Historical picture with the story behind it.
Interesting Facts about the Battle of Chancellorsville Gen. Joseph Hooker had replaced the incompetent Ambrose Burnside after his frontal lunacy at Fredericksburg. Hooker quickly whipped the Army of the Potomac into shape and stole a march on Lee by crossing the Rappahannock River and descending on Lee’s left. Lee’s Army Read more…
Drummer boys go back hundreds of years. They were used in the Revolutionary War, but are most famous for their role in the Civil War. If you were too young to enlist as a soldier, you could join the army as a drummer boy. Some were as young as 12. Read more…
Battle of Antietam – Interesting Facts Most history books use the Northern names for the battles because the victors write the history books. Many Civil War battles had a Northern name and a Southern name. Northerners tended to name battlefields after natural landmarks like rivers because they were memorable for Read more…
Sometimes luck changes history. In Sept., 1862, coming off a big victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run, Gen. Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North for the first time. He hoped to win a victory that would convince England and France to recognize Read more…
Bummers were soldiers in Sherman’s army during its March to the Sea and march through South Carolina. The term most likely originated with the German word “bummler” which meant an idler or scoundrel. Sherman’s soldiers adopted it as a means of intimidation. The purpose for Sherman’s March was, according to Read more…
In December, 1776 the Continental Army was coming off a series of bad defeats. It had lost New York City and retreated across New Jersey to seek refuge in Pennsylvania. The army barely got across the Delaware River with the British in hot pursuit. Then both armies settled down for Read more…
This is a picture of horse-drawn artillery. This type of mobile artillery was developed during the Thirty Years’ War by the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus. In the Civil War, a unit consisted of the cannon on two wheels and an ammunition carrier called a caisson. It was usually pulled Read more…
Prior to the Civil War, long hair was the norm for several reasons. First, lots of hair gave a raw look and it was thought to be intimidating. Second, in cold weather it provided some protection. Lastly, lots of hair could provide some protection from wounds to the skull. By Read more…
A picket is a soldier who is positioned in front of an army to provide early warning of an enemy attack. The word comes from the French word “piquet” which means pointed stake. It was first used by the French army around 1690. The main job of a picket was Read more…
This picture is of a typical slave cabin in the Antebellum South. Most of the field hands lived in structures like this. The cabins were made of wood. Even the chimneys were wooden. Most were 1 1/2 stories with the upper level used for storage or sleeping. The interior was Read more…