John Frederick Hartranft Papers

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on John Frederick Hartranft Papers Although little recognized today, John Frederick Hartranft (1830-1889) did make his mark in the history of the Commonwealth and the nation as governor and as general. Born near Norristown, Montgomery County, he attended college, practiced law, and in 1861 entered the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil War. His dedication to the military was unswerving. He was commissioned colonel of the...
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Bookshelf

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Bookshelf The Lincoln Highway by Brian A. Butko Stackpole Books, 1996 (321 pages, paper, $16.95) Established in 1913, the Lincoln Highway became the first automobile roadway to cross the United States. It stretched east from New York’s Tunes Square to San Francisco at a time when rural roads were little more than rutty wagon paths. The Lincoln Highway Association was organized “to procure the...
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Bookshelf

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Bookshelf Stoneware of Southwestern Pennsylvania by Phil Schaltenbrand University of Pittsburgh Press, 1996 (216 pages, paper, $22.95) A greatly expanded version of the author’s Old Pots (1978), Stoneware of Southwestern Pennsylvania describes the salt-glazed stoneware industry that once flourished in the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Valleys and contains much new information about the remarkable...
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An Admirable and Befitting Arrangement: The Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on An Admirable and Befitting Arrangement: The Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg After the battle, the fields looked and smelled like hell on earth. The bodies of the fallen had quickly begun to decom­pose. Where shallow graves had been dug, arms, legs, and heads were reported to have penetrat­ed the surface. In some places, hogs rooted out corpses, devouring them. The immense, ghastly campaign at Gettysburg, fought July 1 through 3, 1863, was over. As General Robert E. Lee...
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Shorts

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Shorts Original works of art by Charles Demuth (1883-1935) will be on view at the Demuth Foundation in Lancaster from Sunday, February 1, through Sunday, March 22, 1998. In addition to selections drawn from the foundation’s permanent collection, the exhibit will feature paintings and memorabilia lent by private collectors. For more informa­tion, write: Demuth Foundation, 114 East King St.,...
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Currents

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Currents Amish Arts A comprehensive-and colorful-sur­vey of the distinctive decorative arts cre­ated by and for the Amish of Lancaster County is on view at the Heritage Center Museum of Lancaster County. About two hundred objects made during a period of two hundred years, from 1790 to 1990, are showcased in “Amish Arts of Lancaster County,” on view through Saturday, Janu­ary 2, 1999. Included...
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A New Birth of Freedom

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on A New Birth of Freedom President Lincoln listened patiently to Everett’s lengthy speech, noting the powerful cadence of his delivery. Then he rose, his lanky frame casting a shadow across the lectern. He reached into a pocket of his black frock coat and withdrew a single sheet of paper. He began his address with words that have since become immortal. A crowd of nearly fifteen thousand dignitaries, spectators,...
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Old Johnny’s Vision For An Industrial Society

Posted by on Nov 25, 2013 in | Comments Off on Old Johnny’s Vision For An Industrial Society Although Colonel John Frederick Hartranft (1830-1889) was only in his thirties during the Civil War, the rank and file of his 51st Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment fondly called him “Old Johnny.” His soldiers especially respected his ability to make the right decisions in combat and his altogether impartial and basically humane discipline. With a mind and eye trained as a civil...
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Letters to the Editor

Posted by on Nov 25, 2013 in | Comments Off on Letters to the Editor A Giant Among Men Congratulations to William C. Kashatus on his extraordinary article, “A New Birth of Freedom,” which appeared in the Fall 1999 issue. Americans, who have witnessed the downfall of so many latter-day heroes in recent years, can take heart in knowing that Abraham Lincoln was truly a giant among men. The article has enhanced my already considerable admiration for this...
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Painted With Pride in the U.S.A.

Posted by on Nov 25, 2013 in | Comments Off on Painted With Pride in the U.S.A. Although not a sketch artist like William Forbes and Alfred Waud, who drew scenes from the battlefield, African American painter David Bustill Bowser (1820–1900) is considered a Civil War artist – but for a much different reason. Active in Philadelphia from 1844 to 1889, he painted portraits of abolitionist John Brown and President Abraham Lincoln. Most important, he painted the regimental...
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