Civil War News, 2023
12 issues published in 2023, with 181 articles indexed here.
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December 2023Vol. 49, No. 12 · Cover & issue record
November 2023Vol. 49, No. 11 · Cover & issue record
October 2023Vol. 49, No. 10 · 18 articles
September 2023Vol. 49, No. 9 · 15 articles
August 2023Vol. 49, No. 8 · 20 articles
July 2023Vol. 49, No. 7 · 16 articles
June 2023Vol. 49, No. 6 · 20 articles
May 2023Vol. 49, No. 5 · 19 articles
April 2023Vol. 49, No. 4 · 17 articles
March 2023Vol. 49, No. 3 · 17 articles
February 2023Vol. 49, No. 2 · 17 articles
January 2023Vol. 49, No. 1 · 22 articles
Articles from 2023
181 indexed
Tin Cans
Tin Cans The canning of food to prevent spoilage was not a new technology during the Civil War, it dated back to the early days of the 19th century (at least in E…
The War Before the War, Part 4: The Reflections of Ulysses S. Grant
The War Before the War, Part 4: The Reflections of Ulysses S. Grant This column, the final of a four-part series, will look at the Mexican War from the perspectiv…
Remembering Dean Thomas
Remembering Dean Thomas Author, Historian, and Publisher Dean S. Thomas, 74, passed away on July 15 at his home in Fairfield, after a courageous battle with cance…
Photographers and Lithographers: A Fragile Co-existence Part II
Photographers and Lithographers: A Fragile Co-existence Part II The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and…
Library of Congress
Edward A. Cary, Company I, 44th Virginia infantry, in uniform with sister Emma wearing fashion of the day posed for this ambrotype by Charles Rees in Richmond in…
John Steele, Editor of the Atlanta Intelligencer
In the ADI of May 7, 1864, for instance, he editorialized at length on Southern prospects: “We hold that the people of the Confederate States,” he intoned, “are t…
Fort Boreman: Defender Of Parkersburg, West Virginia
Fort Boreman: Defender Of Parkersburg, West Virginia By Charles H. Bogart Parkersburg, West Virginia, is located at the junction of the Kanawha River with the Ohi…
First Army Medal of Honor Awarded in Civil War
By Joan Wenner, J.D. Army Private Jacob Parrott was born in 1843 at Fairfield County, Ohio. He enlisted in the Union’s 33rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company K, du…
Events — October 2023
General Meade & his Generals and the veterans of the Battle of Gettysburg Honor/Dedication Ceremonies during the Remembrance Day Observance. Honoring all commande…
Emerging Civil War — October 2023
Since the summer of 2011, I’ve had the privilege to serve as Emerging Civil War’s editor in chief, which has really just been a fancy title for “chief cook and bo…
Confederate Centennial Studies
Confederate Centennial Studies Preparing for the Civil War centennial, Dr. William Stanley Hoole, a distinguished historian, and educator, accepted the position a…
Clifton, Headquarters With A View for Both Sides in 1864
Clifton, Headquarters With A View for Both Sides in 1864 By Carl L. Sell Jr Situated on a knoll in the northern part of the Shenandoah Valley, the Clifton estate…
Clendennin’s Raid: Forgotten Foray Between Chancellorsville and Gettysburg
Clendennin’s Raid: Forgotten Foray Between Chancellorsville and Gettysburg By Tim Talbott When one thinks of army operations that happened between the Battles of…
Captured at Fairfield and Imprisoned at Belle Isle
By Gordon W. Gribble Harry Whitlock Lewis was born in Harbor Creek, Penn., on August 30, 1840. He grew up in nearby Fairview on Lake Erie. He first enlisted on Ma…
Book Reviews — October 2023
Attempts to Redress Weaknesses in Modern Scholarship More Than Just Grit: Civil War Leadership, Logistics, and Teamwork in the West, 1862, by Richard J. Zimmerman…
American Battlefield Trust
With its latest fundraising campaign, the Trust has set its sights on 29 acres of hallowed ground at Gettysburg and Deep Bottom. At Gettysburg, the possibility of…
A Union General Turned Hangman
By Joseph F. Wilson Despite the Civil War being over nearly ten years, the retired general rose early and put on his perfectly pressed dress uniform adorned with…
45th Annual Southeastern Civil War & Antique Gun Show News
45th Annual Southeastern By Jim Hammonds and Ed Travis The North Georgia Relic Hunters Association held its 45th Annual Southeastern Civil War and Antique Gun Sho…
We Are As Good As Ten Thousand Battle of South Mountain – Part I
We Are As Good As Ten Thousand Battle of South Mountain – Part I “Here is a paper with which, if I cannot whip Bobby Lee, I will be willing to go home.” – U.S. Ge…
