFhHOrY1_U7OUWoQYfSAG1NbJY8e62i1FC3Z9IC0Asj_wFIe3OySMg4yOL3/s320/45831362_10157444065699298_1196216656146202624_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a><br />
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Of course, the usual work activities are always made more enjoyable thanks to the awesome folks I get to work with.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLff8v75bRrreXmxSVhvHfMC3jw_Ud6AeuO__KguHLk-dHElQgpf-DCNrd_8EnUikb-W3Pd7P55SwZByhP2crx-sSdf5T55D0wv0Q1-TnNoN8lJXA_1b39qOiAYAr9hf9lqZwUNLMsJV1Q/s1600/46457968_2339004386141572_5497636071061585920_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLff8v75bRrreXmxSVhvHfMC3jw_Ud6AeuO__KguHLk-dHElQgpf-DCNrd_8EnUikb-W3Pd7P55SwZByhP2crx-sSdf5T55D0wv0Q1-TnNoN8lJXA_1b39qOiAYAr9hf9lqZwUNLMsJV1Q/s320/46457968_2339004386141572_5497636071061585920_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE1S8F0Tm7s8IHqIDwtYte8Nf-H0D_tZ_vfY5DVcManu9NIBWwPmpA6NEMH_Nf20Xnwm30kRD1ijkZaC3GH-m7ffI56R4nb6d7-HEMcZDJI51p8Jzxc33382zsb5oc7SJAIftYCPUIaTr/s1600/46473885_2339003799474964_5965497303975329792_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE1S8F0Tm7s8IHqIDwtYte8Nf-H0D_tZ_vfY5DVcManu9NIBWwPmpA6NEMH_Nf20Xnwm30kRD1ijkZaC3GH-m7ffI56R4nb6d7-HEMcZDJI51p8Jzxc33382zsb5oc7SJAIftYCPUIaTr/s320/46473885_2339003799474964_5965497303975329792_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a><br />
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And finally, my favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving, which is a great way to wrap up such a busy few weeks. My wife's family holds their reunion on Thanksgiving so it ends up being an entire day of eating and visiting. What more could you ask for? Here, my wife supervisors her cousin making his awesome shrimp stew.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnx_dwM9IDCVCJ0-mE4HAOTxLLQLPdfcc6T4WiKQ96WSZ1Vd1hb44832N3F51X4MwdXRukaK0k5iFnUhv35fTdlQw0Rm9mkrIG2CaPr37TjrI84yGkPsIrCxa2eETBjStzVA5x_oI7tRy/s1600/46485875_10157475105169298_7236653833697361920_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnx_dwM9IDCVCJ0-mE4HAOTxLLQLPdfcc6T4WiKQ96WSZ1Vd1hb44832N3F51X4MwdXRukaK0k5iFnUhv35fTdlQw0Rm9mkrIG2CaPr37TjrI84yGkPsIrCxa2eETBjStzVA5x_oI7tRy/s320/46485875_10157475105169298_7236653833697361920_n.jpg" width="320" height="320" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="959" /></a><br />
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So now the Christmas decorations are up, I'm finally giving in and listening to Christmas music in my office on this last day in November, and looking forward to two disc golf tournaments between now and the holidays. Here's to a great final month of 2018!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtGxFhCx6w6JUuDf3fpmfBxKuL3Pyc7PWyAbpRvn1uGTHzh7ypVvv1Ng0HKXXloO2DtWjSe6KtVcIDXTQv2DKHRrXD84_FeZvvZ-m1crwN6rRzyevyxR17pEp-YztH9FkgagKVEMqb0lX/s1600/47246588_2465101400207268_3787744019258277888_n.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtGxFhCx6w6JUuDf3fpmfBxKuL3Pyc7PWyAbpRvn1uGTHzh7ypVvv1Ng0HKXXloO2DtWjSe6KtVcIDXTQv2DKHRrXD84_FeZvvZ-m1crwN6rRzyevyxR17pEp-YztH9FkgagKVEMqb0lX/s320/47246588_2465101400207268_3787744019258277888_n.png" width="320" height="320" data-original-width="612" data-original-height="612" /></a>Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-48263433147711147082018-10-22T15:19:00.000-04:002018-10-22T15:28:08.575-04:00North Carolina's Military History and Honoring Our VeteransLast week, our Department participated in Military Appreciation Day at the North Carolina State Fair. We have been participating in this program for four years, and this year was the first in which I served as the primary organizer. Aside from discounts for active military and veterans, the State Fair puts on a variety of programs aimed at those constituencies. Various military bands play throughout the day and a number of veterans organizations set up information tables. For our role, we gather as many costumed interpreters from as many different periods of our state's history and participate in a morning parade that winds through a good portion of the fairgrounds, as well as conducting a narrated uniform review on stage in the afternoon. Though we had some folks drop out at the last minute, we still had a good number of folks attend, and had one of the largest crowds I remember for the uniform review. In exchange for their time, participants receive a meal voucher that can be redeemed at select fair vendors and some down time to wander around and enjoy the fair. I thought I would share this year's participants:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudw5pL1yIJhJ-nnD2H1nHZQMDQCimQEsIUWCfgRZzrIzbJyV5so2t7eK5MRaAVnUIL513rLBWvBYBej7gRYSUFv1_Rl7E9XdNyYV3kacJNtp80VvpJD0uxEMFEbmx8SI7Me33JRan2gIC/s1600/44282939_1388699264598018_7009603836453060608_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudw5pL1yIJhJ-nnD2H1nHZQMDQCimQEsIUWCfgRZzrIzbJyV5so2t7eK5MRaAVnUIL513rLBWvBYBej7gRYSUFv1_Rl7E9XdNyYV3kacJNtp80VvpJD0uxEMFEbmx8SI7Me33JRan2gIC/s320/44282939_1388699264598018_7009603836453060608_n.jpg" width="256" height="320" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>1585 Ralph Lane Expedition<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37VctqJhbUM7rObzOsdRvCQvEqBv7mJSUHb3E_cd48pi9PxjB4Wrps9-StlEkXMWjH4b4wyXqkjXFAE7MzzhrhwC6OdtmxJb-Ncw-_CIgtVd8yZR121_Lt8NwkInJBCRpj8Nvo7MF63sA/s1600/44253985_1388699351264676_6437394818304835584_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37VctqJhbUM7rObzOsdRvCQvEqBv7mJSUHb3E_cd48pi9PxjB4Wrps9-StlEkXMWjH4b4wyXqkjXFAE7MzzhrhwC6OdtmxJb-Ncw-_CIgtVd8yZR121_Lt8NwkInJBCRpj8Nvo7MF63sA/s320/44253985_1388699351264676_6437394818304835584_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="767" /></a></div>Colonial Wars (L-R, 1771 Regulator Rebellion, French & Indian War, and War of Jenkins' Ear)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhry1TcpKQmQO2E9f_YmsDsN4hr2d2eu7rRPw0zIyruBA2qZEdl7CvBeYpIvFPo-GCZcg1tU3Y69kWXqtikWQmP1B_HkQcGvpPA8I_JQrwl9EptSPlFnlq4Qbz-l__P0ITCvogNwYo1Rv/s1600/44231249_1388699604597984_7834268326430769152_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhry1TcpKQmQO2E9f_YmsDsN4hr2d2eu7rRPw0zIyruBA2qZEdl7CvBeYpIvFPo-GCZcg1tU3Y69kWXqtikWQmP1B_HkQcGvpPA8I_JQrwl9EptSPlFnlq4Qbz-l__P0ITCvogNwYo1Rv/s320/44231249_1388699604597984_7834268326430769152_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="768" /></a></div>American Revolution (a sailor and three soldiers of the 1st NC Continental Line)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcCGCbPqWupNSCqOkcvVL1BN1Crc0gGtbRiODkTxKM_lVZTDNv5-PiJyEA0QxkLpjmAd0na24YJLe0C__j5-o3eIMhvixrFQuhNbgG4ImJI__mHbvikZPR2FyxrAA5abJ0oZ0tHfsVTkg/s1600/44225025_1388699561264655_1655179038945181696_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcCGCbPqWupNSCqOkcvVL1BN1Crc0gGtbRiODkTxKM_lVZTDNv5-PiJyEA0QxkLpjmAd0na24YJLe0C__j5-o3eIMhvixrFQuhNbgG4ImJI__mHbvikZPR2FyxrAA5abJ0oZ0tHfsVTkg/s320/44225025_1388699561264655_1655179038945181696_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="768" /></a></div>War of 1812 (L-R, a sailor, NC militia, and two members of the 10th US Regulars)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55iMNEMGjM_U24_in1AfcSRHqIvHpX221cm6xO-Bdfr2nhpyyRt_WDBcR82khdPbbiuQsec-zgX3S_lLj2LlfdkMu47dzs4CHjUPjQY-tQFav_RuL3dE9m0SQtT_RX6TfCZ403Fu8T4IC/s1600/44245429_1388699714597973_6356316251052048384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55iMNEMGjM_U24_in1AfcSRHqIvHpX221cm6xO-Bdfr2nhpyyRt_WDBcR82khdPbbiuQsec-zgX3S_lLj2LlfdkMu47dzs4CHjUPjQY-tQFav_RuL3dE9m0SQtT_RX6TfCZ403Fu8T4IC/s320/44245429_1388699714597973_6356316251052048384_n.jpg" width="256" height="320" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>1830s NC Militia, off to fight in the war for Texian Independence<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndm4t1YKK5rTAmNQFHOgn3zbEyu2Lltx5WY3MHOSxQTiAbTncZXrm82D-XxsHy9RCbw6BG8HZu2TgYqXRHSnlwSWr_secvYF8Qon_Dbv8xnLvt2wdai6WFgOmAfHgxvBFeOlFMBQUUdL5/s1600/44376118_1388699177931360_8028694770001903616_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndm4t1YKK5rTAmNQFHOgn3zbEyu2Lltx5WY3MHOSxQTiAbTncZXrm82D-XxsHy9RCbw6BG8HZu2TgYqXRHSnlwSWr_secvYF8Qon_Dbv8xnLvt2wdai6WFgOmAfHgxvBFeOlFMBQUUdL5/s320/44376118_1388699177931360_8028694770001903616_n.jpg" width="256" height="320" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>Civil War nurse<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqv4g3opPUhmg5xZgjSNjlvOBTSc22lzRBs5Bwkm15pbLiZjCEkLL8v0VM7ulP3ctRI9t5A3EAOJO78lcxYpk6OwCVRmso0Zhxe61wh8q-7pKgytL2Ws_kPB5iwHZn0UG8cfD0Td6T9bI/s1600/44273415_1388699294598015_3258488801533624320_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqv4g3opPUhmg5xZgjSNjlvOBTSc22lzRBs5Bwkm15pbLiZjCEkLL8v0VM7ulP3ctRI9t5A3EAOJO78lcxYpk6OwCVRmso0Zhxe61wh8q-7pKgytL2Ws_kPB5iwHZn0UG8cfD0Td6T9bI/s320/44273415_1388699294598015_3258488801533624320_n.jpg" width="256" height="320" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>One of Sherman's "bummers" and a NC infantryman<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6U2JfSfXzybZxsX1Fn3jiENvzmyXBuwqvTFVEVYdRStbsy0kFHi7TmRJCrh57f7q-iTA9aDcL6dALg1tc78Ea0yFzYHKScsikO-dExsyiUAnwUnJCHHHrnJdwPru7ekr3Epop9jMVAtI/s1600/44370440_1388699447931333_2491533347570843648_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6U2JfSfXzybZxsX1Fn3jiENvzmyXBuwqvTFVEVYdRStbsy0kFHi7TmRJCrh57f7q-iTA9aDcL6dALg1tc78Ea0yFzYHKScsikO-dExsyiUAnwUnJCHHHrnJdwPru7ekr3Epop9jMVAtI/s320/44370440_1388699447931333_2491533347570843648_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="768" /></a></div>Union cavalry, 36th NC (artillery), and Union artillery<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpeAD0J2ru7ep3mrU9oFNamJkL0OfSrYzf3lPe7bH3GrBG02QNIe8TQ0bejzOTyB3sPhmZNDdSPx1DwmumOt4253g8zd9vWEK6MfW2Y90h9K35ege0dRXgJ0TiDjQTukbg9XTkpPTkehO/s1600/44146370_1388699654597979_5369480620680413184_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpeAD0J2ru7ep3mrU9oFNamJkL0OfSrYzf3lPe7bH3GrBG02QNIe8TQ0bejzOTyB3sPhmZNDdSPx1DwmumOt4253g8zd9vWEK6MfW2Y90h9K35ege0dRXgJ0TiDjQTukbg9XTkpPTkehO/s320/44146370_1388699654597979_5369480620680413184_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="768" /></a></div>35th US Colored Troops (raised in eastern NC)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3vhYy75Ffrb63y5a7BqMdk7a9qJGhV9aIudogm9e3Vss7NDv6-VN3MwnhQKctboKSbsIMSzlpe24igNSIx1fKuM5WAuqva7UvHx2aFwlgWLkxVllJF4MjC7H9-w7jjvbdNymj2AMtBIq/s1600/44197017_1388699197931358_7450846180621156352_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3vhYy75Ffrb63y5a7BqMdk7a9qJGhV9aIudogm9e3Vss7NDv6-VN3MwnhQKctboKSbsIMSzlpe24igNSIx1fKuM5WAuqva7UvHx2aFwlgWLkxVllJF4MjC7H9-w7jjvbdNymj2AMtBIq/s320/44197017_1388699197931358_7450846180621156352_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="767" /></a></div>Confederate Marine, US Marine, Confederate sailor, and Union sailor<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECszYR8DwDnMw69EdRYdbgNLX3dsOmfmHq4vVQ-ow3J5A4wkgohK-3f5zIhywFc8D__N0tX4LzfcCaVvlEwlwNGj0_Uyo0QrYh_ejJMaCuflGYE8cGFSEJiTXRdh-z48v5HL1_vtgl3Jv/s1600/44190203_1388699341264677_4144471251106136064_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECszYR8DwDnMw69EdRYdbgNLX3dsOmfmHq4vVQ-ow3J5A4wkgohK-3f5zIhywFc8D__N0tX4LzfcCaVvlEwlwNGj0_Uyo0QrYh_ejJMaCuflGYE8cGFSEJiTXRdh-z48v5HL1_vtgl3Jv/s320/44190203_1388699341264677_4144471251106136064_n.jpg" width="256" height="320" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>Spanish-American War (1898)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7ajcBdMf3-rqeIvH7zipHxaw_bbQ5TiS1u3th3QVf7p5xIDNNMZHMy4CttH-JAx4rawUqa70chJlFmG2qUkpfu3zvL5LXRDTmXnap2k-_l6uaVavxz2TMEY4Sg8XRDKqhdCjBJ15kxrV/s1600/44322774_1388699437931334_3594633901558988800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7ajcBdMf3-rqeIvH7zipHxaw_bbQ5TiS1u3th3QVf7p5xIDNNMZHMy4CttH-JAx4rawUqa70chJlFmG2qUkpfu3zvL5LXRDTmXnap2k-_l6uaVavxz2TMEY4Sg8XRDKqhdCjBJ15kxrV/s320/44322774_1388699437931334_3594633901558988800_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="767" /></a></div>Great War (L-R, Salvation Army, US Marine, 30th Division Sanitary Corps, 105th Signal Battalion)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMIHlUMpWgJN26Ul31CuGLIYDYOey58OjdM_aUbW9QKND_myVx8oQXoPqpqEdR46EK_MHEBF5lBvk_4AmtnCCseopmhUXBi2XUHXXZAU8Y5-HmvPRpeUE34fXAXBGRFj6dqbppXvJjP6H/s1600/44197026_1388699391264672_4795691355214970880_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMIHlUMpWgJN26Ul31CuGLIYDYOey58OjdM_aUbW9QKND_myVx8oQXoPqpqEdR46EK_MHEBF5lBvk_4AmtnCCseopmhUXBi2XUHXXZAU8Y5-HmvPRpeUE34fXAXBGRFj6dqbppXvJjP6H/s320/44197026_1388699391264672_4795691355214970880_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="767" /></a></div>Great War Military Police<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3I_yTBa3K29-3LB8sU4p0EIoQYxmtJAAMpq3TGVlbN_k1IwxMVWEl0RkJk2_dFH9F7ZMHM_LXMWiWzJzMn2MTAZnF4q1d8Wb9Nd3F71xnJYebWyrGQgDzlIUXmfUd2hWohFDcCD7G_QtW/s1600/44265646_1388699464597998_4937834448927326208_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3I_yTBa3K29-3LB8sU4p0EIoQYxmtJAAMpq3TGVlbN_k1IwxMVWEl0RkJk2_dFH9F7ZMHM_LXMWiWzJzMn2MTAZnF4q1d8Wb9Nd3F71xnJYebWyrGQgDzlIUXmfUd2hWohFDcCD7G_QtW/s320/44265646_1388699464597998_4937834448927326208_n.jpg" width="320" height="256" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="768" /></a></div>World War II (L-R, Coast Guard Beach Patrol, US Marine, US Army, Paratrooper)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtWnya6QFu14mny9mWn8_moMLsny1GKskhHWGYH-3lLyMfZzQjt5TldIOmAVcJLtoyw4C75Ug6ta6G4UaTG9E8TyqGi3pqR_hebFpK3tc1EqJ_Hj6uT59f5q-lqUPqNceAV8sgg5hTcE2/s1600/44314246_1388699581264653_1029803191870423040_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtWnya6QFu14mny9mWn8_moMLsny1GKskhHWGYH-3lLyMfZzQjt5TldIOmAVcJLtoyw4C75Ug6ta6G4UaTG9E8TyqGi3pqR_hebFpK3tc1EqJ_Hj6uT59f5q-lqUPqNceAV8sgg5hTcE2/s320/44314246_1388699581264653_1029803191870423040_n.jpg" width="256" height="320" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>Korean War medic<br />
