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About Brett Schulte
My name is Brett Schulte and I’m the founder of and main blogger here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog. I am a lifelong Civil War buff approaching the age of 30 who enjoys reading about the Civil War, reviewing Civil War books, playing computer, board, and miniatures Civil War wargames, and tramping Civil War battlefields when I get a chance. As you can see by my photo, I’m also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. Other hobbies in addition to the Civil War include reading horror anthologies, watching horror movies, horror television shows, classic movies, classic cartoons (Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies especially), the Three Stooges, dinosaurs, American History, European History, and military history.
My Civil War Beginnings
As I stated in a very early post back in the days when I was blogging at the now defunct American Civil War Gaming & Reading, my uncle and the local grade school library first got me interested in the Civil War. My Civil War books collection was started when I was in the fifth grade. I do not recall what book I first bought with 100% certainty, but I’m pretty sure it was Bruce Catton’s one volume history of the Civil War. After literally reading that book for lengthy periods of time resulting in headaches, I continued to add to the collection. Stephen Sears’ Landscape Turned Red soon found a spot on my shelf, as did Shelby Foote’s three-volume set The Civil War: A Narrative. By the time Ken Burns’ PBS miniseries on the Civil War came out, I was already past the point of becoming a lifelong student of the Civil War.
Why TOCWOC?
Do you mean the name or why am I doing this? I’ll give you an answer for both. TOCWOC stands for The Order of Civil War Obsessively Compulsed. Credit goes to Steve Meserve, an early blogger here at TOCWOC, for the title. It blew the other suggestions for a title out of the water.
I blog about the Civil War because it is a natural extension of my desire to write about the Civil War books I read and the Civil War games I play. My posts here at TOCWOC are often Civil War book reviews or game reviews. I try to tell you what I thought of a book and give you some detail about what it is about. I encourage others to comment on my book reviews and add your own opinions of the various books I’ve read. If I made a mistake in the review, point it out! I welcome constructive criticism. No one, especially me, knows even close to everything about the Civil War. I’m here to learn just like I presume you are.
I originally decided to blog alone in September 2005 under the blog title “American Civil War Gaming & Reading”. While this worked for several years, I found blogging by myself put too much pressure on me to always have posts ready to go. I stopped blogging for almost a year, knowing I wanted to get back to it but figuring there had to be a better way to do this for someone with as many interests as I have. The idea came to me late in 2007: Start a group blog, dummy!
Since that time, I have had many talented individuals join me here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog. Not only do I not feel constant pressure to always have that next post ready, but multiple bloggers means you get to read about the Civil War from multiple angles. Of all the bloggers I’ve had helping me here, none has been as helpful or prolific as Fred Ray. He has far more posts than the third most prolific blogger here. Thanks Fred and I hope you keep blogging here for a long time! James Durney, a top 500 Amazon.com reviewer, is doing great work as well.
For information on the other authors, check out (appropriately enough) the TOCWOC Authors page.
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I hope you enjoy reading about the Civil War here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog. If you want to get in touch with me, leave a comment below or use the Contact Us link at the top of the page.
@CivilWarBlog
21 responses so far ↓
1 How to Use TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog // Jul 30, 2008 at 6:30 am
[…] note that you can click on some blogger names to see their personal About page here at TOCWOC. My about page, for instance, tells you a little bit more about me and why I decided to start […]
2 Mark // Aug 15, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Hi Brett,
Great website, I thorougly enjoy it. Also, I wanted to let you know that the booklist and reviews you’ve maintained over the years were a boon in helping me build my own library. I’d love to hear your thoughts on my blog at http://www.tipstorian.blogspot.com. I’m doing my own book reviews (bogged down currently by Potter’s “The Impending Crisis”, though it’s fantastic) as well as examining issues like the Lost Cause and others. Thanks and keep up the great work!
3 In the Review Queue: Chicago’s Irish Legion | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Mar 14, 2009 at 9:33 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
4 In the Review Queue: Sultana | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Mar 15, 2009 at 3:00 pm
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
5 In the Review Queue: Flames Beyond Gettysburg | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Mar 26, 2009 at 4:41 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
6 In the Review Queue: Modernizing a Slave Economy | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Mar 27, 2009 at 5:14 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
7 In the Review Queue: Brandy Station 1863: First step toward Gettysburg | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Apr 4, 2009 at 1:48 pm
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
8 In The Review Queue: Petersburg 1864-65: The longest siege | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Apr 11, 2009 at 11:00 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
9 In the Review Queue: The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Apr 19, 2009 at 6:55 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
10 In the Review Queue: Thunder From a Clear Sky: Stovepipe Johnson’s Confederate Raid on Newbergh, Indiana | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Apr 26, 2009 at 8:22 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
11 In The Review Queue: Jayhawkers: The Civil War Brigade of James Henry Lane | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // May 7, 2009 at 7:57 pm
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
12 In the Review Queue: Fire in the Cane Field: The Federal Invasion of Louisiana and Texas, January 1861-January 1863 by Donald S. Frazier | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // May 19, 2009 at 9:18 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
13 In the Review Queue: Wars within a War: Controversy and Conflict over the American Civil War | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Jun 9, 2009 at 7:46 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
14 In the Review Queue: No Peace for the Wicked: Northern Protestant Soldiers and the American Civil War | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Jun 11, 2009 at 7:47 am
[…] Review Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
15 In the Review Queue: The Quest for Annihilation: The Role & Mechanics of Battle in the American Civil War | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Jun 18, 2009 at 7:47 am
[…] Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
16 In The Review Queue: Death in the Trenches, Border War, and Civil War Guerrillas | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Jun 27, 2009 at 9:48 am
[…] Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
17 In the Review Queue: A Tactical Innovator’s Regiment | TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog // Jun 28, 2009 at 9:31 am
[…] Queue” series provides TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog readers with a brief look at books Brett Schulte is planning to review here on the blog. These will be very similar to Drew Wagenhoffer’s […]
18 Keith Bryan // Apr 19, 2019 at 5:11 pm
Hi Brett,
I am trying to determine where my Great Great Grandfather’s unit was fighting at when he was killed. He was with Company H, 3rd NC Cavalry, 41st NC Troops, and his Roster indicates that he was killed in action near Hanover Courthouse on May 30, 1864. I know there were a lot of separate battles going on in that area and I was hoping you could tell me exactly which battle his unit would have been involved in on that date. Thank you in advance!
Keith Bryan, my Great Great Grandfather’s name was Enoch Padrick, from Richlands, NC
19 Tim Young // Dec 18, 2024 at 1:40 pm
Brett,
Do you have any correct contact information for Civil War Author, Jamie Gillum in Des Moines, Iowa?
Thank You
Tim Young
145 Old Stover Rd
Monroe, TN 38573
(931)704-3372
20 jake // Jan 23, 2025 at 4:15 pm
Emmitt Smith grew up Pensacola Fla &sucessful football player.His Family story his Gr8 Grandmother Mariah in 1870 census Mecklenburg coVa(birth approx about 1815).(Henry&Nancy&Louisa,Courtney) Mariah Puryear 90 mother Eliz Crook (Jackson)near burnt corn ala.census 1870 Monroe Co ala Prince Puryear chart Mariah 55 born Va.(Samuel & Alexander Puryear _traders) Mary Puryear 1850-51 Estate lists Mariah & children Henry,Mary,McTom, Victoria, Prince.( Henry Puryear b1835 father unknown mother Mariah.)census 1870 beat4 monroe ala Henry Pruyear,ala,labour, wife Ellen &Frank infant.Mariah children Henry 1835,Thomas 1843,Prince 1845,Who were their fathers?If you look at user Trees they do not give exact dates to mislead others about family?Go to CourtHouse Deeds/Documents help Emmitt & he wouldn’t of gotten help from other Puryear family trees? Samuel Puryear abt 1760 d abt _gives mariah to Alexander b.abt1787 d.abt 1851(Monroe co ala).{polly mary edwards b.abt1798 d,abt1850.}Mary deed property list Mariah/children. Samuel deed book lists Mariah.(Hope Emmit keep dig at those deed books come up more info)
21 Jim Gandy // Feb 7, 2025 at 7:59 am
Hi,
I’m trying to get a copy of this article, ‘Fort Saunders Survivor’s Story’
edited by Terry A. Johnston, Jr. which appears in the Spring 2000 (v.4, n.1) of the periodical, Columbiad: A Quarterly Review of the War Between The States
Do you happen to have a copy?
Thank you,
Jim Gandy
Librarian/Archivist
New York State Military Museum
61 Lake Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
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