tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82094908999025893682024-03-05T17:37:09.673-05:00Women in Civil War Arsenals ProjectAn exploration of women who worked in Civil War arsenals, which often had tragic consequences for eventual book, including examinations of disasters in Lawrenceville PA, Richmond VA, and Washington DC, and possibly a socioeconomical analysis. There will also be posts about related topics, namely Civil War women's history and Pennsylvania Civil War history.Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-8742000117409810682016-12-03T08:41:00.001-05:002016-12-03T08:48:17.195-05:00Book review: Gunpowder Girls by Tanya Anderson<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Tanya Anderson, Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three
Civil War Tragedies (Quindaro Press: Kansas City, MO, 2016), 157 pp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or <a href="http://www.quindaropress.com/products/gunpowder-girls/">http://www.quindaropress.com/products/gunpowder-girls/</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I admit that when I first found out this book existed, I had
a little moment of panic, thinking that someone else had written the book that
I’m writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needn’t have worried
though, because I know mine won’t be the last on the subject – Civil War
history is a very well-documented field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anderson’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gunpowder Girls </i>is
aimed for a young adult audience, and as someone who has been studying the
Civil War since about the age of eight, I would have loved to have had this as
a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was still highly enjoyable
as an adult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gunpowder Girls</i>
focuses on the three most well-documented explosions at arsenals during the
war: the Allegheny Arsenal near Pittsburgh, the Confederate States Laboratory
on Brown’s Island in Richmond, and Washington Arsenal in the District of
Columbia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anderson has done what I have
been seeking to do: getting to know the workers and victims as well as possible
so that they aren’t just names on a memorial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both she and I have been doing this through 1860 Census records (hooray
for Ancestry memberships!) and as much period newspaper articles of the
arsenals as can be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anderson’s
work has even filled in some small gaps to my own research.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So whether you have a young Civil War enthusiast in your
life that still needs a Christmas present or you just enjoy reading about
unsung women of history, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gunpowder Girls </i>is
a welcome addition to any history library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="http://www.quindaropress.com/products/gunpowder-girls/">Gunpowder Girls - Quindaro Press</a>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-50653234698978557232016-03-08T12:05:00.002-05:002016-03-08T12:05:06.654-05:00SNEAK PEAK!This may not be its final form- you know how editing goes.<br />
<br />
Before Rosie the Riveter became an icon for working women during World War II, thousands of women and girls worked in ammunition and ordnance factories in the North and South during the Civil War. However, working in an environment with black powder and other explosive items was not without danger, and as we will see, many workers died in explosions. The most fatal and best-known of these was the explosion that took place at the Allegheny Arsenal in Pittsburgh in September 1862 and killed 78 workers, most of them women and children. The Allegheny Arsenal explosion was hardly an isolated incident, though, as other explosions occurred in other munitions facilities North and South.<br />
Even in light of these explosions, no laws were made regarding the use of women and children in such dangerous work, and only seldom, changes in policy. Nor does there seem to have been much change in procedure in working with black powder more safely. With so many men gone to the front, the armies needed ammunition, and someone had to produce it. As described in several of these incidents, had there been less negligence and arrogance on the part of the men in charge, and had the safety rules dealing with powder been better enforced, such tragedies might have been averted. <br />
By virtue of working in arsenals, these women and girls raised questions about what the postwar economy would look like, the meaning of the war, and the integrity of male labor. Despite many being driven to work outside the home, which went against Victorian conventions about how women should behave and focus their energies, these women did the best they could to keep up appearances of respectability at home. Working-class respectability often did, in fact, rely upon the wages of women. <br />
Yet these women’s contributions have often gone unnoticed in favor of the exploits by more famous women nurses, soldiers, and spies as well as those women who left behind some sort of remembrances or correspondence. Women workers were generally not called upon to tell their stories in the postwar era, perhaps because it seemed like a more mundane task than working closer to the front. Their stories emerged only when explosions occurred. Nonetheless, by the very nature of their work, women in arsenals risked their lives every day. Only when Civil War veterans began dying in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries did these women receive much recognition for their efforts.<br />
To date, I have yet to find many contemporary reminisces of these working women, and little from the postwar period. One exception to this is some witness testimony during the coroner’s inquest following the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. However, I am never finished researching this topic, so I am open to making a second edition of this book as more details come to light.<br />
Herein, I will discuss what sort of tasks women in ammunition factories performed, and why they worked in these facilities, as dangerous as they were. (An “arsenal” is defined as a place where arms and ammunition are made and stored, but for the purposes of this work, I refer to these as well as ammunition factories and other like facilities as arsenals). News of such incidents does not seem to have deterred many from working in these places, especially for those who needed extra income the most. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-28007173706682364182014-04-06T20:28:00.000-04:002014-04-06T20:28:04.434-04:00Review: Until the Morning ComethI recently bought James Wudarczyk's "Until the Morning Cometh: Civil War Era Pittsburgh." The city of Pittsburgh had many various contributions to the Union war effort, but most of these stories are still little-known. Wudarczyk has put together a book outlining these contributions, painting a picture of Pittsburgh's importance during the Civil War. In the introduction, Wudarczyk relates how even lifelong Pittsburghers are often surprised at how vital a role the city played in the conflict.<br />
<br />
The first story outlines Pittsburgh's contributions to the founding of the Republican party in the 1850's, including the ambitions of newspaper editor Horace Greeley, the diverse opinions of those within the party, and the question of nativism (anti-immigrant sentiment) which would be resolved at the 1856 convention in the city. <br />
The second story discusses Secretary of War John Floyd and how he became the most despised man in the city in the winter of 1860, as the country was on the brink of war. Floyd issued an order for Lawrenceville's Allegheny Arsenal to continue shipping military supplies to the newly forming Confederate States. The outcry was such that the order was rescinded, but the damage was done.<br />
Next, Wudarczyk outlines President-elect Abraham Lincoln's stop in Pittsburgh en route to the White House, which of course was a huge deal. <br />
After that is an account of Camp Wilkins, housed at a former fairground, where so many of Pittsburgh's troops were trained and drilled for the front. Then there is a story of the camp's namesake, Judge William Wilkins, who helped supply the vast numbers of Union troops in the area. Scandal soon erupted because many contractors for the government issued "shoddy" uniforms and supplies while pocketing the profits. <br />
<br />
Toward the middle is mostly the reason I purchased this book: an analysis of the cause of the explosion at Allegheny Arsenal in September 1862. Wudarczyk examines both the coroner's inquest and the military court of inquiry and finds inconsistencies between the two on the part of the witnesses. One new thing I learned is another theory about the cause of the explosion that has been posited in the last couple of years: that at least one of the three explosions may have been caused by a boiler explosion beneath the laboratory. The boiler had used steam heat to warm the lab.<br />
