Author Archives: jamesjbroomall

“In the Small Things Forgotten we find the Everyday Experience of War”

Posted on January 31, 2019 by jamesjbroomall

How did a citizen become a soldier? Once in the army, how did he adapt to military life? How and where did he sleep? In what ways did the experiences of camp and campaign transform him? As a student of … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Civil War | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

A Monumental Discussion: James Broomall

Posted on August 18, 2017 by jamesjbroomall

The current discussion about the removal of Confederate monuments has been largely framed around oppositional views. Social media has democratized a national discussion, which is a good thing, but has also filled Facebook, Twitter, and other fora with a range … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory, Monuments, Reconstruction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Searching for Leonidas Torrence: Iverson’s Brigade and the Fight at Oak Ridge

Posted on July 1, 2017 by jamesjbroomall

The weather is warm. Occasional cloud cover offers relief but the sun feels good. It is the first day of summer, and I’m exactly where I should be on such a day: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I’m traveling over the First Day’s … Continue reading →

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

Broken in Battle, Part I: A Most Singular Death

Posted on May 30, 2017 by jamesjbroomall

Audiences know the battle of Antietam best for its grim distinction of being the bloodiest day in American history. Between the early morning and late afternoon hours of September 17, 1862, 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, captured, … Continue reading →

Posted in Battles, Common Soldier, Medical | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Alexander Gardner and the Good Death

Posted on May 19, 2017 by jamesjbroomall

Of the thousands of Civil War photographs, only several truly iconic images exist that specialists and non-specialists alike immediately recognize. One such image is the subject of today’s post: Timothy O’Sullivan’s “The Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg.” The scene … Continue reading →

Posted in Common Soldier, Memory, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Beyond the 150th: Retreat from Gettysburg: Reflections on the Future, Part II

Posted on April 2, 2013 by jamesjbroomall

part of an ongoing series Northeast Florida’s skies remain dark and grey, as heavy rains saturate the ground. Although these conditions stifle any attempt to enjoy the outdoors, they make writing an ideal pursuit. In the last installment I closed … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War Events, Ties to the War | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Beyond the 150th: Retreat from Gettysburg: Reflections on the Future, Part I

Posted on March 29, 2013 by jamesjbroomall

part of an ongoing series Humidity thickens the Florida air as darkened skies cast a pall over the day. It is, in sum, a typical early spring day in the “Sunshine State,” which feels sometimes like a misnomer. But I … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War Events, Ties to the War | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Future of Civil War History: Looking Beyond the 150th

Posted on February 28, 2013 by jamesjbroomall

Very soon I will leave the warmth of the Sunshine State to head north, bracing myself for the vicissitudes of late winter in March. Fortunately my destination is Gettysburg, Pennsylvania —that compelling beacon to Civil War-era scholars. Gettysburg College, Gettysburg … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War Events, National Park Service, Ties to the War, Upcoming Events | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

America’s Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise That Preserved the Union. A Review

Posted on May 30, 2012 by jamesjbroomall

Fergus M. Bordewich. America’s Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise That Preserved the Union. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2012. Pp. x, 480. It all started with slavery and a war. Before 1848, most white Americans … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Slavery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Review: Midnight Rising by Tony Horwitz

Posted on December 20, 2011 by jamesjbroomall

Tony Horwitz. Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2011. Pp. xii, 365. Click here for an audio clip of the book. With penetrating eyes, tussled greying hair, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Civil War | 4 Comments