This month the Ku Klux Klan begins taking shape in the Pulaski, Tennessee law office of Thomas M. Jones. The six men who establish the KKK maintain long-held beliefs, as do most white Southerners, in white supremacy and black servitude. Union efforts to bring equality to freedmen further fuel their anger. From this mix of…
The Van Wert Baptist Church of Paulding County, Georgia closed its doors in late 1864 due to the battles raging in and around Atlanta. Reassembling in January 1865, the congregation since has struggled. The minutes of a church conference (business meeting) held this day refer to post-war realities. “After the opening of conference as usual,…
The Elmira Prison Camp in Elmira, New York opened July 6, 1864. The buildings used by the camp had earlier been utilized for the training of Union troops. The prison quickly became overcrowded. With the onset of winter, many Confederate prisoners yet lived in tents. Unaccustomed to the harsh weather, many became ill or died.…