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My great grandfather
and great uncle knew all the men in the "Civil War Requiem" video as
they were part of the 53rd NC which was the sole unit defending Fort
Mahone. (Fort Mahone was named "Fort Damnation" by the Yankees)
*Handpicked men of the 53rd (My great grandfather was one of these) made
the final, night assault at Petersburg in an attempt to break Grant's
line. This was against Fort Stedman which was a few miles to the slight
northeast. They initially succeeded, but reinforcements drove them back.
This video is made from photographs which were taken the day after the
53rd evacuated the lines the night before to begin the retreat to
Appomattox. I have many more pictures taken by the same photographer,
one of these shows a 14 year old boy and the other is the famous picture
of the blond, handsome soldier with his musket.
*General Gordon promised the men a gold medal and 30 days leave if they
accomplished their task and many years after the War my great
grandfather wrote General Gordon, who was then governor of Georgia about
this incident. They exchanged several letters which I have framed. *The Attack On Fort Stedman
A solemn tribute to a poorly understood class of men, and a badly misrepresented conflict.
ReplyDeleteWell put.
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