Memorializing James Longstreet, 1941

In 1941, Helen Dortch Longstreet, widow of Confederate general James Longstreet, and the the Longstreet Memorial Association were planning for the placement of a memorial to the general on the Gettysburg battlefield.  That organization had been “organized on the Gettysburg field by the Veterans of Longstreet’s command during the seventy-fifth anniversary celebration of the battle” … Continue reading Memorializing James Longstreet, 1941

Confederate Descendants in Brazil, 1908

Today's post was written by David Langbart, archivist in Textual Reference at the National Archives at College Park, MD. The following is an example of the odd requests made to the Department of State. After the Civil War ended in 1865, numerous Confederates fled the United States.  They had many reasons to leave – economic … Continue reading Confederate Descendants in Brazil, 1908

Of paper cuts and ink stains: the paperwork of the Custom House

Today's post is written by Stephanie Stegman, the special media projects volunteer at the National Archives at Fort Worth. This is the second post in a three-part series. (If you missed it, the first post can be found here.) Today’s topic is paperwork.  Paperwork was a vital part of daily life at the New Orleans Custom … Continue reading Of paper cuts and ink stains: the paperwork of the Custom House