TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Author: Fred Ray

  • GIS at Civil War Battles

    The New York Times has an interesting article on the use of GIS (Geographical Information Service) in analyzing history, including Civil War battles like Gettysburg. Personally I have always felt that the 2-D maps we see in books are inadequate for conveying the flow of the battle. Things that look obvious on a flat surface […]

  • Civil War on the Web

    A day or two late, but here’s something about Tarheels at Manassas. About 300 Forsyth County men gathered 150 years ago today to fight in the Battle of Bull Run, when Confederate forces defeated Union troops in the first major engagement of the Civil War. But most of those local soldiers didn’t see much action, […]

  • Sharpshooting in the the War of 1812

    Since we’ve had some comments on the War of 1812 I thought I’d take the opportunity to post an excerpt from my sharpshooter book on the US Rifle Regiment—one of the few first-class US units. Virtually the only book on this important and nearly forgotten unit is John Fredricksen’s Green Coats and Glory: The United […]

  • Civil War on the Web (and one other)

    John Swansburg takes a marathon Civil War tour from Vicksburg to Gettysburg and wonders if he can become an expert that way. The answer is “no” but it’s still a fun read. Gettysburg on Segways? Over the course of this road trip, my companions and I have found ourselves drawn to certain figures, and we’ve […]

  • Shocker: Presidential Collector Arrested for Stealing Lincoln Documents

    Barry H. Landau has rubbed elbows with presidents, helped plan inaugurations, and claims one of the largest collections of Oval Office memorabilia outside museums and presidential libraries. His Manhattan apartment includes a collection of china from Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration and a picture of Landau kissing John F. Kennedy’s dog Clipper. Police say he tried to […]

  • Civil War on the Web

    An AP article on women re-enactors: With her breasts tightly bound, shoulder-length red hair tucked under a shaggy auburn wig and upper lip hidden by a drooping mustache, Henry impersonates Lt. Harry T. Buford, a real-life Confederate soldier. The impression could hardly be more accurate since Buford, too, was a woman. He was invented by […]

  • America’s Most Significant Firearm?

    Happy 4th of July everyone—hope you were able to enjoy it with family and friends like I was. This day in 1863 was one of celebration and rejoicing for the United States as Lee’s army began its retreat southward from Pennsylvania and Vicksburg surrendered. Phil Schreier of the National Firearms Museum takes a look at […]