Archive for the ‘Western Theater’ Category

Just received my copy of Vanishing Footprints: The Twenty-Second Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War by Samuel D. Pryce and edited by Jeffry C. Burden (Press of the Camp Pope Bookshop, 2008). Just looking through it I am excited to read the story of a regiment I am fairly acquainted with as they traveled with ... Full story

I spend too much time on ebay, and of late youtube (which is obvious). But it does pay off. I just found this oath for teachers from Kentucky (1864) on ebay, and thought it interesting enough to share: Teachers Oath I do Solemly Swear that I will Support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Ky and be ... Full story

Semi-centennial History of the Illinois State Normal University, 1857-1907, "THE SCHOOL AND THE WAR," BY JOHN H. BURNHAM, CLASS OF l861, (1907). John A. Burnham, who was a member of the 33rd Illinois from Normal, provides an interesting account of the Battle of Bayou Cache, also known as "Cotton Plant." As most of you know, I have written extensively on this battle in both my ... Full story

I haven't seen a lot of these, and of the few I have, this one is a fairly representative one. I am not aware of the practice of writing KIA letters as a prominent occurrence, especially by the year 1863. It's interesting how with just minor changes, this could have been a letter written during WW2 or any other 20th ... Full story

The assault on Fort Blakely was the last significant battle of the Civil War and that in and of itself makes it an important historical event. However, there is a subplot to the battle that perhaps takes on an even greater importance. Involved in the assault were 5,500 Negro soldiers, the largest such gather at any one time in the ... Full story

On April 9, 1865, Mobile, Ala., was the scene of the last significant fighting of the Civil War. As a primer for my soon to be published book, I will be making a series of posts about the Union's Mobile Campaign, which the 11th Wisconsin Regiment took part in. After his successful Vicksburg Campaign in 1863, Maj. Gen. ... Full story

Over the next couple of months until the my book comes out, I am going to be posting bits and pieces of letters from members of the 11th Wisconsin that did not make it into my book. Some portions or other letters by the same author did, but there were also some decent letters that did not make it. This tidbit is from William Cope ... Full story

Came across this letter on ebay and was attempting to list it on SoldierStudies.org, but have not been able to as to the lack of a regiment assignment for this soldier. This is what I know: his name is probably Edward (Bigelow?) and was a member of the Union Civil War Regular Army (13th Army Corps, 4th Division, 2nd Brigade). He wrote this letter ... Full story

I came across an article detailing the demographics of the 8th Wisconsin Regiment and noticed that they had a soldier nicknamed "Infant." Though he was no infant in height, standing 6 feet 8 1/4 inches. I knew that he was not the tallest soldier in the Union, but could not remember who is considered to be the tallest? (Note: the 8th claimed ... Full story

It's pretty much over now, my preliminary research on my new pet project "The Cotton Brigade." Whether it becomes a scholarly article or a book is yet to be decided. I don't see how there will be enough here to make it to book length. But we'll see! I have found ample evidence that Cotton stealing, speculating, and ... Full story

Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, on more than one occasion, was accused by his men for having more interest in cotton speculation than in the welfare of his troops. After routing Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman’s hastily organized force on July 7 as Hill’s Plantation, Curtis’s army reached Helena on July 12. Exhausted and nearly destitute, it took days for his meager force of ... Full story

Men of Fire: Grant, Forrest, and the Campaign That Decided the Civil War by Jack Hurst (Basic Books, 2007) Hardcover, 11 maps, photos, notes, bibliography. ISBN=978-0-465-03184-9 $27.95 Jack Hurst can write. His writing is lively, vivid, and entertaining. His research, though not as in-depth as I would like, was adequate. Hurst's narrative style is easy and fun to read.  He is ... Full story

About a million soldier casualties (killed/wounded) in the Civil War, give or take. I was asked by one of my students what of civilian casualties? I had included in my lesson some information and quotes from Gen Curtis in Arkansas, and soldier quotes, describing the horrific conditions in that state alone. So when the question was asked I was not sure what ... Full story

John S. Phelps (pictured left) was a lawyer and a Democrat Missouri congressman. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Missouri Infantry. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on October 2, 1861 and to colonel December 19, 1861. By special ar­rangement with President Lincoln, Phelps organized an infantry ... Full story

I wanted to add to a great post on what sounds like a great book over at Drew's Books and Authors site. THe book he discusses is From Conciliation to Conquest: The Sack of Athens and the Court-Martial of Colonel John B. Turchin, by George C. Bradley and Richard L. Dahlen. It sounds like a book I would be very interested ... Full story

The Civil War in Tennessee, 1862-1863, by Jack H. Lepa McFarland ISBN 978-0-7864-2978-3 photos, notes, bibliography, index 239pp. hardcover (7 x 10) 2007 $45 You type in "Civil War Virginia" in google.com and you get a return of 35,800, however, change the Virginia to "Tennessee" and you get less than a thousand. The Eastern Theater has always ... Full story

Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862, by O. Edward Cunningham and edited by Gary D. Joiner and Timothy B. Smith Savas Beatie, 2007 Hardback, 32 maps, photos, notes, appendices, bibliography, photographic battlefield tour. Pp. 520 $34.95 ISBN: 1-932714-27-8 I presented a post here about the Battle of Shiloh as I was in the midst of ... Full story

The Battle of Shiloh has drawn my interest for some time and for various reasons. The storylines within the battle, as in most major confrontations, are intriguing and present many, “What the…?” and “What ifs?” questions and scenarios. Leading up to the fight, Grant thought the average Southern soldier’s heart was not in the war. He dismissed his opponents and was ... Full story

NEWS: American Civil War in the West' Series Begins at OldWestNewWest.Com eZine; Missouri's Battle Of Wilson's Creek Kicks Off Features OldWestNewWest.Com, the Internet eZine that reports on how the New West is keeping alive Old West traditions (www.oldwestnewwest.com), begins this month an ongoing series of features exploring how the American Civil War reached into the West, and where today's Western fans can go to experience ... Full story

Nice to see it has a very good looking new design: Click Here. I am interested in this as the 11th Wisconsin fought at Fort Blakeley, near Mobile. Full story