It could be that time of year or maybe the weather, but things in this country seem to be changing. I don't like to focus on politics or current issues but the recent removal of Confederate monuments has got me down. Lets put it this way,  I'm a Christian, more specifically a Roman Catholic. If I go to Rome and see the Colosseum I don't want to remove it just because they killed Christians there. Some people believe history has to suit the century they are living in and wont stop until all things living or dead conform to there beliefs. I'm wholeheartedly in favor of telling everyone's story, but by that I mean everybody's not just the people in power at that particular time. I hope I wont have to repeat any more non fun statements for awhile. Here's a photo of a monument they wont take down for a while.

     Just remembering all the wonderful trips to Gettysburg every year and took time to go back and revisit one of those spots I first saw many years ago. Well, whats happening at Lee's headquarters is an interesting side post to the the current state of the park. Private money going to the upgrade and maintenance of a historically important edifice. Right now it looks like a Detroit property that went into foreclosure back in the mortgage meltdown era. Or better yet a new location for Gettysburg's first Starbucks. Its the latest ambitious project of the notorious Friends of Gettysburg organization. Those who know me understand my feelings and dislike of their Gettysburg museum that is too expensive for a family to go to. Everything they touch seems to become some politically correct composite of what history should be and Im sure this will be no exception. In a couple of months we will see if they charge an admission to their latest conquest. Maybe it should be a Starbucks at least we would get free admission.

Somewhere on the back roads of Virginia, specifically between Fredericksburg and Richmond lies the little hamlet of Guinea Station. During the war it was the supply base for the Confederate Army and a major rail hub. It also has the inauspicious history of being where a very important man in the Confederate Army had his arm amputated and eventually lost his life. Stonewall Jackson could have lived, he was recovering. But Pneumonia took hold and he died ,so the rest is history. If he lived there would be other battles but the results ultimately would be the same, the new Confederate nation would be defeated. But oh what a different drama would be played out. Think Gettysburg with Stonewall on the first day and you can have a fun time imagining all the scenarios. The area around Guinea Station is quite and somber now. Apparently no one visits, except of course the staff of Confederate Planet . Image. Cottage where Jackson died and where his arm was originally buried.

     About 151 years ago a Seminary College in a little nondescript Pennsylvania town was the center of a national controversy that could only be resolved by the spilling of American blood. Now the Lutheran Seminary is the home to a brand spanking new Civil War museum. Did they do a good job? Yes and no. The interactive displays in each room are well done with life like mannequins in all sorts of gruesome poses. Some are so life like you can almost feel them move when you turn away. Spooky and cool. But unless you want a lot of thought provoking reading material to ponder, you might do better at a Civil War Show  to see real relics. They have a few things on display and I cant wholly  discredit the place because its not stuffed with Confederate artifacts. Anyway, its worth a stop if your in town. Photo. A family visit to a Union officer recuperating at the Seminary Hospital circa 1863.

This is the letter we sent to the Museum regarding their press release about the merger and move. Right or wrong, you readers be the judge. The bold is the CEOs Waite Rauls  answers to confederateplanets questions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Good questions all. See below.

Stay tuned.

Waite

 

(Please note new telephone extension is '130')

S. Waite Rawls III

President & CEO

Museum of the Confederacy

1201 E. Clay St.

Richmond, VA 23219

wrawls@moc.org

(804) 649-1861x130

 

