One of the more prominent socialites and colorful characters in Richmond society during the Civil War was displaced Marylander Hetty Cary. A descendant of Thomas Jefferson, Cary was born near Baltimore in 1836, and was living in that city when the Civil War began in 1861. Baltimore had a large number of Confederate sympathizers, and after [...]
Continue reading about Magnificent Hetty Cary: Betsy Ross of the South
150 Years Ago in the Civil War As the second year of the Civil War began, the main armies on both sides remained inactive for the most part. In Washington, President Abraham Lincoln continued to press for movement by the Federal armies under Major Generals Don Carlos Buel and Henry Halleck in Kentucky and Missouri, and [...]
Civil War seacoast mortars were very large mortars used defensively in fixed fortifications and in coast and river defense. They were also used in siege operations and occasionally in other offensive endeavors. The largest mortar in the Federal arsenal was the 13 inch seacoast mortar, so named for the size of the weapon’s bore. Perhaps the most [...]
Continue reading about The Seacoast Mortar called “The Dictator” at the Siege of Petersburg 1864
The preservation of Civil War battlefields and sites of historic importance is an ongoing process that is certain to get a boost as we move through the Civil War sesquicentennial years. Here are some preservation items of interest that are happening in the Fall of 2011. President Barack Obama signed an executive order November 1st, [...]
Continue reading about Civil War Historic Site and Battlefield Preservation in the News Fall 2011
150 Years Ago in the Civil War As the Civil War moved into its first autumn, neither army had any immediate plans for major offensive operations. In Washington, General George McClellan busied himself with organizing and training the Army of the Potomac. On both sides, generals were assigned to commands of various departments. In Louisville, [...]
Continue reading about Battle of Ball’s Bluff; First City Class Gunboats Launched: October 1861
150 Years Ago in the Civil War There were no battles that were on the scale of those at Bull Run, Virginia and Wilson’s Creek, Missouri in July and August, but there were some significant smaller events in the Civil War in September 1861. On September 4th, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant arrived at Cairo, Illinois, [...]
