The Valiant Soldier: The Civil War & Frontier Diary of W. Henry Oettiker Soldier Studies Voices, Vol. 1 Paperback includes photos, maps, illustrations 6×9, 132 pages ed. Christopher C. Wehner Soldier Studies is pleased to announce what will hopefully be the first in a series of books dealing with unique Civil War soldier diaries and letters. SoldierStudies.org founder, curator, and historian Chris Wehner edited the Civil War and frontier diary…

From the Browse Letters option at SoldierStudies.org: Several observations on the data, Union correspondences in the database far exceed Confederate; which is not unusual, but we hope to get more. New York leads all states whether Union or Confederate with 167. The top three are all Union: New York: 167 Pennsylvania: 145 Massachusetts: 136 The data represents the declared state (including: Territory, Regular Army, US Colored ,ect.), unit, and allegiance…

On April 1, 1993 William B. Holberton, a veteran of World War 2, submitted his Master’s Thesis (Read it here) at Lehigh University. A thesis that would ultimately become a book published in 2001 by Stackpole Books. Hoblerton passed away in March, 2000, and the final editing was completed by several historians he worked with. Homeward Bound: The Demobilization of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1865-66 by William B. Holberton….

Ulysses S. Grant, of course, was a leader of soldiers. He was in many respects a simple soldier himself. I won’t say he would have been happy to have been a simple soldier in the Civil War; he was a driven man out to prove himself in 1861-62. Though I wonder if there were times in 1864 he wouldn’t have minded trading places with some anonymous soldier somewhere other than…

[First Posted at my blog4history website] The Eighth Regiment was organized at Camp Randall, Madison, and its muster into the United States service completed on the 13th of September, 1861, and on the 12th of October, it left the State for St. Louis. Arriving at St. Louis on the 14th of October, the regiment was soon after sent to Pilot Knob, on the Iron Mountain Railroad. On the 20th, the…

[Originally posted at my former site, Blog4History] For Country, Cause & Leader, The Civil War Journal of Charles B. Haydon, edited by Stephen W. Sears. A resident of Decatur, Michigan, Charles B. Haydon enlisted in early 1861 during the first rush to “defend the colors.” He joined the Kalamazoo Light Guards and ended up with the 2nd Michigan Infantry, Company I. His diary/journal is one of the more lucid, vivid,…

Did Abe Lincoln sport a beard for the majority of his life? Why the funky beards and sideburns during the Civil War? Did the term “sideburns” some from old General Burnside and his notorious facial hair? Did the term “Hooker” for ladies of the evening really come from General Hooker’s allowing of women to follow his baggage train? I don’t know if any or all of these questions are (or…

A little “Rebel Yell” anyone?

Union soldiers BY FAR marched off to war in 1861 & 1862 to defend the Union, preserve it, and defend the constitution and this is not any more demonstrated than in Civil War era patriotic (Union) letter envolopes. Let the Sword of the Union first subdue the monster Secession, then the Dove of Peace may present the olive branch and the sun of prosperity will shine again. Description: A hand…