Faces of the Civil War: The Hincks family

Elisha Hincks (or Hinks) was wounded three times during the Civil War:
at Antietam, Fredericksburg and Cold Harbor. (Photo Mollus Civil War Collection)

Many families had multiple members serve in the armies during the Civil War, sometimes with tragic consequences. (See earlier entries on my blog here and here.)

Christopher Pelkey

Christopher Pelkey of Bangor, Maine recently surfed into John Banks' Civil War Blog and e-mailed me accounts and photos of three of his ancestors -- including two brothers -- who served in the Union army. Unlike blog reader Brian Farrell of Austin, Texas, whose great-great grandfather was killed at Malvern Hill, Pelkey's ancestors survived, although two of them were wounded multiple times. (A distant cousin of Pelkey's wife was killed at Reams Station, Va.) Like this man and this man buried near my home here in Connecticut, Christopher's distant cousin was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, a fabulous distinction.

Here are Pelkey's fascinating accounts of his ancestors' Civil War exploits, along with some quick research from yours truly:

EDWARD WINSLOW HINCKS

Pelkey: "Edward Winslow Hincks was born in Bucksport, Maine. He received no more than a regular public education. He was a printing apprentice in Bangor, Maine and then moved to the Boston area in the 1850s. He became involved in politics. In 1859, he was appointed adjutant of the 8th Regiment of Massachusetts militia. In December 1860, when Major Robert Anderson was holding Fort Moultrie and expecting attack by the forces of South Carolina, he offered his services for the defense of the fort in a letter that brought grateful acknowledgment from Major Anderson. On this ground, he has been spoken of as the first volunteer of the war. His story is a long and glorious one! Eventually he became a brevetted major general. He commanded the 19th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which saw some really tough action, including at Antietam and Gettysburg."

Like his brother Elisha, Edward Hincks
was wounded  at Antietam.

My quick research: This man took a beating during the Civil War; it's amazing he survived. Edward was wounded twice, at Glendale on June 30, 1862 and at Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862. At Glendale, acccording to a post-war account, "Col. Hinks was severely wounded by a bullet through the upper portion of the right thigh, receiving also a severe contusion in the left ankle, and was sent to the rear. For his gallantry and good conduct in battle. Col. Hinks was recommended for promotion by Gens. Sedgwick and Sumner." (1)

At Antietam, "Col. Hinks fell wounded with a bullet through the right arm, fracturing and shattering the bone, and another through the abdomen, passing from over the right hip in front, penetrating the colon, and out on the left side of the spine, in the region of the kidneys; from which wound he has never fully recovered." Hincks' wounds were thought to be mortal, and obituary notices even appeared in Massachusetts newspapers. Dr. Alfred Hitchcock -- no, not that Alfred Hitchcock -- visited the gravely wounded Hincks and noted that "a miracle only can save him." (2)

Well, Hincks got his miracle and eventually returned to service. Edward served in the U.S. army until 1870. (3)

ELISHA ALBERT HINCKS

Pelkey: "Elisha Albert Hincks is my great-great grandfather. He enlisted in the 19th Massachusetts as their commissary sergeant when his brother, Edward, took command. He eventually was commissioned and attained the rank of captain. He retired as a brevetted lieutenant colonel. Both he and his brother were wounded several times. There's a great story where he almost met his demise accidentally when they were policing homes door to door. At the time he was a lieutenant. His captain took his musket and bashed in a door. When he did, the musket went off and the ball went through my great-great grandfather's beard! They had a wicked argument and the captain threatened to file charges, but because he nearly killed his subordinate by doing something stupid, he never did!"

My quick research: Elisha was wounded three times during the Civil War: at Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862 (abdomen), at Frederickburg on Dec. 13, 1862 and at Cold Harbor (severe right shoulder wound) on June 3, 1864. (4)

WILLIAM BLISS HINCKS

William Hincks was awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor for
capturing a Rebel flag at Gettysburg.

Pelkey: "William Bliss Hincks was the nephew of Elisha and Edward  (my first cousin four times removed.) He won the Congressional Medal of Honor at Gettysburg for a real-life game of capture the flag! He ran right into the midst of the 14th Tennessee and stole their colors and ran back to his lines unscathed! He was attached to the 14th Connecticut. My wife's maiden name is Hawley. She comes from a long line of Hawleys from Connecticut. There is a good story where William B. Hincks was fighting alongside of a fella named William Hawley, who after some research turns out to be her first cousin four times removed. William Hawley was killed in battle."

