Author Archives: stephendavis

A Peek into the “Critic’s Corner” in Civil War News

Posted on April 10, 2018 by stephendavis

SHAG-A-DOO-LA. Those of us who write about the Civil War for fun (rarely for profit) get our ideas from any number of sources. One never knows when or how some inspiration will occur. Driving to the store recently, I heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Emerging Civil War, Newspapers | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Presidential Review That Didn’t Go Very Well

Posted on January 18, 2018 by stephendavis

ECWer Stephen Davis of Cumming, Georgia, is finishing up his book on the generalship of John B. Hood, which will be published later this year by Savas Beatie. From it Steve draws the following story: During the war President Jefferson … Continue reading →

Posted in Armies, Leadership--Confederate, Western Theater | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Did You Hear It?

Posted on January 15, 2018 by stephendavis

Today (Monday, January 15) on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, I heard Princeton professor Eddie Glaude Jr. comment on “a culture war Donald Trump is waging as if he was Sherman marching through the South.” Here In Georgia, we have heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Civil War, Memory, Ties to the War | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Harry Turtledove, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and the Beatles

Posted on December 11, 2017 by stephendavis

You’ve got Turtledove’s Fort Pillow (2006)? Turn to page 140, and a Tennessee cavalryman cries, “Get back, Jojo!” …which has led me over these years to wonder if the esteemed author sprinkles a Beatles lyrics line into his other novels—alternative fiction, science … Continue reading →

Posted in Battles, Books & Authors, Civil War in Pop Culture, USCT | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The Civil War Monitor Almanac

Posted on December 4, 2017 by stephendavis

[Editor’s Note: Our current discussion on “turning points” reminded Steve Davis of something that caught his eye in the recent Civil War Monitor Almanac….] “We hope that what follows will give our readers something substantial to ponder,” editor Terry Johnston … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Civil War in Pop Culture | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Great Moments in Southern History

Posted on August 31, 2017 by stephendavis

I sent Chris Mackowski a note on some stationery I got years ago–see below. As you’ll be able to tell, there’s a story behind it. It was sent to me by my good friend Ben Maryniak of Buffalo. Ben and … Continue reading →

Posted in Antebellum South, Civil War in Pop Culture, Memory, Newspapers, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

When Longstreet Took Boston

Posted on May 31, 2017 by stephendavis

Readers of Civil War News know that I contribute a regular column, “Critic’s Corner,” in which Publisher Jack Melton allows me to write about books and other published works. July is traditionally our “Gettysburg” issue, with a big central section … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Civil War in Pop Culture, Emerging Civil War | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Saltpetre Poems

Posted on April 26, 2017 by stephendavis

Students and devotees of the great Emory Professor Bell I. Wiley are very familiar with The Bell Irvin Wiley Reader, edited by Hill Jordan, James I. Robertson, Jr., and J. H. Segars (LSU Press, 2001).   Researching for the book, Mr. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Civilian, Common Soldier, Newspapers, Weapons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Robert E. Lee and John B. Hood: A Complicated Relationship

Posted on March 7, 2017 by stephendavis

Robert E. Lee didn’t want John Bell Hood promoted to command a Confederate army, but once Hood had been, Lee didn’t want him to fail. Possible evidence hinges on a little-known command decision made by Lee and the War Department … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership--Confederate, Western Theater | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Appreciating a Former Mentor

Posted on February 26, 2017 by stephendavis

“Your principal weakness is your style.” So wrote my professor at Emory, Dr. Bell Wiley, in his critique of my paper for his Civil War class back in the fall of 1968. (I wrote on “Price’s Missouri Raid of 1864”; … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Newspapers, Personalities | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment