Battle of the Crater: Disastrous Battle for the Union in the American Civil War
Colonel Delavan Bates waited 27 years to receive his Medal of Honor. He was awarded the prestigious accolade in 1891 for “gallantry in action where…
Undersea Stealth: The First Submarines To Ever Sink Ships – In The American Civil War
The submarines of the United States Civil War were not the first to appear on the sea. The successful use of submersibles dates to Alexander…
How the Royal Navy kept order, Through Caning, Flogging, and Hanging
By the end of the 18th century, the wooden walls of England, as her Navy was so often called, was comprised of one of the…
Ultimately, Napoleon Did Not Achieve His Ambitions – Here Are Eight Reasons Why He Failed
Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest commanders in military history. Under his command, French forces crossed the length of Europe, leveling empires and bringing…
Krak des Chevaliers – The Impenetrable Castle, Captured With A Single Sheet of Paper
A hulking edifice of sun-bleached stone, Krak des Chevaliers loomed against a clear blue sky. How many men had died to hold those walls, and…
How Muslims Responded To The Crusades
For Muslims living in the Holy Land, the arrival of Christian crusaders from the late 11th century onwards was hugely disruptive. It brought misery to…
The Tide Turns – One Battle Ended the Seemingly Unstoppable Mongol Invasion
There are few military forces more infamous and renowned in history than the Mongolian armies of the 13th Century. They swept through Asia and into…
12 Battles That Defined the Crusades – Brutal Times
The Crusades, Christian Europe’s attempt to drive back other nations and religions, were among the most ambitious and badly thought out campaigns in military history.…
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…
The Meat Grinder Of War – Why The Napoleonic Wars Cost So Many Lives
The Napoleonic Wars involved staggering numbers of men injured and killed. From 6% casualties at Fleurus in 1792 to 15% at Austerlitz in 1806. There…
AD 732, Battle of Tours: Charles Martel the ‘Hammer’ Holds The Line Of Battle
Few Empires emerged as quickly as that of the Muslim Caliphates. Bursting out from what is now Saudi Arabia in the mid-7th century, the Islamic…
The Drafts – Building the armies of the American Civil War
In America, the draft is a controversial subject. Many people support it, as they feel it is necessary for a country at war, while many…