The Aged Stranger (Audio Poem)
Francis Bret Harte (1836-1902) was well known for his humorous verse and tales of California mining life. He also wrote both serious and humorous poetry about the Civil War. Harte spent much of the...
Iron Brigader Blog
The Sibley Tent in the Civil War
During the warmer months of the year and especially when actively campaigning, soldiers in the Civil War lived in tents. Several types of tents were used during the war, one of which was the...
James Longstreet Quick Facts
Name Meaning James is of Hebrew origin meaning “he who supplants” Vital Stats Birthday: January 8th, 1821 Birth Name: James Longstreet Birthplace: Edgefield District, SC Height: 6′ * Date of Death: January 2nd, 1904...
The 6th Wisconsin Infantry and the Writing of The Battle Hymn of the Republic
By the fall of 1861, the song John Brown’s Body (also known as The John Brown Song) had become a popular marching song with Union Army soldiers. When Julia Ward Howe–poet, abolitionist, and social...
Battle of Ball’s Bluff; First City Class Gunboats Launched: October 1861
October 1861 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...
Historian Calculates Revised Civil War Casualty Figures; Spielberg’s Lincoln Movie Will Be Released After 2012 Elections
Civil War in the News September 2011 For decades, the generally accepted figure for the number of deaths in the Civil War was 620,000. This was a best estimate based on available casualty figures...
George B. McClellan Quick Facts
Name Meaning George is of Greek origin meaning “farmer” Vital Stats Birthday: December 3, 1827 Birth Name: George Brinton McClellan Birthplace: Philadelphia, PA Date of Death: October 29th, 1885 (gravesite) Cause: Heart attack Place...
Confederate General Patrick Cleburne’s Emancipation Proposal
Patrick Cleburne was born near Cork, Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day in 1828. He served three years in the British Army before emigrating to the United States in 1849. He eventually settled in Helena,...