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And, when at the State Fair, one gets to do cool stuff like ride in a 1941 troop carrier with colleagues of all different time periods. Take a look!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzcWmF11QmyNTXtcuoy8jWjf8Icu2SJyhwx_n6IQZNr3bB1r9-QWGVn1DlueZ0VxoR-E10U-RTVi_4m2MRCqUtknc6uSMX4xWpVIZ10k2bGttG0uU0rW5qnpnuQ1e-luoVTz82R7Oudlk/s1600/44224968_10157394718519298_7768227161235783680_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzcWmF11QmyNTXtcuoy8jWjf8Icu2SJyhwx_n6IQZNr3bB1r9-QWGVn1DlueZ0VxoR-E10U-RTVi_4m2MRCqUtknc6uSMX4xWpVIZ10k2bGttG0uU0rW5qnpnuQ1e-luoVTz82R7Oudlk/s320/44224968_10157394718519298_7768227161235783680_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ3CF42-K-ngZRhP92k8Sra2rU0Uy55qOY3AhwlLwEBLDIMv597ETHMcxM1VZd5qhG7QLxUa1uN9bXd9YDJ9BCa1VFUklWyQQbOE__l1w5xwfBnAcL2vv6giAZhwIjvmKrPp9lchu17DQ/s1600/44168531_10157394718684298_267122832389963776_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ3CF42-K-ngZRhP92k8Sra2rU0Uy55qOY3AhwlLwEBLDIMv597ETHMcxM1VZd5qhG7QLxUa1uN9bXd9YDJ9BCa1VFUklWyQQbOE__l1w5xwfBnAcL2vv6giAZhwIjvmKrPp9lchu17DQ/s320/44168531_10157394718684298_267122832389963776_n.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="720" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtncg1Q6hlkz4w9kfR7Ey0ytTv-INd8yP09aS8LHjWiDCictM3DY5V2DXPVt1aUomqxVKeZ70sQc85YwTL4k1os73VW3GHeecRJWQvLzZUlvjkDaC6YwBwpo4-BDlyaOcKTUpy2-Jz1Nz/s1600/44197078_10157394718589298_2061958904832589824_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtncg1Q6hlkz4w9kfR7Ey0ytTv-INd8yP09aS8LHjWiDCictM3DY5V2DXPVt1aUomqxVKeZ70sQc85YwTL4k1os73VW3GHeecRJWQvLzZUlvjkDaC6YwBwpo4-BDlyaOcKTUpy2-Jz1Nz/s320/44197078_10157394718589298_2061958904832589824_n.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="960" /></a></div>Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-18186560311406654892018-10-08T11:20:00.001-04:002018-10-08T11:20:10.596-04:00Recently Acquired ReadingTo steal a theme from Kevin Levin's <i>Civil War Memory</i> blog, here are a few recently acquired titles in my library.<br />
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I received a copy of Joan Cashin's latest, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/War-Stuff-Environmental-Resources-Cambridge/dp/1108413188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539011207&sr=8-1&keywords=War+Stuff">War Stuff: The Struggle for Human and Environmental Resources in the American Civil War</a></i> from the publisher. I hope to start at least perusing it after I finish Steven Hahn's <i>A Nation Without Borders: The United States and It's World in an Age of Civil Wars, 1830-1910</i>, which I've been working my way through for a few weeks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37UN4exdCDYaErxIPlEC-D4AiBzlLe68xAjWsAtn7C6oPi8JzMrWxqVEdUPgUit74kkmTvdE7UUWGH0tV0_ETg2WTmRlWvbgRrdNDRAz4ZZAfpKpyKwdFVNu53JPMb_OuxpyaoDjdJm_G/s1600/War+Stuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37UN4exdCDYaErxIPlEC-D4AiBzlLe68xAjWsAtn7C6oPi8JzMrWxqVEdUPgUit74kkmTvdE7UUWGH0tV0_ETg2WTmRlWvbgRrdNDRAz4ZZAfpKpyKwdFVNu53JPMb_OuxpyaoDjdJm_G/s320/War+Stuff.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div><br />
I also recently picked up a copy of a book that I'm way past due to read, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Confederate-Slave-Impressment-Upper-America-ebook/dp/B00W1VH1SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539011502&sr=8-1&keywords=Jaime+Amanda+Martinez">Confederate Slave Impressment in the Upper South</a></i> by my UNC-Pembroke colleague Jaime Martinez.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFax3LDit9Ej_AIuDbrA5edZwkfpOzV9QQeJweCoxPlO8B-dW9aEjjixVIe-5cmvjaQeayxrjxrIHEuMXJEPatX8gMaQAcU0wtsVt9w2aLG4Enl5HMnNIrb8qopeov54Kv8StQenwUaUF/s1600/51koCbo5c-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFax3LDit9Ej_AIuDbrA5edZwkfpOzV9QQeJweCoxPlO8B-dW9aEjjixVIe-5cmvjaQeayxrjxrIHEuMXJEPatX8gMaQAcU0wtsVt9w2aLG4Enl5HMnNIrb8qopeov54Kv8StQenwUaUF/s320/51koCbo5c-L.jpg" width="209" height="320" data-original-width="327" data-original-height="500" /></a></div><br />
Finally, I purchased a copy of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Day-North-Carolina-History/dp/0865264724/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539011719&sr=8-1&keywords=this+day+in+north+carolina+history">This Day in North Carolina History</a></i> compiled by Ansley Herring Wegner and Jeff Miles, and published by the NC Office of Archives and History. This coffee table volume began as a daily blog of the NC Department of Cultural Resources that ran for three years. Many folks within the Department, myself included, contributed to that blog regularly, and thereby contributed to this published volume that resulted from it. Certainly not a cover-to-cover reader, but an interesting book to have in the collection.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKM7l7Cgzcr-N3Aj_DrsXoMAMzsn-0iEZmei9WZu8P-MsNQIUPEAfd9qhOvsjf7aDZYlMnqBsi9In0jbdAH7VrxCHMyE_Jgxttb7lISjOUKJ4-ZR2gDXPKFIq0xvPJLXuDl8j-j-no11g/s1600/51naaEee1NL._SY372_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKM7l7Cgzcr-N3Aj_DrsXoMAMzsn-0iEZmei9WZu8P-MsNQIUPEAfd9qhOvsjf7aDZYlMnqBsi9In0jbdAH7VrxCHMyE_Jgxttb7lISjOUKJ4-ZR2gDXPKFIq0xvPJLXuDl8j-j-no11g/s320/51naaEee1NL._SY372_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="499" data-original-height="374" /></a></div>Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-54385085431845140752018-09-18T09:44:00.000-04:002018-09-18T09:47:49.555-04:00The Conflicted Month of SeptemberSeptember is indeed a conflicted month for me. There is plenty of good in September. The long, hot, sticky summer is winding down and the promise of cooler fall temps is just around the corner. One of my all-time favorite events going the whole way back to my childhood, Mountain Craft Days at the <a href="http://www.somersethistoricalcenter.org/mountain_days.html">Somerset County (PA) Historical Center</a>, is the second weekend of the month, which also happens to coincide with the first week of the NFL (read Steelers) season. I have lots of good memories from this event and enjoy going back when I am able. One of my favorite disc golf tournaments, the Craven Chains Classic in New Bern is the third weekend in September. There is a whole lot of good in the month of September.<br />
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The conflicted part of this is that a host of sad and difficult times in my life have also occurred in September. Most of the significant hurricanes Iāve encountered (Fran, Floyd, and Florence among others) have visited us in September. This is certainly true this year, as the recent storm has devastated many communities that hold a piece of my heart (Wilmington, Jacksonville, Swansboro, and New Bern among them). As such, the previously mentioned Craven Chains Classic has been postponed, and may still have to be cancelled. September is also the month in which three very significant people in my life died. In 2012, my maternal grandmother and father passed away three days apart from one another. And what got me pondering all of this in the first place is that yesterday was the third anniversary of the passing of my very good friend, Joel Smith. He and his wife were among the first people to befriend me when I moved to Kinston following the deaths of my grandmother and dad. We were partners, along with many others, in the Kinston Disc Golf Association. Joel gave me my first opportunity at being a tournament director and in the summer months we played āsunriseā disc golf at least a couple of days a week. We also shared similar tastes in music and a love of craft beer. His unexpected and untimely passing left a huge void in Kinston and in the disc golf community in NC.<br />
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So, for all the good and all the promise in September, there has also been a lot of sadness, difficulty, and despair to offset it. Hereās hoping the rest of the month will pass uneventfully and the cooler temps and busy schedules of October renew us all.<br />
Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-10524509483578123172018-09-04T14:57:00.000-04:002018-09-04T14:57:41.719-04:00Antique Store FindsSunday afternoon, while out and about, my wife and I stopped in at one of our favorite antique malls in eastern North Carolina. I have occasionally found odds and ends of interest to me there, and on this trip I stumbled across two minor gems that seem very timely given recent events.<br />
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First, I picked up an autographed hardcover copy of <i>Confederates in the Attic</i> at the very reasonable price of $5.00. Now, I've had a paperback copy of this book for almost 20 years, but I never pass up the opportunity to replace paperback with hardcover if the book in question is in good shape and the price is right. This book was both, and the author's autograph made it even better. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf0WHDwo3aQ-vSI7v3lXpwoyAR9aStLMJbzUq40-5XMBls0KGGP7_a1P1MJr2TkhLjJhdMNMW1EeY4i5cfoyOzJuCjvRm4AqRGIel8d2_FEg1drV7ureijapu9QuCZKekolw33vz8Lei8/s1600/A1DweXsst%252BL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf0WHDwo3aQ-vSI7v3lXpwoyAR9aStLMJbzUq40-5XMBls0KGGP7_a1P1MJr2TkhLjJhdMNMW1EeY4i5cfoyOzJuCjvRm4AqRGIel8d2_FEg1drV7ureijapu9QuCZKekolw33vz8Lei8/s320/A1DweXsst%252BL.jpg" width="208" height="320" data-original-width="1038" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div>Though I haven't read the book in years, I think it is still very relevant to today's ongoing debate over Confederate iconography.<br />
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The second find was more interesting still. I found a copy of the inaugural issue of the journal <i>Southern Cultures</i>. While I normally would not buy a random issue of a journal, the lead article in this one was an article by Catherine Bishir entitled "<a href="http://www.southerncultures.org/article/landmarks-power-building-southern-past-1885-1915/">Landmarks of Power: Building a Southern Past, 1855-1915</a>". If you click the link, this article is available to read free online, something that was done in the wake of the Charlottesville violence last summer. Given the recent debates here in North Carolina, this article surely provides important context. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o-7fX63nd0_Hi8D4PmD7FfjmL-rldmJrutKRO1PYqGFluWCYBfnrSu5eiaVGjqwCZKi24JveAOKxR4xqyf4dF0TbxHqAu4GMKK9NvxoCyEd8Hz853Dbz8lkGYU4Z9Rum9qATFaWq1AhZ/s1600/1.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o-7fX63nd0_Hi8D4PmD7FfjmL-rldmJrutKRO1PYqGFluWCYBfnrSu5eiaVGjqwCZKi24JveAOKxR4xqyf4dF0TbxHqAu4GMKK9NvxoCyEd8Hz853Dbz8lkGYU4Z9Rum9qATFaWq1AhZ/s320/1.1.jpg" width="213" height="320" data-original-width="400" data-original-height="600" /></a></div><br />
I always joke with my wife that I should not go to antique stores with her because I am the one who always ends up spending money. However, I would say that the dollars spent on Sunday were well worth it.Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-91513851541938871342018-08-24T15:12:00.002-04:002018-08-24T15:12:45.535-04:00New Semester, New BeginningsThe Fall 2018 semester is now in full swing at all of the institutions for which I teach. Normally, there isn't much change from one semester to the next, but this one is very different in one regard. I teach online classes for two community colleges and one university. Over the course of my career, I have used both the Blackboard and Moodle platforms. This semester I am adding a third platform to my repertoire, as the university for which I teach has switched to Canvas. So far, the learning curve is not quite so great as I had feared. <br />
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When I first started online teaching, I was required to complete a summer session course on how to use Blackboard. When that college later switched to Moodle there was no required course so I was on my own. The transition was rather simple and I really don't have a preference between the two platforms. Each has its upside and downside. For the switch to Canvas, the University developed an online tutorial, designed to walk faculty through Canvas step by step. It was extremely valuable and helpful in getting the basics of my course set up. Of course, as with any online platform there are all kinds of tricks, bells, and whistles to play with, but I'm happy to just have the basics in place for this semester. I can experiment later, once I'm more familiar with the platform. There have certainly been some growing pains; for instance, when a student emailed earlier this week to tell me she had accidentally reported my profile photo. I told her not to worry, that we are all learning this new platform together, and no one had contacted me regarding the report. The next test will come when it is time for the first assignments to be graded. The tutorial makes it sound extremely easy, so I'm hopeful. For now all I have to worry about is signing student ADA accommodation forms, answering questions that students should have seen in the Syllabus, and the usual beginning of semester paperwork.<br />
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All this being said, Fall semester is always my favorite because there is something to look forward to at the end of it - the holidays. Spring semester transitions almost immediately into summer session, which transitions just as quickly into Fall semester. At least I feel like there's a break after Fall semester because of the holidays. So even though it has just begun, here's looking at you, Christmas!Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-39871527366664157442018-08-10T14:20:00.000-04:002018-08-10T14:22:34.649-04:00Thoughts on Recent ConferenceAs promised, I have returned to offer some brief thoughts on the conference I attended with two colleagues two weeks ago. "Confederate Icons: History, Memory, and the Future of Our Past" was held at James Madison University and sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. First, let me say that the facilities at JMU were top notch in every way, and that everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. Having attended all seven Virginia Sesquicentennial conferences, I believe this was on par with those larger events, and I made sure to tell the organizers that. I am going to post links to each of the presentations so you can watch them yourself if you choose, but here's a brief synopsis.<br />
