News From Terre Haute, Indiana

News

Diary of a General Superior

The Sisters of Providence archives includes a bound transcription of the diary of General Superior Mother Mary Cecilia Bailly.
She served as general superior, after the death of Mother Theodore Guerin, in 1856 until 1868, covering the turbulent Civil War years, 1861-1865.
Diary entries describe day-to-day activities of Mother Mary Cecilia, the congregation and local and national happenings. Some entries are very short — one sentence — while others are more detailed.
Some entries that Mother Mary Cecilia wrote during the Civil War:
• April 8, 1861: “Wednesday. We lose our five scholars [at the Academy] from the South. Mr. Dodds comes for them all; they fear that if war is declared, communications will be cut off, and it will [be] extremely difficult to get the girls home.”
• May 15, 1861: “I go to Indianapolis to see about the offer we have to take care of the soldiers in the hospital [City Hospital soon to be renamed Military Hospital].”
• June 7, 1861: “Friday. I go to Indianapolis to see the Sisters who have commenced the charge of the hospital [Military Hospital].”
• Nov. 22, 1862: “Saturday. Feast of St. Cecilia, but it is not celebrated this year; the state of the country is such that we should not make merry. …”
• Feb. 24, 1863: “Our wood chopper, Henry Howe, being a runaway soldier, four soldiers came to seize him on the ground where he was chopping, and carried him off.”
• Oct. 4, 1864: “Tuesday. The dreaded draft is being made on the men of our Township. Some of the Catholic young men of the Congregation are drafted, among whom is Tom Butler, a young man in our service, and son of the hostess of Visitors’ Home. Parents are in distress to see their sons carried off by force to the butchery of battle field.”
• Oct. 5, 1864: “Thursday. I go to town to make purchases. … The streets of Terre Haute are filled with men that have been drafted and who are examined, enrolled and equipped in Soldier’s dress.”
• Nov. 7, 1864: “Monday I go to town on the cars. … This was also the day of the Presidential election; the town is very quiet, it rains in torrents, many men are on the streets, but no quarreling and fighting. …”
• Feb. 23, 1865: “Charlie Carney, a young man that has been in our service several years, goes off on the night train to escape the draft. Poor boy, where does he go[?] I do not know.”
• April 12, 1865: “Good Friday. President Lincoln is assassinated! This awful deed was committed in the theatre, he was shot in the head. He did not die on the spot, he lived till the next morning.”

Related Photos

  • Interpreters: Costumed interpreters from the Vigo County Historical Society participate in Wednesday's presentation.

    MET 052511 INTERPRETERS.jpg

  • Presentation: Cinda May narrates her presentation at the Cunningham Memorial Library on Wednesday evening.

    MET 052511 CINDA MAY.jpg

  • Costumed: Interpreters from the Vigo County Historical Society participate in the Wabash Valley Visions and Voices project.

    MET 052511 VISIONS.jpg

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
May 26, 2011

Civil War Sesquicentennial Digitization Project puts records at Vigo residents’ fingertips

More than 1,200 items added to database

Sue Loughlin The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Vigo County residents may not realize it, but their community has some strong and compelling ties to the Civil War.

Consider this:

• Terre Haute native John Blinn was only 23 years old when he was mortally wounded at the battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.

The Vigo County Historical Society has significant memorabilia about the “boy soldier” who sacrificed his life for his country.

• Some Confederate prisoners of war were incarcerated in Terre Haute in 1862. Documents show that 11 died from typhoid fever, and a monument in their memory stands in Woodlawn Cemetery, where the men were interred.

• In May 1861, Gov. Oliver Perry Morton requested that the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods assist in the administration of City Hospital in Indianapolis, which had been turned over to the federal government for the care of soldiers.

The hospital became known as Military Hospital, and the Sisters of Providence became “Angels of Mercy” to Union and Confederate soldiers alike.

These are but a sampling of materials that have been scanned and are now part of a searchable, online database. They’re part of the Vigo County Civil War Sesquicentennial Digitization Project, completed by Wabash Valley Visions and Voices.

The project focuses on the digitization, or scanning, of historical material relating to the county’s role in the Civil War.

“What’s really wonderful about it is it connects Terre Haute to a national story that people may not be aware of,” said Cinda May, project director for Wabash Valley Visions and Voices and chairwoman of special collections at ISU’s Cunningham Library.

Through a grant, more than 1,200 historical items have been added to the WV3 searchable database, including letters, artifacts, medals, GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) membership applications and artwork.

The Vigo County Civil War homepage also features a photo gallery, an interactive timeline and lesson plans for teachers.

“It’s not a widely known body of material,” May said. “We want to make it freely available through the Internet so they will be used more.”

The project involves four partners, the Indiana State University Library, the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, the Vigo County Public Library and the Vigo County Historical Society.

The hope is that when people see the Civil War items on line, they’ll want to go see the actual artifact or document in person, May said. “It makes you want to know what else is out there,” she said.

The Vigo County Historical Society has letters written by John Blinn on the eve of battle, she said.

The four partners celebrated the culmination of the year-long effort with a program Wednesday at the ISU Library.

May showcased the Civil War Collections; Marlene Lu spoke about the Underground Railroad in Indiana; and costumed interpreters from the Vigo County Historical Society read Capt. John Blinn’s letters home.

For more information, visit the Wabash Valley Visions and Voices website at http://visions.indstate.edu/visions/partners/civilwar/civilwar.html

Text Only | Photo Reprints
News
Latest News
Multimedia

Like us on Facebook!
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
Front page
AP Video
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys Obama Defends Drone Strikes, With Limits Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense Two Suspects in Murder Known to London Police Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Obama Renews Call to Close Gitmo Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50 Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News