Update of Vickers Research

Things are moving along but not as well as I would like.  I have been pouring through the records from the National Archives and can now paint of when/where picture of his Civil War experiences.  I am still waiting for the VA pension records to arrive; they sure are SLOW!

I am drawing a blank trying to locate any personal records/letters of his having received no response from anyone associated with any Vickers gemological groups.

Two very positive notes:  Clyde Tinklepaugh PMC '71 has agreed to help me by combing the records in Wilmington and Camden.  Clyde is very active in organizing and categorizing PMC artifacts for the PMC Museum and is on the Museum Committee as well.

I addition I will be working with Janet Burkitt a freelance writer, editor, and historical researcher who has access to the NARA archives at College Park, MD.  That is where the State Department records from the period reside.

That is about it for now.

Keep History Alive!
bs

Another Photo Contest

For my (HIST101 D014 Win 10) students---5 points added to your final grade!  Be the first to identify this fascinating photo.  Post the correct location here and how you figured it out. Sorry Dain, you got last week's you are not eligible for this one. Enjoy!  PLEASE no help from the Peanut Gallery here but you can take a guess on my FB page.

Okay, Here we go, This week's Photo Contest!

For my (HIST101 D014 Win 10) students---5 points added to your final grade!  Be the first to identify the photo.  Post the correct location here and how you figured it out. I'll post another one next week.  Enjoy!  PLEASE no help from the Peanut Gallery here but you can take a guess on my FB page.

If you win this week you are ineligible next week.

It's OUT!!!

I am pleased to announce that Deeds Publishing has just released my new book: Broomsticks to battlefields. To paraphrase Al Nofi:


Bill Speer has done something interesting. He has used Robinett’s life to throw some light upon several aspects of the American experience and society in the mid-nineteenth century that have not yet been fully explored.
Unlike many who returned to civilian life after the war, Robinett pursued a career in the Regular Army. That career, however, was marred by increasingly erratic behavior that ended in his suicide just three years after the war - the result of complex psychological problems that are carefully discussed in the book. From Broomsticks to Battlefields gives us a little more insight into the extent to which the horrors of war affect the personality and reminds us that historians and psychologists have barely begun to study the question of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury among Civil War veterans.


If you are interested in purchasing a copy you can go to the Deeds website:  http://www.deedspublishing.com/  and place your order.  I am very interested in hearing what you have to say about this piece.

bs

Almost Here!

This is Mark Babcock, editor of Broomsticks to Battlefields: After the Battle.

David Vickers & the Army

Well I did a good bit of work on Vicker's military records this weekend.  Twice he seems to have a bit of conflict with his superiors and the War Department.  The first was before his capture, while a Captain when he attempted to resign.  His resignation was refused and his commanding officer recommended a dishonorable discharge.  That is all I have on found so far about his.  Hopefully I can find some family papers that will reveal more.

The second was after his release from captivity.  It appears as if he desired a promotion to Colonel and command of his regiment (4th NJ Vols.).  A series of telegrams and letters flowed about his exact condition upon promotion.  Was he an exchanged or paroled officer?  If he was exchanged then the promotion was valid, if not, it was not.  The War Department determined he was an exchanged prisoner not paroled and the promotion was denied.  I will look into this in greater detail in the upcoming weeks.

I am still on the lookout for any family geniological organizations nor any of his descendants yet.

Keep History Alive!
bs

Broomsticks to the Printer!

Well, Broomsticks to Battlefields is to the printer.  I should see a proof by next week.  In the mean time I have been working on David Vickers as much as I can.  Vonnie has found some interesting information that needs closer examination.

It seems he tendered his resignation on 13 NOV 1862 for some reason,  It was disapproved by his commanding officer and he "strongly recommend that he be immediately dishonorably discharged." This did not happen so I will need to look into this further,

It appears that he took ill with typhoid fever in August of 1862.

It also appears he was a POW in three places now: Camp Oglethorpe (Macon, GA),. Charleston Jail, and then Camp Sorghum (Columbia, SC).  This makes sense as the officers were evacuated from Macon as Sherman began his march through Georgia.

He was brevetted to Brigadier General at the end of the war for "meritorious service."  Later he returned to service as Major and an Inspector General in Idaho during the Spanish American War.

Finally, I need to find out how he became so close to General Judson Kilpatrick.

That's it for now.

Keep History Alive!
bs

What is Loyalty?

This is an open-ended discussion on my blog for both my students at AMU and all that are interested (even the peanut-gallery)  so feel free to chime in.

What is loyalty? To whom you owe loyalty to first? (family? country? unit?) What about shifting loyalties; under what conditions?  Our focus is American History to 1870 so examples from the period would be helpful to prove your points.

New Title?

Al Nofi has a new title for my book with some modifications by me:

Broomsticks to Battlefields, being the True and Concise History of Henry Clay Robinett, Captain, USA, in the late Rebellion, with some comment on the social mores of mid-century Americans, the state of military education in the United States, and sundry other subjects, among which may be the First U.S. Infantry, General Ulysses Grant, the battle of Corinth, New Orleans, Freemasonry, Delaware Military Academy, with additional information on courts martial, and military suicide, with some supporting maps and details never before seen in print, published by Mr. Robert Babcock and Deeds Publishing, purveyor or fine offerings in military history.

What do you think?

One more for the class!

Okay, Michaela, this time you can't play, sorry!