You call yourself a Civil War buff and you spend entire weekends at reenactments or scouring pawn shops for memorabilia…have you seen the best Civil War films of all time? Here are the ones we think you should be watching out for on your Direct.tv satellite – let us know if you disagree in the comments below!
Glory – Perhaps the most well-known of all the Civil War films this movie is rich in detail and historically accurate. It Continue Reading »
There were several different types of weapons that were used in the civil war. Of course they did not have near the sophisticated, technology laden weaponry that is used in wars today. The soldiers in the civil war used weapons from one of three categories. These categories were artillery, small arms, edged weapons.
In the category of artillery, both the union and confederacy enjoyed using the Napoleon which is a gun-howitzer. This gun could hit a target up to over 1,000 feet away. They Continue Reading »
Recently promoted to command the 1st Division, General John Buford knew that Union and Confederate forces were about to clash near Gettysburg. He also recognized that the heights south of town would be pivotal to any battle fought in the area. Realizing he was outnumbered, Buford understood that any combat involving his unit would be a delaying action. He had his cavalry dismount and occupy low ridges north and northwest of town. His goal was to buy time for the Union army to come up and fortify the heights and to prevent Confederate Continue Reading »
Many inventions during the Civil War were important to the cause because they facilitated communication and transportation. The telegraph, invented by Samuel Morse in 1844, aided in communications from behind the frontline and enabled news sources to report upon the major events as the war progressed. Both sides relied upon hot air balloons for battlefield information. Railroads moved men and supplies. Jonathan Letterman created the first organized transportation of the wounded. Both the north and the south invested in Continue Reading »
Here is a quick, alphabetical list of the most important people, or, at any rate, some of the people who made the most noise, during the American Civil War.
Booth, John Wilkes – An actor who was also a Confederate spy. Wilkes shot Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. The President died two days later.
Davis, Jefferson – A West Point graduate who was elected President of the Confederate States of America.
Grant, Ulysses S. – Union general who, despite several personal scandals, proved to be one of President Lincoln’s best men. Grant accepted the surrender of Robert E. Continue Reading »
The civil war was a time where many now historic quotes and speeches were made. Here are some of the most famous quotes from the American Civil War:
“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal … We here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, and for Continue Reading »
Vocabulary changes over time, and many words that have remained in common usage throughout the United States sound the same, are spelled the same, yet have taken on different or varied meanings. Some of the language used during the United States Civil War and during the Civil War era are great examples.
A “cap” in today’s language most often refers to a casual hat with a brim to block sunlight from reaching the eyes. During the civil war, a “cap” was a small Continue Reading »
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