Comments on: How Do You Pronounce These Civil War Names and Places?

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:58:11 +0000

Yes, that is what I meant , Brett – Sorry about the transposition/misspelling. Thank you, Di

By: admin

admin — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:35:58 +0000

Diane,

Do you mean Appomattox, as in Appomattox Court House? If so, the App is pronounced like in apple. I usually hear it pronounced App-uh-mat-ox.

Brett

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:31:11 +0000

How do we pronounce Appotomax?

By: admin

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:05:13 +0000

Bob,

It is pronounced Chick-uh-maw-guh. For some reason, I hear a lot of people say chick-uh-maw-gWuh, which is not only incorrect but also annoying.

Brett

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 31 May 2010 02:29:22 +0000

How about the last syllable in
CHICKAMAUGA???
How is it pronounced??

By: admin

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:16:51 +0000

Abby,

That’s pretty close, yes. I pronounce it appa-mat-tocks, but close enough.

Brett

By: Abby

Abby — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:53:54 +0000

Hey!

Randomly stumbled upon this while reading what else, but Horwitz’s “Confederates in the Attic” (How Kevin Thornton will shudder at this hole in my knowledge!)

I was seeking the pronounciation of “Appomattox” and the only source that seemed legitimate suggested “appa-mat-ticks” sort of cadencing similarly to “mathmatics”… correct?

By: Donald Thompson

Donald Thompson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:49:41 +0000

Hate to disagree with Ken, but Mattaponi as in the tribe and Mattaponi River is pronounced:
Mat-ah-pon-eye.

Thanks,
Donald

By: admin

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:23:07 +0000

Russell,

Thanks! I’ll haave to take a look at my Civil War Times Illustrated index and try to track that issue down. I just ordered Quigley’s book as well. It looks interesting and might lead to some more of these posts. I believe McPherson is pronounced McFEARson, but I’m not 100% sure on that one.

Brett

By: Russell Bonds

Russell Bonds — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:16:23 +0000

Brett, great post. If I’m remembering correctly, seems like the great Bell Irvin Wiley (Life of Billy Yank, etc.) wrote an article in Civil War Times Illustrated in the early 60′s that was a pronunciation guide; I ran across it while reading an article in the same issue (not sure of the date/vol./no.) and meant to grab a copy. Maybe one of your readers will know; it was a great article. – I also note a book, Civil War Spoken Here: A Dictionary of Mispronounced People, Places and Things by Robert D. Quigley (1993). Anyone have this? Also—-On McPherson, you said ‘Bird-see’, but is it McFEARson or McFURson? (TomAYto, tomAHto, potAYto, potAHto . . .) –Finally, down in these parts (sorry to sound like Hee-Haw) Taliaferro is definitely “Toliver” (like the Georgia town). All the best, RSB