<br />
In the summer of 1863, Confederate Cavalry General John Hunt Morgan and his raiders succeeded in reaching New Lisbon, Ohio after a campaign in Kentucky. Morgan and most of his men were captured, and 118 of the raiders were sent to Western Penitentiary before being transferred to Fort Delaware in March 1864. <br />
The following story discusses the fact that there are a number - as many as seventeen - Confederate soldiers buried in Allegheny Cemetery (though none of Morgan's raiders had died in captivity here). Arthur Fox, author of "Pittsburgh During the American Civil War" was one of the historians who investigated these graves. In 1962, controversy erupted over whether or not Confederate flags should be placed over their graves by the Grand Army of the Republic. <br />
Another story discusses the contribution of guns, ammunition, and the like from Pittsburgh, most notably from Allegheny Arsenal. In the wake of the war, Pittsburgh was now truly one of the most industrialized cities in the nation, especially due to its rising number of steel mills.<br />
The next story outlines several prominent Pittsburgh officers and how they have been honored in just the past few years with new headstones. This chapter includes accounts about the local 9th Reserves/38th Pennsylvania Regiment in battle, possibly the best known regiment from the area. <br />
Another story talks about the fortifications surrounding Pittsburgh during the conflict. Pittsburgh was always seen as a potential target for Confederate invasion due to its mighty industrial output. This was particularly true after the burning of Chambersburg in the summer of 1864. Indeed, another theory behind the Allegheny Arsenal explosion is Confederate sabotage, though this seems unlikely. <br />
Then there is an account of Thomas Rodman, who made many innovations and experiments with artillery at the Fort Pitt Foundry and Allegheny Arsenal. Probably his most important contribution was his 15-inch Rodman gun. Also, his experiments with metallurgy changed how artillery pieces were made.<br />
Finally, Wudarczyk writes about the life of General Alfred Pearson, who organized the "Arsenal Guards" out of Lawrenceville<br />
Then there is an account about several dozen Sisters of Mercy who left Pittsburgh and served as nurses from 1862-65 in Washington. It is important to note that this was still a time full of anti-Catholic prejudice in the country, but nuns such as these were vital for caring for the sick and wounded. This story also discusses the 1864 Sanitary Fair held in the city by the U.S. Sanitary Commission to raise money to care for men.<br />
After that, Wudarczyk talks about several Pittsburgh men who were present during the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House in April 1865.<br />
<br />
In closing, Wudarczyk ends with the events that commemorated the 150th anniversary of the explosion of Allegheny Arsenal in September 2012 (I was present for some of them).<br />
<br />
So if even one or two of these stories intrigues you, it is well worth ordering this book, which you can do here:<a href="http://www.clossonpress.com/products/until-the-morning-cometh-civil-war-era-pittsburgh"> http://www.clossonpress.com/products/until-the-morning-cometh-civil-war-era-pittsburgh</a>. Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-26857391160406944802013-11-17T23:19:00.001-05:002013-11-17T23:19:07.709-05:00Indiegogo, or Trying to Fund my Book, Take 2Hello all,<br />
I realize it has been a while since I have updated this because I do virtually everything on Facebook anymore (going to see if I can't link these two together). But I am trying again to get funding to finish and publish my book, this time through Indiegogo. It ain't easy being a broke postgrad. Every bit helps, and at certain levels, you will receive a copy of my book, either electronic or paper. We have until March 15, 2014. Let's do this!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://igg.me/at/womenincwarsenals/x/1826885">Women in Civil War Arsenals Book</a>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-74100374525276369592012-11-13T21:41:00.001-05:002012-11-13T21:41:40.491-05:00Have you pledged yet?<div><p><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/668135771/women-in-civil-war-arsenals-book/dashboard">Women in Civil War Arsenals Book by Raina Kellerman » Dashboard — Kickstarter</a></p>
<p>Only 6% funded with 11 days to go. Not looking good. So I'm hoping for a miracle here.</p>
<p>Pretty please pledge and repost this so that others can do the same.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-68085120832097139532012-10-23T00:27:00.001-04:002012-10-23T00:40:48.586-04:00Review: "The Washington Arsenal Explosion"<div><p>I had been anticipating Brian Bergin's book for months, and I wasn't disappointed. It's proof that good things come in small packages, in this case 126 pages. It is richly detailed, telling the story of another little-known but tragic incident during the Civil War.<br>
Many girls and women, trying to get by without a male breadwinner at home, signed on to "choke" cartridges at the Washington Arsenal. The wages weren't great and the work was dangerous, but they were one of the few occupations open to women at the time. Most of the women who worked there lived in the vicinity of the Arsenal, in a neighborhood known as the Island, and many were of Irish stock. <br>
On June 18, 1864, as he had done for months, Superintendent Thomas Brown laid out fireworks (or "stars") on dry on pans in the sun just 35 feet away from the laboratory where these women worked. But just before noon, these fireworks exploded and set the lab afire. When the fire was put out, seventeen women - many burned beyond recognition and some literally in pieces - were found dead (four more would die of their injuries). <br>
A coroner's inquest was immediately held, and Brown was found responsible for negligence. Plans for a citywide funeral for the victims were begun. <br>
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered that no expense be spared for the funeral. He and President Lincoln were themselves in attendance at the services at the Arsenal grounds. A long procession went to Congressional Cemetery, where most of the victims were buried in a mass grave. The President and Secretary of War did not turn out for other explosion-related rituals during the war, nor did the government give money toward them. This is presumably because the Washington explosion was local (although today, it would be easier for them to travel to such events, as the President often does). Funds were appropriated by Congress for orphans of explosion victims and those who survived their injuries, but not to the deceased's families, probably because the women and girls killed were not usually the family breadwinners. But it is still more than anyone from the Allegheny Arsenal explosion, for one, received from Congress.<br>
One year after the explosion, a monument with a statue of Grief atop it was erected, done by Lot Flannery, where it still stands today.</p>
<p>Brian passed away in 2009, but fortunately his daughter Erin Bergin Voorheis has edited this work and had it published for all to read. I wish I could have met Brian, but Erin has been wonderful and I hope to get together with her in the near future and express my appreciation in person (and to pick her brain about the whole publishing process).</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-45712712408280282412012-09-26T22:07:00.001-04:002012-09-26T22:07:04.997-04:00My Kickstarter page<div><p><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/668135771/women-in-civil-war-arsenals-book">Women in Civil War Arsenals Book by Raina Kellerman — Kickstarter</a></p>
<p>In an effort to try and get my book written and published, I've started a Kickstarter page. Every bit helps! So spread the word. Thank you!</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-33092926902923202432012-09-15T15:32:00.001-04:002012-09-15T15:32:58.278-04:00Preorder "The Washington Arsenal Explosion"<div><p><a href="https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Location/Mid-Atlantic/District%20of%20Columbia/The-Washington-Arsenal-Explosion-/9781609497934">The History Press, Bookstore, The Washington Arsenal Explosion</a></p>
<p>Switching to another arsenal for a minute...you can now preorder the late Brian Bergin's book "The Washington Arsenal Explosion," which comes out next month. I can't wait for it. I wish I could have met Brian, but I'm glad that I have been in touch with his daughter Erin. </p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-28963025585926915882012-09-15T15:25:00.001-04:002012-09-15T15:29:36.717-04:00A news report and an NPR interview about the Allegheny Arsenal 150th<div><p>Below is a news report done by our local KDKA, featuring the author of "Consecrated Dust," Mary Frailey Calland, about tomorrow's events at Arsenal Park.</p>