Vicksburg 160th Celebrations to Observe the Union Victory were Memorable
Vicksburg 160th Celebrations to Observe the Union Victory were Memorable By Professor Earnest Veritas Special Correspondent to – Western Theater – The 160th anniv…
The War Before the War, Part 3: Captain Lee
The War Before the War, Part 3: Captain Lee Robert E. Lee’s record in the Mexican War is probably better known than the records of other officers who were to win…
The Mule Shoe Struggle
By Jeffry D. Wert The Union assault on the Confederate position known as the Mule Shoe near Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, on May 12, 1864, began a hellish o…
The Graphic War — September 2023
The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and the printmaker or artist’s goals. Every century since the Middle…
Raphael Semmes’ Memoirs of Service Afloat During the War Between the States (1869)
One of the pleasures of—and reasons for—reading the memoirs of participants in important events is to get at their recollections, ongoing thoughts and ruminative…
Private Orrin Cook, 22nd Massachusetts Company B
Private Orrin Cook, 22nd Massachusetts Company B “Some of our boys got Austrian rifles, some Enfield, and others Springfield. I got the Enfield, and Bob got the f…
Partnerships provide visitors to Civil War Trail sites with significant upgrades
Partnerships provide visitors to Civil War Trail sites with significant upgrades Two of Strasburg’s Civil War Trails sites received significant upgrades late last…
Events — September 2023
action’ and buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery will follow. sponsored by: The Legion Post 405; MOLLUS; General Meade Society. For information; 215-228-8200, awaski01@…
Emerging Civil War — September 2023
From the Editor: The road from Appomattox first let me past a small roadside site labeled “Robert E. Lee Wayside.” Here, following his surrender to Ulysses S. Gra…
Edward and Henry T. Anthony & Co.
Edward and Henry T. Anthony & Co. Civil War researchers have become familiar with famed wartime photographer Mathew Brady, but the names Edward and Henry T. Antho…
Col. Abraham Charles Myers, CSA and the Quartermaster Service of the Confederacy
Col. Abraham Charles Myers, CSA and the Quartermaster Service of the Confederacy by Lloyd W Klein Abraham C Myers was the first quartermaster general of the Confe…
Brig. Gen. William H. Morris: A Forgotten Casualty of Spotsylvania
Brig. Gen. William H. Morris: A Forgotten Casualty of Spotsylvania By Tim Talbott The opening three days of fighting at Spotsylvania Court House proved deadly for…
Book Reviews — September 2023
Redeeming Grant’s Reputation Grant at 200: Reconsidering the Life and Legacy of Ulysses S. Grant. Edited by Chris Mackowski and Frank J. Scaturro. Photos, notes,…
American Battlefield Trust
Veer the Trust Toward Victory, Protect 32 Acres Tied to the Vicksburg Campaign In Mississippi, the Trust recently launched a campaign to save 32 acres of hallowed…
“The Men Fell on All Sides”: Kershaw’s Brigade at Fredericksburg
“The Men Fell on All Sides”: Kershaw’s Brigade at Fredericksburg By Tim Talbott At Fredericksburg, South Carolinians battled on both ends of the Confederate line.…
Ulysses S. Grant Boyhood Home and Birthplace Site Awarded the Ohio History Connection History Leadership Award for 2023
The Ulysses S. Grant Boyhood Home in Georgetown, Ohio, was named a 2023 recipient of the greatly desired Ohio History Leadership Award by the Ohio History Connect…
Tributes and Targets at N-SSA 147th Nationals
at N-SSA 147th Nationals By Bruce W. Miller The North-South Skirmish Association (N-SSA) held its 147th National Competition May 17 through 21, 2023. Member units…
The War Before the War, Part 2: George B. McClellan
The War Before the War, Part 2: George B. McClellan Last month’s “This and That” reviewed the Mexican War experience of an artilleryman, Thomas Jackson. This time…
The Tragic Career of Union Brigadier General George Bayard
By Carl L. Sell Jr. Before the Civil War, George Bayard escaped death twice as a member of the First United States Cavalry, fighting in the Indian Wars. First, he…
Mary Todd Lincoln House Falls Victim to Attempted Arson
Mary Todd Lincoln House Falls Victim to Attempted Arson LEXINGTON, KY—Mary Todd Lincoln’s teenage home was nearly burned to the ground intentionally by a suspect…
Lost in 1864, flag of the Charleston Light Dragoons is coming home to S.C.
Lost in 1864, flag of the Charleston Light Dragoons is coming home to S.C. COLUMBIA, S.C.—The Charleston Light Dragoons were formed in the eighteenth century. The…
Ham Chamberlayne Virginian
Ham Chamberlayne Virginian “For the shortest, dullest letter really written in a past age can bring its atmosphere home to you as the most vivid historian of a la…
Gen. George Thomas
Gen. George Thomas In May 1865, after fighting in the Civil War had mostly ended, there was a parade in Washington, D.C., featuring all the Union heroes. Ulysses…
Fort Federal Hill
Fort Federal Hill The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and the printmaker or artist’s goals. Englishman C…
Events — August 2023
Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute annual fall seminar and tour with Prof. Jonathan A. Noyalas, “Breaking the Shenandoah Valley’s Gibraltar: Ba…
Emerging Civil War — August 2023
The graves of William T. Sherman and his family stand in a row, tall, flat rectangles at attention, shoulder to shoulder. On a nearby pole, a flag hangs limp in t…
Confederate History Atop A Mountain
By Joseph Wilson Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains are a familiar destination for many folks who enjoy hiking remote trails in pursuit of the numerous beautiful wat…
Book Reviews — August 2023
This first of a planned three volume set telling the story of the Battle of Gettysburg using battle reports, 3-dimensional views, maps, and first- hand accounts.…
Battle of Perryville Kentucky: the Hankla Farm
Battle of Perryville Kentucky: the Hankla Farm By Charles H. Bogart The Battle of Perryville, Ky., was fought October 8, 1862. This was the largest Civil War batt…
Are You Going To Run Like Sheep?
Are You Going To Run Like Sheep? “I give captured slaves their freedom on the ground that they became captured captives and therefore subject to my disposal inste…
Appomattox 2023 Was a Successful Observation of Lee’s Surrender
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park hosted the 158th anniversary event on April 7-12, 2023. The commemoration of General Lee’s surrender to General Gr…
American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust Appeals Controversial ‘Wilderness Crossing’ Development Alongside local nonprofits and private citizens, the American Battlefield Trust…
AI as a Civil War Research Tool
AI as a Civil War Research Tool This writer admits he can not explain all the workings of the latest buzz in the tech world: ChatGPT, OpenAI, etc. However, one re…
160th Anniversary of the Battle of Helena
By Professor Earnest Veritas Special Correspondent to – Western Theater – The Mississippi River Battle of Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863, was a well-intentioned effor…
“We Were Obliged to Retire:” Bartlett’s Brigade’s May 5, 1864, Wilderness Experience
“We Were Obliged to Retire:” Bartlett’s Brigade’s May 5, 1864, Wilderness Experience By Tim Talbot Depending on a host of circumstances, the fighting that unfolde…
The War Before the War – A Young Artillery Officer in Mexico
The War Before the War – A Young Artillery Officer in Mexico In 2019 I wrote three columns, under the title “The Wars after the War,” recounting the experiences o…
The Charge of the First Maryland Regiment
The Charge of the First Maryland Regiment The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and the print maker or art…
Taking the Oath: Alcohol Use in the Civil War
any traditional folksong or ballad, there are a variety of versions with different interpretations. Robert Burns wrote a version in 1782 that is certainly not a c…
Ohio Civil War & WWI & WWII Show
Ohio Civil War & WWI & WWII Show Our History ~ Not Forgotten MANSFIELD, Ohio—The “Ohio Show” is a true testament that our history is not forgotten; thousands of g…
Ninth Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge
From the Editor Franklin, Tenn., stands as one of the great success stories of battlefield preservation. Development nearly swallowed the battlefield whole, with…
Library of Congress Research Guides
Library of Congress Research Guides Many researchers have used the Chronicling America newspaper collection at the Library of Congress (LOC). An introduction to t…
Henry Kyd Douglas, I Rode with Stonewall (1940)
Henry Kyd Douglas, I Rode with Stonewall (1940) Among the most notable memoirs written by officers of the Army of Northern Virginia stands that written by one of…
Former American Battlefield Trust leader honored
Former American Battlefield Trust leader honored by Gregory L Wade FRANKLIN, TN—Civil War battlefield preservation advocacy group, Franklin’s Charge, recently hon…
Finding Love In The Ruins Of War
Finding Love In The Ruins Of War By Joseph Wilson A large lead ball fired from a musket inflicted a horrific injury when crashing into the human body. All the unf…
