Before each of my talks at Pamplin Historical Park during the Civil War Weekend, this very entertaining group was scheduled to play a selection of period tunes. Not only were their authentic musical renditions superb, their between-songs commentary was very funny and entertaining. Dian and I thought so much of their music that we bought all seven of their CDs and are enjoying the rollicking tunes in our California home.
We were invited to participate in the Civil War Weekend (June 21st & 22nd) at Pamplin Historical Park near Petersburg, Virginia, the site of the Sixth Corps breakthrough of the Confederate lines on the morning of April 2, 1865 . . . and the climactic scene of Two Brothers: One North, One South. I made presentations on Saturday and Sunday in the special events tent regarding the book and its historical background. We were blessed with good weather and a nice crowd that came to enjoy the multitude of activities of the Civil War Weekend. The park is a 422-acre historical campus that features a world-class museum, antebellum homes, a historic Civil War battlefield, a slave life exhibit, costumed living history demonstrations, educational programs and special events. It has been called “the new crown jewel of Civil War sites in America” by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson of Princeton University. We wholeheartedly agree!
One of the very few created characters in Two Brothers: One North, One South is Elijah Carter, a former slave employed as a servant by the Prentiss family. In my view, it was important to create this character as Two Brothers is a story about patriotism and Elijah personifies several of the unique contributions made by African-Americans during the Civil War. I had Elijah join the 7th United States Colored Troops, a regiment actually raised in Baltimore during the fall of 1863. Four companies of the 7th USCT gallantly attacked Fort Gilmer on September 29, 1864 at Chaffin’s Farm near Richmond. I believe this action to be of equal significance to the better-known assault by the 54th Massachusetts at Battery Wagner in South Carolina.
We love visiting Baltimore for its rich history . . . and its superb crab cakes. Unfortunately this last visit was brief, so we weren’t able to enjoy the town in usual fashion, but we certainly indulged in the culinary delicacies. In any case, we were here on a mission and, after checking into the Admiral Fell Inn at Fell’s Point, we crossed town to the Maryland Historical Society where I gave a talk to a fine group of very knowledgeable and enthusiastic folks and signed a few books. The Maryland Historical Society is located at 201 West Monument Street, near Monument Square, and houses an excellent museum . . . be sure to spend at least a few hours there on your next trip to the Monument City.
Through three years of research, Dian and I made it a point to visit the final resting places of as many important historical characters in Two Brothers: One North, One South as we could locate. Several months ago I finally confirmed the burial site of Constance Cary and her husband Burton Harrison (the private secretary of Jefferson Davis) at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia. Their marriage after the war (shortly following his release from prison) postdates the Two Brothers story, but the courtship between Connie and Burton is clearly revealed on the pages of my book. As we were flying from LAX to Washington/Dulles airport for several East coast speaking engagements, this was the perfect opportunity for us to pay our respects to these American patriots.
This is our first day home after spending a week back East. I will make additional posts over the next few days describing the fine time we had in Maryland and Virginia while I was giving talks and doing book signings. During that time, I was thinking about changing the name of my blog . . . and did so bright and early this morning. It is reported that General E. Kirby Smith said “Colonel, go where the fire is hottest” to Colonel Arnold Elzey who was bringing up his brigade at First Manassas . . . and the 1st Maryland Battalion was part of that brigade. I would like to honor the memory of those noble words and deeds by respectfully ascribing them to this blog.
Two historical characters who appear a number of times in Two Brothers: One North, One South are Brigadier General John Pegram and his younger brother, Colonel William Ransom Johnson Pegram. Both died in battle during the first few months of 1865. Standing at their grave site on a slope in Hollywood Cemetery, you can hear the ceaseless rumble of water cascading around exposed rocks in the James River below.
While conducting the research for Two Brothers: One North, One South, Dian and I visited a number of places where important events occurred in order to fully comprehend, and ultimately to better describe, what happened there. You gain a “sense of the place” from walking the ground, looking at the structures, and absorbing the details. In the process, you become even more bonded to the people and to the story. The same can be said of visits to grave sites. In previous posts, I have shown photographs of several graves, but most importantly, those of Clifton and William Prentiss at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Today I am presenting the grave site of Hetty Cary. She rests in the corner of a quaint church graveyard in Maryland, under the shade of a large oak tree, surrounded by her siblings and her parents.
Beautiful, Brilliant, Brave
Of Pure and Noble Heart, True and Generous Soul
In the Battle of Life Heroic
In Death Triumphant
We were so happy with the book video made for our website by Kirsten Beyer, a professional writer, actor, and voice artist, that we have retained her to perform an audio book version of Two Brothers: One North, One South. It’s presently in production and will be completed within the next month. Kirsten is being assisted by a very talented team of producers, engineers, and musicians including Liza Carbe, Jean-Pierre Durand, and David Permenter. The recording sessions are being accomplished at Strangetree Studios in Glendale, California. From the raw output that we have listened to thus far, Kirsten is exceeding our already high expectations. To get an idea of how perfect her voice is for this project, please click on the book video link in an earlier posting (March 21, 2008) to this blog. More details will follow as work progresses.
It was announced this past Thursday evening during an Independent Book Publishers Association (PMA) ceremony at the Wilshire Grand Hotel that Two Brothers: One North, One South won the 2008 Benjamin Franklin Award for Cover Design. The cover is the work of Charles Brock of The DesignWorks Group, located in Sisters, Oregon. Today, at Book Expo America in the Los Angeles Convention Center, I gave the Award to Charles as I believe that the credit for this outstanding cover should go exclusively to him. Everyone who sees the Two Brothers book cover declares that it is one of the best that they have ever seen. In order to present the correct uniform images, we had purchased a Union Infantry major’s frock coat with hat and a Confederate Richmond Depot I Jacket, hat, and silver cross bottony. When the photography work was completed by The DesignWorks Group, we donated the uniforms to Pamplin Historical Park at Petersburg, Virginia, for its living history program.
