History

A bomb target boat was used to train REVOLUTION American dive bomber pilots during World War II. This is what Granma would have looked like when she was C1994, before being decommissioned and converted into a yacht. US Navy FIDEL CASTRO GETS LUCKY WITH GRANMA The longshot voyage that launched the Cuban Revolution BY PETER SWANSON Combat commanders – and the late Fidel Castro must be count- During Castro’s rule, hundreds ed – are duty-bound to act prudently for the sake of their of thousands of Cubans fled to soldiers and their cause. Circumstances may dictate that lead- the U.S., where their influence in ers execute a bold strategy to win an objective, but they must Florida presidential politics be- not succumb to recklessness. As Shakespeare’s Enobarbus said, came profound, including a sig- grousing about General Mark Anthony, “When valor preys on reason, it nificant preference for Donald eats the sword it fights with.” Trump in that important “battle- ground state.” And the Miami Reason is the mechanism that dis- forces had overthrown Dictator Herald newspaper recently called tinguishes bold from reckless; it Fulgencio Batista and seized con- Castro “the unwitting father of demands thorough planning. trol of the government, an out- modern Miami.” come that would sow chaos across In 1956, Castro and his fight- the globe. Soon after, Communist- None of this would have hap- ers took a boat ride from Mexico fearing America would try to de- pened had a wooden yacht named to Cuba, landing Castro’s small pose Castro, only to be stymied at Granma not successfully crossed force at a place on its southeastern the Bay of Pigs. The world came as 1,200 miles of ocean in 1956. Yet, shore. That’s how most histories close as it ever would (one hopes) upon examination of the record, of the Cuban Revolution (at least to nuclear annihilation with the the success of the voyage seems those in English) dismiss what Cuban Missile Crisis. More mis- even more unlikely than the boat’s Cubans call the “Granma Expedi- chief was to follow, including mul- playful name. History has shown tion,” even though it was arguably tiple CIA attempts to assassinate that bold military maneuvers the most consequential amphibi- Castro and Cuba’s defeat of South often fail despite careful plan- ous invasion since D-Day. Africa’s military in Angola. ning and courageous execution. The Granma Expedition teaches Within three years, Castro’s Summer 2022 History Magazine 51

REVOLUTION another lesson: Victory forgives a multitude of sins, and we forget. I N S U R G E N C Y, PRISON, EXILE As a young activist seeking to overthrow Batista, Castro achieved prominence by organizing a 1953 raid on the Moncada army bar- racks outside the city of Santiago. When the assault failed, Cuban authorities quickly rounded up the insurgents, torturing and ex- ecuting some. At his trial, Castro famously said, “History will ab- solve me,” as he was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment on the Isle of Pines off the South Coast of Cuba. In 1955, Batista granted amnesty to Castro and his fellow insurgents as a public relations ploy. Castro repaid the gesture by continuing to agitate against the regime un- This 1950 Florida newspaper photo shows Granma when she was owned by til he and his brother Raul had to Robert Erickson, at right. “Granma” was Erickson’s pet name for his wife Hazel. flee Cuba to avoid arrest. A cadre Tampa Bay Times of followers followed the Castros describe Castro and Del Conde as American industrialist Robert into exile. In Mexico, the brothers having a “bromance.” Erickson made his fortune smelt- befriended an Argentine commu- “It was an exchange of looks – a ing lead and processing lead as a nist named Che Guevara. question – and the empathy arose gasoline additive in World War II. Needing a local “fixer,” Castro from a strange spell,” Del Conde When Erickson bought a 60-foot recruited a Mexican gun shop said 60 years later. In his 2002 motor yacht in 1950, he named owner and occasional arms smug- book “The Owner’s Memories of her after his second wife Hazel, gler named Antonio Del Conde. Yacht Granma.” Del Conde elabo- whom he liked to call “Granma.” His codename would be El Cuate, rated, “His (Castro’s) need for help The Ericksons sail Granma around slang for “The Friend.” The young was palpable. I was not just going the Gulf of Mexico, eventually Mexican helped arm, hide, fund, to help him a little bit, or partially. finding their way to the Mexican feed, and train Castro’s grow- No, it had to be my complete and port of Tuxpán. ing rebel band. Hollywood might absolute help.” Initially enamored with the little city, The Ericksons built a house overlooking the Tuxpan River. As their home was being built, the couple stayed aboard Granma, anchored out front. One night, thieves came in a rowboat, en- tered their cabin, and threatened to kill them unless they handed over their valuables. Traumatized, Robert and Hazel abandoned Tuxpán and moved across the mountains to Mexico City, leaving Granma at her mooring. A tropical Dining together are the leaders of the Granma Expedition. From left: Che storm swept through in 1954 and Guevara, Raul Castro, Fidel Castro and Antonio Del Conde. Source Unknown wrecked the boat. 52 History Magazine Summer 2022

WRECK IN THE RIVER of a yachting life: Erickson had mentioned Granma’s origins to Castro, whom he met Del Conde wrote that he first saw I was a bit surprised since I hadn’t briefly, the historical record fails Granma aground in marsh grass realized he’d followed me. I told to mention it. The answer to the when he passed through Tuxpán him that it was a boat I had decades-old question of who built on an errand for the rebels. “She purchased in payments. That Granma was hiding in U.S. gov- was big…alone and abandoned. I I was going to fix her little by ernment archives until recently. don’t know if I felt sorry for her little because she was in very poor because, even though abandoned, condition… “If you fix this boat, Granma had begun her life as a she looked beautiful,” Del Conde then on this boat I will return to warship of the U.S. Navy in World said. In early 1956, Del Conde Cuba.” I got up like a rocket, and War II, albeit in a humble role. found Erickson and bought I told him, “Sir, the boat does not C-1994 was built in 1942-43 by the Granma for $20,000, half upfront. work. I must even replace the keel. Wheeler Shipbuilding Company He imagined himself at the helm, Everything is useless.” And, again, of Brooklyn, New York, one of 10 cruising through the Panama he repeated himself, more slowly “bomb target boats.” Their Navy Canal and northward to the Sea as if to hear and understand him crews would dodge and weave of Cortez. better: “If you fix this boat, then on through the water as pilot-train- this boat I will return to Cuba.” He ees, flying Douglas-Dauntless dive Del Conde did not disclose his could not be any more clear. It was bombers, tried to slam water-filled acquisition to the commandant. He an order he knew I could fulfill. “bombs” onto their steel-plated wrote Castro learned of Granma’s He had known me for more than a decks. existence while the two were pass- year now. I did not say anything. I ing through Tuxpán after test- turned around and started walking After the war, Granma was sold ing new rifles in the countryside. towards the car. as surplus to an as-yet-uniden- Castro crept up behind Del Conde, tified boatbuilder – probably in who had excused himself to check Cuba is devoted to Revolution- Florida – who skillfully converted on his recent purchase. Castro had ary mythology, and her schol- her into a yacht that was stylish by recently tried and failed to buy a arly institutions are dedicated the standards of the late 1940s. Off surplus PT boat in the U.S. Now to recording the minutia, but if went the protective steel plates as he destroyed Del Conde’s dream the builder added bulwarks that Granma is portrayed on the wall of the Mexico-Cuba Friendship Museum in Tuxpán, Mexico, which is dedicated almost entirely to the 1956 voyage. Photo by Peter Swanson Summer 2022 History Magazine 53

REVOLUTION transformed what had been a flat Castro did none of that, setting which added two days to the time- profile into a subtle, upwardly a departure date for 25 Nov. 1956, table. Now it would be impossible curving sheer from stern to bow. giving Granma five days to cover for Castro to rendezvous with Pais 1,200 miles and join the upris- forces, as they had been forced to Once Del Conde’s purchase of ing. Five days was barely possible, disperse before Granma’s arrival. Granma was finalized on 10 Oct. projected from Granma’s cruising 1956, Castro demanded action. speed and fuel-burn during sea CROWDED WITHOUT Castro’s goal was to join his ally, trials. But the test runs were con- LIFESAVING GEAR Frank Pais, for an uprising on ducted without the seven or eight 30 Nov. (His arrival by sea was tons that 82 men and gear would Norberto Collado, a decorated calculated to remind Cubans of add to the boat’s normal cruising World War II veteran of the Cu- their great hero, Jose Marti, who weight. ban Navy, was one of Castro’s returned to the island by boat in helmsmen. Arriving at Tuxpán as 1895 to join a rebellion against the Another best practice holds Granma was being loaded, the Spanish.) Castro and Del Conde that small-boat ocean passages crowd milling about bemused only had weeks to make Granma should begin just as a fair-weather Collado. “I had thought that seaworthy, during which they re- window is opening, not closing. many of these men were here to placed her keel and rebuilt her With the Granma Expedition, foul transport equipment, and that at twin diesel engines. weather already had descended most we would travel with about upon the Gulf of Mexico with a 30 people, because the yacht had FLAWED PLANNING cold front sweeping down from berths for ten, but it was not like the U.S. These “northers” pack in- that,” he wrote in his book about the Castro’s plan was not to land his tense north and northeast winds voyage, “Helmsman of Granma.” men at the nearest point in Cuba and take three to five days to pass. but at the region on the far side, Authorities in Tuxpán closed the Eighty-two men and their com- in the vicinity of the planned Pais port. bat gear on a 60-foot boat for a uprising. Granma had to carry 1,200-nautical-mile voyage? enough fuel to cover more than Granma’s Detroit Diesel engines Reckless. 1,200 nautical miles. Del Conde’s had been rebuilt, but curiously armory fabricated new fuel tanks not their transmissions, and the According to Collado, many designed to fill as much unused starboard motor acted up almost rebel rank-and-file thought they space below decks as possible. Del immediately after leaving the river. were going to be taken to some Conde wanted to join the expedi- Castro’s helmsman throttled back big mother ship offshore. “They tion, but Castro ordered him to the starboard engine to keep that had no idea they were going to stay behind as his agent in Mexico. propeller turning. Rather than be packed in like sardines,” he “I was surprised I couldn’t go. She 9 knots, Granma’s best was 6.7, said, noting also the absence of was my boat,” he later told a TV lifejackets or lifeboats, “absolutely interviewer. A mural in Tuxpán, Mexico glorifies the day Granma was loaded for the invasion From a mariner’s point of view, of Cuba. Photo by Peter Granma’s voyage to Cuba was flawed by wishful thinking. Na- vies incorporate redundancy in their ships’ mission-critical sys- tems. Officers and crew train for multiple roles – more redun- dancy. Navy planners understand intimately the limits that physics places on vessel performance; they factor weather and sea-state into the time-distance calculations. Absent institutional advantages, a novice voyager’s best strategy is to begin the endeavor early, build- ing a cushion against bad luck, bad weather, or mechanical break- downs. 54 History Magazine Summer 2022

nothing.” This, too, was reckless. The public can view Granma from the scaffolding that surrounds her glass and Del Conde gained the sympa- steel enclosure at the Museum of the Revolution in Havana. Photo by Peter Swanson thetic port captain’s tacit approval performance from Granma’s trou- They loaded mortars and ma- to leave Tuxpán during the storm, bled starboard engine. Collado re- chine guns into the dinghy, which but Granma’s departure had to be called “the clamor of hungry guts” promptly sunk. Fighters lowered done covertly. On the night of 25 as much of the food had been themselves into the water and, Nov., she embarked as quietly as left behind, except for a load of chest-deep, carried rifles over their possible, using only one engine Tuxpán oranges. The men went on heads into the swamp, as recorded and without lights. Heavy rain a citrus diet. in a famous fuzzy photo. Batista’s concealed her movement from a aircraft arrived on cue and ran- Mexican patrol boat. Batista spies had learned of domly strafed the mangrove for- Castro’s invasion plan; the dicta- est, concealing the fleeing rebels. Outside, buffeted by winds tor’s naval and air forces hunted gusting to over 30 knots, Granma for the white motor yacht. On the Castro had articulated three pounded against steep seas. Most fourth day, the rebels set a course goals: Escape Mexico, reach Cuba, of the men were seasick and vomit- for the Cayman Islands, well south and survive long enough to reach ing. “Many feared the yacht would of the Cuban coast, better to avoid the safety of the mountains. Three not withstand the furious seas,” aircraft. Then, they turned north- days after coming ashore on 2 Collado wrote. “But she man- ward toward Castro’s intended Dec. 1956, their guide betrayed aged to stay afloat, even though landfall. On the last night, the the rebels. Ambushed by govern- on some occasions the sea lifted navigator fell overboard. Precious ment troops, all but 19 were killed her and threw her from a cresting fuel was burned until the lost of- or captured, a 75 percent casualty wave so hard that it seemed like ficer, presumably treading water rate. Bedraggled survivors, includ- she would never rise again.” without a life-vest, was found and ing the Castro brothers and Che, rescued. reached the safety of the Sierra The good news, according to Maestra mountains. By 1959, their Collado, was that Granma’s sta- Guided by the Cape Cruz forces had overthrown the dicta- bility was improved by her extra light, Granma reached the coast, tor, and Castro had installed him- weight. “The overloading…was but not at the right place. The self as head of state. a help toward additional resis- nautical charts had been inaccu- tance to the seas, without which rate. Perilously low on fuel, dawn Like a pharaoh, Castro ruled for the yacht could not reach her des- approaching, and enemy planes a half-century, outliving enemies tination,” Collado wrote. “If we certain to arrive, Castro ordered and rivals, domestic and foreign. had sailed empty, we surely would full-throttle and Granma ran Thanks to his uncanny control have…flipped upside down.” aground 100 yards from a man- over the Cuban population, Castro grove swamp. The moment was and the Soviets played the Carib- Even that would have its down- more shipwreck than amphibi- bean island nation like a wild card, side, however. According to marine ous assault, Che Guevara later influencing world affairs for better experts, operating Granma heavily quipped. and worse. loaded at less-than-optimal speeds would severely hamper the helms- man’s ability to steer a straight course, creating a tendency to zig and zag, which would add to the distance covered and burn more fuel. Under these circumstances, the helmsmen would need super- human concentration and stamina as they wrestled the wheel. HUNGER, PATROLS THREATEN By the third day, the sun shone, and the seas mellowed. Winds diminished to 20 knots – trade winds – contrary but manageable. The mechanic coaxed a little more Summer 2022 History Magazine 55

REVOLUTION Castro died in 2008, on the very date that Granma sailed from Tuxpán 60 years earlier. Granma’s helm station was a space for the leadership during the expedition. Her compass is inside the mahogany box. Photo by Peter Swanson The takeaway: The Granma Expedition was indeed a misguid- PETER SWANSON is a former newspaper reporter and editor ed endeavor. Castro’s Revolution and boating writer. In exchange for new information about was not inevitable. He and his men should have been arrested in Granma’s American origins, including the truth about her name, Mexico. Granma should have been he was allowed to inspect Granma at the Museum of the Revolution. seized by the Mexican Navy. She should have capsized in the storm. He is believed to be the only American to go aboard the motor She should have been intercepted yacht since Robert Erickson sold her in 1956. at sea or bombed by Batista’s air force. Granma’s fuel tanks almost ran dry, which would have left her adrift in the Caribbean Sea. Somehow, none of that hap- pened. Today, Granma is a memorial not to recklessness but audacity, and Cubans love her for that. Like the body of Lenin entombed, she has been maintained in pristine condition. The former bomb tar- get boat rests in air-conditioned peace at the Museum of the Revo- lution in Havana, sheltered from the elements within an edifice of glass and steel. Hm Here’s some of what’s coming... Benjamin Harrison House • Convent Sisters of St. Joseph James Cathcart & the Barbary Pirates Norman Rockwell’s America • Onesimus Franz Von Werra POW • The Wreck of the VASA Two Gun: The Unknown Capone • Soldiers’ Bonus Metropolitan Museum of Art: Ahead of its Time Two Grandfathers: Civil War History *** Final Contents Subject to Change *** 56 History Magazine Summer 2022

