Great article from Military History Quarterly on Fort Sumter

Check out this article from Drew Lindsay of Military History Quarterly that deals with the 150th anniversary of the bombardment of Fort Sumter. It includes some great photos.

War began 150 years ago today

I wanted to take a moment between getting a bit of work done for a class and finishing up some work in my class to remind you all the significance of today in our history. It was 150 years ago, in the early morning of April 12, 1861, that the Civil War commenced with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC by forces of the Confederacy. While the argument can be made that the first shot in the war was the firing on The Star of the West, the attack on Sumter was the point at which the nation fell off the precipice towards war. Thus begins the four-year period of reflection, remembrance, and research on the war for its 150th anniversary. Later this week, I will write from scenic Illinois, as I will be flying home to present a paper at the Illinois State History Symposium in Carbondale on Thursday. Have a great evening and keep researching.

 

Bombardment of Fort Sumter (1861) by Currier & Ives (1837–1885).

 

 

Getting ready for the 150th anniversary

March has passed and the posts have been lacking, but that does not mean I have not been doing some interesting things relating to the war. On St. Patrick’s Day, my friend Stuart and I went on the RJ Richards Show on 1310 KNOX AM in Grand Forks. It was our second time on the show, as the first was us talking about the Northern Plains Civil War Round Table. This time, we were on for a whole hour, fielding questions from RJ and his audience. It was awesome and I have been told that I have a voice for radio (thankfully, no one has said I have a face for it). I am considering embarking on podcasting for the blog, which I think would be a new twist for you all.

Speaking of the Round Table, we have gotten a few new members courtesy of our visit to KNOX. We met this past Tuesday and discussed Fort Sumter. The anniversary is coming up this next week, though Fox News indicated that the planned reenactment may be altered from a possible government shutdown. One wonders if the reenactment of the attack will serve other motives beyond historical for the participants. It is a bit ironic to consider the debates over states’ rights today against the issues in Charleston and the US in 1861.

I will be posting a bit more often in the coming weeks as we begin the 150th anniversary of the war and enter the reenacting season. I will also look into setting up some podcasts for your enjoyment. Later this next week, I head back to Illinois for a couple of days, where I will present a paper at the Illinois State History Symposium in Carbondale, so if you are in that area, I invite you to come and check it out. Until next time, keep researching.

April 12-The Civil War begins

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter. The date almost escaped my notice, as far as Civil War history was concerned, mainly due to its larger significance in the world this year. However, April 12, is also the annivesary of the firing on Fort Sumter by Confederate forces, which commenced the momentous struggle to save the Union.

On another note, sorry I have not been posting much this week, as I have been feeling under the weather. I ended up going to the hospital last night to see the doctor and found out that I have pneumonia and have started on antibiotics. I am feeling better today, but am still not one hundred percent, so my posting will be limited for the first part of this week. I hope to be feeling much better by mid-week. Again, Happy Easter everyone.