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Shadows of the Blue
and Gray NEWS
Click on the link below to see a
special virtual tour of the event.
Tribute Edition Virtual Tour
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March 2,
2009
- Due to unfortunate
circumstances, The Princeton Civil War Committee will not be hosting the
Shadows of the Blue and Gray in 2009. If possible, there may be an
event in 2010. If you have questions or comments, please send an
e-mail to the address below. Thank you!
For event information,
questions or suggestions,
send an e-mail to: info@shadowsbluegray.com
Civil War Trivia
Question:
When and where was the last shot of the
American Civil War?
Answer: The last
shot was fired on June 22, 1865 by the Confederate commerce raider CSS
Shenandoah which fired one shot at the Northern whaling ship Jerah Swift
in the Pacific's Bearing Sea to obtain it's surrender. The last
shot in the American Civil War was not fired on U.S. soil!
Question:
So, one Civil War soldier walks up to another and says, "I've got a 10
lb. Parrott". Should the 2nd soldier get out a bag of crackers and
say "Polly want a cracker" or would a bag of gunpowder be more
appropriate? What is a Parrott?
Answer:
A Parrott is a rifled cannon designed by Robert
Parker Parrott. The first size was a 10 pounder in 1860 and was
replaced in 1864 by the 3" rifled Parrott. Parrott's are easily
recognized by the reinforcement band around the breach. A 10 pound
Parrott is scheduled to be displayed at Shadows of the Blue and Gray
this October - come check it out!
Question:
The revolutionary Henry lever-action rifle, patented in 1860 and
improved before the war, gave soldiers a rapid fire capability
unattainable with muskets - up to 45 rounds per minute. Muzzle
velocities were up to 1,125 fps and the .44 caliber copper-cased
ammunition gave 10 times the muzzle energy than other repeating rifles.
The 15 round magazine was said to offer a rifle that for sporting and
hunting purposes, "you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long".
But in the Civil War the Henry did not enjoy wide use because of the
cost ($42) and most soldiers had to buy them themselves. Around
10,000 Henry rifles were used in the war. The question - how many
were issued by the military?
Answer:
The military
supplied their soldiers with 1,731 Henry repeating rifles. Undoubtedly,
the Confederates used weapons found on the battlefield and a few
soldiers may have had Henry rifles from before the war but it was the
Union Army that perhaps missed an opportunity in not supplying the rifle
in greater numbers. However, when it was deployed, it was said of
the rifle that it helped turn the tide of several battles and thus
potentially brought the Civil War to a quicker end. In current
military speak, the Henry would be a "force multiplier".
Question:
Berdan's Sharpshooters were an elite Union
unit of expert marksmen set apart from regular troops by their green
uniforms. The uniforms were of a conventional design except for
the buttons - what were they made of and why?
Answer:
Non-reflective black rubber so they wouldn't reflect light and give away
the soldiers position.
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Here's
where you can see photos of previous Shadows of the Blue
and Gray re-enactments. You can also check out photos from
each year - click the link buttons on the left.