Friday, February 10, 2012

What's wrong with this picture?


If you were to Google "Travel Charlotte," the second link you find is a wikitravel blurb, a portion of which reads:

Civil war
Thankfully, Charlotte was mostly spared the wide-scale destruction of the Civil War. The city contributed troops to the Confederate effort, many of whom are buried in the Confederate graveyard at modern-day Elmwood Cemetery. Curiously, landlocked Charlotte briefly became the home to the Confederate Naval Yard near the end of the war, as a result of its railroad connections. Also, the city was host to the final full meeting of the Confederate Cabinet, and Jefferson Davis was standing on Tryon St when informed of Lincoln's assassination (Davis' widow later retired to Charlotte). Generally, though, Charlotte was fortunate to play a relatively minor role in the devastating conflict. Its main casualty was the loss of the Mint, which was shut down for obvious reasons by the Union government.

 Ok, let's pick this apart.

The city contributed troops to the Confederate effort, many of whom are buried in the Confederate graveyard at modern-day Elmwood Cemetery
While there are many Confederates buried in the Confederate section at Elmwood Cemetery, very few of them came from Charlotte. Most of those interred there were originally buried near the Wayside hospital, and come from other parts of North Carolina, and from other states.


Curiously, landlocked Charlotte briefly became the home to the Confederate Naval Yard near the end of the war, as a result of its railroad connections.

Charlotte became the Confederate Naval Yard in 1862, not near the end of the war. At least the info on the railroad connections is right.


Also, the city was host to the final full meeting of the Confederate Cabinet, and Jefferson Davis was standing on Tryon St when informed of Lincoln's assassination (Davis' widow later retired to Charlotte).

Ok, that's true, until you get to part about Davis's widow retiring to Charlotte. Never happened. Stonewall Jackson's widow did move to Charlotte, twice, but not Davis's.

 Generally, though, Charlotte was fortunate to play a relatively minor role in the devastating conflict.
Not really true. Charlotte was the site of the Confederate Naval yard, a major component to the War effort. There were the acid works, medical laboratory, warehouses of war materials, the gunpowder manufacturing facility, the hospital, and for a short time at the end of the War, a prison. Then, once you add the railroad, well, Charlotte was a pretty important part of Confederate War effort.

 Its main casualty was the loss of the Mint, which was shut down for obvious reasons by the Union government.
The Mint was captured by the Confederates in 1861. It was reopened after the end of the war by the Federal government, but not in its original capacity. I guess this could almost be true.

 Ok - I know some of you are saying "But we expect this from Wiki-related products". True. We do. However, most people, especially school-aged children, take anything Wiki related as gospel.

Thoughts?

4 comments:

Rodger said...

You are so not wrong about people taking Wiki-Anything as gospel,
it is good that the world has people like yourself out there paying attention.
I am glad that Wiki-Documents now days come with Sources/Links option, the best way to know that the Wiki being used has a chance of being accurate..
still nothing beats a good old hard bound book.

Kevin Ellis said...

Michael,

Away from my sources at the moment.
If memory serves me , the powder works were on Tuckaseegee Rd. near the Catawba River.
Jackson's widow was G-daughter? of William Davidson, signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, Rev. War hero, and founder of Davidson College.
She basically came Home.

Near the end Sherman made a believable feint toward Charlotte after capturing Columbia, SC while his main force advanced east toward Averasborough.

Oddly, Lincolnton, NC seems to have been an unofficial rally point for some who slipped away from Lee's army at Appomattox, intending to join up with Johnson.
The 11th Ga, " Sumter Flying Artillery" buried their pieces, burned the caissons, in Va. and made it as far as Newton, NC before most were captured there by the 10th Michigan Cav.

Thanks for your good works,
Kevin Ellis

Kevin Ellis said...

Need to correct myself.My notes are much better than my memory.
Jackson's widow was Anna Morrison Jackson. Daughter of Robert Hall Morrison, first president of Davidson College.There is a slight familial connection , just not the one I proposed.
On the plus side Jackson and D. H. Hill were brother's-in-law, as D.H. was married to Anna's sister Isabella. Strong Charlotte connection there.

Kevin Ellis said...

Need to correct myself.My notes are much better than my memory.
Jackson's widow was Anna Morrison Jackson. Daughter of Robert Hall Morrison, first president of Davidson College.There is a slight familial connection , just not the one I proposed.
On the plus side Jackson and D. H. Hill were brother's-in-law, as D.H. was married to Anna's sister Isabella. Strong Charlotte connection there.