Beaumont Hotel located at the corner HOTELS of Fifth Street and Main Street in Ouray, Colorado. ELEGANCE WITH A MOUNTAIN VIEW Ouray, Colorado’s Beaumont Hotel BY CAROLYN WHITE Photos courtesy of Jennifer Wyrick Leaver In 1967, after a dispute with the Town of Ouray, the owner of EARLY BEGINNINGS Colorado’s magnificent Beaumont Hotel, Wayland Phillips, board- ed up the windows, had the exterior walls painted a hideous shade The story of the Beaumont Ho- of pink, and walked away, completely abandoning it. Over the next tel began in 1886 when five of 30 years, heavy snows caused sections of the roof to cave in. Glass Ouray’s leading businessmen – shattered in the skylight and windows. Melting snow damaged walls and Thomas Gibson, Dewitt Clinton hardwood flooring, which buckled. A thick coating of dust and dried Hartwell, Hubbard Reed, John leaves settled on what furniture remained. M. Jardine, and William Weston – formed a partnership. They vi- By the time Phillips died, the envisioned the Beaumont being sualized a prosperous future for three-story, 30,000-square-foot restored to its glory days, and the the ten-year-old town which, at building was in such poor shape marketing savvy of the current that time, was little more than a – and so much was owed in back owners, the Beaumont not only crude mining camp of dirt streets, taxes – that demolition seemed to survived but is thriving. tents, and burros. The men had be the only solution. Thanks to an elegant and luxurious hotel the citizens who fought to save it, These days, it is living up to its built to draw politicians, trades- a wealthy couple from Texas who original nickname, “The Flagship men, and East coast investors to of the San Juans.” Colorado. Summer 2022 History Magazine 57

HOTELS The businessmen purchased a large plot of land at the in- tersection of Fifth Street and Beaumont Hotel maids serving in the dining room. Main, which is the primary route through downtown Ouray. Upon the third. Herbert Hoover stayed in industrial refrigeration. Though completion, the total cost of their at the Beaumont, as did Teddy her company was established in new brick building was $85,000, or Roosevelt, who nicknamed the Illinois, she became infatuated about $2,500,000, by modern cur- largest of those rooms “The Cow with suggestions of land invest- rency standards. Pasture.” Chipeta, the widow of the ments in faraway places. Chief of the Ute Indians, Ouray, Theirs was the first place in whom the town was named after, For Phillips, buying land and Ouray to have electricity, which also visited the hotel. Actress Sarah real estate cheaply and sitting on it only added to its appeal. Bernhardt practiced her scales in was a sure way to come out ahead, the atrium. And King Leopold of so when she purchased the Beau- The Beaumont, which means Belgian once famously rappelled mont, it wasn’t to please anyone beautiful mountain, has tower ga- several floors off the railing. but herself. Described as a “can- bles, a mansard roof, and a Gothic- tankerous eccentric with a leg- inspired exterior with two facades. The Beaumont remained live- endary stubborn streak,” Phillips On the interior, there is an atrium, ly until 1893, when silver prices stood her ground when making a skylight, Riverboat-styled balco- crashed, causing the original in- any changes or improvements to nies, wide walkways, and staircases vestors to nearly lose everything. the hotel. According to the article, trimmed in gold. Every window Their financier, Charles H. Nix, “Mrs. Phillips held the view that in the hotel opens to a view of the took over the hotel and by 1896, a person should be able to do as mountain peaks that tower close full-scale parties had returned they please with property they are by, Mt. Abrams, Mt. Hayden, and as the mining economy surged paying for…whether (they) made Whitehouse Mountain. Furni- again. Unfortunately, throughout big improvements on the build- ture was crafted from the finest of the first half of the 20th century, ing or not.” The most important woods, including cherry, walnut, as Ouray’s mines gradually played thing to her was having something mahogany, and ash. out, its economy deflated, and to leave to her children when she more and more less expensive ho- died. When she bought the prop- The Beaumont Hotel had its tels popped up in Ouray, the Beau- erty in the late 1960s she had a grand opening in July 1887. Just as mont changed ownership at least a few ideas but no great plans to im- the original partners had hoped, it half dozen times. prove it. was quickly followed by a hospital, a bank, a courthouse, the Wright Not all the various owners and “The hotel was now well past Opera House, a railroad, and a managers were interested in main- its heyday and stagnating unto growing population of visitors taining its high standards. no purpose. Phillips had toyed who came to admire the mountain with what to do with the place but scenery and soak in the nearby hot THE BEAUMONT’S found that her ideas were never springs. DECLINE well received. People were far more interested in reviving the ancient, It became the hub of society and Wayland Phillips appeared on the but glorious ballroom, renewing during the season, the local news- scene in 1964. According to an ar- the beauty of a sky-lit rotunda, paper The Ouray Herald featured ticle in the Chippewa Herald, she and bringing back the drama once weekly stories about the fine ladies was a successful businesswoman and gentlemen who attended each glittering ball, lavish dinner party, and musical event. Reporters es- pecially detailed the attire they saw guests wearing, from silks and satins to furs, diamonds, pearls, gloves, top hats, and spats. Originally, there were 43 small rooms and guest suites in the Beau- mont, with shared bathrooms on each floor. There was a dining area on the first floor, a ballroom on the second, and maid’s quarters on 58 History Magazine Summer 2022

