Musings on Showcasing
I dedicated my last two columns to the importance of interpretation and preservation, two of the guiding principles in our motto: Showcase. Interpret. Preserve. These words are a credo for
Category: 2021 Summer
Press Coverage of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, May-November 1863
The Siege of Vicksburg and the Battle of Gettysburg decided the fate of the Southern armies, and ultimately the Confederate nation. Gettysburg went down in history as the best remembered
Trilogy Is a Treasure of Rare Photographs and Artifacts
It is altogether fitting that a Frederick Douglass quote is prominently featured in this trilogy of Black lives spanning 175 years of photography. In his 1861 “Lecture on Pictures,” Douglass
Hampton’s Battery at Gettysburg and Puerto Rico
By Kurt Luther In April of this year, the Facebook page “Civil War Pittsburgh,” managed by public historian Rich Condon, posted an intriguing photo of a group of Civil War
A Militia Corporal with an Artillery Sword
Militia uniforms worn during the years preceding the Civil War are full of surprises. The militiaman in this ambrotype is no exception. Of particular interest is the corporal’s gold-tinted chevrons
The Courage of a Trooper at Trevilian Station
The 10th New York Cavalry found itself in a precarious position along the Virginia Central Railroad near Trevilian Station on June 11, 1864. In the immediate aftermath of a successful
Murdered While Chasing Geronimo
By Perry M. Frohne Long before Emmet Crawford met his death in the West, he proved himself a man of action. As a 16-year-old in May 1861, he lied about
Author of a Southern Anthem
The Confederate States of America did not have an official anthem. However, several songs popularized during its four years in existence stirred the soul of the fledgling nation. The playlist
Buglers: “Hark! ‘tis the bugle-blast, sabres are drawn!”
Featuring images collected in collaboration with Editor Dale Niesen of the Facebook group “The Image Collector” and other sources, reviewed by Contributing Editor Chris Nelson. The bugle and shoulder straps
MMB: A concise history of the unconventional, untethered and unruly warriors of the Mississippi Marine Brigade
By Paul Russinoff A column of dilapidated wagons and carriages drawn by broken-down horses creaked along a neglected Mississippi road one summer’s day in 1863. The thoroughfare stretched for some