Transcript Overview - Bellefontaine Cemetery

A Unit Exploring the Hometown
Heroes of Bellefontaine Cemetery
Created By: Lauren Schoellhorn
with an introduction from
Carol Ferring Shepley
“It would almost be possible to retell the history of the Civil War in
Missouri simply by moving from gravesite to gravesite within
[Bellefontaine] Cemetery.”
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
1821: Missouri enters the Union as a
Slave-State under the Missouri
Compromise.
1854: The Kansas-Nebraska Act
allows Missouri and Kansas to
determine slavery status.
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Fighting emerges between Free-State
Kansas citizens and Pro-Slavery
Missourians.
1857: The Dred Scott Case enrages
abolitionists in Missouri.
1860’s: Many German and Irish antislavery immigrants begin to lean
Missouri towards being a free state.

1860: Outgoing Governor Robert
Marcellus Stewart declares Missouri
neutral in the slavery-issue.
Missouri would not help either side
 Troops would fight any side that entered the
state.
 Missouri would remain part of the Union.
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Incoming Governor Claiborne Jackson
agrees but states that Missouri would
support her “southern sister states” if
necessary.
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April 12, 1861: The Civil War begins
with shots fired at Fort Sumter.
Sterling Price led a constitutional
convention in Jefferson City to debate
the status of Missouri in the war.
Governor Jackson was replaced by
provisional Governor Hamilton
Gamble, a pro-union supporter.

Supported Missouri’s position to stay in the
Union, with the help of some of the finest St.
Louis citizens.
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1. Appoints two of seven cabinet members
from St. Louis.
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Edward Bates and Montgomery Blair
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2. Understands whoever controls St. Louis
controls the inland waterway.

To deploy troops and fight naval battles
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3. Great Rail Center
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Increasing importance.

4. Industrial might
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Manufactures arms and supplies, as well as new
innovations in weaponry like ironclad boats.
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5. Great wealth

Support for the cause

6. Manpower

The state provides: 100,000 Union soldiers, 90,000 state
militia troops and 40,000 Confederate soldiers.
A class discussion of what defines a
hero
Brother-in-Law, Brother in War
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Born in Virgina, 1793
Served in the War of 1812
Followed brother Frederick to
St. Louis, 1814
Loved St. Louis so much, he
celebrated the anniversary of his
arrival on April 29th each year.
Married Julia Coulter in 1823
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Fathered 17 children!
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Became a lawyer in 1816
District Attorney in 1818
Considered principle author of
Missouri Constitution
First State Attorney General
Elected to State Legislature 1822
Elected Congressman 1827
Missouri Presidential nominee
in 1860.

Strongly supported the campaign
of President Lincoln.
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Freed his own slaves,
aligning him with the
Republican party.
Felt the country was in
“trouble and danger”
during the Civil War.
Wanted to keep peace and
preserve Missouri’s place in
the Union.

In 1861, President Lincoln
appointed Edward Bates United
States Attorney General.
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Accepted reluctantly, “Only…as a
military draft into service…. And I go
into that service willingly putting to
hazard all that I have and all that I am
in a strenuous effort to preserve the
Union.”
First cabinet member west of the
Mississippi
Proposed a plan to President Lincoln
to keep Missouri from falling to the
Confederates.
Supported his brother-in-law,
Hamilton Gamble, Provisional
Governor of Missouri during the war .
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Born in Virginia
Moved to St. Louis at the age of
20
Married to Caroline Coulter,
sister of Julia Coulter, wife of
Edward Bates.
Worked as an attorney with
Brother-in-Law, Bates.
Became Chief Justice of the
Missouri Supreme Court in
1852.

1852- Hamilton Gamble served as Chief Justice
during the Missouri Supreme Court Case in
which Dred Scott sued for his freedom.
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Dred Scott was originally the slave of Peter Blow
who moved to Missouri, a slave state.
1830- Scott was sold to Dr. John Emerson who took
him to Illinois and Wisconsin, free states.
1846- Scott sued for his freedom, assisted by Henry
and Taylor Blow, claiming that living in a free state
made him free.
 In St. Louis, Scott won his suit in 1850.
 1852, the Missouri Supreme Court reversed the decision.
 Hamilton Gamble was the only judge to vote in favor of
Scott’s freedom.
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The Blow family is also
buried in Bellefontaine
Cemetery.
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Susan Blow later founded the
first American Kindergarten in
Carondelet.
Dred Scott is buried in
Calvary Cemetery near by
to Bellefontaine.
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The U.S. Supreme Court refused to
grant freedom to Dred Scott.
The case placed many pro-slavery
citizens in fear of losing their right
to own slaves.
Hamilton Gamble walked both
lines of the issue:
Wanted Missouri to abolish slavery.
 Assured slave owner he would
protect their property rights.
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1861: Missouri called a state
convention to decide whether
to side with the Union or
Confederacy.
Gamble organized a
committee, finding no reason
for Missouri to secede.
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Governor Claiborne Jackson left
his position to go with the South.
Gamble was elected the new
governor of the Provisional State
Government.

Attorney General Edward
Bates and Missouri
Provisional Governor Edward
Bates worked together across
the country to preserve
Missouri as part of the Union.
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June 1863: Gamble gained
approval for Missouri to
gradually emancipate slaves.
Both brothers-in-law are buried
in Bellefontaine with their
wives.

In this lesson you will be examining
two letters:
One from Edward Bates to his brotherin-law, Hamilton Gamble.
 One from Edward Bates to President
Lincoln


Analyze these two letters in order to
learn how Attorney General Edward
Bates worked from his post in
Washington D.C. to preserve his
home state of Missouri as part of the
Union.
From Boats to Bridges
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
What were the original
five points that
Attorney General
Edward Bates pointed
out in his letter to
President Lincoln.
Why would Edward
Bates place such much
importance on the
Mississippi River
during the Civil War?
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What knowledge or
skills would a
person need to have
in order to build a
bridge like this?
How might these
skills be helpful in
the strategy of
Edward Bates?
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Only bridge to be named for its
engineer, James Buchannan Eads.
Built in a cold river with a fast
current.
First bridge to use a large amount of
steel.
Also the first bridge with…
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A ribbed arch structure
Piers 100 feet below the surface.
Longest and largest bridge of its time.
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Born in 1820 in Indiana
Grew up very poor, dropped out of
school at 13 to support his mother
and sisters.
Self-educated himself in the library
of his boss.
Age 22: Designed a salvage boat to
recover boats wrecked on the river.
Invented a diving bell to go deep
underwater to search wreckage..
 Gained great knowledge of the river
from Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico.
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The Eads Bridge still stands, crossing
the Mississippi River today.
Port Eads in Louisiana is named for
Eads after he developed jetties to open
the Mississippi River to the Gulf.
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The government paid $10 million for the
project.
Eads died a very wealthy man.
Donated $1,000 to the War Department for
Union and Confederate soldiers during the
Civil War.
Called the war “an accursed war between
brothers.”
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Although James Eads did view the war as a
terrible thing, his skills came in very useful to
the Union during the Civil War.
For this lesson, analyze the letters you have
been given that were written to James Eads
from Union leaders during the war.
Evaluate how the skills of Eads assisted the
Union in their victory.

Use the information you have gained to design a
monument that you feel is representing of Eads
actions during the course of his life.
February 1862: The ironclad
gunboats built by James Eads
lead the Union to the first major
Union victories of the war at
Fort Henry and Fort Donelson.
 July 4, 1863: Ironclads aid
General Grant in the Siege of
Vicksburg, giving control
of the Mississippi to the Union
and splitting the Confederacy.
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The victories allow for General
Sherman to begin his march
towards Atlanta and towards the
Union victory in the war.
Exploring the Experiences of Soldier
James P. Love
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What do you think life is like
for a soldier away at war? Try
to think of all soldiers, both
past and present. For
example…
What difficulties did they face?
 What did they do in their spare
time?
 What parts of battle would be the
hardest for them?
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James P. Love
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Born in 1830 in Ireland
Arrived in St. Louis in 1850
1854-1858-Worked in Australia
1861- Secretly became engaged to
immigrant, Eliza Wilson, whom he
called Molly.
Enlisted in Union Reserve Corps in
1861, and left for active duty on June
15, 1861.
 Wrote letters to his sweetheart, Eliza
during the war.
Photos courtesy of Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis, Mo.
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
Using the online “Love Letters”
resource of the Missouri History
Museum, read and analyze the letters
written from James P. Love to his
love, Eliza Wilson, in St. Louis.
Use the letters to uncover what life
was like for a Civil War Soldier while
he was serving country away from
his home and loved ones.
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NOTE: Some of the letters may contain
language from the era which may be seen
as offensive to some readers. Please note
that this language was characteristic of
the period.
Exploring the Actions of Francis Minor,
War Claims Agent
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Do you think a person has to
serve on the battlefield to be a
hero?
What help might soldiers need
after they return home from war?
Are soldiers the only ones who
need help during a war?
How do we help soldiers and
their families today while they
are away at war?
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Married to Virginia Minor
Both he and she had Southern roots
from Virgina.
Worked to support the Union Troops
during the war.
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Francis: St. Louis Attorney, never
enlisted in the armed forces during the
Civil War, became a War Claims Agent
during the Civil War in St. Louis.
Virgina: Became a charter member of the
St. Louis Union Aid Society, sending food
and supplies to the troops.
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1867: Virginia Minor starts a
petition for women to be given
the right to vote as well as blacks.
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Founded the Woman Suffrage
Association of Missouri
Francis Minor supported his wife
in her effort, filing suit for her
when she was denied the right to
vote in 1872.
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Read and examine the entries
from the logs of Francis Minor
during his time as a St. Louis
War Claims agent.
Evaluate how Francis Minors
actions in helping soldiers and
their families during the war
qualifies him as a hometown
hero.
The Amazing Actions of James
Yeatman and William Greenleaf Eliot
What does the
word
“Sanitation”
mean to you?
 How would
sanitation be
important
during a war?
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In 1861, five members of the St.
Louis community organized the
Western Sanitary Commission to
aid the soldiers of the Civil War.
Two of these members were buried
with honor in Bellefontaine
Cemetery:
James Yeatman
 William Greenleaf Eliot
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Each of these men left a legacy for
St. Louis long after their passing.
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Arrived in St. Louis at the age of 24
Established as a businessman in the city.
Became President of Merchant’s National
Bank.
Donated large amounts of money to
charity and helped found many
institutions.
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Washington University
Missouri Botanical Garden
Mercantile Library
Annie Malone’s Children’s home.
Became the first president of Bellefontaine
Cemetery Association
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Hired the architect who designed the cemetery.
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Arrived in St. Louis in 1834
Became pastor of the St. Louis Unitarian
Church.
Had fourteen children with wife, Abby
 Grandfather of poet T.S. Eliot.
Founded Washington University, never
taking a salary
 Helped establish St. Louis Public Schools and
MICDS
 Proposed and funded the Western Sanitary
Commission to help soldiers.
 Believed Missouri was important to keep in
the Union.
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Answer the question, “How did
Sanitation Save Soldiers and
Citizens During the Civil War,” by
analyzing eight primary source
documents from activity of the
Western Sanitary Commission
during the Civil War.
Use the information you gain from
your document analysis to construct
a five paragraph essay that answers
the document based question using
evidence from your reading.
Analyzing the Actions of Adaline
Couzins
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How has the role of
women in warfare
changed since the
Civil War?
What actions make a
person heroic in the
course of war?
• Margaret “Mother” McLure provided care for Confederate soldiers ,widows
and orphans.
• In 1893, she funded the Confederate Home for aged and impoverished
veterans.
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Adaline Couzins and her
husband John were public
servants during the Civil War.
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John: Pro-Union Police Chief, U.S.
Marshal
Adaline:
 Worked for the Western Sanitary
Commission
 Helped to found the Union Aid
Society
 Wounded in the leg while serving
at Vicksburg
 Successfully petitioned the
government to Receive a military
pension for her service.
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Adeline’s actions were so
inspiring that her daughter,
Phoebe followed in her ambitious
footsteps.
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Gained admission to Washington
University Law School with the help
of James Yeatman.
Referred to as the first female lawyer
in the United States.
Worked with Susan B. Anthony for
women’s rights.
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Evaluate the heroism displayed
by Adaline Couzins and other
women like her during the Civil
War by analyzing primary
source documents regarding
her service to the Union.
Use the sources to consider the
dangers that faced women
during the war and the risks
they faced to serve their
country.
Evaluating the Service of the Cemetery
to Civil War Soldiers
An analytical assessment of the
heroism shown by St. Louis citizens
during the Civil War
Seeing the Civil War Through a Trip to
the Cemetery.
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“Movers and Shakers, Scalawags and Suffragettes:
Tales from Bellefontaine Cemetery” by Carol
Ferring Shepley
“The Civil War in St. Louis” by William C.
Winter
Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis,
Missouri
“Secrets of a Master Builder,” PBS Online,
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eads/timel
ine/index.html
“Lion of the Valley” by James Neil Primm
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Began life as a farmer
1833: Elected to the Missouri
General Assembly
1840: Named Speaker of the House
1846: Led Missouri volunteers in
the Mexican War, became
Brigadier General, returned a hero.
Walked both sides of the slave
issue.
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Was a “union man”
Owned slaves
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1861: Price attends the Missouri
Convention.
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Votes in minority to support “southern
brethren”
June 1861: Takes leadership of the
Missouri Militia after Federal troops
under Frank Blair and Nathaniel
Lyon attacked Camp Jackson
outside St. Louis.
Won early battles at Wilson’s Creek
and Lexington, Missouri.
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Became a beloved General of the
South.
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March 1862: Sterling loses at Pea Ridge,
Confederates are pushed out of Missouri.
Fall 1862: Loses at Iuka and Corinth
July 4, 1864: Defeated in Helena, Arkansas,
same day as losses at Vicksburg and
Gettysburg.
September 2, 1864: Suffers humiliating loss at
Pilot Knob, losing 1,000 men to only 28
Federal deaths, and preventing him from
capturing St. Louis.
1864: Raided and destroyed Western
Missouri trying to recapture the state for the
Confederacy, lost more than 1,000 men.
Left for Mexico at the end of the war
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Returned to St. Louis in 1867 and died of cholera.
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In your opinion, how should
Sterling Price be remembered?
What kind of monument do you
think he should have?
Take a visit to the cemetery to
evaluate how well the markers and
monuments of the men and women
you have studied in this unit
represent the lives they led before,
during or after the Civil War.
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Come visit our cemetery to learn more about
the many other men and women who played
a part in the Civil War.
Frank Blair
Rebecca Naylor Hazard
General Nathaniel Pope
Don Carlos Buell