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…
True Innovations of the Civil War
You often hear about how the Civil War brought submarines, iron-clad ships, or the telegraph into play, but that’s not exactly true. While they are…
Two of History’s Greatest Generals – Wellington and Grant
The Duke of Wellington and Ulysses S. Grant were two of the greatest generals of the 19th century; arguably in the whole of history. Their…
The Birth of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment in the American Civil War
The recruitment of African-American soldiers was one of the most important moments in the American Civil War. In practical terms, it provided soldiers for the…
Harriet Tubman: Former Slave Who Led Union Troops Into Battle in 1863
The American Civil War was, at its core, fought over the freedom of states to allow their citizens to keep slaves. During the conflict, many…
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…
The Battle of Stoney Creek – A Minor Fight That Changed History
In the early 1800s, two US generals tried to invade Canada. They might have succeeded, too, except for a peculiar handicap – their inability to…
Battles Of Military History: When Fighting Spirit Overcame The Odds
Battles can be lost for a hundred different reasons. Poor numbers, unwise strategy, inferior weapons, the list goes on. But just occasionally, a fighting force…
Punishing the Enemy, Feeding his Men: How General Ulysses S. Grant Changed the Course of the Civil War
General Ulysses S. Grant transformed the way the American Civil War was fought. By shifting to a strategy of “baseless” campaigning he freed himself from…
The Black Dispatches From the Civil War Spies
The typical Southern officer’s opinion of African Americans was that they were an inferior subhuman race, lacking in intelligence or cunning. Their ignorance and subsequent…
The Flaws of the Brilliant Civil War General “Stonewall” Jackson
General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson is widely regarded as one of the greatest tactical commanders in American military history. While his solid determination to hold…