Confederate POW camp items unearthed by archeologists (photos)
Pipes, coins, jewelry, spoon and buttons... just some of the prisoner's items from one of the largest Confederate prison camps. An archeology team led by Kevin Chapman of Georgia Southern University first made the finds from Camp Lawton, in Millen, Ga. The items were likely left behind by POWs hastily moved away as General Sherman advanced on Atlanta in 1864 during the Union march across the Georgia and South Carolina. Camp Lawton only existed for 6 weeks, holding 10,000 prisoners, of whom about 1,300 perished during their stay. (usatoday.com)
National website lists 6.3 million Union and Confederate soldiers
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System website at itd.nps.gov/cwss/ was labeled an "Editor's Pick" in the July-August 2010 issue of Family Chronicle magazine. The database of 6.3 million soldiers, both Union and Confederate, is complete and came from the National Archives. It is a project of the National Park Service, therefore the nps in the site's address. In the future Civil War sailors will be added to the database. (bangordailynews.com)
Original Confederate gun from CSS Alabama finally arrives in Museum of Mobile
A Confederate cannon has been reunited with other historical CSS Alabama items and militaria at the Museum of Mobile. The cannon was one of 8 original guns aboard the CSS Alabama, which sank off the coast of Cherbourg, France, on June 19, 1864. The Civil War-era vessel was destroyed during a battle with the Union's USS Kearsarge. Only 3 cannons have been excavated and placed in museums (Charleston, Richmond) for visitors to view. The 10 feet 5,000-lb gun was salvaged in 2003 by French and American divers along with the wreckage of the CSS Alabama. (blog.al.com)
H. L. Hunley research project celebrates its 10th year but mysteries remain about the confederate submarine
When the H.L. Hunley - a third-generation submarine designed by engineer James McClintock - surfaced on August 8, 2000, Warren Lasch could not believe what he saw. There was the lost Civil War submarine, suspended in its lift cradle, encrusted with 136 years' of sand. The Friends of the Hunley chairman had spent years bracing himself for the moment. But that morning, Lasch was amazed by the army of reporters, surrounding the submarine. "We expected regional interest, not national and international stories. But it was not just a southern thing; it was a national thing, a science, history, mystery and research thing." (heraldonline.com)
Commander of All Lincoln's Armies: A Life of Henry W. Halleck (Book Review)
Civil War buffs rarely get excited about General Henry Wager Halleck, even though he was, for a time, the supreme commander of the Federal armies. The view exists that he was a distant and demanding intellectual, happier behind a desk than on a horse. As John F. Marszalek's biography reveals, this view is not far from the truth. Halleck - called "Old Brains" by the troops after the Corinth campaign - was famous for his intellect long before the Civil War. The hallmarks of his command were caution and attention to bureaucratic detail - not planning winning strategies for the war. (historynet.com)
The Confederate Alamo by John Fox (Book review)
In "The Confederate Alamo" John Fox explores one of the least-known but most important battles of the Petersburg campaign - the defense of Fort Gregg and its associated works, Forts Whitworth and Owen. Fox has tracked down several unpublished sources on both sides and alternates between a tactical overview and the soldiers-eye view. Tactically it was a messy battle - the Confederates withdrew some artillery pieces early in the action that might have made a major difference and the Union assaults were badly organized and - even thought their numbers were overwhelming - took place one at a time. (brettschulte.net)
Civil War sword finds way back to Oakland Museum
A Civil War sword - that may have been sold, stolen or traded away from Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum - is back at the Oakland museum. A collector bought the ornate sword, presented to Captain Augustus Plummer Davis in 1862, at a local antique market. Realizing what he had, David Aeberli sold the sword to the museum for the amount he paid. The sword, dated July 4, 1862, was made by the N.P. Ames Co., which began making swords for foot artillery soldiers in 1832. After the Civil War, Davis set up the Sons of Union Veterans (SUV), a national organization for the eldest sons of Civil War veterans. (pittsburghlive.com)
Civil War Reenactment in the United States
War reenactment is by no means an American phenomenon. Both the Greeks and the Romans had battle scenes in their dramatic cultures. Among the great reenactments is the 1066 Battle of Hastings that gave birth to modern England, and the number of reenactors can reach 5,000. The dressing up in 11th century war gear (medieval steel helmets, etc) takes place under the guidance of English Heritage, which is closely associated with the British government. In the U.S. no was has spread the reenactment like the Civil War - and right now many reenactors are gearing up for a round of 150th anniversary encampments to begin in 2011 at Fort Sumter. (time.com)
Edna Hetrick, daughter of Civil War soldier, dies at 103 -- 16 living daughters of Civil War veterans left
An Ohio woman whose father saw combat in the Civil War has passed away at 103. Edna Marie Hetrick was a member of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The Illinois-based organization says there are 16 other living daughters of Civil War veterans. Hetrick's father David Huffman served with the Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Union Army. He saw combat in battles in Tennessee and Georgia and was wounded in 1863. Hetrick was born when her father was 62, 41 years after the Civil War ended. She recalled her father talking about the war, but she wasn't very interested at the time. (daytondailynews.com)
The 1864 Battle That Saved Washington - The Battle of Monocacy
In June of 1864 the Union had pulled troops from other areas to move South, and in the process they had stalled the Confederate troops in the areas around Richmond and Petersburg. General Robert E. Lee's spies told him that the Union capital was almost undefended, with only 9,000 Union soldiers guarding Washington, D.C. Lee's plan was to send General Jubal Early north with 14,000 soldiers to seize the Union's capital. As confederates moved north, they ran into 6,500 Union soldiers in the area around Frederick, Maryland under the guidance of General Lew Wallace - and the Battle of Monocacy took place. (huffingtonpost.com)
The last 100 children of Civil War soldiers fading fast
Jim Brown grew up in the Civil War's shadow, listening to stories of the fighting from a father who experienced it. "He was in it from the beginning at Manassas to the end at Appomattox. He'd be amazed to see the changes today." At 98, Brown's part of an exclusive group - the living children of Civil War soldiers, removed by a single generation from the America's bloodiest conflict. Records show less than 100 sons and daughters of the blue and gray veterans remain. Historians hope to see members of that club hang around long enough to be part of the Civil War's 150th anniversary. (scrippsnews.com)
Tour Pennsylvania's Civil War trails with Google Earth
A project spearheaded by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office aims to deliver the state's Civil War Trails right to your desktop, combining Google Earth technology, historical information, and high-def GigaPan panoramic photos. The images are so detailed that you can zoom in on gravestone inscriptions, and explore the battlefields and centuries-old houses and towns. The project aims both to educate the public and to promote Pennsylvania's many historical tourist destinations. It's part of the state's Civil War Trails site, which lists everything Civil War-related in Pennsylvania. (jaunted.com)
Revolver that belonged to Confederate spy Belle Boyd auctioned for $8,000
A .31-caliber, 5-shot Allen & Wheelock revolver with ivory grips and a wooden case sold for $8,000 at an auction, on the basis it likely belonged to Belle Boyd - one of the Civil War's most well-known spies. The ivory grip of the pistol is inscribed with Boyd's name. And it came in a wooden case with a silver medallion on the lid, engraved with the name "Belle." Maria Isabelle "Belle" Boyd ran a spy ring for the Confederacy from her father's hotel - reportedly providing information to generals Turner Ashby and "Stonewall" Jackson. (ydr.com)
Starting Your First Civil War Collection by Frank Mrockza (book review)
For the past 25 years Frank Mrockza has built his civil war collection. He's found some prizes and fallen victim to some replicas, and with "Starting Your First Civil War Collection" he wants to help new collectors find more of the first and fewer of the second. Some collectors focus on battlefield memorabilia, while others focus on the strategy or political aspects or Lincoln memorabilia - Mrockza's own collection focuses on the Gettysburg. The book also includes photosgraph, including one of his favorite pieces: a U.S. belt buckle with a map of Confederate troop positions. (timesleader.com)
Reconstructing Appalachia: The Civil War's Aftermath (book review)
The Civil War didn't end with the exchange of swords at Appomattox. Bloody skirmishes took place for the next 10-15 years. The South came out of the war with its economy in ruins, its land destroyed, its labor force scattered, its young men dead, its currency worthless, its railroads in pieces, its pride broken and its way of life gone. That's the setting for "Reconstructing Appalachia" a collection of historical essays edited by Andrew L. Slap. In particular, the setting is the mountain ridge that runs from western Virginia and the Carolinas, into northern Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. [Buy from Amazon: US, UK, CA, DE] (courier-journal.com)
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)
American history 1861-1865: U.S. Civil War was a conflict between the Abraham Lincoln led Union and 11 southern states that formed CSA - the Confederate States of America, led by Jefferson Davis. In the first year the Union got control of the border states and established a naval blockade as both sides raised large armies. In 1862 the bloody battles began. Robert E. Lee get a series of Confederate victories, but his best general, Stonewall Jackson, was killed at the Chancellorsville in May 1863. Lee's invasion of the North was repulsed at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. In July 1863 Ulysses Grant seized control of Mississippi by capturing Vicksburg, thus splitting the Confederacy. The war ended after the Confederacy collapsed following General Robert E. Lee's surrender at the Battle of Appomattox.
Also called: 'War of the Rebellion', 'War of Southern Independence', 'War of Northern Aggression' and 'War Between the States'.