Marek 1860s, 39th MA, chicken, Civil War, Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, Henniker, NH history, SOURCE=HHS, turkey

Colby 91: Tea

A dipper of hot tea brings back memories of home ...

Marek 1860s, 39th MA, chicken, Civil War, Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, NH history, SOURCE=HHS, turkey

Colby 90: Unpacking

1862: Now that the holiday boxes have finally arrived, the boys choose to look on the bright side...

Marek 1860s, 39th MA, Civil War, Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, NH history, SOURCE=HHS

Colby 89: Knife

Colby's father sends him a knife in his holiday box, but will it get past Capt. Richardson?

Marek 1860s, 39th MA, Civil War, Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, NH history, Reference Links, SOURCE=HHS

Colby 88: “A Fine Drunk”

Tensions arise in camp as the holidays approach ...

Marek 1860s, 39th MA, Civil War, Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, food, NH history, SOURCE=HHS

Colby 85: Mail

Postal privileges & caustic comments from the camp of the 39th MA:

Marek 1860s, Contoocook Village, goose, guest artist, guns, Jones Brothers' Civil War Letters, NH history, SOURCE=HopkintonHistoricalSociety, turkey

Thanksgiving Letter (B K Jones, Dec 2d 1860, #3) (Guest Post)

1860: Burleigh sends news about his family's Thanksgiving activities...

Marek 1860s, chicken, Contoocook Village, guest artist, guns, Jones Brothers' Civil War Letters, NH history, SOURCE=HopkintonHistoricalSociety

Thanksgiving Letter (B K Jones, Dec 2d 1860, #2) (Guest Post)

1860: Burleigh relates a classic NH Thanksgiving... (Drawn by guest artist Dan Haines of Hopkinton)

Marek 1860s, chicken, Contoocook Village, Jones Brothers' Civil War Letters, NH history, SOURCE=HopkintonHistoricalSociety

Thanksgiving Letter (B K Jones, Dec 2d 1860, #1)

1860: Burleigh's recently back from the 1860 Republican convention in Chicago, and he can't wait to tell his brother all about the celebrations back on the farm in Contoocook:

Marek 1860s, charity, Civil War, harvest, Newport, politics, religion, Sarah Josepha Hale

Sarah Josepha Hale on Thanksgiving (1864)

Hale reflects on the national holiday she helped create in the midst of Civil War. (Note her "peculiarly" 19th century conceptions of politics, gender, charity, & religion.) << BEFORE: Ms. Hale writes an influential letter to President Lincoln ... FURTHER READING: More editorials by Ms. Hale (editress of "Godey's Lady's Book")

Marek 1860s, Civil War, Newport, politics, Sarah Josepha Hale, SOURCE=Library of Congress

Letter to Lincoln (1863)

Newport native Sarah Josepha Hale appeals to President Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War, and instigates an official national holiday! << BEFORE: Thanksgiving, 1862 NEXT: Hale's 1864 Thanksgiving editorial >> I've heavily excerpted the original letter to make this comics-format version.  For further reading, see these notes & links: Hale's letter of Sept. 28, … Continue reading Letter to Lincoln (1863)