May 31, 2013
As the author of a book about the Knights of the Golden Circle—a Civil War–era secret society—I believe that studying events of that era is important and relevant to what… READ MORE
June 13, 2012
This past Memorial Day, as a part of marking the Civil War sesquicentennial, I had the privilege of giving the keynote address at the yearly ceremony held at Andersonville National… READ MORE
June 6, 2012
During my college’s most recent commencement I found myself completely distracted from the usually entertaining and joyous proceedings. As I sat in the outdoor amphitheatre my eyes and attention were… READ MORE
May 30, 2012
When the World is Really Out to Get You, Champ Ferguson and the Civil War My old buddy Bill Carter used to say, “You’re not paranoid if someone really is… READ MORE
What if our whole geographic understanding of the Civil War is wrong? What if, instead of viewing the Civil War as a grand, ideological struggle between the wage labor-based, urban,… READ MORE
May 15, 2012
I’m going to post a lie. A couple of them, actually. At least I think they’re lies. They’re not mine. (The Liar’s Golden Rule: make the fib bigger than yourself…. READ MORE
April 25, 2012
“Louisiana is a unique southern state” is a proposition that fails to raise an eyebrow. Whether one is thinking Cajuns, Creoles, New Orleans, Mardi Gras, jazz, or gumbo, one can… READ MORE
April 16, 2012
As a child, family tales and relics of my great-grandfather, a Civil War veteran of the 154th New York regiment, convinced me that General William Tecumseh Sherman’s marches through Georgia… READ MORE