Civil War News, 2017
12 issues published in 2017, with 334 articles indexed here.
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December 2017Vol. 43, No. 12 · 27 articles
November 2017Vol. 43, No. 11 · 27 articles
October 2017Vol. 43, No. 10 · 34 articles
September 2017Vol. 43, No. 9 · 33 articles
August 2017Vol. 43, No. 8 · 33 articles
July 2017Vol. 43, No. 7 · 19 articles
June 2017Vol. 43, No. 6 · 25 articles
May 2017Vol. 43, No. 5 · 23 articles
April 2017Vol. 43, No. 4 · 26 articles
March 2017Vol. 43, No. 3 · 22 articles
February 2017Vol. 43, No. 2 · 33 articles
January 2017Vol. 43, No. 1 · 32 articles
Articles from 2017
334 indexed
“Oh, I’m a Good Old Rebel”
This occasional column will highlight prints from the Civil War. It will discuss their meaning and most importantly, what the print maker or artist was trying to…
Yankee Entertainments Before Atlanta Burned
Publisher’s note. Recently our Book Review Editor, Steve Davis, gave a talk at the Center for Civil War Photography’s Annual Image of War Seminar in Charleston. H…
Unholy War: For God and Country!
Soldiers going into battle carried a musket, a bayonet, and 60 rounds of lead balls designed for maximum damage. For one company of men from central Pennsylvania,…
The Saga of a Coat
On May 10, 1865, Jefferson Davis, former president of the Confederacy, was captured by Union troops. The night before, Davis rested with his family in an encampme…
The Civil War Round Table of Atlanta’s Harwell Book Award
The Civil War Round Table of Atlanta has presented Earl Hess with the Richard Barksdale Harwell Award for the best book written on a Civil War subject published i…
The American Made “Adams” Revolver
“I captured a splendid revolver, our Col. says we can keep all our booty.”– R. Wallace Mitchell, 16th Penn. Cavalry, wrote in a letter home to his brother George,…
Terry’s Texas Rangers Canteen
Often, when a soldier went for water he carried and filled as many canteens as he could so that his comrades could remain on the battle lines or in marching forma…
Sunday Casualty Rate
Sunday Casualty Rate Civil War events, including reenactments and living histories, are traditionally scheduled for weekends, since this is when most participants…
Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters Evokes Winchester’s Civil War Heritage
From the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum to the Stonewall Confederate Cemetery, Winchester, Va., warmly embraces its Civil War legacy. Local folks tell visitor…
Steam into History Hosts Civil War Weekend
Visitors have been flocking to New Freedom, Penn. At Steam into History, they purchase tickets that allow them to experience railroad travel as it would have been…
Small Talk — December 2017
1. The first Confederate major general to die in the war was not from battle causes—just old age. He was in fact the South’s oldest general, born in 1790 and dyin…
Riding with Sheridan
When an historical event is passing into legend, it helps to have a poem written about it. Thus we have Thomas Buchanan Read’s “Sheridan’s Ride,” based on the bat…
Report on the Conduct of the War
“I hold it to be our bounden duty, impressed upon us by our positions here, to keep an anxious, watchful eye over all the executive agents who are carrying on the…
Message in a Bottle: How Antietam Soldier’s Remains were Identified
Shortly after the war, the grim task of disinterring bodies of Union soldiers from the Antietam battlefield and the immediate surrounding area fell to the United…
Legendary Sports Figure introduces new book on Georgia Cavalryman
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Legendary Georgia football coach Vince Dooley recently spoke to a large crowd at Nashville, Tenn.’s Traveler’s Plantation about his new book: The…
Late War Sharpshooters & A Centennial Saga
Sharpshooters in Name After a conversation with some friends about Spencer rifles and/ or carbines issued to infantry “sharpshooters” in the last year of the Civi…
How Yankees Turned a Raglan and Shawl into a Dress and Petticoats
On May 10, 1865, Union cavalry captured Jefferson Davis in south Georgia, as the Confederate president tried to escape, in hopes to carry on the war. In his memoi…
Franklin Civil War Round Table Celebrates its Tenth Year!
FRANKLIN, Tenn.—The Franklin Civil War Round Table (FCWRT) recently hosted a dinner banquet with entertainment provided by period musician and singer Bobby Horton…
Explosive Device Found at Cedar Creek During Reenactment
MIDDLETOWN, Va.—Thankfully, the device discovered in a sutler’s tent during the recent reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek did not explode, but nevertheless…
Confederate Scarf
Dear John: My mother-in-law had this Confederate Civil War scarf and when she died, it was sent to me. She was English and none of her children have any idea how…
Civil War Events Dec.–Feb.
Before making plans to attend an event contact the event host. Deadlines for Advertising, Editorial or Events Submissions is the 20th of each month. Email to: ads…
Chasing Lee
“I would sooner sacrifice my commission than my men” – U.S. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren On Nov. 25, 1863, on the eve of the first nationally recognized Thanksgiving…
Charleston’s Rich Civil War Photo Legacy Comes Alive During Image of War Seminar
The first photographs of the Civil War were taken at Charleston, S.C., which became one of the most-photographed cities of the war era. So Charleston was the dest…
Book Reviews — December 2017
Reviews of Civil War Books Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholars…
A.P. Hill March
“At this time General A. P. Hill came up, and, charging, drove them from the field.” Major B.W. Frobel, Major and Chief of Artillery, Commanding, Army of Northern…
A Case of Mistaken Identity
An email from a nephew led me do some detective work. An ancestor, my nephew informed me, was accused of mistreating Federal prisoners at the Florence Stockade du…
136th N-SSA Nationals
WINCHESTER, Va.—On October 6-8, the North-South Skirmish Association held its 136th National Competition at its home range, Fort Shenandoah, near Winchester, Va.…
Your Reviews Matter—and Help Keep Civil War Publishing Alive
We love reading about the Civil War. We save our hard-earned money and buy books on the subject we love. Sometimes we check them out from libraries. Other times,…
Writing the History of Battlefield Preservation
By Bob Zeller One startling telephone interview stands above the countless other memorable moments that came my way as I researched and wrote Fighting The Second…
Why We Read, Why We Write
Despite the title, I do not purport to speak for anyone, much less everyone, else in or out of the profession, but I can say that History is special to me. I enjo…
What's Hot, and What's Not, in the World of Civil War Books Today!
A while back, as we were packing up far too many unsold books from a Civil War show, in order to take them back to our shop in Richmond, my good friend Rusty came…
What to do with the Jefferson Davis Statue in the Kentucky Capitol's Rotunda
In 1936, a statue of Jefferson Davis was placed in the Kentucky Capitol Building Rotunda during a period of heightened Klu Klux Klan activity and increased enforc…
Westholme's Role in Civil War Book Publishing
I was kindly invited by the Civil War News books editor, Steve Davis, to briefly discuss the role of Westholme in Civil War book publishing. After working at two…
Was President Grant a Naive Victim?
Although most modern biographies attribute the Grant Administration’s reputation for corruption to venal advisors who took advantage of the President’s innocent n…
University of Tennessee Press Publishes Western Theater
The University of Tennessee Press has always had a strong list in Civil War studies. Appropriately, given our location, our leading-edge scholarship has concentra…
The Wars after the War: Broken Arrow
The third in a series on Union officers who served in the Indian wars By Gould Hagler I could not help thinking that there was a better way to deal with the India…
The Memorials of Eastern France: Damage and Destruction
War memorials by their very nature are intended to represent permanence. They are constructed in order that the individuals or events they symbolise should be rem…
Summer Fun in Cape May, New Jersey!
