WHAT MAY BE LEARNED FROM A TREE

Since today is Arbor Day, we scrolled through the collection's data base for books on trees, and stopped when we saw the entry "What May Be Learned From a Tree."  Wow, what a neat book!  The author, Harland Coultas, copyrighted the book in 1855 and it went into several printings. The Bullis copy was published in 1860 by D. Appleton.

Mr. Coultas began his book with the history of trees and followed up with discussions of tree anatomy, physiology, growth, community, and death.  Interweaved throughout is the author's purpose "...to show that the tree may be regarded as a vast community of phytons, or plants, which co-operate in its construction and are mutually dependent on and subservient to each other." (Introduction, page 11)

He concludes his introduction with, "Reader, whoever you are, may this book prove to you a friend, may you be induced by its pages to look on the Tree with a new interest; and obtaining from its noble form a clear and truthful view of your own position and duty in life, become, by the perusal of this volume, a wiser man and a better citizen." (Introduction, page 12)

Many trees are visible through the Bullis Room window. Some were here long before us and will be here long after we are gone, making their contributions (individually and collectively) to our planet. Let's do what we can to help them live out their purpose.

Note: You can read Mr. Coulas's book online, or here in the Bullis Room.

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH

April is National Volunteer Month.

Last week was National Volunteer Week.

Every day is Volunteer Day.

This is certainly true of Bullis Room volunteers.  Some days they work in the Bullis Room, researching, organizing, planning. Other days they work at home, updating worksheets or brainstorming ways to promote the collection in the community.

We say a sincere "thank you" to our own volunteers--and to those everywhere who make a tremendous contribution to our society.

AN ENDING AND A BEGINNING

John Lapham Bullis's letter to "Mrs. Dr. A. R. Bullis" on February 19, 1865 was written "On the Field, with the 118th Col. Inf."  He wrote that he had lately joined the regiment with his detachment from
Dutch Gap to prepare for the spring campaign and added that he was busy building quarters "in camp to right of Fort Brady. Previous to Dutch Gap quite a stirring up by Rebel Fleet in our midst. Reb. gunboat Drury blew up."

The end of his Civil War experience brought to John Lapham Bullis the beginning of a new career on the Frontier. In his May 25, 1865 letter home from Camp Lincoln, Virginia, he wrote that he was expecting to move south soon to Texas.  What followed was a military career that distinguished him as a brilliant leader and earned him the rank of Brigadier General (although he would continue to be known as "Johnnie" to the folks back in Macedon.)

JLB: CIVIL WAR EYEWITNESS

Through eyewitness accounts in his letters, we can follow John Lapham Bullis’s Civil War experiences as a young recruit who quickly became a seasoned soldier.  He was the latter when he wrote from Annapolis, Maryland on July 2, 1864:

“Waiting transp. to Army Potomac.  Year ago at Gettysburg, warm, and we were taking a doublequick for a Barn that was changing hands often on that memorable time.”

Three months later, September 19, 1864, he wrote “on the Ohio River Steamboat Grey Eagle on Ohio bound for Louisville. Soldiers have Measles.” 

His November 20, 1864 letter came from “Hqs. Co. A. 118^th Inf. near Richmond, Va,” and he relayed that he had come from Kentucky and had now been in about 14 states.

From Macedon to Harpers Ferry to Gettysburg and Libby Prison. Then on to Annapolis, Philadelphia, Louisville, Richmond, crossing “about 14 states” within two years. How much more he could have told us of those times. However, we are grateful for this limited glimpse into a Civil War soldier's personal observations and thoughts.

Next week we'll post excerpts from his last two Civil War letters that are in our archives.