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James I. "Bud" Robertson, Jr. was first up and I hate to say it, but I was terribly disappointed. While his presentation started out moderately enough, he quickly went off the rails and stayed there. His talk lost all professionalism in my mind when he used the oft-heard conservative jab at young liberals, "snowflakes." And that was only the beginning. One colleague pointed out that he cited no historiography past the 1950s, though he certainly knows better. His worship (and there's no other way to say it) of Robert E. Lee and attack on the Episcopal Church was over the top. Basically, he came off sounding like an angry old white guy. There is so much to break down about his presentation, but I'll spare it and you can watch it yourself if you choose. <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-5/history-confederate-monuments">Link</a><br />
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Caroline Janney gave what maybe should have been the first lecture of the day, which put every other presentation into historical context. Her presentation outlined the activities of both Union and Confederate veterans in the years following the war, up to about World War I. This offered a gentle corrective to some of Robertson's thoughts by taking the issue further back in time than he bothered to do. <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-6/competing-memories-civil-war">Link</a><br />
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Christy Coleman was nearly the polar opposite of Robertson in her presentation, though she didn't go spinning wildly off into left field. She did have a few miscues/stumbles, but offered the real counterpoint to Robertson. She proved elusive during Q&A, not really answering the one question that was posed, to which everyone wanted to know the answer (regarding the committee recommendations on what to do with Richmond's Monument Avenue). She also invited some pointed criticism during Q&A that the moderators fairly quickly shut down. <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-7/confederate-monument-controversies">Link</a><br />
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John Coski came in right where I thought he would - straight down the middle. He was easily the most moderate of the speakers, though not conciliatory in any way. He laid out the facts in a straightforward and honest way, and his conclusions fell squarely where they should have. He was pushed a bit during Q&A, but not to the extent that Coleman had been. <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-8/confederate-battle-flag-debates">Link</a><br />
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Keven Walker wrapped up the day by giving the SVBF official position on the matter. <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-9/politics-confederate-heritage-preservation">Link</a><br />
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Overall, it was a very balanced conference, with all sides represented in some way. Unfortunately, the audience for this was probably not the audience that needs to hear such reasoned debate. The demographic was about what one would expect for such a conference, 99% white and over the age of 50. Those of us in our 40s felt like the young ones in the room, save for a few grad students. One colleague mentioned on numerous occasions that he was surprised to see armed law enforcement presence at the conference and wondered what message that sent. The officers were JMU campus police and there were two of them in the facility throughout the day. I didn't find this too unusual, surmising that the campus probably requires law enforcement to be present at most events held on campus. Maybe it was their appearance that he noticed. They didn't look like contract security guards (mall cops/rent-a-cops), but were regular, uniformed police, one of whom was wearing a vest. I chalked it up to campus policy, but maybe they were hedging against any kind of unrest. Suffice it to say, it was a very low-key and respectful crowd.<br />
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I will definitely keep up with the program offerings from SVBF in the future, as I was very impressed with this event. If they do something that interests you, I would highly recommend attending. I don't think you'll be disappointed.<br />
Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-17770193332904650562018-08-02T11:31:00.000-04:002018-08-02T11:31:26.405-04:00Reimagining the BlogSo its been almost another two years of not checking in here, but I still can't pull the trigger on killing the blog. I have updated all of the administrative stuff and cleaned a few things up, as I move forward with re-imagining the blog. Over the very infrequent postings of the past few years, topics aside from history and the public history field have crept onto the page. I'm fine with that, but I don't want to go on an all-out redesign and start blogging about disc golf and stuff. Any of you who follow me on social media are well-aware of my concert going, craft beer chasing, and disc golfing adventures. So I do want to keep this mainly about history and I will strive to get better about posting occasional thoughts here again. I have updated the "What I'm Reading" section so that's the latest news. In the coming days, I hope to post a synopsis of a conference I recently attended, parts of which have already been well-chronicled by Kevin Levin over at Civil War Memory. Until then....Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-58921975664930298372016-10-28T14:54:00.000-04:002016-10-28T14:54:12.503-04:00Long Time, No PostWell I'll be damned! It's been over three years since I posted on this blog. I remember after the first year of inactivity thinking what I should do about it, and here I am two years later having done nothing. I was prompted to take a look as I was cleaning out bookmarks on my computer. I had a whole folder full of links to blogs, many of which have completely disappeared or, like this one, have been dormant for a year or longer. I deleted three-fourths of the links in that folder and it got me to thinking about this blog and the state of blogging in general. I think the rapid rise of social media has stifled some bloggers (I know it has for me). It seems so much easier to post things on Facebook than to write about them on a blog. There is an element of blogging that I miss, so I'm still not completely sure what I'm going to do with this page just yet. A few notes:<br />
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1. I have updated much of the basic info on the blog, including my blog roll, web links, What I'm Currently Reading, etc. So all of the basics are up-to-date.<br />
