Tag Archives: martin van buren

The Presidents’ War

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Chris Mackowski

I’ve been spending time with an interesting and highly readable book by Chris DeRose called The Presidents’ War: Six American Presidents and the Civil War that Divided Them. These days, former presidents tend to keep their noses out of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Authors, Leadership--Federal, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A visit with “Old Kinderhook” on the 150th anniversary of his death

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Chris Mackowski

The secession of South Carolina triggered civil war in Martin Van Buren’s house before it ever triggered fighting on the battlefield. After his public career ended, the former president had retired to the quiet life of a country farmer in … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, National Park Service, Personalities, Photography, Politics, Slavery | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments