Just last week I discovered a folk-country-ish singer called Josh Ritter (a friend took me to a gig - I had never heard of him ...   Tue Apr 1st, 2008 06:33 am

Hmmm... as with Ashbel my favourite subject does tend to be whatever I'm currently interested in at the moment. But I think there are two ...   Sun Mar 30th, 2008 08:18 pm

Much obliged to all of you. At this stage I think I'll try for the grand sweep to see what trends and issue catch my ...   Sun Mar 30th, 2008 03:45 pm

Anyone know of a decent introduction to the reconstruction period? I tried Eric Foner's bulky 'Reconstruction' but struggled to get through the first chapter. Having ...   Fri Mar 28th, 2008 07:55 am

Thinking about this list of qualities: would those we would want in a general also be desired in subordinate officers? I'm inclined to accept that good ...   Fri Mar 28th, 2008 07:43 am

I was thinking about mentioning 'Birth of a Nation'. As with 'Triumph of the Will', regardless of the film's politics or attitudes it is ...   Fri Mar 28th, 2008 07:39 am

Susan - Glad to know you are also a fan. I will definitely add the Bond book to my ever-expanding list (and here's me thinking ...   Wed Mar 26th, 2008 12:38 am

Cleburne:   well researched book  was released last year that studies this event in far greater detail. It is  called Stealing the General: The Great Locomotive Chase and ...   Tue Mar 25th, 2008 08:00 am

I hope they don't also produce dog-sized muskets. I've only recently overcome my childhood fear of dogs. ...   Mon Mar 24th, 2008 11:19 pm

Hello Joshua. Where are the 7th Virginia campaigning this season? ...   Mon Mar 24th, 2008 10:58 pm

"where was this going?" I have no idea, but I'm deeply fascinated. Slightly disturbed, but fascinated nonetheless. As for Southerners eating dirt - who knows what ...   Sun Mar 23rd, 2008 11:04 am

Hollywood's historical blunders? Well, there's the whole of 'U571' for starters. As for 'Gettysburg', when I'm not laughing at the beards (as if I can talk) ...   Fri Mar 21st, 2008 10:45 pm

>DELEGATE EFFECTIVELY Yes. Allied with this point is number 13 on our menu - planning/organisation. The general should know how to effectively use his subordinates*. More importantly, ...   Fri Mar 21st, 2008 10:24 pm

Front Royal. My pal and I kept on calling it 'Fort Royal' by mistake. Good place to base yourself for access to the northern parts ...   Thu Mar 20th, 2008 04:05 pm

Cheers Johan. That saves me having to ask the 'what do you get out of re-enacting' question I was working on. The more I think about ...   Thu Mar 20th, 2008 12:09 am

Absolutely - it's all down to attitude. ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 10:49 pm

Booklover - interesting points. Remind me to find a sympathetic biographer now (I'm reminded of Churchill's line about history being good to him as he ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 08:50 pm

Thanks - whatever 'meaning' there is in history is what people make of it. My main concern about the deck, I hasten to add, is ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 08:39 pm

I picked up a card game called 'Victory & Honor' (sic) when a friend was putting in a large order from a game shop. It's ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 07:17 pm

I never cared for 'The Lord of the Rings' or 'The Hobbit', but when I watched the first movie I was taken in by it ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 06:49 pm

younglobo wrote: It is a hobby afterall You know, although I'm not a re-enactor, I can appreciate this sentiment. I think I'd have more respect for ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 06:43 pm

Hello Scout If you're heading to Antietam, be sure to stop off at Harper's Ferry. Not only is it rather historically important, it's stunningly beautiful, especially ...   Tue Mar 18th, 2008 07:35 am

Hmm...I wonder if any channels over here will pick it up? Let us know if it's any good. Of course, might be a bit of ...   Sun Mar 16th, 2008 10:21 am

(Just done a quick search - heh! Hooray tanky tanky!) Hi Gunner - good that you've joined. I've been here just over the week and already ...   Thu Mar 13th, 2008 10:55 pm

Johan - those are wise words, especially given what we now know about contemporary hygiene. CleburneFan - the need to pass on to the next ...   Thu Mar 13th, 2008 10:37 pm

Ed, Hank: It does all come back to lines of communication. It's hard to conceive of the scale of the land in a period when ...   Thu Mar 13th, 2008 10:22 pm

And, er, where did he go? ...   Wed Mar 12th, 2008 09:54 pm

HankC wroteIt is an interesting point that the section of Tennessee longest under firm union control (the west) was the most secessionist part of the state, and ...   Wed Mar 12th, 2008 06:32 pm

Much appreciated. I'm afraid I don't really have much of an opinion on the desirability or otherwise of a special day for remembrance. Are issues surrounding ...   Mon Mar 10th, 2008 06:54 pm

A very good post Dixie. I find it's far too easy to overlook the Native Americans when looking at the Civil War. I skimmed through ...   Sun Mar 9th, 2008 09:59 am

I'm writing from memory so am probably a bit hazy on the detail but as far as I understand it, Tennessee had been divided on ...   Sun Mar 9th, 2008 09:22 am

Thanks for the replies! The US Regulars site in particular looks to be a handy resource for the sort of obscure questions that spring to mind ...   Sat Mar 8th, 2008 05:24 pm

What were the rules relating to the behaviour of pickets whilst on duty? I know they shouldn't fall asleep, but was communication across lines, or ...   Sat Mar 8th, 2008 01:36 pm

J - that's an interesting story. I've read several accounts of soldiers going to extreme measures to save their limbs: one cannot even ...   Fri Mar 7th, 2008 08:54 pm

Cheers ole. I'll be sure to remember this thread! Not sure when I'll be back out yet, alas. ...   Fri Mar 7th, 2008 06:58 pm

I keep on meaning to read 'American Brutus'. I do want to know what Booth got up to in the years between John Brown's execution ...   Thu Mar 6th, 2008 09:04 pm