As Christianity spread and became a politically recognized religion, theological and cultural differences led to splits within Christianity.
There’s nowhere to run, and swimming for it is a terrible option in the heat of battle.The Christian church’s birth was at Pentecost, as described in the Book of Acts. The only thing worse than a big hole in your hull is an onboard fire. Fired into a wooden ship, this molten ammo would make a big hole, and then set the whole inside on fire. Cannon shot could be preheated in these ovens to a red hot mess, better known as a “hot shot”. The center guns on each side were placed near special furnaces built onto the ship’s boilers. She had a bunch of big heavy guns with ports designed to have thick shutters for protection. The bow and stern were tapered to a point, and reinforced with heavy iron, the front designed to ram enemy ships to splinters. The walls were pitched back at an angle, so cannon shots would theoretically be deflected. Two feet of pine and oak underneath, with staggered double layers of two inch iron plate on the outside. An inch thick on the decks, while the entire upper structure would get four inches. Every surface above the water line would be protected by iron plate. People doubted the design, how could she even stay afloat, with all of the added weight? The question was valid, it would be a very delicate balance. The CSS Virginia was well underway by the time the Monitor project was hitting the drawing boards. The Union scrambled to get her out, and all of their other vessels, before the Confederates could stop them. Just 5 days later Virginia officially seceded from the Union, and the Merrimack found herself behind enemy lines. The building tensions had burst to life, there would be no turning back. 400 miles from the action, but still in grave danger.
She was idle, docked at the big Navy shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, when the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The Merrimack was a beauty, and a beast, but she would find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The idea was to pack as many cannons as she would carry, aim well and shoot first. Wooden ships couldn’t take too many hits from such a projectile before you were looking for a lifeboat, if you were lucky. Like a big bowling ball, but cast iron, and full of gunpowder. She would have carried about 40 guns, and guns were guns back then. The Merrimack was fairly new, a steam frigate, just shy of a football field long. I hope he’d be pleased with this little essay. He was president of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, right up my alley. He was a member of many boards and clubs involved with Veterans and Engineering interests. He stayed on with the Army for a year, and then went back to the engineering life, completing huge projects well into his 80s. He was back in the saddle when Raleigh fell, and until the last shots of the War. His horse was shot out from under him in a Carolina battle. His face would never be the same but after six weeks of healing, he was back on light duty. It makes my fillings hurt just thinking about it. It would cost him a chunk of his jawbone, and a bunch of teeth. In the awful darkness, old George took a shot to the face. The Rebels staged a rare night attack, near midnight no less, and the surprise factor worked well.
The Union had taken a good whooping at Chattanooga, and Greene’s regiment was part of the reinforcement slash rescue effort. Did they pin stars to his collar? Probably not.įour months after Gettysburg General Greene was fighting in Tennessee. Apparently, one could write home to Mother with the good news, and brag to his friends, but his paychecks and pension would still say Lieutenant Colonel. John’s were two big ones, full Colonel, and then Brigadier General. It’s fuzzy, but as near as I can figure, they’re more of a polite gesture. He received two more rank upgrades for excellent service, but both were “brevet” promotions. It was serious enough to get him discharged. Brown was injured while fighting near Petersburg, Virginia, in June of ‘64. After a few battles and a few months, J.M. He did so well with the 20th at Gettysburg that he would be promoted again, to Lieutenant Colonel, in command of his own regiment, the 32nd Maine. President Lincoln made him a Captain, and Assistant Adjutant General of all the Volunteer regiments. He went in as a 1st Lieutenant, and Adjutant, and saw plenty of action. John Marshall Brown had been studying law when the war started, and would enlist as an officer in the now famous 20th Maine Infantry.