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Winter 2011
Vol. 1, No. 2
In our second issue, we explore how George Armstrong Custer—the “Boy General of the Golden Lock”—went from Civil War darling to Little Bighorn pariah. What went wrong? Plus, images highlighting the story of the African-American volunteers collectively known as the Union army’s “Sable Arm,” how Ulysses S. Grant’s determination to push the Confederates from East Tennessee during the winter of 1863-1864 resulted in a sharp—and largely forgotten—fight on the frozen ground outside the small town of Dandridge, and read how the struggles of “old soldiers” became an uncomfortable reminder of the enduring costs of war.
Features
Features
Black Men in Blue
Personal accounts of African Americans who served in the Union army from 1863 to 1865—roughly 200,000 strong—tell some of the most transformative stories of the Civil War.
Features
Hard Times Are Common Now
Ulysses S. Grant's determination to push the Confederates from East Tennessee during the winter of 1863-1864 resulted in a sharp—and largely forgotten—fight on the frozen ground outside the small town of Dandridge.
Features
Faded Glory
As the rest of America moved on, the struggles of Union veterans became an uncomfortable reminder of the enduring costs of war.Salvo
Travels
A Visit to Richmond
Local experts to offer personal suggestions for what to see and do in and around Richmond, Virginia.
Voices
In the First Person: Christmas 1861
A collection of first-person quotes from Union and Confederate soldiers and officers describing their experiences during Christmas 1861.
Primer
Getting to Know: Civil War Canteens
A sampling of the many types of canteens Civil War soldiers used to carry water and other beverages during the war.
Preservation
Gaines’ Mill in the Crosshairs
Learn about preservation efforts for 285 pristine acres at Gaines' Mill, the site of Robert E. Lee's first major victory.
Figures
By the Numbers: Civil War Mortality Reconsidered
A study by historian J. David Hacker revises the long-accepted Civil War death toll upward from 620,000 to 750,000 male deaths.
In Focus
The Devil and Robert E. Lee
In 1865, Mathew Brady photographed Robert E. Lee outside his Richmond home, unknowingly capturing the word "Devil" scrawled on a nearby brick.Columns
Casualties of War
General Earl Van Dorn
Confederate General Earl Van Dorn was shot dead at his desk in 1863, widely assumed to be the victim of an outraged husband. The truth is more complicated.
Battlefield Echoes
Civilians and the Boundaries of War
The deep entanglement of southern civilians in the Civil War made it difficult to keep the fighting solely between the two armies.Books & Authors
Books & Authors
The Year in Civil War Books
Five Civil War historians and enthusiasts share their favorite Civil War books of 2011 and upcoming titles they're looking forward to.Odds & Ends
Editorial
Thanks…and a Contest
Editor Terry Johnston thanks readers for their enthusiastic response to the premier issue of The Civil War Monitor.
Dispatches
Winter 2011 | Dispatches
Readers write in to praise the premiere issue of The Civil War Monitor, highlighting its depth of scholarship, beautiful production, and balanced perspective.