Irvin McDowell – A Reluctant General

At the time of the Civil War, Irvin McDowell’s family was loaded with military and political connections. His cousin-in-law was the famed John Buford who played a role in the battle at Gettysburg, and his younger brother, John Adair McDowell, also joined the army but did not achieve the same level of renown as the…

Alfred Colquitt – Lawyer, Politician, Soldier

When one looks at the roster of Civil War generals and soldiers alike, there’s a fair amount of war veterans or West Point graduates. However, what I find the most interesting are the soldiers who work up through the ranks with little or absolutely no battle experience prior to the start of the war between…