Civil War News, 2016
10 issues published in 2016, with 314 articles indexed here.
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All 113 Issues →
December 2016Vol. 42, No. 11 · 28 articles
November 2016Vol. 42, No. 10 · 28 articles
October 2016Vol. 42, No. 9 · 29 articles
September 2016Vol. 42, No. 8 · 30 articles
August 2016Vol. 42, No. 7 · 38 articles
July 2016Vol. 42, No. 6 · 31 articles
June 2016Vol. 42, No. 5 · 33 articles
May 2016Vol. 42, No. 4 · 25 articles
April 2016Vol. 42, No. 3 · 28 articles
March 2016Vol. 42, No. 2 · 44 articles
Articles from 2016
314 indexedWilliam A. Johnson – Lincoln’s Barber And Valet
With the observance of the 153rd anniversary of the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 2016, I offer the following true story – When President-elect Abraham Linco…
Visiting The Tomb Of General Hood
Yellow fever, Pathol. A dangerous, often fatal, infectious febrile disease of warm climates, due to a filterable virus transmitted by a mosquito. Yellow fever in…
The Deadly Stone Wall: The 116th Pennsylvania At Fredericksburg
In the spring of 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a call to the governors of the loyal states to provide troops, in addition to the regiments already raised…
Targeted Grazing At Historic Fort Negley Park
NASHVILLE, TENN.—Situated at the crest of St. Cloud Hill, Fort Negley has stood sentry over Nashville for more than 150 years. Built between mid-August and early…
Shad Bake Dooms Confederates
The year 1865 began badly for the Confederacy and grew worse with the arrival of spring. General Grant was applying intense pressure on the army of Robert E Lee,…
Seesaw Slaughter At Cedar Mountain Commemorated
CULPEPER COUNTY, VA.—The newly organized Army of Northern Virginia under its commander, General Robert E. Lee undertook a daring campaign in early August of 1862.…
Restoration Of Gen. Lee's Headquarters At Gettysburg Completed
Preservation advocates join Trust to announce successful conclusion of an unprecedented campaign to preserve, restore and interpret Gen. Robert E. Lee’s headquart…
Real Civil War Son John Oliver Jr. Joins Sons Of Union Veterans
Real son, John Wilson Oliver Jr., of Morristown, Tenn., joined the Major William McTeer Camp No. 39 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) on a br…
Ralph G. Newman’s Union Book Shelf
In our last column, we related how Douglas Southall Freeman’s “Confederate Book Shelf,” published in 1939, led Ralph G. Newman of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop to…
Popping The Cork
“It was as deliberate an act of self-sacrifice and valor as was ever performed in our country or any other,” U.S. Lt. Walter Thorn’s superior officer In May of 18…
Paging Through — December 2016
We are relocating our office and residence to Charleston, South Carolina, during mid-December. If you contact us during that time, please understand there maybe a…
Movie Review: ‘Remarkable Tales Of The Civil War’
The title of Joseph Wilson’s new documentary, produced by RM Video Productions, is an excellent description of the finished product. The four tales recounted are…
Mort Künstler’s Major Painting On Baseball
Mort Künstler’s family and friends questioned whether he would stick to his late 2014 decision to retire from painting major works. After all, while the famed his…
John Anderson Tobacco Emporium
The John Anderson Tobacco Emporium of New York is an interesting story in and of itself, with both a famous clientele and a whiff of scandal in the form of the un…
History, Competition And Camaraderie At The N-SSA 134th Nationals
The North-South Skirmish Association held its 134th National Competition October 5-9, 2016, at Fort Shenandoah near Winchester, Virginia. Member units competed in…
Genealogical Conference Speaker
Researching the story of a Civil War soldier can lead down many intriguing and unexpected trails. That was the message of York County, Pennsylvania, historian Ron…
Frémont’s Imported Austrian 1842 Muskets
During the American Civil War, some 68,505 Austrian Model 1842 Muskets were imported for use by the United States military. It is most likely that not all of the…
Franklin Civil War Round Table Recognized
FRANKLIN, TENN.—The Franklin Civil War Round Table (FCWRT) was recently recognized with a proclamation by Franklin Mayor Ken Moore for completing its 100th event.…
Dramatis Personae – Leaders In Prose And Verse
The people whose stories fill the pages of Civil War histories are an interesting bunch of characters in a drama which continues to fascinate us and will for deca…
Dedication Time Change For George Lomas Memorial Ceremony
GETTYSBURG, PA.—The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association has changed the time for the dedication of a stone marker in memory of George Lomas at the His…
Confederate Belt & Buckle
Confederate Belt & Buckle Dear Civil War Appraiser: Mr. Sexton: Several weeks ago I went to Savannah to help my sister clean up things after Hurricane Matthew ski…
Civil War Sea Commands: ‘The Sting Of The Mosquito Fleets’
COLUMBUS, GA.—A class of quick, shallow-draft vessels known as “Mosquito Fleets” were utilized by both sides during the Civil War for wartime naval coastline and…
Civil War Photography
Last month, we explored several of the printed sources containing photographs from the Civil War. In this installment, we will look at websites, which provide man…
Civil War Events Through Jan.
“Tell Mother I’ve Been Good: Vice & Virtue in the Civil War” exhibit at National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg. Stories, images, artifacts about moral challenges f…
Book Reviews — December 2016
Let me start off by saying that Al Stone is a raconteur extraordinaire. This volume is written in a conversational style that makes one feel that he/she is sittin…
Black Powder, White Smoke — December 2016
One of the best things about writing this column is the information you get in response when you write about something interesting and unusual. Reader R. J. Boque…
A Photographic ‘4-D’ Experience At Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, PA.—It’s a special experience to tour the Gettysburg battlefield with a top-notch licensed battlefield guide who can answer every question and makes h…
154th Anniversary Of The Battle Of Perryville
PERRYVILLE, KY.—Thousands of reenactors converged on the small village of Perryville, Kentucky, to participate in recreating the battle that occurred there on Oct…
‘A Means Of Saving My Soul’: The Thomas Cox Bible
On July 9, 1864, Private Thomas Cox prepared for battle near the banks of the Monocacy River not knowing this battle would be his last. Prior to the Civil War, Co…
The Role Of Reenactors & Living Historians
So, just exactly “who” and “what” are reenactors and Living Historians? Until a quarter-century ago, I had no idea what the answer to that question was! Then one…
The Confederate Kerr Rifle
Last month we talked about James Kerr’s revolver in Confederate service. Now we turn our attention to his rifle design, a gun that was acquired in very limited qu…
The Beast Of Beaver: Stephen Gano Burbridge
The war had dragged on for three years and try though they might, the Union had proved unable to confine their most troublesome Confederate gadfly, General John H…
Telegraph Men
Let the telegraphers through; They’ll get us into a fight, And out of it, too.” Soldiers rhyme Both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis shared the problem of how…
Taps Anniversary Commemorated At Berkeley Plantation
For 60 seconds during every military funeral, time seems to stand still while the bugler sounds the 24 haunting notes of Taps. “It is so full of emotion, especial…
Roundtable News — November 2016
There is something growing in the Civil War round table community. Collaboration. For years, Round Table Review has shared best practices among the round table co…
Robert Sneden’s Map of Atlanta’s Confederate Defenses
Students of the Atlanta Campaign have long bemoaned the scarcity of reliable maps covering the operations of Generals Sherman, Johnston and Hood. One has popped u…
Researching Civil War Letters
Researching the story of a Civil War soldier can lead down many intriguing and unexpected trails. That was the message of York County, Pennsylvania, historian Ron…
Reader’s Redoubt
Book Review Editor’s note: For this year’s “Book Issue” we asked some Civil War experts—authors, teachers and other professionals—to choose a book published so fa…
Paging Through — November 2016
We were saddened to learn of the passing of George H. Lomas. George gave his time generously to our hobby. Thousands of reenactors, members of the living history…
Georgia Accoutrement Set
Dear Civil War Appraiser: I would like an official description and appraisal of my Georgia belt buckle and its sword and belt. My father was presented with an opp…
George H. Lomas: Patriarch, Titan, Icon, Mentor And Friend
George Henry Lomas was born on September 7, 1942, exactly, as he would recount with a sparkle in his eye, nine months to the day after the Japanese attack on Pear…
Franklin Antebellum Home Burns
FRANKLIN, TENN.—An antebellum home finished just as the Civil War ended, recently burned just outside of Franklin, Tennessee, and is considered a total loss. Bank…
East Cemetery Hill: A Night Fight
Major General Winfield Scott Hancock had spent the late afternoon and early evening of July 2, 1863, moving mountains to keep Cemetery Ridge out of Confederate ha…
Dr. Freeman’s Book Shelf
“What shall I read next?” In the late 1930s Douglas Southall Freeman explained how, after Gone With the Wind, folks asked him to recommend other books about the w…
Confederate Soldiers’ Homes: Old Men Facing To The West
“There was never such a band of men on the face of the earth before, and there never will be again. While they are living give them a decent home, and when dead p…
Civil War Trust Preserves 25 Acres At Fredericksburg Battlefield
In September 2016, the Civil War Trust declared victory on 25 acres associated with the 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg. This latest preservation success story was…
Civil War Events Through Jan.
“Faces of the Iron Brigade – A Social Network of Soldiers” exhibit at the Civil War Museum Kenosha. Words, images, equipment of the Iron Brigade. For information,…
Civil War Book Awards
The late Jerry Russell (1933-2003) believed in Civil War Round Tables. He helped establish ten of them in Arkansas and dozens more elsewhere, always believing tha…
Briefs of Civil War News Interest — November 2016
BEAUFORT, S.C.—Great Grandchildren, of union veterans of the United States Colored Troops, to join the SUVCW and charter a new camp, in the Grand Army of the Repu…
Book Reviews — November 2016
A Civil War Captain and His Lady: Love, Courtship, and Combat From Fort Donelson Through the Vicksburg Campaign. Edited by Gene Barr. Illustrated, photos, map, no…
Black Powder, White Smoke — November 2016
I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of George Lomas of The Regimental Quartermaster sutlery in September. I realize that almost everyone reading this colu…
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War
Researching the American Civil War provides limitless opportunities to explore the battles, soldiers, commanding officers, and the various social, political, and…
Annual Gettysburg Remembrance Day Weekend Nov. 18-20
This is the annual anniversary celebration of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. There will be parades, balls, celebrations, book signings, expos and much more. All of…
A Tale Of Two Wars: Craig House
involved in military affairs. This time, the house was in use by an Army quartermaster who was using it as a headquarters. Monmouth Battlefield had been selected…
A Few Thoughts On Confederate Civil War Rations
The standard image of the hollowcheeked, gaunt, and starving Civil War soldier is deeply embedded in the consciousness of most Americans. It is certainly true sol…
46 Days To Save An Army: Gen. John Corson Smith And The Chattanooga Campaign
On rare occasions, an historian is privileged to discover a previously unpublished primary source that has been hidden away in an attic for decades. Such was the…
Were Civil War Soldiers Good Marksmen?
“Training in the use of these weapons was startlingly belated and haphazard.” Orrin W. Cook, 22nd Mass. Vol. Co. B There is a persistent notion that Civil War sol…
Wayside Homes — A Wholesome Meal And A Night’s Repose
From its earliest days until its last the Confederacy waged a costly war which stretched the nation’s capabilities to their very limits – and ultimately beyond. I…
Three Months in the Southern States: April-June 1863
“Nowhere is there a more revealing firsthand picture of the South at war,” judges Walter Lord in his 1954 edition of Arthur Fremantle’s famous diary. Sailing from…
The Confederate Kerr Revolver
Last month we discussed the Confederate use of English made Tranter revolvers, this month we turn our attention to the English revolver that was most used by the…
The 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry’s Fiery Ordeal At Antietam
The dawn of September 17, 1862, was foggy and humid. The 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry lay by the east bank of the Antietam Creek. Three days’ prior, the regiment…
Slaughter At Spangler’s Spring
At around 4 am on the morning of July 3, 1863, elements of the Union Army’s XII Corps attempted to reoccupy the entrenched positions that they had left in the lat…
Readmission Day In Tennessee Old Gray Cemetery, Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, TENN.—Tennessee’s readmission to the Union was on July 24 of 1866. The one-hundred-fiftieth anniversary of the event was commemorated in Knoxville, Ten…
Pvt. Henry S. Allen Artifacts
Dear Civil War Appraiser: I have no interest in selling but would like to know insurance values on Civil War memorabilia here. H. S. Allen was an ancestor of mine…
Patriot Guard Stop By Garryowen On A Special Mission
GARRYOWEN, MONT.—The Town of Garryowen, home of the Custer Battlefield Museum, received very special guests on a hot and sunny day on Wednesday, August 3. The Pat…
Paging Through — October 2016
Civil War News announces that there will now be 12 issues a year instead of 11. The annual subscription will go up slightly to cover the extra printing and mailin…
N.J. Department Sons Of Union Veterans Of The Civil War Elects New Officers
At the 133 Department Encampment of the New Jersey Department Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the following Department Officers were installed. Commander…
Meade Made A Name For Himself At Gettysburg
Robert E. Lee invaded Pennsylvania at the end of June 1863, soon after his “great victory” at Chancellorsville. The Richmond Daily Dispatch of May 6, 1863, report…
Ladies’ Gunboat Societies
“The cause is a noble one, the effort is sublime, and the moral effect will reach far beyond the deadly projectiles which the contemplated gunboat can send. If th…
Kentucky Civil War Governors On The Web
Starting in 2012, the Kentucky Historical Society initiated a project to gather together and post to the web an image of every document and letter that crossed th…
Forgotten Oswego, Illinois Civil War Veterans Honored
OSWEGO, Ill.—Over people, including many family members, gathered Saturday, May 7 in Oswego, Illinois’ historic Oswego Township Cemetery to dedicate new headstone…
Farrell’s Civil War Veteran’s Listings Of Suffolk County
Because retired aerospace executive Robert Farrell was bored in retirement, historians and genealogists are getting what they have long coveted: a list of all the…
Eyesore Moved From Franklin Battlefield
FRANKLIN, TENN.—The reclaiming of the Battle of Franklin battlefield took another giant step when a relic of the city’s past was recently demolished. The old Fran…
Dedication Of The Commonwealth’s Largest Flag
DANVILLE, Va.—On Saturday, July 23rd, a coalition of heritage groups, led by the Virginia Flaggers, gathered in Danville, Virginia to raise and dedicate the Commo…
Confederate Nancy Hart Militia
From the years 1861-1865, America was involved in an emotional and deadly war, North vs. South, that resulted in six hundred twenty thousand deaths and lasted for…
Confederado Festa Brazil - Civil War Anniversary Celebration
In 1993, while living outside of Charleston, S.C I happened upon a book in local shop titled The Lost Colony of the Confederacy by Eugene Harter. Now I must confe…
Civil War Veteran Honored At Norfolk’s Calvary Cemetery
For nearly 84 Years William Mack Lee’s remains had rested in an unmarked grave in Norfolk’s Calvary Cemetery between St. Julian Avenue and the Lafayette River. Th…
Civil War Trust Preserves 70 Acres at Perryville Battlefield
In summer 2016, the Civil War Trust declared victory on three properties totalling70-acres associated with the historic 1862 Perryville battlefield. This latest p…
Civil War Events Through Dec.
“Soldiers and Citizens” free museum at New England Via Vermont in Alburgh Village. Learn about the Civil War soldier and his family back home. Displays on camp li…
Briefs of Civil War News Interest — October 2016
Historical Society Awards Volunteers At Annual Dinner NEW BERN, NC.—The New Bern Historical Society honored many of their volunteers at their recent annual awards…
Book Reviews — October 2016
Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholarship. Stephen Davis, Civil W…
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War
Reflecting back on the September installment of this column, readers will recall coverage of The Southern Bivouac. In closing out publication of Bivouac, the new…
Armistead’s Brigade Ancestors Survivors Reading
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—On July 3, 2016, ancestors of survivors read the names of 287 members of Brigadier General Lewis Addison Armistead’s Brigade who perished 153 year…
A War Shotgun, Postwar Rifle Muskets & Submarines
A Shotgun of Note Muzzleloading double-barreled shotguns were in use early in the Civil War by some cavalrymen, particularly Confederates, but were usually replac…
25th Loomis’ Battery Annual Long Range Artillery Match
25th Loomis’ Battery Annual Long Range Artillery Match By Don Lutz, Loomis’ Battery and Ericka Hoffmann, Dulany Troop, 6th Virginia Cavalry GRAYLING MICH.—Range 3…
Your Civil War Collection — Weighing The Options
Anyone that collects Civil War history knows the thrill of chasing down an artifact or finding that one last missing clue to solve a mystery. Collecting can be a…
Why The Civil War Hypocrisy?
We of the South have borne too long and too patiently the many misrepresentations concerning us, and we cannot afford to be patient longer. There is a hope that s…
When Russia Had Our Back
When Russia Had Our Back “The Czar’s [Alexander II] spokesmen have assured me that in case of trouble with the other European powers, the friendship of Russia for…
Tranter Revolvers & Their Southern Service
Their Southern Service Inspection, ARMS is a new addition to the monthly columns in Civil War News. Authored by antique military arms dealer & collector Tim Princ…
The Southern Bivouac
The Southern Bivouac Browsing through the various post-war publications containing accounts from former Federals and Confederates, one will usually land on the So…
Should Civil War Reenactments Be Abandoned?
When I was asked to write a commentary about “Should Civil War reenactments be abandoned?” my initial reaction was like what the editor of the New York Sun wrote…
Sean S. McGraw Sculpts History At Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Throughout 2016’s National Park Service Centennial Summer, the National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF), through the generous support of The Gettysbu…
Paging Through — September 2016
By Jack Melton We are looking forward to cooler weather and so are the wool clothed reenactors. As the summer winds down and school starts back into full swing, t…
New Bern Historical Society Awards Volunteers
New Bern Historical Society Awards Volunteers NEW BERN, NC.—The New Bern Historical Society honored many of their volunteers at their recent annual awards banquet…
Lighthouse Keeper At Point Lookout
In recent years, many people who have lived in or visited the keeper’s quarters at the Point Lookout lighthouse in Scotland, Md. swear they have heard movements a…
Letters To The Editor
Response To Bonekemper’s Confederacy Article TO THE EDITOR: In response to Mr. Bonekemper’s Confederate article, I thought the following points would be helpful,…
Jefferson Davis Birthplace Hosts Celebration And Church Bicentennial
In July 1885, a group of Baptist’s from a nearby church established in 1816 decided that Fairview, Kentucky would be a good place to move from their present site…
From Our New Book Review Editor
Stephen Davis I am honored and delighted to assume responsibilities as new book Review Editor for Civil War News. Some of you may remember that from 1984 to 2005…
Event Cancellation, Lorenz versus Dreyse & the Spare Cylinder Myth
By Joe Bilby Event Cancellation, Lorenz versus Dreyse & the Spare Cylinder Myth New Jersey Arms Collectors Cancel Show I regret to inform my New Jersey readers th…
East Meets West Labor Day Event
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—This Labor Day weekend, a very unique event is coming to the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association’s Historic Daniel Lady Farm. Unusual,…
East Meets West Event Labor Day Weekend
Labor Day Weekend GETTYSBURG, Pa.—This Labor Day weekend, a very unique event is coming to the Gettysburg area. Unusual, as it does not focus on the Battle of Get…
Custer Artifacts
A Custer scholar sent me this information and links pertaining to a Sharp’s Carbine reputed to be Chief Black Kettle’s and from the Battle of the Washita. His las…
Civil War Trust Honors Preservation Champions At Conference
Civil War Trust Honors Preservation Champions At Conference GETTYSBURG, Pa.—During an annual gathering of its members in Gettysburg earlier this month, the Civil…
Civil War Heritage Preservation National Competition
FORT SHENANDOAH, Va.— The North-South Skirmish Association will hold its 134th National Competition October 7-9, 2016 at Fort Shenandoah near Winchester, Virginia…
Civil War Events Through Nov.
“Soldiers and Citizens” free museum at New England Via Vermont in Alburgh Village. Learn about the Civil War soldier and his family back home. Displays on camp li…
Buying Time On Seminary Ridge At Gettysburg
Buying Time On Seminary Ridge At Gettysburg By Joe Bordonaro On July 1, 1863, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia had the Union Army of the Potomac on the r…
Breathing New Life Into Civil War Reenacting In New Jersey
As many readers of the Civil War News no doubt know, Civil War reenacting in New Jersey has been in a severe decline in the last few years. It’s hard to say why t…
Book Reviews — September 2016
Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholarship. Stephen Davis, Civil W…
Baseball Festival Hits A Grand Slam!
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Would you enjoy seeing people playing baseball for the love of the game? Would you enjoy seeing a game with a beautiful background of the South Mo…
Army Beans
By Craig L. Barry Army Beans “At noon we draw a ration of corn bread, pork and beans…took breakfast at 7 ocl (o’clock) of cold beans and corn bread.” Civil War Di…
A Tale Of Two Famous War Horses
Lexington, Virginia, has all that remains of General Robert E. Lee. He is sealed in the crypt below Lee Chapel. Lexington also has most of what remains of General…
A Northern Soldier’s Durable Memoir
By Stephen Davis A Northern Soldier’s Durable Memoir Civil War soldiers’ writing can be judged by any number of criteria. Accuracy and factual detail (content); i…
1864 Confederate Disaster In Pennsylvania
On July 15, 1864, a prisoner-of-war train destined the Union camp at Elmira, N.Y., was involved in a fatal head-on crash near the sleepy town of Shohola, Pa. The…
155th Anniversary Battle Of First Manassas At Cedar Creek
David Chirico, 4th Virginia Cavalry “Blackhorse” sends a round into the attacking 2nd U.S. Cavalrymen charging toward him during the dusk encounter of the reenact…
153rd Gettysburg Battle Reenactment
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—The annual Gettysburg reenactment is largely considered the touchstone of such gatherings, especially during the major anniversary reenactment hel…
‘The Boys of Rockville’ Civil War Day Camp
VERNON, Conn.—On Saturday, June 4th a group of children was transported back in time 154 years to the recruitment time of the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.…
Why The Confederacy?
This article discusses one aspect of the Myth of the Lost Cause – whether secession and the Confederacy were the result of concerns for promoting states’ rights o…
Trust Hosts Annual Conference; Retired CWN Editor Is Honored
GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Civil War Trust’s annual conference in early June celebrated a great year for the Trust and a sterling moment for the Civil War News. Declaring…
The Lincoln Group Of New York Confers Its ‘Award of Achievement’
NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 12, 2016)—The Lincoln Group of New York, an organization dedicated to studying the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, has conferred its 2015…
The Devil And His Imps
“General, I’ve got them! I haven’t counted them, but I have a ten acre lot full.” Confederate Col. John Scott In August of 1862, Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smi…
Steve Davis’s Critic’s Corner — August 2016
How often does a Civil War book become so cool, so indispensable, that an article about how it came to be written has been published in the esteemed journal Civil…
Several Civil War Covers Of Interest
As an avid reader of the Civil War News and a long-time stamp collector, I found Jeff Hayward’s article on collecting Civil War stamps very interesting. My articl…
Recipient Of Ed Bearss Award Announced
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.—Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours is pleased to announce Dennis Frye as the 2016 recipient of the Ed Bearss Award. Given annually, the awa…
Proposal To Remove Confederate Monument Sparks Heated Debate
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD.—is having second thoughts about the Confederate soldier statue that has stood for 103 years near the old courthouse. Last year, County Exec…
Private Berry—A Long, Long Way From Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—On Memorial Day I went looking for two soldiers who had fought for the Union at Gettysburg. I found them and a third, all in an improbable place,…
Paging Through — August 2016
We are always accepting articles on historical artifacts, new discoveries, shows, current events, reenactments and living history programs, awards, presentations,…
Obituary: Marsh Wheeling Cigars 1840-2015
Marsh Wheeling Company, the old time cigar maker, began in Wheeling, West Virginia as Mifflin Marsh & Son in 1840. The cigar maker is most notably remembered for…
Living History At Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
ELVERSON, Pa.—A hotly contested, divisive election loomed in 1860, much like today, and a living history in National Park Service’s Hopewell Furnace site (in Penn…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: I just finished reading your July issue and was very pleased with your fine publication. I was impressed with two articles, both by the same writer…
Jefferson Davis Birthplace Hosts Celebration And Church Bicentennial
In July 1885, a group of Baptist’s from a nearby church established in 1816 decided that Fairview, Kentucky would be a good place to move from their present site…
Historical Marker Honors Binghamton’s Heroes Of Gettysburg
Dignitaries, historians and citizens gathered at Veterans Park in Binghamton on Thursday, June 23 to unveil a Historical Marker honoring Col. David Ireland and th…
Historic Travellers Rest Receives Award Of Merit
NASHVILLE, Tenn.––The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has selected Historic Travellers Rest as the 2016 Award of Merit winner. The Histor…
Gen. Sherman’s Blunder Led To McPherson’s Death
“McPherson dead!” Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman exclaimed on July 22, 1864, when officers told him that the commander of the Union Army of the Tennessee, Maj. Gen.…
Emerging Civil War’s 5th Anniversary
The caretaker’s cottage at the Stonewall Jackson Shrine sits behind a tall row of boxwood that obscures it from view. Visitors who come up the paved driveway circ…
Electric Map Opens In Hanover, Penn.
HANOVER, Pa.—After a fouryear project that involved asbestos removal, replacing seven miles of wires and nearly 1,000 lights, and completely reprogramming the sho…
Dyer’s Compendium
In last month’s column, we explored Selwyn Brant’s The Union Army. An equally helpful research tool exists in Frederick H. Dyer’s A Compendium of the War of the R…
Confederate Steamer Dive Continues
WILMINGTON, N.C.—The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Underwater Archaeology Branch in the Office of State Archaeology report the exam…
Confederate Monuments: Remove Or Restore?
The news frequently contains stories about proposals to remove Confederate monuments. Less often do we read that these plans are carried out. Based on my study of…
Confederate D-Guard Bowie Knife
Congratulations, Justin. The knife you found in your parents’ antique shop in Wadesboro, N.C. has solved a mystery as to where knife maker, W.G. Simmons, was loca…
Civil War Round Table Of New York Presents Fletcher Pratt Literary Award
NEW YORK, N.Y.—The Civil War Round Table Of New York Presents The 60th Annual Fletcher Pratt Literary Award For Best Non-Fiction Civil War Book Of 2015. At Its 60…
Civil War Round Table Of Atlanta Presents Their 2015 Richard Barksdale Harwell Award
ATLANTA, Ga.—The Civil War Round Table of Atlanta has presented Dr. Timothy B. Smith of the University of Tennessee at Martin with the 2015 Richard Barksdale Harw…
Civil War Events Through Oct.
“John Singleton Mosby: Lawyer, Soldier, Statesman,” guest curated by David Goetz at Manassas Museum in Manassas. Honoring 100th anniversary of Mosby’s death. May…
Civil War Centennial Attraction Remembered On Facebook
NEW YORK—During the Civil War centennial commemoration, a history theme park in New York City featured a unique attraction – a wagon ride through a recreated batt…
Celebration Of The Homestead Orphanage’s 150th Anniversary
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—A brief ceremony on Memorial Day celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Orphanage in Gettysburg. During the ceremony, a plaque was unve…
Canadians Serving In Our American Civil War
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—While visiting the Gettysburg battlefield last summer, I noticed some people looking for certain grave markers in the National Cemetery. What caug…
Book Reviews — August 2016
In January 1865, the Union army and navy attacked Fort Fisher, the only obstacle between the Federals and Wilmington, N.C. Wilmington was the last port remaining…
Book Review From August 2015
The lament of most Western Theater students is that there are not enough books published on the theater they deem the most important. There will likely be more bo…
Battle Of Glorieta Pass Reenactment
SANTA FE, N. Mex.—I had the pleasure of being a part of the First Texas Frontier Battery during the reenactment of the Battle of Glorieta Pass at the El Rancho de…
An Old Veteran Returns To Pickett’s Mill Battlefield
DALLAS, GA.—On June 1, 2016, staff and volunteers from Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site met with personnel from the Atlanta History Center to transp…
Agent Orange Awareness Tribute Cross-Country Horseback Ride
Cliff Romberger or Captain Cliff Romberger as the Civil War Reenactment community knew him, spent 20 years in the hobby. Under Commanding General Dana Heim, he st…
Absurdity in the EU, Tubman on the Twenty & Jefferson Arsenal
We are seeing hysteria from all sides and viewpoints on the terrorism issue of late, but one would think black powder shooters should have no fear that their hobb…
43rd Annual Gettysburg Artifacts And Collectibles Show Largest Yet
GETTYSBURG, Pa.— The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association depends on its Artifacts and Collectibles Show as its major fundraiser each year, and June’s…
14th Annual Forrest Homecoming In Tenn.
CHAPEL HILL, Tenn.—The Fourteenth Annual Nathan Bedford Forrest Homecoming event was recently held in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, a farming community about forty-five…
‘Ned The Horse’ Returns Home
GETTYSBURG, PA.—A popular Gettysburg attraction has a new lease on life. Ned the horse, a favorite attraction at Old Gettysburg Village on Baltimore St. for more…
Zooming Into Gettysburg Photography
Within months of the Battle of Gettysburg, documentary cameramen captured some of the most compelling photos of the Civil War. And yet, even in the most well-know…
The Union Army
The Union Army An often overlooked, yet valuable source in researching Federal troops, exists in Selwyn Brant’s The Union Army. Originally printed in 1908, under…
The First Emancipation Proclamation
In September 1862, a fierce battle was fought at a small Maryland town of Sharpsburg, also known as the Battle of Antietam by the Union, and Abraham Lincoln had b…
Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association Presents Annual Awards
The Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association (TCWPA) recently held its annual recognition and business meeting at the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, Tennesse…
Saving The Falling Waters 1863 Battlefield In Maryland
During the Summer of 2002 Melissa Cooperson and I began the search for an old house as a weekend and vacation project. Our search took us to various areas in Virg…
SMHS Ceremony Recognizes Donors For Stuart Statue Restoration
J.E.B. Stuart Monument. The ceremony was held at St. John’s United Church of Christ on Stuart Circle, with the restored statue sitting just outside its doors. Mr.…
Restoring an Old Painting
In 2002, when Noah Andre Trudeau’s Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage came out, HarperCollins arranged a signing tour. I was slated to review the book for a journal…
Pedersoli 1854 Lorenz
The Watchdog By Craig L. Barry Pedersoli 1854 Lorenz The second most commonly imported European military arm during the U.S. Civil War after the P-53 Enfield long…
Minié Ball Holes And Legendary Stories Invite You To Visit The Farnsworth House Inn
GETTYSBURG, PA.—Visiting Gettysburg is an adventure back in time in a still vibrant town. It is filled with battlefield sites, historic homes, businesses catering…
Meade Made A Name For Himself At Gettysburg
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee invaded Pennsylvania at the end of June 1863, soon after his “great victory” at Chancellorsville, Va. The Richmond Daily Dispatch o…
Living Historians Portrayed The USCC At Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, PA.—The Battle of Gettysburg created carnage on a scale that was never exceeded during the American Civil War. John C. Chamberlain, a USCC volunteer a…
Letters To The Editor
‘Seething Hell’ Book Review Comments ‘Farby’ People Costume TO THE EDITOR: I found Professor Allen Guelzo’s review of Thomas R. Pero’s Gettysburg 1863—Seething He…
How A Professional Split Enhanced Photography At Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg, the greatest clash of the Civil War, led to the finest photographic documentation of any fresh battlefield of the war, due in large meas…
History, Competition And Camaraderie At The N-SSA 133rd Nationals
WINCHESTER, VA — The North-South Skirmish Association held its 133rd National Competition May 20-22, 2016. At Fort Shenandoah near Winchester, Virginia member uni…
Halting Pickett’s Charge
Halting Pickett’s Charge “In every battle and on every important field there is one spot to which every army [officer] would wish to be assigned – the spot upon w…
German World War II POWs At Gettysburg Battlefield
GETTYSBURG, PA.—In the spring of 1944, America was heavily engaged in World War II, and men of the armed forces were fighting on many fronts in Europe against the…
GBPA Targets Greatest Threat To Hallowed Ground In Years
GETTYSBURG, PA.—Calling it the greatest threat to the hallowed ground of the Gettysburg battlefield in many years, if not decades, at a May 18 news conference at…
Father William Corby And The Irish Brigade
The National Civil War Chaplains Museum is currently featuring an exhibit on the Irish Brigade and Father William Corby, a chaplain for the brigade. The museum is…
Creating A Sibley Tent Site With A Crimean Stove – The First Maryland Experience –
WINCHESTER, VA.—The First/ Second Maryland is a group portraying Maryland’s Southern infantrymen during the Civil War. The unit has a campsite at the NorthSouth S…
Civil War Trust – Battlefield Restoration at Lee’s Headquarters
Civil War Trust – Battlefield Restoration at Lee’s Headquarters The Civil War Trust moves forward with its restoration of a key portion of the Gettysburg Battlefi…
Civil War Medals of Honor
I just inherited this group of medals that were my grandmother’s father. He won the Congressional medal of honor, but I understand they are illegal to sell. What…
Civil War Events Through Sept.
“John Singleton Mosby: Lawyer, Soldier, Statesman,” guest curated by David Goetz at Manassas Museum in Manassas. Honoring 100th anniversary of Mosby’s death. May…
Civil War Events In The Area
“Tell Mother I’ve Been Good: Vice & Virtue in the Civil War” exhibit at National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg. Stories, images, artifacts about moral challenges f…
Civil War Dancing And More For Gettysburg
Civil War Dancing And More For Gettysburg GETTYSBURG, PA.—The years 1861 to 1865 were not all blood and mud, death and destruction. On the homefront, there was gr…
Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth
GETTYSBURG, PA.—Brigadier General Elon John Farnsworth is the only high ranking Union officer killed in the Civil War at Gettysburg who is not remembered on the b…
Book Reviews — July 2016
Lincoln’s Political Life In Hancock Excelled At Gettysburg Battle First 40 Years Is Related A Self-Made Man: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1849. By…
Black Powder Equivalency and Revolvers in the Infantry
Black Powder, White Smoke By Joe Bilby Black Powder Equivalency and Revolvers in the Infantry Black Powder Equivalency I recently had an email conversation with s…
Andersonville Revisited: Encountering Fact And Fiction In Popular Culture
Most travelers have heard of Andersonville, but few seem to understand the full story of the Civil War POW camp. The breadth of knowledge about this historic site…
An Army On The Move: Robert E. Lee & His Confederates In June, 1863
“We are on the move...to Maryland and Pennsylvania,” wrote Jerome Yates, a soldier in the 16th Mississippi on June 17th, 1863, and “I am in hopes that we will gor…
2016 Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show
2016 Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show MEMPHIS, TENN.—The 49th annual Military History & Civil War Show held on Saturday and Sunday, March 5th and 6th,…
Winner Of The Laney Book Prize Announced
AUSTIN, Texas.—Donald Frazier, professor of history at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas has won the twenty-first annual Daniel M. & Marilyn W. Laney Book Priz…
Two Antique Parrott Rifles New Home At Cedar Mountain
CEDAR MOUNTAIN BATTLEFIELD, Va.—On a beautiful spring day two 100-year-old replica Parrott guns, which formerly graced the historic General Lee’s headquarters in…
Triune Reenactment Near Franklin, Tenn.
TRIUNE, Tenn.—On the weekend of April 16, 17 in Triune, Tennessee, the sound of gunfire and cannon erupted, in a recent observance of the December 31, 1862 fighti…
Treasures from the Museum — June 2016
FORT SILL, OK.—Opened in 2009, the US Army Artillery Museum tells the history of American artillery from 1775 to the present. The 20,000 square foot building hous…
Thousands Of Veterans Compiled
Because retired aerospace executive Robert Farrell was bored in retirement, historians and genealogists are getting what they have long coveted: a list of all the…
The 39th Annual Ohio Civil War Show Attracts Thousands
MANSFIELD, OH—The 39th Annual Ohio Civil War & WWI & WWII Show is still being called a grand event! Well liked by buyers and sellers, and most importantly, enjoye…
Supplement to the Official Records
Supplement to the Official Records In an earlier installment of this column, we learned about compiling the Official Records, and discovered some documents - eith…
Special Discharge for Illegal Enlistment
By Tom Dunne Cpl. Samuel Blundin, USMC, enlisted in Philadelphia on August 23, 1862 and was discharged August 9, 1864. Colonel Commandant John Harris pointed out…
Paging Through
By Jack Melton We love our readers input and are looking for articles of interest for the July Gettysburg Section. If you are interested in writing an article per…
North Carolina Museum Hosts 26th Annual Battle Reenactment
WASHINGTON COUNTY, N.C.—Every year for the last quarter of a century, the Historical Society of Washington County has faithfully hosted an event to commemorate th…
Norfolk Light Artillery Blues Step Into The Future - Again
JAMESTOWN, Va.—Military Through the Ages at Jamestown Settlement offers reenactors with the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues an opportunity to bring the past to life…
News Briefs — June 2016
GETTYSBURG, Penn.—A substantial segment of the Gettysburg community gathered on Saturday, April 16th to commemorate the passing of one of their own: longtime mins…
Namozine Church – A Still, Silent Witness To War
The white, two-story Presbyterian church, built in 1847 still stands. In the backcountry of Virginia’s southern, hilly farmlands, this structure, surrounded by ge…
Lost African American Grave New Discovery
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—A recent discovery of an African American’s actual headstone at Chattanooga’s Confederate Cemetery is the result of thirty years of research to…
Long Island’s North Shore Civil War Roundtable President’s Long Legacy
After running 200 meetings, producing 200 copies of the newsletter and organizing eight trips south to tour battlefields, Andrew Athanas has decided it’s time to…
Living History Event At Endview Plantation
NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—On the weekend of April 22-24, a group of reenactors from all over the country gathered together to bring history to life at Endview Plantation,…
Letters To The Editor
Civil War Monuments Located Double-Teamed Concerning In Georgia Under Threat Expansion Of Slavery Letter TO THE EDITOR: It is sad to learn in the news article by…
John Kinser Confederate Revolver
“John, I was referred to you by Tim Prince at College Hill Arsenal because the information I have given him he says is above his pay grade. I believe I have a Joh…
Jersey Muskets, Powder Cautions
A Jersey Rifle-musket Reader Harold Ruhl sent me an email with the following question: “A friend of mine has a Trenton Civil War Rifle that was found in a 2nd flo…
Historic Wagon Road Preserved In Blue Ridge, Penn.
BLUE RIDGE, Penn.—The Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum in Blue Ridge, PA, opened for the season on April 16th. Traffic at the museum was busy early Saturday morni…
General A. P. Hill Remembered On 151st Anniversary of His Death
PETERSBURG, Va.—On the outskirts of Petersburg in Dinwiddie County, scores of admirers gathered on a rainy Saturday morning to commemorate the life of General A.…
Events Section — June 2016
“John Singleton Mosby: Lawyer, Soldier, Statesman,” guest curated by David Goetz at Manassas Museum in Manassas. Honoring 100th anniversary of Mosby’s death. May…
Did the English Government Sell Military Arms to America?
The Watchdog By Craig L. Barry Did the English Government Sell Military Arms to America? “The Confederate troops are now entirely armed with excellent rifles, mos…
Controlled Burn At Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—On April 18, Gettysburg park staff conducted a controlled burn on 36 acres at Lee’s Headquarters near Wheatfield Road and Sedgwick Avenue just nor…
Collecting The 95th N.Y. Infantry Regiment
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— One day, while cleaning out a closet, Lance Ingmire’s father handed him a box and said, “Here, this is something you might be interested i…
Collecting Civil War Postal Stamps
From the Civil War’s first Battle of Fort Sumter to General E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, collectors of Civil War stamps keep tiny works o…
Civil War Books
By Stephen Davis Editor’s Question: Do you own the two-volume Civil War Books discussed below? Steve bought his from Dr. Bell Wiley when at Emory — $14 for both b…
CSS Teaser
CSS Teaser Mrs. Susan Archer Weiss, eye-witness, Battle of Hampton Roads wrote “...the little Teaser (commanded by Capt. Webb) pushed her way in between the Patri…
Book Reviews — June 2016
CWN Announcement 1863 New Mexico Fort Kept The Peace Civil War News book reviewer Brian Matthew Jordan was announced as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Histo…
Behind The Scenes Tour Of The Library Of Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Try to top this! There we were staring at the original copy of the collected works of Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner’s book, “Gardner’s…
Advantage Of Cooperation Between Civil War Round Tables
Advantage Of Cooperation Between Civil War Round Tables Cooperation between Civil War Roundtables can be a great way to boost membership and interest for all invo…
Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation And The Corwin Amendment
Abraham Lincoln has rightly been called the Great Emancipator. The slow evolution of his beliefs regarding the institution of slavery and how best to eradicate it…
151st Battle Of Selma
SELMA, Ala.—The 151st Reenactment of the April 2, 1865 Battle of Selma was held April 20-24. Although hundreds of spectators attended the event, the turnout was n…
“Called To Duty” Movie’s First Screening
MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP, N.J.—When most people think of Monmouth Battlefield in New Jersey, they think of the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Monmouth, on June 28, 17…
The “Stupids” A Postal Match And A Living History Range
In the early months of the Civil War the basics of military life were often difficult to grasp for many volunteers, a situation that caused a Springfield, Massach…
The Quaker Gun
The Quaker Gun “[I]t was a favorite trick to run it out into the center of the road and go through the motions of loading a gun and pointing it at the enemy, who…
Still Standing: Confederate Courthouse Monuments in Georgia
Still Standing: Confederate Courthouse Monuments in Georgia By Gould B. Hagler Jr. and Stephen Davis Relics and reminders of the Confederacy’s war for independenc…
Shiloh 154th Anniversary
SHILOH, Tenn.—After a hiatus of five years, Shiloh National Military Park held Camp life, Cavalry, Artillery and Infantry historic weapons demos in honor of the 1…
Rare Civil War U.S. Hospital Flag Donated To Atlanta History Center
ATLANTA, Ga.–A rare Civil War U.S. Army field hospital flag has been donated to the Atlanta History Center and placed on exhibit. The flag – one of only about a d…
R.E. Lee Camp Hall Revels Its “Mercy Street” Connection
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The City of Alexandria, established in 1749, has within its streets, monuments buildings and cemeteries compelling stories, which vastly enriche…
Personalized Muskets
Personalized Muskets During a recent visit to the Springfield Armory Museum there was a video program which included a re-enacted segment about 19th century Briti…
Paging Through
By Jack Melton This month marks the third issue since we acquired the Civil War News this year. Time sure flies by quickly when you have a deadline every month. W…
News Briefs — May 2016
– Briefs of Civil War News Interest – Gettysburg NMP GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Gettysburg National Military Park honors Walter “Buzzy” Baker and Josh Francisco. Gettysburg…
My Genealogical Journey
Being involved in the Civil War industry for the past 25 years, I am often asked if I have ever traced my Civil War roots. Before last year, my answer had always…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: H.V. Traywick’s once again engages in distortions of history, this time in response to my critical letter of his neo-Confederate views in a prior i…
Jamestown Settlement “Military Through The Ages” Event
JAMESTOWN, Va.—They came with their armor, weapons, tents, and cooking pots. Armies, ranging chronologically from the Roman Legions to today’s Virginia Army Natio…
Full-Throated Defender Of Hood
Upon learning that John B. Hood had been placed in command of the Army of Tennessee in mid-July 1864, Confederate Maj. Gen. William H. T. Walker, division command…
Events Section — May 2016
“1865: The End of the Civil War & Lincoln Assassination” exhibit at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia. Focus on notable 1865 participants at Laurel Hill. Opening…
Electric Map Nears Completion In Hanover
HANOVER, Pa.—For more than 50 years, a visit to the Electric Map was one of the essential first stops before a tour of Gettysburg. Within a few months, the flashi…
Demolition Begins At Gettysburg Lee’s Headquarters Site
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—The Civil War Trust completed interior cleanup work and began exterior demolition of non-historic buildings on the “Lee Headquarters” site on Cham…
Critic’s Corner — May 2016
Editor’s note: Do you have a favorite “battle book”? CWN contributor Steve Davis invites your opinions and comments by writing to his email [email protected]…
Confederate Flag Supporters Gather At Peace Light
GETTYSBURG, PA.—Nearly 500 Confederate flag supporters gathered on Saturday March 5th at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial in Gettysburg to show their support for…
Civil War Trust News
FRANKLIN, Tenn.—James Lighthizer, President of the Civil War Trust, recently attended a dinner in Franklin, Tennessee celebrating the purchase of 1.6 acres consid…
Civil War Steamer Discovered Off N.C.
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Office of Archaeology-Underwater announced a 225foot Civil War-era iron-hulled…
Book Reviews — May 2016
Pricey, Graphic Books About Douglass’s Visit To Ireland Plantation Violence, Slavery Slave Against Slave: Plantation Violence in the Old South. By Jeff Forret. No…
Baltimore Antique Arms Show
TIMONIUM, Md. — The 62nd annual “Original Baltimore Antique Arms Show” presented by Maryland Arms Collectors Association, Inc. was held at the Maryland State Fair…
Atlas To The O.R.s
Atlas To The O.R.s Preparing to launch his 1862 Valley Campaign, Major General Thomas J. Jackson turned to his topographer, Jedediah Hotchkiss, and asked him to “…
Ask The Civil War Appraiser
Ask The Civil War Appraiser By John Sexton We are starting a new feature in Civil War News, which will be a regular column written by Civil War Appraiser John Sex…
Waterloo Will Celebrate Its 150th Memorial Day
Waterloo Will Celebrate Its 150th Memorial Day WATERLOO, N.Y. — The village of Waterloo, the birthplace of Memorial Day, will observe its 150th consecutive Memori…
United Kingdom CWRT Donates $500 To SHAF
LONDON, England — ACWRTUK announces $500 gift to Save Historic Antietam Foundation Many Civil War Round Tables around the U.S. regularly donate to preservation ca…
Unapologetic Confederate
Editor’s note: With this column we launch a new feature, “Critic’s Corner,” contributed by Stephen Davis of Atlanta. In each column Steve will select a “golden ol…
Treasures from the Museum — April 2016
Featuring a unique hook slant rifling design, the pictured English Type II Blakely rifled cannon are 61 inches in length with a bore of 2.9 inches and an outside…
Through The Lens — April 2016
“Heavy shells were falling fast and thick” a Confederate later wrote. “It seems as if the whole heavens were ablaze with thunder and lightning.” As part of the Un…
The Burning Of Atlanta: What Really Happened?
The Burning Of Atlanta: What Really Happened? By Stephen Davis Big fires in American history spawn legends. Mrs. O’Leary‘s cow may not have started the Great Chic…
Texas Civil War Museum Begins Its Second Decade
Texas Civil War Museum Begins Its Second Decade FORT WORTH, Texas — The Texas Civil War Museum began its second decade on Jan. 25 with new exhibits. U.S. Maj. Gen…
Surviving Cannon Registry Update
Eleven cannon were added to the Registry in 2015, for a net gain of seven, bringing the grand total of known surviving Civil War cannon to 5,778. The first is a c…
South Carolina Reenactor Jerry W. Cauthan Dies
South Carolina Reenactor Jerry W. Cauthan Dies By Maj. Dan Gregory Hampton’s Legion Cavalry, Palmetto Battalion POINT SOUTH, S.C. Battle of Pocotaligo, S.C. — At…
Sharing Speakers Makes Sense
Sharing Speakers Makes Sense If you stop to look at it, running a Civil War roundtable is exactly like running a small business. You take in money from members (y…
Rifle-Musket Overloads and the Jersey Muskrats
Rifle-Musket Overloads and the Jersey Muskrats Rifle-Musket Problem Most Civil War historians and buffs are aware of the famous afteraction report regarding the m…
President Lincoln’s Cottage To Become An Autonomous Museum
President Lincoln’s Cottage To Become An Autonomous Museum WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Lincoln’s Cottage, which opened to the public in 2008 under the National T…
Point Lookout Civil War Light Keeper
Point Lookout Civil War Light Keeper By Carl L. Sell Jr. SCOTLAND, Md. — In recent years, many people who have lived in or visited the keeper’s quarters at the Po…
Paging Through
Since the first of this year, publishing Civil War News and serving its community has been an honor and a privilege for us. We have spent countless hours putting…
News Briefs — April 2016
Petersburg NPS Hours PETERSBURG, Va. — Beginning March 13, 2016, park-wide facilities including visitor contact stations, governmental offices will open at 9 am a…
New York Lincoln Award Winners
By Martin Smith NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Civil ed Doris Kearns Goodwin, Garry he was Chief Historian for the al organization with offices in Los
New NPS Superintendent At Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania
Kirsten Talken-Spaulding, the newly appointed superintendent of Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia. PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — National Par…
Loaded Muskets Taken After Battle At Gettysburg
Loaded Muskets Taken After Battle At Gettysburg After Gettysburg in July 1863 27,574 muskets were picked up by the Union from the battlefield, according to the re…
Letters To The Editor
Rebuttal Letter With Southern Perspective TO THE EDITOR: Mr. Dennis Middlebrooks, of Brooklyn, New York, dismisses my letter to the editor in the January issue as…
Guns Of The CSS Pee Dee Recovered From River
Guns Of The CSS Pee Dee Recovered From River By William Lockridge On Tuesday morning the 29th of September the hopes and dreams of many people were fulfilled when…
Finding Aids for the ‘Official Records’ & Overview of ‘O.R.-Navies’
Finding Aids for the ‘Official Records’ & Overview of ‘O.R.-Navies’ Last month, we explored basic practices for using the 128-volume set, The War of the Rebellion…
Events Section — April 2016
– Civil War Events Through June – Exhibits Through April, New York. Appomattox
Center Shot: Private Jacob Miller Of The 9th Indiana Vol. Infantry
Of the 24,430 wounded Union and Confederate soldiers who fought in the Battle of Chickamauga, in Georgia, one veteran stands out as the most unusual survivor of t…
Book Reviews — April 2016
– Reviews of Civil War Books – Guelzo On Emancipation, Its Relevance Kansas Frontier Guard Was Redeeming the Great Emancipator. By Allen G. Guelzo. Illustrated, p…
Battlefield Of Franklin Land Preservation Purchase
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — What is considered the bloodiest acreage in the Nov. 30, 1864, Battle of Franklin is now being reclaimed as part of the evolving Carter Hill Bat…
Battle Of Aiken Commemorated At Bee Memorial Park
When General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick left Aiken, South Carolina – 151 years ago – he was in a hurry. General Joe Wheeler’s Confederate troopers ran the Union caval…
Atlanta 1864 – Sherman’s Photographer
Atlanta’s passenger depot called “the Car Shed”, was completed in 1854. The forty foot-tall, 100 yardlong brick building was at the very center of the city, the p…
152nd Battle of Olustee Anniversary Is Commemorated At Historic Florida Site
On the 152nd anniversary of the Battle of Olustee, hundreds of reenactors – Confederate and Union – commemorated the historic fight in which 10,000 men – infantry…
‘Texas’ Locomotive In North Carolina For Restoration
ATLANTA, Ga. — The Texas steam locomotive, which gained fame for its role in the April 12, 1862, Great Locomotive Chase, is undergoing restoration before it retur…
Wreaths Honor Veterans In 2 Danbury Cemeteries
Lt. Col. Ralph Langham presents a wreath to go on a grave to a 399th Danbury Civil Air Patrol Cadet and a Korean War veteran. (Peter Milano photos)
Using The ‘Official Records’
The Source By Michael K. Shaffer Using The ‘Official Records’
Trust Raising $145,700 For Appomattox Acreage
WASHINGTON — When $147,500 in donations is raised to buy three properties totaling 202 acres, the Civil War Trust will have “very nearly completed the preservatio…
Treasures from the Museum
This rare knapsack is a standard French military pattern. The calfskin was supposed to keep it waterproof. (Jack Melton)
The List
Preservation News By Dr. David Evans
Teresa Roane Is Finding Blacks Who Fought For Confederacy
Teresa Roane Is Finding Blacks Who Fought For Confederacy By Nancy Jennis Olds BRANDY STATION, VA. — Did blacks serve in the Confederate States military or were t…
Subscriber Survey Results
Subscriber Survey Results Number of surveys returned: 688 What do you like the most about Civil War News? (number of responses) Calendar of Events: 314 Book Revie…
Six NPS Sites Get Centennial Grants
Six NPS Sites Get Centennial Grants WASHINGTON — Six Civil Warrelated National Park Service (NPS) sites are among 63 that received nearly $48 million in Centennia…
SVBF Seeks Funds For 23 Acres At McDowell
SVBF Seeks Funds For 23 Acres At McDowell NEW MARKET, Va. — The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) is raising funds to buy 23 acres of core McDowell…
Ryan Book About Gettysburg-Related Intelligence Is Cited
Ryan Book About Gettysburg-Related Intelligence Is Cited EASTON, Md. — Thomas J. Ryan’s Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign: How the Critical Ro…
Researcher Says Famous Lee Image Is Postwar Lexington, Not In Petersburg
By Ron Coddington John O’Brien of Charles Town, WV, has long questioned the location of the iconic image of Gen. Robert E. Lee and Traveller. In an independent st…
Pamplin Park Is Restoring Breakthrough Battle Scene
PETERSBURG, Va. – In January Pamplin Historical Park began a major scene restoration that will allow visitors to see much more of the Breakthrough Battlefield as…
Paging Through
I wish to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to Kay Jorgensen, Beth Godin, Linda Hoyt and bookkeeper Debra Upham for all of their years of dedication to Civi…
News Briefs — March 2016
– Briefs of Civil War News Interest – Austin Book Award
New Store At Chancellorsville Receives Special Permit
New Store At Chancellorsville Receives Special Permit By Scott C. Boyd SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. - The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 8 approved…
National Geographic, BGES Publish CW Traveler’s Guide
By Kathryn Jorgensen WASHINGTON — The collaboration between a very large non-profit scientific and education institution and a small non-profit Civil War educatio…
Museum Of CW Medicine Names Price New Director
Museum Of CW Medicine Names Price New Director FREDERICK, Md. — David Price, Chief of Operations and Interim Executive Director of the National Museum of Civil Wa…
Mosby’s Rangers
Through The Lens
Mathew Brady’s Upstate New York Birthplace Debated
Mathew Brady’s Upstate New York Birthplace Debated By Paul Post JOHNSBURG, N.Y. — The thief who stole a historical marker dedicated to Mathew Brady, the Civil War…
Longstreet’s Sidearm
The Watchdog By Craig L. Barry Longstreet’s Sidearm
Lincoln 150th Foundation Work Ends
Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation members at their final meeting in Miami are, from left, bottom, David Lawrence, Thomas Campbell, Jean Powers Soman, Harold Holzer,…
Letters to the Editor
– Letters – Book Business Has Changed TO THE EDITOR: I am responding to Theodore P. Savas’s November issue commentary, “The Golden Age of the Book Is Now.” I rece…
Lee’s HQ Restoration Is Under Way
The Civil War Trust recently started work at its Lee’s Headquarters property in Gettysburg. Demolition of the motel, at left, will begin after asbestos is removed…
International Match & Spencer Legend
Black Powder, White Smoke By Joe Bilby International Match & Spencer Legend
Inaugural Low Country Civil War Show
Inaugural Low Country Civil War Show American Digger Magazine’s Jan. 16-17 Civil War Show and Sale in Mount Pleasant, S.C., filled Omar Shrine Temple with close t…
Historic Blenheim Hosts Christmas In Camp Family Event
Historic Blenheim Hosts Christmas In Camp Family Event By Nancy Jennis Olds FAIRFAX, Va. — Capt. Chris Hoehne, commander of the 17th Virginia Infantry, Co. D, Fai…
Gettysburg Parks Begin Study To Improve Trails
Gettysburg Parks Begin Study To Improve Trails GETTYSBURG. Pa. — The National Park Service (NPS) hosted an open house and accepted comments through January on its…
Future Monitor Museum Site Will Not Be Taken
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — It took 12 years, but in December the Greenpoint Monitor Museum learned that New York City will not take the site of its future museum honoring t…
Franconia Honors Native Fitzhugh Lee On Birthday
Fitzhugh Lee’s 180th birthday warrants a special cake. (Carl L. Sell Jr.)
Five New Jersey Flags Are Put On Display In Trenton
TRENTON, N.J. — Five flags carried by New Jersey troops were recently unveiled in the New Jersey State Museum Gallery. They are among more than 100 flags in the c…
Events Section — March 2016
– Civil War Events Through May – Exhibits
Coster Ave. Mural Project Completed
Coster Ave. Mural Project Completed Co-owner Mark Moran, right, from Lucid Glass Studio of East Providence, R.I., and Kevin Dyer were in Gettysburg on Dec. 14 to…
Civil War Trust Reports Banner 2015
WASHINGTON — The Civil War Trust reported that it protected nearly 1,700 acres of land in 13 states during 2015. Its four-year capital campaign raised $52.5 milli…
Capt. Tod Carter’s Pass Returns Home
By Gregory L. Wade FRANKLIN, Tenn. — The recent “discovery” of an artifact important to the story of the Battle of Franklin is proof there are still incredible pi…
CW Trust Needs $296K By Early April
CW Trust Needs $296K By Early April WASHINGTON — The Civil War Trust seeks $296,500 in donations by the April 5 closing on the 25acre Meade’s Breakthrough tract a…
C.S. Monuments Face Removal Threats
By Scott C. Boyd After-effects of the backlash against Confederate symbols, including the battle flag and monuments to Confederate icons like Gen. Robert E. Lee,…
Burrough’s Battery Transports Lost World War II Medal Recipient
Burrough’s Battery Transports Lost World War II Medal Recipient WEST KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Burroughs’ Battery horse-drawn field artillery, which portrays U.S. and C.…
Book Reviews — March 2016
– Reviews of Civil War Books –
Bashein Gives Artifacts To Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Craig Bashein, a Cleveland, Ohio, attorney and Civil War collector, donated a substantial part of his collection to the Gettysburg Foundation, o…
An Update From The Watchdog
An Update From The Watchdog While the 150th events are over and many of us are becoming less active in (re)enactments there appears to still be an interest in his…
Actor Richard Gere Films In Gettysburg
Actor Richard Gere Films In Gettysburg By Leon Reed GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Richard Gere was in town to film scenes for an upcoming movie, and local Civil War buffs wer…
24 Tom’s Brook Acres Saved
24 Tom’s Brook Acres Saved The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) purchased 24 acres, shown in yellow, at the core of Tom’s Brook Battlefield in She…
21st Annual Chickamauga Civil War Show & Sale
The show was held February 6-7, at the Northwest Georgia Trade Center in Dalton, Ga. There were 500 tables of authentic Civil War relics, artifacts and memorabili…