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2. I thought about all that's happened in my life since I last posted on the blog, and the two biggest changes are that I got married in December 2015 to a wonderful woman who is a high school art teacher, and I've become much more involved in the disc golf community. In fact, disc golf has taken over primacy in my list of hobbies, supplanting living history/reenacting as the top hobby on my list. A former boss of mine told me that one day I would burn out on living history considering it is such a large part of my job, and by golly it took quite awhile, but she has been proven correct. I'm not totally burned out on it, but I'm certainly much more selective about which/how many events I do each year. Lots of times I'd rather be at a disc golf tournament or concert than at a reenactment, and that's OK.<br />
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So here I am, wondering what to do with this long-neglected blog. I'll think it over for awhile. It may go dormant for another three years (let's hope not) and in the end, I may decide to shut it down after all. In the meantime, I have lots of mid-term exams to grade before heading out for four days for our Division's historic weapons training and certification class, which of course I am in charge of. After that, who knows?<br />
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Thanks for reading this long overdue check in! Cheers!<br />
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AndrewAndrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-51646673646680525552013-07-11T22:47:00.000-04:002013-07-11T22:47:32.066-04:00Weekend in WNC - the second highlight of my summerTwo blog posts in one day; crazy, I know. But it's pretty eventful around here lately. July 5-9 was spent in Mills River with my old buddy Glenn Bailey and his family. I had not seen Glenn or anyone else in his family in at least eight years. We had planned a weekend of hiking and visiting as many of western North Carolina's craft breweries as possible. We hiked to waterfalls in South Mountains State Park near Morganton and Dupont State Forest near Brevard. We also took a drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.<br />
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The more impressive part of our weekend was the fact that we managed to visit 15 breweries in 4 days time, including seven on Saturday and five on Monday. What follows is a brief review of each brewery.<br />
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1. Catawba Valley Brewing (Morganton) - Our first brewery was a good one. Though the folks were having some technical difficulties with their cash register system and didn't seem to have their mess together, they had plenty of good beer. I sampled their Mother Trucker Pale Ale and their Scottish ale, both of which were very good. The pale ale was actually excellent. Glenn really enjoyed their red ale. The place seemed to be a local gathering place, with many people coming in and bringing pizzas for dinner. The pool tables were a nice touch. Like many of the breweries we visited, this place was set up in an old warehouse type building, but it was cool.<br />
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2. Lookout Brewing (Black Mountain) - One of the newest places we went to, it was located in a nondescript office plaza behind an Asian restaurant. The place was very small, but had a cool vibe going on with some art on the walls and Grateful Dead playing on the stereo. There was also a small outdoor seating area. All of the beers on tap were good, but nothing stood out to me as particularly outstanding. The people were super friendly and it was a nice, laid back place to hang out. Glenn really enjoyed their smoked ale.<br />
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3. Pisgah Brewing (Black Mountain) - Another warehouse location with a large outdoor seating area, this is a well established brewery. Cool music helped make the atmosphere. The Toubab International Pale Ale was excellent. I had previously tried their signature Pisgah Pale, which is a very good beer, but the Toubab was even better.<br />
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4. Lexington Avenue Brewery, aka Lab (Asheville) - Though they make their own beer, this place was much more of a restaurant in my opinion. I did not try any of their beers (trying to pace myself) but the food was excellent. I had the Cuban pulled pork nachos, which turned out to be a whole lot more food than I had planned on and it was really good. The atmosphere was much different than the other places we visited and I have to say that this is one of those places that just didn't make much of an impression on me (other than the great food).<br />
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5. Highland Brewing (Asheville) - Probably the best established of all the breweries on our tour, this was my Mecca prior to arriving. I have loved Highland's beers for a long time and was stoked to finally visit the home of those wonderful brews. Rather than trying one or two beers, I decided to get a flight of six tasters. It was nice just to have a little bit of everything. Unfortunately our visit was cut short as they were preparing for a concert and cleared everyone out. As an aside, we were able to take a tour next door at Asheville Distilling, where Troy & Sons Whiskey is produced. That was pretty cool.<br />
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6. Burial Beer (Asheville) - I think this was the newest place we went. It is a small brewery in an old industrial building. The ambiance was much different hear with hard rock/heavy metal music playing, lots of old tools displayed on the walls, and even the tap handles were made out of old tools like a pitchfork, hammer, scythe, etc. The owners were super nice and eager to talk with the customers; they were certainly enthusiastic. All of their beers are high gravity varieties, with nothing coming in under 7% ABV and most above 8.5%. I tried their farmhouse ale, which was nice.<br />
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7. Green Man Brewery (Asheville) - After leaving Burial, we walked right around the corner to the well-established Green Man. I had previously tried their pale ale and their ESB, both of which are very good. Green Man featured one of the more unique environments we visited with all kinds of random stuff hanging in the rafters and a ton of interesting stickers on the tap wall. There were also lots of choices, most with unique names. I tried the Ironic Mustache Red IPA, which was excellent. Glenn had the Hops for Teacher IPA and said it was very, very good. One of their specials was an imperial IPA called Imperial Stormtrooper (10.5% ABV). As I heard one customer exclaim, "I can't drink that; I'm a mere mortal!" Our friendly bartender at this location also gave us a few suggestions for other places we might want to try.<br />
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8. Wicked Weed Brewing (Asheville) - We wrapped up Saturday at Wicked Weed, which has a great restaurant (the food was really good) as well as a nice tap room and outdoor seating area downstairs. The beer selection here was huge and it would take many trips to try them all. I only had one, but it was a great choice. While I normally don't drink fruity beers I tried their watermelon saison and it was wonderful. A wedge of watermelon was placed on the rim of the glass and the aroma of watermelon was apparent from start to finish. The flavor of watermelon came through better the warmer the beer got. An excellent summer brew!<br />
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9. Brevard Brewing (Brevard) - This is a small brewery in downtown Brevard. The bartender was very friendly and most of their beers are of the lighter variety. I tried a flight so I could get a good sample of their beers. Glenn had looked all day Saturday for a lager with no luck, so he jumped all over the lager at Brevard Brewing and he was not disappointed. The pilsner was also very good, possibly the best I had on the entire trip.<br />
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10. Oskar Blues (Brevard) - A large warehouse operation, with a tap room named The Tasty Weasel upstairs and ample outdoor seating, this was one of the largest places we visited. My only previous experience with this brewery was Dale's Pale Ale, which I'm not a huge fan of. However, I had two of the best beers I tasted all weekend at this place. Their pilsner, Mama's Little Yella Pils, is really good. However, what may be the best beer I had all weekend was their imperial red ale named G'Knight. I can't even begin to describe how good this beer is and I ended up bringing some of them home with me.<br />
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11. Wedge Brewing (Asheville) - Located in the River Arts district of Asheville, I can only describe the atmosphere of this place as "junkyard." It is in a huge old warehouse/industrial building near the railroad tracks, river, and highway. It looks like an abandoned industrial site, but the beer is great. I tried their pale ale and their pilsner (noticing a trend here?) both of which were very good. Glenn had been itching to try their Belgian double, called Golem. It's a big beer at 10.5% ABV, but very smooth - a dangerous combination. It lived up to all the hype and Glenn was very happy it did.<br />
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12. Altamont Brewing (Asheville) - This place was recommended by our bartender at Green Man and when we arrived she was actually there, having drinks with friends. Located in West Asheville, this is sort of out of the way, but in an area that is probably about ready to take off growth-wise. The beer selection was extensive, but we wanted to try Altamont's own brews. Glenn got the ESB and said it was very good. I don't even remember what I had, but it was OK. Altamont seemed to cater to a crowd of mostly regulars, but certainly is a brewery worth checking out.<br />
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13. Oyster House Brewing (Asheville) - Located inside a pricey downtown restaurant, which I'm sure is very good just by the looks of the food I saw, their beer did not particularly impress. We can say we went there, but I doubt I'll ever go back. Nothing against the place, but I had better beer almost everywhere else.<br />
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14. Hi-Wire Brewing (Asheville) - I again tried a flight in order to get a broad perspective on their beers. The Acrobat Spring Ale was excellent and the Prime Time Pale Ale and Hi-Wire Lager were both very good too. I think the spring ale was on par with Highland's famous Little Hump. Everything here was good, but these three really stood out.<br />
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15. Asheville Brewing (Asheville) - The tour ended here with dinner. At this point I could only really have one beer and I chose their Rocket Girl Lager. This beer was good enough that I brought a six pack home with me. The food at this place was excellent too.<br />
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All of these places had their own unique niche. I have to say I didn't have a bad beer the whole time, but there were a few that stood out as being better than the rest. I'd love to return in the fall when all these places have their fall seasonals on tap. It really would be Oktoberfest!<br />
Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-65542287268142173222013-07-11T21:48:00.001-04:002013-07-11T21:48:42.829-04:00ALHFAM - The first highlight of my summerIn mid-June I embarked on my first major road trip in my new car. I dropped my mother off in western PA to spend time with her family and I continued on to Akron, Ohio to attend the first three days of the ALHFAM annual meeting. For those of you who are uninitiated, ALHFAM is the Association of Living History, Farm, and Agricultural Museums. It is a national organization with regional subsets and the annual meeting moves around to diverse locations in the US and Canada every year. Each region also holds smaller regional conferences throughout the year as well. The last time I had attended an annual meeting was in 2009 when the organization convened in Winston-Salem, so I was very excited to return.<br />
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ALHFAM annual meetings consist of not only conference sessions, but also field trips, hands-on workshops, and all kinds of unique activities that you just have to present to witness yourself to understand. Generally, I think ALHFAM conferences are the best I've ever attended and certainly the most fun. The atmosphere is always super friendly, laid back and relaxed, but professional. For field trip day I signed up for a trip to Cleveland where our group got to tour the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Cuyahoga Valley Soldier's and Sailor's Monument, with a stop for lunch at Great Lakes Brewing. Most of the conference sessions I attended dealt with interpretation, particularly first-person interpretation and the role of historic sites in the ever changing field of 21st century learning. The entire group also took a field trip to two Mormon history sites and a working living history farm. All in all, it's hard to beat the experiences you have at an ALHFAM conference.<br />
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But it's not just the quality of the conferences and the excellent learning experiences that make ALHFAM a great organization. What is really special about ALHFAM is the relationships that are created and nurtured through the organization. It really is like a big family (hence the organizational moniker ALHFAMily). Though I hadn't been to an annual meeting in four years, it was as if I had never left. I saw plenty of familiar faces, many of whom I've stayed in touch with through the wonders of Facebook and Linked-In, and it was like we'd only just seen each other last week. I also met lots of new folks who I will look forward to seeing at future conferences. The people of ALHFAM are what makes ALHFAM special. It is a truly warm, caring, friendly, and professional group of folks. When someone asks me what an ALHFAM conference is like, I often say it's like summer camp for adults. The feeling I get at ALHFAM conferences is much the same as when I was attending youth conferences at Montreat Conference Center in the North Carolina mountains as a teenager. By the end of the week you feel like you want to stay forever and never let the moment end. But in the end you know that the feeling can't possibly last forever. The real world awaits, just beyond the conference reach, and you must return to that world with all it's responsibilities. You will take things that you learned and apply them in that real world. And you will eagerly anticipate the next time you are able to be with this special group of people, even if it's four years away. And when you return, you know that you will find the friendship, acceptance, and fun that always attends a gathering of the ALHFAMily. So to all of my friends in ALHFAM, I miss you and I can't wait to see you somewhere/sometime down the road!Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-15928396910010679362013-06-05T09:32:00.000-04:002013-06-05T09:32:07.381-04:00Blog UpdatesRealizing that it's been three months since my last post, I have decided it's time to stop making promises about how often I want/intend to post on the blog. I've found that most things I might have previously posted here end up on Facebook or don't get posted at all. That being said, I intend to keep the blog up, and will post things as I feel led to do so. I obviously can't promise any sort of regular posting these days so this blog will become more of an occasional thing than a regular one.<br />
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So just what the hell have I been up to lately? Lots of stuff. I have started referring to last month as "Around the State in the Month of May" due to all the traveling I was doing. There was a ten-day stretch that saw me on the road for seven of the ten. That trip took me from Kinston to Raleigh-Greensboro-Asheville-Concord-Spencer-back to Kinston-Alamance-Kinston-Southport, before finally coming home for good. Most of my travel for the past four months has been work related. I've conducted seven workshops statewide since mid-February and have assisted numerous sites with events. Of course, I have also found time to work in a couple of concerts along the way (information which has certainly been posted on Facebook).<br />
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I'll be on the road in June and July as well, so stay tuned both to this venue and Facebook if you want to know where I'm going to be and why. Thanks for continuing to check in, even if I don't!Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-36483601058600979802013-02-11T09:06:00.000-05:002013-02-11T09:06:08.185-05:00What I'm Currently ReadingI came across a review on another blog today of the book I'm currently reading. I'm stepping out of my usual area of interest to read Eric Hobsbawm's <i><a href="http://earlyamericanists.com/2013/02/07/a-very-old-book-the-case-for-eric-hobsbawms-age-of-revolution/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thejuntoblog+%28The+Junto%3A+A+Group+Blog+on+Early+American+History%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo">Age of Revolution</a></i>. I purchased all four books in Hobsbawm's series (Revolution, Capital, Empire, and Extremes) while I was in college and grad school, back when I was seriously thinking about focusing on 20th century European history (a very fleeting moment, for sure). However, I've always thought that one day I'd return to the series and read all four books. I started reading <i>Age of Revolution</i> last month and have been reading a chapter here, a chapter there as time allows. Seeing this review this morning was very interesting and sort of spurs me to speed things up a bit and get moving on this book and the series. <br />
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If you haven't checked out the blog, The Junto, you really should do so, especially if you are interested in early American history. It is most definitely an academic blog, but there's a whole lot to like about the stuff they are posting. It's well worth monitoring for little nuggets like today's book review.Andrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667671742448558368.post-30378169491321269402012-12-30T17:12:00.001-05:002012-12-30T17:12:21.399-05:00Book Review - 1812: War and the Passions of PatriotismI can't believe it has been two months since my last blog post. However, considering how busy the last two months have been, I shouldn't be so surprised. My apologies for the long absence. So to start off the new year, I'd like to offer a book review.<br />
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I just finished reading Nicole Eustace's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/1812-Passions-Patriotism-American-Studies/dp/0812244311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356904847&sr=8-1&keywords=nicole+eustace">1812: War and the Passions of Patriotism</a></i>. This book offers a fresh take on the War of 1812 and approaches the war from a number of perspectives. This is not a military history; far from it, this book explores early 19th century American ideas about patriotism, duty, and love (love of family, country, etc.). Eustace points out how romantic and familial love were equated with patriotism and love of country. Prowar forces within the United States attempted in various ways to juxtapose their righteous view of America's war aims with the less-than-virtuous British and their Native American (and in some cases, black) allies.<br />
.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09ujFjXdnh7fLyW8zcB-X2LuUB1JrZsEVC17UEtyFOPT5z8f1yKW-NeBBuznIs44ruoHscFX-IbYMyU-39xTMVVPy5zksX3-_jnDg4f0Bbfe2RmccRRTQvhPkn-r3v8TopCO8YM-GKQ8f/s1600/1812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09ujFjXdnh7fLyW8zcB-X2LuUB1JrZsEVC17UEtyFOPT5z8f1yKW-NeBBuznIs44ruoHscFX-IbYMyU-39xTMVVPy5zksX3-_jnDg4f0Bbfe2RmccRRTQvhPkn-r3v8TopCO8YM-GKQ8f/s320/1812.jpg" /></a></div><br />
In the end, Americans had to face many contradictions, such as how a nation that espoused liberty still endorsed the institution of slavery, and how their claims to defending their rights to life, liberty, and property rang hollow against their real war aims of territorial expansion and denying the Native American population those same rights. While this book is not necessarily pro-British, it certainly points out weaknesses in American arguments and claims as to what their war aims really were. In the end, Eustace sums up the importance, usually forgotten or swept aside, of this war in real terms. She points out that the legacy of this war is one of vast territorial expansion and Indian removal that persisted until well after the next three American Wars (the Mexican War, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War). <br />
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If you want to read a solid social and intellectual history of the War of 1812 without getting bogged down in the military intricacies of the conflict this is the book for you. It is very well written and well argued, and will make you think of the War of 1812 in a different lightAndrew Duppstadthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886636068786745680noreply@blogger.com0