A number one worldwide product of today would not have been possible without the genius of a Confederate Soldier. Without the Civil War, you could say the world may have missed out on something really BIG. It’s a fact that the beginnings of the world’s most famous soft drink can be traced back to a […]
Great things come in small packages, they say. This is certainly true of one hard working young woman named Sally Tompkins. She stood only 5 feet tall, but her good work and devotion made her a giant among mankind. Sally came from a proud family with strong military roots. General George Washington had commissioned her […]
The 5th Texas Regiment had created a new and unique design for their Battle Flag. It looked like the Confederate 1st National Flag, except for one major difference. There was no circle of stars representing Confederate States, only one “lone star” in the upper corner to symbolize Texas. They called it the “Lone Star and Bars.” […]
In April 1861 South Carolina seceded from the Union and tensions were running high. The Federals, still in possession of Fort Sumter in the harbor at Charleston, were determined to not to give up the sea fort without a fight. Stationed on nearby Morris Island was a small military post, Fort Morris, manned by cadets […]
The Southern Soldier of the American Civil War was truly a force to be reckoned with, pulling off battle victories with dwindled numbers while surrounded by Federal troops. Washington and Richmond, the two capitals, were only 100 miles apart, but it took four years for the North to win. Why? The North had more men […]
Under 5 feet tall, Sally Tomkins was a lot tougher than she looked. She was born to a family with a proud military tradition: Sally’s grandfather was given his commission by General George Washington himself. When her brother went off to fight in the Mexican War, 13-year old Sally wrote: “I hope you will be […]
Sometimes, history doesn’t always remember things in a positive light. Events, famous quotes, and symbols of history can be remembered fondly or with contempt. Some things in American history deserve healthy skepticism, such as the Vietnam War, Dennis Rodman, capri pants, and, let’s be honest, most fashion choices of the 1980s. However, some things […]
The words below are not gentle. I will keep this short, but be warned: if you think of General William T. Sherman as a heroic man, you may not like what you learn. Atlanta is now a prosperous city that looks to the future. After all, its symbol is a phoenix rising from the ashes, […]
It was during Lee’s 34th year as a military officer. The date was May 6, 1864, and the Battle of The Wilderness was raging. The Wilderness is an area of dense forest in northeast Virginia. It was there that Lee had an army of 40,000, facing a Union force of 70,000. A Texas brigade was […]
A lot of Confederate companies called themselves Irish at the beginning of the war, but there were only two Confederate Irish regiments: the 10th Tennessee Volunteers, and the 24th Georgia Volunteers. I have written about the 10th Tennessee in another article, known for using the “Sons of Erin” flag. The 24th Georgia is the more […]
Commander Maffitt One of the finest sailors America ever produced was Commander John Newland Maffitt, who began his career in the U.S. Navy. It was not long before he stablished himself as a highly respected officer. Not long after the Confederacy was formed, the U.S. government began secret arrests of those suspected of Southern sympathies. […]
Carrie Berry was ten years old in 1864, when Union soldiers entered her hometown of Atlanta. She kept a diary, and in Part I of this story we learned of her experiences during weeks of artillery shelling. Union General Sherman now had an appalling plan for her city, which was about to unfold. Sept. 2. […]
