American Civil War | War History

From the Vikings to Vietnam – Five Wars in Which Drugs Fuelled the Fighting

Drugs have a long history as part of war. These days, their main role is a medicinal one, but down the centuries they have often…

Top American Civil War Sites To Visit Today

The American Civil War was one of the bloodiest wars fought on American soil. Many of the war sites found throughout the eastern half of…

Mary Edwards Walker: The Only Woman Ever to Be Awarded the Medal of Honor

Mary Edwards Walker lived a life full of excitement and courage, forging paths during a time when feminism was largely unheard of, and the country…

“Hell Roaring Mike”: A Highly Respected American Commander At Sea

Michael Augustine Healy was the first African-American man to command a US ship. He was well known and well respected for his actions off the…

The “Glowing Angels” Who Saved Civil War Soldiers Turned Out To Be Luminous Parasitic Bacteria

The Battle of Shiloh was one of the bloodiest skirmishes in an already vicious American Civil War. In its aftermath, came strange tales of an…

Terrible Punishments, Desperate Men – Desertion in the American Civil War

It is the American Civil War. You have been walking hundreds – perhaps thousands of miles – in tattered clothes and worn out shoes. You…

The Civil War Photographer that Time Forgot: Alexander Gardner

When people remember famous Civil War photographers, they think of one name in particular; and “Alexander Gardner” is not it. However, a significant number of…

The Valley Campaign: Stonewall Jackson Defeats Four Union Armies

Stonewall Jackson was one of the most daring and eccentric commanders in American history. Nowhere was his leadership and tactical greatness better displayed than in…

Stonewall Jackson – A Flawed but Brilliant Commander

One of the greatest commanders of the American Civil War, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was also one of the most difficult to work with. Fierce, secretive,…

Nine Factors That Brought Stonewall Jackson Victory

General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was one of the most successful and eccentric commanders of the American Civil War. Despite a religious and personal fervor…

The Drafts – Building the armies of the American Civil War

In America, the draft is a controversial subject. Many people support it, as they feel it is necessary for a country at war, while many…

General Burnside – The Swashbuckling Union General Who Pioneered Sideburns

What do a rifle, various railroads, the American Civil War, the Franco-Prussian War, the National Rifle Association, and sideburns have in common? Here is the…