Don’t Forget ECW’s May Newsletter!

May 2017We realize it’s already June, but if you’ve not had the chance to check out ECW’s May newsletter, it’s still available. It came out earlier this week, but as you’ve been able to tell by a look back at this week’s offerings on the blog, it has been a busy, busy week here at ECW, so it’s been hard to find a time to make a plug.

Most importantly, we’re asking for help from our readers with a short survey we’re doing as part of our ongoing efforts to better serve you. If you have a few minutes to take the survey, you can find it here.

And you can read the rest of the newsletter here. Inside, you’ll find all sorts of great stuff:

  • 10 Questions with Dan Davis, who talks a bit about Union cavalry and some of his current projects
  • Chris Kolakowski offers this month’s “Behind the Scenes,” sharing a few insights into the process of writing books
  • The ECW Bookshelf touts a new release in the Emerging Civil War Series, Battle Above the Clouds: Raising the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain by Dave Powell, the first in a two-part look at the Chattanooga campaign

Usually, we ask our readers if they can identify the photo we use for each month’s newsletter. Last month, we featured an image from Chattanooga National Cemetery, with Lookout Mountain standing in the far horizon.

This month’s photo is probably no surprise. After all, we’ve shown off enough photos from the annual Memorial Day luminaria at Fredericksburg National Cemetery (see here and here, for instance–plus our Facebook page). The specific photo came from 2013, when the full moon rose above the ridge of the cemetery, drawing a collective gasp from everyone at the event!

Remember, if you think you should be getting ECW’s newsletter but you’re not, check your junk mail or your spam filter. Of course, we don’t think we’re junk, but your computer might think otherwise! And if you’re not signed up for the newsletter, what are you waiting for? There’s a “subscribe” button at the top of each issue, so be sure to get yourself added to the mailing list (please!).



11 Responses to Don’t Forget ECW’s May Newsletter!

  1. I DIDN’T SEE ANYWHERE TO RESPOND TO Q & A WITH DANIEL DAVIS BUT HE MADE A REMARK I COME ACROSS ON BLOGS AND ECT. ALL THE TIME THAT I DIFFER WITH. THE QUESTION WAS MOST OVERATED ANSWER WAS PHIL SHERIDAN. NOW WHEN YOU SAY HE WAS OVERATED WAS IT WHEN ALL 5’2″ OF HIM CONVINCED HIS MEN TO CHARGE UP A MOUNTAIN DISOBEYING DIRECT ORDERS WHILE UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF GRANT AND CHASING THE CONFEDERATE’S FROM CHATANOOGA TO ABOUT NEW ORLEANS PRACTICALLY? OR WAS IT WHEN THE UNION HAD A HABIT OF WHOEVER THEY FOUGHT IN THE SHENANDOAH FOR NEARLY 4 YEARS THEY WERE CREAMED UNTIL “LITTLE PHIL” SENT JUBAL RUNNING BACK TO MARS ROBERT? OR COULD IT BE WHEN HE TOLD THE “GOOGLE EYED SNAPPING TURTLE” HE’D KILL THE GREATEST CAVALRY MAN TO EVER RIDE IN AMERICA IF HE WAS ALLOWED TO AND HE DID JUST THAT (THE FACT MEADE NEEDED THE CAVALRY WITH THE ARMY IS ON GRANT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR LETTING HIM GO). I’M THINKING IT PROBABLY WASN’T BECAUSE HE WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR FIVE FORKS AND BASICALLY ENDING THE WAR IN THE EAST, SO WHAT MISSION WAS IT THAT MADE YOU DECIDE HE WAS OVERATED? LETS BE HONEST, PHIL’S NAME IS MENTIONED OFTEN IN THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE HE WAS A COMPLETE A#*HOLE AND TO MOST PROPLE ME INCLUDED FIRING WARREN AFTER GETTYSBURG, OVERLAND CAMPAIGN, AND SIEGE OF PETERSBURG AT FIVE FORKS JUST BECAUSE WARREN HAD THE ABILITY TO GET HIS MEN IN LINE WITHOUT CUSSING AND SCREAMING WAS CRIMINAL TO ME (AGAIN THOUGH IT’S ON GRANT, HE BASICALLY TOLD HIM TOO WHEN HE GAVE HIM THAT POWER). SO ARROGANT S.O.B. YES, OVERATED-NOT BASED ON THE FACTS. OVERATED WOULD BE SOMEONE WHO FREAKED OUT AND BECAME SO TERRIFIED AT HIS POST HE NEEDED A “VACATION” , THEN WAS WHIPPED SOUNDLY AT VICKSBURG, THEN AGAIN OUTSIDE CHATANOOGA YET WAS REWARDED WITH A 100,000 MAN ARMY TO FIGHT THROUGH THE SOUTH WHEN NEARLY ANYONE WHO’S FOUGHT IN THE MILITARY OR STUDIED TACTICS AND STRATEGY HARDCORE (LOOKING AT YOU CHRIS 🙂 KNOWS GEORGE H. THOMAS DESERVED THAT ARMY IRREGAURDLESS OF THE SLOWS…JUST DROPPED THE MIKE AND ORDERED BIG STACK OF BLUEBERRY PANCAKES, SORRY SATURDAY IHOP DAY!!! DANIAL

    1. If you think Sheridan isn’t overrated, may I suggest that you read Little Phil by Eric Wittenberg. Eric is a justifiably well-regarded historian/researcher/author and his analysis and conclusions deserve respect. If you read the book with an open mind, I’ll wager that you have a different view of Sheridan.

