4C COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL November 25, 2015
Happy
Thanksgiving
I N ANY LANGUAGE ...
Annie Manning and granddaughter Clara took advantage of a recent segment in the Sentinel's popular "Kids
Scoop" section to learn Egyptian Heiroglyphics, and the upcoming holiday gave them a perfect opportunity to
try out the ancient pictorial language.
fr om our family to yours!
How Civil War soldiers celebrated
Thanksgiving in the fi eld
BY TOM EMERY
For the Sentinel
A
s in most wars, the men
of the Civil War found
it excruciatingly diffi cult to be
away from loved ones at holi-
day time. Thanksgiving was no
exception.
The holiday itself has its roots
in the Civil War. The fi rst of-
fi cial proclamation declaring
Thanksgiving as a national day
of remembrance was issued by
Abraham Lincoln in 1863, part-
ly in honor of northern successes
in the war that
year. Lincoln
designated the
last Thursday
in November
“as a day of
Thanksgiving
and Praise.”
That
year,
Thanksgiv-
ing fell on the
day after a
crucial Union
victory at the
battle of Chat-
tanooga. The previous year in
late November, armies were on
the march during the Freder-
icksburg and Vicksburg cam-
paigns. Around Thanksgiving
1864, some Union forces were
on the cusp of the bloody battle
of Franklin, while others were
marching to the sea with Wil-
liam T. Sherman.
Due to their harsh surround-
ings, many Civil War men in
the fi eld enjoyed only the most
Spartan of celebrations. In Ke-
wanee, Illinois, teenage sisters
Tirzah and Sarah Vaill received
a letter from their older brother,
an Illinois infantryman, after
Thanksgiving 1861 that de-
scribed his holiday meal, “hard
bread” and salt pork. He added
that “during the day I thought of
you at home having your nice
dinners” and “wishing maybe
that you might present a plate to
some of us soldiers fi lled with
your own goodies.”
From his camp in Virginia
that same year, Private Zebina
Bickford of the 6th Vermont In-
fantry made the best of his day.
In a letter home, he mused that
“you may think we are home-
sick today but it is not so,”
mainly because of a care pack-
age sent from loved ones back
in Vermont. The goodies con-
sisted of “a box of clothing and
a few knick-knacks consisting
turnip, apple butter, and cheese
butter.” Bean, though, lamented
that he “cannot eat much with-
out being sick.” He, too, would
die months later.
Elsewhere that year, Federal
soldiers stationed at Fort Pu-
laski, Ga. held their own “fete
and festival.” The day’s events
included target practice and a
rowing match, foot race, and
hurdle sack race. Competitions
involving a greased pole and
a greased pig were also on the
agenda, as was a “burlesque
dress parade.”
"With tongue in cheek, he wrote
that 'you can’t imagine what
a lot of fi ne things we had for
supper…a piece of sour bread
and salt pork.'
of eatables” that made “a very
good thanksgiving for us.”
With tongue in cheek, he
wrote that “you can’t imagine
what a lot of fi ne things we
had for supper…a piece of sour
bread and salt pork.” However,
he gleefully noted that “some of
mother’s cookies and doughnuts
that came in our box” made the
evening memorable. It would be
Bickford’s last Thanksgiving, as
he died the following April 30.
The following year, Asa Bean,
a doctor in the 114th Ohio, en-
joyed greater tidings. On Nov.
27, 1862, he wrote that “there
has been a surprise party here
today for the benefi t of soldiers
and nurses.” The feast included
“roast turkey, chicken, pigeon,
and oysters stewed” along with
“baked chicken, boiled potatoes,
In some cases, Thanksgiving
was a time of spiritual refl ec-
tion. On the fi rst offi cial install-
ment of the holiday in 1863,
Sewell Van Alstine, a soldier in
the 95th Illinois, wrote in his di-
ary that he “went to town” and
“heard an excellent discourse by
an army chaplain at the Presby-
terian Church.” He also wrote
there was “no drill today,” a
welcome respite.
In 1864, the Union League
Club of New York City pleaded
for donations of “cooked poul-
try and other proper meats” as
well as “mince pies, sausag-
es, and fruits” for men in the
fi eld. The call brought in some
$57,000 in cash donations, as
well as nearly 225,000 pounds
of poultry and large quantities
of cakes, gingerbread, pickles,
C OTTAGE G ROVE T AX O FFICE
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apples, vegetables, and cheese.
One appreciative soldier saw the
deeper meaning, writing that “it
isn’t the turkey, but the idea that
we care for.”
Others received far less. That
year, Lewis Crater of the 50th
Pennsylvania recorded in his
diary that the Sanitary Commis-
sion “issued three fi ne apples to
every man.” Despite the mid-
dling fare, Crater and others
likely gave thanks that they had
survived to see another Thanks-
giving during the four bloodiest
years in American history.
DR. JONATHAN BACKER
“Creating Smiles That Last A Lifetime”
1551 E. MAIN ST. (ACROSS FROM SAFEWAY)
COTTAGE GROVE
541-942-8437
Abundant Blessings
to You
& Yours
Tom Emery is a freelance
writer and historical researcher
from Carlinville, Ill. He may be
reached at 217-710-8392 or il-
civilwar@yahoo.com.
Old Mill Farm Store
327 South River Rd. • Cottage Grove
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With our best wishes for a happy,
healthy and hearty Thanksgiving
holiday celebration this year.
Dr. Maddess
and his team
would like to
take this
opportunity
to wish everyone a
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING
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season
be bright
with joy and
your
Thanksgiving
be warm
with smiles!
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