played out in the gorgeous theater untold masons, painters, interior uncanny ability to fix everything, of days gone by.” designers, researchers, drywallers, they started their new venture. plumbers, electricians, flooring Residents came to view Phillips specialists, and woodworkers to Six months later, they were mar- as “impossible, and an impedi- bring the Beaumont back to life. ried on the landing of the grand ment to the future of a town that Brick by brick, masons burned staircase. had its own ideas about what and scraped the fading pink paint should be done with its beautiful off the building. Inside, the origi- Although “nothing needed to and historic hotel.” Nothing but nal wallpaper patterns were du- be changed,” the Leavers made a the minimum of maintenance was plicated. The small rooms were few vitally important updates. For ever done, and the townspeople upgraded into 12 luxurious suites, starters, they lowered the prices so were further baffled when – as each with private baths and sit- that everyone could enjoy a touch some say, after a fight with the City ting rooms decorated with Tiffany of luxury. They also opted to keep over parking spaces – she closed lamps and antique desks, tables, the hotel open year-round rather the building completely. sofas, chairs, velvet curtains, and than closing it during the winter brass beds, with color schemes in months. Those who lived year-round the warm, rich hues of gold, tan, in Ouray, a town now ripe with forest green, and deep red. The Leavers also added a state- the promise of a booming tourist of-the-art spa on the third floor, trade due to a public hot spring, By the time the massive project where guests are treated to custom ice climbing festivals, and a grow- was completed in 2003, and the massages. They installed a sauna ing assortment of gift shops, bris- Beaumont Hotel reopened to the and hot tub, which have views of tled in frustration for the next public, it had won the National the mountains, and placed thick three decades. Until Mrs. Phillips Trust Preservation Award and in white bathrobes in the armoires of died, there was nothing they could 2004, The Inaugural Colorado each suite. The Grand Ballroom, do with their beloved hotel. Governor’s Award. The Beaumont with its twenty-eight-foot ceiling was back in business, but the and thirteen-foot, stained-glass RISING FROM THE Kings, by this time, had decided Romanesque windows, was re- ASHES OF NEGLECT they weren’t cut out to be hote- opened for special events and pri- liers. vate gatherings. They also turned By the 1990s, the Beaumont was the Beaumont into a wedding ven- in such sad shape it seemed that On 20 June 2010, newly engaged ue, where entire wedding parties demolition was the only solution. couple Chad Leaver and Jennifer take over the building for three But after public outcry, it went up Wyrick took a trip to Ouray from days at a time. Ceremonies are for sealed-bid auction, going to their home in Colorado Springs. performed either on the elegant summer residents from San An- While wandering through the stairwell or outside in the court- tonio, Texas, Dan and May King, town, they came across the Beau- yard. principal owner of High Peak mont, got a private tour, learned Resources, Inc. the historic beauty was for sale Another favorite feature of the and started making things hap- Beaumont, also a brainstorm of They didn’t see the hotel for pen. “We fell completely in love the Leavers, is the Presidential what it was. They saw it for what with it,” Jennifer says. With her Suite, created in the same area it could be. marketing experience and Chad’s of the hotel as Roosevelt’s “Cow Pasture.” Featuring a small kitch- It took five years, four million enette, two bedrooms, plus a dollars, and the dedicated labor of LEFT: One of the Beaumont Hotel’s plush suites. RIGHT: The Beaumont Hotel features a sauna, as well as a hot tub, with mountain views. Summer 2022 History Magazine 59

HOTELS dining room and living room, it is at the end of a quiet hallway The Beaumont Presidential Suite. and loaded with extras. “We have six ladies who book it every year The Beaumont Hotel today. for their annual getaway,” Jennifer said. “It’s really fun for them.” 60 History Magazine Summer 2022 The Beaumont went through yet another challenging time during Covid-19, however. “The Coun- ty shut us down for six weeks,” Jennifer said. “All reservations were canceled. We were really scared. They eventually allowed us to reopen, first at twenty-five per- cent capacity, then fifty.” After Covid-19 restrictions were completely lifted, “we got a few reservations here, a few there, then all of a sudden the floodgates opened. Business is as good as ever…even the wedding venue has picked up again!” Nearly 140 years after the idea for a luxury hotel in Ouray, Col- orado came about, to be built in the middle of a mining camp, the Beaumont stands alone for its history and high standards. No longer a pale pink eyesore, it has risen from the ashes of neglect to become, once again, one of the main draws to this friendly moun- tain town. Climbing the steps to your suite, one can almost hear the swishing of silk skirts and smell the smoke from fine cigars. Hm CAROLYN WHITE is a freelance writer based in Cedaredge, Colorado. Her work has appeared in over two dozen magazines, including Colorado Life, The Fence Post, IDAHO, and Gunnison Country. She is also the author of three humorous books about living off-grid as a licensed mountain guide, mule packer, and camp cook. Carolyn can be reached through her website, www. unleashedpublishingco.com.