      1. Mr. Foskett,

        First off thank you for the recommendation, I love sitting down with a book written by Mr. Wittenberg in fact “The Devil’s to Pay” is my favorite Civil War book of all time and I’m not even a big “cavalry” guy. I’m doing my best to earn extra money so I can attend the symposium and listen to him lecture on it. The rate he (and Mr. Mackowski) put out high quality books while working day jobs boggles my mind. I have a open mind to every author I read afterall the point is to learn and if you don’t go in with that mindset I don’t know why you would read. Personally I hate Sheridan, my problem is people go on sites like this ready to defend “there” guy to the end but they bring no facts, no evidence, and nothing new to the party. I probably see Sheridan either completely dumped on or worshipped more then anyone else and I think it’s because he’s viewed only black or white when in reality there’s alot of gray. I mean how many people know how important he was in the laying out and defending of Yellowstone National Park. Anyway Thank You for the recommendation I will definitely read anything Wittenberg. Have a great one brother

      2. Devil’s To Pay is indeed excellent. In fact, pretty much anything Eric puts his word processor to is worth reading.

      3. I agree, Phil Sheridan is not only the most overrated person of the war but EASILY the most overrated person of the war. His failures during the early phases of the Overland Campaign cost thousands of AoP lives, which is inexcusable–and I call him out for it any chance I can.

  2. MR. DAVIS I AM STOKED FOR YOUR CUSTER BOOK IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I REALLY ENJOY YOUR WRITING, WENT TO U OF M (WOLVERINES), AND BESIDES COUPLE BATTERIES OUT WEST AND ANTIETAM WE (MICHIGAN) PRETTY MUCH CAME LATE TO THE IRON BRIGADE AND THAT’S ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTION OTHER THEN OUR GREAT CAVALRY REGIMENTS UNDER CUSTER. SO GET CRACKING AND SELL ME A SIGNED COPY BROTHER!!!

    1. No not lots of shouting anyone familiar with this blog nose I State my opinion as anyone can and do that’s the point of the blog if you disagree with someone you can state so and if you’re intelligent which I am you you back up your opinion with historical facts. As for the lots of shouting comment I’m assuming you’re talking about my writing being in all capitals and they’re being grammatical errors, the plain truth though as I State and I’m open about and just about every other item I post on here is I’m disabled because I served my country did you by the way and I have to use talk to text which creates grammatical errors and works better when it’s in all capitals so no I wasn’t shouting and if you read log more than once every 6 months you would know that because as I previously stated I am very open about me having a mental disability from things I did so that you can write whatever you want on here. So as to the exact disagreement that I wrote the long response to if you’ll notice I backed it up with fact after fact I’m pretty sure you have no clue where Sheridan started in the beginning of the Civil War rank wise but when you look at what he accomplished from where he was to say he’s overrated which as I said in my piece many many people do not only is it wrong it’s factually incorrect. Also that’s the whole point of a Blog we discuss history on this blog specifically the Civil War and we try to get to the main point that being the correct point people are always going to disagree so if your skin is so thin because I write a piece with fact after fact stating my side then maybe you need to stay off logs stay off social media and go for a walk sounds like you need to relieve some stress because you’re just basically looking to pick arguments with people when you son someone a message like that and although I do have a mental disability from what I did again so that you could write whatever you want on here I don’t have a physical disability so maybe we’ll meet at one of the conventions and I can tell you what I did for 20 years and will pry end up agreeing on a lot and if we don’t maybe we’ll learn a lot from each other but I really want to come at me like you did on here in person

      1. I really admire your books, writings, and value your opinion Mr. Mackowski, but the deaths of all the AoP at the beginning of the Overland Campaign ultimately fall in Grants lap who allowed Sheridan to behave insubordinate to Meade to the point he should have been arrested when clearly Sheridan had no clue what his role was as the head of cavalry, no scouting, screaning, picketing, securing logistics. Ultimately I agree with you, but his accomplishments like in the valley where the Union routinely were whipped can’t be overlooked, Sheridan is only “overrated” if one puts him on a pedastel, which I don’t. So is everyone looking forward to Rheas final overland book as much as me?

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