Latest Civil War news and articles.
Two museums share strange Civil War relic - Head of general Meada's horse
He was a hero to the rank-and-file soldiers. He rode to the sound of the guns and was wounded several times in some of the Civil War's most bloodiest battles. 145 years later, the horse that carried Union Gen. George Gordon Meade through fighting at Gettysburg again found himself in the middle of the battle. That time it was between two Philadelphia Civil War museums, each wanting his head. In the end, both sides won. The preserved head of Old Baldy had been a possession of the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library, and it was lent more than 30 years ago to the Civil War Museum, which was closed in 2008. (npr.org)
Man`s best friend went off to war, too -- heoric deeds of dogs
Getting information behind enemy lines could result in death. One brave pair who supplied information to the Confederates was a lady known only as "Mrs. M" and her "fat little dog." General Pierre Gustave T. Beauregard, CSA, had been awaiting information regarding Union troop movements. When the "Mrs. M." arrived, she said to the General "I have the report with me but it was hard to get it through Union lines. ...they searched me thoroughly." She then asked the general to borrow his knife and Beauregard watched in disbelief when she ... plunged the knife into the dog's side. But the dog was still wagging its tail... (murfreesboropost)
Comanche: The Horse that Survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn occurred from June 25-26, 1876, near the Little Bighorn River in the Montana territory. Deanne Stillman has offered an excerpt from her forthcoming book "Horse Latitudes: Last Stand for the Wild Horse in the American West" that focuses on Comanche, a horse in Custer`s unit that survived the battle. The book will be published in 2008, and she describes it as "a narrative nonfiction of the mustang in the West, from prehistory to its reintroduction by conquistadors, role on the frontier, in Buffalo Bill shows, and Hollywood to its current plight on the Nevada range, where it`s now waging a battle for survival." (newwest)
Horses of Gettysburg - documentary
The 72,000 horses and mules who served in the Battle of Gettysburg are often overlooked. "You can't get the full story of the Battle of Gettysburg without learning about the cavalry and artillery, and horses were a prime part of that," said director Mark Bussler, of "Horses of Gettysburg, Civil War Minutes IV," the 4th film in Inecom Entertainment Co.'s Civil War series. The documentary is chronological, starting with the cavalry on the first day's fight and ending with Pickett's charge. Each of the film's 12 segments takes a different perspective, from buying and selling army horses to maintaining an army of horses and the army mule. (blogcritics)
Jackson's most trusted sidekick (Article no longer available from the original source)
120 years ago this past March 16, a great warrior went to his reward. Stonewall Jackson's beloved war horse, Little Sorrel, aka Old Sorrel, aka Fancy, crossed over the river to his final rest. Other than Gen. Robert E. Lee's horse, Traveller, the most recognizable military horse's name in American history is that of Jackson's trusty steed. Without question, no other horse in the War Between the States witnessed such fierce battle scenes — and survived — as did Jackson's horse: First and Second Manassas, Front Royal, Winchester, Cross Keys, Port Republic, Harpers Ferry, Fredericksburg, the Seven Days Campaign and that fateful final ride at Chancellorsville. (washingtontimes)
This Civil War hero was a horse
When an Indiana farm boy enlisted in the Union Army in 1861, so did his horse. Many horses served in the Civil War. Several cavalry animals on both sides of the conflict won fame for their loyalty and courage under circumstances that were frightening and bewildering. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's horse, Traveller, has had a book written about him. Union Gen. GeorgeMeade's horse, Baldy, continued to serve even after being wounded. Like other mounts of Civil War generals, Little Sorrel, who carried Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson into battle, received royal treatment and enjoyed considerable fame in retirement. (csmonitor)