Category Archives: Holidays

The New Year, 1863 and 1865

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Chris Mackowski

“A new year dawns…” wrote John Haley, a private in the 17th Maine, on January 1, 1865: Hope and fear mingle—hope the war will soon end; fear that however soon it ends, I might not live to see it. These … Continue reading →

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Happy New Year from Emerging Civil War

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Emerging Civil War

Happy New Year from Emerging Civil War! We can’t wait to see what discussions, new scholarship, and historical adventures await in this new decade.

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Book Review: “Yuletide in Dixie: Slavery, Christmas, and Southern Memory”

Posted on December 27, 2019 by Meg Groeling

“Slavery, slavery, slavery! All this talk about slavery is spoiling the Old South Plantation Christmas celebrations!” Or so might Miss Scarlett complain. Robert E. May’s latest book, Yuletide in Dixie, is focused clearly on the irony of two competing mythologies concerning … Continue reading →

Posted in Antebellum South, Book Review, Books & Authors, Civilian, Holidays, Slavery | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

“I Heard The Bells”: An ECW Tradition

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Emerging Civil War

Every year, either on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, we like to share an ECW tradition with our readers. In 2011 Meg Groeling wrote a lovely blog post about Henry W. Longfellow’s poem I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day … Continue reading →

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Happy Holidays from Emerging Civil War

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Emerging Civil War

The holly and the ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all trees that are in the wood, The holly bears the crown: O, the rising of the sun, And the running of the deer The playing of the … Continue reading →

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Christmas In Winchester, Part 2

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Sarah Kay Bierle

Continued from Part 1, which details the Civil War Christmas Winchester civilians always seemed to look back on with fond memories… By Christmas 1862, “Stonewall” Jackson had left the Shenandoah Valley for the final time. The general that Winchester adopted … Continue reading →

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Christmas In Winchester, Part 1

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Sarah Kay Bierle

Christmas 1861. The effects of the Civil War were already felt in Winchester, Virginia—a city poised at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley. Men had been recruited from the city and surrounding area and many served in a company … Continue reading →

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Question of the Week: 12/23-12/29/19

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Emerging Civil War

What’s your favorite Civil War Christmas song, account, or quote?

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Coffee For Christmas

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Sarah Kay Bierle

Christmas 1864 found Confederate soldiers with little to celebrate. The war that so many had said would last just 90 days now reached it fourth winter with a gloomy outlook for their cause. But still, stories of brief holiday moments … Continue reading →

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Civil War Christmas is Coming and the Flag is Missing: Oh Dear!

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Meg Groeling

I have a grandson who lives in Louisiana. He turned two this Fall and is getting much positive reinforcement from his grandparents (us!) for his Cajun background. One of his other grandparents suggested we send a set of Civil War … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War in Pop Culture, Holidays | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments