WW2 “Sweetheart Grips” Surprisingly Few People Know About Them
The personalization of equipment goes back for centuries. The Greeks often had to supply their own armor so they usually added ridged elements that simulated…
Category: AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
1860: The First U.S. Navy Submarine: “Alligator”
Submarines did not become common in naval forces around the world until the 20th century. But one did exist in 1860s America during the Civil War–the…
“Glowing” Wounds: Why Civil War Soldiers Had Injuries That Shone
Using insects – primarily maggots – to treat burns and wounds is a recognized, valid therapy. It is still used today to “debride” (clean) everything…
Most Extraordinary Footage Captures the Famous Confederate Battle Cry – The Rebel Yell
History has shown that a battle cry can be a powerful weapon. Not only does it create a feeling of unity among the ones performing…
Strange but True: Former Russian Officer Was One of the Union’s Great Leaders in the Civil War
Ivan Turchaninov was born in 1822 in the Don River region of southern Russia, and graduated in 1841 from the Imperial Military School in St.…
Civil War Sniper Jack Hinson Was Hell Bent on Revenge
An old proverb dictates that, “revenge is a dish best served cold,” but to Southerner Jack Hinson, revenge tasted best when he was consumed with…
Snipers Created Confederate Chain-of-Command Crisis at Antietam
At Antietam—as with other Civil War battles—the most modern weaponry was employed, rifled muskets and long-range cannons that could lob a shell a mile distant.…
River Snakes – Civil War Gunboats in Action
The Western Theater of the American Civil War brought its own challenges to defeating the southern Rebels. Fewer railroads and a sparser population spread left…
Total Victory Lost – Why the South Lost Civil War at Chancellorsville not Gettysburg
While Chancellorsville is often regarded as General Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory, many would be surprised to know that after the battle he remarked “We…
Iron Men and Iron Ships: The Riverboats of the American Civil War
The American Civil War, in contention with the Crimean War to be considered the first modern war, saw advances in warfare both on land and…
2 Hour Break At Antietam – Suddenly Both Sides Stopped Fighting
Battles don’t unfold as one might imagine. They don’t progress in orderly or predictable ways. Smack in the middle of the bloodiest day in U.S.…
The Georgian 450 – Holding Off 12 Thousand Men at Antietam Under the Brash General Robert Toombs
Impossible Odds The ability of 450 resolute Georgians to stave off 12,500 Federals, preventing them from crossing Antietam Creek for several crucial hours, has to…