Month: January 2014

  • Civil War Book Review: Fort Harrison and the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm

    Crenshaw, Douglas. Fort Harrison and the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm: To Surprise and Capture Richmond  (The History Press, 2013). 144 pages, over 40 illustrations, maps, notes, bibliography. ISBN: 978-1-61121-140-5 $19.99 (Paperback). Note: Also available in Kindle format. Fort Harrison and the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm: To Surprise and Capture Richmond is another in a growing […]

  • Chickasaw Bayou (10)

    December 29 – Another Option Arises BG George Morgan, conducting a reconnaissance on December 28th, discovered what he believed to be an undefended portion of the Confederate line. He was determined to bridge the Bayou at this point and assault the enemy from the center. To bridge the bayou he called upon Patterson’s Kentucky Engineer […]

  • The Top 13 Controversies at Franklin: Part 7

    Editor’s Note: After I’d posted my recent comments on Lee’s possible endorsement of John Bell Hood for army command in 1864, I started going back over a lengthy nine or ten part series I did on Eric Jacobson’s book For Cause & for Country: A Study of the Affair at Spring Hill and the Battle of Franklin.  I had totally […]

  • C-SPAN Alert: Washington Brotherhood

    Caught part of this last night but it will be broadcast again tonite at 10pm EST.  Shelden talks about the political culture of the time and some of the unlikely friendships formed such as that between Abe Lincoln and (future Confederate VP) Alexander Stephens; and Jeff Davis and William Seward. It’s a half hour and […]

  • This Week at the Siege of Petersburg Online: January 18-24, 2014

    I thought now would be a good time to resurrect off and on posts about what I’ve got going on over at TOCWOC’s sister site The Siege of Petersburg Online.  Here are some of the posts from the last week plus which might be of interest to TOCWOC readers: NP: July 25, 1919 Adirondack Record […]

  • Enter for a Chance to Win a FREE Copy of One of Earl J. Hess’ Civil War Fortifications Trilogy

    Editor’s Note: This contest is cross-posted at The Siege of Petersburg Online. It’s time to introduce a new joint contest at TOCWOC and The Siege of Petersburg Online. Enter for a chance to win a FREE paperback copy of one of Earl J. Hess’ Civil War field fortifications trilogy from the University of North Carolina […]

  • Chickasaw Bayou (9)

    December 28 – Indian Mound On the trails and road leading to the crossing at Indian Mound the 116th Ohio labored overnight to clear the obstructions. By 4 a.m. all that remained was the abatis at the immediate crossing. The night’s work allowed six guns of Co B, 1st Illinois Artillery to take a position […]