<p><a href="http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/09/13/event-to-mark-150th-anniversary-of-allegheny-arsenal-tragedy/">Event To Mark 150th Anniversary Of Allegheny Arsenal Tragedy « CBS Pittsburgh</a></p>
<p><a href="http://wesa.fm/content/allegheny-arsenal-150-years-later">Allegheny Arsenal 150 Years Later</a></p>
<p>And above is the link to a radio interview with author/historian James Wudarczyk and head of the Lawrenceville Historical Society Tom Powers. </p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-68094321330896479102012-09-13T23:25:00.001-04:002012-09-13T23:26:42.787-04:00Two more news articles about this weekend's events<div><p><a href="http://triblive.com/mobile/mlifestyles/#2575841-81/arsenal-allegheny-explosion-girls-civil-war-events-pittsburgh-150-actual">http://triblive.com/mobile/mlifestyles/#2575841-81/arsenal-allegheny-explosion-girls-civil-war-events-pittsburgh-150-actual</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/lifestyle/coming-sunday-allegheny-arsenal-explosion-remembered-653114/">Coming Sunday: Allegheny Arsenal explosion</a></p>
<p>The first one is from the local Tribune-Review, the second one is from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with a short video. I'm so glad the 150th of the Allegheny Arsenal explosion is getting so much press.<br>
</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-59964832022154940132012-09-12T21:03:00.001-04:002012-09-12T21:10:14.658-04:00Cold Case: Allegheny Arsenal Explosion<div><p><a href="http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/events.aspx?EventID=201">Heinz History Center - Events</a></p>
<p>There's lots going on in Pittsburgh this weekend with the 150th anniversary of the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. On Saturday, at Heinz History Center, there will be a "trial" to try and determine the cause of the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. Jim Wudarczyk - Lawrenceville author and historian - and famous forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht will lead it and visitors can serve on the "jury." </p>
<p><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/lifestyle/events-to-recall-arsenal-explosion-652935/">Events to recall arsenal explosion</a></p>
<p>And from today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette comes an article about Sunday's events at Arsenal Park: music, a dramatic reading by Pittsburgh's CLO, living history with weapons demonstrations, a lecture with Power Point, and guided tours of Allegheny Cemetery. Can't wait!</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-78380762560855571792012-09-07T09:54:00.001-04:002012-09-07T09:54:54.621-04:00Check out "Bomb Girls"<div><p><a href="http://www.globaltv.com/bombgirls/index.html">Bomb Girls - GlobalTV.com: Official Site of Global Television</a></p>
<p>"Bomb Girls" is a TV miniseries set in Canada during World War II, but it draws many parallels between women's experiences during that war and those of women working in arsenals during the Civil War. You can watch full episodes on the site or, for those with Reelz Channel, you can catch it starting Tuesday at 9.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-71375990660879931212012-09-01T23:46:00.001-04:002012-09-01T23:46:55.379-04:00Article: "Historic Pittsburgh Arsenal Needs Care," plus updates<div><p><a href="http://triblive.com/home/2452361-74/arsenal-building-historical-lawrenceville-pittsburgh-park-society-allegheny-powers-walls">Historic Pittsburgh arsenal needs care, official says | TribLIVE</a></p>
<p>This article, published last Friday in the local Tribune-Review, talks about the neglect that the former powder magazine of the old Allegheny Arsenal suffers. It also mentions the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the explosion coming up in almost 2 weeks.</p>
<p>I know, I don't post on here nearly as much as my Facebook page. But the Fbook page is so much easier (so if you don't already follow me there, I highly suggest it).</p>
<p>In other news, after three years of fast food hell and looking for a job in my field to go with my masters degree, I have a job for next semester as an adjunct professor, teaching two US history courses. So I'm excited about that.</p>
