95 Acres Added to Gettysburg National Military Park

Another victory for historic preservation!  The land of the former Gettysburg Country Club has now been purchased and will be integrated into the park.  The land that was acquired is on the first days battlefield and includes the area around Willoughby Run where Union and Confederate troops first made contact on July 1, 1863. The area marked in yellow on the map marks the area that will be added to the park. 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/03/26/gettysburg.park.addition/#

 http://www.civilwar.org/

Ken Burns Civil War Documentary to be Re-released for the 150th Anniversary

Ken Burns is planning to re-release his epic The Civil War documentery for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.  The anniversary set will include interviews with historians, including Shelby Foote, which had been cut from the original release.  As you can imagine I am totally geeked out for this.....oh please be on Blu-Ray! 

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2011/03/27/ken_burns_documentary_reissued_for_civil_war_anniversary/

Geraldine Ferraro 1935 - 2011

Geraldine A. Ferraro the first women ever nominated for the Vice Presidency of the United States passed away on Saturday at the age of 75. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/geraldine-a-ferraro-first-woman-major-party-candidate-on-presidential-ticket-dies-at-75/2011/03/26/AFLyheeB_story.html

The Jefferson Bible Restoration

I found this article about a bible that Thomas Jefferson apparently created on his own by cutting passages from six different books in four differnt languages.  The Smithsonian institute has the original copy in their collection and they are working towards restoring and preserving this unusual piece of Ameircan history.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/mar/26/saving-the-jefferson-bible-smithsonian-works-to/

Here is a link to an actual copy on Google Books:

http://books.google.com/books?id=AmAJAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+jefferson+bible&hl=en&ei=r5eOTafyGcPg0gGZ9N2TDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

Last American World War I Veteran Laid to Rest

Earlier this week the last of nearly 5 million American World War I veterans was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.  Frank Buckles enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 16, lying to the recruiter in order to be allowed to serve.  Buckles, anxious to be get involved in the war before it was over, was advised by a Sergeant that the quickest way to get to France was to volunteer for the woefully understaffed Ambulance Corps.  Buckles followed the Sergeant's advice and was shipped over to France in December 1917 aboard the HMS Carpathia which would later be made famous for being the first ship to respond to the distress calls of HMS Titanic.  Buckles served in France for two years and returned to the United States in January 1920 and spent several years working in the steamship business.  Although he was not serving in the military during World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941 and was confined to a prisoner of war camp until 1945 when the US Army was finally able to liberate the camp.  Buckles returned to the United States after his release and lived quietly as a farmer for the rest of his life.  His family reports that Frank Buckles was still driving a tractor around his West Virginia farm until the age of 106. 

A grateful nation thanks Frank Buckles, and all of the "Doughboys" who served in the Great War for their service in defense of the United States.  May they all Rest in Peace.

http://pershingslastpatriot.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/frank-buckles-last-known-us-world-war-i-veteran-is-laid-to-rest-at-arlington/2011/03/10/ABHVLFZ_story.html

Efforts To Save the USS Olympia Continue

For those living in the Philadelphia area the sight of the USS Olympia docked on the Philadelphia waterfront is an old and familiar one.  The Olympia had a long and distinguished career in the United States Navy.  She served as the flagship for Commodore George Dewey during the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish American War.  It was on the Olympia where Dewey uttered the famous quote "You may fire when ready, Gridley".  Olympia's Captain, Charles Gridley, then ordered the ships 8 inch guns to begin firing on the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay.  After distinguished service through two wars Olympia had the singular honor of transporting the remains of an unidenified World War I soldier from France to Washington DC where he now rests in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. 

Unfortunately, in recent years Philadelphia's Independence Seaport Museum, which has been the caretaker of the Olympia since 1996, has run into financial difficulties and they cannot afford to make critical repairs to the steel hull of the ship.  This has forced them to begin exploring other options, including the sale of the ship, or possibly, sinking it off the coast of New Jersey for use as an artificial reef.  Hopefully, they will be able to find an organization that will be able to spend the money to save the Olympia from destruction. 

http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-08/news/28668831_1_dry-dock-independence-seaport-museum-caretaker

Modern Photo of USS Olympia

USS Olympia Circa 1901

Ulysses S. Grant V 9/21/1920 - 3/2/2011

Anyone who knows me knows that Ulysses S. Grant has been my hero for a very long time.  I have always been interested in any news or information about him.  It seems only fitting that the first post in my new blog should relate to Ulysses S. Grant. 

Ulysses S. Grant V was the last surviving great grandson of the former General and President of the United States.  As a boy he spent a part of his youth growing up in the home of Jesse Root Grant, the late presidents youngest son.  I was not able to locate a photo of Ulysses Grant V, but here is a photo of President Grant, his wife Julia, and their son Jesse. 

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/civil-war/2011/mar/11/grants-last-surviving-great-grandson-dies-91/#