TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Author: Fred Ray

  • Fast and Furious

    Things have been happening so fast it’s almost impossible to keep up with it all. By now everyone will have heard of the events in Charlottesville, VA, where one person died in a riot (and two more in a helicopter crash). The immediate cause was a protest march by far right groups over the removal […]

  • Take ’em Down!

    The takedown madness continues, and seems to be spreading like an old-fashioned plague. But first let’s take a glance at New Orleans, just lately freed from the oppressive grip of Confederate statues. Even without a hurricane or a really big storm, the city is flooding. Seems that the pumping stations aren’t working, a bad situation […]

  • Protecting Streets in Brooklyn, Shooting Cap & Ball Pistols

    The latest outrage is that are streets in Brooklyn, NY, named for Confederate generals. Actually they are on a small Army post there, Fort Hamilton. A local politico says “These monuments are deeply offensive to the hundreds of thousands of Brooklyn residents and members of the armed forces stationed at Fort Hamilton whose ancestors Robert […]

  • The Economics of Industry in the South

    Alan Guelzo, a professor at Gettysburg College and Director of Civil War Era Studies at Gettysburg College, has an article in USA Today speculating about what might have happened if the South had seceded. On some things I agree with him, that the secession of Dixie might have spurred further secessions (notably the Old Northwest, […]

  • Loading the Enfield

    Excellent short video on the steps to load and fire the Enfield muzzle loading rifle with the issue British cartridge. Not only that, the video presenter is in full period kit. I was going to use a series of photos I took of a friend doing it the range recently, but this is better. Please […]

  • Short Takes

    Col. Robert Gould Shaw’s sword has been found and donated to the Massachusetts Historical Society. As you may remember, he commanded the 54th Massachusetts in the abortive attack on Fort Wagner, where he was killed. The attack and the events leading up to it were the subject of the movie Glory. July 18, 1863: The […]

  • Third Day at Gettysburg (and a rumor of war)

    Today, July 3rd, was the climatic end to the battle of Gettysburg as Lee’s grand attack failed. Re-enactors will be there for the 154th anniversary, one of the largest events of its kind. Rain or shine, the battle went on, and it poured on them for a short time, but then, the sun came out […]