Author Archives: Bert Dunkerly

April Anniversaries

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Bert Dunkerly

Every April I reflect on the events of 1865.  I’ve always been interested in this transitional period as the war ends and Reconstruction begins.  Having worked at Appomattox Court House and researched the surrender in North Carolina, it is only … Continue reading →

Posted in Campaigns, Memory | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

My Most Important History Teacher

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Bert Dunkerly

I was on the fence about where to go. Two schools had emerged at the top of my list, with good history programs. Then I heard about Chris. She’s the reason I chose St. Vincent College, in Latrobe, PA. Dr. … Continue reading →

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

The 44th Mississippi at Stones River: True Courage

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Bert Dunkerly

In 1861 men from the far reaches of Mississippi were organized into the 1st Mississippi Infantry Battalion, or Blythe’s Battalion. These volunteers came from Calhoun, Clay, and De Soto counties in the north, as well as from Amite County in … Continue reading →

Posted in Battles | Tagged , | 2 Comments

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