Sabers at Shepherdstown
By Scott Valentine Seeking to relieve pressure on the Army of Northern Virginia besieged at Richmond and Petersburg in the summer of 1864, Gen. Robert E. Lee ordered a diversion
Recent Stories
A Confederate Casualty at Missionary Ridge, a Post-Mortem, and More
The 45th Tennessee Infantry and other Confederate forces occupied Tunnel Hill along the northern edge of Missionary Ridge on the morning of Nov. 25, 1863. Though they successfully repelled piecemeal
He Arrested Mary Surratt and Lewis Powell
By Richard Look Captain Henry Warren Smith climbed the stairs to the entrance of a home in Washington, D.C., during the night of April 17, 1865. Bathed in the soft
The Spring 2024 Issue
Two years ago at the Chesapeake Postcard Fair & Civil War Photography Show in Havre de Grace, Md., I struck up a conversation with collector Jonathan Beasley. I soon learned
Introducing a New Column and a Traveling Exhibit
I am delighted to announce the debut of a new column: Women of War. It will explore the life and service of women who served on the battlefield and homefront
When Did We Start Calling It the Civil War?
A survey of selected names for the conflict in America between 1861 and 1865 on Newspapers.com reveals nomenclature changes over time. During the war and into the latter part of
A Soldier-Reporter Covers the Civil War
Citizen-soldiers volunteered to join the Civil War armies for varied motivations: patriotism, adventure, politics, money, and opportunity, to name a few. Arthur McKinstry had an additional and unique motivation. He
Photo Sleuthing Some Virginia Tech Cadet Portraits
By Kurt Luther In past columns, we often focused on identifying Civil War soldier photos. However, military images are a much broader genre, and one type of portrait that has
A Highlander, 1859
By Ron Field Scottish immigrants to the U.S. during the 19th century brought with them a rich military tradition. Wearing full Highland uniforms, militia companies of Scottish origin formed in
Near Death Encounter at Camp Jackson
Less than a month after the bombardment of Fort Sumter inaugurated civil war, pro-secession militia in Missouri agitated to join the nascent Confederacy. When word leaked that the militia planned
