Christkindlmarkt In Clark, New Jersey On November 22, 2009

This blog entry features photographs from the Christkindlmarkt in Clark, New Jersey.  The Deutscher Club held the event.  I have had experience attending the Christkindlmarkt in various cities in Germany and Austria and in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in years past ... this was the first time that I attended one in New Jersey.










The Deutscher Club's website: http://deutscherclub.us

146th Anniversary Of The Gettysburg Address

Today is the 146th Anniversary of The Gettysburg Address. Just like today, November 19 fell on a Thursday back in 1863.

Abraham Lincoln was not the only speaker at the event. As a matter of fact, Lincoln's role was quite minor. His involvement in the ceremony was merely that of an afterthought. Despite this, for lack of a better description, he stole the show. The main speaker at Gettysburg was Edward Everett. His oration was to be the Gettysburg Address, but fate and destiny had other plans. The following day Everett wrote Lincoln a letter which included these words, "I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes".

I have some authentic 1860s items related to the Gettysburg Address.

The first two jpegs are of CDV (Carte-De-Vista) images of Everett and Lincoln dating from the mid- to late-1860s. The next four jpegs are of a newspaper from November 1863 and includes the first page, Lincoln's speech, the first part of Everett's speech and the final part of Everett's speech.













The Library Of Congress currently owns the actual letter Everett wrote to Lincoln (given to the Library by Abe's son Robert) and it is pictured at the following url:
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trt032.html

Now, ending this message is a rare opportunity to hear a recollection of the Gettysburg Address by someone who was there in person. William Rathvon recorded his memories in 1938 and his words comprise the only first-hand account of the day in audio format. Although wikipedia is not always accurate, this entry is fine:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_R._Rathvon

At the bottom you will see "External links". You have a choice between a six-minute version with commentary or a longer version of twenty-one minutes. Should you endeavor to choose the latter, I guarantee ... you will be richly fulfilled.


UPDATE (November 19, 2012): I see the audio link for William's entire interview on NPR's site no longer works. I do make a point to listen to his account every November 19.
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Siege Of Fort Mifflin Revolutionary War Reenactment Held On November 15, 2009

Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania held a historical "Siege Of Fort Mifflin" Reenactment on the 15th of November. Reenactors dressed like Colonial Revolutionaries, British Redcoats, Scottish Highlanders aka Green-Coated Loyalists (in the green kilts) and Loyalists (played by the 1st New Jersey Volunteers). It was a fantastic event and representation that even featured an 18th century concert at the end!



Here's an airplane flying overhead!












The concert - a drummer and three fifers!


Here I am by the old wall and cannon!


Additional photos from the event can be seen here:
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u213/portaltothepast/Reenactments/Revolutionary%20War/Fort%20Mifflin%2011-15-2009

I have five videos of the event at my youtube page, http://www.youtube.com/MichaelTheResearcher. They can be found using the search phrases "Revolutionary War Reenactment At Fort Mifflin 11-15-2009" and "18th Century Concert At Fort Mifflin 11-15-2009".

Fort Mifflin has many more great events coming up:
http://fortmifflin.us
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Armistice Day/Veterans Day/Remembrance Day

Armistice Day ... Veterans Day ... Remembrance Day ... the name is not always the same depending on the country, but the recognition is. This is a day to acknowledge the World War One Veterans who are still with us as well as remembering the World War One Veterans who have passed on. The world, and specifically Britain, lost two Veterans of the Great War in 2009: Henry Allingham and Harry Patch.

Henry Allingham was a founding member of the Royal Air Force and was the last surviving Veteran of the Battle of Jutland. Although he was assigned to fly, he experienced the horrors of the ground one evening. While searching for debris, he fell into a trench that was filled with arms, legs, flesh, dead rats and water. Despite the shock of the experience, he lived to become Britain's oldest verified man ever and was prior to his death, the oldest man in the world at that time. In World War Two, he worked to neutralize German mines.


Harry Patch was the last survivor of Passchendaele, a Battle that included a German private by the name of Adolf Hitler. While in the trenches, he was wounded in action and witnessed three of his friends die. He is considered the last Tommy and was the oldest man in Europe before his death. He saw some action in World War Two as a fireman during the Baedeker Blitz raids.


Although Bill Stone was in basic training during World War One, some have included him in its roster. He passed away in 2009 as well. In World War Two, he was involved with picking soldiers up from beaches and was torpedoed on two occasions.


Some of you may have seen a video of the Ceremony at the Cenotaph in 2008. It was the 90th Anniversary of the Armistice. Those who were there personally will keep the memory with them forever for it was the last time the three men were seen altogether and it was the last time any of them would be alive on November 11.