Tag Archives: mcbride

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The Battle of Chancellorsville – By Sandy McBride

Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson liked to say that his goal as a commander was to “mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy”.  On May 2, 1863, he once again fulfilled that goal admirably.

Jackson had turned 39 in January.  He had fought fourteen full-scale battles in 8 months, and had not seen his wife in a year.  He had a five month old daughter he had never seen at all.  He took a brief respite from the war when in the last nine days of April, he was able to have Anna and the baby come to visit him at the Yerby house overlooking Fredericksburg, Virginia. There the couple enjoyed a few days of quiet time, walking in the woods and along the heights, even though across the Rappahannock River they could plainly see the Union gun emplacements and the yellow observation balloons rising above the enemy camp.

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Where There is Love – By Sandy McBride

With this heartfelt theme, the All Saints on the Hudson Youth Council has once again put on a successful benefit basketball night to raise funds to assist two families in the Mechanicville and Stillwater communities who have been in the fight of their lives.

The love was apparent on Saturday night, April 20 as a near-capacity crowd gathered in the Mechanicville High School gym to cheer on teams from Mechanicville and Stillwater, to purchase tickets on a fantastic array of raffle baskets donated by local businesses, school groups, organizations and families, to enjoy good food and good company, and to show their shoulder to shoulder support for these two families.

Michelle Sorell DePasquale is battling cancer. The wife of John DePasquale and mother of Michalena and Angelia, Michelle is well-known throughout the community, involved for years in not just community events but also in children’s activities with her two young daughters. Michelle is a symbol of courage and commitment.

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This Month in The Civil War – Movement & Deception – By Sandy McBride

In April, 1863 the American Civil War was in its 25th month.  The winter had been a hard one, with excessive snow and rain and cold. For the soldiers of both sides, conditions were miserable.  Encamped in often inadequate shelter, lacking proper shoes and clothing, enduring poor pay and poor rations, for the soldiers, the spring warmth and improved travel conditions could not come soon enough.

In the Mississippi Valley, Union Commander Ulysses S. Grant was determined to get his men into position to capture the key port of Vicksburg, “the Gibraltar of the South”, from the well-fortified rebels, 60,000 strong under the command of General John Pemberton.  Grant had made seven attempts to get into Vicksburg through the cold, wet winter months, and all had failed. The warming days of April meant troops could soon be on the move overland. It was time to pull out all stops and take the city.

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A Thank You To the Community From Faldoni’s – By Sandy McBride

As a writer for the Express these past six and a half years, I have had the privilege and pleasure of writing about many of the good things done by the many good people who call our small-town world their home.  But we’re not isolated nor insulated from the world around us, and sometimes bad things happen to our good people.  It’s what happens after the bad things happen that brings to the forefront just how much it means to be part of a small community that cares.

On Easter Sunday, Faldoni’s Delicatessen at the corner of Park and Central Avenues closed up shop after a successful holiday weekend providing their always excellent fare to their many loyal customers. The staff went home to enjoy the remainder of the holiday with their own families

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A Memorable Visit to Washington – by Sandy McBride

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Washington, DC is an amazing city.  So many of the world’s great leaders have met here.  So much history, triumph and tragedy, so much greatness have emanated from that 68.3 square mile area in the last 200 years!  Today it is a veritable treasure trove of elegant architecture, impressive statuary, meaningful memorials, preserved old buildings and stylish new buildings.  The written words recording the utterances of our nation’s greatest leaders over more than two centuries are to be seen and heard in many places in this great city. And here in the electronic age there are video terminals available providing an endless resource for film, photos and speeches which keep us in touch with the legacy of our capital city. You can feel the history everywhere you go.

We ventured to Washington two weeks ago to visit our son Marty and to see the sights.  It was Cherry Blossom Festival weekend, so the capital city was teeming with tourists and school groups.  The streets were crowded with pedestrians, buses, cars, taxis, trolleys and segways.  Unfortunately, there was hardly a cherry blossom to be found.  Mother Nature seems quite unwilling to give up on winter this year!

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This Month in the Civil War – March 1863 – by Sandy McBride

In the mid 1850’s, Fitzhugh Lee of Virginia and William Averell of New York were friends and fellow cadets at West Point Military Academy.  When the United States erupted into a Civil War in 1861, Lee and Averell would find themselves fighting on opposite sides. Fitzhugh Lee would become a cavalry officer in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, while Averell would join the Union cavalry. When General Joseph Hooker assumed command of the Army of the Potomac in February, 1863 after the Union’s defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg, he gathered the scattered Union cavalry units into one strong cavalry.  Averell was put in command of one of three divisions of that newly consolidated cavalry.

After the Fredericksburg clash ended in January, these two great armies had settled into encampments fairly close together in the Virginia countryside along the Rappahannock River.  There was, of course, some curiosity and concern on each side as to what the other side was planning to do next.

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Cobb Speaks at Mechanicville Highschool – by Sandy McBride

So said former pro football player Michael Cobb speaking to students in Mechanicville Junior/Senior High School last week.  Mr. Cobb talked to the boys and girls about goals, dreams, success, love, communication, commitment, dedication and making good choices.  The imposing but personable 6 foot 5 inch athlete wandered through the auditorium as the classes came in, talking with many of the kids as they took their seats.

After being introduced to the students by high school principal Kevin Kolakowski, Mr. Cobb.  took the stage to begin his remarks.  He asked the boys and girls how many of them had hugged their parents that morning before they left for school?

“Stop and take the time,” he said, “it only takes a few seconds to tell someone you love them.”

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This Month in the Civil War: Hooker & Grant – By Sandy McBride

In February, 1863, the Union’s mighty Army of the Potomac was in a bad way.  Two ignominious failures at Fredericksburg had disheartened the once-proud but poorly-led Federal troops.  After the debacle of the failed “mud march” to Fredericksburg in late January, many Union soldiers had just walked away, deserting the army.  President Abraham Lincoln, in his quest to find the man who could lead what should be a superior force to victory over the rebels, had appointed General “Fighting Joe” Hooker to the top post, replacing General Ambrose Burnside.

Changes were immediate as Hooker set out to restore order and confidence to the demoralized army.

 

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Adam Erno – Chasing the Dream By Sandy McBride

For 18-year-old Adam Erno, his senior year of wrestling at Mechanicville High School was supposed to be the pinnacle, the exclamation point on five years of hard work all aimed at being the best that he could be.  But Adam found, as have so many before him, that an untimely injury can bring the hopes and dreams to a crashing halt. 

Adam began wrestling at the age of six in the PeeWee Wrestling program at Mechanicville.  His talent was apparent early on, and the development of his skills earned him a spot on the varsity team when he was in 8th grade, wrestling at 103 pounds.  His prowess might almost be expected, though.  He has learned from the best who learned from the best.

 

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PART II – EMANCIPATION AND THE “MUD MARCH” – By Sandy McBride

THIS MONTH IN THE CIVIL WAR - JANUARY 1863

News of the victory at Stones River was greeted with a sigh of relief by President Abraham Lincoln.  He wired General William Rosecrans “I can never forget, whilst I remember anything, that you gave us a hard earned victory which, had there been a defeat instead, the nation could hardly have lived over.”

The president had been under increasing criticism for the failures in the war, and many northerners were grumbling that it should be given up.  The victory in Tennessee gave Lincoln a small measure of support in his determination to save the Union.

 

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