By Joseph Bordonaro A ”Seaside in 1862” event? Yes, this has actually happened! On the weekend of Sept. 9-10, 2017, over 50 Civil War reenactors/living historians…
Small Talk — November 2017
Small Talk By Stephen Davis 1. He arguably fired the first shot of the Civil War, and the last. This Virginia agricultural reformer and ardent Southern nationalis…
Shotguns and Bayonets
“Dear Sir, there is one hundred and fifty double-barrell shotguns here, all in good order. Shall I send them to have the Bowie knife attached to them? Price is se…
Reflections of a Civil War Historian
My fascination with the Civil War began with a monument. Unveiled during the heart of the Great Depression in a small central Pennsylvania village, the granite st…
Pettengill's Double Action “Army” Revolver
Pettengill’s Double Action “Army” Revolver The revolvers designed by C.S. Pettengill were some of the more unique percussion handguns produced in mid-19th century…
Papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts – Part Two
Massachusetts Papers Cover. Last month’s installment reviewed the first eight volumes in the original 14-volume collection of the Papers of the Military Historica…
Morgan's Men Ride Again
The Morgan’s Men Association held its annual reunion in Bardstown, Ky., Aug. 25-26. The original MMA was formed by the veterans of Morgan’s command in 1868. As th…
Letters To The Editor
Letters To The Editor TO THE EDITOR: When the Civil War started, my great-grandfather enlisted in the 22nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served in that Union unit f…
Hunley Mystery NOT Solved Yet: Researchers Continue Investigation into What Really Happened
Researchers Continue Investigation into What Really Happened CHARLESTON, S.C.—Recently, Duke University issued a press release claiming one of their students disc…
Gun Digest 2018, EMF Engraved Revolvers, Pedersoli Volunteer Rifle & a Survivor rifle-musket
Gun Digest 2018, EMF Engraved Revolvers, Pedersoli Volunteer Rifle & a Survivor rifle-musket Gun Digest Hits 72 If there was ever an iconic publication in the gun…
Confederate Bowie Knife
Confederate Bowie Knife Dear John: I have been trying to do some research on a James Conning Confederate knife that I have. From what I gather he only made the Bo…
Civil War Events Nov.–Jan.
Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute annual fall semester seminar and tour with Prof. Jonathan A. Noyalas—”Love Not, the One You Love May Die”: T…
Bvt. General Clark S. Edwards—A Personal Side of the 5th Maine
It is still amazing when a group of letters appears from a Civil War luminary that has previously been unknown and unpublished. Recently four letters of Clark S.…
Book Reviews — November 2017
Reviews of Civil War Books Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholars…
Bell Wiley and McCowat-Mercer Press
By Stephen Davis Bell Wiley and McCowatMercer Press In my column last March I wrote about The Bell Irvin Wiley Reader, a collection of the great Civil War histori…
Augusta CWRT
“I’ve seen small round tables. I’ve seen large round tables. But I’ve never seen a Gwen Fulcher Young round table.” And so began my presentation to the Augusta Ci…
A Real Soldier
A Real Soldier “There is a Yankee; you may try your marksmanship on him if you wish,” commented C.S. Gen. Leonidas Polk spotting a solitary U.S. Gen. Ulysses Gran…
United States Marines Civil War Uniforms
By United States Marine Corps – Historical Company I thought members of the Civil War community might like to see official United States Marine Corps photographs…
U.S. Model 1861
By Craig L. Barry U.S. Model 1861 “Some of our boys got Austrian rifles, some Enfield, and others Springfield. I got the Enfield, and Bob got the finest arm of th…
The “Lost Cause” is Real Now
By Ben Windom The recent events in the news has rekindled the common narrative that Southerners have told for over one hundred years, that the South was fighting…
The Wars after the War: Close Calls for Hancock and Custer
The second in a series on Union officers who served in the Indian Wars By Gould Hagler Nearly every American has heard of George Armstrong Custer, even if most kn…
The Siege After Hell
By Stephanie Hagiwara The Siege After Hell “Hell can’t be any worse than Battery Wagner. I have got out of that, and the other place ain’t going to worry me anymo…
The Founding of the Civil War Round Table of Atlanta
By Hank Segars The Civil War Round Table of Atlanta, founded in 1949, remains one of the foremost historical societies in North America and the roll of early foun…
The Artillery that Charged with Pickett
By Shannon Pritchard The frock coat shown here was worn by Captain Hugh Richardson Garden. The details of Capt. Garden’s service follow, but the short version is…
The American Heritage Short History of the Civil War
By Stephen Davis The American Heritage Short History of the Civil War Bruce Catton begins his American Heritage Short History of the Civil War with a look at Amer…
Statement From The Civil War Trust
The Civil War Trust has zero tolerance for the violence and hatred that was recently on display in Charlottesville. As a nonpartisan historic preservation organiz…
Small Talk — October 2017
1. How many U.S. generals served as general-in-chief of the Union armies during the Civil War? 2. James I. (“Bud”) Robertson is a well-known Civil War historian a…
Silver I.D. Pin
By John Sexton Silver I.D. Pin Dear John: I was curious if you could give me more information on my most recent (and only) find. I found this piece metal detectin…
Richmond’s Monument Avenue Under Threat
RICHMOND, Va.—Monument Avenue has statues memorializing Virginians who fought for the Confederacy. Statues of Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, Jefferson Davis, Thoma…
Rededicated in the Wheatfield—154th
By John Wessner On July 2, 2017, the battle flag of the 62nd Penn. Vol. Inf., Co. M returned to the Wheatfield at Gettysburg for the battle’s 154th anniversary. T…
Peterboro Emancipation Day Gathering
PETERBORO, N.Y— Families, friends, presenters, and supporters of the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark gathered from across the state and country to…
Papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts – Part One
Papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts – Part One “Our principal object in writing the foregoing pages has been to draw a few of the military…
New Projects at Moccasin Bend
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and Friends of Moccasin Bend Announce Construction of Orientation Plaza and Park Trails at Moccasin Bend NPS Ce…
New Digital Tool Redefines Photo Sleuthing
By Ron Coddington and Kurt Luther A powerful new online research tool designed to help identify Civil War soldiers made its debut at the recent GBPA Civil War Sho…
N-SSA Northwest Territory members help “Save the Flags”
LANSING, Mich.—Every year unit commanders of the North-South Skirmish Association’s Northwest Territory select a historically-based project and donate $1,000 to t…
Marietta’s Root House Event
MARIETTA, Ga.—William Root House Event was on July 8. The SVR, SUVCW, Department of Georgia & S.C., Confederate Sons and the 30th Ohio (Recreated), went to the ai…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: First, thank you for launching what should be a spirited debate among your readers about relocating various Confederate statues, plaques, and other…
Freeman Army Revolver
By Tim Prince Freeman Army Revolver The Freeman Army Revolver, a Civil War contract handgun that was never delivered. On December 9, 1862, Austin T. Freeman recei…
Emerging Civil War Book Awards and Roundtable Recognition
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va.— Emerging Civil War (ECW) has announced the recipient of its inaugural book award: Grant Invades Tennessee: The 1862 Battles for Forts Henry and…
Confederate Symbols and a Divided Southern Heritage
By Calvin Goddard Zon The 2015 church killings in Charleston, S.C., by a Confederate flag waving young man and now the death of a 32-year-old woman by a suspected…
Confederate Monuments are Welcome at Beauvoir
BILOXI, Miss.—Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum, is making a public plea for help. We want the public to…
Civil War Vengeance: Murder in the First!
By Joseph F. Wilson When a soldier falls in battle, he’s rightly mourned as a patriot and hero who died for his country. It’s quite a different story for a totall…
Civil War Round Tables are Organizing for Growth
By Wally Rueckel For several years many Civil War Round Tables have been losing members or, even worse, are no longer in existence. This is sad because we are los…
Civil War Round Table Attributes Growth to Quality Speakers
SOUTHPORT, N.C.—The current season of monthly meetings of the Brunswick Civil War Round Table ended recently with a standing ovation for returning guest speaker,…
Civil War Events Oct.–Dec.
The North-South Skirmish Association 136thh National Competition near Winchester. Over 3,000 uniformed competitors in 200 member units compete in live-fire matche…
Charlotte CWRT
By Matthew Borowick Charlotte CWRT Many round tables meet throughout the year; others skip December because of the holidays, while others take the summers off. I…
Book Reviews — October 2017
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…
Battlefield Pickups & Fenian Parts Guns
By Joe Bilby Battlefield Pickups & Fenian Parts Guns I recently received some more material for my Civil War firearms in the field information file from my North…
Artillery Opens the Ball at Cedar Mountain
By Joseph Bordonaro On August 9, 1862, Confederate General Jubal Early encountered cavalry and artillery forces of Union General Nathaniel Banks located on the pl…
Allaire Village Helps Civil War Living History Come to Life
By Joseph Bordonaro The old iron-making village of Allaire, N.J., (known as the Howell Works in the 19th century) is now an open air living history museum. Costum…
A Monumental Spin
It takes men of worth to recognize worth in men. – Thomas Carlyle Totalitarian movements are mass organizations of atomized, isolated individuals. – Hannah Arendt…
“The First 400” – Confederate Prisoners Arrive in Elmira
“The First 400” – Confederate Prisoners Arrive in Elmira By Joseph Bordonaro The first 400 Confederate prisoners, and their guards, arrived in Elmira, N.Y., on Ju…
‘Admiral’ Forrest and his Horsemen
‘Admiral’ Forrest and his Horsemen By Joan Wenner, J.D. Some years ago a dedicated group of preservationists in Tennessee, “Raise the Gunboats, Inc.”, retrieved a…
Wreath Laying Ceremony Honors Confederate Commodore John Randolph Tucker
Wreath Laying Ceremony Honors Confederate Commodore John Randolph Tucker By Bob Ruegsegger John Randolph Tucker’s illustrious naval career began as a 14-year-old…
Whitney’s “Navy” Revolver
By Tim Prince Whitney’s “Navy” Revolver In 1847, the Whitney Arms Company made its first foray into the production of handguns. From the time the company was foun…
The Wars after the War: Canby and Davis vs. Captain Jack and Hooker Jim
The Wars after the War: Canby and Davis vs. Captain Jack and Hooker Jim The first in a series on Union officers who served in the Indian wars By Gould Hagler You…
The Personal and the Public, the Importance of Memorials
The Personal and the Public, the Importance of Memorials By Cain Pence Nearly twenty years ago I graduated from Georgetown University. The colors of Georgetown ar…
The Graphic War — September 2017
The Graphic War By Salvatore Cilella An occasional article in a continuing series examining prints and printmakers during the Civil War. Trivia Question: where wa…
Statement by County Executive Ike Leggett On the Moving of Montgomery County’s Confederate Statue
Statement by County Executive Ike Leggett On the Moving of Montgomery County’s Confederate Statue MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md.—July 22 “I am pleased to announce today t…
St. Louis Monument Settlement Agreement
St. Louis Monument Settlement Agreement Whereas, there is now pending the case of the Missouri Civil War Museum v. the City of St. Louis, Cause No. 1722-CCl 0277…
Small Talk — September 2017
Small Talk By Stephen Davis 1. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Confederates attacked and overran a Union fort on the Mississippi, Apr. 12, 1864, half of whose garrison w…
Reenactors Work Together, Achieve Success
Reenactors Work Together, Achieve Success By Joseph Bordonaro NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—“On to Richmond!” was the Union battle cry in 1862, so it was chosen for reenactin…
Recipient of Ed Bearss Award Announced
Recipient of Ed Bearss Award Announced CHAMBERSBURG, Penn.— Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours is pleased to announce Thomas J. Ryan as the 2017 recipient of…
Old Timey Music
“I don’t believe we can have an army without music.” – Robert E. Lee Just south of Nashville, the City of LaVergne, Tenn., celebrated a milestone anniversary last…
North Carolina State Seal
Ask The Civil War Appraiser By John Sexton North Carolina State Seal Dear John: My name is Anthony Amick. A couple months ago my wife bought me my first metal det…
No Joy In Lovejoy
Through The Lens By Stephanie Hagiwara No Joy In Lovejoy “My God! Captain, look at that thousand legged worm.” – U.S. 1st Ohio cavalryman spotting rebels approach…
New Book on J.E.B. Stuart’s Communication with Confederate Headquarters before Gettysburg
New Book on J.E.B. Stuart’s Communication with Confederate Headquarters before Gettysburg A new book includes proof that Jeb Stuart did communicate with Confedera…
New Bern Historical Society Honors Volunteers
New Bern Historical Society Honors Volunteers NEW BERN, N.C.—The strength of any non-profit organization comes from the time and commitment of its volunteers. Mor…
National Preservation Groups Join Interior Secretary Zinke For Battlefield Announcements At Antietam
Preservation News From Civil War Trust National Preservation Groups Join Interior Secretary Zinke For Battlefield Announcements At Antietam Civil War Trust and Na…
More on Multiple Handguns, My New Book, New Book on the Morse Carbine & a Cartridge Question
We had a preview of a prototype Pedersoli Model 1854 Lorenz rifle a few months back, and there were some conversations that followed regarding the original rifle…
Maker’s Mark found on the USS Monitor’s Turret
Maker’s Mark found on the USS Monitor’s Turret By Joan Wenner, J.D. Newport News, Va.—The Mariners’ Museum and Park is excited to announce the discovery of the ve…
Letters To The Editor
Letters To The Editor TO THE EDITOR: As I read Frank Williams’ predictably critical review of Elizabeth Brown Pryor’s Six Encounters with Lincoln: A President Con…
Lee, Hood and the Fog of War
Lee, Hood and the Fog of War By Stephen Davis Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and John B. Hood had few things in common, but one of them was that both assumed…
Getting More Young People Interested in the Civil War: Some Suggestions
Getting More Young People Interested in the Civil War: Some Suggestions By Chris Mackowski During a recent panel discussion at the Gettysburg Heritage Center, sev…
Frank and Virginia Williams gift extraordinary Lincoln and Civil War Collection to Mississippi State University
Frank and Virginia Williams gift extraordinary Lincoln and Civil War Collection to Mississippi State University STARKVILLE, Miss.—An unparalleled private Lincoln…
Conservation of a Rare USCT Banner
Conservation of a Rare USCT Banner By Jessica Hack With his issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln not only decreed that all…
Confederate Monuments – An Objective Discussion
Confederate Monuments – An Objective Discussion PUBLISHER’S NOTE: In the October 2017 issue of Civil War Times is an article titled “Empty Pedestals. What Should…
Confederate Military History – Extended Edition
writers to avoid political issues. In volume one, Evans and two other authors dispatched with many of the political topics. In addition to Evans, who wrote a sect…
Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of Lincoln
By Stephen Davis Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of Lincoln Joan Wenner’s fine article, “Confederate Secret Service” in our…
Civil War History for World War II Veterans
Civil War History for World War II Veterans ROCKAWAY, N.J—The Battle of The Bulge Assn. meets monthly at Picatinny Arsenal near the town of Rockaway, N.J., and is…
Civil War Events Sept.–Nov.
27th annual Lebanon County Civil War weekend at Union Canal Tunnel Park West Lebanon, Pa. Hosted by 93rd Pa. Volunteer Infantry 13th Mississippi Friends of Union…
Central Virginia Battlefield Trust Acquires Key Property in Jackson Flank Attack Sector
Central Virginia Battlefield Trust Acquires Key Property in Jackson Flank Attack Sector Central Virginia Battlefields Trust has recently acquired a property close…
Book Reviews — September 2017
Reviews of Civil War Books Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholars…
10th Annual Major Jonathan Letterman Medical Excellence Award
Dr. Frank K. Butler. Dr. Butler, has served as a Navy SEAL, as an innovator and leader in Navy and civilian dive medicine, and, most importantly, as the driving f…
“Truth: Remarks on the Removal of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans”
“Truth: Remarks on the Removal of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans” Publishers Note: This press release is reprinted with permission from Mayor Landrieu’s off…
We Have Cotton, But…
We Have Cotton, But… By Gould Hagler The fourth of a series on shortages of consumer goods in the Confederacy. “Melanie, by rare luck, had come into possession of…
Uproarious Time Had by All
Uproarious Time Had by All By Stephen Davis Special for Civil War News Civil War Round Tables across the country are bemoaning diminished attendance at meetings a…
The Private Letters of Gen. William D. Whipple— A Personal War Time Portrait
The Private Letters of Gen. William D. Whipple— A Personal War Time Portrait By Wayne L. Wolf & Bruce S. Allardice Historians love to find Civil War letters tucke…
The Lorenzes again & the New Jersey Rifle Corps
By Joe Bilby The Lorenzes again & the New Jersey Rifle Corps Reader Jay Hull wrote me after reading my May column discussing the prototype of Pedersoli’s new repr…
Still Going Strong at the N-SSA’s135th National Competition
Still Going Strong at the N-SSA’s135th National Competition By Bruce W. Miller We members of the NorthSouth Skirmish Association owe a great debt of gratitude to…
Small Talk — August 2017
On July 9, 1863, Port Hudson, La., surrendered, giving to Federals 51 pieces of artillery. Who was the Confederate general capitulating? This fort, guarding the r…
Ransom!
“Tall, black columns of smoke rose up to the very skies; around it were wrapped long streams of flames writhing and twisting … gigantic whirlwinds would lift clot…
Ralph B. Vincent 1939–2017.
Ralph B. Vincent 1939–2017. Civil War Preservationist, Friends of President Street Station Inc. and a Founder of the Baltimore Civil War Museum. Ralph was born in…
Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War
Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War book cover. “Medical Directors of Armies in the field, forward, direct to the Surgeon General at Washington, duplica…
McCormick Civil War Institute Guides Transformation at Cool Spring Battlefield
McCormick Civil War Institute Guides Transformation at Cool Spring Battlefield By Jonathan A. Noyalas BLUEMONT, Va.—Although small by Civil War standards—13,000 t…
Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu’s Press Release Published on May 18
Publishers Note: This press release is reprinted with permission from Mayor Landrieu’s office. NEW ORLEANS, La.—City officials will continue the process to remove…
Macaria; Or, what Confederates read
By Stephen Davis Macaria; Or, what Confederates read Following the battle of Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864, Confederate Gen. John B. Hood had few tactical options when…
Letters To The Editor
Letters To The Editor TO THE EDITOR: I have read the interesting article, “Robert E. Lee, Gettysburg, and the Lost Cause” by Dr. Stephen Davis (July 2017, pp. 8G-…
General Meade Society of Philadelphia’s Leister House Garden Restoration Project
General Meade Society of Philadelphia’s Leister House Garden Restoration Project GETTYSBURG, Penn.—The Lydia Leister house on the Gettysburg battlefield holds a s…
From The Lowcountry — August 2017
By Jack Melton We had a great time on our trip to Gettysburg for the Civil War show presented by the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association in June. We a…
Franklin Group sees Rare Flags
By Gregory L. Wade NASHVILLE, TENN.—The Franklin Civil War Round Table (FCWRT) was recently given a tour of the Tennessee State Museum’s areas rarely seen by the…
Fort Pocahontas 20th Anniversary Reenactment
Fort Pocahontas 20th Anniversary Reenactment Photography by Sandy Goss, Eagle Bay Media, LLC.
Elmira Prison Camp
By Craig L. Barry Elmira Prison Camp In July 1864 the first Confederate Prisoners of War arrived at Elmira, N.Y., Prison Camp, sent from Maryland’s infamous Point…
EDITORIAL COMMENTS:
EDITORIAL COMMENTS: Over the last few years, there has been an alarming rise in the vandalism, removal, and destruction of historic statuary. Despite widespread,…
Dr. Maynard’s “1st Model” Rifles & Carbines
The Maynard breechloading percussion carbine was the invention of dental surgeon and firearms innovator Dr. Edward Maynard. Dr. Maynard is probably best known for…
Does Copyright Manipulation Distort Our Perspectives on Civil War History?
By Philip Leigh According to Steve Schlackman’s “How Mickey Mouse Keeps Changing Copyright Law” in the Feb. 15, 2014 edition of Art Law Journal, copyrights last f…
Development of grounds next to Nashville Fort opposed
Development of grounds next to Nashville Fort opposed By Gregory L. Wade NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A scaled down proposal to build a multi-use development along the perime…
Confederate Monuments Editorial Introduction
Confederate Monuments Editorial Introduction The removal of statues portraying Confederate leaders has sparked a great deal of controversy to say the least. Many…
Confederate Monuments An Objective Discussion
The Confederate monument controversy has grown from New Orleans to Baltimore, St. Louis, parts of Florida and other cities across the country. This movement to re…
Confederate Battleflag
rendering at Gainesville, Ala., with Nathan Bedford Forrest. In our conversations with your cousin and yourself, you noted the Bradley family was close knit. Two…
Civil War Trust Announces Annual Battlefield Preservation Awards
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.— During an annual gathering of its members in Chattanooga last week, Civil War Trust president James Lighthizer recognized some outstanding lea…
Civil War Events Aug.–Oct.
Will be held at Bangor campus of University of Maine at Augusta, Texas Avenue, Bangor. Encampment, skirmishes, living history demonstrations and exhibits, guest s…
Book Reviews — August 2017
Reviews of Civil War Books Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholars…
Beauvoir and the New Orleans Monuments
Beauvoir and the New Orleans Monuments BILOXI, Miss., June 13, 2017— Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Home, has reached out to the City of N…
44th Gettysburg Civil War Artifact and Collectibles Show
GETTYSBURG, Penn.—It’s the last weekend in June, one week before the July 4 holiday and the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee’s annual battle reenactment. The weat…
23rd Annual Battle of Sacramento, Kentucky
23rd Annual Battle of Sacramento, Kentucky By Gregory L. Wade SACRAMENTO, Ky.—The observance of the December 1861 Battle of Sacramento, Ky., was a late May succes…
154th Anniversary Battle of Gettysburg Reenactment
(Photos provided by the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee) By Andrea DiMartino GETTYSBURG, Penn.—This year’s 154th Gettysburg anniversary reenactment was held at t…
Virginia Cavalry Slouch Hat with Insignia!
This remarkable slouch hat is made of a very thin wool felt, composed of black, blue and buff fibers, forming an overall “butternut” color. The hat is of the beeh…
Tidewater Maritime Living History Association Awarded Blue Ribbon
Tidewater Maritime Living History Association Awarded Blue Ribbon By Bob Ruegsegger For nearly two decades, Allen Mordica, 60, a retired Coast Guardsman, has led…
Starting Your Arms Library – Part II
Last month we started a twopart series about the ten books that I feel are an essential part of any Civil War firearms collector’s library. We managed to cover th…
Small Talk — July 2017
We’re always glad that our “trivia” column elicits thoughtful corrections. One such is mailed to us by Ora Eads of Nashville, who refers to our first quiz of this…
Restored Locomotive Texas Returns to Atlanta
The newly-restored Texas is unveiled to the public on the 1924 turntable at the N.C. Museum of Transportation, April 28, 2017. ATLANTA, GA.—Fresh from a 15-month…
Reenactors Make Film on the Third Battle of Winchester Possible
Last September, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District coordinated two days of film shooting on the Third Winchester Battlefield. The film…
Raymond, Mississippi Confederate Forlorn Hope in the Battles for Vicksburg
In the spring of 1863, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant crossed the Mississippi to begin the final phases of the Vicksburg campaign. The maneuver left Confederate…
Powell Wins 22nd Austin Civil War Round Table’s Prize
AUSTIN, TEXAS—David A. Powell, a Chicago historian has won the twenty second annual Daniel M. and Marilyn W. Laney Book Prize given by the Austin Civil War Round…
Our Brother Jonathan
The illustration depicts an exchange between two cartoon characters which would have been familiar to all American citizens (and soldiers) during the Civil War. W…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: “Honor the 14” Memorial Day is a time for reflection on those service members who “gave their last full measure of devotion.” One of America’s foun…
If the South Had Won Gettysburg
Quick: what do Winston Churchill and Newt Gingrich have in common? Answer: Not much, but they both wrote an “alternative history” about how Robert E. Lee won the…
From The Lowcountry — July 2017
By Jack Melton Your July issue of the Civil War News contains the annual Gettysburg section. Please note that it is not a separate section, but rather it is inclu…
Franklin Battlefield Procures Artillery for Interpretation
By Gregory L. Wade FRANKLIN, TENN.— Authentic replicas of artillery that played a critical role in the November 1864 Battle of Franklin, Tenn., will soon be part…
Confederate Liberation of Tar Heel Town Commemorated
Hundreds of reenactors assembled on the grounds of the Port O’ Plymouth Museum on East Water Street along the Roanoke River to commemorate the Confederate victory…
Civil War Trust Preserves 37 Acres on Barlow’s Knoll at Gettysburg Battlefield
Civil War Trust Preserves 37 Acres on Barlow’s Knoll at Gettysburg Battlefield Thanks to the generosity of Civil War Trust members, nearly 1,000 acres of hallowed…
Civil War Events July-Sept.
44rd Annual Civil War Collectors’ Show, Al1Star Expo Hall at Eisenhower Inn. Gettysburg. Saturday 10-5, Sunday 9-2. Sponsored by Gettysburg Battlefield Preservati…
CSA Two-Piece Buckle
Mr. Sexton: Thank you for your response. I am attaching the photos for your perusal with this email. My friend said that the CSA emblem seems to be soldered onto…
Book Reviews — July 2017
Reviews of Civil War Books Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil War research and scholars…
Allegheny Arsenal Cache of Cannonballs Discovered
A backhoe operator excavating the site of Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Arsenal for the construction of new apartments recently discovered hundreds of Civil Warera canno…
The “CHICAGO” Show & Sale Draws Record-Crowds
WHEATON, Ill.—April 29th. The Du Page County Fairgrounds (A Chicago Suburb) hosted Zurko’s Midwest Promotions —Semi-Annual NATIONAL CIVIL WAR—MILITARY and C.A.D.A…
The Light At The End Of Rat Hell
“I shall never forget the night when I first emerged into the open air. Just as Capt. Phelps had helped me from the tunnel the guard sang out not twenty yards fro…
The Legendary Bannerman’s
Bannerman’s! The name is the stuff of legend to the black powder shooter and collector of antique militaria of a certain age. Those of us fortunate enough to have…
The Death And Burials Of The Rt. Rev. Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk, C.S.A.
How many Confederate generals were killed in action? Fifty. How many Confederate chaplains lost their lives in the service? Forty-one. How many Episcopal bishops…
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Supplements; and Lincoln Day by Day
Continuing in his quest to locate as many documents from President Abraham Lincoln as possible, Roy P Basler, editor of the original Collected Works of Abraham Li…
Starting Your Arms Library – Part I
I I was recently asked to provide a book review for Civil War News, and this got me thinking about the books in my rather extensive arms library. As a reader of t…
Soldiering: The Civil War Diary of Sgt. Rice C. Bull, 123rd New York
its organization in August 1862 to mustering out in May 1865. Written fifty years after the war, but based on his wartime letters and diary, Bull’s reminiscence w…
Small Talk — June 2017
In our last quiz (May issue) we erred and strayed like lost sheep. We asked how many Southern state capitals were occupied by Union forces during the war. Our ans…
Port Of Columbus Flags Restoration
In the previous article of this series I described a group of very small (1' x 3') Confederate Bible flags, and their treatment. As our projects range from one en…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: Just wanted to say I enjoy every issue of Civil War News and look forward to every issue! However I have a question concerning question number 5 of…
Ketchup
National Ketchup Day is celebrated in America on June 5. The reason for recognizing ketchup in such a way results from the popular stereotype that it is “the quin…
Image of War Seminar In Charleston
CHARLESTON, S.C.—Many Image of War seminar veterans consider the 2007 seminar in Charleston, South Carolina, to be one of the best, and we have every expectation…
Gary Gallagher To Receive The Houston Civil War Round Table’s Vandiver Award
HOUSTON, Texas—The Houston Civil War Round Table proudly announced today that the renowned Civil War historian Gary W. Gallagher is the recipient of this year’s F…
Fredericksburg And Spotsylvania Record Year
FREDERICKSBURG, Va.— As the National Park Service celebrated its Centennial year, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park recorded 969,895 visits t…
Forgotten Montgomery, Illinois Civil War Veterans Honored
MONTGOMERY, Ill.—The Philip H. Sheridan Camp #2, Illinois Department of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), in conjunction with the Montgomery Hi…
Flag Fragments
Dear Mr. Sexton: I am a writer, collector and researcher of the Civil War period. In 2011 I purchased a framed consolidation of Confederate flag fragments that su…
Fighting The Forces Of Darkness
Light! Light! Light! Blockade or No Blockade! Natchez Daily Courier, Apr. 4, 1862 In the first two articles of this series we explored the ways in which the peopl…
Confederate Stone Dedication In The Land of Lincoln
DANVILLE, Ill.—A Memorial Day weekend ceremony is being planned in Vermilion County, Ill., to dedicate a tombstone on the previously unmarked grave of a Confedera…
Confederate Secret Service
Intelligence gathering during the Civil War by both sides had the same goals; basically determine as best as possible each other’s activities, and disrupt or enti…
Civil War Union Secret Service
Unique to the Civil War was the creation of ‘secret’ intelligence gathering by both sides. Previously highlighted was the Confederate ‘secret service’ and now we…
Civil War Trust And Cleco Join With Louisiana To Preserve 14.5 Acres At Historic Mansfield Battlefield
Cleco donation protects hallowed ground associated with the last major battle fought in Louisiana during the American Civil War MANSFIELD, La.—At a news conferenc…
Civil War Events June-Aug.
History comes alive at the Gettysburg Heritage Center. Several reenactor groups, both Union and Confederate, have been contracted for the program. “We have infant…
Book Reviews — June 2017
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…
Battle Of Richmond, Kentucky
On 31 July 1862, Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg met with Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith at Chattanooga, Tenn. Bragg commanded in Miss., with headquarters at Tupelo, and Sm…
40th Ohio Civil War & 25th Artillery Show
MANSFIELD, Ohio—Everyone is talking about the annual Ohio Civil War Show which just celebrated its 40th year. Over 4,000 people attended the annual show at the Ri…
This War So Horrible
“You may remember when I was talking of rejoining my Command in January last that I spoke of keeping a journal.” So begins “Camp Life, a History of the Georgia Ca…
The Graphic War — May 2017
The 19th Century was the age of the print and the printer. By the 1840’s, old techniques such as etching, engraving and wood cuts were joined by lithography. As p…
The Grand Army Of The Republic Remembered
GETTYSBURG, PENN.— Following the Civil War, in 1866 Union Veterans of the Civil War formed the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which became a powerful and influe…
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln
“To the people of Lincoln’s home town, the preservation of his works and the memory of his deeds, not in idolatry but in honest fact, is an enduring monument, bet…
The Banjo
“There was probably not one regiment in the service that did not boast at least one violinist, one banjoist, and a bones player in its ranks...and one or all of t…
Snow Couldn’t Keep The Big Guns Away!
TIMONIUM, MD.—The 63rd anniversary of the Maryland Arms Collectors Association Show was held at the State Fairgrounds at Timonium, Md., on March 18 & 19. This gun…
Small Talk — May 2017
Let’s have some fun with Civil War trivia. Here are ten head-scratchers. Answers will be found on page 44. 1. Name the battle fought on June 10, 1864, near Tishom…
Shenandoah Valley preservationists join the Civil War Trust to announce the protection of 73 acres of hallowed ground at Kernstown battlefield
WINCHESTER, VA.—During ceremonies this morning at Kernstown battlefield, the Civil War Trust joined with Shenandoah Valley preservation leaders to announce the pr…
Mosby Ranger’s Saddle Bags
This wonderful pair of russet saddle bags has a name neatly painted on the body underneath the black patent, waterproof outer flap: “George Washington” in period…
Lefaucheux’s Pin Fire Revolver in the American Civil War
In 1835, Casimir Lefaucheux developed what would become the first truly successful self-contained cartridge system. This became known world-wide by its method of…
Henrys, Pedersoli Lorenz & A Musket Swap
As I have mentioned in past columns, as well as my book A Revolution in Arms, the first Henry rifles in action may well have been in the hands of Confederates. Th…
Go Shoot All The Yankees!
“Boys, give ‘em the best you’ve got! We ain’t dead yet!” Bill Hoel, pilot USS Cincinnati It was dangerous to travel the Mississippi River before modern flood cont…
From The Lowcountry — May 2017
The dog days of summer are fast approaching and we are very busy getting ready for the many activities and events that it one of our favorite times of the year. I…
From Hell To Paradise
The Civil War was an extraordinary time, filled with extraordinary stories, and few were more extraordinary than that of Dorence Atwater. In 1864 he was at Anders…
Fort Lincoln: Guarding The Largest Prison Camp In The North
Before the Civil War, Point Lookout, located at the confluence of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay on the southernmost point of Maryland, was a summer resort.…
Donations Needed For Signage
The River Line Historic Area, the group charged with protecting, preserving, and interpreting the Chattahoochee River Line, needs your donations to replace the we…
Contributions From The American Civil War Museum: “A Tale Of Two Virginians”
Publisher’s note: With this article Civil War News is proud to begin an occasional series, “Contributions from the American Civil War Museum.” The ACWM in Richmon…
Civil War Events April-Aug.
Lee and Jackson at Chancellorsville: An Insider’s Walking Tour, Fredericksburg, Va., led by Robert K. Krick (Thursday 7:30 pm—Saturday 4:30 pm) - includes 2 lunch…
Cedar Creek And Belle Grove National Historical Park: An Emerging New Park
MIDDLETOWN, VA.—Students of the American Civil War are likely unfamiliar with “Cedar Creek and Belle Grove” unless the Shenandoah Valley campaigns came to their a…
Book Reviews — May 2017
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 In Confederate Salisbury Prison
There have been numerous stories and books written about the terrible living conditions that Union prisoners of war faced in Confederate prisoner camps, notably,…
Antique Belt Buckles
Hi John: Thanks for your time this morning. These are the buckles that have ID tags on them. I spoke with my mother and my great grandfather was George O. W. Serv…
Antietam Seeking Information And Support For 150th Anniversary Of The National Cemetery
SHARPSBURG, MD.—September 17, 2017 marks the 150th Anniversary of the dedication of the Antietam National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, Md. Throughout the year, the par…
Whitney’s New Hampshire Contract 1842 Muskets
By Tim Prince Whitney’s New Hampshire Contract 1842 Muskets Eli Whitney Jr. was probably the single largest supplier of “contract arms” to the state and local mil…
Welcome Home Col. Burnside
Welcome Home Col. Burnside “You entirely mistake the character of the Northern people. … Not only will the North fight, but she will also triumph. The experiment…
The Lincoln Group Of New York Confers Its “Award of Achievement”
The Lincoln Group Of New York Confers Its “Award of Achievement” NEW YORK, N.Y.—Feb. 21, 2017– The Lincoln Group of New York, an organization dedicated to studyin…
Tennessee Becomes First State To Guarantee Annual Funding For Civil War Site Preservation
Preservation News From Civil War Trust Tennessee Becomes First State To Guarantee Annual Funding For Civil War Site Preservation NASHVILLE, TENN.–At a news confer…
Story Time With The Lincolns
DANVILLE, IL.—A capacity crowd of children, parents and grandparents in the Downstairs meeting room of the Danville, IL Public Library heard Donna and Max Daniels…
Small Talk — April 2017
Small Talk By Stephen Davis This is a new monthly column from our Book Review Editor, Stephen Davis. Let’s have some fun with Civil War trivia. Here are ten head-…
Searching For Our Civil War Veterans
Searching For Our Civil War Veterans By Jeffrey I. Richman BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838. By the time of the Civil War, it was…
Roundtable News — April 2017
Roundtable News By Matthew Borowick Bull Run CWRT Picnic How does a Civil War round table celebrate a milestone anniversary, recognize past presidents, thank exce…
Rebellion Record
Growing frustrated with inaccurate reports found in the daily newspapers, New York City journalist Frank Moore embarked upon a mission to ascertain the facts and…
Parker’s Crossroads Cemetery And Confederate Grave Site
Parker’s Crossroads Cemetery And Confederate Grave Site By Gregory L. Wade PARKER’S CROSSROADS, TENN.—Almost three years after announcing the new Tennessee State…
Lincoln’s 208th Birthday Day Celebration
Lincoln’s 208th Birthday Day Celebration By Joseph Bordonaro PHILADELPHIA, PENN.— The Abraham Lincoln Foundation Hosts “Lincoln Day” Celebration. Members of the D…
J. William Jones, Personal Reminiscences of General Robert E. Lee
We’re still fighting the war, at least in books. I looked around for what has been written about one of my favorites, Personal Reminiscences of General Robert E.…
Historic Battle Mural Moved To Permanent Home
In this segment of Atlanta’s famous Cyclorama, Col. August Mersy’s Federal brigade attacks the South Carolinians of Brig. Gen. Arthur Manigault, who have broken t…
Heroes At The Crater In Petersburg
Heroes At The Crater In Petersburg By Carl L. Sell Jr. To date, there are 1,522 Medal of Honor recipients who fought for the Union in the Civil War. The Confedera…
George Washington’s Birthday Celebration At Harpers Ferry
George Washington’s Birthday Celebration At Harpers Ferry By Joseph Bordonaro HARPERS FERRY, W.V.— George Washington, our first President, and arguably our finest…
From The Lowcountry — April 2017
By Jack Melton Spring has sprung early in the Low Country. The azaleas are in full bloom a month early, and there is no shortage of yellow pine pollen in the air.…
Events Section — April 2017
7th Annual Crossroads of America Civil War Show will be held at the Beech Grove High School, 5330 Hornet Ave., Beech Grove, Indiana 46107. Quality Civil War items…
Estamos Ainda Confederados
By Gould Hagler After the shooting stopped most Confederates went home and, encouraged by the words of Robert E. Lee, tried to be as good citizens as they had bee…
Elmira, N.Y., Civil War Prisoner Camp
By John A Punola In 1864 rising prisoner figures prompted the Union to open a series of smaller prisoner-ofwar camps; One of them was on the outskirts of Elmira,…
Confederate Bible Flags – Charming Variations
Confederate Bible Flags – Charming Variations By Jessica Hack Among Confederate flags, one of the most charming variations to me is the bible flag, of which I hav…
Charleston Forts Adopt-A-Cannon Conservation Project
Charleston Forts Adopt-A-Cannon Conservation Project CHARLESTON, S.C.—Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Trust’s biggest news of the year: Adopt-ACannon is now funded—than…
Book Reviews — April 2017
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…
Black Powder, White Smoke — April 2017
Black Powder, White Smoke By Joe Bilby The “Lingering Topic, Cap and Ball Six-gun Basics, Defarbing Question The” Lingering Topic” I like it when a topic “lingers…
Ask The Civil War Appraiser — April 2017
Dear Civil War Appraiser: Here are some pictures of the pocket knife I spoke to you over the phone about. I appreciate your taking the time to look at them and yo…
A Confederate Prisoner Of War Who Got His Sword Back
By Craig L. Barry A Confederate Prisoner Of War Who Got His Sword Back In 2013, the Sandusky, Ohio, Library Archives Research Center acquired a very important doc…
50th Anniversary Of The Mid-South Show
MEMPHIS, TENN.—The 50th Annual Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show held on March 4-5, was a great success! The Show was larger than ever, both in register…
What I’m Working On
As I sit in my home office after one of my wife’s delicious suppers, it occurs to me that I am on the very cusp of a major change in my professional life. By the…
Webley Wedge Frames
The English Webley “Wedge Frame” double-action percussion revolver was the primary competitor to the popular Adams and Tranter patent revolvers of its day. The gu…
Update On Baltimore’s Historic Warship — USS Constellation
BALTIMORE, MD.—Five years ago the 250 ft. USS Constellation left her homeport of Baltimore but returned five weeks later to her berth adjacent to the USS Constell…
The North Jersey Civil War Round Table Book Award Announcement
Anyone have a book to recommend? The North Jersey Civil War Round Table announces its 2017 Book Award; the winner will receive an award of $500. The award will be…
The Bell Irvin Wiley Reader
“I write with a pencil on yellow paper,” Bell Wiley once told an interviewer. And write he did, more than two dozen books on Southern history, including probably…
The Art Of War
The first oil painted, Confederate wooden canteen shown here depicts a Confederate cavalryman wearing a grey kepi, an oilcloth raincoat, yellow pants and knee hig…
Second Annual Preservation Ball
STAUNTON, VA. — The Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers hosted their 2nd Annual Hallowed Ground Preservation Ball on January 21 in Staunton, Virginia. Joining…
Preservation News From Civil War Trust — March 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Civil War Trust, America’s premier battlefield preservation organization, has announced the conclusion of another year of historic land conse…
May To June 1864: General John Corson Smith And The Road To Atlanta
Editors’ note: John Corson Smith was born on Feb. 13, 1832 in Philadelphia, Penn. At age 22, he moved to Galena, Ill., married Charlotte A. Gallaher and fathered…
Iconic Rippavilla Plantation Now Part Of City Of Spring Hill
The City of Spring Hill, Tennessee, and the Rippavilla Plantation have agreed for the historic museum home to become part of the Spring Hill parks system. Spring…
From The Lowcountry — March 2017
This issue was full of articles and information leaving very little space for my From The Lowcountry column. Not that I’m complaining about having wonderful conte…
Emory Upton’s Star
Emory Upton went into the battle of Spotsylvania as a Colonel and supposedly was promoted to Brigadier General on the spot for his valiant attack on the Confedera…
Don’t Forget Us: Erastus Winters And The Sultana
“Minnie balls would strike the ground with a dull thud near us, or go singing over our heads like bees on the wing. We were ordered to unsling knapsacks, and plac…
Dalton’s Battlefield Preservation Efforts Are Rewarding
Whitfield County, Georgia, is the home to more Civil War earthworks than any other county in the Nation. On October 29, 2016, Whitfield County, in conjunction wit…
Coping With The Confederacy’s Coffee Crisis
Last month we considered one aspect of everyday life made difficult by war and its disruption of trade–finding soap. This time around we will consider another com…
Confederate Veteran
Yet hold the past life something worth, For it was good and fair; It brightened up this dull old earth. And gave some gallant heroes birth, Whose names we could n…
Civil War Events 2017
Annual Major Octavius V. Catto Honor Ceremony will be held at the corner of 6th & Lombard Streets in Philadelphia honoring the great black equal rights and milita…
Book Reviews — March 2017
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…
Are Confederate Monuments A Problem?
According to a May 5, 2016 Washington Post article, Confederate monuments are a “problem” that needs to be fixed. Nonetheless, destroying Confederate monuments -…
A Wicked Fellow
“Action, prompt, vigorous action, is required. While we are deliberating the enemy is marching. King James lost three kingdoms for a mass. We may lose three State…
A Civil War Fire Fight & Black Powder Memories
Everyone who has had the unfortunate experience of being in a fire fight knows that excited soldiers tend to fire high. Hunters faced with the need for a quick sh…
22nd Annual Chickamauga Civil War Show News
DALTON, GA.-Dalton, Georgia was once again the center of the Civil War universe on February 4th & 5th as dealers and collectors from around the country gathered f…
Will Terrorism Affect The Artillery Hobby?
Recently I organized a group of cannon to accompany a large symphony orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Having done this numerous times since…
The Planned 1864 Revolt For A New Confederacy
In 1864 plans were discussed for a Northward thrust from the South into the Northwestern part of the Union where there was considerable opposition to continuing t…
The A. P. Hill March
Dunker Church kept a silent vigil as the reenactors who were going to reenact the march of A. P. Hill’s Light Division from Harpers Ferry to Sharpsburg awoke in t…
Stephen Sears’ Young Napoleon
A good biographer has a knack for pithy characterization of his subject. One sees it throughout Stephen W. Sears’ George B. McClellan: The Young Napoleon (1988).…
Robertson Prize Awarded To Rable
WOODBRIDGE, N.J.—The Robert E. Lee Civil War Library & Research Center of Central New Jersey has awarded the 2015 Dr. James I. Robertson Jr. Literary Prize for Co…
President Carter Defied Fake History
Editor’s note: in our January issue we published a short article on the installation in Atlanta of a new historical marker, “The March to the Sea.” One of our con…
Online Civil War Newspapers
During the American Civil War, citizens North and South, along with the soldiers and officers in the field, kept up with constantly changing events through the pa…
Novel Notes
Sister of Mine: A Novel. By Sabra Waldfogel. 471 pp., 2016, Lake Union Publishing, www. apub.com, $14.95 paperback. “When two Union soldiers stumble onto a planta…
Multiple Musket Loads Revisited
Regular readers no doubt recall that Craig Barry and I, in our respective columns, were speculating on the origins of the famous report on the muskets recovered a…
Louisville Confederate Monument Erected At Brandenburg, Ky.
Louisville Kentucky’s Confederate Monument has been safely dismantled and transported down river to Brandenburg, Ky. The monument arrived in Brandenburg on Nov. 2…
Lincoln Forum Presents Annual Achievement Awards To James I. “Bud” Robertson And The Gettysburg Foundation
GETTYSBURG, NOV. 18, 2016—The Lincoln Forum has presented its coveted annual achievement awards to a revered Civil War historian and a respected battlefield prese…
How Effective Was The Hospital Transport System?
“I was wounded Saturday p.m. I laid [sic] on the battlefield for 48 hours and then rode in a government wagon for 48 hours more. Last night at one o’clock my woun…
Home Economics In The Confederacy: Meeting Routine Needs In A Most Un-routine Time
“Soap is a great institution, without it the world would soon relapse into the unwashed barbarism of earlier times” (Galveston Weekly News, Jan. 11, 1865). Look a…
Gettysburg’s Remembrance Day Weekend
The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association saluted another successful year and looked ahead to 2017 at its annual membership dinner Nov. 18 at the Dobbin…
Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable Book Award
We are pleased to announce that the winner of the annual Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable Book Award is Thomas J. Ryan for his book entitled: Spies, Scouts, and Se…
Fundraising Projects
OLUSTEE, FLA.—Department of the South (D.O.S.) is at the 25% goal of reaching $5,000 for a future walkway between the monuments at Olustee, Fla. Several years ago…
From The Lowcountry — February 2017
Larry Babits Larry Babits has considerable experience in military and maritime archaeology. After earning degrees at the University of Maryland (BA, MA) and Brown…
Fouled Muskets Revisited
The last issues have presented very interesting information about fouled muskets that concentrated on documents, Gettysburg recoveries and arsenal comments. Anoth…
Fort Branch – Guardian Of The Upper Roanoke River
Fort Branch is a Confederate earthwork fortification in Hamilton, N.C., that once guarded the upper Roanoke River, its naval yards and the railroad bridge connect…
Flintlock Muskets
The most common infantry arm in Confederate hands during the early days of the U.S. Civil War was a smoothbore musket, many still in flint and a few others previo…
Conservation Treatment Of Mary Surratt’s Bonnet
This article is the first in what I hope will be a continuing series about conservation treatment of Civil War era textiles. As textiles are often among the most…
Congress Approves Major Expansion Of Petersburg National Battlefield
Legislation authorizes the expansion of Petersburg National Battlefield by more than 7,000 acres, potentially making the battlefield one of the largest national h…
Confederate Imported Enfield Artillery Carbines
The Pattern 1853 family of .577 caliber British military percussion muzzleloading long arms that started with the Pattern 1853 “Enfield” Rifle Musket gave rise to…
Col. Louis R. Francine Camp Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary
GETTYSBURG, PA.—The Colonel Louis R. Francine Camp #7, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary during recent Remembrance…
Civil War Trust Preserves 355 Acres At Chancellorsville And Wilderness Battlefields
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VA.–The Civil War Trust declared victory on a 355-acre property associated with the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville and the 1864 Battle of th…
Civil War Events 2017
The Florida Military Antique Collectors, Inc. presents the Snowbird Collector’s Chow with antique arms and military collectibles thru WWII. Modern and used forear…
Book Reviews — February 2017
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…
Battle Of Franklin, Tenn. 152nd Anniversary Observance
Battle of Franklin Trust CEO Eric Jacobson reads names of casualties. He is standing in front of a the Carter Farm house kitchen which still bears scars from the…
Are You Protected?
If you have not thought about that question as a round table leader, you should. Civil War round tables hold meetings, events, programs and tours. They handle mon…
American Digger 2017 Civil War & Artifact Show
MT. PLEASANT, SC.—This year’s show was another success. More tables were sold and attendance was up from 2016. There were excavated artifacts of all types and era…
Accepting Submissions For Edwin C. Bearss Award
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.— Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours is now accepting applications for the 2017 Edwin C. Bearss Award. This award is given annually to suppo…
30th Anniversary Of The Middle Tennessee Civil War Show
FRANKLIN, TENN.—The Middle Tennessee Civil War Show finished up its 30th year in good shape, exceeding expectations with a full house of dealers and a gate increa…
118 Days
“If I live till the 4th of March I will ride to the Capitol with Old Abe whether I am assassinated or not.” President James Buchanan In November 1860, Abraham Lin…
Worthy of the Cause For Which They Fight
By Stephen Davis Worthy of the Cause For Which They Fight How many Northern or Southern general officers kept diaries? Not too many. And of these, we can assume t…
What I’m Working On
Pub. note: With this column by John Coski, Historian of the American Civil War Museum, we are launching a new series of occasional articles, “What I’m Working on.…
To Strong To Fall
To Strong To Fall “I am here to defend the fort, not to surrender it.” Col. Charles Olmstead, Cmdr., Fort Pulaski Fort Pulaski was built to protected Savannah, Ge…
The Question Is Not What Is This Book Worth? But Rather What Is This Book’s Real Fair Market Value?
The Question Is Not What Is This Book Worth? But Rather What Is This Book’s Real Fair Market Value? Book Values – The Art Of Successful Pricing For The Second-Han…
THE ELECTION OF 1876 IN SOUTH CAROLINA – And You Thought 2016 Was a Strange Year
THE ELECTION OF 1876 IN SOUTH CAROLINA – And You Thought 2016 Was a Strange Year By Gould Hagler Two competing bodies of men occupied the chamber of the House of…
Southern Historical Society Papers
Northern effort to write a biased history of the war, the society maintained its focus on the original goal as established in New Orleans, “…the collection and pr…
Remembering A Desperate Defense Of Culp’s Hill
Remembering A Desperate Defense Of Culp’s Hill By Joe Bordonaro Colonel Joshua Chamberlain’s 20th Maine is rightly famous for its epic defense of Little Round Top…
Reenactor Groups Come Together
PERRYVILLE, Ky. – On the very ground where Americans fought Americans over their discontent for each other, a group of Federal Civil War reenactors put aside diff…
Reconstruction Era Electoral College Fraud
Reconstruction Era Electoral College Fraud By Philip Leigh About four o’clock on the morning following Tuesday’s Presidential election The New York Times received…
Provenance of Loaded Muskets Recovered From Gettysburg
Letters To The Editor Provenance of Loaded Muskets Recovered From Gettysburg TO THE EDITOR: I’m a long-time researcher of U.S. Army Ordnance Department records at…
Pennsylvania Meetings + Events Magazine Award
Pennsylvania Meetings + Events Magazine Award GETTYSBURG, PA.–Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center was voted the top venue in the state as…
Paging Through — January 2017
By Jack Melton By the time you receive this issue we will have moved our headquarters to Charleston, South Carolina. Our new mailing address is 520 Folly Road, Su…
N. K. Fairbank: The Lord of Lard
By Craig L. Barry N. K. Fairbank: The Lord of Lard “After being camped there a few days, a detail of fifteen men was called to go to Richmond, Louisiana, to watch…
Miles Greenwood’s Cincinnati War Effort
By Tim Prince Miles Greenwood’s Cincinnati War Effort Last month, while talking about the some of the alterations performed on Austrian Model 1842 Muskets importe…
March To The Sea Marker
March To The Sea Marker ATLANTA, GA.—The Sons Of Union Veterans and the Georgia Civil Service Commission, installed a new monument at the starting point, of the U…
Maker McElroy’s Rare ‘Lasso Knife’ Explained
Maker McElroy’s Rare ‘Lasso Knife’ Explained By Shannon Pritchard The knife illustrated here has an interesting history. It can be seen from this article, quoted…
Louisville, Kentucky’s Confederate Monument Sold Down River
Louisville, Kentucky’s Confederate Monument Sold Down River By Charles H. Bogart Louisville Kentucky’s Confederate Memorial Monument, located within the campus of…
Longstreet Society Seminar Held In Gettysburg
Longstreet Society Seminar Held In Gettysburg the group, welcomed them to the seminar and to Gettysburg. This evening proved to be simply awesome as Wayne Motts,…
Living Veteran’s Daughter
By Gould Hagler Pictured here is Iris Lee Gay Jordan, the daughter of Lewis Gay, who served as a private in the 4th Florida Infantry Regiment. Private Gay was cap…
How To Win A Prestigious Book Award!
Book Review Editor’s note: After our column in the November issue about distinguished book awards given by several Civil War Round Tables around the country, we d…
History Of Memorial Hall — 125th Anniversary
Memorial Hall before the front porch was added. By Joseph A. Ricci One hundred and twenty-five years ago, Memorial Hall opened its doors and invited the world to…
General Longstreet Museum Celebrates 10 Years
on the block to be sold. It was overgrown, deteriorating, and fast becoming an eyesore. Local Civil War historian Mike Beck discovered that a contractor had asked…
Franklin Symposium Studies Pivotal Battle
Franklin Symposium Studies Pivotal Battle By Gregory L. Wade FRANKLIN, TENN.—The Battle of Franklin Trust (BOFT) recently hosted a symposium called, “The Battle o…
Fleetwood Hill: The Return Of The Yankees And The Rebels
Fleetwood Hill: The Return Of The Yankees And The Rebels By Sandy Goss It’s a long, grassy hill that looks like any other grassy hill except that over 150 years a…
Confederate Memorial Hall Victim Of Fire Bombing
Confederate Memorial Hall Victim Of Fire Bombing By Joseph A. Ricci NEW ORLEANS, LA.—New Orleans hidden gem, Confederate Memorial Hall, was recently the victim of…
Collector Shoot, Reborn Whitworth, Cartridge Cases & Henrys
I recently heard from friend Bill Adams regarding his work with the Massachusetts Antique Arms Collectors’ annual outing. Bill has organized a “historic arms shoo…
Civil War Events 2017 — January 2017
Through 2016, Pennsylvania. Vice & Virtue “Tell Mother I’ve Been Good: Vice & Virtue in the Civil War” exhibit at National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg. Stories,…
Capital Of The Confederacy Civil War Show Report
Capital Of The Confederacy Civil War Show Report RICHMOND, VA.—The 36th Annual Capital of the Confederacy Civil War Show was held November 12th and 13th at the Ri…
Book Reviews — January 2017
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…
Battle Reenactments – A Photo Montage –
(All photos by Sandy Goss) By Sandy Goss CEDAR CREEK BATTLEFIELD—The second weekend in October saw the reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek and the Battle of…
Annual Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade
Annual Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade GETTYSBURG, PA.—With the sunshine and 70-degree weather, hundreds of Union & Confederate Soldiers and civilians stepped o…
1862 Bible
By John Sexton 1862 Bible Dear Civil War Appraiser: I purchased this Bible in 1997 at a flea market in Pennsylvania. What makes the Bible significant are the insc…