US Grant in living history

04/07/2026

April 7, 1862, the second day at Pittsburg Landing, and the tide turned for Grant.
After a very bloody first day, and holding on at the landing, Grant had told Sherman in the dark of night they would "lick 'em tomorrow", which they did.
Overnight, three US Navy gunboats lobs shells toward and over the rebel lines, after Grant ordered them to carry on that way on the hour until dawn.
His second day plan, now reinforced by Don Carlo Buelll's Army of the Ohio, would be a punch to the rebel right at daybreak. The rebs also planned a punch to the federal right, so both armies moved like boxers swing right punches as the lines moved in a slow swirl.
Sherman's division regained the ground near the Shiloh meeting house, which lends it name to the vernacular of the battle, but gives it a myth of fighting to protect and all around the small log church, but the scope was march larger, and more centered on the landing off the river.
The numbers helped Grant, and attacking first, the initiative proved fatal to the rebel hopes of breaking Grant's line and routing them back to the west bank of the Tennessee river.

03/31/2026

2026 Living History Storytelling Commitments
bold and underlined is pending the actual date, but committed interest
February
WEDNESDAY 11 – Pines Village, Whiting NJ 2pm Friendship with Lincoln
THURSDAY 12 – Cross Key Village, New Oxford PA, Friendship with Lincoln

March
8 – Hackettstown Parade 330pm
28 – AMB BQ for Adams County VFW 12 noon
30- West Deptford NJ Library 5pm Sherman Friendship

April
4 – Marsteller family tour
5 – Gayle and Liberty tour
11 – Emancipation statue DC – 11am – 6pm
15 –Library in Rising Sun MD, America 250 6:00 PM
17 – Lakeview Library, Pittsburgh PA, America 250 6pm
20 – Retirement Home, Upper St. Claire (Pittsburgh) 7pm America 250 7pm
23 – Spalding Library, Athens PA, Great Locomotive Chase 6:00pm
30 – Brightview Retire Eatontown NJ 7PM Great Loco Chase

May
2-3 Old Town Village, Civil War Soldiers Camp Piscataway NJ
4 – Bernards Twp Library Basking Ridge NJ, USLHS and Seagirt Lighthouse 7pm
9 – Medford Leas RR Ghost stories 11am
13 – Smethport Library, Smethport PA, America 250 6:30pm
14 – Moscato Library, Emporium PA America 250 5-7pm
16 – Living History Day Bushy Run Battlefield Military Timeline Day
19 – Ryerson CWRT, Lafayette NJ, Winning In the West, 6pm
23 - Memorial Ceremony Rockaway NJ 1pm
25 – MEMORIAL DAY
28-30 – Living History Camp, Philippi WV Soldier Camp

June -** Band Date for Plum Creek pending staffing – 14, 15 or,18
2 – CWRT of Eastern PA, Allentown PA SUBJECT PENDING ACCORD 6pm
5 – Railroader Memorial Museum, Altoona PA, America 250 7pm
6 – Trinity Church, Delmont PA, Grant Comes East 1pm
7 – Kiski Historical Society, Tarentum PA, Lee Surrender in 1865 1:30pm
12- AMB Gettysburg Brass Band Festival 8pm, Gettysburg PA
27-28 WWC, Stanhope NJ

JULY
3 – Iron Pigs 250 Timeline, Allentown PA tentative, pending final agreement
4 – AMB, Rupp Yard, Gettysburg PA 5pm
4 – Camp Chat Rupp Yard, Gettysburg PA, 730pm
July 9 – Western Allegheny Library Pittsburgh ZOOM 6-7pm
SATURDAY 11 – Easton Heritage Day
July 13 – Guthrie Library, Hanover PA, America 250 6pm
22– The Pines Village, Whiting NJ, My Horses & My Children 2pm
18-19 - WWC, Stanhope NJ

August
5– Plum Creek Community, Hanover PA, Grant Myths & Misunderstandings 3pm
6– Ford City Library, America 250 6pm
*7-9 possible Pittsburgh region dates pending
12 – Spalding Library Fundraiser Meet & Greet Athens PA 5-8pm
WESTFIELD LIBRARY WESTFIELD NJ date TBD
22-23 - WWC, Stanhope NJ

September
Aug 31-Sep4 ROAD TRIP TO Huntington Beach CA Civil War Reenactment Event
5-6 - LABOR DAY WEEKEND - Civil War Days Huntington Beach CA
7 – MONDAY – LABOR DAY (ROAD TRIP HOME through Sept 10)
11 – 13 Renovo PA (1 per day)
19 – Sussex County History Day 27th NJ 11-5pm
24-26 – Dayton County Fairgrounds Pending Final Accord

October
4-7 - PALA Convention Harrisburg PA
8 - Whitehall HS Whitehall PA
17 – Boy Scouts of Lehigh Valley, Battlefield tour 0900
26 – Peters Twp Historical Society, President in the First Term 7:30pm
27 – Cumberland Woods, Allison Park PA, Life of US Grant 11am
28 – South Park Library, Pittsburgh PA, RR Ghost Stories, Time Not Decided Yet

NOVEMBER
5 – Brandywine CWRT, West Goshen Twp PA, Great Locomotive Chase 7pm
6 - Set Up Day Trains and Troops PA Timeline Encampment, State Railroad Museum
7 & 8 –Trains & Troops 9am-3pm
7 – MCL Birthday Ball, Ft. Indiantown Gap 5pm
11 – MOIH with AMB 11am
12 – Zelienople Community USMC 250
14 - Remembrance Day - Gettysburg PA, Parade AMB Serenade
16 – Lincoln Arrival In Gettysburg

December - 11-16 - OPEN FOR PITTSBURGH
4 – Christmas Parade, Clinton NJ 6pm
24 – Carols on the porch at midnight

02/16/2026

Today , FEBRUARY 16, 1862 – The fall of Fort Donelson.

Born this day, the legend of Grant's cigar habit's beginning. As well, a new nickname for "Uncle Sam" Grant.

When asked by the rebels what terms he would offer, his reply was simply: “No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted”

With the newly formed Army of the Tennessee, Illinois Volunteer Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River in a joint Army-Navy operation that leads to his capture of Nashville

Invested and captures just days earlier, Fort Henry on the Tennessee and now Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River protected the enemy's rail line of communication in northern Tennessee.

Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote's Western Gunboat Flotilla transported Grant's U.S. Army troops up the Tennessee River, quickly capturing Fort Henry. Before capitulating, the enemy commander sent most of the garrison to Fort Donelson, ten miles away.

The capture threatened the rebels' entire forward defensive line, and they sent a sizable force to Fort Donelson, while the rest of their army retreated toward Nashville. Grant advanced and surrounded Donelson on February 12th.

The gun crews at Fort Donelson damaged several Navy vessels that attempted to support the land attack, striking the command ship in the lead, breaking its steering chain, forcing it back downriver out of the fight.

As Grant landed his force, rebel defenders moved to stall him early on the morning of 15 February. Although caught off guard, rebels left portions of their line dangerously underdefended, and Grant was able to use this to his advantage, ultimately pushing back the enemy and penetrating their line.

This put them in a dire position, bringing rebel General Simon B. Buckner no choice but to surrender Fort Donelson and its garrison on February 16th

02/15/2026

With Pines Village – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

01/05/2026

Here are the images from front cover to back cover of the 2026 US Grant in Living History Wall Calendar.
You can still order one, i have eight left for sale. Cash, check or Venmo. $12 covers it all to ship your way.
Order form in the comments.

01/05/2026

Order form in the comments below.

12/13/2025

Today in 1862. I love to visit Cairo when I visit Vicksburg.
See the comments for my youtube episode covering her adventure.

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