"Stump the Yankee"

[BettyO]

I'd have to say Lew Powell's older brother, Benjamin, was killed at Stones River (Murfreesboro) - my GG Grandfather was also killed there.....!

[J. Beckert]

Well, Miss Paige, a total of 24,645 men were killed, wounded or went missing during the 4 day battle of Stones River (or the Second Battle of Murfreesboro). Going by percentages, it was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. To me Miss Paige, they were all historically significant.

Miss Paige, if anyone tells you different, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Miss Paige, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Miss Paige, there is a Santa Claus. And that's my answer.

[PaigeBooth]

Mr. Joe, after reading Betty O's post, I am not sure if my question to you was quite fair, let me rephrase this: Someone who is recorded in history as having fought at the Battle of Stones River also had a family member fighting there as well -it is this family member who died during the battle. What is this person's name? No time limit- respond when you know.

[J. Beckert]

O.K., my little Sesech friend. That was just a smokescreen to say I don't know. Now you get crackin' with the first hint and I will try and make you earn those Rebel points!

[L Verge]

Sister Paige,

Did I miss something? Are we letting Mr. Yankee Man get away with admitting that he doesn't know without giving him a slight hint? It usually takes three hints before we give up and tell him (and the forum) the right answer. Besides, I don't know the answer either and am curious. Inquiring minds want to know.

BTW: In searching for the answer to your question, I did find a nice trivial piece. The Battle of Stones River has the oldest, intact, Civil War battle monument in the United States, erected in 1863. Eat your heart out, Gettysburg (with no disrespect intended).

[PaigeBooth]

Since posting my question, I realized there were so many people killed in the Battle of Stones River who are recorded in history. I have begun to think my question was to vague to answer. So yesterday, I decided to post the answer to my question; you will find it under the "Other" category - See "Battle of Stones River/Frances Clalin." Being that it's posted now, I'm afraid it cancels itself out as a trivia question.

[L Verge]

I apologize, Paige, I read the piece about Frances Clalin and women soldiers this morning and even responded to it. My feeble brain didn't take in the connection to the former trivia question. That's what old age does to you.

[J. Beckert]

Rebels 36.5
Yankee 23.5


Good morning and welcome back to another installment of Stump the Yankee. After a wicked winter, we're enjoying a seasonable and cool spring here in the North. I don't know what it's like down South, but it's time to turn the heat up...

It's become exceedingly difficult to post questions in the trivia categories. The forum is filled with experts. We have a History Professor, an expert on Powell, Seward, Lincoln and two guys who even know where everyone is buried and the provenance and location of many relics. That makes it tough for a ham & egger like me to pull one over. So I decided to remain competitive, I too had to become an expert in a specialized area.

I've recently found something I've long overlooked. An old publication that probably contains every known fact about a certain place associated with the assassination story. After reading it from cover to cover, I'm happy to share with you that I now consider myself an expert on the Surratt Tavern.

First, I pondered what I knew about the tavern. A Confederate safe house, mail drop and popular place for Rebels to gather and complain about the Yankees - but what was it like in 1865? This little gold mine has told me everything I need to know and I'm ready to run up and throw a bomb right through the front window of Rebel HQ! I realize that with this question I'm walking the tightrope, plank and the fine line between decorum and depravity, but if I can pull this off, it's going to make one of my fellow experts on the Surratt Tavern madder than a wet hornet! Let's see how this goes.

The answer will require detailed responses in 5 categories. Here it is.

The Surratt Tavern was a busy place. Between late 1852 and early 1853, name, in detail and amounts, 5 items that were purchased for sale there.

Because of the extreme difficulty involved, this question will be worth 10 points.

[L Verge]

Question: Am I allowed to participate in this since a very thick notebook of such information is sitting on the second shelf of the bookcase in my office?

BTW: Love your new avatar! Is that your teacher of yore wondering where in the H - E - double hockey sticks you came up with that answer? Or your mother gasping at your latest report card?

[J. Beckert]

Yes, Ma'am. Please do! You look through that thick book and I'll keep a close eye on the thin one I found it in.

Glad you like the avatar! It's just a kid flummoxing the teacher....

[L Verge]

There is one other person on this forum that I know has access to your thin book, so I will wait a bit to see if he responds. If I see no posting in a few hours, I will let loose. HOWEVER, that person has deep Confederate ties, so do you really want me to bring him into the game?

[J. Beckert]

Sure! Why not! But I don't think he has that book anymore. I borrowed it...

