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Author Archives: jamesjbroomall
“In the Small Things Forgotten we find the Everyday Experience of War”
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
A Monumental Discussion: James Broomall
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
Searching for Leonidas Torrence: Iverson’s Brigade and the Fight at Oak Ridge
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
Broken in Battle, Part I: A Most Singular Death
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 Antietam, Broken-in-Battle, Dunker Church, James Harrison White, John G. Walker, Kevin Pawlak, William A. Hammond
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Alexander Gardner and the Good Death
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 "a sharpshooters last sleep", "the home of the rebel sharpshooter", Alexander Gardner, casualties, Casualties of the Civil War, civil war photography, dead sharpshooter, death, Devil's Den, Gettysburg, good death, sharpshooter photo, soldier death
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Beyond the 150th: Retreat from Gettysburg: Reflections on the Future, Part II
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 beyond-150th, Gettysburg College, National Park Service, NPS, Sesquicentennial
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Beyond the 150th: Retreat from Gettysburg: Reflections on the Future, Part I
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 beyond-150th, Gettysburg College, National Park Service, NPS, Sesquicentennial
1 Comment
The Future of Civil War History: Looking Beyond the 150th
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
America’s Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise That Preserved the Union. A Review
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
Review: Midnight Rising by Tony Horwitz
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
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