Events — July 2023
The nation’s premier Civil War relic and collectors show at the Eisenhower All Star Complex at 2634 Emmitsburg Rd., Gettysburg. Our 300+ tables are a great way to…
Book Reviews — July 2023
Fascinating and Exciting Regimental History The 117th New York Infantry in the Civil War: A History and Roster. By James S. Pula. Photos, maps, notes, indices, bi…
Battle of Falling Waters 1863
By George Franks During the morning and early afternoon of July 14, 1863, the four brigades of Confederate General Henry “Harry” Heth’s Division, Hill’s Corps, ba…
An Historical Snapshot 20th Massachusetts Volunteers: Henry Tremlett and Paul Revere
By Joan Wenner, J.D. There were about a dozen men of the 20th Massachusetts Volunteers, the Harvard Regiment, who might be labeled as ”notable.” One is well known…
American Battlefield Trust — July 2023
Play a Part in Preserving 24 acres across Tennessee and Kentucky Second only to Virginia, the state of Tennessee saw the greatest number of battles throughout the…
A Grand Sight to Witness
A Grand Sight to Witness Longstreet was “sitting on his horse like an iron man with his spyglass to his eye, coolly watching the effect of our shots. Limbs of tre…
Wert Wins Unprecedented Third Austin Civil War Round Table Book Prize for Bloody Angle Book
Wert Wins Unprecedented Third Austin Civil War Round Table Book Prize for Bloody Angle Book AUSTIN, Texas—Jeffry Wert has won the 2022 Austin Civil War Round Tabl…
The lasting appeal of Gettysburg
By Leon Reed “We had an almost mystical visit to the cemetery. Walked in via the route Lincoln took and visited the soldiers monument plus the now famous rhododen…
The Union Refugees
the North. White Northerners were often more sympathetic to and accommodating of, white refugees than black refugees.”6 Why the lithographic firm of John H. Buffo…
The Same Day in June for one Soldier in 1863 and 1864
By Carl L. Sell Jr. Upon hearing the Confederates had fired on Fort Sumter in April 1861, seventeen-year-old Henry Coddington Meyer immediately asked his parents…
The Chickamauga Campaign Trail
The Chickamauga Campaign Trail Until late in the Civil War’s third year, Federal forces had made no major incursions into the Confederacy’s third most populous st…
The Bravest Brigade
The Bravest Brigade “Beauregard is not such a fool as to leave his base of operations and attack us in ours. There is no enemy nearer than Corinth.” – U.S. Gen. W…
ShipIndex.org
ShipIndex.org Whether researching the brown water or navigating high-seas naval action during the American Civil War, this month's source— https://www.shipindex.o…
Sherman’s famous words
Sherman’s famous words We’re all familiar with General Sherman’s famous remark on the hellish nature of war. On August 11, 1880, Cump was addressing a big crowd o…
Private Benjamin Franklin Rogers Is Remembered
By Charles H. Bogart At the beginning of the 19th century, Adam Rogers settled in the southern end of Madison County, Ky. Here he established a farm of over 500 a…
Military Courts and Courts-Martials – only a ‘skeleton of direction’ to Guide Rulings
Military Courts and Courts-Martials – only a ‘skeleton of direction’ to Guide Rulings By Joan Wenner, J.D. In the Civil War, notwithstanding 'command responsibili…
Jon Meacham and Jonathan W. White Win Lincoln Prize
On April 11, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History awarded the prestigious Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize to historians Jon Meacham and Jonathan W. White…
Jeffry Wert to Receive Atlanta Round Table’s Harwell Award
Jeffry Wert to Receive Atlanta Round Table’s Harwell Award The Atlanta Civil War Round Table is pleased to announce that Jeffry D. Wert has been selected to recei…
Events — June 2023
plus costume competitions and historical lectures. The largest Civil War live-fire event in the country. Free admission, large sutler area, and food service. For…
Emerging Civil War
From the Editor Most people assume I teach history at St. Bonaventure University, which I’ve been proud to call my academic home for twenty-three years. I’m actua…
C O L L E CT ION
Left: Thomas Alston Martin enlisted May 8, 1861, into Company E, 13th North Carolina State Troops as a private, he would soon be promoted to corporal and then ser…
Brotherly Bonds Broken at Spotsylvania
Brotherly Bonds Broken at Spotsylvania While there were occasions during the Civil War where brothers opposed each other in battle, it was far more common for fam…
Book Reviews — June 2023
XV Corps in Georgia and the Carolinas Soldiers From ExperienceThe Forging of Sherman’s Fifteenth Army Corps 1862– 1863. Eric Michael Burke. Maps, Endnotes, Biblio…
Bennett Place State Historic Site – General Johnston’s Surrender
By Bob Ruegsegger General Joseph E. Johnston and General William T. Sherman met in James Bennett’s farmhouse parlor to negotiate the surrender of Johnston’s Confe…
American Battlefield Trust
An Unparalleled Chance to Save 20 Acres Associated with the Final Attack at Antietam The September 17, 1862, Battle of Antietam remains the single bloodiest day i…
19th Century Cocktails: The Mint Julep
19th Century Cocktails: The Mint Julep The mission of this column in Civil War News is to research relevant aspects of the material culture of the 1860s. To fully…
“Uncle Sam is Very Good to Us”
By Bruce Allardice and Wayne Wolf William J. Anderson enlisted in Company I, 51st Pennsylvania Infantry on Sept. 28, 1861. He was a 21-year-old farm laborer from…
When Ranse Wright’s Brigade Breached the Yankee Line at Gettysburg
When Ranse Wright’s Brigade Breached the Yankee Line at Gettysburg Lo Armistead is famous for leading his brigade to the stone wall on Cemetery Ridge in the third…
The Relation of Alimentation and Diseases by Dr. J.H. Salisbury
The Relation of Alimentation and Diseases by Dr. J.H. Salisbury During the Civil War, dysentery and chronic diarrhea were rampant among soldiers on both sides. We…
Sherman’s March
fell out of fashion; by 1900, he was superseded by artists who favored authenticity and realism and was replaced by such luminary American illustrators as N. C. W…
Military Plans vs. Civilian Elections
Banks suggested that “the only speedy and certain method” to implement the Ten Percent Plan would be to hold a special election for state officials under the curr…
Living History Association Brings Tidewater Maritime History to Military Through the Ages
By Bob Ruegsegger When it comes to accurately explaining and depicting maritime history, the Tidewater Maritime Living History Association ranks as one of the pre…
Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs
This fashionable young lady wears her hair in tight ringlets that hang loose, a style popular among young girls and teens that was less often worn by adult women…
In the Footsteps of Early Battlefield Visitors
In the Footsteps of Early Battlefield Visitors By Tim Talbott Central Virginia Battlefields Trust preserves area battlefield land partly to ensure that future gen…
Historical Society Opens New Museum at Gettysburg
Historical Society Opens New Museum at Gettysburg By Leon Reed The redevelopment of Gettysburg, now well underway with a new children’s museum at the Rupp House,…
Federal 12-Pounder Canister
This is the most common 12-pounder canister used during the Civil War. It was intended to be fired from a 12-pounder smoothbore cannon such as the Model 1857 Napo…
Faces of the Civil War
and instructor who remains a member of the Society of Civil War Historians, Historians of the Civil War Western Theater, and the Georgia Association of Historians…
Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate, Ky. A Civil War Site Worth Visiting
By Charles H. Bogart Evergreen Cemetery is located in Southgate, Ky., at the junction of Alexandria Pike (US27) and Highland Avenue. This 30-acre park-like cemete…
Events Section — May 2023
Memorial Day Observed at Laurel Hill Cemetery located at 1868 3822 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia at 12 p.m. All are welcome. Laurel Hill is the site of the first Memor…
Emerging Civil War — May 2023
From the Editor I’m not much of a fried chicken fan, if I’m being perfectly honest. I have nothing against it, personally. I’m not philosophically opposed to it.…
Civil War Impressionists Association Claims Rocking Horse a Winner
By Bob Ruegsegger In 2022, the Civil War Impressionists Association made a highly favorable impression at Jamestown Settlement’s annual Military Through the Ages…
Book Reviews — May 2023
The Confederate Detective Service. By Ransom N. Hundley. Illustrated, bibliography, 258 pp., Knucklesamich Publishing, 2022, softcover, $30.00. And, The Confedera…
Atlanta Campaign Trail, Part 2
Too strong to assault and too extensive to invest Last month’s column covered the Atlanta Campaign as marked by Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails, from its starti…
American Battlefield Trust — May 2023
A massive residential and commercial development has been proposed near the historic intersection of Routes 3 and 20, the gateway to Orange County, Va. At 2,602 a…
67th Annual Maryland Arms Collectors Association Show Report
The 67th anniversary of the Maryland Arms Collectors Association Show was held at the State Fairgrounds at Timonium, Md., on March 17 & 18, 2023. The “Baltimore S…
William Gregg and Essays on Domestic Industry
must be, of course, a longer time, and the curing of oily meat, such as pork, is more difficult than that of beef, venison, or mutton. To cure meat in the sun han…
The Vermont Brigade at the Wilderness
The Vermont Brigade at the Wilderness Few brigades, Union or Confederate, sustained the numbers of casualties and encountered the trying situations that the Vermo…
The Atlanta Appeal Justifies Fort Pillow
announced their intentions: Lincoln’s hireling minions would deprive us of the privilege of expressing at all times our earnest God-speed to the progress of South…
Tattered, Battered, Bareheaded, And Blood-Smeared
Tattered, Battered, Bareheaded, And Blood-Smeared “Once more! Try the steel! Hell for ten minutes and we are out of it!” – U.S. Gen. Joshua Chamberlain By late Ma…
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation Piedmont Battlefield 2022 saw great progress in permanently protecting key portions of the twenty battlefields the Found…
Saint-Gaudens Medal Awarded to Historian and Author Harold Holzer
Saint-Gaudens Medal Awarded to Historian and Author Harold Holzer The Saint-Gaudens Memorial, a partner of and advocate for the Saint-Gaudens National Historical…
Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Your coverage of the A.P. Hill reburial prompts me to send this note regarding a significant A.P. Hill artifact that is lost and I hope can…
Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861–1865
Journal homepage. Researchers wishing to mine the records of the Confederate Congress may do so by visiting the Library of Congress archives at https://memory.loc…
Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails: The Atlanta Campaign, Part 1
the Southern defenders held a naturally strong position, one made stronger when they created a lake by damming up the creek. Further south along Rocky Face Ridge…
Execution of Sioux Indians
Execution of Sioux Indians The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and the print maker or artist’s goals. Ev…
Events Section — April 2023
Sponsored by Col. W. P. Rogers Camp SCV #321, The 14th Annual Corinth Militaria Show will be held at 2800 South Harper Rd. in Corinth. Vendors will have all kinds…
Emerging Civil War — April 2023
sarahkaybierle for some of the shared photos and local history notes! In the Savas Beattie January Newsletter, Sheritta Bitikofer was named associate editor along…
COLLECTION
This outstanding portrait taken January 16, 1863 by Fitchburg, Mass., photographer Joseph C. Moulton shows a determined and hardworking Sanitary Commission nurse…
Book Reviews — April 2023
The Interracial Fight for Emancipation The Color of Abolition: How a Printer, A Prophet and a Contessa Moved a Nation. By Linda Hirshman. Notes, illustrated, Mari…
Back to Normal—Annual Civil War Show a Success!
Back to Normal—Annual Civil War Show a Success! DALTON, Ga.—The 28th Annual Chickamauga (Dalton) Civil War Show held February 4th and 5th at the Dalton Convention…
American Battlefield Trust — April 2023
the state: Brice’s Cross Roads, Corinth, Champion Hill, and Chickasaw Bayou. Although the Trust has long done work at three of these battlefields, the grants are…
1861 Redoubt Preserved on George Mason University Campus in Fairfax, Va.
1861 Redoubt Preserved on George Mason University Campus in Fairfax, Va. by Carl L. Sell Jr. Preservation has been completed and the Farr’s Crossroads Civil War R…
Winslow Homer “The Sharpshooter”
Winslow Homer “The Sharpshooter” The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and the print maker or artist’s goa…
Trust Expands Campaign to Protect 42 Acres at Chancellorsville
Trust Expands Campaign to Protect 42 Acres at Chancellorsville The American Battlefield Trust is battling the clock and hungry developers to see a preservation vi…
Soap
a meat packing industry before the Civil War. As a result of being located in Ohio, Proctor & Gamble became a major Federal supplier of soap and candles during th…
Rest on Arms Reversed
Rest on Arms Reversed Confederate monuments, like war memorials generally, take numerous architectural forms, some common and some rare. Among the less frequently…
One Soldier’s Ups and Downs with the Stonewall Brigade
by Carl L. Sell Jr. This is the story of one member of the Stonewall Brigade. He survived the Civil War despite fighting in major battles, being wounded and captu…
National Archives Patent Drawings
National Archives Patent Drawings During the American Civil War, the trials and tribulations of soldiers sparked many enterprising individuals to submit various p…
Mathew Brady Accused of Insider Trading While Visiting Grant in Virginia
On Oct. 31, 1864, Assistant Secretary of War Charles A. Dana scrawled his signature, “C.A. Dana” on the outside of a highly sensitive three-page letter that would…
Letters to the Editor
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I was interested to read the article in the February 2023 Civil War News about the Battle of Olustee. If any of your readers are interested…
Leading the Way!
Leading the Way! Make history in Goldsboro this spring. “They led the way,” is the title for the newest Civil War Trails sign in North Carolina which was recently…
I Will Not Die Here!
by Joseph F. Wilson Over 420,000 Civil War soldiers spent time as a prisoner of war. One Union POW holds the distinction of surviving captivity longer than any ot…
Events Section — March 2023
The 158th Anniversary of one of the last Confederate victories of the Civil War. Experience history coming alive during a weekend of battles, demonstrations, tour…
Emerging Civil War — March 2023
From the Editor I frequently describe myself as a “Stonewall Jackson fanboy.” People who know me find it amusing, but I wonder how people who don’t know me take i…
Book Reviews — March 2023
First hand Accounts of Iowa Soldiers Iowa and the Civil War; Volume 3: The Longest Year 1864–1865 by Kenneth L. Lyftogt. 2022, Camp Pope Publishing, www.camppope.…
Aquia Landing and the RF&P Railroad
by Paul T. Scott Today, Stafford County, Va., has a serene waterfront park again known as Aquia Landing after having been named Aqua Po in a 1960 naming contest.…
A.P. Hill Coming Home
roommate, George B. McClellan, then 15 years old. June 19,1847, Hill graduated fifteenth in the class. Assigned to the artillery, along with other new graduates w…
A Mortifying Affair
A Mortifying Affair “The time is at hand when, if an attempt can be made to capture the enemy’s forces at New Berne, it should be done. I can, now spare troops fo…
A Feisty Red-head Has Her Say
Georgia (“Little Washington,” as they call it), when Sherman’s Yankee hordes swept across Georgia in their march to the sea. Judge Garnett Andrews’ estate, “Haywo…
“Cheer, Boys, Cheer”: Sam Watkins in the Winter of ’63-‘64
Columbia Herald, 1881-82.3 The author stitched them together as a volume which at one time he thought he would entitle Sam’s Book.4 Fifteen hundred copies were pr…
USS Casco – A Spar Torpedo Boat of the Potomac Flotilla
by Joan Wenner, J.D. The USS Casco, first of particular class of twenty 1175ton light draft monitors was built at Boston. When launched in May 1864, it was found…
The Stonewall Brigade at Chancellorsville
The Stonewall Brigade at Chancellorsville by Tim Talbott Central Virginia Battlefields Trust’s latest preservation campaign involves a two-acre property that witn…
The Battle Of Olustee, Or Ocean Pond, Florida.
Reprinted from an article written by Gen. Samuel Jones and Gen. Joseph R. Hawley in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 4, 1888, pp. 76-80. THE fourth year…
Publisher’s Note
Publisher’s Note: In the current supply chain issues and escalating prices due to the inflation we are all enduring, Civil War News is diligently looking at ways…
NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey Historical Publications
publications listed have a ‘Related Charts’ box. Click on this box to open a new page containing maps and charts accompanying the report, for example, this Cedar…
Library of Congress
James Williamson Millner (1841–1910) enlisted June 2, 1861 with his two brothers William H. (1840–) and John P. (1844–) into Company K, 38th Virginia Infantry “Ca…
Letters to the Editor
TO THE EDITOR: Stephen Davis’ article in the January issue of Civil War News explaining the continuing historical importance of Robert E. Lee is, in a word, super…
Fanny Crosby
at Bunker Hill against the British in 1776 and she grew up hearing stories of his exploits. In her own words, “When General Warren was killed at Bunker Hill it wa…
Events — February 2023
Lookers” and the general public and will close at 7 p.m. Saturday, show hours 9-5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and children under 12 are free. For more inform…
Emerging Civil War — February 2023
Christmas will have passed and the Hanukah lights will have been extinguished. The fat, lazy week between Christmas and the New Year will be unspooling, hopefully…
Book Reviews — February 2023
A Union Soldier and Abolitionist at War Yours Affectionately, Osgood: Colonel Osgood Vose Tracy’s Letters Home from the Civil War, 1862–1865. Edited by Sarah Trac…
American Battlefield Trust
Calling All “Advocacy Allies” The Trust is ringing in the new year with a call to preservation allies across the country. Launching in 2023, the nonprofit is intr…
A Soldier’s Dream/A Soldier’s Vision
Fond dreamer may thy blissful vision be, A true foreshadowing of the fates to thee.” “Such scenes were meant to reassure families that their men in arms remained…
A Natural Battleground
A Natural Battleground Mountain passes, rivers, fords, roads and (in modern times) railroads often determine how armies move and consequently influence where armi…
A Monumental Confederate Gesture
by Joseph Wilson After the Civil War, monuments funded by states and private groups began populating the battlefields. Towns followed by erecting statues along th…
A Civil War Visitor Returns to Monterey, Tennessee
A Civil War Visitor Returns to Monterey, Tennessee Late last month the Town of Monterey installed a new Civil War Trails sign. The new sign explores the life of a…
“The Most Terrific Fire that I Ever Saw”: Artillery at Fredericksburg
“The Most Terrific Fire that I Ever Saw”: Artillery at Fredericksburg by Tim Talbott “It was the most destructive Artillery fire of the war,” claimed Capt. Thomas…
Why Robert E. Lee Still Matters
Love of animals. Appreciation of duly constituted authority— coupled with an abhorrence of authoritarianism. A devotion to history, for, as General Lee said, “It…
V. R Lock Plate
V. R Lock Plate A debate on a well-known Civil War internet forum centered around the American Civil War provenance of any 1853 British Enfield long rifles with a…
Thousands gather for Remembrance Day
by Leon Reed GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Living in Gettysburg can be confusing in November. Some people talk about “Dedication Day;” others talk about “Remembrance Day,” ofte…
Publisher’s Note
In the current world of supply chain issues and prices going through the roof at every turn, we are diligently looking at ways to keep our costs down while contin…
No Confidence
Louis T. Wigfall. The Johnston family stayed in Wigfall’s Richmond home during his convalescence. The Confederacy did not have any political parties to structure…
Location of Lincoln Speech Identified
by Leon Reed Hundreds of people passing through Gettysburg National Cemetery around 2 p.m. on Remembrance Day (Nov. 19) were curious what a group of 8-10 people w…
Lincoln Forum’s 27th Gathering
by Leon Reed More than 350 Abraham Lincoln scholars and aficionados gathered at Gettysburg’s Wyndham Hotel on November 16-18 for the Lincoln Forum’s 27th annual s…
Fort Branch, North Carolina, Reenactment Survived Covid
HAMILTON, N.C.—Over the November 5 and 6 weekend, the Fort Branch reenactment made its annual appearance. This year’s event was leaner with only some 200-250 part…
Events — January 2023
demonstrations, tours, displays, music, crafts, food, and Saturday’s Blue Grey Ball! Tour the historic log cabin, schoolhouse, jail, mercantile building, and sold…
Emerging Civil War — January 2023
From the Editor Each fall semester, as we head into Thanksgiving, I challenge my students to notice things. As writers, they’ll need to constantly stay alert to t…
Dedication Day in Gettysburg
by Leon Reed GETTYSBURG, Pa.—A collection of Gettysburg royalty: Park Superintendent Steve Sims, Gettysburg College President Robert Iuliano, Gettysburg Foundatio…
Cyrus McCormick and the Battle of Shiloh
We have written before about the intersection of commerce and the horrors of war through the marketplace of lithographs. In this month’s column we feature the mor…
Coquettish Confederate Spy Celebrated as the Siren of the Shenandoah Valley
by Bob Ruegsegger Maria Isabella Boyd was born to a prosperous family with strong Southern ties in Martinsburg, Va., a part of the Old Dominion strategically situ…
Close to Home
the Sabbath School who fell. Twenty-four names are inscribed here, names of men who prayed together in this single Methodist Church. Other surfaces list the other…
Charting a More Perfect Union
Georgia search results coast survey. Researchers seeking information on coastal operations during the American Civil War will benefit from mining the collection o…
Chaos at the High Water Mark
by Carl L. Sell Jr. The chaos, confusion, and carnage at Gettysburg’s July 3, 1863, High Water Mark on Cemetery Hill, was a potential disaster for the Union Army…
Book Reviews — January 2023
True Blue: White Unionists in the Deep South during the Civil War and Reconstruction (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War). By Clayton J.…
American Battlefield Trust — January 2023
evident in the more than 55,000 acres of battlefield land it has protected, the Trust encourages you to learn how you can help preserve, educate, and inspire. If…
A Fresh Look for Old Stories
A Fresh Look for Old Stories Last October a new Civil War Trails sign was installed at the Humphrey’s County, Tenn., Museum. The Museum at 201 Fort Hill Rd., in W…
41st Annual Central Virginia Military Antique Show
HENRICO COUNTY, Va.— The 41st annual Central Virginia Military Antique Show was held on November 12, at the Richmond Raceway Complex. Formerly called the “Capital…
35th Annual Franklin Civil War Show
FRANKLIN, Tenn.—The 2022 Civil War show season came to a close at 3 p.m. on December 4th as the 35th annual Middle Tennessee Civil War Show ended. It was a great…