<p>Also, I'm thinking of starting a Kickstarter page to help fund my research and getting my book published. Any contributions will get a shoutout in the acknowledgements.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-14300600025371509872012-08-04T18:52:00.001-04:002012-08-04T18:52:06.144-04:00Article: Remembrance of 1862 casualties set<div><p><a href="http://triblive.com/news/2330823-74/lawrenceville-arsenal-explosions-historical-society-sept-wudarczyk-1862-allegheny-war">Remembrance of 1862 Arsenal casualties set | TribLIVE</a></p>
<p>Article from yesterday's local paper (the Tribune-Review) about next month's commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. There will be talks, music, living history, and more.</p>
<p>But there's a bit of confusion: the Facebook page for the event says it is September 15 while the article says it's the 16th. So hopefully I find out for sure soon.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-75348501923707457052012-07-29T17:01:00.001-04:002012-07-29T17:07:19.630-04:00Society for Women and the Civil War Conference 2012<div><p>This conference was awesome. Tiring, but awesome. I nailed my speech. I was overwhelmed with how supportive and welcoming everyone was. <br>
Yesterday, we had a field trip to the former Allegheny Arsenal site (where I acted as a sorta tour guide), Allegheny Cemetery with James Wudarczyk, and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. Then we had several fabulous lectures (including one by a high school student...she rocked it) and then a banquet of Pittsburghese cuisine. For those of you non-local, that includes pierogies, kilbassa and sauerkraut, halupki, rigatoni, fried chicken. Then we had a sing along of period music (16 years of living history helps with knowing so much of the words) and a fishbowl auction and door prizes - I won a couple books. Score. And today, we finished with a few more lectures. It was such an honor to present before so many knowledgeable people, as well as my loved ones (my mom, sister, and boyfriend, in this case). </p>
<p>For some reason, my "smart" phone likes to get pics out of order, so bear with me:</p>
<p>The people I'm with are my mom (in the blue dress), my sister (of In the Swan's Shadow blog, in brown) and my boyfriend Mark. There's a few photos of the Allegheny Arsenal explosion monument at the Cemetery, and of Soldiers and Sailors. I included the Peanuts/cartoons display because I'm a huge Peanuts/Snoopy collector.</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae24tjpfGMzDQrnd_dgP8JrvCBnuaRhmdt8ahZdrAGnN8_occExV6PVEJHjThCAy5xqMm6etYGorSjpkO0xyefVbiTZZSTybJbkhtKFHGR6hsJzdky2SZAELGM_KDZo987FL2vnPM6Bw/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbAzZplbfBMdUkgflmQwlqOEhi0NSgBTS-SV44n_5W_kzpkl_FfMFc3sJXrGaqQiWM1DjUJ2KQhmdqMMA8GA_KAfO6sqf9_WD5A4CJAdD8svrJSEiTHgeTrSLefBmSXNF81XtO40H4a0/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzapZZP7anMfBSr-XmO6powPHWeCboljx7VMyk8QWbLsWntSSLUPHIgJZjg7l_uVRQ04e-tJJeWPl_fgJf9REy9VrEQxdcemtwKXUgdGaG0TB5j4KRpXKvSEDVvF8GStqEfGdixuzxvk/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_oVohRqtz-ceM6Vapqy7SpvGIn4_zNED3yrB79JWB_m4NdZkMMSbIPt06ZAkQrX9jMERoW18Rf_7RZ5RlLmxRkq2P1EkioTl-Wfm6fTsh9izk9hk1puyRBJGVbtAkjOrZP9SFRh3C6Q/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEF0SL5beZN3zkaiAMJ2406pF7DvB609-qg0a8UTcp4TGxdD_S_qJeHQ-LskTExpkEEj31KS3TmBIiareWPx1osiKOgBfuRqknmujTdKWviOyfutSUjU0EN3GEM1iXBQXU-ZsHg0nF0M/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IOjRjvPqTumsfzlZ3Ggr-L4q3UvIhEP7FSWS3-T18OJSFS-Q4ruvhlc0Z95QJipTJmF6S2VZqqH1PS9VQKMYpiIj0vLJZkN7J3zOYFNFj3j13ZI_6vJ1gxcXrcu3F3ZKY5-GaPb8OVc/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhpzxMZxkZTgcgLPwOd3Cs4EWlH77nQN37kkXTajkktAYAFbzfufo7TP618ueDKlatEIGGlLMQfNGU9quFrkOP1U1blKcSQx5R0Zpe3kgXRwg-HhDfey9p-Q8cXUlHUJnMF1wVjpe5nk/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnN5PKnUDECEyHkJT0Zg8mZgX1hWXWm9dq1L2Vrfd2MEfJE-50OZkJVSpQG0kQE9bESVp-vXpTJt8nVGc-mMgyEPsq8pVxgY3QbqykAfCN6TbtxI0jksiCzWEjdeZ2C8rywtH_SMtYTc/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9McLQQrMolDd35NEVyt2HiUH8uPqcqpDu929-Sw5f1XDsBOyLuwcPa6_XuqbbVGgllhiLIOrEU6J9XhdWQEYQbe_Qp3gMYWTGRKq0KfNhIiRWL3mIaODbl1GugXbT4mW9Of45Izxns8w/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7QK6nGHdRHMKaxIajcqSfOm_i2ox22jUHvbjw3jdyfBamsbByJT3_9C-I09fvL90YheWtP7zLeoa68HQffdA-pShJYB3NBCde2kwUZzpzjYoy9UUeKxNERwHH9Ubq1AcemHJ5T2n6i0/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakhuxQqiNsRo0WKk3I9IkTlQkZQuDsocUbVViDcX3rjc1r8YYgFlMe0UAv6lJ_oXsoZKtLybhyr5AEFbyMbj66SAOMHjPdX_kA0CLGwmUbVc9BAJzhiqxhKxyEw3qW2CFCl-7ZX9qKrU/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvzSP5sFfgPU2gEvUdr4qQvN65OdtbKUE5-XNggZq4dMHQcotB3F5KEPTe6gpNdVcGrrzpCo-b9Gq6AN9-mW7ENsLK_8-9eJT4RaL7QqQCw0r2QZ3cKcwE1pbQwwjPg0VHBEXRp2TPOE/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oLjK9NiMkO2eYY3pDi89DILaMK6YrM1IpL3qPxDY-4jE8tY9hb1PyRuRKna7jGbYB_z4n7weI6Fpu-oZLnqiS51nhpBfWQM7HFcHBkg-YkTgrkRiF5q9u0zxgdCOH1QBWZjRVRnELSc/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvyljMYZem6eUS9wT9tku0y0cvdDfVUQf0xA6tkpfd6ZxXzxVCxyRggVSPWmmA2Tktx4TrzvYUEij15gDPEDkBrd-K4fmwiDIRTRidGIPruY-G68sJkm8DUfg4Sb40Wv30DXfTZnQCbM/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAb5qFifw-_h0BImgPFTGfr5ulqbdVoar4BRZv5h1Hc8N0z1uqncNi8kE_DD4TnNvmFckywxdKMRtYPNfLCOjUq6PoVJR6K0z9p9rdI3idTWNv43kREap-Em8ICgpGDKmI40juNNeBhU/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwUl2EqMg2E0QdH5KMO1nRhf6NaEPbCA4Y45ZTt1wpeVWE4fEsSawQ6h_lMoveKqAjmM8dyzl1BnDAJsX1s-HKmyl9dDmJ7O4cy_u8fez5BqPkamm4qRfiZbll_LI3XHIrfTWqZE84mc/' /></div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-6494618346695154392012-07-27T17:56:00.001-04:002012-07-27T17:56:15.784-04:00SWCW Conference 2012<div><p>It's almost go time for my speech. I will try to record and post a video of it. So far, I'm very excited and can't wait for the other lectures.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-5012492041867010472012-06-17T10:44:00.001-04:002012-06-17T10:50:38.338-04:00Trip to the Johnstown Flood Memorial<div><p>Yesterday, my boyfriend and I went to the Johnstown Flood Memorial Park, which is about an hour from me. They had a big display on Victorian mourning rituals, which is a close second to my interest in women in Civil War arsenals. So I happily geeked out. Of course, many people lost their personal effects in the flood, as did businesses. So those with means to do so wore public mourning for loved ones. My guess is that mourning items were sent for from out of town.<br>
From top to bottom: a hairwork pendant with locks of hair supposedly from Flood victims.<br>
A mourning fan.</p>
<p>1880's mourning dress. Note the black velvet collar and cuffs.</p>
<p>Many households draped everything in crepe. It was believed that if one caught their reflection in a mirror while in mourning, they would be the next to die.</p>
<p>I freaking adore this picture of a widow. From roughly the 1860s. Relatively few widows were photographed in mourning, let alone with a veil over their faces.</p>
<p>Another nice mourning photo, probably late 1860's.</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjXkLQP6lrPnzFFsgxHfIqIfTZBJOFbaxyIb5__veEVHXprBrpj-_ItZyZLlfMEj836Cna1Hz7xnkzsVMn82tTHDlHYbhnI3Tj-f_h10m5ivGN0oiWT4o3iqt2yNuADE8xhoV3N_cot4/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxTKDXijXHnTUC36dRd5P4rQeylD0bW5HxIVZjfJNoARB-8P95vrPI7y5ws7p7kOfU2unpb3iLX1xfCjgkHYCQP10YmA3uW1aem1YJoTRhJVz33ZokBs9etW0jrnbUm2B31dHdrLtZdc/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEk1HR7rNVh6xsVs23Q4zd2Onf4F3PGczFNyNeFmCWJ6cMRw_AZAWEATinVNXnr4LjMWmTq4FTTDiVhP2tNTgkZMLnfIw57ZiFVxudU7CW3nNxOXTSihXV3AKBJ1YkH2byQ3QFrPGuL4/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRKecgxHB6gDVtDDoeeGIwbq0Wp3iQCqVVklLZosg4jkyOgkUM0pAGmfsl_r4F53vzCQNygWKjru-9JqIpxi9EH5_wrwHDOBGuX7YP7lcspLAGgqzW8wmc3_2-8JJ-7ya2Sk3NdfA9yE/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ANml0EXHN4UzvGAcM_LQE8dKHdy3yACOx_EREkLaInYsNQlxA8SvFB41N1iHMdK04AHT6XODc1XkZYVhKboX20-HyoUlaU_G12BceMeed2kGDzvSTSNHpPNM8j_szUP-oiAM5NnjFiU/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16CQx0w3RpyW75oUiuGNw5OYsKJtkg0VRVbxjyf5F2Jof8G1I2jPGLeFfacVAUDFIuJBZoneu1OHFDQrQMIom-kaBZNlznF5FHJvuR-zePffvxkoqg5t9tkedT66Sldi7Em14vn4Bo98/' /></div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com2Greater Pittsburgh, null40.35651 -79.91927tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-66475405466260435102012-06-04T22:59:00.001-04:002012-06-04T22:59:50.750-04:00Essay: The Northern Homefront: A Quest to Understand<div><p><a href="http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fpeoplescontest.psu.edu%2Fpsul%2Fpeoplescontest%2Fresource%2Ffeatured-materials%2Fquest.html&h=7AQEioIQl">http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fpeoplescontest.psu.edu%2Fpsul%2Fpeoplescontest%2Fresource%2Ffeatured-materials%2Fquest.html&h=7AQEioIQl</a></p>
