A Hard Dose of Reality for North and South – 1st Battle of Bull Run
Merriment rang out in the streets of Washington on July 16, 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army, 35,000 strong, marched out to begin the campaign…
Which is Your Favorite? – Famous Charges in History
With the enemies’ formation looking impenetrable and the odds continuously climbing higher in their favor, the battle would take on the shapes and colors of…
Hunley Crew was No Suicide Mission – Civil War Submarine Reveals Its Secrets
During the Civil War, the Confederacy had a submarine called the H.L Hunley. It was 40-feet long (or twelve meters), bulletproof and built in Mobile,…
When History Closes: Civil War Veterans School Shuttered
The Civil War is, without doubt, one of the defining moments in American political history. In the years 1861–1865, it set family members against one another…
“Flying Artillery” – New Tactics at Palo-Alto in the Mexican-American War
In 1846, The United States of America went to war with Mexico, eager to annex Texas and California to expand the Union from sea to…
War in California – The Battle of San Pasqual
In the days of the Mexican-American war, U.S. forces marched 2000 miles, from New Mexico to California—the longest march in the history of the U.S.…
Carrying the Stars and Stripes: James Longstreet in Mexico
Of all the notable Rebel general’s serving the rebellious south during the American Civil War, James Longstreet is one of the more overlooked. One of…
A Rising Star: The Daring and Ingenious McClellan Before the Civil War
Many generals of the American Civil War sharpened their teeth in Mexico, even the ones whose performance left President Lincoln bemoaning their posting. In Mexico,…
Glendale – The Battle that Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and McClellan Would Like to Forget
The Battle of Glendale took place on June 30, 1862, as part of the Union-orchestrated Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. During the end…
How the “Other” Ewell Brother Helped Saved Richmond
The 16th President of the College of William and Mary, Benjamin Stoddert Ewell was a civil engineer who served in the Confederate Army. His ingenuity…
A Stonewall Before Bull Run: Jackson in Mexico
Though his participation was cut short, Rebel General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson proved a skilled tactician and trusted compatriot of fellow Rebel Robert E. Lee. Like…
Battle of Atlanta – McPherson’s Meteoric Rise and Fall
James Birdseye McPherson began his career after graduating first in his class from the United States Military College in 1853, a class that included Philip…