Category Archives: American Civil War

General George G. Meade: Hero of Gettysburg or Goat?

Why Meade’s Victory at Gettysburg Wasn’t Enough By winning the Battle of Gettysburg, General George Gordon Meade made a monumental contribution to preserving the Union and dooming the Confederacy’s bid for independence. But by only wounding Robert E. Lee’s army … Continue reading

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Why the South Loved General Sherman Before the Civil War

A Student and His Teacher Meet on the Battlefield During the Civil War Battle of Shiloh in April of 1862, a Confederate soldier from Louisiana was captured by Union troops. Normally, the young man, whose name was Barrow, would probably … Continue reading

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How Abraham Lincoln Fired General John C. Fremont During the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln Relieves Major General John C. Fremont One of the more extraordinary episodes of the American Civil War occurred when President Abraham Lincoln decided to relieve Major General John C. Fremont of his command. The president knew Fremont would … Continue reading

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The Last Man to Die in the American Civil War

Who Is John Jefferson Williams? Although you may never have heard it before, the name John Jefferson Williams has a unique significance in American history. It’s not because he was a great military leader—Williams served as a private in the … Continue reading

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Why Abraham Lincoln Refused to Respect Jefferson Davis

Was the Confederacy a New Nation? History records that Jefferson Davis was the first president of the Confederate States of America. But there was one man who never conceded to Davis the dignity of that title. That man was Abraham … Continue reading

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Civilians in the Siege of Vicksburg: Living in Caves, Eating Rats

Vicksburg, Mississippi, situated on a high bluff that allowed the big guns placed there by the Confederates to interdict Union navigation of the Mississippi River, was considered by both North and South as a major key to victory in the … Continue reading

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