Author Archives: Bert Dunkerly

Battlefield Markers & Monuments: Yorktown Monument – A Victim of Another War

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Bert Dunkerly

It was early in the war, in the spring of 1862 when the armies converged on Yorktown, Virginia.  The fact that many had not yet seen combat and been hardened to the realities of war, combined with the surge of … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Common Soldier, Monuments, Primary Sources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Lost Opportunities in the Army of the Potomac—A Pair of Examples

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Bert Dunkerly

Army management is a complicated skill in which the personality and temperament of commanders influence the inner workings and culture of the organization. The Union had no army which was as political, and influenced by outside politics, as its primary … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Civil War | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Siege of Suffolk (part two)

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Bert Dunkerly

(Part two of two. Click here for part one.) The action at Suffolk was one of those side operations of which there were dozens during the war in all theaters. Unfortunately, this engagement has been overshadowed by that at Chancellorsville, … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Sieges | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Siege of Suffolk (part one)

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Bert Dunkerly

(part one of two) Many of us know that the Civil War involved both large and small campaigns. There are the main theaters: Eastern, Western, Trans-Mississippi. We may also consider sub theaters such as the Carolina coast or Mississippi Valley … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Navies, Sieges | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Quiet Corner of the War

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Bert Dunkerly

I recently had the chance to spend some time in Montgomery County, Maryland, just east of Washington, DC. I’m usually driving through on my way somewhere, so have never explored the area’s history very much. This particular day I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Common Soldier | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Confederate Culture Wars: Bert Dunkerly

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Bert Dunkerly

This week, ECW historians are offering their thoughts and reactions to recent events related to Confederate memory. First up: Bert Dunkerly While many historians saw the April event at Appomattox as the end of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, and quietly … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Cavalry Action at Painesville: 150 Years Ago

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Bert Dunkerly

The little known engagement at the small community of Painesville illustrates well the chaotic and confused fighting of the Appomattox Campaign. During the six-day campaign, battles and skirmishes occurred every day. It was a complex campaign, with many moving parts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Battles, Campaigns, Cavalry, Civil War Events, Sesquicentennial | Tagged | 2 Comments

Cowpens: Defense in Depth

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Bert Dunkerly

  On a cold January morning 234 years ago, one of the most stunning events in American military history took place in a cattle pasture.   Cowpens, South Carolina, was an overwhelming American victory, at a time when one was desperately … Continue reading →

Posted in Armies, Arms & Armaments, Battlefields & Historic Places, Battles, Revolutionary War, Weapons | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Towards a Respectable Army

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Bert Dunkerly

One of the enduring myths of the Revolution is that the Americans won by using superior tactics, using cover and concealment while the British fought in lines. Yet in reality, the Americans found that they had to create an army … Continue reading →

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