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Category Archives: Weapons
The Reason for Harpers Ferry and Why John Brown Raided It
While working as a ranger at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, I often began my tours about the United States Armory with this simple question to visitors: “Why are you here today?” Common answers included vacation, an interest in history, … Continue reading
An Ancient and Fearsome Weapon: The Ram
The ram—the main armament of sleek and swift Greek triremes powered by 180 rowers—turned back a Persian invasion at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC and launched Western Civilization. Rowing galleys ruled the Mediterranean for two more millennia, the … Continue reading
Posted in Battles, Navies, Weapons
Tagged Battle of Hampton Roads, Catesby ap R. Jones, CSS Virginia, Franklin Buchanan, USS COngress, USS Cumberland
2 Comments
Colonel Albert Brackett’s Body Armor
The notion of a bullet proof vests during the Civil War is almost universally mocked. In my experience giving battlefield tours, I’ve found that kids are the only ones to ask, “did they use body armor” or “why didn’t they … Continue reading
Civil War Railroads – Conclusion
About three weeks ago – on October 19, 2018 – Emerging Civil War called “all-aboard” and chugged into the history of railroads during America’s defining conflict. It’s been a good journey with details about traveling by rail, trains during campaigns, … Continue reading
Posted in Emerging Civil War, Weapons
Tagged Civil War Railroads, civil-war-railroads-18, conclusion
2 Comments
Railroads – The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad: Confederate Target, Crucial Union Lifeline
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (“B&O”) was chartered in 1828 as one of the first commercial railroads in the world. Construction began that year, connecting Annapolis, Maryland to Wheeling in the far northwestern corner of antebellum Virginia. The B&O eventually … Continue reading
Railroads – The Virginia Central Railroad: A Target For Union Raids
The Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works. The name was changed to the Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It ran from westward from Richmond and ended in Gordonsville, … Continue reading
Railroads: Management in the War
As with much in the war, it’s not just advantages of more resources, but how they’re applied, that is important. Better railroad management was a key in Union victory. Important advantages that the Union possessed included more railroad mileage (20,000 … Continue reading
Railroads: The Louisville and Nashville Railroad
It is often underappreciated how the Louisville & Nashville Railroad’s status impacted the operations of Major General W.S. Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland. I discuss it in this except from my book about Stones River and Tullahoma: Throughout … Continue reading
Civil War Railroads: An Overview
As we discuss Civil War railroads this month, let’s start out with some basic concepts. It is important to remember that this was new technology when war broke out. No general, North or South, had ever used railroads in wartime … Continue reading
Posted in Weapons
Tagged Antebellum, civil-war-railroads-18, Logistics, military history, Railroad
4 Comments
