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Tag Archives: primary source
On The March to Gettysburg with the 20th Maine
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain’s description of the 20th Maine Regiment’s march to Gettysburg in the night of July 1, 1863, reads like colorful, creative writing. Here’s the excerpt:
Civilians Under Siege: A Confederate Woman’s Diary of the War in the Trans-Mississippi
I first encountered Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861–1868 in an undergraduate course on the topic of great Civil War writers. Looking at the syllabus at the start of the term, I circled the diary as a text I … Continue reading
Posted in Civilian
Tagged Confederate women, diary, Kate Stone, Louisiana, primary source, Texas, Trans-Mississippi
7 Comments
Question of the Week: 6/21-6/27/21
What is your favorite letter written in the Civil War era? And why is it your favorite?
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged primary source, Question of the Week, soldier letters
12 Comments
“For an Affectionate Mother like Yourself”
Cadet Beverly Standard (called “Jack” by his peers) wrote a delightful collection of letters to his widowed mother from Virginia Military Institute during 1863-1864. (I’ve written about them in detail here.) In April 1864, he wrote a letter which follows … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Primary Sources
Tagged Cadet Stanard, Mothers Day, primary source, VMI, VMI cadets
1 Comment
Hancock’s Response To The 1880 Election Results
As I’m writing this on the evening to November 4 to be published in the morning of the 5th, the modern presidential election remains undecided. I’ve spent the day keeping an eye on projections and results until my head was … Continue reading
Posted in Leadership--Federal, Politics
Tagged Almira Russell Hancock, election, Election of 1880, politics, primary source, Winfield S. Hancock
7 Comments
“Almost Scared Speechless”
Sergeant D. H. Hamilton battled with the First Texas in Hood’s Brigade, a unit known for its fierce courage. But in the autumn of 1863, he had a “creepy” experience that reads almost like a classic ghost story. Read it … Continue reading
Posted in Common Soldier, Holidays, Primary Sources
Tagged 1st Texas Infantry, confederate soldiers, Halloween, Lookout Mountain, primary source
5 Comments
Along The River: Corporal Lynch’s Summer Breaks
Charles Lynch’s diary is one of my favorites for a Union soldier’s perspective on infantry fighting in the Shenandoah Valley during 1864. He promoted to corporal after the Battle of Piedmont and served with the 18th Connecticut. It’s also one … Continue reading
Posted in Common Soldier, Primary Sources
Tagged Charles H. Lynch, primary source, Shenandoah River, soldier life
2 Comments
“From Son & Brother, The Soldier Boy”: Crossing The James River, Heading For Petersburg
In June 1864, the armies gathered at Petersburg, Virginia. For campaign or battle anniversaries, I enjoy finding primary sources or battle reports that I haven’t seen or explore before. Last night—while procrastinating on my current events and Civil War history … Continue reading
Second Fredericksburg: “What A Picture!”
A few weeks ago, I was working on a project at work for the Second Battle of Fredericksburg. It’s inspiring to think that attacking troops actually did capture Marye’s Heights—but on May 3, 1863, not December 13, 1862. Since the … Continue reading
Posted in Battles, Common Soldier, Primary Sources
Tagged primary source, Second Fredericksburg
3 Comments
Ending The War: “That’s Meade!”
Many accounts of Appomattox focus on Grant and Lee, but Theodore Lyman left a fascinating record the Army of the Potomac’s commander on April 9, 1865. Lyman had reached out to General George G. Meade in August 1863, requesting to … Continue reading
