Category: Civil War Research
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D. S. Freeman’s 4 Vol. Robert E. Lee Biography FREE Online
The internet can be indescribably awesome sometimes. This is one of those times. A recent thread posted at the Civil War Talk message board informed readers that Douglas Southall Freeman’s classic four volume biography of Robert E. Lee is online in its entirety, free, indexed, and searchable. All 4 volumes. All 2421 pages. Simply amazing. […]
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Sharpshooter Glasses – Or Sighting for Sore Eyes?
Quite a number of books and articles mention sharpshooters (presumably Union & Confederate) using special glasses to gain clearer vision of their intended targets, and at any given time you can find several for sale on Ebay and other outlets, and at Civil War shows. Usually these are nickeled steel frame spectacles with orange lenses […]
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Can YOU Identify This Signature?
Another historical mystery found its way into my little corner of Civil War cyberspace recently. Gary Skinner sent along a beautifully preserved letter recently for use on my Siege of Petersburg site. The letter, written on August 4, 1864 and describing the Battle of the Crater, is a lengthy one. The mystery concerns exactly WHO […]
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C-SPAN Alert: Washington Brotherhood
Caught part of this last night but it will be broadcast again tonite at 10pm EST. Shelden talks about the political culture of the time and some of the unlikely friendships formed such as that between Abe Lincoln and (future Confederate VP) Alexander Stephens; and Jeff Davis and William Seward. It’s a half hour and […]
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The Battle of Ft. Harrison: Richard S. Ewell’s Previously Unpublished Account
Lt. General Richard S. Ewell is well-known among students of the early was battles, perhaps being most famous for his decision not to attack the Union position on Cemetery Hill on the evening of July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg. Ewell’s performance at Gettysburg, in the Fall of 1863 and in the Overland Campaign caused General […]
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Gordon’s Assault on Ft. Stedman
Brett recently posted an excerpt from an upcoming book section on Ft. Stedman, written by Bill Wyrick. It appears to be drawn from Wyrick’s article in Blue & Gray, which I had some comments about at the time. I had some problems with it then and still do. Interpretations are one thing, but there are […]
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Hagood’s SC Brigade at the Battle of Globe Tavern: Postwar Accounts of the Siege of Petersburg
I wanted to take a moment to thank K. S. McPhail (New Kent County History) for sending along multiple postwar accounts of the Siege of Petersburg, including a lengthy reminiscence on the August 21, 1864 action at the Battle of Globe Tavern by Confederate veteran John H. Neil. Neil was a member of the 7th […]