It’s an Obsession.
No, this post is not going to be about Mossy Oak or about anything even outdoor related. I guess the events took place in the outdoors, but they aren’t truly an outdoor event. I need to get back on topic though.
I have a confession: I have a new obsession. This isn’t my first obsession, and it probably won’t be my last, but it is by far one of the worst I’ve ever had. I try to leave it alone, but I just can’t. I try to walk away from it, but it always manages to talk to me in this little voice. It begs me to find out more-to keep researching. It will not let me be.
It all started with a song and it has just progressed from there. My newly found Civil War obsession is starting to take over my life. I realized this last night, as the wife and I were walking through a cemetery looking for some specific names inscribed onto a headstone. I had to find these particular gentleman, and it took everything I had to leave and come home empty handed with three of them. What is wrong with me? I used to pick on my Father-in-law for walking through cemeteries in order to complete his genealogical research, and yet here I was trampling through a cemetery, my eyes on full alert for any marker with a star that marked a Civil War veterans grave. If it wasn’t for the wife we might have never left.
I want you all to know that this is very tongue-in-cheek. I honestly love my new obsession and I love the hold that it has on me. I think it is the simple fact of knowing what these men went through, coupled with the easy accessibility to their past, that has brought about this hold on me. I have always been interested in history, but to be able to visit a battlefield like Shiloh, and then be able to find the final resting places of some of those men in your hometown, is amazing and awe-inspiring for me. I feel this deep connection with them even though we have never met. I feel like, by doing this research, and educating myself in this way, that it allows all the sacrifices they made to not be in vain.
I know that the obsession has just begun, and that it will continue for many years to come. I have many post ideas that I have been playing around with, and eventually I will share all of them. My main concentration has been on Michigan’s participation in the Shiloh battle, and I have even been contemplating making a little video of my experience and findings in regards to the Michigan regiments and their involvement.
I’m not sure how Jeff feels about me taking over our outdoor blog with Civil War facts and findings, but for now he just has to get used to it. Plus with Turkey season coming up next week the blog will return to the outdoors soon I’m sure.
Is there a Civil War buffs anonymous support group? I’ll be a proud card carrying member if there is.
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I love history - but especially American history - my obsession though are the ghost towns of Nevada, Colorado and the other western states - you are right, obsessions make good blog topics!
I too find it amazing. I had this obsession with a canvas shoulder bag I found at our local Army Navy Surplus and I was determined to find who the person was that carried this bag. I am planning to write about it after I get back from vacation.
I get obsessions like this from time to time too, and I don’t think they’re a bad thing. After all, some of the best historical books have been written by people who had an obsession with a certain aspect of history.
I hope you pursue your obsession with Shiloh. The stories of the guys from Michigan who fought in that battle could make a great article or even a book.
I think some of the smartest people ever, were so smart because they were obsessed with something.I have a civil war story about a young man that grew up about a 1/4 mile from where I grew up. A historian found some letters in a dumpster somehow, that he had written his mother while at battle. He caught a disease typhoid fever. In the letter he told his mother all he wanted when he died was a tombstone with all the battles he fought in on it. They had a big ceremony and put a tombstone with the battles he fought in on it in 1991. Some of my family owns the cemetary and many of my relatives are burried there.His name was Eli Landers, if you google him there is a lot of info on his story it is really intresting. Great post!
I too have the civil war bug, it began with me when I was about 14 or 15 and visited some of the battle fields near Washington D.C. As I commented before, Shiloh changed me forever. My family and experiences come from the southern side of the war, maybe we could trade blog posts back and forth to rekindle the ranks of the north and south, Now that would be something to write about! LOL Seriously though, I can fully understand your love for history. There is something about looking back to see where we’ve been and where we come from. But for now I’m looking forward to reading your posts.