What had been just a rumor has been borne out by a press release announcing the closing of the Museum of the Confederacy at its old site at 1211 Clay St and the consolidation with the Richmond Museum of the Civil War ACTUALLY, THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR CENTER AT HISTORIC TREDEGAR (SEE WWW.TREDEGAR.ORG). I went to the museum over the weekend and had a daunting time parking. The MOC is hemmed in on all sides by the monstrous Virginia Medical Center and looks like its slowly suffocating. THERE LOCATION AT THE HISTORIC TREDEGAR IRON WORKS IS ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE NEW ORGANIZATION. OUR LOCATION IS CLEARLY ONE OF OUR WEAKNESSES. I hope this works out well but there are a ton of unanswered questions. Is this the beginning of the end, or a new beginning? I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IT IS A NEW BEGINNING, WITH A MUCH FIRMER FINANCIAL FOOTING. We will see. There were several problems associated with the old site, which we understand were the issue on the decision to move. But let’s be honest. All Civil War sites have had diminishing attendance in the last decade. I love this museum and have supported it financially and spiritually since the 80s but as a member I have several questions. 1 where is this 20 million dollars coming from to build this NEW museum. THE PRINCIPAL DONOR ($10 MILLION) IS FROM BRUCE GOTTWALD, FORMER MEMBER OF THE MOC BOARD AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST DONOR TO CIVIL WAR HISTORY IN THE COUNTRY OVER THE PAST DECADE—CIVIL WAR TRUST, VA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MOC, AND THE TREDEGAR CENTER. 2 what happens when membership to the MOC falls off because of the merger, they get a lot of coin from that. WE THINK WE WILL LOSE SOME MEMBERS AND GAIN SOME. THE REACTIONS, SO FAR, FROM MEMBERS AND DONORS HAS BEEN POSITIVE ALMOST 90/10. 3 what are they going to do with the museum property, it should be worth millions to VMC. NATURALLY, THE WHITE HOUSE OF THE CONFEDERACY WILL STAY WHERE IT IS AND STAY OPEN 362 DAYS A YEAR. WE WILL USE PART OF THE EXISTING MUSEUM BUILDING AND REPURPOSE PART OF IT. THE HOSPITAL IS A NATURAL USER OF THE PART THAT WE WILL NOT NEED IN THE FUTURE. 4 what happens if this new museum folds after a few years and there’s no home to return to. THE CHANCES OF “FOLDING” ARE HUGELY DIMINISHED WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. PART OF THE FINANCIAL PLAN SHOWS AN ENDOWMENT OF $10 MILLION, VERSUS NONE TODAY. 5 when the politically correct crowd sees battle flags guess what happens, oh I answered my own question, yeah! they are forced to disappear. THE TREDEGAR CENTER HAS REGULARLY DISPLAYED BATTLE FLAGS. I SEE NO REASON THAT WOULD STOP. How will this impact on the White House of the Confederacy, will they eventually try to move that too? SEE ABOVE. This deal has a lot of unanswered questions. All of us that love this institution should start asking some. This might be the best thing since malted milk I NEVER THOUGHT MALTED MILK WAS ALL THAT GOOD, BUT I TAKE YOUR POINT (  J  )or it could be another Edsel. Hey, don’t lose hope. I agree that the problem is that today’s youth really aren't interested. But as time has taught us, life is made up of trends. Today’s trend is technology but 100 years from now it might be history again. It’s not just the MOC that’s suffering, every history museum is. But that said; don’t try to change the trend. Try to last it out. The MOC can’t be all things to all people, it shouldn’t try. There will always be a small segment of the population interested, live with it and cater to it, that’s what I think. If attendance is down, try to build an endowment to perpetuate the museum no matter what. SEE ABOVE. Even if one person goes its the collection that’s really important not attendance. YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST POINT IS IN THIS SENTENCE. THE COLLECTION WILL BE FAR BETTER PRESERVED IN THIS ARRANGEMENT. signed The Folks at Confederateplanet
Photo. Current exhibit at the Museum of the Confederacy, Battle flags from Gettysburg They Walked Through Blood.

I cant say I have seen everything in life, but the one thing I can say is that one of the prettiest towns in this great country of ours is just south of Washington City. The Old Town section of Alexandria is totally splendid with just the hint of South and a lot of class and character. Back in the day Ive been told Old Town was a mess. Like so many inner cities it was on the way to the path of the wrecking ball but was saved for posterity by some high minded individuals. Theres plenty of history here don't miss it. Storm clouds are brewing 90 miles south at the Capital of the Confederacy and I must get to Richmond to find out the truth. Photo. the statue called Appomattox on Prince and Washington Streets, Old Town Alexandria

