There is something intriguing about the Civil War (1861-1865) that captures our attention and stimulates our curiosity. Historians have described the Civil War as “America’s bloodiest war.” The loss of life during the war between the states was phenomenal. Approximately 625,000 died. Not all died in battle. History records that more died of sickness and disease than bullets. The sacrifice young men made during the Civil War is beyond comprehension. Each side believed it was fighting for a righteous cause. No matter what view one may have on the Civil War, all admire the courage, and heroism of the boys of the Union and Confederacy..
As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, we have much in which to be thankful. Especially when we consider the sacrifice of those young boys who fought on the mountains and in the valleys of Missionary Ridge. I live about three miles from Missionary Ridge. My love for writing and reading about Civil War history led me to become an enthusiastic relic hunter. I enjoy metal detecting and digging relics from the sacred soil around Missionary Ridge. If you are thinking about doing some metal detecting in our area (or any other battlefields areas in the United States) be careful. Make sure you do your relic hunting on private land. Metal detecting on National Park land is a Federal offense and you could do jail time.
Recently, I obtained permission to hunt on private property below the cliffs of Missionary Ridge. While hunting on the side of a mountain which extends up to the crest of the ridge, I had an almost spiritual experience. It was much like the experience I had while viewing the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. My experience happened after I found my first bullet buried four inches in the rocky soil of the ridge. After wiping the mud off the bullet, I tried to imagine those young boys climbing up the ridge under heavy fire, I felt a strange presence. It seemed as though one of the soldiers was watching me as I held the three ringed Union bullet in my hand trying to visualize the soldier who fired it or the one who dodged it.. I pictured in my mind the young Union soldier in his blue Kepi hat, and blue wool uniform crawling up the ridge under heavy Confederate fire.
As I continued to skim my metal detector along the ground, I felt something trickling down my arm. I noticed a trickle of blood running down my arm extending to my wrist. I had a brush with a cutting me like a sharp knife. I considered in that moment how many young lads experienced bleeding wounds and even death from the volley of bullets that flew from top of the ridge..The slight pain and bleeding I experienced from a thorn was nothing in comparison to the pain and suffering of the soldiers might have experienced on that cloudy November day.
Many do not realize that the holiday called Thanksgiving was officially started during the Civil War by President Abraham Lincoln. It is ironic that President Lincoln declared the observance of the first Thanksgiving Holiday on November 28th, 1863. This was only three days after the battle of Missionary Ridge. In his proclamation Lincoln said,
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.