Civil War Traveler and Blogger
I’m taking this time out of my busy (and currently stressful) personal life to wish all my readers a Happy Juneteenth/Emancipation Day, which has its roots in Civil War history. June 19, 1865, is the day most commonly associated with Juneteenth, as it was the day the Union army entered Galveston, Texas and General Gordon… Continue reading Happy Juneteenth/Emancipation Day
Louisiana, especially the southeast region of the state, is well known for its historic plantations like Oak Alley, Whitney, Laura, Houmas House, etc. They also don’t lack for museums that interpret their rich history from the French colonial era to the Civil Rights movement. One such museum that does an admirable and thorough job at… Continue reading Stepping Into Rural Life in Louisiana
Disunion was nothing new to American politics. Since the ratification of the Constitution (which ended the period of governing under the Articles of Confederation that gave individual states more autonomy than the federal government) the idea of disunion had been thrown around by politicians and journalists alike. The notion of disunion manifested in a variety… Continue reading Disunion – A Precursor of the Civil War
In honor of Black History Month, I wanted to take a moment to recommend some books that give special focus to black women during the Antebellum and Civil War eras. While this isn't a complete list - and I highly suggest that readers take a moment to find more resources beyond what I mention -… Continue reading Black History Month 2022 – Recommended Reading
Recently, I had to fortunate privilege of acquiring and reading a book that I might not have normally picked up in a bookstore. Usually if I take a chance on historical fiction – especially Civil War historical fiction – I pick a book that follows a character that I know I’ll become attached to. I… Continue reading Book Review – Gabriel, A Novel of the American Civil War
Most casual historians will recognize the name of Harper’s Ferry as “ground zero” for John Brown’s infamous raid that was designed to inspire a revolution amongst the enslaved population in America. While the raid did not fully succeed, many claim that Brown’s actions at Harper’s Ferry and his subsequent execution are the instigating factors that… Continue reading Harper’s Ferry – Confluence at War (Part 1)
Just down the road from Harper’s Ferry National Park, there’s no lack of eatery places one can stop in to grab a quick bite to eat during their tour through the historic village. The Coffee Mill is one example. Coffee Mill, Harper's Ferry, WV (author photo, Aug 2019) There’s not much information available about The… Continue reading The Coffee Mill – Eating Inside Harper’s Ferry
The below letter was written by Charles Clarence Miller (1843-1912), Gates, Monroe county, New York. In the 1860 US Census, 16 year-old Charles was enumerated in his parents household in Gates where he attended school and worked as a farm laborer. 140th NY depicted at Saunders Field In August 1862, he enlisted with Company D… Continue reading A Thanksgiving Letter Home
In the face of staggering losses and terribly mangled plans, Ulysses Grant was still optimistic on the morning of May 11th, 1864. Despite his best efforts to find that weakness in Robert Lee’s heavily fortified line along Laurel Hill and the – supposedly vulnerable – salient to the east, Grant was left with more casualties… Continue reading “More Than Human Flesh Could Stand” – May 11th – 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania
*I want to stress that this post is simply my opinions or half-baked thoughts that I wanted to share about something that warrants way more scrutiny and research* My husband and I were having a discussion the other night that I thought was worth sharing. He said something to the effect that he had read… Continue reading Was It A Civil War or A Rebellion? (Thinking Out Loud)
Belle on the Battlefield 