Civil War Traveler and Blogger
Visiting the site of Appomattox Court House today is a treat of mid-nineteenth century and Civil War living history interpretation. It’s not just a museum or a single house that’s been set up to rebuild the surrender scene. It’s a recreation of the sleepy town of Appomattox Court House, complete with homes, shops, and streets… Continue reading Walking the Surrender at Appomattox Court House
In the first months of 1865, the Army of Northern Virginia had been whittled down to a mere 55,000 as it left the trenches of Petersburg. Desertion rates were high, driving General Robert E. Lee to accept volunteers and conscripts from southern Virginia, as well as a Naval Brigade full of sailors – not soldiers.… Continue reading Down By the Banks of Sailor’s Creek
I typically try to provide short, easy to digest battle blog posts regarding the places I've visited. The last few weeks, however, have been packed with deadlines and personal life adjustments. As a result, I'll be providing a great video that summarizes the activity at Cedar Creek instead of a written summary. This comes from… Continue reading Surprises and Counterattacks – Cedar Creek, October 19, 1861
To see Part 1 of this blog series, Click HERE Union General George McClellan had left the scene. Again. Defying the odds, newly appointed Confederate General Robert E. Lee had successfully pushed Fitz John Porter’s V Corps out of his secure position along the ridgeline at Gaines Mill. Now at dawn on June 28th, 1862,… Continue reading Seven Days Battle, Touring All Six Battlefields – Part 2
As the month nears its close, so does this series on the Battle of Spotsylvania. Here are a list of the posts that comprised the series, in case you missed any. Todd's TavernLaurel HillA Soldier at Laurel Hill"Infernal Engines of War" - Spotsy May 9th"Sheer Madness" - Spotsy, May 10th"More Than Human Flesh Could Stand"… Continue reading Spotsylvania Recap (Links)
In a previous blog post pertaining to traveling to battlefields, I stressed the point to always, ALWAYS do your research before going so you won’t inadvertently miss any important or interesting spots in the park. Well, I didn’t take my own advice last year when trekking through the Overland Campaign battlefields. I missed quite a… Continue reading Visiting Spotsy
The battle of the Wilderness in May of 1864 was shaped by the terrain, which is why visiting the location itself is so important. The park itself doesn’t have an official Visitor Center like most. Your first stop can be at one of two places, either Ellwood, owned by the Lacey’s during the battle and… Continue reading Visiting The Wilderness
Finally, after marching through the early morning hours, James Longstreet’s First Corps finally appeared out along the Plank Road to face Union General Winfield Scott Hancock’s II Corps. In the lead was John Gregg and his brigade of Texans and Arkansans and were some of the first to witness this near rout of their fellow… Continue reading “Lee to the Rear!” – Longstreet’s Rescue in the Wilderness, May 6th 1864
May 5th, 1864 had ended in a bloody and twisted mess in the area called The Wilderness in central Virginia. In the battle that initiated the Overland Campaign, we’ve got the two most famous generals of the Civil War going up against one another for the first time. On the Federal side, we’ve got Ulysses… Continue reading Savage in its Character – Wilderness, early May 6th 1864
On the morning of May 5th 1864, as the rear guard of Gouverneur Warren’s V Corps led by Charles Griffin’s division were ready to move further south to follow the rest of the army, Confederates were seen funneling down the Orange Turnpike and slipping to either side to form their battle lines. When word reached… Continue reading “A Battle of Invisibles” – Saunders Field – May 5th, 1864
Belle on the Battlefield 