The Great Battle is Here

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Chris Mackowski

Great Battle-cover 01I am always excited when a box of new books shows up on my back porch. The UPS deliveryman shows up like Santa Claus and drops off the books. Somehow, he manages to do it without making the dog bark. I happen to look out the sliding glass door at some point and, there, unexpectedly, the boxes sit there like the brown paper packages in Julie Andrews’s song. It always feels like Christmas.

This year, that brown-package Christmas came this past Monday. UPS delivered three boxes filled with The Great Battle Never Fought: The Mine Run Campaign, Nov. 26-Dec. 2—my latest book and the latest entry in the Emerging Civil War Series. Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Engaging the Civil War Series | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

2018 Sees Another Turkey Pardon

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Meg Groeling

Sometimes Fall and its attendant holidays seem sad. We have to see people we may not really care to see, we miss those who are no longer with us, and everyone just seems sort of on edge when it comes to schedules, presents, and how to decorate. Traditional? Modern? A lot? Not at all? But one thing I count on to help center me is the Annual White House Turkey Pardon, courtesy of Abraham Lincoln and his son, Tad.[1] Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War in Pop Culture, Holidays | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Civil War Cookin’: Oysters, Sage, Onion – What To Stuff In A Turkey

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Sarah Kay Bierle

When I think of historical stories about stuffing a turkey, the first one that usually comes to mind is a humorous scene from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s autobiographical novel By The Shores of Silver Lake.

Although set in Dakota Territory well after the Civil War, the story makes me think of the food shortages and culinary longings experienced by civilians and soldiers at certain times during the 1860’s conflict. Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

ECW Podcast “Don’t Give An Inch” Is Now Available

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Emerging Civil War

Yesterday marked 155 years since Lincoln spoke the memorable words of the Gettysburg Address, including:

We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

This week’s podcast features a discussion about some famous locations on that great battlefield and the fighting that occurred.  Continue reading →

Posted in Podcast | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Civil War Cooking: Harvesting a “Mess of Beans” During Battle

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Sarah Kay Bierle

By July 2, 1863, Joseph Broadhead just wanted a good meal. In the past week, he had experienced more adventures than he ever wanted to and now had no way to stop or change the battle unfolding in his community. He was especially determined that the Confederates would not steal his provisions and headed out to do some garden harvesting during the Battle of Gettysburg. Continue reading →

Posted in Civilian, Holidays | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: 155 Years

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Emerging Civil War

Abraham Lincoln

It’s November 19, 2018 – one hundred fifty-five years since the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Just over a century and a half since Abraham Lincoln delivered his short and unforgettable address that has become such a cornerstone in American history and memory. Continue reading →

Posted in Lincoln | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Question of the Week: 11/19-11/25/18

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Emerging Civil War

Some of the ECW writers and editors have been talking about things they’re thankful for in the history field.

So we’d like to know – what you thankful for? (A book, a person, a Civil War event, an ancestor – anything related to the 1860’s history we all. study and discuss.)

Posted in Holidays, Question of the Week | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Week In Review: November 11-18, 2018

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Emerging Civil War

This week started with thoughts on the connections between the Civil War and World War I in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the armistice that ended WWI and continued with symposium news, a book review, an interview and more!

Check-out our week in review and have a wonderful Sunday. Continue reading →

Posted in Week in Review | Tagged | Leave a comment

Civil War Cookin’: Is This A Tradition?

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Sarah Kay Bierle

Fresh bread…yummy!

In 2016, I shared some Civil War-related stories about food during the week of Thanksgiving. I found some more stories for 2017, and Chris Mackowski dubbed that year’s features “second helpings.”

Now, it’s the week of Thanksgiving, and I’m excited to share that there are a few more Civil War stories about food that I’ll get to share. At first, I wasn’t sure if we’d have a “third helping,” but through this year I kept stumbling across wonderful human-interest stories and recipes about Civil War foods and started stockpiling these accounts just for this week.

We hope this lighter history adds to your holiday spirit. Today, we’ll look back on the stories in the holiday series during the last two years. Let us know in a comment if you have a favorite and join us at the table this week for more stories and discussion about historical foods. Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Preservation News: New Project at Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Emerging Civil War

Most of our readers have probably heard of the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office which is preserved, interpreted, and operated by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Located in Washington D.C., this small apartment is where the now-famous battlefield nurse spent post-war years trying to discover the fates of missing soldiers.

(You can read more about the location and Barton’s work here.)

Some of the latest news from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine is the announcement of an effort to bring fresh and visual interpretation and materialization to the life and self-less efforts of Clara Barton. Continue reading →

Posted in Preservation | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment