Full Moon gets partial blame for Gen. Jackson's death

[J. Beckert]

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/01/us/sto...index.html

[RJNorton]

Very interesting, Joe. I wonder if Lincoln had an 1863 almanac which would have agreed with this.

[Laurie Verge]

The records of the Naval Observatory here in Washington might have backup information.

The Surratt House visited the site of Jackson's death at Guinea Station, Virginia, a number of years ago as part of a special Booth Tour conducted for the New York Civil War Round Table. It is actually not that far from the site of Garrett's farm. The tiny little building in which he died leaves you thinking about what your end might be like. Death is the great leveler...

How many of you made note of the fact that Jackson died on May 10 - Booth's birthday?

[LincolnMan]

Interesting article-but I thought the reference to Lincoln was somehow out of place-don't quite get the connection.

[RJNorton]

Interesting article-but I thought the reference to Lincoln was somehow out of place-don't quite get the connection.

Bill, I read that, too, and didn't get the connection. I was unclear on what Mr. Brumfield is trying to say there.

[Laurie Verge]

I thought the reference to Lincoln meant that the death of Stonewall Jackson helped to turn the tide against the Confederacy and bring about the nation based on equality as envisioned by Mr. Lincoln.

[LincolnMan]

Laurie: that thought went through my brain too. Still, I find the reference odd. If that was what the writer intended to mean- maybe he just should have clearly stated so.

[Jim Page]

The Surratt House visited the site of Jackson's death at Guinea Station, Virginia, a number of years ago . . .

Laurie, your post reminded me of a discussion Patty and I had Sunday, and maybe you can add some insight.

My grandmother always kept a few Guinea fowl on the family farm, and they were about the most obnoxious things I ever saw. One night, my great-uncle Percy had enough of their noisiness, and took a 12-gauge to them about 4-o'clock one morning. My grandmother was livid over that incident.

Patty asked, "Why would anyone keep Guineas? You don't eat them or their eggs, do you?" The only answer I could come up with is that they are sort of like ultra-watchdogs, as anything in the world will set them off and let you know something in the yard is moving.

Is that why folks kept them?

--Jim

[L Verge]

We had some as a child, and I think your assessment is correct. Bet they could sense a fox a mile away and start squawking. Actually, I know some people that should be named Guinea....

[J. Beckert]

They're supposed to eat ticks, also.

[BettyO]

My uncle kept them years ago - they ARE supposed to be good "watch dogs"....

According to his family, it was said also that Lew Powell had guinea hens as pets as a child.

[LincolnMan]

I'm for anything that eats ticks. I am still amazed at how the Civil War soldier in the field keep sanity with all the bugs!

[RJNorton]

Abraham Lincoln said he had an issue with mosquitos. Lincoln belittled his military service in the Black Hawk War during a speech in Congress on July 27, 1848. Basically Lincoln was saying his only battle was with the mosquitoes during that war. During the speech Lincoln was being critical of the "extravagant" claims made for the military heroism of Lewis Cass, the Democratic presidential candidate. Lincoln said, "If he saw any live, fighting Indians it was more than I did; but I had a good many bloody struggles with mosquitoes, and although I never fainted from loss of blood, I can truly say I was often very hungry."

[LincolnMan]

I always like hearing that story . I have been to the grave of Lewis Cass many times-and never fail to think of it when viewing his gravestone.

[Laurie Verge]

Lincoln and I would agree on the subject of mosquitoes at least. I still have vivid memories of trying to sleep at night with one of those darned things humming around my ears. Without air conditioning, our home could be 90+ degrees during summer, but I still would sleep with a sheet pulled over my ears to discourage those suckers (pun intended).

My father was military and used to tell the story of a bivouac somewhere in North Carolina where the recruits were pestered with mosquitoes "the size of helicopters!" One night, while they were encamped under pup tents, a wind storm came up and swept away a lot of the tents. One of the recruits was still asleep, but yelling, "They got it, they got it! The (expletive deleted) mosquitoes got my tent!"