The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians
Published: 1/5/12
A Soldier’s Forty Winks
As a chemist by training and profession (for 25-plus years), I consult journals and other literature on almost a daily basis. As a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, one of...
Published: 1/3/12
Voice from the Past: “A Dull Day”
Good Morning! Today’s Voice from the Past comes from Alexander G. Downing. His 1862 New Years’ celebration was a far cry from the revelry enjoyed by most modern day celebrants....
Published: 1/3/12
The Angry Politics of Confederate Heritage
Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich was recently at a campaign stop in South Carolina, where he fielded questions from the audience. One local resident took the microphone and asked him, “as...
Published: 1/2/12
Voice from the Past: “A Great Day of Sport to Usher in the New Year”
Happy New Year! As we begin a new calendar year and a new year of sesquincentennial celebrations, we thought it fitting to look back upon New Years 1862. All this...
Published: 12/29/11
The Great Fair
Happy Holidays! As we prepare to ring in the new year, it seems fitting to recall a festive occassion from 1861. Source: Winslow Homer, “The Great Fair” in the December...
Published: 12/26/11
Voice from the Past: “Not peace, but a sword”
Happy Holidays! Today’s Voice from the Past is Wilder Dwight of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry. The following passage is an excerpt from a 15 December 1861 letter to his mother:...
Published: 12/22/11
The Funeral of a “Gentleman Cow”
As the war ground on toward its fourth year, shortages became more and more acute, both for Southern citizens and Confederate soldiers. Even in Texas, where Federal armies had yet...
Published: 12/22/11
Voice from the Past: Dressed All the Wards with Festoons and Garlands
Happy Holidays! Today’s Voice from the Past is from the December 1861 diary of Eliza Newton Woolsey Howland. We had taken some goodies and little traps with us for the...
Published: 12/20/11
Voices from the Past: The Battle of Dranesville
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Dranesville, Virginia. While a small encounter by modern standards, at the time—December 1861—the battle made headlines and captured civilian attention. The...
Published: 12/19/11
Voice from the Past: A Pleasant Christmas
Happy Holidays! Today’s Voice from the Past is David Day who wrote the following on December 26, 1861: Christmas went off very pleasantly and apparently to the satisfaction of all....
Published: 12/15/11
Voice from the Past: A Loud Rap on the Door
Good morning! Today’s Voice from the Past comes from a December 22, 1861 letter from Elisha Franklin Paxton to his wife. And if you hear a loud rap at the...
Published: 12/12/11
Voice from the Past: A Christmas Bundle
Good Morning! Today’s Voice from the Past is Julia Ellen LeGrand Waitz of New Orleans, Louisiana. The following excerpt is from a December 1861 diary entry. Just completed another bundle...
Published: 12/8/11
Voice from the Past: The Hardest Calamities to Bear
Among the calamities of war, the hardest to bear, perhaps, is the separation of families and friends. Yet all must be endured to accomplish our independence and maintain our self-government....
Published: 12/6/11
Image of the Day: Hope That Thing Isn’t Loaded!
A Union volunteer strikes a (potentially tragic?) pose with a group of comrades. We hope those guys were friends! Image Credit: Library of Congress
Published: 12/5/11
Voice from the Past – Christmasday!
Good morning! To celebrate the holidays, all of the quotables this month will reference Christmas 1861. Our first voice from the past is Raphael Semmes, who wrote the following statement...
Published: 12/1/11
Voice from the Past: 1861
ARM’D year! year of the struggle! No dainty rhymes or sentimental love verses for you, terrible year! Not you as some pale poetling, seated at a desk, lisp- ing cadenzas...
Published: 11/29/11
A Second Helping of Civil War Thanksgiving
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, ate lots of turkey/tofurkey, and survived the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping. Since, we did not post our regular...
Published: 11/29/11
Celebration or Riot?
Upon hearing the news of General George McClellan’s appointment to chief commander of the Union Army, Washingtonians embarked upon a grand torch-light procession down Seventh Street. The “compliment” proceeded from...