November 26, 2009: Barry Cauchon

LOOKING FOR CIVIL WAR DIARIES, LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTIFACTS AND KEEPSAKES for possible inclusion in our upcoming book and documentary about the Old Arsenal Penitentiary and the Lincoln Conspirators.

Example: Ed Isaacs family has been living in the northeastern United States for several hundred years. Last year Ed’s cousin Pam gave him the diary of his great-great grandfather George Dixon. George was a Civil War Union soldier who was stationed at the Old Arsenal Penitentiary in Washington DC during the incarceration, trial and eventual punishments of the Lincoln conspirators. Amongst other interesting notations found in the diary, George listed the cells used by the prisoners and the guards who watched over them on the last day or two leading up to the executions of four of the conspirators. Ed Isaacs contacted me awhile ago and shared George’s diary with me. We have become friends and are planning on including information about George Dixon and his diary in our upcoming book and documentary. Ed hopes that it will help celebrate his ancestor’s life and we are thrilled to do so. To read the story of George Dixon and his diary as presented by Ed Isaacs, please click on the following link  http://awesometalks.wordpress.com/an-awesometalk-with-ed-isaacs-owner-of-civil-war-diary-from-soldier-who-guarded-the-lincoln-conspirators/).

APPEAL FOR HIDDEN HISTORY: We are appealing to others out there who might have ancestors who were connected directly or indirectly to the Lincoln conspiracy, the Old Arsenal Penitentiary, Washington DC or other Civil War occurences that related to the events that took place between March and August of 1865 in Washington DC and other surrounding areas. Items such as personal diaries, letters, photographs, artifacts, keepsakes and other Civil War related items in your possession could contain valuable historical information of great significance presently unknown to the research community. We would love to include your finds, if historically relevent, in our book and documentary.

So check your attics, basements, the old shed out back, garages, farm houses, barns and even below the floor boards of your old home. Check with your family members about stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. Those conversations may give you a clue as to where your ancestors may have been during the time of the Civil War and the Lincoln assassination and conspiracy. Even if you do not know whether you have something that is important, you should inform us anyway. A name of a buddy or commander found in a diary could be very important. A location mentioned is a possibility. A comment about contemporary events from the time of the assassination may be the perfect thing we are looking for.  You never know what might be important to our projects and the historical community in general. And if you do find something that doesn’t necessarily fit within our research, we will do our best to help direct you where you can go to get more information about your find.

We are looking for genuine historical articles from the time of President Lincoln’s assassination, funeral, conspiracy trial and prisons located in Washington DC (Old Arsenal Penitentiary, District Penitentiary, Washington Penitentiary, Old Capitol Prison, Carrol Annex and Carrol Branch Prison). Items related to the Navy Yards and the ironclad monitors USS Saugus and USS Montauk could all be important clues to help tell the story better. And don’t forget the potential connection to the Confederate Secret Service primarily run out of Montreal, Canada or Lafayette Baker who was the head of the Secret Service for the Union. All great possibilities where hidden history may lie.

WHAT THIS IS NOT

Regretably we are not offering to purchase your family relics or assign a price to them. That is not our specialty and we cannot offer expert advice on an artifact’s value short of its historical significance to the story. As mentioned before, we will do our best to help direct you towards those who might be able to assist you. But no guarantees of course.

If you have an item that you think might be of interest to us, please do not use the comment area below. Instead, write me directly at outreach@awesometalks.com and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Please describe the item (and include a picture if possible). If relevent, please explain why you think this may relate to our research.

As you can see from previous postings on this blog over the past 18 months, we have had a few really cool finds that I’ve been able to share with you. The George Dixon diary, Mr. P’s original fake ‘Lincoln in Death’ photo used in many Lincoln books published over the years and some genuinely great stories from family members from their ancestor’s past.

Give it a try. Everyone has treasures in their family. Share them.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best

Barry

outreach@awesometalks.com

Moin zusammen…

diesen Flug von Sandspit nach Bella Coola machte ich schon vor vielen Tagen und natürlich schoss ich auch eine Menge Bilder. Heute  Morgen, als ich endlich mal den Bericht fertigstellen und die Bilder noch mal sichten wollte waren sie… fott, weg, away… entmaterialisiert… einfach nicht mehr da.

Also werde ich den Flug von Sandspit nach Bella Coola ein wenig beschreiben.

Wir befinden uns also auf den Queen Charlotte Islands -> Sandspit.

Die Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida: Haida Gwaii) sind ein Archipel vor der Nord-West-Küste von British Columbia, Kanada. Die Queen Charlotte Islands bestehen aus den beiden Inseln Graham Island und Moresby Island sowie ca. 200 kleinen, vorgelagerten Inseln. Auf den Inseln lebt eine Vielzahl seltener und endemischer Tierarten, wie etwa die größte Unterart des Amerikanischen Schwarzbären (Ursus americana carlottae). Viele Baumarten wie etwa die Küstenkiefer, die amerikanische Roterle und der Riesenlebensbaum sind hier heimisch. Die Inseln wurden von Kapitän George Dixon nach seinem Schiff, der Queen Charlotte, benannt.
Unser Flug führt uns zunächst über die Copper Bay bevor wir den rund 66nm-Sprung über das Wasser (Hecate Strait) zum Festland beginnen.
Zwischen Banks Island und der Estevan Group tauchen wir ein und drehen kurz vor Campania Island nach rechts ab und folgen unserer Route über Rennison Island, Harvey Islands und Price Island.
New Bella Bella lassen wir rechts liegen und Bella Bella/ Campell links und das Airfield Shearwater (YSX) wieder rechts liegen… danach geht es geht es gerade aus weiter, bis wir den Fjord erreichen.
Sobald wir über dem Wasser sind, drehen wir nach rechts ab und halten geradewegs auf Namu (ZNU) zu. Den ersten Fjord, der nach links abzweigt nehmen wir… das ist die Port Hardy – Bella Coola Schiffroute. Hier bleiben wir und folgen dem Fjord vorbei an Kings Island, South Bentinck Arm… North Bentinck Arm bis wir an der Bucht vor Bella Coola City ankommen. Von dort aus ist es nur noch ein Klax bis zum Bella Coola Airport (CYBD), wir folgen einfach dem Bella Coola River und sind schon fast da.

Ein Musthave für diesen Flug ist sicherlich Holger Sandmann’s Bella Coola Szenerie  aus dem Jahr 2004, die noch immer ein Knaller ist!

Mit dem Google-Earth-File können Sie meine Route nachverfolgen. Möchten Sie die Route nachfliegen, downloaden Sie einfach den Flugplan (*.pln –> rechte Maustaste -> Ziel speichern unter…)

Enjoy!