t is impossible to separate the real Daniel McGirt of the American Revolution from the myth that grew around his name.  The historical Daniel McGirt was the son of James and Priscilla …

As the sun rose on the morning of May 3, 1863, Union Col. Abel Streight and approximately 1,500 of his mounted infantry—many astride mules—crossed the Chattooga River on …

Today, I’d like you to meet Madison Earnest “Matt” Craigo, born October 17, 1840, in Putnam County, (West) Virginia, the son of George H. and Sally (Martin) Craigo. He enlisted in …

The Monument In the heart of Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, stands a remarkable memorial: the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Cast in zinc and dedicated in 1886—when the town was …

On September 15, 1862, roughly 400 men of the 2nd and 20th Georgia Infantry regiments took position on an imposing bluff some 50 feet above Burnside Bridge on Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, …

Arriving in New York in the late 1850s as a teenager from his native Scotland, Crammond Kennedy quickly gained fame as the “Boy Preacher,” captivating audiences in the public square, …

The United Colonies first engaged the British Army at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, with a collection of local militias. These units formed a regional New England force that evolved into …

John Anthony Winston was a man of many firsts. He was the first governor of Alabama born within the borders of the territory (and later, the state) of Alabama. When the Civil War began, he became the …

In 1751, as part of William Penn's colony, Lt. Gov. James Hamilton selected the site of Carlisle to serve as the county seat for the newly created Cumberland County. The settlement was named after …

Born in Barnstead, New Hampshire, in 1828, Alonzo Hall Quint was educated at Dartmouth College and Andover Theological Seminary. In the spring of 1861, he was appointed as the sole chaplain of the …

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the most famous named artillery pieces in American history. Col. Keith Gibson, director of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Museum, noted:   …

In early 1864, the notorious John P. Gatewood and his band—called partisans or bandidts, depending on whom you asked—captured 2,000 head of cattle and horses at Rossville, Georgia. The …

In an 1866 speech, renowned Atlanta newspaperman Henry Grady coined the term “New South”— a vision of a modern, economically progressive South, no longer defined by the Civil War, …

Step back into the summer of 1863. The 10th Alabama Infantry, CSA, is on the march—tired, proud, and determined to erase a stain on its honor. What follows is a reimagined account of the …

Imagine a steamboat gliding along the Mississippi River in 1858, the scent of magnolia and cigar smoke drifting through the air, while gentle banjo music plays on deck. Near Vicksburg, you spot the …

The Civil War, perhaps the most enduring conflict in the American psyche, also brought into sharp focus the extraordinary genius and character of Gen. R. E. Lee. As both a military commander and a …

A debate is raging in Washington over whether the federal government can refuse to pay its bills. In the landmark case  United States v. Allred  (1895), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that …

The Blue and Gray Education Society (BGES) was founded in 1994 by Len Riedel, who recognized a pressing need among Civil War historians and students for deeper, more engaging educational …

In 1900, Rev. George Pentecost caused a national stir when he preached a sermon criticizing the charitable contributions of powerful industrialist John D. Rockefeller. Pentecost denounced …

Virginia voted to secede from the Union on May 23, 1861. The first Union troops crossed the Potomac River into Alexandria County (today's Alexandria City and Arlington County) during the early …