Fierce and Colorful – Zouave Regiments in the Civil War
The Zouaves originally came as part of the French Army linked to French North Africa, which served between 1830 and 1962. Their uniform and tactics…
The Stonewall Brigade: More Than the Man
The Confederate left flank was on the verge of complete collapse at the First Battle of Manassas, and General Barnard Bee was struggling to instill…
Claiming Deseret: The Utah War
Throughout the nineteenth century the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons, struggled to find a home for themselves. Eventually,…
Confederate Secret Weapon – Mapmaker Jedediah Hotchkiss
Jedediah Hotchkiss’s migration to the Shenandoah Valley in 1847 at age 19 proved to be more fortuitous than he could imagine. His long exploratory treks…
Best Union Generals Not Named “Grant” and “Sherman” – We Picked 3
Very generally speaking, most American Civil War professors, informal historians, and novices can easily tick off a list of well-known and talented Confederate generals. The…
Rock of Chickamagua – General Thomas Covered for “Old Rosy”
Famous for his victories in the Western Theatre, Major General William S. Rosecrans became the subject of public criticism after he suffered a resounding defeat…
Ironclads and Huge Cannons: Union Attack on Fort Donelson
After the successful siege of Fort Henry by Federal troops on February 6th, 1862, the Confederate forces hurried back to the neighboring Fort Donelson which…
The Hemp Bale Battle – Ingenious Idea Won the Siege of Lexington
The Missouri State Guard (MSG) had just been put together some months prior to the Lexington battle that shook the small town of Lexington for…
Final Days of the Civil War: Battle of Fort Blakely, Alabama
In an attempt to force their way into the last Confederate stronghold in Mobile, Alabama, the Federals launched two separate assaults on the Spanish and…
Are We Erasing History?
Many have borrowed philosopher George Santayana’s famous phrase: “Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it,” but in our current political climate, some…
Attack on Mexico City Prepared Beauregard for Defense of Petersburg
Before his time defending Petersburg from Union forces, Rebel General Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard learned how to command, strategize, and organize armies during the Mexican-American War.…
Manassas Civil War Weekend Abandons “Civil War”
One of the longest-running and most famous Civil War weekends will no longer be held in its current form. The Manassas Museum has decided that…