Civil War Message Opened, Decoded: No Help Coming

Gerald · 12-25-10, 11:45 PM

A glass vial stopped with a cork during the Civil War has been opened, revealing a coded message to the desperate Confederate commander in Vicksburg on the day the Mississippi city fell to Union forces 147 years ago.The dispatch offered no hope to doomed Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton: Reinforcements are not on the way.The encrypted, 6-line message was dated July 4, 1863, the date of Pemberton's surrender to Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant, ending the Siege of Vicksburg in what historians say was a turning point midway into the Civil War.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/25...d-help-coming/

Note: Published December 25, 2010

TLAM Strike · 12-26-10, 12:22 AM

... and you think the post office is slow today...

Gerald · 12-26-10, 01:43 AM

Luckily I did not send so much longer, but it has happened once, that I got a card that I would have had four months earlier,

someone screwed up the whole,

Armistead · 12-26-10, 10:11 AM

Damn Grant and the War of Northern Agression.

Least Forrest was smart enought to get out..No doubt a big blunder by the south to try and hold the city, instead of leaving when they could.

Interesting find, I'll keep looking for the confederate treasury

Dowly · 12-26-10, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

... and you think the post office is slow today...

Ba-dum-dish!

Sailor Steve · 12-26-10, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

Damn Grant and the War of Northern Agression.

An interesting find, and you just had to bring your personal politics into it. Though you are inviting another intense argument, this time I'm not going for it. Trolling is not your usual style.

nikimcbee · 12-26-10, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

An interesting find, and you just had to bring your personal politics into it. Though you are inviting another intense argument, this time I'm not going for it. Trolling is not your usual style.

I have a friend from Alabama. I always ask him about the War of Southern Aggression.

Armistead · 12-26-10, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

An interesting find, and you just had to bring your personal politics into it. Though you are inviting another intense argument, this time I'm not going for it. Trolling is not your usual style.

What's to argue, the north won and the victors write history as they please.

You'll have to forgive me, my great great grandpappy from SC owed 7000 thousand acres, large plantation house that got burnt to the ground...that was the last big money that might've come my way...

nikimcbee · 12-26-10, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

What's to argue, the north won and the victors write history as they please.

You'll have to forgive me, my great great grandpappy from SC owed 7000 thousand acres, large plantation house that got burnt to the ground...that was the last big money that might've come my way...

That's interesting family history.

Is the land still in your family name?

My Dad's side of the family had a large plantation and owned slaves in Brasil, but that was a loooong time ago.

Armistead · 12-26-10, 02:55 PM

The only large section of land was left was left to my Grandfather. He had 4 wives, my father being with the first and not much of a relationship there. His kids with his last wife inherited the remaining land which was the family graveyard, later to become a large public graveyard.

Most of it is now Fort Mill SC. My Grandfather owed a funeral business and the graveyard there which has long been sold since his death, but still carries our name...Interesting graveyard, has family in it from 1831 to this day, my grandmother being the last family member that died and buried there. There is a lot of indian history there and my grandfather did work with them and you'll find many Catawba indians buried in the old Wolfe graveyard. My grandfather was married to a woman half catawba blood, so probably why he buried many at little cost. They have found indain artifacts there dating back to 600 AD.

Also, last I checked at least two of the past generations of slaves that worked the plantation still live on nearby land. They went into some business deal with GGGpappy after the war and ended up with a lot of the land. Several of them fought for the south.

I grew up on Unity Street and a we use to play in an another old graveyard across from our home. Course I grew up loving history. Later found this to be the old Unity Graveyard that has graves from the revolution. On wiki it states some of the graves are damaged, ect....hope that's not the ones we threw the stones at as kids in the 60s, as it was surrounded by a large stone wall. Course back then the graveyard was not kept up then at all. It also has a monument dedicated to slaves that fought for the south.

Why Calvary came that far, facts vary, but my gggpappy was big in slaves, brother a former Senator and his wife another big political family. Sad thing, it was right near the wars end and only one of the few homes burnt to the ground. They also burned a railroad bridge, probably found his house along the way.

Edit, funny I just checked and my cousin that got everything is Chairman of the Board for the town....

nikimcbee · 12-26-10, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Also, last I checked at least two of the past generations of slaves that worked the plantation still live on nearby land. They went into some business deal with GGGpappy after the war and ended up with a lot of the land.

Interesting stuff.

Armistead · 12-26-10, 03:38 PM

I got big in the Civil War in my 20's. I now live in a small town near Winston Salem, but worked in GSO for years. The fellow I was named after was from Fort Mill and a captain in the civil war. No one really did the history on him in detail. One day I was at the Greensboro Musuem talking to the President and mentioned his name...low and behold he was a member of the Guilford Grays from Greensboro and they had his picture and records in detail.

He almost had his foot severed at the achilles in the war. He named his son Achilles. I'm sure after his foot....maybe because that got him out of the war and saved his life...

gimpy117 · 12-26-10, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

Interesting find, I'll keep looking for the confederate treasury

what treasury? they were bankrupt

Armistead · 12-26-10, 08:54 PM

Not hardly, they boxed up the silver and gold when richmond fell and fled south. A lot was accounted for, but no acount of 39 kegs of silver and some gold, not to mention amounts of paperwork with high value. Most feel it's buried today in Danville, Va. on city property. Test were done by pro's and they've gotten many hits on silver and gold, but Danville City won't even let them dig a test hole....so the mystery remains...several million dollars worth.

Sailor Steve · 12-26-10, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

What's to argue, the north won and the victors write history as they please.

Plenty to argue, especially about individuals. Did Grant conduct a war of aggression or was he a soldier doing his job for his country? Just because "the winners write the history" doesn't necessarily mean they were in the wrong. In this case the losers have been writing the history for 145 years, and complaining that their story is never heard.

There is plenty of debate to be had. I just thought it was cheating on your part to word that the way you did. Or maybe there was some tongue-in-cheek that I missed?

Quote:

You'll have to forgive me, my great great grandpappy from SC owed 7000 thousand acres, large plantation house that got burnt to the ground...that was the last big money that might've come my way...

That's some reason to be unhappy. I don't blame you a bit.

12-25-10, 11:45 PM	#1
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	Civil War Message Opened, Decoded: No Help Coming A glass vial stopped with a cork during the Civil War has been opened, revealing a coded message to the desperate Confederate commander in Vicksburg on the day the Mississippi city fell to Union forces 147 years ago.The dispatch offered no hope to doomed Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton: Reinforcements are not on the way.The encrypted, 6-line message was dated July 4, 1863, the date of Pemberton's surrender to Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant, ending the Siege of Vicksburg in what historians say was a turning point midway into the Civil War. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/25...d-help-coming/ Note: Published December 25, 2010 __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

12-26-10, 12:22 AM	#2
TLAM Strike Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 8,633 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 6	... and you think the post office is slow today... __________________

12-26-10, 01:43 AM	#3
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	Luckily I did not send so much longer, but it has happened once, that I got a card that I would have had four months earlier, someone screwed up the whole, __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

12-26-10, 02:55 PM	#10
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	The only large section of land was left was left to my Grandfather. He had 4 wives, my father being with the first and not much of a relationship there. His kids with his last wife inherited the remaining land which was the family graveyard, later to become a large public graveyard. Most of it is now Fort Mill SC. My Grandfather owed a funeral business and the graveyard there which has long been sold since his death, but still carries our name...Interesting graveyard, has family in it from 1831 to this day, my grandmother being the last family member that died and buried there. There is a lot of indian history there and my grandfather did work with them and you'll find many Catawba indians buried in the old Wolfe graveyard. My grandfather was married to a woman half catawba blood, so probably why he buried many at little cost. They have found indain artifacts there dating back to 600 AD. Also, last I checked at least two of the past generations of slaves that worked the plantation still live on nearby land. They went into some business deal with GGGpappy after the war and ended up with a lot of the land. Several of them fought for the south. I grew up on Unity Street and a we use to play in an another old graveyard across from our home. Course I grew up loving history. Later found this to be the old Unity Graveyard that has graves from the revolution. On wiki it states some of the graves are damaged, ect....hope that's not the ones we threw the stones at as kids in the 60s, as it was surrounded by a large stone wall. Course back then the graveyard was not kept up then at all. It also has a monument dedicated to slaves that fought for the south. Why Calvary came that far, facts vary, but my gggpappy was big in slaves, brother a former Senator and his wife another big political family. Sad thing, it was right near the wars end and only one of the few homes burnt to the ground. They also burned a railroad bridge, probably found his house along the way. Edit, funny I just checked and my cousin that got everything is Chairman of the Board for the town.... Last edited by Armistead; 12-26-10 at 03:58 PM.

12-26-10, 10:11 AM	#4
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Damn Grant and the War of Northern Agression. Least Forrest was smart enought to get out..No doubt a big blunder by the south to try and hold the city, instead of leaving when they could. Interesting find, I'll keep looking for the confederate treasury

12-26-10, 03:38 PM	#12
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	I got big in the Civil War in my 20's. I now live in a small town near Winston Salem, but worked in GSO for years. The fellow I was named after was from Fort Mill and a captain in the civil war. No one really did the history on him in detail. One day I was at the Greensboro Musuem talking to the President and mentioned his name...low and behold he was a member of the Guilford Grays from Greensboro and they had his picture and records in detail. He almost had his foot severed at the achilles in the war. He named his son Achilles. I'm sure after his foot....maybe because that got him out of the war and saved his life...

12-26-10, 08:54 PM	#14
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Not hardly, they boxed up the silver and gold when richmond fell and fled south. A lot was accounted for, but no acount of 39 kegs of silver and some gold, not to mention amounts of paperwork with high value. Most feel it's buried today in Danville, Va. on city property. Test were done by pro's and they've gotten many hits on silver and gold, but Danville City won't even let them dig a test hole....so the mystery remains...several million dollars worth.