Rebekah Colburn
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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

12/16/2015

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A classic and beloved Christmas Carol, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” was written during the Civil War by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was a desperate outpouring of his heart as he tried to reconcile his inner grief with the peeling of the church bells, which heralded the joy and celebration of Christmas day.
His oldest son, Charles, had felt compelled to join the Union Army and did so against his father’s wishes. He informed his father in a letter dated March 14, 1863, “I have tried hard to resist the temptation of going without your leave but I cannot any longer," he wrote. "I feel it to be my first duty to do what I can for my country and I would willingly lay down my life for it if it would be of any good.” Charles was severely wounded in the Battle of New Hope Church, a bullet passing under his shoulder blades and damaging his spine.
Henry’s wife, Fanny, whom he had married in 1843, had died tragically in a fire in 1861. She had trimmed her seven year old daughter’s hair, and wanting to keep Edith’s beautiful curls, had prepared to preserve the locks in sealing wax. The day was hot, however, and a breeze blew in through the open window igniting droplets of wax which had fallen unnoticed onto the light material of Fanny’s dress. Almost immediately, she was engulfed in flames.
Henry had made every effort to extinguish the flames and save his wife, but the only means at his fingertips was an undersized throw rug on his study floor. When it failed to smother the fire, he threw himself over her, severely burning his face, arms, and hands. The following morning, Fanny Longfellow died. Henry was unable to attend her funeral, both from his burns and from crippling grief.
Frances Appleton was the great love of Longfellow’s life. Their courtship lasted seven years. She was the subject of the sonnet, "The Evening Star," which he wrote in October, 1845.
The first Christmas after Fanny's death, Longfellow wrote, "How inexpressibly sad are all holidays." A year after the incident, he wrote, "I can make no record of these days. Better leave them wrapped in silence. Perhaps someday God will give me peace." Longfellow's journal entry for December 25th 1862 reads: "'A merry Christmas' say the children, but that is no more for me."
Almost a year later, Longfellow received word that his oldest son Charles, a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac, had been severely wounded. The Christmas of 1863 was silent in Longfellow's journal.
Finally, on Christmas Day of 1864, he wrote the words of the poem, "Christmas Bells." The reelection of Abraham Lincoln or the possible end of the terrible war may have been the occasion for the poem. Lt. Charles Longfellow did not die that Christmas, but lived.
This poem gave birth to the carol, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," and the remaining five stanzas were slightly rearranged in 1872 by John Baptiste Calkin (1827-1905), who also gave us the memorable tune.

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Grace, the Canine Mascot of the First Maryland Infantry, CSA

12/9/2015

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In the course of my research, I stumbled across an interesting story dog lovers might be interested to learn. As the Second Maryland Infantry marched to join the battle of Gettysburg, they encountered a stray dog, whom they adopted and named Grace. She took quickly to them, probably due to both the food and affection she received, and in her way she gave them comfort and companionship. She was even listed on the roster as the Unit Mascot.

When they reached the battlefield, Grace led the charge up Culp's Hill. Somehow she seemed to understand that she was with the men in gray, and ran around barking at the Union soldiers. When she returned to her boys of the Second Maryland Infantry, she was met with a sad display of dead and wounded. Confused and upset by the injury to her masters, Grace nudged at them in sorrow to get back up on their feet.

Sadly, Grace was killed in the battle, a loss which cut deeply into the hearts of the hardened soldiers who wept openly at the dog's loyalty and courage. Even the Union General Kane saw fit to order her a proper burial, referring to her as "the only Christian-minded being on either side." It is reported that before she died, Grace licked the hand of the Yankee soldier who tried to rescue her.

When painting the battle of Culp's Hill, Gettysburg P.A., the painter Rothermel included Grace in the scene, charging bravely up the hill.
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Civil War Era Women's Fashion

12/3/2015

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Last week, on Thanksgiving Eve, a Facebook friend of mine posted a picture of her incredibly flat stomach after she had finished her workout at the gym. My first response was to send her evil thoughts; the second thought was to mail her an enormous pumpkin pie and tell her to eat it and shut up. I also considered going to the gym on Thanksgiving, but decided instead to just eat more salad and less mashed potatoes and pie.

Preoccupation with our waistlines is nothing new for women. As I slipped into my jeans and loose-fitting shirt, I thought about the unfortunate women of the Victorian era who were forced to wear corsets to keep their tiny waists. Eating more than a sliver of pumpkin pie would have probably made it impossible to breathe. In fact, all their organs were crushed and deformed as a result of the wretched contraption.

 However, you have to admit, the women did look beautiful with their sweeping full skirts and decorative sleeves. Women of the Victorian era were undeniably feminine. And while a part of me would love to feel like Vivian Leigh in "Gone with the Wind," I'd probably not last more than thirty minutes in a corset, layers of petticoats, and a long full skirt. Just thinking about such restrictive garments makes me feel claustrophobic.
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While we may not be expected to wear corsets, hoop skirts, and other such heavy and cumbersome contraptions, I fear we still carry for more baggage concerning our appearances than we should. It may not be the Lady's Godey Book telling us what to wear, but from every angle of the media we are inundated with images of the modern expectation of beauty. And it's just as unnatural and twisted as the corset, which restricted the lungs and compressed the internal organs. We see celebrities who've had plastic surgery, or whose pictures have been photoshopped or airbrushed, and compare ourselves to that standard.

Don't get me wrong. It's good to eat more fruit and less chocolate, and to make regular exercise a lifestyle choice. But somehow as women, we need to learn to accept ourselves. To search for a different concept of beauty which any one of us can achieve. I wish I knew how to instill confidence in my teenage daughter, to teach her not to compare herself to others and to the cultural expectations around us. I wish I knew how to do this myself.
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I Peter 3:3-4 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
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    Rebekah Colburn

                   Novelist
    Historical Fiction/ Romance 

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