Showing results for "Medal of Honor"
Civil War Cooking: Plucked and Plundered in Fredericksburg
The scenes in the city of Fredericksburg during the night of December 11, 1862, were disruptive at the least and outright vandalism at the worst. But for one Union officer, the night resulted in a good dinner, plundered from a pantry in the home of a local music teacher. Twenty-one-year-old Second Lieutenant John G.B. Adams […]
Read more...Civil War Art: “A Moment of Decision”
One of my favorites pieces of art showing Civil War soldiers and painted by a Civil War veteran is Julian Scott’s “A Moment of Decision,” which was created around 1890. As suggested by the title of the painting, it represents the final calm before an attack. The officer and soldiers pause and wait. A bugler […]
Read more...“Monumental Matters” in England
There has been some groundbreaking work in England during the last year and a half to honor UK-based veterans of the American Civil War. The Monuments for UK Veterans of the American Civil War Association—called “The Monumental Project” for short—was co-founded by Gina Denham and Darren “Daz” Rawlings in January 2022. The group now boasts […]
Read more...“The men in my Regiment for such work”: The 61st Pennsylvania Regiment’s Losses at Fair Oaks & Cedar Creek
The 61st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment numbered approximately 100 men when they were roused from sleep in the dawn hours of October 19, 1864. Part of the Third Brigade, Second Division of the Union’s VI Corps, they helped form the defensive lines that halted the Confederates’ surprise attack during the battle of Cedar Creek. By percentage, […]
Read more...The case of the Douglas orphans’ seized cotton
Union troops in the South often confiscated cotton and other goods belonging to Confederates, in order to support the Northern war effort. In one case, they took Mississippi cotton to which a Unionist family had a claim – cotton said to belong to the orphaned sons of Senator Stephen Douglas (1813-1861). Initially, Confederate troops were […]
Read more...“Serve & Succeed”—Reflecting on the 2023 Theme from Wreaths Across America
Earlier this year, the non-profit Wreaths Across America announced their theme for 2023—Serve & Succeed. Their website states: The inspiration for this year’s theme came while discussing the significance of 2022’s theme, which was “Find a Way to Serve,” and the need to continue to stress the importance of service and the positive ways it […]
Read more...Book Review: Black Sailors in the Civil War: A History of Fugitives, Freemen and Freedmen Aboard Union Vessels
Black Sailors in the Civil War: A History of Fugitives, Freemen and Freedmen Aboard Union Vessels. By James H. Bruns. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2023. Softcover, 238 pp. $39.95. Reviewed by Neil P. Chatelain The African American community was integral to the United States war effort during the Civil War. Hundreds of thousands of Black men […]
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