Veterans: You Were Making History…We Thank You
Emerging Civil War extends a sincere “thank you” to military veterans for their service. You have or are currently defending freedom and justice. You keep America safe. We honor your commitment to keeping the Stars and Stripes flying. Thank you! “A quarter of a century ago…you were doing what you deemed your duty. Today you […]
Read more...1860’s Politics: Why Do We think McClellan Was the “Peace Candidate”? Because the Rebels Thought So
A thoughtful respondent to my recent submission to the ECW blog, “1860’s Politics,” wondered why Gen. George McClellan, Democratic nominee for U. S. president in 1864, waited until after Sherman’s troops captured Atlanta, Sept. 2, 1864, before he announced his position on the war: no peace unless the Rebels agreed to return to the Union. […]
Read more...Longstreet Goes West, part nine: The November of our discontent
Part Nine in a Series Both Bragg and Longstreet – indeed every Confederate from Richmond on down – understood that to be successful, any movement into East Tennessee must be conducted quickly, and in sufficient strength. The idea was to deliver a rapid knock-out blow against Ambrose Burnside, and then turn and deal with Grant. […]
Read more...Shelby Foote as the Angel of Death
I’ve been doing some research lately on Shelby Foote and his work on The Civil War: A Narrative. In his correspondence with his friend and fellow writer Walker Percy, Foote provided ongoing updates about his progress on the work, which stretched on for twenty years. “What I have to do is learn everything possible from […]
Read more...1860’s Politics: Lincoln-Douglas Debates Continue, Part III: Self-Government and Political Correctness
If we define political correctness as demanding conformance with favored positions, not tolerating contrary opinions, and branding opponents or perceived opponents as radicals (“they are just evil/crazy/stupid”), all without offering rational counter arguments, then these are not new phenomena. Abraham Lincoln faced the same problems in his debates with Stephen Douglas for the U.S. Senate […]
Read more...A Reminder at the Polls
At my polling place in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, this morning, the line stretched long out the door of Wilderness Elementary School, wrapping along the edge of the traffic circle. At 6:45 a.m., the temperature was just rising past thirty degrees. People waited for 35 minutes to cast their ballots. At the end of the school’s driveway, […]
Read more...1860’s Politics: How Did Voter Apparel Show Support For Candidates?
Do you wear t-shirts to support a favorite candidate? How about a bumper sticker on your car or truck? Hopefully, you got an “I voted” sticker today! In the 1860’s, they didn’t wear t-shirts, and I have yet to find a bumper sticker for a wagon or carriage. (Send me a message if you can find […]
Read more...1860’s Politics: Statistics & The Soldiers’ Vote
It’s Election Day in the U.S.A. (Don’t forget to vote). As we watch the tally of popular and electoral votes this evening, remember that presidential elections and the electoral college have been in existence since 1787 (when the Constitution was signed). That means they were certainly in use during the 1864 Presidential Election during the Civil War. […]
Read more...ECW’s Thanks to Will Greene
We just wanted to say “Thanks” to historian A. Wilson Greene, executive director of Pamplin Historical Park in Petersburg, Virginia. During Pamplin’s 20th annual Civil War Symposium last month, Will gave Emerging Civil War a wonderful shout-out:
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