The Spring 2024 Issue
Two years ago at the Chesapeake Postcard Fair & Civil War Photography Show in Havre de Grace, Md., I struck up a conversation with collector Jonathan Beasley. I soon learned
Category: 2024 Spring
Introducing a New Column and a Traveling Exhibit
I am delighted to announce the debut of a new column: Women of War. It will explore the life and service of women who served on the battlefield and homefront
When Did We Start Calling It the Civil War?
A survey of selected names for the conflict in America between 1861 and 1865 on Newspapers.com reveals nomenclature changes over time. During the war and into the latter part of
A Soldier-Reporter Covers the Civil War
Citizen-soldiers volunteered to join the Civil War armies for varied motivations: patriotism, adventure, politics, money, and opportunity, to name a few. Arthur McKinstry had an additional and unique motivation. He
Photo Sleuthing Some Virginia Tech Cadet Portraits
By Kurt Luther In past columns, we often focused on identifying Civil War soldier photos. However, military images are a much broader genre, and one type of portrait that has
A Highlander, 1859
By Ron Field Scottish immigrants to the U.S. during the 19th century brought with them a rich military tradition. Wearing full Highland uniforms, militia companies of Scottish origin formed in
Near Death Encounter at Camp Jackson
Less than a month after the bombardment of Fort Sumter inaugurated civil war, pro-secession militia in Missouri agitated to join the nascent Confederacy. When word leaked that the militia planned
“Damn You, Sir! I Don’t Want a Flag of Truce; I Want the American Flag!”
At Atlanta on the afternoon July 22, 1864, a massive assault by Maj. Gen. Frank Cheatham’s Confederate corps tore into the Union’s western front. The attack landed squarely on the
Terror
A Ku Klux member, disguised to conceal his identity and intimidate citizens, stands against a backdrop painting of a tranquil scene. The gun he carries adds to his menacing look.
Divided Maryland: Portraits and personal stories from the Jonathan Beasley Collection
60,000 Fought for the Union. President Abraham Lincoln celebrated Maryland’s adherence to the United States in his December 1861 Annual Message to Congress. Referencing pro-secession riots in Baltimore and other