My quick research: According to the Congressional Medal of Honor website, Hincks' medal was issued on Dec. 1, 1864 for his actions during Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863. "Upon a call for volunteers by Maj. Ellis, commanding, to capture this flag, this soldier and 2 others leaped the wall," according to an account on the site. "One companion was instantly shot. Sgt. Maj. Hincks outran his remaining companion running straight and swift for the colors amid a storm of shot. Swinging his saber over the prostrate Confederates and uttering a terrific yell, he seized the flag and hastily returned to his lines. The 14th Tenn. carried 12 battle honors on its flag. The devotion to duty shown by Sgt. Maj. Hincks gave encouragement to many of his comrades at a crucial moment of the battle."  Hincks is buried in Bridgeport, Conn.

Interestingly (at least to me), William Hawley served in the 14th Connecticut with Edward Wadhams, one of three brothers from Litchfield, Conn, whose backgrounds I have been researching off and on for a couple years. The brothers were killed in an 18-day span in Virginia in late May and early June 1864.

(1) "Massachusetts in the Rebellion," P.C. Headley, 1866, Page 258
(2) Ibid, Page 263
(2) American Civil War Research Database
(3) Ibid.

FROM THE LONGBOXES: Amazing Spider-Man #30-35 by JMS & JRJr – Part III

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

One of the best things about J. Michael Straczynski’s run on Amazing Spider-Man (at least up to the point I stopped reading, which was when JRJr left the book and Mike Deodato came on as artist) was his characterization of Peter Parker. JMS had a firm hold on what makes this character tick.  Despite being older, Peter is still a person who takes very seriously his responsibility to his family (Aunt May and, though she is gone at this point, Mary Jane) as well as his responsibility, as Spider-Man, to the populace at large.  This does not mean his exploits as Spider-Man are not nerve-wracking.  This is why Spidey has always been a wise-cracker, spewing ridiculous jokes to cover up the fear he feels. It’s a common defense mechanism and one that has been a part of this character from the start.  And JMS’s dialogue smoothly fits into this aspect of the character. 

JMS also has Peter moving forward in his civilian life, having him become a science teacher at his old high school, as another way for him to give back to the community.  This is a natural extension of the Spider-Man template set forth by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko back in the early sixties where they had him graduate high school, move on to college, and have evolving relationships with the likes of Betty Brant and Gwen Stacy. Again, it fits the character and is a nice way of “showing” readers who Peter Parker/Spider-Man is rather than telling us through some dull expository caption boxes.  It’s a subtle bit of storytelling that too few writers in comics miss out on, even today.

The pacing of this story is also excellent.  There’s an ebb and flow to the narrative that allows readers to enjoy the story and experience the emotional crescendos when they arrive.  One of the best bits of writing advice I’ve gotten came from the DVD commentary by JMS for the final episode of season one of Babylon 5.  He discussed how one should have a quiet moment prior to a major disruption in the narrative – whether it be an emotional disruption or an alien attack or whatever – in order to make that emotional instance resonate with the audience.  And JMS deftly weaves the quiet moments with the “big” ones in this storyline. 

Straczynski also sets things up nicely.  He doesn’t have any resolutions come out of left field.  The way Spider-Man defeats Morlun is reached through a natural progression of events, none of which feels forced or hackneyed.  The way Morlun goes on about feeding on a pure totemistic host, and Ezekiel’s surprise arrival that catches the villain off-guard and bloodies his nose – offering Peter an opportunity to study what manner of creature Morlun is – all make sense and feel like the events they are (the villain monologuing, Ezekiel helping Peter) before you realize that they have secondary consequences (the opportunity for Peter to survive this primal force).  It’s wonderful storytelling.

And that brings me to another aspect JMS brought to his initial storyline.  He incorporated Peter’s scientific background when he had Peter take Morlun’s blood and analyze it for a possible way of defeating him.  This is something I have rarely seen utilized in Spider-Man comics.  It was refreshing.  This has always been a cornerstone of the character, and yet it is hardly used within the stories.  Peter’s webs were originally created by him, a scientific breakthrough that he tried to sell to some scientists way back in issue # 18 – a deal that fell through when they discovered the webs dissolved in minutes. 

Yeah, editors have made his webs organic – actually an extension of Peter and emanating from his wrists – and I can’t say where the “continuity” stands on this aspect right now, and I’d rather not think about that.  Ugh.

Bringing this aspect back into the book, accentuated by Peter’s decision to become a science teacher at his former high school, was something I greatly appreciated.

And John Romita, Jr’s artwork has never looked as good, in my opinion.  He draws a lithe, ballet-like Spider-Man who is wiry and able to contort his body in a manner reminiscent of a spider and, again, a body type that hearkens back to Steve Ditko’s seminal work. 

AN HISTORICAL NOTE:  Initially, Jack Kirby was tapped to draw Spider-Man and he finished five pages of an initial story.  But Stan Lee discarded that and chose to have Ditko draw the book.  He obviously made the right choice.  I don’t know the reasoning, but it seems to me that Kirby’s blocky style really would not fit with the character of Peter Parker – a teenage bookworm with a slight physical frame – whereas Ditko’s lithe artwork was a perfect match for the young hero. 

JRJr knows how to draw comics, especially action-packed ones like Spider-Man.  And he does not disappoint here.  When Spidey first faces Morlun, the double-page spread we get from JRJr is fantastic, a whirlwind of these two larger-than-life characters pummeling each other.  It’s a collage of images without panel borders that gets across the frenetic pace of the battle.  It really is a masterfully drawn spread that showcases the unique properties of comics storytelling. 

But, though this may not be his strong suit, JRJr can also evoke emotion from the quieter moments of the story.  It’s these moments that help punctuate the action and give it the emotional tenor necessary in a story like this.  Thankfully, JRJr is not afraid to let these softer moments breathe within the larger narrative.  He understands, better than a lot of artists, how to tell a comic story effectively and give readers a full and satisfying experience.  Having a veteran of his stature, who can also hit deadlines, on this book with JMS was a good move on Marvel’s part. It really elevated the first half of Straczynski’s tenure as writer on Amazing Spider-Man and is a major reason why this first storyline won the 2002 Eisner award for best serialized story.

And finally – JMS went there.  He finally had Aunt May discover that her nephew is Spider-Man.  And the way JMS handled that was brilliant. 

But that’s best saved for another time.

-chris

To read more of Chris’s thoughts or to check out his short prose and comic work, go to www.warrior27.com, the online home for the comics/prose anthology, Warrior27, created by Chris and by Dan Fleming – with contributions from Matthew J. Constantine (half of In the Mouth of Dorkness), among others.

Civil War travelogue: Joshua Chamberlain's grave

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

If you're a Civil War buff, you're well acquainted with the amazing story of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

A professor at Bowdoin College in Maine, Chamberlain enlisted in the Union army on Aug. 8, 1862, then became a decorated officer and eventually rose to brigadier general. As colonel of the 20th Maine Infantry at Gettysburg, Lawrence achieved fame (and earned a Congressional Medal of Honor) for his leadership at Little Round Top, where his men helped hold (barely) the extreme left flank of the Union army. I get goose bumps every time I watch that scene in the movie "Gettysburg." Just great stuff.

Chamberlain survived some the worst fighting of the war at  Fredericksburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Courthouse and Petersburg.  He was wounded several times and even had his horse shot out from under him. After the war, Chamberlain became governor of Maine and then president of Bowdoin College, his alma mater. He died at age 85 in 1914, apparently of lingering war wounds.

Chamberlain is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery, on the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick, Maine.  ESPN colleague Matt Volk, a Bowdoin grad, visited Chamberlain's grave recently and shot these photos of the great man's final resting place.

Chamberlain, wounded several times during the Civil War, died in 1914. (Photos by Matt Volk)

Faces of the Civil War: Unknown III

A Civil War sergeant poses with his sword in this tintype photo.

As is the case with the ambrotype of this Civil War soldier and this tintype and ambrotype of the same officer in my collection, the name of this gentleman is unknown. Unfortunately, there's not a ton of information from the tinytpe above to narrow down the name of the soldier, his regiment and the state for which he served. On some tintypes, Civil War photographers scratched the name and/or the regiment of the soldier on the reverse of the photo or on the proctective mat. Or the name of the soldier sometimes would be written in pencil in the case for the photo. No such luck on this photo, which is part of my collection of Civil War photography.

Here's what I do know:

Based on the three stripes on each arm, this soldier was a sergeant. He served in the infantry in the Union army.

This is a tintype, a photo made by creating a direct positive on a sheet of metal. In the process of creating the image, the photographer made a couple swipes across it, accounting for the unfortunate marks across the shoulder and neck and near the middle of the soldier's body. The imperfections diminish the value of the image to collectors.

A model 1858 U.S. Army hat atop his noggin, he is wearing a frock coat, common attire for U.S. army officers dating to the 1820s. (1)

He wore white gloves, a nice fashion statement that this guy might appreciate.

The photographer did not use a distinctive background that included army tents or other scenery, a common practice in city studios during the Civil War. This photographer did use a non-descript background, an indicator that this photo might have been taken in one of the many portable field studios that followed both armies during the Civil War.

I bought this tintype on eBay about nine or 10 years ago. The seller indicated the soldier was from New York, in the western part of the state if memory serves me right.

Perhaps by throwing this one out to the public, someone will step up and say: "Hey, that's my great-great grandpa."

That would be kind of cool.

(1) "Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the Union," By the Editors of Time-Life Books, Page 114.

FROM THE LONGBOXES: Amazing Spider-Man #30-35 by JMS & JRJr – Part II

NOTE:  SPOILERS AHEAD!  BIG TIME!

First go read part I, then come back.

Okay. 

Peter, bloodied and severely bruised, goes to Ezekiel to accept the offer of sanctuary this enigmatic businessman with eerily similar spider powers had proffered earlier.  But it is too late.  Morlun has touched Spidey and can now track him no matter where he hides.  And, despite having extra-normal powers  – or maybe for that very reason – Ezekiel declines to assist Peter in his battle with Morlun.  If he did that, Morlun would be able to latch onto his scent, as he’s done to Peter, and he would come after Ezekiel next to leech him of his own totemistic powers.  Ezekiel has too much to lose.  He can’t forsake all he’s amassed for a fool’s errand. 

So Spider-Man returns to the maw of destruction created by Morlun, and he must save a young child from this primal force of nature before going on the attack with his fists and his webbing.   Nothing stops Morlun, and Peter realizes he needs to get some breathing room.  But he stays within his enemy’s field of vision so that Morlun will remain fixed on the prize and not go after anyone else. 

But first, in a nice touch by JMS, Peter calls the school to tell them he won’t be in.  Too often, questions within the hero’s private lives (such as why would Clark Kent not be missed from the Daily Planet if he was off in space for weeks at a time as Superman) are never confronted, let alone answered.  Having Peter do this in the middle of a battle not only firmly establishes this new status quo in Peter’s life, but it is also another example of JMS exhibiting Peter’s conscientiousness, which is a hallmark of the character. 

Then the battle continues, with Morlun devastating Spider-Man in his relentless onslaught.  Hardly able to move, after Morlun smashes him into a building with a lamppost, Spider-Man snags the bumper of a car with his webbing and lets it drag him along the paved road in order to get away, if only for a moment.  Once he’s put some distance between himself and Morlun, Peter takes a moment to call Aunt May and tell her how much he loves her.  He realizes it may be the last opportunity he has to do this.

And then Morlun is on him again, driving Spidey toward the docks.

But out of nowhere, Ezekiel knocks Morlun down from behind.  With the enemy momentarily confused, Spidey and Ezekiel pour it on, bloodying Morlun’s nose before he regains his edge and sucks the energy from Ezekiel, who falls into the bay.  Morlun, having quenched a bit of his thirst, leaves Spider-Man to look for his friend, content in the certainty that he will feed on him soon enough.  And he returns to his aide, Dexter – a human liaison who wished to be close to power and has been helping Morlun make his way through New York – in order to prepare for the final battle.

But this altercation gives Peter something he hadn’t had before.  He takes the bloodied timber from the dock and examines it at home.  In so doing, he discovers that Morlun’s cells are made up of an amalgam of every kind of animal cell – the purest forms of DNA Peter’s ever seen.  That is why Morlun needs to feed on a pure totemistic life-form, so that he can recharge those cells before they break down. 

And that’s the key for Peter.  He needs to dilute the purity of his Spider powers.  To do that, he considers seriously Ezekiel’s earlier question:  “Which came first, the radiation or the power?”  Which is to say, did the radiation give the spider the power with which Peter was infected, or did the spider already have that totemistic power and inject Peter with it when it knew the radiation was going to kill it?

So, Peter injects himself with that same radiation, in order to dilute his totemistic purity and give Morlun something poisonous to feed on instead.  And when Morlun tries to take Peter’s spider force, he burns with the radiation.  Spider-Man now has a weapon, and with every punch he pours more radiation into Morlun – weakening him, changing him, making him vulnerable. 

As Peter pounds on Morlun, he realizes that just defeating him isn’t enough.  Morlun is a primal force that cannot be stopped in any conventional manner.  Only through such an extreme scenario as this one, in which Peter injects himself with a near-lethal dose of radiation, is there any hope of defeating him. 

Peter realizes Morlun must die.  But can he do it?

And then Dexter, Morlun’s aide, comes out of the shadows and shoots him, wrenching the decision away from Peter.  Part of Dexter’s services to Morlun included providing sustenance for the centuries-old vampiric being.  It may have made Dexter feel important at first, but it hurt – a lot – and the toll it took on him was overwhelming.  So, seeing his opportunity to be free, Dexter takes it.

And we, and Peter, will never know if he would have made that ultimate choice.  It is a question that will haunt Peter for a long time, and it’s a perfect, emotional ending for this initial story from JMS and JRJr. 

Except that this wasn’t the end.  There still needs to be a cliffhanger, a reason for readers to come back and buy the next issue.  There has to be the denouement.  And JMS provided one helluva denouement.

When Peter had called Aunt May earlier to tell her he loved her, she had offered to pick up his clothes and take them to the cleaners.  But, with Morlun on his trail, he didn’t have time to answer then. 

So Aunt May decides to go to Peter’s and pick up his clothes – always wanting to do for her nephew, it makes complete sense.  Peter is sleeping, and had taken no time to put away his tattered costume when he arrived home earlier.  He is so exhausted from his battle with Morlun, that his spider sense does not warn him of Aunt May’s arrival. 

And she sees his bloodied body and his Spider-Man costume, and realization hits her like a lightning bolt from a clear sky. 

But that story is reserved for another day.

-chris

To read more of Chris’s thoughts or to check out his short prose and comic work, go to www.warrior27.com, the online home for the comics/prose anthology, Warrior27, created by Chris and by Dan Fleming – with contributions from Matthew J. Constantine (half of In the Mouth of Dorkness), among others.

Matt’s Week in Dork! (7/17 to 7/23)

Feed the Machine!

    While my fellow Dork Brad may be having one of the dorkiest weeks ever at the San Diego ComicCon, mine has been pretty tame.  I've seen some pictures.  It looks like a wild time.  Mostly, I’ve been trying to stay out of the heat.  Sadly, I’ve done almost no reading this week at all.  Anyway, first up, the movies…


Archangel:  The shadow of Stalin reaches into the modern day in this mystery about a lost notebook and a 50 year old secret about to raise it’s head.  Daniel Craig is typically charming as the bulldog historian looking for the truth.  And Ekaterina Rednikova is the perfect mix of hard and sad as the young law student and prostitute.  The location shooting in Moscow and Latvia are both beautiful and depressing.  The script drives the action along fairly quickly and keeps interesting throughout the three episodes.  Overall, a solid mystery, steeped in the horrors of the Cold War. 

The Last Unicorn:  “There are no happy endings, because nothing ends.”  That certain strange brand of fantasy that was common in the 70s and early 80s produced this strange little classic of non-Disney animation.  Pretty good voice work and a solid story keep things moving along well.  Good family entertainment, with plenty for old and young to enjoy.  Probably a good companion film for Flight of Dragons. 

Cedar Rapids:  The adventures of a mild mannered dork when he goes out into the wide, wide world.  It’s interesting, playing with expectations while remaining fairly true to genre standards.  The actors and the characters they play are interesting and less two dimensional than one would expect.  Not amazing, but good and good for some laughs. 

Jason and the Argonauts:  Ray Harryhausen’s amazing special effects aside, this is a rip-roaring mythological adventure film of the highest caliber.  Though the Arabian Nights setting of the Sinbad films is more my speed, this movie makes me want more good Greek myth movies.  There is a magic in these films that stands the test of time.  Grade A entertainment. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules:  More comic misadventures from the Wimpy Kid, his friends, and his awful brother.  It’s cute.  Solid kid-friendly goofiness.  It’s not quite as good as the first film, but still enjoyable. 

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad:  Though I prefer John Philip Law’s performance as Sinbad (in The Golden Voyage), I think this is probably the strongest of the Harryhausen Sinbads.  A dastardly villain, vile monsters, and thrilling heroics make the legends come alive.  And, it’s got one seriously awesome score by maestro Bernard Herrmann.  A thrill for Harryhausen fans, Arabian Nights fans, and probably anyone with a pulse. 

The Thing:  Probably my favorite horror movie of all time, The Thing is an excellent thriller with a fantastic cast of actors playing interesting and memorable characters.  The script is tight, the music haunting, and the setting captures the essence of seclusion.  It really has everything a good horror film needs.  Everyone is in top form.  A must.

Speed Racer:  Like a role of fruit Lifesavers launched out of a neon confetti canon, this movie is a rainbow assault on the senses.  Yet, at its heart is a surprisingly heartwarming tale of brothers and of the love between a father and son.  Between the Technicolor explosions, wacky wipes, and garish design, the film manages to be fun, exciting, and engaging.  Like a cartoon brought to life (which it is), it plays fast and loose with physics and realism, yet rings true at the end of the day.  Plus, Matthew Fox is just super cool as Racer X.  If you enjoy the twisted humor of Robert Rodriguez’s family films, like Spy Kids, try this one out. 

Tron: Legacy:  The original film was groundbreaking in its sense of visual wonder and conceptualization of a digital world.  In many ways, it helped shape our ideas of virtual reality and computer graphics.  It paved the way for many later films, though it was not received especially well when it was released.  This new film is a fantastic extrapolation of the original.  With a driving score by Daft Punk, stunning visuals, and a fast paced story that manages to keep its heart intact, it does an excellent job of world building that feels true to the original, while embracing modern aesthetics.  The lead character, son of the original hero, is a bit grating for the first ten minutes, but grew on me quickly once he entered the Grid.  Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner return, which was a real treat.  And the film looks amazing.  My only complaint was the wonky looking ‘young’ Jeff Bridges. 

Metropolis (The Complete Version):  Finally.  Finally.  One of my all time favorite films complete for the first time since its brief original run.  For this fan, this is truly an amazing thing to see.  Whole subplots are restored, the rhythm is smoother, characters have more depth.  I was especially glad to see the character of The Thin Man played by the ophidian Fritz Rasp.  In the earlier cuts I’d seen, he had but a brief appearance, and was completely unmemorable.  But I ‘discovered’ him in two other Fritz Lang films, Women in the Moon and Spies, and became quite a fan.  Now he’s back as the predator spy.  And there’s so much more.  The relationship between the senior Fredersen and the mad Rotwang makes more sense.  And young Freder’s story makes more sense as he descends into the depths of the city to find his fellow men and women crushed beneath the weight of the great towers.  I really can’t sing the praises of this enough.  If you’ve never seen Metropolis, now is the time.  If you’ve seen a cut version, see it again. 

    Honestly, that’s about all I’ve managed to get in this week.  I haven’t been listening to much new music.  I did get the idea of picking up the guitar again put in my head.  I do kind of miss it.  I’d like to get into something creative outside of writing.  Painting, music, something.  But we’ll see. 

    I guess I’ll leave you with a song that always puts a smile on my face.

-Matt

Fistful of America! (Matt’s Picks)

    With the release of this week’s Captain America, we at In the Mouth of Dorkness got to thinking about how awesome and in-your-face America (!) can be.  Kind of like a Michael Bay movie, we’ve got some good actors and lots of explosions, but sometimes the script is weak.  Anyway, if our movies say anything, we’re pretty cool and we’ll keep coming back. 

5.  Chuck Yeager’s Fiery Crash (The Right Stuff):  Oh, sure, those boys might be breaking out into space (a nice chunk of America, right there), but Yeager ain’t gonna play by nobody’s rules.  He hops in a plane and does his thing.  And no high speed impact with a planet (Earth, in this case), is gonna stop him.  F Yeah!

4.  Raoul Duke’s Wild Ride (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas):  While running savage burns on Vegas hotels, having run-ins with Streisand obsessed artists, and fending off the insane bullish antics of his best friend Dr. Gonzo, Duke (alter ego of Hunter S. Thompson), manages to capture in a sort of poetry the mindset of a certain type of person at a certain, turbulent time in our history.  We never did find out how much the ape costs, though.

3.  Logan 5 Bashes Francis 6 With the Old Stars and Stripes (Logan’s Run):  In the ruins of our once great capital city, Logan 5 discovers the best of us.  But when his old buddy and fellow Sandman Francis 6 doesn’t understand, it’s time to grab a flag and get smashing.

Devastation or no, the Future is kind of awesome.

2.  Jack Burton’s Six Demon Bag Toast (Big Trouble in Little China):  May the wings of liberty never loose a feather.

1.  Eddie Valentine Don’t Take No Guff From No Nazi (The Rocketeer):  Oh, sure.  Valentine is a heartless criminal; a mobster who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.  But when a poncey actor turns out to be a Nazi agent, his blood is up, and it’s red, white, and blue. 

-Matt

Faces of the Civil War: Unknown II



A Civil War officer poses with his sword. This 1/6-plate tintype is in my collection.



The same man as shown above, dressed
as a civilian. This ruby ambrotype probably
 was taken before  the Civil War.

Like many Civil War soldiers, the officer above decided to have a keepsake photograph made. Unfortunately, as is common of  many photographs of soldiers from that era, the man in the image is not identified, so his name may be lost to history forever.

Maybe.

A little detective work could eventually I.D. "Mr. Unknown." Here are reasonable conclusions that can be made about these images, both of which are in my collection:

Based on the uniform, this man served in the Union army. Because he wore shoulder boards, he was an officer -- probably a captain, according to Civil War photo dealer Mike Medhurst. Civil War uniform experts may be able to narrow down what state he came from.

The Civil War-era shot above is a tintype, a photo made by creating a direct positive on a sheet of metal. On June 30, 1864, Congress passed an act that placed a tax on photographs. Pretty stunning, huh? Photographers were required to add a revenue stamp on the back of a tintype photo. No evidence of such a stamp appears on the reverse of this photo, so it's reasonable to conclude that it was taken between 1861 and spring 1864.

For this man's sitting, the photographer used a backdrop resembling an outdoor scene that included trees and what appears to be a flag or perhaps a ship in the upper right. The backdrop also includes a checkerboard pattern. If I come across a similar photo of an identified soldier, this may help me at least narrow down the state and regiment for which this man served. Or perhaps identify where the photo was taken and by what photographic studio or photographer. If it were taken shortly after this man enlisted, as I suspect, there's a good chance the image was made in this subject's hometown.



Both images of the man in this post are housed in
this elaborate thermoplastic case.


A scenic backdrop was a popular prop in city studios. Photographers with portable studios often followed the armies during the war, but the backdrops they used were not elaborate, so it's a good bet this man's photo was taken in a city studio.

The photos in this post show the same man. Genius observation there, right? In the civilian photo, the man looks several years younger than in his Civil War-era shot at the top. The civilian shot is a ruby ambrotype, a  photographic process that was most popular in the 1850s and early 1860s. If the soldier photo was taken by the spring of  1864 and the man dressed as a civilian is at least four years younger, it's reasonable to conclude the ambrotype was taken in the late 1850s or 1860. It's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Both of these photos came in a molded thermoplastic case with an ornate design, a more expensive option than a leather case that was also popular but more fragile. So it's reasonable to conclude that this officer was a man of some means.

Of course, identifying this soldier would be a slam-dunk if a long-ago relative had simply slipped a piece of paper with his name on it and placed it behind the images in the case, as sometimes occurred. I looked yesterday. No such luck.

The detective work continues.

Faces of the Civil War: Amazing likeness

In a recent post, I told the tale of Wiley Simeon Boon, who served in the 35th North Carolina Infantry. A farmer from Chatham Country, N.C., Boon was killed at Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862, less than a year after he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army. The final resting place of Boon, one of about 5,300 Confederates killed and wounded in the last of the Seven Days battles near Richmond, is unknown.

After reading one of my posts on Malvern Hill, Wiley's great-great grandson, Brian Farrell of Austin, Texas, e-mailed me a photo of his Civil War ancestor. Farrell's aunt discovered the outstanding tintype of Boon in an attic trunk about eight years ago and thought Wiley resembled Brian. Thanks to Texan Andy Hall, author of the excellent Dead Confederates, A Civil War Era Blog, now we can see just how much of a resemblance.

Using the magic of Photoshop, Hall flopped the photo of Farrell, scaled it to match the old shot and then superimposed it over the photo of Wiley Boon. The resemblance is downright eerie. The photo at the top is of Wiley, probably taken shortly before or after he enlisted. The middle photo is Brian, and the superimposed shot is at the bottom.

"Fun fact: when John Paul Jones’ remains were exhumed in Paris c. 1905 and brought back to the Naval Academy," Hall e-mailed, "they used this same technique to confirm the identity of the bones, using the famous bust by Houdin for comparison. Call it CSI: Annapolis."

Keeping history alive. Gotta love it.

My thanks again to Brian Farrell for sharing the photo and story of his ancestor.

Faces of the Civil War: Unknown I

A 1/9-plate ambrotype of an officer in my Civil War collection.

He was someone's son, maybe somebody's brother too. Perhaps he had a wife and children who worried about him when he went off to fight the dastardly rebels. Unfortunately, we may never know the name of this Civil War soldier, who probably had the photo above taken shortly after he enlisted in the Union army. Because the photo is an ambrotype -- a photographic process that produced a negative image on a piece of glass that turned into a positive when backed with a black material -- this shot likely was taken early in the war. Ambrotypes were most popular in the early 1860s before the tintype -- a photo made by creating a direct positive on a sheet of metal -- was more in vogue. Because he has shoulder boards, the man who stared so intently for this photograph was an officer.

Civil War photographers sometimes etched the name and even the regiment of a soldier on the reverse of a tintype or on a protective mat for the photo before putting it in a decorative miniature case. Or sometimes a soldier or relative slipped a piece of paper with an ID of the subject inside the case holding the photo. In the case of this 1/9-plate ambrotype in my Civil War collection,  no such identification exists. That decreases the value of the photo to collectors, but more importantly, the soldier's name is lost to history.

Dork Art: Cap on a Harley!

Marvel just unveiled this nifty bit of Marketing/Advertising Poster for Captain America: The First Avenger.  The artist is Adam Kubert and it depicts Cap riding into battle on a Harley-Davidson "Liberator."  Read the whole article/commercial here.

--Brad

Dork Art: Bruce Is Elvis!

Just found this over at Reelizer.  Art by Matt Talbot for the Sub Rosa Drive In.  As much as I love Ash, Bruce Campbell's performance as the geriatric Elvis Presley might be my favorite.  Mmmmmm...that might be crazy talk talking.

--Brad

New Release Tuesday (7/19/11)!!!

Not a great week.  Some stuff I want to see, but nothing screaming to be a Must Buy!  And, of course, I'm not even going to bother till after San Diego Comic Con.

Rent!

LIMITLESS:  There definitely seems to be an interesting idea at play here with this film, and I'm kinda bummed that I missed it in theaters.  I dig Bradley Cooper when he's not doing Hangover movies and I like the fact that his name alone seems to have driven this movie into a success.  Robert De Niro seems to just cash paychecks these days, but he's one of the better work-for-actors when he's not messing with The Fockers.  Also, you should check out The Q & A with Jeff Goldsmith podcast episode with Limitless screenwriter Leslie Dixon.

TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT:  The Omega Dork tells me that this was a fun flick.  Again, I wanted to see it in theaters but not enough for me to put for an actual effort.  I like Topher Grace.  And I like 80s teen comedies.  Mash them together and there might be some fun there.  I'm down.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (BLU):  What!?  A Criterion New Release that's not an essential Buy!?!?!?  Well, with the Barnes and Noble sale going on it might very well end up on my shelf, but I already have the original Criterion release and even though I love this film I'm not sure it's worthy of the double dip.  It probably is, but I'm also trying to save cash to blow at Comic Con.  Decisions, Decisions.

TEKKEN:  Man, this film looks terrible but I will suffer through this silliness cuz what if it's geniusly terrible?  What if?  I'm a sucker, but that's why you love me.  And when does the poster tag, "From The Producer of Ghost Rider" mean an indication of quality?  No, what that says is that we're all in a world of trouble.

And, yeah, that's if for the DVDs I care about this week.  I think this might be the weakest string of DVDs since Matt & I started this blog.  Bummer.  Oh well, next week we've got Source Code, The Blues Brothers blu ray, and the Sam Axe film.  And, uh, Dylan Dog.

--Brad

Dork Art: 6 Mondo Captain America Posters For Comic Con

Oh man oh man.  These are some pretty phenomenal prints from Mondo.  The muted Tyler Stout print second from the top is probably my favorite, although Olly Moss' Hydra Propaganda poster at the very bottom is totally badass.  And the two Eric Tan's in the middle sure are pretty too.  Seriously doubt I'll be able to get my grubby little hands on any of these at Mondo's Booth #433 but I'll do my darndest.

--Brad

Trailer: The Dark Knight Rises

Below is the teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises that ran in front of all those sold out Harry Potter screenings.  I like it.  I'm definitely digging how this final film seems to be connecting to Batman Begins.  And I absolutely love that last looming figure shot.  Summer 2012 seems like a long way off and the Internet is nearly ablaze with Dark Knight hysteria.  I'm right there with everybody else.

--Brad

Dork Art: Hard Case Crime

Yowza!  When Hard Case Crime fled Dorchester Publishing I was worried that their brilliant pulp revival would come to an end.  Well, today at Barnes & Noble I purchased their new Trade Paperback edition (looks like they're not doing straight-to-mass markets anymore) of Donald Westlake's Somebody Owes Me Money.  When I got home I jumped over to their website to look at the rest of their publishing schedule.  That's where I discovered the amazing art seen above.  Again, Yowza!  They've had some nice saucy covers in the past, but that one absolutely takes the cake.  When am I gonna get some Hard Case Crime posters?

--Brad