<p>From A People's Contest at Penn State comes a very analytical essay about various groups (women, children, African Americans) on the Northern homefront, which has been getting considerably more attention of late. Working women are cited - in this case, seamstresses sewing for the army striking for better pay. I've come across one instance so far of that in the arsenals: in the fall of 1864, women struck at the Confederate States Laboratory in Richmond. They were fired and then replaced. This is a must-read, full of heavy-hitting authors in the field.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-14295720155077849932012-05-27T19:07:00.001-04:002012-05-27T19:07:50.966-04:00Essay: Women and the Homefront: New Civil War Scholarship<div><p><a href="http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/american-civil-war/essays/women-and-home-front-new-civil-war-scholarship">Women and the Home Front: New Civil War Scholarship | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History</a></p>
<p>Author Catherine Clinton has written a great essay about how the study of women in the Civil War has gone from almost nonexistent to booming in just the last fifty or so years.  I hope to eventually be one of those who contributes to that field.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-5796806279029137542012-05-18T23:53:00.001-04:002012-05-18T23:53:51.398-04:00Photograph: Confederate States Laboratory<div><p><a href="http://www.vahistorical.org/cw150/confederateinterior/ruins.html">The Confederate Interior</a></p>
<p>From the Virginia Historical Society is an Alexander Gardner photograph of the Confederate States Laboratory on Brown's Island shortly after the fall of Richmond. Detailed description on the page.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-23173111263906496232012-05-16T10:48:00.001-04:002012-05-16T10:48:08.191-04:00Video: What caused the Allegheny Arsenal explosion?<div><p><a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/video/allegheny-arsenal-explosion">http://www.travelchannel.com/video/allegheny-arsenal-explosion</a></p>
<p>Gotta love staying up late...my mother informed me that one of last night's "Mysteries at the Museum" on the Travel Channel talked about the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. This talks about bullets found in the carnage of the Arsenal, now at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. The video features History Center CEO Andy Masich.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-38142478730111082312012-05-15T21:20:00.001-04:002012-05-15T21:20:58.667-04:00Sermon commemorative of the great explosion at the Allegheny Arsenal<div><p><a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/sermoncommemorat00lear">Sermon commemorative of the great explosion at ...</a></p>
<p>Here, you can read the entire sermon given by the Reverend Richard Lea of the local Presbyterian church after the Allegheny Arsenal explosion. It extolls the positives that came from the tragedy, such as how quickly help arrived and how it brought the Lawrenceville community together.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-49844951823894977332012-05-15T21:10:00.001-04:002012-05-15T21:10:27.995-04:00Article: 1862 Allegheny Arsenal Explosion "gruesome"<div><p><a href="http://triblive.com/news/1278999-74/arsenal-allegheny-lawrenceville-war-1862-becer-explosion-pittsburgh-civil-gruesome">| TribLIVE | Pittsburgh</a></p>
<p>This article about the Allegheny Arsenal explosion from the Tribune-Review is a few years old, but still good and relevent. It features Allan Becer, who has done so much to help me in my research by sharing his own.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-22817717925133611792012-05-10T01:31:00.001-04:002012-05-10T01:31:50.500-04:00Article: Pittsburgh's Allegheny Arsenal and the Civil War<div><p><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/pittsburgh-s-allegheny-arsenal-and-the-civil-war-1">Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Arsenal and the Civil War - Pittsburgh American history | Examiner.com</a></p>
<p>This is a great article by Chuck Stephens from about a couple weeks ago (how did I miss it?)about the history of the Allegheny Arsenal. Check it.</p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8209490899902589368.post-49489761859459720372012-05-10T01:18:00.001-04:002012-05-10T01:19:21.553-04:00Primary source win<div><p><a href="http://research.archives.gov/description/3854703">Petition from Philadelphia Women Employed at an Arsenal to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, 07/29/1862</a></p>
<p>This is a petition from the National Archives from women and children working at the Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia. They are begging Secretary of War Stanton not to eliminate their jobs, as there was talk of doing. In the abscense of men, these women were dependent on these wages. </p>
</div>Rainahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17229190550340833868noreply@blogger.com0