Today in military history: Confederate victory at Chickamauga
On Sep. 20, 1863, the Confederate Army of Tennessee defeated the Union Army at Chickamauga Creek — the “River of Death” according to the Cherokee. The Union Army of the…
The last shots of the American Civil War were fired in Russia
Historians don’t talk much about naval action during the Civil War, certainly not as much as they do about the ground combat. If it’s not about a riverboat, the Monitor and the Merrimack, or damning torpedoes, it just doesn’t get the same attenti…
Mark Twain quit his Confederate Ranger unit before the Civil War ever reached him
There were many who served in the Civil War who would later become famous, be they politicians, presidents, and even writers. One of the writers who signed up for Confederate…
The slave who stole a confederate ship and sailed his way to freedom
On May 12, 1862, a gentleman named Robert Smalls was aboard a Confederate transport ship pretending to be doing his normal duties. In reality, he was preparing to take a risk that could cost him his life.
Smalls was a pilot for the Confede…
Meet the prolific Confederate spy dubbed the ‘siren of the South’
A Confederate soldier survived a head shot and spit the bullet out 58 years later
Civil War weapons were known to cause massive amounts of damage to the human body. Large caliber arms could shatter bones, force amputations, and end a soldier’s life in the…
Why the Union targeted Confederate salt works during the Civil War
Salt today isn’t nearly as prized as it was in days gone by. Before refrigeration made preserving food so easy, it was a highly prized commodity. During the days of…
The Confederacy’s double-barreled sidearm fired two different calibers
After seceding from the Union, the Confederacy wasn’t really known for much other than slavery, a slow decline, and getting half of their country burned down. There wasn’t much produced…
The 29th Infantry patch is under fire for its ties to the Confederate States
The latest target for military history with possible ties to the wrong side of the U.S. Civil War may be one of the U.S. Army’s most storied unit patches. The…
Today in military history: Battle of Nashville
On Dec. 15, 1864, the Confederate Army of Tennessee was nearly destroyed by the Union forces of General George Thomas. After a long summer of defeats at the hands of…