The smoke has cleared off the field and the old soldier is home on his couch safe and secure. Sounds like a veterans remembrance from 1886, but sadly no, I decided to do the Gburg reenactment for the 150th and Im still recuperating. Of course I went to the collectors show, took a side trip to Winchester and ate a whole lot of great food, but that's another story. I also decided to take along my daughters boyfriend and together we would represent the 6th Virginia and die in Picketts charge. Being kind of an independent spirit (I was a horrible soldier in the Army way back) the decision is to go in as "walk ons" a term used to denote the unaffiliated 21st century CW soldier. First off the bat was to create a uniform from scratch for my young friend. This was done on the cheap with the help of Goodwill Industries and a needle and thread, a perfect Battle Shirt, pants and Slouch Hat were fabricated. The rest were acquired from Ebay and spare stuff I had on hand. So knowing the drill of these affairs, we would skip the first two days of battle and just mosey on to the field for the real deal, Day 3 Picketts Charge. We straggled into camp an hour before the battle and sat in the woods waiting for the grand cannonading to stop. I must admit the sound was impressive. The booming and bellows of smoke were realistic but sadly there were not so real Confederate soldiers taking selfies and posing for the cell phone cameras. More hilarity abounded when a pretty young girl in CS garb approached us. She had a ridiculous painted on mustache and the baggiest pair of pants ever created. She appeared as a Confederate Chaplin ( I mean Charlie), well who am I to pass judgement I look equally out of place in Confederate garb. Im more of a restaurant connoisseur than dangerous reb and my waist line belies that fact, but I digress. Suddenly, the cannons fall silent. We quickly gather our weapons and are shoved into position. Weve managed to attach ourselves to a group that will go over the proverbial stone wall (Armisteads) and although they know were tag alongs, they thankfully dont kick us out of their party. Ah, the drums beating, orders shouted "fall in, fall in men" a speech by a good Pickett impersonator alla imitation southern drawl, " Remember you are all Virginians." Did he really say that? And off we go, a cardiac stress test in a wool uniform in 90 degree heat, I quickly fall behind. Some accountant on a horse is screaming "keep up ,double quick, move, move." Easy for  him to say mounted on an animal, that given a choice would rather be grazing oats somewhere. We cross a gully with a little, little stream which practically shatters my leg and soaks my foot. Im breathing very hard but finally catch up just in time to see our dear captain ( only knew him for a half hour) fall dead in front of me sabre in hand. And still we come, closer and closer to the stone wall. Men in front fall prostrate in different throws of imitation agony. Some others, more well rehearsed, shout curses at the Yankees as they pass through our dwindling line in retreat " go get em boys, give them the cold steel" This all transpires in a few short minutes, and now I would myself fall victim to imaginary Yankee bullets. My parting words to my young friend " Go to the wall, Im dying "closed my performance for the drama. As I sat on the grass and watched the remaining moments of the reenactment, the boys going over the wall into a mass of blue and smoke, I thought "well this was what it was like 150 years ago" as I quietly snapped a picture with my Korean cellphone. Photo, The Young Recruit.

Has it been a year already? Well almost. What a great idea, a portal for all things Confederate and surprise! Its actually quite popular and growing every day because of people like you. Thanks all,  keep coming back and enjoying and contributing to the site.
     Took the annual trip to the Baltimore gun show and of course made a side trip for the guys in the car to enjoy. I never tell them where we are going for these trips, I just like to see the surprise or disgust on their faces depending on the attraction, (Baltimore Station didnt go over well). This one was off the beaten path in the heart of the urban blight of B more and they loved it. The most amazing thing were the pennies bent through the head on the unmarked grave. Can you guess? Photo. Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore. Md. unmarked grave, do the initials J.W.B.ring a bell?

We made it. A two hour ride turns into four but were here, the new Museum of the Confederacy. Its not big, but there's still a lot to see. Wonderful uniform displays highlighted by the frock coat of General Cleborne that is so moth eaten its just a mere fragment. The Western Armys greatest general, he was killed needlessly at Franklin, but you all know that story. If you go make sure you eat at Granny Bee's Restaurant for lunch. Actually, its the only place in Appomattox for lunch that we could find, its a really small town. What I didn't know was that there's like three or four miles between Appomattox Station (the town) and the NPS site (the courthouse) were the surrender occurred. The site is eerie and quite with no other cars in the parking lot. We are the only visitors and that's sad, but one doesn't stumble upon this place by accident and the ranger tells us that its a little busier during the weekend. Mr Mcleans house was rebuilt in the 1960s and doesn't look a day over 100. Its nice to finally be here after all these years, and unlike the rest of America, appreciate the nation that preserved this for us.
    Back at Richmond that night, we eat at a place called the Boat House. Great views of the James and the Richmond skyline, but more importantly it sits on the site of the old Confederate Naval Yard at Rocketts Landing. I inform our waiter Brad I think his name was, that during the evacuation they blew up the CSS Patrick Henry about 50 feet from were we were sitting. The kid actually seemed pretty interested, or maybe just looking for a bigger tip. Who knows. Photo Confederate Memorial Appomattox