[BettyO]

Having worked as a Docent for about 20 years at Surratt House may disqualify me as a contestant as well.....so I'll pass for now -

[J. Beckert]

I know that, Betty and I didn't count you out, either! Do you have the magic book that I do? If you do, feel free to return fire before my bomb goes off. (You know how I get when I win!)

[L Verge]

Since Yankee Joe has absconded with Rick Smith's booklet, and since I'm not sure that Betty ever had this booklet, I am going to consider this a direct challenge to me to provide the information -- which came originally from the Surratt ledgers, which reside in the National Archives, as well as the Estate Papers of John H. Surratt, Sr. After his death in 1862, I can report on items that were paid for by Mary Surratt through the fall of 1864, and her move to the D.C. home.

I believe that Joe specified the period from late-1852 (when the Surratts set up home and tavern in Surrattsville) through early-1853, so here's quoting from just one merchant's tally sheet - Jackson, Brother & Co. Dealers in fine Groceries, Wines, Brandies, Teas, Fruits, Cigars, &c. 333 Pennsylvania Avenue (there are three other companies they bought from also):

1852 - Dec. 7 - 1 gr. box Segars 4 25 (14) 1 Gal Whiskey 100 1 Gl Hol. Gur 1 25 Jugs 50 7 00
1853 - Feb. 1 - 5 Gls Whiskey 3 00 5 Gls Brandy 7 50 16 lbs bro Sugar 1 00 5 lbs br Sugar 50 1/2 lb Tea 38 11.50
6 lbs Candles 84 1 72
1 bx Mustard 25 2 lbs Coffee 25 1 20
2 1/4 lbs Butter 70 1 20

I believe that Joe only asked for five items, and I have supplied ten. Other items bought over the year of 1853-54 included Port Wine, Old Rye Whiskey, one bowl, one bag of super fine flour, vinegar, molasses, cans of tobacco, soap, Butter Crackers, salt, powdered sugar, loaf sugar, ham, Demijohns, pepper, Boston crackers, almonds, bacon, bottles of Bitters, mackerel, nutmegs, cheese, rice, clover seed, saleratus, a broom -- and I could go on, but you hope I don't!

One note: Other D.C. merchants are Berry & Bowie, A. Gaddis, Jr. & Co. (near Navy Yard), and Young Simpson & Co. In 1857 through 1862, however, Surratt appears to be buying fish products locally from W. Parker Griffin (all purchases made in the months of May - guess when the shad run in Southern Maryland) -- 300 shad & a sack of salt in 1857; 251 Shad and 1471 Herrings in 1858; 5000 Herrings, 1 shad, and 2 sacks of salt in 1860; 100 shad, 6200 herring and one sack of salt and 1 and 1/2 bushels of clover seed in 1861. The last purchase is in May of 1862 with 3575 herring, 14 shad, and 110 salted shad. Mr. Surratt died in August of that year.

Just one last note before your computer blows up: Survivng records show that between 1852 and 1860, John Surratt purchased 394-1/4 gallons of various types of whiskey, 17 gallons of wine (usually Port), 28 gallons of brandy, 9 pounds of tea, 33 pounds of coffee, 109 pounds of bacon, 109 pounds of ham (remember that both bacon and ham were also produced on their farm - the above numbers reflect overages bought in stores), 41 pounds of crackers of various kinds, 124 mackerel, 776 shad (again, something that the family could have caught on their own), 17,246 herring, approximately 1000 cigars, 107 pounds of various kinds of sugar (brown sugar was the everyday sugar - white and powdered reserved for baking).

P.S. One man, David Barry, purchased 926 cigars at the tavern. Also, these records do not indicate home-grown items from the farm such as fresh vegetables, eggs, beef products, additional pork products, bread. In addition to the tavern, men could get three meals a day in the public dining room adjacent to the tavern room. Breakfast and supper were served for 37-1/2 cents, and the big meal of the day - dinner near the noon hour - cost a whopping half-dollar. Drinks in the tavern cost 6-1/4 cents regardless of what kind; quarts went for 50 cents - or 25 cents depending on quality. Special note: We have found no record that beer or ale was ever served at our bar.

Plugs of tobacco were also sold in addition to cigars, both at varying prices according to quality. Sleeping space upstairs was available for 25-cents per night. At the Surratts' livery stable across the road, horse feed ranged from 18- to 50-cents and full livery ran from 25 cents to one dollar at 25-cent increments. It cost more to house your horse here than it did to feed yourself and spend the night.

And now, blame Joseph for this loooooonnnnnggg history lesson on Surratt Tavern!