Fort Sumter, built to protect the port BOOK EXTRACT of Charleston, South Carolina, is best known for the role it played at the start of the Civil War. Donato Spedaliere © Osprey Publishing CIVIL WAR only stoking greater tension as B AT T L E S calls raged across the South to eject all Federal military, civilian, AN EXTRACT FROM US CIVIL WAR: and judicial elements from their BATTLE BY BATTLE BY territory. IAIN MACGREGOR Fort Sumter was a formidable THE BATTLE OF FORT SUMTER APRIL 12-13, 1861 gun platform that dominated the entrance in and out of Charleston Slavery would be the primary political issue that brought on the Civil Harbor and was used as the head- War of 1861–65 in the United States of America. By the spring of 1861, quarters of the local Federal forces the presidency had been decided, with the Republican and pro-aboli- in the city. Appointed in February, tionist Abraham Lincoln winning by a landslide. By this point, the battle its new commander – Maj. Robert lines between those cotton-producing states wishing to secede to form Anderson of the 1st U.S. Artillery the Confederate States of America (CSA) and those that remained loyal Regiment, a native Kentuckian – to the Union were firmly in place. Fearful of their cotton-producing now faced off against Maj. Gen. economies being compromised by the freeing of the 4 million slaves P.G.T. Beauregard, whom he had they required to sustain it, the 11 slave-owning states would ratify seces- himself taught at West Point Mili- sion, a move precipitated by South Carolina on 20 December1860, and tary Academy. Anderson assessed soon followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and that his small force of 85 men was Texas; by the summer, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennes- best placed to defend Federal in- see would follow, with both Kentucky and Missouri joining later that terests by evacuating their land- year but not officially ratified through their respective legislatures. ward bases around the harbor to the safety of Fort Sumter. The The pressure for the South to act the Federal fortifications which Confederates quickly decided to and seize all Federal property controlled access in and out of lay siege, redirecting their batter- within their borders and acquire Charleston Harbor, the state’s larg- ies to best threaten the fort, as well the arsenals with which to arm est city. By April 1861, Lincoln had as cut off resupply. their own hastily formed mili- rejected any Confederate over- tias, intensified. South Carolina’s tures for a peace treaty, citing them The siege became the first crisis state legislature now looked upon as an illegitimate government, of Lincoln’s new administration. The standoff became ever more aggressive as the rebellion devel- oped, with the formation of the Confederacy and Jefferson Davis proclaimed as its first president. With Maj. Anderson informing Washington his rations were run- ning low, Lincoln ordered supply ships to sail south to his aid and notified the city’s authorities of their arrival, the watching civilian population and press wondering who would fire first. On 9 April, Beauregard was in- structed by President Davis to is- sue an ultimatum for the garrison’s surrender or else it would be taken by force. Aware of his precari- ous position – outnumbered and heavily outgunned – Anderson Summer 2022 History Magazine 61

BOOK EXTRACT two privates standing nearby – the first fatalities of the war. Anderson The 8-inch columbiad, a standard fortification cannon, fired a 32-pound shot would keep the fort’s flag he had and required seven or eight men to fire. Tony Bryan © Osprey Publishing lowered and return it to Washing- ton, where it became a symbol of chose to decline the ultimatum, aflame, and the masonry super- Union fortitude to return the rebel bidding Beauregard’s aide good- structure was partially destroyed, states to the nation. bye with the fateful words, “If we but no federal casualties had been never meet in this world again, suffered. Following Sumter’s capitulation, God grant that we may meet in Lincoln issued a proclamation for the next.” The rebel bombardment Into the second day, his men a volunteer 90-day army of 75,000 began at 4:30 am on April 12 as exhausted and hungry, and with men he would send down to the 43 guns and mortars shelled the no immediate relief in sight, South to recapture all Federal fort continuously for 34 hours. Anderson agreed to surrender the properties the rebels were now in Anderson insured none of his men fort at 2:30 pm that day. As the control of. Perhaps his govern- were exposed to the deadly sal- garrison sailed back across the ment underestimated the extent of voes as they returned fire from the harbor into captivity, a 100-gun support that existed for the Con- fort’s protected lower levels. The salute to their gallantry acciden- federacy among its population; in wooden outbuildings were now tally ignited a pile of cartridges in any event, the Civil War had now the fort which exploded, killing begun in earnest. As a poignant footnote, the first unit from South Carolina to be mustered into the Confederate Army was the 1st South Carolina Rifles. Of the 1,500 men who served in its ranks, only 157 would remain by the war’s end. 62 History Magazine Summer 2022

THE BATTLE The 8-inch columbiad, a standard an old Cherokee word meaning OF CHICKAMAUGA fortification cannon, fired a SEPTEMBER 19-20, 1863 32-pound shot and required seven “river of death”– apt for what was By August 1863, the Confederacy or eight men to fire. Tony Bryan © to come in the next two days. had been beaten badly at Gettys- Osprey Publishing burg, Pennsylvania, and lost the On the 18th, the evening before key strategic city of Vicksburg, with Union forces now control- the main battle, Bragg ordered ling the vital waterway of the Mis- sissippi River. The Army of the an advance across the creek by Cumberland, commanded by Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans had now the cavalry of Brig. Gen. Nathan pushed the Confederates almost out of Tennessee and captured the Bedford Forrest’s corps onto the transportation railway hub in the city of Chattanooga, located next Union left flank, which was met to the Tennessee River. President Jefferson Davis knew if Rosecrans with unexpectedly strong Union was left unchecked, then the gate- way to the eastern Confederacy resistance. Fierce fighting took was open for invasion, threatening its war industries in Georgia. place for control of a pivotal cross- Though the focus in Richmond ing point, and by sunset, the Con- had been on Robert E. Lee’s cam- paigning in the eastern theater, federates were well established to which drew the bulk of men and materiel, the time had come for continue the attack the following the western command to be re- inforced for a concerted effort day. Bragg, however, was unaware to save Tennessee. The Army of Virginia would go on the defen- that Rosecrans’ perceived weak left sive and free up two divisions led by Maj. Gen. James Longstreet to flank had now been reinforced by transfer to and serve under the command of Maj. Gen. Braxton Maj. Gen. Thomas’ whole corps Bragg’s Army of Tennessee, bring- ing its strength to over 65,000 men through a forced march. Fighting – enough to pose a serious threat to Rosecrans’ 60,000 troops. began again the following morn- An initial plan in mid-Septem- ing as the assaults by Bragg’s men ber to attack the individual ele- ments of the Army of the Cum- on the Union left flank occupied berland south of Chattanooga was poorly executed by Bragg’s by Thomas failed to make a break- commanders, with an alerted Rosecrans quickly ordering his through. The casualties on both four corps to coalesce along a 20- mile line next to the west bank sides were heavy, reminiscent of of Chickamauga Creek. The lo- cal rolling terrain was covered in Gettysburg a few months before, a wilderness of woods, vines, and brush, making clear visibility of a with both sides remaining on the battle line very difficult. The name “Chickamauga” was thought to be field to continue the fighting the following day. Longstreet arrived that night with reinforcements and was in- formed that Bragg had now reor- Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, known as ganized his army into two grand “the Rock of Chickamauga” after his wings, with his fresh Virginians fac- unyielding defense in combat there. ing the Union left set to attack once Richard Hook © Osprey Publishing Rosecrans’ right flank came under Summer 2022 History Magazine 63

BASEBALL Confederate assaults to finish the job, the makeshift Union line, sup- Triangular bayonets were common and used with such weapons as the M1842 ported with artillery, held until .69-caliber musket. John White © Osprey Publishing the end of the day. Thomas finally ordered a retreat back to Chatta- attack from Lt. Gen. Leonidas the need for more units to be shift- nooga while Bragg’s men now oc- Polk’s main assault, which Bragg ed to support Thomas, Rosecrans cupied the surrounding heights, believed was the weakest point. was misinformed that he had a besieging the city. Timing and communication be- gap in his line on the right. In tween the wing commanders were hurriedly ordering units to shore Unsure of his enemy’s disposi- crucial. Meanwhile, the Union up the supposed gap instead of tion, not knowing they were now troops spent valuable hours forag- conferring with his chief of staff, in full retreat, and fearful of the ing for wood to construct breast- Rosecrans created an actual gap – toll the two days’ fighting had ex- works in preparation for the two brigades wide – just as Long- acted on his army, Bragg’s inac- attack they knew must come. street’s brigades charged in. In the tion turned a tactical triumph for resulting rout, one-third of the the South into a strategic defeat. To Bragg’s fury, Polk went in Union army, including Rosecrans Against the wishes of Longstreet much later than expected, thus himself, was driven from the field. and Bedford Forrest to pursue giving the Union even more time and destroy what remained of the to prepare. Even so, due to the A complete disaster was averted Union forces, Bragg opted to bot- nature of the rolling terrain and when veteran Union units com- tle up Rosecrans in the city. Bragg limited visibility, haphazard fire- manded by Maj. Gen. Thomas had lost over 18,000 men, with the fights broke out all along the spontaneously rallied to create Army of the Cumberland suffer- Union left flank. As the morning a new defensive line on Horse- ing 16,000 casualties. Hm attacks intensified on his left with shoe Ridge. Despite determined Thanks to Opsrey Publishing for allowing us to reprint the preceding content Have you run out of good historical reading material? Check out History’s Hindsight books pages 65-66! 64 History Magazine Summer 2022

HINDSIGHT BOOKS SUMMER 2022 THE MITFORD VANISHING ULYSSES A MITFORD MURDERS MYSTERY AN ILLUSTRATED EDITION By Jessica Fellowes By: James Joyce An irresistible read, perfect for fans of British history, period dramas and dysfunctional family The neo-figurative artist narratives. Eduardo Arroyo, regarded today as one of the greatest Published by Minotaur Books; 416 pages Spanish painters of his gen- ISBN: 9781250819208 eration, dreamed of illustrat- Price: $27.99 Hardcover ing James Joyce’s Ulysses. Although he began work on EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY the project in 1989, it was never published during his A TRAVELER’S GUIDE lifetime. Now available for FROM ASWAN TO ALEXANDRIA the first time in English, this unique edition of the classic novel features three hundred images created By Garry J. Shaw by Arroyo—vibrant, eclectic drawings, paintings, and collages that reflect and amplify the energy of A unique volume that takes readers on a journey Joyce’s writing. up the Nile, offering a fresh look at the most well- known Egyptian myths. Published by Other Press Hardcover; 720 pages ISBN: 9781635420265 Published by Thames & Hudson; 272 pages Price: $75.00 Hardcover ISBN: 9780500252284 Price: $24.95 Hardcover © Olexandr - Fotolia.com Make History Magazine Part of Your e-Library! If you have an e-Reader, tablet device, or notebook computer, you can take your entire collection of History Magazine with you wherever you go — anytime! All of our editions are pro- duced in high-resolution PDF format and are compatible with all the popular devices. Call, or visit our bookstore to see what’s new, or to catch up on any missed issues. www.history-magazine.com 1-888-326-2476 Summer 2022 History Magazine 65

BOOKS A MIGHTY FINE ROAD A HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO, ROCK ISLAND & PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY By H. Roger Grant The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad’s history is one of big booms and bigger busts. When it became the first railroad to reach and then cross the Mississippi River in 1856, it emerged as a leading American railroad company. But after aggressive expansion and a subsequent change in management, the company struggled and eventually declared bankruptcy in 1915. Published by Indiana University Press; 344 pages ISBN: 9780253049889 Price: $30.00 Hardcover BACK TO JAPAN SON OF SVEA THE LIFE AND ART OF MASTER KIMONO A TALE OF THE PEOPLE’S HOME PAINTER KUNIHIKO MORIGUCHI By Lena Andersson By Marc Petitjean Son of Svea is a razor-sharp comedy about Back to Japan traces the journey that family, politics and the social shifts that de- Moriguchi takes from Kyoto to art school fine generations chronicling the rise and fall in Paris and concludes with his homecom- of the industrial welfare state through the ing to Japan, where his intricate kimonos eyes of one Swedish family. are now sought after by museums, celebri- ties, and high-end retailers. Published by Other Press Paperback 288 pages Published by Other Press; 160 pages ISBN: 9781635420043 ISBN: 9781635420906 Price: $16.99 Paperback Price: $25.00 Hardcover NORSE AMERICA THE PANAMA RAILROAD THE STORY OF A FOUNDING MYTH By Peter Pyne By Gordon Campbell The creation of the Panama Railroad ranks as one of the boldest capitalist ventures in Norse America is a book that tells two sto- the 19th century, and would require bat- ries. The first is the westward expansion of tling climate, disease, and geography be- the Norse across the North Atlantic in the fore it was completed. On a human level, it tenth and eleventh centuries. The second would transform the destiny of thousands is the appropriation and enhancement of of lives in America, Panama, the West the westward narrative by Canadians and Indies, and Asia, as well as in Ireland. Americans who want America to have had white North European origins. Published by Indiana University Press; 418 pages ISBN: 9780253052070 Published by Oxford University Press; 272 pages Price $50.00 Hardcover ISBN: 9780198861553 Price: $25.95 Hardback CRÉCY THE RED SEA SCROLLS BATTLE OF FIVE KINGS HOW ANCIENT PAPYRI REVEAL THE SECRETS OF THE PYRAMIDS By Michael Livingston (Author) By Pierre Tallet and Mark Lehner A remarkable new study on the Battle of Crécy, in which the outnumbered English The compelling first-hand account of the under King Edward III won a decisive discovery of the world’s oldest papyri, victory over the French and changed the which reveal how the Egyptians built the course of the Hundred Years War Great Pyramid of Giza. Published by Osprey Publishing Published by Thames & Hudson 304 pages 320 pages ISBN: 9781472847058 ISBN: 9780500052112 Price: $30.00 Hardcover Price: $39.95 Hardcover 66 History Magazine Summer 2022

NEW! Female Ancestor Research is the latest Tracing Your Ancestors special issue from the publishers of Internet Genealogy magazine. This new 2022 edition, compiled by author Gena Philibert-Ortega, a genealogy educator, avid genealogist, writer and speaker, contains all new articles including: Starting Your Research; She’s Not There; Making the Most of Online Searches; African American Newspapers; Her Life in Books; Finding Herstory in Archives; What is Her Maiden Name?; Introduc- tion to Catholic Records; Finding Female Ancestors Pre-1850; Twentieth Century Ancestors; Cemetery Research; Commu- nity Cookbooks; Ten Records You Are Not Using; Female Ancestor Checklist; and Finding Female Ancestors: Glossary. 68 Pages. Soft Cover. ORDER TODAY! www.internet-genealogy.com/shop.htm Order Today! $9.95 plus $3.00 shipping Payment by: q Check / International money order for $12.95 (enclosed) When paying with a credit card, either visit our online store, or call our toll free number to place your order: 1-888-326-2476 USA orders send to: Internet Genealogy, PO Box 194, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 Canadian orders send to: Internet Genealogy, 33 Angus Dr., Ajax, ON L1S 5C4 Canadian orders please add GST/HST to the $12.95 price as applicable. Your credit card charge will appear as MAG 888-326-2476. Credit card transactions are processed through our office in Canada. First Name: _______________________________ Last Name: ___________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________ State/Province: _____ Zipcode/Postal Code: __________________ Photo by F. Forshew, Hudson, N.Y. Phone Number: ____________________________ E-mail Address: ____________________________________ Dated 1870 - 1890. Library of Congress. GST# 13934 0186 RT

Don’t miss even one issue of this great publication. MAGAZINE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Save 24% OONFAFSMUMTEBHARSEIGCCCRAAOINZPVITSNEIPOERIRNPITSRITCOE ❍ New ❍ Renewal ❍ Gift ❍ YES! Send a one-year subscription of American Spirit (6 issues) to the person below. I’ll pay $18, a 24% savings off the cover price. ❍ Instead, send a two-year subscription ❍ Instead, send a three-year subscription (12 issues), $34. (18 issues), $48. NAME _________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________________________ CITY _______________________________________________ STATE _______ ZIP _____________ PHONE (_____)___________________________ EMAIL _____________________________________ Discover new DAR CHAPTER ________________________________ NATIONAL #____________________________________ ways to reconnect with your past, ND21 learn about great destinations across Gift Subscription (Please complete for gift card.) the country, and read about fellow Donor’s Name ____________________________________________________________________________________ Americans who DAR Chapter (for DAR records) _________________ National No. (for DAR records)____________________ share your values of heritage, history You may pay by check or credit card. and family. Please send form and payment in a stamped envelope to: Save 24% off the cover price of $3.95/ DAR Magazine Office, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20006–5303. issue. Please allow 4–6 weeks to receive Make check payable to: American Spirit, NSDAR. subscription. Canada and Mexico, $23/yr., $44/2yrs. or $63/3yrs. Other Credit Card # ______________________________________________________Security Code #: _________________ international subscriptions, $30/yr., $58/2yrs. or $84/3yrs. First Class Air (LAST 3 DIGITS ON SIGNATURE STRIP AT THE BACK OF THE CARD) Mail, add $20/yr., $40/2yrs. or $60/3yrs. Expiration Date:____________________ ❍ MC ❍ Visa ❍ AmEx ❍ Discover * All payments must be in U.S. funds. For Faster Service, Call Toll-Free: 1 (866) 327–6242 or subscribe online at www.dar.org/subscribe