The Enduring Legacy of Gettysburg
The furious fighting in and about a bustling crossroads village in Pennsylvania for three days in July 1863 is Homeric in its scope. Every patch of hallowed ground on the
Category: 2016 Summer
CARDOMANIA! How the Carte de Visite Became the Facebook of the 1860s
By Ronald S. Coddington Jesse Harrison Whitehurst knew the ebbs and flows of the photography business better than most of his contemporaries. The daguerreian pioneer had a knack for adapting
Jefferson Davis, Political Soldier
By John O’Brien On Jan. 9, 1861, Mississippi seceded from the Union. Two days later, Jefferson Davis followed his home state, and resigned from the U.S. Senate with a moving
A Militiaman of a Different Stripe
At first glance, the rank insignia worn by this soldier seems at odds. The elongated chevrons appear to indicate his rank as corporal. Yet, his epaulettes suggest that he
Finding My Great-Grandfather
By Mark H. Dunkelman I have often said that you never know when something will turn up. That was confirmed for me in February 2016, when what turned up was
“Give ‘em Hell on the Flank”
During the evening of the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Col. Wheelock Graves Veazey received orders to form an advanced picket line. He led his 16th Vermont Infantry
Images Shine in a Book of Collection Favorites
Like the tiny spark that ignites a raging fire, the inspiration that propels an author on a book-publishing journey can come from unexpected sources. For photo collector Bruce Bonfield, it
At Gettysburg, Life Imitates Art: A year before the “Children of the Battlefield” photo was taken from the body of Sgt. Amos Humiston, a similar drama unfolded in a poem
By Ronald S. Coddington One of the most poignant personal stories of the Battle of Gettysburg is the death of Union Sgt. Amos Humiston. Killed during the first day of
Highly Honorable and Strictly Confidential Service
By Scott Valentine As Sgt. Smith Stimmel stood sentry at the front door of the White House on the evening of Feb. 10, 1864, a not too distant fire alarm
Conspicuous Cadet at New Market: The life and legacy of VMI’s Jonathan E. Woodbridge
By Katie O’Halloran Brown Late on the night of May 10, 1864, the cadets of Virginia Military Institute were called out of bed for orders that directed them to join