Fandom High School

"This," Jasper informed the class, in case they didn't know it, "is the last week of this workshop, and so it comes to logic that we're covering the last battle of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's armies before they surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House. Lee was hoping to break through the Union front under the assumption that it consisted only of cavalry. Turns out there were two corps of infantry there, too. Whoops."

"The way the class divided itself up works for that imbalance, so we'll," pretend shoot at each other, "re-enact that battle. And then you'll pair up and re-enact a peace treaty. The actual surrender took place between Lee and Grant, Lee very upstanding and proper despite his defeat and Grant mud-splattered and rambling and probably drunk." Jasper might be biased, though. "The Confederate soldiers were sent home with rations, to return to the South and start suturing back together the country. Word of the defeat spread to the North, inspiring celebration, but Grant was said to have sent word to put a stop to it. The war over, the United States were once again united, and 'the Confederates were now our countrymen, and we did not want to exult over their downfall.'"

Which, okay, Jasper had to admit, was a pretty good quote from a drunkard.

"There were still a few more smattering of battles here and there after the surrender and the results of the division of the nation and the crippling of the Southern states' economy stuck with the country for a long time; it's even still seen today in various things."

Like insisting Grant was a drunk.

"It was a big war, so we probably only touched on things here, but I hope you learned at least something, and you were a really good class, so thank you."


[[ OCD on the way has surrendered ]]

Today, in the Danger Shop, the class would find themselves on a nice little hilly green, pastoral and, for the moment, quiet. "Welcome to Gettysburg," Jasper said, "considered to be the turning point of the war. Ranking up the most casualties for any other battle of the Civil War, this is where Union Major General George Gordon Meade defeated the troops lead by the Confederate General Robert E. Lee, putting a stop to Lee's march on the North.

"The date is July 1, 1863, and we're in Pennsylvania. The armies would be in battle, with the North persevering to hold their line until July 3, until Lee pulled his troops back after a disastrous cavalry charge. On Day Three alone, there were between 46,000 and 51,000 casualties in this battle. Union President Abraham Lincoln set up a memorial burial ground here for those fallen Americans, and also used it as a fulcrum to redefine the war for his Gettysburg Address. I'm passing out to each of you a copy of the oration. Take a second to look it over, and share some thoughts to think about before we head into bastardizing recreating this historic battle."



[[ OCD on the way was born in 200 log cabins; Class Roster and Syllabus ]]

Feeling a little iffy about the weather, Jasper had the class meet again in the Danger Shop, in an open field surrounded by some trees. "Welcome back," he said, going straight into things. He wanted to get to the battle, so they could finish it and he could get to the point of today's class. "We're a few months past where we were last time, at Fort Sumter. Where we are now is near Manassas Junction, where two unseasoned generals from both sides will be clashing in what is considered the first real battle of the American Civil War. Called the First Battle of Bull Run by some, the First Battle of Manassas by others, this is a pivotal moment where America realized that they'd gotten themselves into something big. Pressured by public opinion to march on the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia to put an early end to the war, Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell of the Union met with Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard of the Confederacy, both finding that their inexperience was leading the situation to be nothing like what they expected."

"At first, however, the Confederacy seemed at the disadvantage, until reinforcements arrived under Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston; this changed the course of the battle. It was also helped significantly thanks to a brigade of Virginians lead by a then-unknown colonel by the name of Thomas J. Jackson -- that'd be you, Miss Stackhouse." He gave the girl a smile assuming she was there. It was kind of hard not to feel warmth toward a girl who'd picked Stonewall in a heartbeat. "These Virginians stood their ground, which is how Jackson earned his infamous nickname of 'Stonewall.' The Confederacy was able to pull a strong counterattack, causing the Union to withdraw to Washington, D.C., panicked and surprised to see what they thought would be a quick victory turn into a defeat."

"Pretty straightforward, really, so the object of today's battle is for the Confederacy, no matter what, under Colonel Jackson's command, to hold their ground against our Union. Our Union's bigger than our Confederacy, which works, as the Union had significantly more men, but, for the purposes of today, Mr. Cullen, you're going to be our already-there Beauregard force. When I give the signal, Colonel Jackson and the others will arrive to reinforce you. Union, give Beauregard hell until then." Again, he couldn't help grinning.

"Suit up, to arms, and I'll have a little more to say once the Confederates have their victory."


[[ wait for the ocd is standing its ground! Class Roster and Syllabus ]]

For the first class, they would be meeting in a classroom, which helped make Jasper feel at least a little more comfortable. The shades were drawn on any windows, just to be sure, and he was going to be busy, at first, boggling over the fact that anyone had actually signed up for this class. Emmett he could excuse, obviously, but seriously? Oh, this would be interesting...

Here was to hoping none of these kids were clumsy.

( In which a Vampire talks a Lot about the Civil War. )

[[ OCD on the way has seceded from the Union! Oh noes! Class Roster and Syllabus ]]