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Civil War Stories: Freedom Cheers

By Capper's Staff
Published on October 31, 2011

After Lee’s surrender the boys of 122nd Illinois were marching thru the city of Montgomery preparing to get back home. On both sides of the street the walks were filled with black faces cheering and shouting praise.

One of the women was standing out in front clapping her hands and shouting, “Lord bless the damn Yankees!” over and over again as far as they could hear her. You see, she had all thru the War heard the Yankees spoken of as the “damn Yankees.”

Pauline King
Melvern, Kansas


Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then CAPPER’S WEEKLY asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from CAPPER’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.