American Civil War | War History

The Slave Who Stole A Confederate Ship, Met President Lincoln & Bought His Master’s House

In 1862, Robert Smalls stole a Confederate ship, gave it to the Union Army, freed slaves, and met President Abraham Lincoln. After the war, he…

Jack Hinson: A Civil War Sniper Hell Bent on Revenge

John W. “Jack” Hinson, better known as “Old Jack” to his family, was a prosperous farmer in Stewart County, Tennessee. A non-political man, he opposed…

Fighting Joe Hooker at the Battle of Fredericksburg: The Frustrated Commander

Few American Civil War commanders were as contentious, either in war or its aftermath, as Fighting Joe Hooker. After months of grumbling at the failures…

Where Heroes Rest – Local Cemetery Serves As Burial Site For Soldiers Of Black Infantry Regiments

War History online proudly presents this Guest Piece from Jeremy P. Ämick, who is a military historian and writes on behalf of the Silver Star Families…

Fighting Joe Hooker – One of the Weirdest Generals of the American Civil War

Fighting Joe Hooker is one of the stranger figures of the American Civil War. As a general, he was aggressive in both his outlook and…

The Battle of Williamsburg – A Massive Withdrawal Over Difficult Ground

On the night of May 3, 1862, Confederate forces began a withdrawal from the defenses around Yorktown. For a month, they had been waiting for…

American Civil War: The Battle of Chancellorsville – Fighting Joe Hooker and Robert E. Lee

The Battle of Chancellorsville was one of the most important of the American Civil War. It saw one of the war’s bloodiest days of fighting,…

Fighting Joe Hooker Worked Hard To Become a General in the American Civil War

During the early days of the American Civil War, appointments of Union generals were as much about politics as skill and experience. The case of…

General Ulysses S. Grant In The American Civil War

Ulysses S. Grant was one of the greatest generals in American history. Under his leadership, the Union armies marched to victory through the bloody quagmire…

The Battle of Shiloh – Unprecedented Levels Of Bloodshed In American Civil War

Fought on April 6 and 7, 1862, the Battle of Shiloh was one of the most important in the western theater of the American Civil…

How Success and the Failures of Others Ruined General George McClellan

George McClellan’s reputation is not a good one. As commander of the Union armies early in the American Civil War, he is often credited as…

How the Confederacy Almost Won the American Civil War

Early in the American Civil War, the Confederacy almost won. It was not the complete victory the Union eventually achieved. Rather than conquering their opponents,…