Author Archives: Bert Dunkerly

Governor Wise’s Response To John Brown’s Raid

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Bert Dunkerly

When violence broke out at Harper’s Ferry, Henry A. Wise was governor of Virginia. In the aftermath of the raid, Virginians were on edge: fears of slave revolt were everywhere and the feeling grew that the Federal Government could not … Continue reading →

Posted in Antebellum South | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Eternal Flame of the Confederacy

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Bert Dunkerly

Today there is not much tangible Civil War history in Atlanta, its battlefields largely paved over and few antebellum buildings surviving the war. Yet Atlanta has something unique: an Eternal Flame of the Confederacy. The term “Eternal Flame” conjures up … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Origins of Memorial Day

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Bert Dunkerly

Across the country there will be Memorial Day ceremonies today. I recently had the chance to visit two towns that claim the origins of Memorial Day.  Last September I was in upstate New York, near Waterloo. Reading up on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civilian, Holidays, Memory | Tagged | 7 Comments

Brown’s Island Victims

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Bert Dunkerly

The worst war-time disaster to strike the Confederate home front occurred on March 13, 1863. An explosion rocked the Confederate Laboratory on Brown’s Island in the James River, in the heart of Richmond, Virginia. My research indicates that ten were … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms & Armaments, Civilian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Primary Sources: Confederate Veteran – A Source With Endless Possibilities

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Bert Dunkerly

Published between 1893 and 1932, Confederate Veteran magazine is an incredible source that I mine for many different topics. Not only is it a good source for battle or wartime accounts, the magazine documents early preservation efforts, and is a window … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Civil War | 14 Comments

Surprises Don’t Last

Posted on December 22, 2018 by Bert Dunkerly

December is when my thoughts turn to an fascinating battle I like to study, Stones River. The Confederates were able to mass and overwhelm the Army of the Cumberland on the first day of the battle, December 31, 1862. Yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Civil War | 16 Comments

Railroads: Management in the War

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Bert Dunkerly

As with much in the war, it’s not just advantages of more resources, but how they’re applied, that is important. Better railroad management was a key in Union victory. Important advantages that the Union possessed included more railroad mileage (20,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Armies, Weapons | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Civil War Railroads: An Overview

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Bert Dunkerly

As we discuss Civil War railroads this month, let’s start out with some basic concepts. It is important to remember that this was new technology when war broke out. No general, North or South, had ever used railroads in wartime … Continue reading →

Posted in Weapons | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Eastern Europe’s Monument Dilemma

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Bert Dunkerly

Monuments have been in the news a lot lately in our country, and while on a recent trip to Eastern Europe, I thought my thoughts would be far from our Civil War issues. Yet in visiting Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Monuments, Ties to the War | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Notes on Richmond’s Civil War Hospitals

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Bert Dunkerly

Recently, while doing some research on Richmond’s hospitals, a few interesting trends and stats stood out to me, which I will share here. The city became home to dozens of hospitals over the course of the war. Centrally located and … Continue reading →

Posted in Medical | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments