The Element of Surprise – Totally Effective Surprise Attacks in Military History
Surprise attacks and ambushes can turn the tide of war. More often than not, the side that has the larger base of industry or manpower…
How the American Civil War Became a “Total War”
The Civil War mobilized American resources on a scale only matched in WWII. It brought unparalleled destruction to many people. How did an initially restrained…
Nine Reasons Why the South Lost the American Civil War
An extensive amount of effort has gone into studying the American Civil War. The reasons for the war and its outcome remain hotly debated. The…
From the Vikings to Vietnam – Five Wars in Which Drugs Fuelled the Fighting
Drugs have a long history as part of war. These days, their main role is a medicinal one, but down the centuries they have often…
Top American Civil War Sites To Visit Today
The American Civil War was one of the bloodiest wars fought on American soil. Many of the war sites found throughout the eastern half of…
Mary Edwards Walker: The Only Woman Ever to Be Awarded the Medal of Honor
Mary Edwards Walker lived a life full of excitement and courage, forging paths during a time when feminism was largely unheard of, and the country…
“Hell Roaring Mike”: A Highly Respected American Commander At Sea
Michael Augustine Healy was the first African-American man to command a US ship. He was well known and well respected for his actions off the…
The “Glowing Angels” Who Saved Civil War Soldiers Turned Out To Be Luminous Parasitic Bacteria
The Battle of Shiloh was one of the bloodiest skirmishes in an already vicious American Civil War. In its aftermath, came strange tales of an…
Terrible Punishments, Desperate Men – Desertion in the American Civil War
It is the American Civil War. You have been walking hundreds – perhaps thousands of miles – in tattered clothes and worn out shoes. You…
The Civil War Photographer that Time Forgot: Alexander Gardner
When people remember famous Civil War photographers, they think of one name in particular; and “Alexander Gardner” is not it. However, a significant number of…
The Valley Campaign: Stonewall Jackson Defeats Four Union Armies
Stonewall Jackson was one of the most daring and eccentric commanders in American history. Nowhere was his leadership and tactical greatness better displayed than in…
Stonewall Jackson – A Flawed but Brilliant Commander
One of the greatest commanders of the American Civil War, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was also one of the most difficult to work with. Fierce, secretive,…