Our conversation with Stephen Cushman, the Robert C. Taylor Professor of English at the University of Virginia and recent author of “Belligerent Muse: Five Northern Writers and How They Shaped Our Understanding of the Civil War,” published by UNC Press. In this interview Dr. Cushman discusses the five writers (Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, William T. Sherman, Ambrose Bierce, and Joshua Chamberlain) and how each offers a deeper understanding and appreciation of how writing helped to define our understanding of the war. From civilians to generals, these five case studies will shed new light on these well known figures and the pivitol role of military context.
You May Also Like

Behind The Lines
What was the seedy side of Richmond like during the Civil War?
We talk with Ashley Whitehead Luskey about how the Civil War changed the city of Richmond in terms of size and especially in terms of social customs. As the city…

Behind The Lines
An Interview with Lisa Brady
Our interview with Lisa Brady, Associate Professor of History at Boise State University and author of War Upon the Land: Military Strategy and the Transformation of Southern Landscapes during…

Behind The Lines
Am Interview with Richard Fox
Our conversation with Richard Fox, Professor of history at the University of Southern California and recent author of “Lincoln’s Body: A Cultural History,” now out with W.W. Norton. In this…

Behind The Lines
An Interview with John Marszalek
Our conversation with Dr. John Marszalek, the Executive Director and Managing Editor of the Ulysses S. Grant Association and Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library. Dr. Marszalek is also the Giles…