Public Memory and Soldier Studies
From what I can gather (discussed here and here) the main theme of the FCWH conference in Gettysburg was for a call to move our “public memory” of the war beyond a heroic understanding of soldiers and battle. I understand this mainly to be Battlefield Tours and such, as certainly within the classroom not a lot of this of this takes place from my experiences? Sure, for example, discussion about…
Read more...The Future of Civil War History and Soldier Studies
Just this past week historians (academic, digital, amateur) and educators gathered to discuss the future of Civil War history, here during our sesquicentennial celebration and moving forward. The depth and width of exploration during the conference (according to the program) is impressive. Topics included: Civil War memory, teaching the war, gender, race, religion, battlefields, generals, leadership, and others. All wrapped up with a final day Panel that considered the central…
Read more...The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers
Unfortunately, the spiritual world of the Civil War soldier with regard to his religious beliefs has not often been the focus of historians. This is for various reasons and unfortunately many of them political; which I will not get into. But for a few exceptions before 2001 [Charles Reagan Wilson’s Baptized in Blood (1980); Randall Miller, Harry Stout, and Wilson’s Religion and the American Civil War (1998); for example] few modern…
Read more...The Iron Brigade in Civil War and Memory (Book Review)
The Iron Brigade in Civil War and Memory The Black Hats from Bull Run to Appomattox and Thereafter Lance J. Herdegen Format: Hardcover, 696 pages Price: $39.95 ISBN: 978-1-61121-106-1 eBook: 978-1-61121-107-8 On Sale: September 2012 6×9, 124 b/w photos, 15 maps Lance J. Herdegen is the Award-winning author of Those Damned Black Hats!: The Iron Brigade in the Gettysburg Campaign and is the former director of the Institute of Civil…
Read more...Soldier Archives Data: Letters by State
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…
Read more...Interview with Charles J. LaRocca, Author of The 124th New York State Volunteers in the Civil War
Charles J. LaRocca is a retired high school and college level history teacher who founded a student research and reenactment group based on the 124th New York. He has published articles and two books and lives in Montgomery, New York. His most recent work is The 124th New York State Volunteers in the Civil War: A History and Roster, which is really more than just a book for Mr. LaRocca,…
Read more...Let the Sword of the Union first Subdue the Monster Secession
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…
Read more...BCM: Two Sons of the South
I don’t know if I have ever really engaged in the Black Confederate Myth (BCM) thing as I always felt like Levin and others have done a nice job dismantling it. But today I came across this site/store REBELSTORE.com and the print shown here (and forgive me if this particular place has been addressed by someone?). I’ve seen this photo effectively dealt with and how it has been used to promote…
Read more...What Quality Controls do We have when it comes to Material Posted on the Web?
Dr. Brooks D. Simpson, a historian (published author) who teaches at Arizona State University and is a respected Civil War blogger, added to an ongoing discussion concerning “content” and “controversy” blogs. Blogs sometimes blur the lines between being a “content specific” blog and a editorial/political blog. It’s an interesting question to pose as we are all political creatures to a certain extent and that tends to show up in our…
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