by TeachCivilWar | Oct 31, 2024 | Miscellaneous Civil War topics
As Halloween approaches, tales of poisoned candy often seem like urban legends—but in 1858, a real-life candy horror unfolded in Bradford, Yorkshire, leaving over 200 people gravely ill and claiming the lives of 20 others. This tragedy, known as the Bradford Humbug...
by TeachCivilWar | Oct 31, 2023 | Famous Civil War People
I have shared about Halloween before and since it is that time of year, I wanted to share this haunting illustration by Thomas Nast which appeared in Harper’s Weekly on July 7, 1866. Captioned “Why He Can’t Sleep,” the image shows a sleepless...
by TeachCivilWar | Oct 31, 2023 | Civil War Related Primary Sources
This autumn holiday may have begun as a simple Pagan festival in which food for spirits was left on doorsteps, but today it has become an extravaganza of spooks. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III declared November 1st “All Saints Day,” making October 31st “All...
by TeachCivilWar | Oct 31, 2022 | Teaching the Civil War
Soldier deaths during the Civil War were common however, the October 14, 1862 edition of the Charlotte Democrat describes the unfortunate events that lead to the death of a soldier from North Carolina. When you hear of a soldier dying during the Civil War you...
by TeachCivilWar | Oct 31, 2015 | Civil War Related Primary Sources, Teaching the Civil War
On October 31, 1863, Harper’s Weekly featured a cartoon by artist Henry Louis Stephens about the controversial campaign of Clement Vallandignham, a leading Peace Democrat or “Copperhead” who was running for governor of Ohio. Under the image...